Blessings...

Sometimes Laura and I sit and talk during our nights at Jovenes and marvel at just how blessed we are.  Out of all the organizations and orphanages not only in Honduras but in the whole world, we ended up at Jovenes en Camino.  Our hearts found a place there and we fell in love.  The past year has been one of ups and downs for the both of us, but it is during times like last week when we are with the people that we have grown to love like family, that we are assured that God has a plan for our lives and, more importantly, He has a plan for their lives.

We had an incredible week and it went by way too fast but we also learned so much and were able to teach the boys some important lessons.  One of my favorite things that we did during the week was what I like to call "El Dia De Los Juegos!" (The day of games).  Tia Sarai, Laura and I split the Casa Rosada boys into three competing teams. We explained to them that the next day (they did not have classes that day) the three teams would be competing in the categories of: work, respect, obedience and, of course, games!  We were strangely reminded of Hogwarts because when the boys did something good, they earned points, but when they did something bad, they lost points.  So it was funny to see them all "try" to be on their very best behavior.  So the next morning we got up and went to work first. My team was assigned the "cancha" (the basketball court).  We had to pick up all the trash and cut the grass around the court. I proudly watched them work hard (and of course took my turn using the machete, and I might also add that I wasn't completely terrible!). It is such a neat experience to actually work with the boys. I guess in some ways it makes me feel better that they see Laura and I come and work with them instead of just playing all the time.  After an hour of cutting grass and sweeping up the court, our time of work was finished! Next on the agenda was for the teams to compete in five or six different games ranging from, uno and miniature basketball to relay races and soccer. It was during the games that the category of respect was really tested (the boys are extremely competitive).  So at the end of the day Tia Sarai, Laura and I had a meeting to determine respect and work points. Unfortunately we had to give some of the boys low scores on these categories, but this is where the cool lessons happened.  We drew a giant chart on the whiteboard and wrote down all the scores with the boys straining to see what scores they got.  Tia Sarai's team won by leaps and bounds but as we were writing down the scores we noticed that the boys weren't as concerned with which team actually won, they were simply concerned when they saw they were given a low score.  Yes they wanted to win but, more importantly they wanted to win individually.  These boys hearts are in the right places.  They don't want to be a poor sport or disrespectful, but just like us, they are human and they mess up sometimes.  It was neat to get to teach them this lesson. The next day we told them that we were making cake and having a party for the team that won. What they didn't know is that everyone actually got cake!  It was during this party that we explained to them that although Tia Sarai's team had the most points, it is not always about points.  It is about acting out of respect and kindness all the time.  We taught them that good behavior is worth a reward.  It was such a neat experience to be able to, in a way, discipline the boys, but then still receive their hugs as they were going to bed that night.    

                                       

God is really at work at Jovenes en Camino.  They boys are learning so many valuable lessons.  They are learning about the love of a family, the love of friends and the love of God.  And I truly believe that each boys feels loved in each way.  I thank God everyday for the house parents who have devoted their lives to basically being parents to these boys.  They treat them and love them like they are their own children.  Just in the week we were there, I saw the house parents show such love and even shed tears for these boys.  It brings my heart joy knowing that these boys are so loved and cherished.


                                     
Continue to pray for Jovenes en Camino.  Pray that these boys continue to feel loved by God.  Pray that they continue to have a passion to learn and succeed.  And pray that they yearn to have a personal relationship with God. Pray for the employees and most importantly the house parents who are raising these boys. Pray that they will have patience daily and that they will continue to follow in God's footsteps as they instill character in these boys.  Also, there are many exciting things happening for Jovenes right now. I encourage you to visit the facebook page and website (there are links available at the top of the blog page).  On October 12 at 8 am, there will be a 5K run to raise awareness and support for JEC.  Please consider running with us, it is going to be a lot of fun!  There is more information about the run on the website and facebook page.

We love you all!
Dios te bendiga!

