We made it home safe and sound on Saturday evening. Spent our last night singing and playing with the girls at the Hope House, and many staying up all night (well...almost), we flew from Tecucigalpa to El Salvadore, then to Dulles Airport in Washington, DC - and then the bus ride home to Newport News, VA.
What an amazing trip! I can close my eyes and still hear the children singing and playing together. Orphan Helpers staff and volunteers are doing a wonderful job in Honduras and it was a joy to see and experience first-hand the miraculous changes in the lives of the orphaned, abandoned and abused children and teens.
Now - what can we do to support this wonderful work? Please continue to pray and give - your support is being used in a mighty way by God to change lives.
Take care,
Kathy Futrell
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Day Six
Day Six:
Rebirth
Sacred Heart
Daniel: How do you explain the impact of something through words, when it can only be experienced? I must admit from the very start that this post will come up extremely short! None the less, I will give it my best attempt. A red metal door with no handle: this is where I find myself waiting, wondering what lies within, and having no idea what it would actually reveal. The morning started like all the rest. I was tired and very emotionally drained. Yet, this is in no way a bad thing. The lack of strength has been brought on by a constant flow of serving, and the lack of tears from the move of God that I have been experiencing in Honduras thus far. I am now ready and in the car on the way to Rebirth, a detention center for teenage guys. My devotion time has been extremely refreshing, and I am so ready for all that God has in store for the day. We arrive at the center and are told that this place is even rougher than El Carmen (a jail we visited earlier in the week). These guys have committed worse crimes, or perhaps have already caused problems at another detention center. Yet, most of us are not scared. We have an odd peace. Christine leans over, as we walk in, and tells me she feels no fear but rather an excitement for whatever God is about to do. I can only smile and nod in agreement. We begin the tour walking back to the Orphan Helpers module, which is painted white and red, matching the official look. I breath in, attempting to capture the moment and take in all that surounds me. The campus is surprisingly nice. It is in no way perfect, but there is a certain light about this place that I am already experiencing. We view the “barber shop,” and meet the teacher who shows them how to cut their hair and allows them to learn this skill as a trade. He is a paid working from Orphan Helpers and seems extremely impressive. We turn the corner, and Edward, our leader for the week, knocks on a red metal door. I wait in anticipation. Edward pushes in the door and I see four guys sitting at a white table. There is a bookshelf in the corner and a stack of chairs behind me, but other than that there is nothing special about this room. We have entered a discipleship class led by Marvin, another amazing Orphan Helpers employee. (no shock there.) My eyes find their way to a very alluring guy at the end of the table. Something is different about him. I feel drawn to him. Our eyes meet. It is in this moment that time seems to stop, or at least my mind blacks everything out that is taking place around me. God lays on my heart that i am staring into the eyes of a future leader for the gospel, a modern day Paul of shorts. Yet even as I think this, I have no idea how true this statement really is. Over the next 10 minutes we meet the four guys before us, learning their names and a few details about them. We talk back and fourth hearing their needs and struggles. It has now been revealed to us that they are the core believers in Rebirth; The leaders of the few Christian guys in the jail. Though I still can’t stop looking at who i now know to be Caesar, it is quickly being revealed to us that all these guys are extremely anointed by God. We decide to gather around them, laying hands on them, to pray for them. They get u to hold off for a few short moments while they can run grab another Christian guy. They call him “the pastor.” He is a 15 year old boy named Luis, and immediately has the same effect on me as Caesar has had. He radiates Jesus Christ from the moment he turns the corner. Anointed is the only word that comes close to describing these five guys. We join in a sweet time of prayer for them that is very powerful! The unity I feel with them is indescribable. I long to be a part of their brotherhood. Afterwards they have us sit around the room, and begin to share their stories. What ensues over the next hour or so is unbelievable. There stories are unfathomable; The pain they have experienced is nearly unbearable.
