Hasta luego.

No esta adios.

Canned Ham

Day after Thanksgiving

November 29, 2013

"Canned Ham"

Momma Doris asked that each of us bring canned ham for Thanksgiving dinner. I wasn't sure where to even buy canned ham, but discovered to my surprise and delight that Publix actually sells such things. It took three employees searching the store however (Publix' customer service is top notch) to finally discover the canned hams, and quite by accident. We were all reconvening after our search, about to give up, when the guy from the meat department looked up and suddenly said, "I found them!" He was standing far enough back to see them on the top shelf above the beef jerky at the end of the aisle. I bought five. 

Mary Ivon bought hers at Wal-mart where the checkout lady pointed out, "Girl, those are nasty." Mary Ivon attends Ole Miss with Mallory, Cassie, Amber, and Billy. Their team lost to Mississippi State last night (apparently that was a big deal) even after the Rebels pulled from behind with two seconds left and went into overtime. Jeremy had just prayed for his Mississippi friends' team when State fumbled the ball. For a brief teasing moment their hopes were high that God did indeed favor Ole Miss; after all, four of his servants were in Honduras serving his kingdom on Thanksgiving Day, nearly 200 poor people to be precise. But who's counting? 

And I digress.  

Back to the canned hams. So between all of us, we managed to get approximately 40 cans to The Children of Love Foundation to serve on Thanksgiving. I wondered upon our arrival as we collected our prized pork, how Momma Doris would prepare them. I envisioned injecting them with rum, slathering them with honey, and slow cooking them in the fire fit. I was curious about the preparation all week, so when our beloved American holiday finally arrived, I was more excited to discover the secret recipe then I was about baptizing children. Okay, so for the sake of my salvation, maybe I wasn't. My point though, is that I really wanted to know. Turns out, the kitchen staff chopped it up and served it with marinara sauce on top of pasta with sides of mashed potatoes, green beans, a piece of white sandwich bread and cake. I ate a mound of that stuff. It was really good, considering it was from a can. And while I'm still on Hondurian soil, I would like to officially proclaim, that from this Thanksgiving forward, I will prepare, along with the turkey bird of course, "Pasta con Ham in the Cano," in remembrance of this special Thanksgiving. 

I am amazed how resourceful Mamma Doris and her small staff are. They can make anything out of anything and stretch an American dollar further than Mary Ivon can do the splits. Mamma runs this entire Foundation on $30,000 a year, caring for, loving on, and providing educations for 20 kids, while also reaching out to her community. I have witnessed this all week. She believes she can help change Honduras for the better through a new generation. 

I believe it too. 

As I walked past the open outside kitchen before lunch yesterday, I spotted the cans from the canned hams. Martita, Consuela, and  Dina were washing them. Of course they were, I told myself. Did you think they would throw them away? I embraced the concept of recycling in 2007 after a visit to Ecuador when my family and I stayed at an Eco lodge in the Andes Mountains. The owners recycled everything and had even started an impressive recycling program in their rural community. My shower had even been made out of used bottles. It was the coolest thing. Anyway, I told some of the people on my team what I saw. "The ladies in the kitchen are washing the cans from our canned hams. I wonder what they are going to do with them?" Which started our heads spinning. Perhaps they will become bowls. Or containers to hold things. Or maybe crafts for the kids. Or maybe they will make something with them and sell them. And just like with the ham recipe, I was, and still am, dying to know, "How does one recycle the can of a canned ham?" 

My team gathered last night, as usual, to pray and debrief the day. David commented on the smells. When 175 poor people, who have little access to water, gather in God's house, they stink. Bodies. Feet. Hair. Clothes. But, after challenged plumbing (the Foundation's and our personal plumbing), dirty clothes, cold water on cold days that convince the cowardly to forfeit showers, difficulty of washing our hair, and adding ditties to our singing like, "close the flapper on the crapper," we were stinking too. The college girls introduced me to some fascinating feminine hygiene products that made me wonder if I had an odor. Surely not. I know Mallory's feet were smelly because Jake told us so after Mallory told us how long he hadn't brushed his teeth. On a side note, I think anyone who's courting should be required to go on a mission trip together. It's great marital training. 

Sorry, but on Day Six we start talking about things like smells. We still see the smiles. Hear the laughter. And embrace the precious hugs. But Day Six is when we notice . . . that not only do the people whom we're serving smell bad, but we kind of stink too.

My family ate deep-fried turkey yesterday. I know because my husband texted me. 

Before I went to bed, I texted back, "My pee smells like canned ham." 

And I am so very very thankful. 

Thanksgiving Service

I am broadcasting live at http://ustre.am/2gWQ come and check it out! About to baptize 90+!!