Hannah y Laura

The Kingdom of God

It continues to amaze me how God works through people, places and opportunities. Laura reminded me the other day that out of all the impoverished countries, and all the orphanages, and all the wonderful organizations reaching out to the lost, we ended up at Jovenes en Camino. We were recently blessed to make a return visit to Honduras where we spent the week at Jovenes with the beautiful faces of our loved ones there. It seems like every time we return there, we are further assured that Honduras is where we are meant to be. But we also realized something else this time that we had never really thought of before.

We were talking one night before we went to bed about how much we loved these boys and how we wanted to move back here and really be able to be missionaries in Honduras. We talked about our fears and about our excitement. One fear that we found out we both shared, was not feeling good enough; not feeling like a strong enough Christian or a strong enough evangelist to be a "missionary". The comment was made that if we were really mature, strong Christians, then we should feel the same passion and desire to serve anywhere, even in our own community. At first this was a big bummer to the both of us. What if we are wanting to move here just to fulfill our own selfishness? What if this is some way of making ourselves feel better or seem happier? And then we began to read Ephesians. It must have been a God thing, because we just began reading it out loud and God spoke to us. One of our jobs as Christians, as followers of Christ, is to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. So what is the Kingdom of God? What does God's Kingdom really look like? If we are supposed to bring the Kingdom of God to earth then what exactly does that entail? God put us in Honduras to continue our maturing process. We are not perfect Christians but we are learning. We are learning about our selves and about God. When we are at Jovenes, we see God's Kingdom. We are learning more about our wonderful Father when we are there. So we both agreed that, in order to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, don't we first need to glimpse a little bit of that Kingdom ourselves? So how cool is God, that while we are serving others and showing them God's love, God is using that to make us more spiritually mature. I am so glad that our Father can multi-task.

On another note, we want to continue to share our passion for Jovenes en Camino. Some really exciting, God things are happen at Jovenes right now. We were only there for eight days this time, but it was enough to see how God is working there. I don't have time to write down every story but there are so many boys that I have seen grow and mature. These boys are learning about relationships, and they are learning to trust. They are happy and taken care of, and during this trip I could see that some of the boys who had once taken this for granted were beginning to see how blessed they really are. I am so proud of them. I am so excited for the future these boys have. But more than that, I am so thankful for the house parents at Jovenes en Camino. I have never met such humble, strong, loving people. These men and women have put their own lives aside and have taken on the role of "super parents". They love these boys like they are their own. They cry when the boys cry and hurt when the boys hurt. They are such an inspiration to me and even more so to the boys. I thank God for putting these couples in the boys' lives.

So many wonderful things are happening and I wish I could really tell each one of you individually about them. For any of you who have been on a mission trip, you can understand the feeling of having so many things to talk about and explain but not really having the words to do so. Laura and I have some major planning and decisions to make in the up coming months so we ask for your prayers and support. We are planning some fundraising opportunities this summer that we will let you know more about when we get all the details. We would love to be in your prayers, but more than that, we want the 56 boys at Jovenes to be in your prayers. They need your support more than we do, so please check up on their facebook page or website when you get the chance. If you have questions about Jovenes, PLEASE ask us because we LOVE to talk about it and the wonderful work that is happening there right now.

Last thing, please share our blog with friends and family. Since we are getting more serious about mission to Honduras we would love the extra support. So like our blog, share it, and leave comments.

"As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received". Ephesians 4:1

"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of God". Ephesians 4:11-13

"Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me..." Ephesians 3:8

"In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence". Ephesians 3:12

2013 Magic!

Well so much for keeping up with our blog while we were at Jovenes the past two weeks. Looking back on things, I should have known that we weren´t going to write. With only two weeks with the boys we were trying to spend every last minute we could with the boys. So many good things happened while we were there so I will try to explain our trip as briefly as I can.

To begin things off, we have decided that we are not very fond of flying Delta. The flight was long and we just didn´t like the Atlanta airport. But that´s besides the point. We got to Honduras in pretty good timing and without any problems. We have got the airport routine down to a tee! Our first day at Jovenes was a breath of fresh air. Before long the boys were acting as if we never left. It was like being welcomed back home. Of course there were changes (some of the boys had changed houses and some boys were no longer living at Jovenes) but the changes were normal ones. It is hard to explain exactly how Laura and I feel but it felt good to be at our Jovenes home and be reunited with loved ones (because that is what Jovenes is to us...family).