Our group shares tears with them, at times even having to encourage and support them with human touch in order for them to even be able to continue. (I can’t tell you all that we heard because of my long-windedness in this writing ;) but I would like to give you some short details) Caesar was the leader of three hundred boys as the head of a gang. They killed people for him, sold drugs for him, and followed his every command. He was a born leader, yet used his influence thus far in life for evil. He was saved, by the grace of God, a few months earlier, at Rebirth, in the very room we were now seated. My earlier mental comparison to the apostle Paul is all to real now. Their stories are similar in so many ways. Rob attempts to film him for our documentary, and Marvin lets us know He will have to be filmed from the back to protect his identity and to keep the gang from killing him, Caesars response is simple: I am not worried because God will protect me, and besides, to live is Christ but to die is gain! If you would have been able to look into his eyes like we did, you would have no doubt that Caesar is anointed to be a modern day Paul. I will continue throughout the rest of the day shedding many tears over what all God has brought him through, and what all he will accomplish for the kingdom of God. The only crazy thing is that each and every testimony the five guys shared was equally as powerful! Some had been molested at young ages; They had been in gangs; They had murdered people; They had lost multiple loved ones. There stories were mind blowing and God was so prevalent in all of them! These guys were some of the most incredible believers I have ever met. (for sake of time I’ll share the entirety of their stories with you when I get home) Our time of being with them and encouraging them was one of the neatest moments of my life. We went out on the lawn afterwards and other inmates gathered around as we worshiped. After One Voice sang a few songs they wanted to lead a few worship songs. Their worship blew me away. They worshiped in such genuineness! The way they cried out to the Lord in the openness of the jail had me crying through out the entire time they sang. An off key group of guys will go down as one of the best worship services I’ve ever been a part of! A red metal door with no handle: this is a picture my mind can’t seem to forget. Behind it lies a brotherhood of believers. These five guys are the future of Christianity. This door withholds the truest believers I think have ever met.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Honduras Day 3 - Part 3
Drew: In the beginning of the day we had the privilege of going to p Adolecentes. Our trip there started with us leading them in worship (singing praise and worship songs in Spanish; doing some our concert music; and some gave their testimonies). After that was done, they got to lead us in worship. The lady there had taught the kids praise songs, with motions (AWESOME). To be perfectly honest, I did not know the first few songs, but then were told to hold hands with the people next to us. Then a song that we frequently do in chapel (“From the Inside Out” by Hillsong), and in that moment, I have never felt more close to God. It was almost like He was right in front of me, and all I could do is just break down and try to get out the words and scream them in English while everyone is singing in Spanish. But, here’s the thing, these kids have been through more than I can ever imagine, but the are still somehow able to sing “Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades.” Then, we got to hang out with the kids, which was very fun. I’m not going to forget them, I can’t spell their names, but if you ask me, I’ll be able to tell you their names in a heartbeat. There was an evident language barrier because of my lack of Spanish, but it was amazing because I wrote down a Bible verse, and they don’t speak English, but she recognized the Scripture passage and was able to quote the verse. This, for me, was one of the best parts of the trip.
Ben: El Carmen was probably the saddest place we visited, in my opinion. Granted, all the other centers were sad in their own way, but this one was more so then the others. Going into a place where security guards are armed with large seemingly automatic weapons and all the young men (for that is what they are) are behind bars, causes one to think twice before getting closer. At first we were all terrified with all the girls hiding behind Kyle, but after the first, oh, about 30 minutes or so our fear transitioned into sadness. I went into one of the dormitories with Katie, Mr. Eduardo, and Mrs. Poplin. All the boys lined against the wall as we distributed Coca-Cola. As we asked them their names and ages, repeatedly I heard the number “Diecisiete” (17). Since I’m turning 17 on March 25, I felt a sort of bond with these guys. At that point I realized that the only real differences between myself and the young inmates before me were our location in the world and the level of grace God had granted us. It also dawned on me that if wasn’t for the grace of God in my life, I would be in their position or worse. When we had been at the orphanage for little children, we were sorry for them because they had been abandoned. Despite this they were delighted at our arrival and showed us love as we shared ours. When we had been at Mujeres Adolecentes, we were sad because they had been abused. Yet despite this, they showed the grace of God through their worship and their overall happy attitudes. At El Carmen, though, there was very little evidence of God’s grace that I observed although some did seem to show a grasp of the Gospel, meaning that they were close, we believe, to being saved. The majority of the men though seemed unremorseful. This place needs lots of prayer. The staff needs lots of prayer. But most of all, the youth need prayer, especially for their spiritual condition and their future (both temporarily and eternally).
When we went to the Genesis Center, I got really excited. The place was covered in weeds, the buildings were decaying and cob-webby. As my Dad would say, “It has potential.” From purely an engineering’s perspective I saw that this place could and would look really nice when it was completed. On the following day we had visited Tree of Life. This place was, more or less, a completed version of Genesis. Seeing this showed me even more how much potential Genesis could have and much it could impact the lives of the Honduran orphans. Granted, this is not as important as the spiritual levels of the people we have been dealing with, however, this is a place that will eventually be used for the spreading of the Gospel, so it is also important. I have a love of building things and being constructive. When I saw this place, it made me realize that cleaning up this place would be something I would love to participate in. Though I may never see this place again I may be able to use the ideas I have gained here to promote the Lord’s work in other parts of the world, if it be His will. The Genesis Center truly is a new beginning.
