Sunday

It's time. I hate this day. It's time to pack up all our stuff, load up the bus, pray together, shed a few tears, give MUCHO hugs and kisses and go back home to Florida.  As I write this it is Sunday morning and I am enjoying a final cup of Honduran coffee and some time talking with the ninas.  And we are exhausted. J

Saturday was incredible.  We woke to find that there was no electricity in all of La Paz.   Oddly enough things like that don't slow down much of anything around here.  We barely even noticed except that the TV spot that Mama Doris had was cancelled and we had to postpone the baptismal service for an hour in hopes of being able to play music on the CD player. In the morning we worked on some bicycles and then took many of the kids for a walk to the market.  We had a few coca colas, met some of their friends and family along the way and then headed back to the Foundation to prepare for the main event of the day—the baptism service. 

There were 10 children baptized and one adult. It was beautiful.  Pastor Lehenbauer did a beautiful job of using his Spanish skills to do a short Gospel message/magic trick. He took a broken egg and made a chicken appear!  You should have seen their faces as he brought the truth that God gives us NEW LIFE in baptism from our brokenness. It was awesome. One at a time the children, their parents, and their new American godparents came forward and the words were spoken:  you are baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

We took pictures of each baptism and were able to print a copy of the moment of their baptism for each family/child. Pamela, one of the Foundation children, took her picture from me and literally stared at it for a full minute with this huge smile on her face. In my own life those moments that I have pictures of are moments that are sometimes more vivid. The pictures help to re-tell the story.  Pamela and the others now have those photos to help them remember again and again that they have new life, a new family. They belong to JESUS!  (On a side note, I asked Alejandra if she remembered her baptism from just a few years ago.  And she did!  We retold the story about Papa Wally falling down in the river with her.  She remembers. She knows she is His.) 

Another highlight of the day was watching Mary get baptized. Mary works in the kitchen here. She has not been at the Foundation long and in the first few days we were here she was very quiet.  By the middle of the week, she and Doris had talked about baptism and trusting Jesus with her life. She prayed with Pastor Abel on Tuesday night and spoke into the night with Doris.   On Saturday, Mary carried her Bible with a big smile on her face to the front of the church and became His child. There were many joyful tears from all of us.

We celebrated with ham sandwiches and coke and much jump roping as the godparents got to know their little ones.

Then we went back to the chapel to have a communion service. We celebrated first communion for Thelma, Alejandra, and Angela.  It was beautiful. Pastor Lehenbauer led us through a service from the Spanish that felt so familiar. We even sang This is the Feast (ok, so its Lent, but how could you not sing Alleluia at a first communion!?)  It was awesome.  There were many tears as the service ended and the Americans and children were given the opportunity to stand and share anything with the group. Much love was expressed.  Two special moments were when Mary stood and thanked us for coming and helping her to get to know God when Marilyn, a 14 year old who was so quiet when we arrived, who stood and tearfully thanked us for being her family. When Tio Brian stood and told the children how special they are to him and how much he loves to play with them, the children really cried. Even Kevin who is "too cool."  J  It was wonderful and painful so what else was there to do…..FIESTA!  We turned on the music and danced and played in the church until we were too tired to move and then we headed off to bed.

Now…we are almost ready to go.  I hate this part, but we don't say good-bye, we only say "until later."

Thank you, Jesus for this incredible week. You are amazing.

 

 

Leah Abel / Director of Christian Education
P 407.365.3408
www.stlukes-oviedo.org
2021 W State Rd 426 Oviedo, FL 32765


To proclaim Jesus Christ so that all may know God and grow in faith toward Him and in love toward one another.

Confidentiality Statement: The information contained in this email is intended only for the use of the individuals or entities listed above and state and federal privacy laws govern the use of any confidential or personal information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or action taken related to contents is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, notify the sender immediately and arrange for the return, or destroy and delete all material from any computer. Thank you.