The first fun adventure we had was the day after we arrived. First off, the boys that go to the public school are all on their "summer break". So no classes for them! A fun Honduran New Year's tradition that we got to take part in was setting out stuffed dolls (año viejo/vieja). We were so confused at why there were huge stuffed dolls everywhere but we finally learned that it is a tradition to blow them up with fireworks on New Year's Eve. So, after lunch that day, we all walked out into the street with our 'viejo' dolls and basically asked passing cars for money to by fireworks with. We had so much fun yelling out crazy things to the passing cars and seeing how generous people were. That first day we ended up raising almost 100 dollars to by fireworks! So much fun. It was also a good way to start out our time with the boys because we got to just be crazy with them. We did this for the next two days and ended up being able to buy a good amount of fireworks.

How to describe the New Year's celebration at Jovenes. It is almost impossible. To begin, two nights before New Years, Laura and I, and the two Tias (House moms) began writing a choreographed dance that we were going to preform for everyone on New Year's Eve. This dance was complete with costumes and formations. New Year's Eve is like a school dance. All the boys got dressed up in their dress clothes and talked all day about 'who they were going to dance with' and whether or not they knew how to dance. So funny! The festivities began with a huge feast. It was like Thanksgiving with a huge long table, turkey and mashed potatoes. After dinner, Laura and I handed out the glow sticks we brought to all the boys. It was a huge hit. Up first, our dance performance! Never would I ever perform a dance in front of a bunch of people anywhere other than Jovenes. It was so embarrassing but so much fun! Following our dance, was a trivia game show, musical chairs, dance contest and karaoke. Hondurans know how to party. Then the four hour dance party began. We danced with all the boys and had the time of our lives. We ended 2012 by setting off fireworks and blowing up the stuffed dolls. With many "Feliz año nuevos" and "hugs" and a little bit more dancing, the party began to end. What a wonderful way to end and begin our year. We were so very blessed to go when we did.

The next thing we go to do was watch the Jovenes boys play soccer against some local teams. Our boys won of course, because they are awesome! It was like rec soccer all over again. The boys had their little uniforms on and everything. I was so proud of them...just like a mom would be! The rest of the weekend we learned more about the boys...like how they are learning to cook! So precious to see them standing in the kitchen frying eggs and learning from Tia Sarai.

The weekend ended and so did the free time. Monday morning after breakfast Laura and I headed out with Casa Rosada to the new property to work. We were using shovels and hoes and rakes and working with the boys to make the river a nice swimming area for the boys. It was a great feeling to work alongside the boys and show them that working is important to us too. The next four days' work consisted of taking corn off the cob...with our hands. It was the craziest work I have done. We had around 20 or 30 huge bags of corn that we had to get off the cob. It was hard work and really messed up our hands and nails but it was some of the most fun we had all week. All the boys were there and everyone was working. It was fun to just sit in the same area and talk and joke with the boys while listening to Tio Marvin's crazy stories. On the fourth day, after finally finishing, we were treated to the pool! Even though the water was freezing cold, it was so much fun to relax and swim with the boys.

The next days were back to normal work. Laura and I got a new job. The boys that go to the bilingual school (Alison) started back school on our Monday. Part of our job while we were there was to take the boys lunch at 12, pick them up at 2:45 and then help them with homework after school. So we, once again, got to drive in Honduras. Not as exciting this time, but it was fun getting to drive to their school and pick them up. It really made us feel like we were little moms.