The Waterfalls
Michael: The waterfall was probably the most anticipated day of the week. We had about a 1 1/2 hour trip from Alba’s house to the waterfall. I was expecting to start at the base of the falls and then go into the cave. When we got there, we got out of the van and then saw this little rapids. We then walked a short distance and got to overlook the real falls (which were about 150 ft tall). Unlike how I expected, we had to walk down the side of the mountain before we went into the cave. We stopped at the observation deck (which was quite wet and muddy) to put our stuff we did not want to loose or get wet. After a short walk through some mud, we had to jump about ten ft above a small pool of water to wade across. When we got to the other side, we were about to go under the falls. While the water was crushing down on us (it felt like riding a roller coaster in the front row and in a hurricane) we had to do some climbing. When we finally reached the cave, there was a small overhand that shielded us from the water. The hole to go into the cave was only big enough for one person to slide through at a time. After I got in the cave, I sat against the wall and felt this hand smack me in the face! Evan had thought he was the las one in and felt for the wall and hit me instead! I was then told that the cave was only big enough for ten people, not the fifteen we had in there. After some pictures, we all slowly came out of the cave. The trip back was not as bad, mainly because the water was to our backs. Just before we got back to the deck, there was a 25 ft cliff that we were allowed to jump off of. This was probably the best part of the trip. Most every one jumped... including Mama Futrell! The second time I got to jump I did a cannonball in the water. Apparently it made a weird noise because everyone was asking me if I was ok after my jump. I was perfectly fine. That pretty much sums up my version of the falls.
Karen: The waterfall was a great experience for all, even those that did not venture behind the falls and into the cave. It was so beautiful with rainbows appearing in various places; truly a reminder of God’s majesty and power! As the students were sharing in the evening about their visit to the falls Katie commented about going behind the water “it was dark, you could not see; you had to hold hands and follow the guide.” When they got to the place where they were going to jump off the cliff and into the water, she told us that she said a quick prayer and jumped right in trusting that the guide would not let her jump some place that was not safe. She thought it was one of the most wonderful experiences she had ever had! I was immediately reminded - and I shared this with the students - that this is what this whole trip has been about! As a matter of fact, this is what our life is like when we follow Jesus. God placed this opportunity in front of us and said, “jump, this is where I want you to be.” Some were afraid because they did not know what was in store; however, we came here to Honduras trusting God and all have shared that it has been one of the greatest experiences they have ever had. In our lives we go through places of darkness just like in the cave and behind the falls, but if we hold on to God’s truth and follow our guide - the Holy Spirit - he will lead to into the light and safety. Sometimes we come to places that are unknown and outside of our comfort zone - like jumping off a 10 foot cliff into swirling water - but God says, “jump, experience the great things I have for you. I am with you!” When you are in God’s will you will have the time of your life!!!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Honduras Day 3 - Part 2
Day Three:
Mujeres Adolescentes
Genesis Center
El Carmen
Kathy: Mujeres Adolescentes was very special, probably because I have three daughters. The facility was much nicer than NE and the girls took pride in their rooms. Olga took us on a tour of the facility, showing us the girls dormitory, the classroom, the computer lab, the sewing center, the laundry area, the library, the dining area and the chicken coop. A young man named Bryan Fuentes joined us to help with interpreting as we talked with the girls. His father frequently volunteers with Orphan Helpers but was unable to make this trip and Bryan volunteered. Many of the students became good friends with Bryan as he helped us over the next couple of days. The students sang and gave testimonies - they were awesome! I was so proud of them! Then the girls sang a few of their worship songs for us - and they were amazing! Orphan Helpers has really made a difference at this facility. Many of the girls are Christ followers and want to live for Jesus. It was really hard to leave because we had really made some wonderful friends here - and many of them wrote notes or gave us bracelets to remember them.
We toured the Genesis Center, which will be the newest location supported by local business, government and church ministries, and saw the vision of what will be accomplished here in the very near future. Such potential!