Wednesday Night Blog

Wow, how time flies by when you are enjoying life and showing kindness to others. It is already Wednesday night, and the big day for our team to shine is only 12 hours away. Today was a wonderful day. The 8 team members that have not traveled to see the banana and coffee farm, including the entire Duda family, got to see how they grow banana, coffee, tangerines, and oranges way up in the mountains here in Honduras. The same group gave 2 water filters out to the people that work the entire plantation, giving them wonderful clean water for them and their precious children, and seemed very thankful. Hannah got to tour the hospital hear in La Paz helping her with a school project and got to see more than she was expecting. In full scrubs, she saw a 10 year old boy have his appendix removed and then got to go straight into watching a C-section in action, with a healthy baby boy for an experience of a lifetime. Today as the day went on it got nice and cold, perfect for a traditional Thanksgiving Eve. The Children and some of our group engaged in one of the best soccer games I have ever seen in my 8 trips here within 3 years, as we also danced with the children, made many arts and crafts, prepared over 100 baptismal certificates, and ended the night watching Marry Poppins in Spanish in the Church on the big screen monitor with all the children. Thanksgiving Day we are expecting to feed between 200 to 300 people and most important baptize around 100 people mostly children. The menu for Thanksgiving is ham, Mama Doris's special pasta and red sauce, potatoes, green beens, and cake for dessert. Jacob and Mallory have done such an excellent job on making sure our focus is on God and His true plans for our presence in La Paz, and here at the orphanage. This is the Children of Love Foundation the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, serve others, show as much love and God's peace that passes all understanding to everyone we serve on Thanksgiving. Thanks be to God for His Sons true sacrifice and everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving on Thursday. God's Blessings,
                                      Jeremy Stellhorn

Peace

Wednesday, Nov 27

Thanksgiving Eve

"Peace"

If you're still, 

you can hear 

them waving

in the wind,

rippling fingers

swaying to the rhythm

of a cool mountain breeze--

offering its fruit

as communion

to the children

of our world. 

Coffee growing

underneath and in between,

intercropping

for space and shade. 

On a good year,

coffee pays 

the salaries

of Children of Love Foundation. 

Disease killed

the crop last year.

The children replanted

in October

7,000 young plants

that will grow

for two years

before sharing its richness. 

And like Momma Doris' children, 

it's worth the wait,

the work,

the investment.

And a trip to the farm,

then to the store 

for bread and wine 

(and maybe other spirits).

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving

after all, 

even if we are in Honduras. 

Hannah witnessed a baby boy

being born at the hospital--

a not-so-clean manger.

Her multi-cultural experience now complete

for her nursing program. 

Natalie and Micah demonstrate

how to use the bucket filter

to strangers

in need of clean water. 

Laughing.

Singing.

Dancing.

Hugging. 

Praying. 

Eating.

Breathing . . . another peaceful day

with the Children 

of Love Foundation.

Tia Debby Henry

More photos....

added today.  Take a look!

Hannah and Evan, after one deleted attempt...

Tuesday evening,

Buenos noches from down here in Honduras! Evan and I (Hannah) are sitting here at the breakfast table with coffee and cookies in hand, thinking back on some of the events from yesterday. This is Evan's first time in Honduras, and he LOVES IT HERE! With the couple hundred hugs you get every day, and all the love you can feel surrounding this place it’s easy to feel God’s presence here. That was what we talked about in our devotion yesterday, so as we work around the orphanage and play with the kids, we are looking for those awesome moments where we see God. Once we got to the church there was already a line forming up behind the gate.

We let these kids in and sat them down to begin washing their feet. It was incredible how much dirt was on their feet for it only being eight in the morning and some of the kids that came didn’t even have a pair of shoes! I loved seeing their faces and seeing them talk back and forth with their friends as they show off their brand new pair of zapatos (shoes). With the 20 of us American’s we were all working hard by either washing feet, trying to find a pair of shoes that would fit, finding socks, or getting more water as we dumped out the dark brown water. By two we had washed 234 pairs of feet, and given a brand new pair of shoes to fit those feet. Later in the afternoon a few police officers came by and sat down to wash some of the kid’s feet.

That was eye opening because they appear very intimidating and it’s not the first thing you would expect from a city official. We went back to giving out shoes after a quick lunch, of plantains and cabbage, with tortillas of course. In these last two hours we were able to give out another 100 pairs of shoes, and there are still even more sitting in the church. Maybe we will give them out tomorrow because it looks like it is going to rain soon, and people won’t be walking miles in the rain. One lady came in who seemed to touch everyone’s heart, and she was 79 years old.  After putting some nice, comfortable tennis shoes on her feet she told us that were the first pair of tennis shoes she has ever owned! How amazing is that?! That definitely counts as another time we hear God calling us to help and serve Him.