The craziest part of our adventure was on Thursday, the day we were supposed to leave. Our flight left at 2 so we were planning on leaving Jovenes at 12, getting to the airport around 12:30 and having an hour and a half to get checked in and through security. Well the most absurd events of things happened, like having to stop at the gas station to get gas, and getting stuck behind slow trucks in traffic, and not being able to find a quick parking spot at the airport. With all of these delays we ended up getting to the airport at 1:05. Which, is pushing it a little bit, but still gave us almost an hour to get checked in. Well.....little did we know, Delta closed its ticket counters at 1 for lunch. When we finally decided to go talk to the people in the offices upstairs we found out that their systems were down, and there was no way for them to process tickets. The man literally looked at us and then at his computer and said, "Yeah you guys aren't leaving today". So long story short, we talked to Tio Elvin and decided to re-schedule our flight for Saturday.

After getting back to Jovenes and being welcomed by the boys literally jumping into our laps through the car window, we realized that us missing our flight was a blessing from God. He gave us two extra days with the boys. We literally spent Friday just loving the boys. Playing baseball, soccer, basketball, etc. It was a wonderful day full of peace, happiness, and blessings. I will never forget the beauty of that day.

We thank God for these people that have become such and important part of our life. They are our second family and our second home and they have changed our lives. We are in the process of making plans to go back so prayers would be appreciated. We are still trying to figure out what our futures hold and if Jovenes and Honduras are in our futures. God will lead us where He wants us, we just pray for extra prayers while we listen to His calling.

Thanks again for your support and thanks for reading!

Hannah and LauraBeth

5 More Days!

So, it is time to start getting excited! I am continually amazed at how God works.  I was thinking today about how different my life would be if I didn't know these boys and these amazing people that work and live at Jovenes. They have been such a blessing to my life and have changed so many things for me. If you would have asked me four or five years ago if I thought I would be traveling to Honduras twice in one year I never would have believed it. But God is good and He can make some amazing things happen. So we, most importantly have Him to thank. But we also want to thank all of our friends and family who have helped make this dream possible for us financially and emotionally. We were so blessed to raise more than enough money last summer for our trip. This was an even greater blessing than we realized at the time, but the extra money enabled us to make this second trip! We would like to thank each one of you and let you know that we are so thankful and beyond blessed.

Christmas is upon us and Laura and I are finishing up Christmas shopping, while also trying to figure out how we are going to get packed and ready to head to Honduras by the end of this week. But if you know anything about us, you know that we are up for a challenge. So bring it on! We are so excited, there are almost not enough words (in English or Spanish) to explain how very much needed this trip will be for Laura and I. We are ready for the change in culture and life style. We are ready to speak Spanish all the time. And we are ready to love! The great thing about the time that we decided to go visit is on the boys "summer" break. All the boys, except for the 6 Allison boys will be out of school all day everyday we are there! So plenty of time for playing dominoes, corn-hole and.......soccer! (Laura is especially excited about that since last time we were there she couldn't exactly play...).

We have been praying a lot about this trip. I know that God will do amazing things, just like He always does.  I can't wait to worship with them and sing devotional songs. Hearing them worship God makes my heart explode with joy. Ronald, the house parents, and the rest of the staff are working wonders in these boys spiritual lives and I cannot wait to experience that again. Continue to pray for Laura and I for our trip and that it may be a blessing to the boys. Remember to keep checking our blog, as we will try to keep you all updated again while we are there.

Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad!

God bless you! Dios te bendiga!

Hannah y Laura

JEC...Here We Come!

Well, I guess it is officially time to update the blog. It has been so long (definitely longer than I would have liked). It has been a long very interesting few months for Laura and I. Re-adjusting to life here was definitely harder than we thought, but it eventually happened. Eventually, we got used to our old lives and fell right back into our old routines and habits. The day we got back to the states we were determined to get back to Jovenes some how before the year was over. God is good of course so as of a few days ago, we are officially going back to Jovenes for two weeks! We will be leaving here on the 28th of December. God is so faithful. Even when we become complacent and wrapped up in our own worlds, He is still there. I am so excited to see how He uses us while we are there. Satan, of course, keeps putting discouraging thoughts in our heads like, "i hope the boys remember us", and "what if they have all moved on with their lives and don't care anymore". But it is these thoughts that are beginning to encourage me more and more every day because I know for a fact that we love those boys and the boys love us. So I know that Satan is trying to attack us which means God must have some pretty amazing things in store for us when we get there. I just can't wait to see what that is!