We arrived at El Carmen with a little apprehension about what to expect, but were surprised by the young adolescent inmates. We visited 8 dormitory cells with approximately 12-15 young men in each, ranging from 14 to 18 years old. We gave out cups with Coke & ice and then spent about 15-20 minutes at each building sharing testimonies and the Gospel. Again, you would be so proud of our students as they shared their personal testimonies and answered questions from the young men. The dormitories and buildings were in good shape and the young men were behaved. We watched them playing a soccer game outside and they played as if it were a high school match, apologizing when fouls were made and cheering when goals were made.
Honduras Day Two
Day Two - San Pedro Sula:
Primera Iglesia Evagelistica Reforma
Primera Iglesia del Nazareno
Nueva Esperanza
Kathy: It was amazing to sing some of the same worship songs we sing at home - only “en espanol” - and to watch the people worship. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. The children at the Nazarene church came up to us and hugged us and made us feel right at home. I was surprised to see several large churches as we drove through the city.
The children at Nueva were so glad to see us. This facility is run by the government and Orphan Helpers provides volunteers and supplies. We took a tour and saw the young girls’ room, the infant room, the playground and the dining area. We weren’t allowed to take pictures of the dormitories on the inside. Even though the facility was only four years old, the signs of wear & tear made it look much older. The girls’ room had metal bunk beds with stained mattresses and the light fixtures were pulled from the walls. It was a beautiful day so we played with the children outside at the playground, which had recently been donated and comparable to what you would see at a park in the U.S. It was great to watch our students play and bond with the children who were so hungry for attention and love. Later, we went inside and the students sang for the orphans. Later we helped hand out plates of food for their dinner - beans, tortilla and rice - which is what they typically eat at all three meals. It was hard to leave the children. After dinner, we shared our thoughts of the day and talked about what we can do when we get back home to help.
Jamie: Today we went into two churches and were able to get a glimpse of the way people in Honduras worship on a Sunday. I think we are all in agreement that being able to worship with them (and in a different language) was one of the best moments of the day. The power and presence of God was everywhere, and seeing them cry out to the same God we worship every Sunday was comforting, because God is working in people’s lives in Honduras just as much as He is in the U.S.
Although being at church was fun, going into Nueva Esperanza to spend time with the children was the best experience ever (BTW the kids there range from infancy to 12 years old). From the moment we got out of the vans the kids were absolutely starving for attention, and all you want to do is give it to them! At first seeing the way they live in the orphanage is just sad- it is dirty and smelly, very few of them have shoes, and none of them have clean clothes. Then once you spend more time there and get to see how happy those kids are regardless of what they have been through, it is evident that they consider it a blessing to even have a place to eat and sleep (and they were also just ecstatic to see us). When we got there we toured the classrooms, girl’s & boy’s bedrooms, the toddler’s room, and the infant’s room. Again, seeing the way the children live is sad, I wanted to take every one of them home with me.. because they do not deserve that life style- no one does! At first glance you think, ‘what can I do to help them?’ but that thought does not have much time to progress before five little kids come and jump on you with the biggest smiles you have ever seen, and it is almost suddenly that you realize the answer to your question is love. They need people who trust God enough to come love them! We were reminded that we were only going to be in Honduras for a week, so what about the other 51 weeks of the year? It’s not just in Honduras, there are people in need everywhere. Yet we always find great excuses to pass up those kinds of opportunities.
If there is such a thing as love at first sight, I felt it when i saw a little boy named Daniel. At first “Daniel dos” (Daniel Ethridge) just needed some help translating a conversation with little “Daniel uno” as we called him (because ironically they had the same name), but after talking with him and loving on him I could tell it was going to be impossible to leave. We found out a few facts about our little man- he had only been at the orphanage for about a week, because the mentors did not know of him. He is ten years old and has two brothers, one is four and one is eleven, and he was the only one at the orphanage. It is so hard to explain how you can meet someone and then after spending only a few hours with them, have such strong feelings for them and genuinely want to take care of them forever and make their life better. I would do anything for that little boy! The fact that we spoke two different languages did not even matter. If we did not understand what the other was saying then we would point or gesture until we did. But most of the time we did not even have to talk, just holding him or ticking him, or making silly faces to see him smile was enough. As Daniel E. and I were talking he said, “Love is a universal language” haha.. it is so true! I love that little kid, and I pray that he remains at the orphanage so he can receive a Biblical education. Leaving that place was absolutely heartbreaking. It is hard to believe I will probably not see any of them again. But I trust the Lord to look after them and pray that somehow, some way I can see Daniel again one day.
