You might say that Easter in Honduras started with a bang. At 3:30 in the morning the bell beckoned, and we met for our daily routine of a devotion, prayer, singing, and hugs. Bang! Bang! Bang! Fireworks began our celebration, and by four we were walking the dark streets of La Paz. Carrying a lantern and a boom-box, we greeted all those we met with singing and the words "Christ is risen, Alleluia!" What a wonderful reminder of the women running from the tomb to tell others that "He is not here! He is risen!" This Easter was full of favorite (and unique) memories that I know we will treasure for years to come.
We returned from our walk at 6 am. and tuned in to St. Luke's Easter service. It's incredible that from so far away we could feel so connected to what is going on there. Thank you to everyone at St. Luke's, especially the technology team and all those responsible for the special music for the day. We really appreciated a bit of home and family on such an important day.
Having already celebrated for the past 3 hours, it was time for an Easter egg hunt for the children; you should have seen the excitement on their faces as they all ran to search for eggs. We also had Easter baskets prepared, so the children had plenty of sugar to eat as they awaited their breakfast. Good thing we had visited the dentist earlier in the week!
After some delicious Easter omlettes, we had a bit of free time to read with the kids, color, nap, and have Youth Group with the older children. Having a special time with the teenagers was something new this trip, and (in spite the frustrations of the language barrier) we had some great conversations and bonding time. The kids agreed that they'd like to try having Youth group with future St. Luke's groups, and also that they would try to meet once a week on their own (with some guidance from us).
In the afternoon, a few members of our group went traversing the mountains on a quest for hammocks, while the rest stayed behind for some quality time with the kids (spit ball fighting Tia Leah?) We also did tye dye and Florida shell mobiles with the kids for special Easter crafts.
This evening was my favorite because of our good-bye luau for the kids. They loved the balloons, popcorn, coke with little umbrellas, leis, glow sticks, limbo, dancing, and time together. We took a break in the middle of our fiesta to say a few words to each child, give them a friendship bracelet and St. Luke's shirt, and enjoy our Easter cards and cascarones from the students at St. Luke's.
It was a fun-filled evening that was finished far before the kids were ready, but then again we'd been up since 3:30 so it was definitely time. After our devotions, prayer, and singing we exchanged hugs and "Buenas Noches" one last time. Can our time here really be over already? The adults headed to the roof to check out the moon and stars and to enjoy the last of our snacks and each other's good company.
Tomorrow we head home, taking with us our pictures and many great memories, and leaving our love for the beautiful children here. We are all very thankful for the amazing opportunity to share the good news of our risen Lord. Christ is Risen, Indeed. Alleluia!
No comments:
Post a Comment