Sights, Sounds, and Smells of
September 2008
 September
of 2008 gives me both warm feelings and frustrations as I think
back of my recent mission trip to Limon. The warm feelings come
from a stocked pharmacy in the Carolina Clinic in a little village
on the north coast of Honduras. These villagers have medicines
available to them! That may not seem like a great thing, but “out
here” it is a God-send, said a local. This village also
has dedicated church and community leaders who really care for
their own. More miles further to the east, lies another clinic
in Cirobya, recently finished and equipped with modern medical
needs. It hosted the first-ever medical seminar this September.
I am in awe of the love, the dedication, and the day-to-day struggles
these Christians (and non-Christians) exert.
Warm feelings also come from the librarian who just BEAMED as a recent missionary
team spruced up the town library. Now, new books sit on shelves, made with sweat
and love, next to older ones. The library was dedicated, many years ago, to the
first Garifuna physician from the village. But “now it looks like a library” remarked
his daughter, Gloria.
The Nurture Center is another warm feeling I have. It is a
plan-in-progress to expand upon the soup kitchen for some 50+
children & orphans
in the village. Running water upstairs will allow the children
access to hand-washing before the noon meal, so very important
in this parasite-infested area. Christina and her cooks work
daily to provide a hot meal to many who may not otherwise eat.
The smell of “hot dogs” (the kids had never had them
before) mixes in with the smell of burning trash and the sounds
of the children’s and adult’s laughter.
But frustration arises as I think of the orphanage in Limon.
Leonarda is a nun who cares for 58 children, who live in three
rooms. One room is the dining hall/study room and the other two
rooms are bedrooms, crammed end-to-end and side-to-side with
3 children sleeping in one bed. But the smiles and hugs from
the children and teens, overshadow, for a time, these crowed
living conditions. Laughter and cries were also abundant.
I again feel frustration when remembering Shalom, the girls’ dorm
in La Ceiba. It houses 15 beautiful young ladies, saved from
the “sex slave trade” conditions in northern Honduras.
It is run by an amazing young woman herself, Suyapa, who is more
than just a mother figure to these teens. I guess the frustrating
aspect for me, stems from seeing the many needs these young ladies
have in their dorm, and not having the personnel or financial
resources to correct them…. broken windows, leaky ceilings,
loose floor boards, crowded sleeping facilities. But then I meet
the girls and am in awe of how mature and personable they are.
Next, I am introduced to “my daughter”, xxxxx, and
my frustrations turn back into heart-throbbing joy. She is such
a beautiful thing, about to graduate from high school and hopes
to further her education. The girls have invited us to a cookout
at Shalom and even entertain us with dancing! The smell of the
BBQ and the sights and sounds of the music are intoxicating.
Then I remember that God hasn’t promised any of us an
easy way but He’s shown us THE WAY, through His Son. And
the frustrations I feel are overshadowed again….this time
with warm feelings, remembering His love for us all and my fellow
missionaries who have shared this awesome trip with me….and
I can’t help but to
Sing Praise!
Linda
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