This was said by our Orphan Helper leader at the meeting Sunday night:
“You’ll never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have”
-Corrie Ten Boom
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Honduras Day 3
The first stop of the day was a girls halfway home, a safehouse for girls who had special needs, and those who were abandoned, abused (including raped), and those who chose to be in there rather than out on the streets. There were 5 single mothers, as young as 13, and one pregnant girl as well. We began by performing some praise songs and concert pieces for them, giving short testimonies in between each song. The best part of the morning, however, was not our songs, but the worship that we participated in with them. They sang several familiar songs (in spanish) like “From The Inside Out” and “Came To My Rescue” which were really touching. Despite the language barrier, we were able to sing in our own language, and worship the same God. Many of us mentioned that this was the best part of the trip so far. These girls are able to relate to the lyrics “Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades” a lot more than someone like me, who has not gone through half as much as these kids have. After connecting with these girls, we toured the facility, painted their nails, wrote letters, and fellowshipped more with the girls.
A great opportunity was our second stop, The Genesis Center. This 10-acre plot of land was used before Orphan Helpers, but abandoned. The government gave Orphan Helpers the chance to use this land, which already had buildings and a few furnishings. We were able to tour this future center and could envision the potential plans for the center. The Genesis Center will include an elementary and junior high school, along with vocational studies. It will provide multiple dormitories and buildings, including a clinic, and will be able to support 300 kids in maximum capacity. However, Orphan Helpers is still in great need of labor and materials in order to finish the center and open it up for its first occupants. Being able to tour this center firsthand and envisioning the children’s success, we cannot help but wish we could stay longer to provide some workforce. (We’re already talking about a second trip with labor as priority, crazy huh? must be the humidity...) And to finish off the tour, we found a gymnasium with crazy acoustics. We were able to take the time to sing (and record) two of our songs, which sounded AMAZING in there... we’re talking heavenly. Then we were off to El Carmen.
We finally arrived at the final stop of the day. We stepped into a dimly lit hallway wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. A line of boys ranging from the ages of 13 to 18 sat along one wall as we entered. We were in a boys detention center, a stop on the mission trip that all of us knew was coming but none of us knew what to expect. Many of us were scared of the “what ifs.” But we had a secret weapon. Armed with several 3 liters of Coca-Cola along with cups full of ice, we knew that this was something that they were excited about. As we passed out the soda, thousands of thoughts flashed through our minds. “What is he in here for?” or “Will they even listen to what we have to say?” Not having much time to think, Eduardo (our guide) began to talk to the boys rapidly in Spanish (none of us in our group, besides Mrs. Pelletier of course, can speak it very well, but we are improving). After a few minutes, He asked Kayleigh and I to share our ages and what we enjoyed doing. Needless to say, it was hard enough to express just those few words let alone what he wanted us to do next. Eduardo then asked us to share our testimonies. Simple request, right? Wrong! I began to hear my heartbeat in my ears even though I knew this was coming. I will admit that I stumbled over many of my words but I was able to convey to these boys that we are all the same when it comes to our deserving of death due to our sin. I stopped every few seconds to listen to the wonderful translations which Eduardo gave; this gave me a second to think of what to say next. Kayleigh also shared her testimony a lot more cleanly then I was able to. Afterwards Eduardo opened it up to the boys to ask questions which they did. One question in particular struck me though. “Have you gone through trials since you accepted Christ?” We were able to express to them that we both had and that the devil was very active in trying lead God’s children away from Him. We also were able to convey that it is not what trials you may have in your Christian walk, but how you deal with them. I am sure that all of One Voice would agree with me when I say that none of the mistakes that we have made in our walks with the Lord are important but what’s important is the choices we make in the future. One thing I know without a doubt is that as long as I am here, I will continue to love every child or orphan I encounter and I will continue to share the message that God has commanded us each to go out into the world and share (Mark 16:15).
-Kayleigh and Roberto
(Note: Will publish Day 2 as soon as we can)
Monday, March 21, 2011
Day One - On Our Way
Arrived at 6 am at the DBCS school parking lot - loaded the Blue Whale (school bus) with luggage and 14 duffle bags packed with supplies for the orphan centers. In a light misting rain, we formed a prayer circle and lifted our hearts up to God for safe travel and open minds & hearts. We stopped at a rest stop before reaching Richmond for "el bano" break and received some very sad news - Mr. Law's father had been recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer - had been sick for some time - and the Father decided he wanted him to come home - he had just passed from this life into the gates of Heaven. As we got back on the bus and continued our journey, the students began to sing - they sang "and He shall wipe away all tears" - how true is that promise!