Honduras Day 3 (Tuesday)

Today we gave out shoes to many of the neighboring families. We set up 4 footwashing stations, and it was a little bit of a circus as we tried to match up shoe sizes with foot sizes. There were many memorable things that the mission team recounted at the end of the day. Here are just a few of them:

First, two local police, a male policeman and a female policewoman, came in the afternoon to keep order for the people lined up at the gates. They were invited inside and they got to pick out shoes for themselves and have their feet washed as well. I suppose one could say it was good politics, to keep the police on your side. But then, they surprised us by enthusiastically joining in and helping us to wash the feet of the neighborhood people. It was quite a sight to have the local police washing feet!

Second, there was a toothless grandmother, 79 years old she said, who Mama Doris invited to pick out shoes for herself. The lady said she had never in her life had a pair of tennis shoes, so everyone joined in to find her a pair that fit. The smile on her face after she got up was priceless, as she proceeded to dance, and Pastor John joined in with her.

Finally, there was a woman for whom we struggled to find a pair of sandals that fit. Out of the blue, Mama Doris took the sandals off her own feet and gave them to the woman. The sandals were an absolutely perfect fit.

Like every day here, we ended with play time with the kids, and lots and lots of hugs. The kids are so loving, and so trusting, that it has given new meaning to me of what it means to have "faith like a child". Saturday is going to be an emotional day- it is going to be incredibly difficult to leave....

David & Carolyn Duda

Spotting God

Monday evening, November 26

"Spotting God"

Our assignment today, among other things, was to look for God. No research or tests. Our high school and college students had had enough of those. Just open our eyes. Our ears. Our hearts. 

A simple assignment when you're at The Children of Love Foundation. 

An 18-year-old girl. Friend of the Foundation. Abducted four days ago. Found today. The bell signaled all of us to stop . . . what we're doing, gather together, and pray our thanks. 

A tense presidential election. Calmed. A huge sigh of relief.  

Foundation children's feet washed and then presented with socks and 3 pair of shoes. The black shoes provide a pass to school. To an education. To a different way. 

Momma Doris cries at her first feet washing. 

And Cristian buys candy with stolen money. Perhaps not living up to his name. But maybe so. After all, Noah got drunk, King Soloman had an affair, and Moses killed. (And it wasn't no Honduran pig). The children are not perfect here. Just very Christian. And God is hugging them in spite of themselves. 

We passed today

perhaps the easiest assignment we've had. 

But I have this feeling

in the gut of my stomach

that it won't be so easy 

next time

spotting God

back in the comforts,

busyness,

and accessible schooling

of our blessed United States. 

Debby Henry

"The Church"

Sunday evening, Nov 25

"The Church"

Today we walked to el centro La Paz, quite literally the center of peace. It was bustling with energy of a Sunday election. Apparently both  Juan Orlando Hernandez, a conservative lawyer, and Xiomara Castro de Zelaya, wife of ousted president Manuel Zelaya, claimed victory. We won't know the victor until tomorrow. 

I knew nothing of this election before I arrived to Honduras--my pre-trip craziness kept me from researching my destination like I  typically do. Instead, I tagged along into the country with the most murders, and simply believed that God would be my "travel buddy" and not forget me like Cassie and I overlooked each other today. 

The church is located downtown, standing its grandiose ground as if saying, "I am here. Don't forget."  But it's locked. And so we stay outside and after cotton candy and pink tongues (shhhhh, don't tell Mamma Doris), we head to el parque, a great destination for a bunch of kids. Cassie referred to it as the "crappy" park. And she was right. Trash. Broken swings. Weeds ankle high. And a man smoking weed. The kids didn't notice the crappiness though. Instead, they set to work playing--a highlight of our day as we joined in. Flipping, standing, holding dead lifts on monkey bars (go Hannah). Running down slides and over 10 recycled tires. Despite my post-park body pains,  I still only conquered five tires. Bummer. 

The surfer dude, Jeremy, said to me earlier, "You asked,  'Why do you come to Honduras?'  I know now. I come to soften my hardened heart. I return home with more love." 

We didn't get into el centro's majestic church today, but we did have a great day . . . outside . . . in the park. 

Tia Debby Henry

Sent from my iPhone

Photos

are available here of this trip and past trips.

Buenos Dias

Sent Sunday, Nov 25

I'm not a morning person.

Today I couldn't help it. 

I needed to get up. Let my spirit get to work. 

A cold shower actually sounded great. I quickly abort the idea when I can't figure out how to operate the shower. Where is my engineering husband when I need him?

I settle for tearing open the packaged moist towelette I happened to have in my backpack and swipe my armpits, put on another layer of Arm and Hammer Ultramax powder fresh deoderant, get dressed, and pull out my iPad. 

