GC Group

Last Saturday, a group of people from Grand Central (as well as many different places) arrived in Honduras. I was so excited to introduce my family at home to my family here. I missed my family from home a lot, and it was so nice to spend some much needed time together. It was great to see the reaction of people as we drove through the streets of Honduras- some people enjoyed, others thought that they were going to die.
The team from GC was so diverse- we had college students, teenagers, adults, families, some people that few knew about- the diversities could go on. Each person had their own specific talents- some knew how to communicate with the people here even though they couldn't speak the language, others had the gift of patient when others were not going the speed that they wished, some could make a child feel loved, others were good at building the houses. All of the people in the group were hand selected by God to serve in the way that God designed them to serve.
We to visit six children's homes. At each place, the kids were loved by 34 total strangers. They were given toys and candy, but most of all some body's time who actually cared for them. you could definitely see God's love through this group.
Five houses were built for needy families. The first house I helped build was built for a family who lived on this tiny plot of land, without a house on it. The place looked like the family had lived there for awhile. The plot was on a pretty steep slope and on rock, so building the house was a little difficult, but in the end that family did not have to spend the night out in the rain, but under their own roof. Another house I helped with was for a family with seven children. Donna, Sam, Jen, and Summer were told about this family while the group was at a food kitchen, and once they saw the families conditions they knew that God had planned for us to build them a house. The family was living in a house where water would rush in every time it rained, and soaked the one mattress that all nine family members slept on. The baby was sick with pneumonia because of their living conditions. I went with a small group of people that picked up bunk beds for the family and a couple of hammocks. After we set up the beds, two of the kids in the family argued over which bed they were going to sleep on. It was amazing, the night before they had no choice of where they were going to sleep, and now they can argue over who is going to sleep in what bed.
Friday night, the group stayed the night here at Casa. I loved having my two families become one big family. My parents got to spend time with their fifteen grandchildren here. It would have been nice had the electricity not been out, but those kinds of things happen here all of the time.
Saturday, we went to the state-run children's home, and their Luby, the boy that we had to take back to the judge, ran up to me and then to Jen. We had no idea that he was there; we thought he was at another children's home. He cried the whole time and told us that he wanted to come back. It is a difficult situation, so please pray for us, and especially Jen, as we have to make difficult decisions.
So many amazing things happened last week and I wish I had enough time and patience to write all of it down. This group shined not because of any great thing that we did, but because each and every person allowed God to shine through them. God's hands were in the work throughout the whole trip. I am so glad I was able to share this trip with so many people that I love at home.
I remember being in their shoes, being touched by the starving child, the confused mother, the broken father, the homeless family, the poverty, things that God never wanted to curse His children. I hope and pray that this group will never forget the things they saw, felt, touched throughout this short week, and will listen to God as He might call them back here.
Though the group had to say goodbye to this place that they fell so deeply in love with, God's work is constantly being done here. At the airport I saw three groups come in and continue the work that the GC group was privileged to be apart of.
I thoroughly miss my family now, but I can once again see why God called me back down here. I feel so honored that God would call me to a place you can tell where His heart is.
I will put some pictures of the week on here later.

Things at Casa did not slow down just because Jen and I were gone for a week. This morning one of the guards here passed away. I am not sure what he was sick with, but if he was in the States he probably wouldn't have died. He left two children and his wife, so please pray for Santos's family.
Some of the kids here are sick. Antonio last night had a temperature of 105 degrees. He is doing much better now, but others in the house have fevers, also. Since some of the kids are sick, all of them will be shortly- it is one of the joys of 15 kids living together, they share everything. We need prayer as we tend to sick little kiddos.

I love you all.