We made a quick stop at the Landmark mall and ate lunch at Chickfila. We arrived shortly thereafter at the Dulles Airport, where we waiting in long lines at the TACA ticket counter to check our suitcases, the duffle bags and get our tickets. We made record time in getting through the security check and then arrived at Gate A19 in plenty of time to make our flight. After snacks and drinks, One Voice performed their first impromptu concert, complete with guitar and drums - people stopped to look and listen as they sang "Hosanna in the Highest."
We flew from Dulles to El Salvador - uneventful and safe flight - arriving around 8:30 CST (10:30 EST) and then boarded the next flight to San Padro Sula. We arrived about 30 minutes later, and then waited in long lines to get through customs. We were met by Edward Rivera with two passenger vans, where we began to load and stack mounds of luggage on top of the vans. We arrived safely at the Mission Dormitory, quickly made room assignments, went over a quick agenda and wakeup time for the next day, prayed and thanked God for a safe journey, and then collapsed in our beds - about midnight CST (or 2:00 EST).
Will be creating some additional pages to the blog to put specific information, but below is a list of the One Voice Mission Trip members:
Chaperones:
Karen Poplin, One Voice Choir Director (Drew’s mom)
Jeremiah Skinner (Orphan Helpers Guide)
Dave Phillips (Orphan Helpers Board) (Logan’s dad)
Rob Walk (Karen’s son-in-law)
Don Skrinjorich (Christine’s dad)
Amber Pelletier, DBCS Spanish Teacher and trip interpreter
Kathleen Futrell (Jessie's mom)
Kathleen Futrell (Jessie's mom)
Students:
Daniel Etheridge
Kyle Smith
Robert Rhodes
Evan Tanner
Drew Poplin
Michael Field
Ben Nolte
Katie Nolte
Christine Skrinjorich
Kayleigh Poulin
Jessie Futrell
Jamie Collier
Logan Goins-Phillips
Anna Cashen
Friday, March 18, 2011
Time to Go
TRIP DATES: SATURDAY, MARCH 19 - SATURDAY, MARCH 26
Well, it's the night before we leave. We have gone through the checklists, packed our suitcases, said our good-byes to family and friends, and now it's time to get some sleep before waking up at oh-dark-thirty to meet at the church. But our minds won't let us sleep...thinking about whether we remembered to pack everything, thinking about how wonderful the four hour school bus ride to the airport in Dulles will be, wondering what we find when the plane lands in Honduras....and wondering what God has in store for us all. How could it be time to leave already? We just started planning the trip, sending out support letters, participating in fundraising events, and attending meetings to go over the details of the trip.
I sincerely believe God has a plan for us - a purpose for our lives - and it always involves loving and serving others. Please pray for our journey this week - pray that God will open our hearts, eyes and ears to see the needs of others and be able to minister to them - pray for our safety and health - pray that God will lead us to the ones who need us most - and that our lives will be changed forever this week.
SATURDAY ITINERARY:
Meet at DBCS at 6:00 am - pack up school bus - leave at 6:30 am to drive to Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. Flight leaves at 3:50 pm EST and arrives in San Pedro Sula, Honduras at 8:30 pm CST.
The journey begins. Join us each evening as we post our adventures, stories and pictures of the day. Comment on our posts and let us know that you are thinking & praying for us.
- Kathy Futrell
Well, it's the night before we leave. We have gone through the checklists, packed our suitcases, said our good-byes to family and friends, and now it's time to get some sleep before waking up at oh-dark-thirty to meet at the church. But our minds won't let us sleep...thinking about whether we remembered to pack everything, thinking about how wonderful the four hour school bus ride to the airport in Dulles will be, wondering what we find when the plane lands in Honduras....and wondering what God has in store for us all. How could it be time to leave already? We just started planning the trip, sending out support letters, participating in fundraising events, and attending meetings to go over the details of the trip.
I sincerely believe God has a plan for us - a purpose for our lives - and it always involves loving and serving others. Please pray for our journey this week - pray that God will open our hearts, eyes and ears to see the needs of others and be able to minister to them - pray for our safety and health - pray that God will lead us to the ones who need us most - and that our lives will be changed forever this week.
SATURDAY ITINERARY:
Meet at DBCS at 6:00 am - pack up school bus - leave at 6:30 am to drive to Dulles Airport in Washington, DC. Flight leaves at 3:50 pm EST and arrives in San Pedro Sula, Honduras at 8:30 pm CST.
The journey begins. Join us each evening as we post our adventures, stories and pictures of the day. Comment on our posts and let us know that you are thinking & praying for us.
- Kathy Futrell
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)