I have three thoughts this mañana: 

1.  Someone prayed last night in our group gathering, "God please help us overcome the barriers, language being a big one." If today, and every day hereafter, those who speak Spanish, can write 3-5 phrases for us to speak and perhaps 3-5 vocabulary words to use that will be relevant to our day, then our barrier will be gapped perhaps more than we can even imagine. 

2. I also wake up thinking about barriers within my team. Natural ones that come with diversity. I want to really try to understand each individual on my team: high school and college students, pastors, professionals, a surfer dude and a couple moms, kind of like me. I am so out of my element, its exhilarating. 

3. I must chronicle this trip. This experience. This piece of life. It's what I do. I can't help it. The thought crosses my mind, that my roommate, Becky, can help. She the veteran, and also a photographer. Me, the rookie, and also a writer. Our perspectives will be my story,  intertwined like everyone's hands last night, waffled together (as Mallory calls our intertwined fingers) in prayer. 

As I write, I glance out my open window. It looks out to the brick mortared chapel. 

The kids sang there last night.

 I hear laughter this morning and the sweeping of a broom on the sidewalk. A clear sculptured glass cross is lodged into the bricks of the chapel. In front. For everyone to see. Simply beautiful. I love this chapel. And I love that I woke beside it. "Cerca de" as they say in Spanish. Near it. Perhaps I was the one who needed "it" the most, as religion bothers me. A lot of bad stuff has happened and continues to happen in the name of it. I signed up for this trip because I wanted to see firsthand what "God" was doing in Honduras. Is He here? Or is Children of Love Foundation another mission project for Americans to feel good about.

This morning though, I feel God.

He is here. 

And I can't wait to get up. 

Tia Debby Henry

Blessed Sunday morning from Ninos de Amor (Children of Love) in La Paz, Honduras.  About 20 of us arrived here yesterday.  The majority of our group is from St. Luke's Lutheran in Oviedo, Florida.  Five more are from Christ Lutheran in Perry.  About another 6 come from Mississippi, and one is from Seymour, Indiana.   Our travels yesterday were a fairly long day, beginning around 4 a.m. for many of us, and ending with a good night's sleep in our beds at Children of Love.  As always, Mama Doris (Doris Patalano), Director of Children of Love, had a wonderful greeting planned for us with the children greeting us along the road as we approached, singing God Bless America with hands over their hearts, and presenting a wonderful program of music and dance.  Right away, we are reminded what a special place this is, as we are surrounded with hugs and music proclaiming God's love in Christ Jesus, on almost a continuous basis.  The prayers that the children pray before meals, and at the beginning and end of the days are more than precious . . .their words are blessings to our lives.  And Mama Doris has a wonderful way of being loving and authoritative, without being authoritarian.   An added blessing has been the arrival from Nicaragua of Pastor Rufino Quntero and his wife, who have been called to serve as Pastor and Deaconess at Children of Love.  In addition Tulio Meza, a wonderful Lutheran Seminary student from Tegucigalpa, who became Lutheran through his sister, who lives in Nebraska.  (Tulio himself has never been to the US).  We have worship this morning at 9 am.   We're looking forward to Pastor Rufino's message, as he directs his message to the children using a text from Mark 10:13-14:  "Let the little children come to me . . .for of such is the Kingdom of God."   Approximately 70 have pre-registered to be baptized here on Thanksgiving Day, when we have our special Thanksgiving Day worship service.  Mama Doris anticipated 300-500 for our worship service and Thanksgiving Meal.  It is because of numbers like this, that it will be a blessing to have a full-time pastor and deaconess in Pastor Rufino and his wife, Marianna.  Thanks to all of you who are reading this.  It is only through the support and prayers of many, that we are able to be here to share this blog.   -Pastor John and Renee Lehenbauer

So much joy!

After many many hugs, and many more hugs, were ready for singing :)

Finally made it!

The Whole Group (almost) in Atlanta

missing Jake and Mallory.  :)

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Four different airports....

Two Airlines, 21 missionaries, 33 suitcases,  and one great God.  All the Operation Barefoot team members are boarded and on the way.   It will be about 4 this afternoon when we get an update on their arrival in La Paz.   Continue to pray for safe travel.

On or way #2!

The Oxford group made it to St. Louis and actually woke up this morning! Honduras here we come!!

Thank you Delta Airlines

For helping our group with a special check in!

Loading up!

Operation Barefoot Team Departure

Please pray for Pastor Brian Roberts, Becky, Jeremy, Debby, David, Carolyn, Steven, Natalie, Ellie, Pastor John Lehenbauer, Renee, Micah, Ruth, Evan, Hannah, Jacob, Mallory, Jacquelyn, Amber, Billy, and Mary Ivon as they get on planes in Indiana, Wisconsin, St. Louis, and Orlando between 6 and 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 23.

They will arrive in La Paz Honduras about 3 in the afternoon to begin Operation Barefoot.  Watch here for details!