Please keep us in your prayers as we once again prepare our hearts and minds to be servants. Pray that we can be servants here in the states as well. We want to live our lives as servants of God no matter where we may be. Pray for positive thoughts, and selfless thoughts. Pray that we remember that we are not going there solely for our own happiness and encouragement. We are going to uplift the people at Jovenes and shine God's light.

JEC Here We Come!!

Adjusting to the Old Normal...

Well we have been back in the United States for four days now.  We never realized how difficult it was going to be to come back to the busy lifestyle and culture.  We left our hearts in Honduras and especially with the boys at Jovenes.  An hour doesn't go by when I don't think about what the boys are doing or saying a prayer that they do well on their exams this week.  They are constantly in the back of my mind and their faces and voices show up every night in my dreams.  They are family and we are missing them so much it hurts.  Plans are under way for a return visit.  During our last few hours at Jovenes many of the boys came up and gave us little things for us to remember them by.  Many of them wrote us notes and gave us pictures of themselves.  In just about every note, the boys wrote about being excited to see us in December.  They are expecting us now and I don't think we could go longer than five months without seeing them.  As difficult as it has been to adjust to life here, we have a peace that God knows what He is doing.  He is continuing to open doors and  showing us different avenues of service in Honduras.  We are excited to see where our lives will go form here.  All we know is that Jovenes and the people that live there, will forever be a very big part of our life.

So we didn't get to finish writing about the boys while we were there so I am going to finish it now:

• Gustavo - This small boy has the greatest amount of energy.  I never see Gustavo sitting around.  He loves a good laugh and is always making me laugh as well.  My favorite thing is to see him dancing in the living room when he thinks we don't see him.  He just recently got  a bike and some new clothes from his sponsor, and Laura and I think he looks like a little American kid.  He wears his under armor outfits with neon colors and rides his new revolt bicycle around.  We love his smile and the name he have Laura and I (HannyLaura).

• Juan Carlos - The last of the high school boys in Casa Rosada.  This boy is just precious.  His sweet smile and warm greetings always make my day better.  The last three weeks of the summer he began calling me "Hannita" and called me that the rest of the summer.  When it got closer to the time for us to leave, Juan Carlos asked me, "Do you have school when you go back?" I told him no, and he replied, "Then why don't you just stay here and live with us?".  I didn't really have a good answer for him...I will miss his blue under armor shirt and his yellow fish swimsuit that he wore at least four times a week.

• Manuel - He is one of the three sixth graders that will be going into high school next year, along with Nery and Wilson.  He is quieter than some of the other boys but you cannot help but smile when he really gets tickled about something.  His laugh is so high pitched that when you hear it, you have to stop and look around.  His little brother is Noé and they definitely take care of each other.  They do not hang out together all the time, but when you do catch them together, they will have there arms around each other.  Manuel is also a champ at soccer...but then again, which boy isn't?

• Wilson - Wilson is one of the smartest boys I know.  From the very first day, we could see the wheels turning in Wilson's eyes.  He thinks about everything very hard.  He is not the most talkative of the boys, but when he does have something to say, you can tell he has been thinking about it for a while.  We had a whole conversation one day about America, my school, my family and when I am coming back to Honduras.  He would not take "I don't know" for an answer.  He also told us several days before he left that he was going to give us 40 hugs on the last day and that it would at least last him for 40 days while we weren't there.

One the right

• Nery - Too cool for school.  He is one of the other sixth graders in Casa Rosada and being one of the oldest of the escuela boys does not always help his ego.  He tries to act really cool,  but he always shows his true side whenever he is really laughing or when he is singing during devo.  I love catching him during the moments when he is really being himself, but he doesn't know anyone is watching.  One of his favorite things to do is go to the pulperia.  Anytime we needed anything (uva, chocolate, etc) he was there to go get it for us.

On the right

• Selvin - The last boy from Casa Rosada.  I definitely have a love/hate relationship with this boy.  After about week three, he began calling me "mama" which, at first, was really precious but it never really ended.  Selvin needs lots of one on one time, and when he gets the attention, his smile is to die for.  Marlon Carazo is his older brother, and although they try to pretend they are cousins and not brothers, they love each other. Selvin is always asking Marlon for help with homework, especially math.

We are going to try to keep up with our blog and keep everyone filled in on how we are doing and how we are adjusting to this new culture. Continue to pray for Laura and I as we continue to figure out what our future holds.  Now that our lives have completely changed and now that we are different people, a lot of things are about to change for us.  Prayers that we will continue to follow God's will for our lives!

Hannah and LauraBeth

It feels good to be bilingual...

Well the past few days have been very eventful.  We had a group from Brentwood Hills come and build a playground at Jovenes.  The playground is so much fun...even the adults were playing on it when it was finished.  I am so glad the boys have something like this to play on now.  We also went to Kennedy Church in Tegucigalpa on Sunday.  It was such a blessing to worship with such a large group of Christians here in Honduras.  We really enjoyed ourselves and especially enjoyed taking ALL of the boys and ALL of the Brentwood Hills group out to lunch at Pollo Campero.

So today is our last full day here.  It is hard to even explain the sorrow we are feeling.  We were talking the other night about how we now have two lives.  We have a life here at Jovenes.  After living here for two months we KNOW these people. These people and these boys, for better or worse, are our family now.  We have laughed with them and cried with them.  The other night, I even got one of the boys to open up to me and tell me about his family and his life before Jovenes.  Two months just doesn't seem like enough time but we know that God has everything planned out perfectly. And just to keep everyone in the loop, we are working on getting permission and planning a trip sometime soon, hopefully sometime right after Christmas. We just can't stand leaving the boys after two months with no idea of when we will return.  Only with a promise of returning can we leave with some peace in mind.

Some more about our boys...

• Marlon Carazo - One of the boys from Green House and also one of the first ones to start talking to us.  There is not a shy bone in his body.  We sometimes call him a parrot because when Laura and I are speaking English, he repeats everything we say, whether or not he really knows what we are saying.  One of his favorite things to do is pop every bone in his body and make me listen.  He always has a smile on his face and is almost always in a good mood.  

• Johni Garcia - Oh Johni...there is so much I could say about this boy.  Also one of the boys from Green House.  Johni has about fifty different personalities.  He is still trying to figure out who he is and what he wants to be.  Everyday he has a different "style".  It is kind of precious though to watch him figure things out and learn about himself.  He was also one of our first Green House friends, making us bracelets on our first day and playing lots of games of uno (or one, as he called it) with us.  

• Tatum - Another one of the faces of Jovenes.  There is not a person who has every been to Jovenes that does not know this precious face.  Despite his vision problem, this boy can do everything and sometimes more than all the other boys.  I have never seen a more active and responsible boy.  His hugs are my favorite and I get them very frequently which I am very thankful for.  He is one of the dancers in Casa Rosada and whenever we have music playing he is always the first to come and dance with us.  

• Walter - After our first week here, I remember Laura saying "Ok, we need to work on getting Walter to open up". He is another on of the older boys in Casa Rosada.  Today, he is always one of the first ones to talk to us in the morning.  He is not quiet AT ALL anymore and is definitely one of the jokesters.  He is also one of the ones that sings so loudly in the morning as he is getting ready. We just love listening to his voice as we wake up every morning. 

• Julio - Precious Julio.  Another one of our Casa Rosada boys.  Laura calls him her little boy crush.  It's true though, he is so so cute.  He always has this little grin on his face and although is very very shy, he always has a hug and smile for us.  His quietness is deceiving though when it comes to soccer.  He is quite possibly the next superstar for Olimpia (his favorite Honduran soccer team). 

In the yellow

Well we have an almost six hour lay over in Miami tomorrow so we will to try to finish up the boys then.  Continue to pray for our transition back home.  We are both very nervous about it.  Well we have spent enough time away with the boys.  It's time to soak them up now. 

Hannah and LauraBeth