Honduras 2008

Alvin.

This is Alvin. The founder of Manos Extendidas and our host along with his wife Nellie for our team of 8 for 8 days in June of 2008. Alvin, an amazing man, is the central figure of all of the stories that are to follow.

Our Team

From left to right: Angie Beld, Trina Baron, Tanya Poag, Chad Baron, Verlyn Korthuis, Matthew Gerlach, John Engels, Jim Baron.

Michael

Manos Extendidas has built Feeding / Day Care Centers in some of the most impoverished areas of Tegucegulpa, Honduras. Our team visited two of them, playing with children, holding them, watching them and feeding them. For many it will be the only meal they have in a day. A young boy, maybe 8 years old was moving a chair and the leg of the chair got caught on the table. He gave the chair a might jerk, it broke loose and hit him in the face, cutting his lip and giving him a bloody nose. Knowing he couldn't understand me, I said sarcastically for Chad to hear, "well that really worked out well didn't it." Chad looked at me and said, "Dad, he's blind." I spent the next 1.5 hours playing with Michael.

Abagail

It was about 9:00pm when our pickup truck with our eight member team and Alvin, the founder of Manos Extendidas and host for our team, pulled along the curb in a run down area of Tegucigalpa, the 1.2 million population capital city of Honduras. Alvin yelled out the window to a young lady standing on the sidewalk. "Abigail". She looked up and it appeared she first was looking to walk or run away. She stood looking at the truck for a long moment, obviously recognizing Alvin. She slowly walked over to the truck. Abigail was a beautiful woman dressed provocatively. They were her work clothes. She was waiting for a customer. Alvin was the driver. She stood by the passenger door. They spoke in Spanish so I could not understand them. What I did understand was her attempt to fight back tears. Her looking away and back again at Alvin, avoiding answering a question. Finally she spoke a short sentence and quietly.

As we drove away Alvin explained that she had lived in their home for three years. Her mother had given her up as an infant. At nine years of age she left her foster home and went to live on the streets. At age 14, Alvin rescued her. Now at 25 with 2 children living in an orphanage, she is doing drugs, a prostitute living on the streets. Alvin has been trying to get the birth papers of her children, but she has refused to give them to him. Without the birth papers, the children live without an identity with no known birth date. That is how many of the orphans are. If Alvin could get the papers from his foster daughter, he will not only provide the children with some identity, but also put himself in a position to possibly place them in a foster home or even his home. Without this type of intervention in the children's lives, is there any hope of breaking the vicious cycle? Jesus Christ does provide hope. Hope through servants like Alvin.

Tonight Abagail promised to bring the birth papers to the street at 10:00 am tomorrow morning.

One block down the street, a lady grabbed me by the arm and starts dancing. She had a wide mouth fruit juice bottle in her hand. In the bottom of the jar was glue. She had the mouth of the jar to her mouth as she inhaled – continuously. Every breath she took was glue vapors. Every person – EVERY PERSON, that surrounded the eight members of our team on this particular stop on the streets of Tegucigalpa had a bottle with glue in it. There were 15 – 20 people on the sidewalk – in the streets- some hiding their glue, some inhaling it openly. When the police came by, they stopped at the intersection and watched as we handed out bread with cream cheese and Tang flavored water. A young lady, 9 months pregnant with belly exposed inhaled the glue while watching the police vehicle thru glassy eyes. A young man literally stumbled across the street directly in front of the police pickup with 3 officers in the back and 2 inside. They watched in silence. When he had finished crossing, they drove away.

Six blocks down the filthy street a fourteen year old girl stood alone. She too was a prostitute, selling her body for money or drugs. Alvin pulled along the curb and said…. ( What would you say? What would Jesus say?) ….and Alvin said, "Careena, would you like something to eat or drink?" She politely declined, saying she was working and needed a customer. He offered this prostitute some food. And did you notice, he knew her name. She called him Papi Albeen. (Uncle Alvin). And Alvin knew her by name!!

We drove by Abagails street two more times – both times she was alone, still walking without a customer.

P.S. Abagail did not show up at 10:00 am the next morning. Alvin said it is the second time she lied to him.

Kevin and Validimir

There are 2 young boys that our hosts Alvin and his wife Nellie have taken in: Kevin and Validimir. Last night while on the streets, Alvin introduced us to Kevin's mothers friend. Kevins mohter lives under a bridge in the area Alvin rarely sees her because she is too embarrassed to be seen. The police took Kevin to the Infama (the government facility that takes in children) soon after he was born. Alvin and Nellie are now raising him. Karla was Validimir's mother. She died of complications from a gun shot wound she suffered 3 years earlier. The stories go on and on. I am fascinated by them. But here is the point. Because of one man and his wife living out their faith, many have hope.

Children

Children in any culture and country are the innocent victims of irresponsibility. How can you not become totally overcome with emotion when young five year old boys run up and give you, a total stranger, a hug. They are so hungry for love and acceptance. How can you not cry for a one year old infant who lays her head on your shoulder, so starved for human touch. Today we visited a government facility where children are placed when removed from the street or physical and sexually abusive homes. It was a gut wrenching experience.

But it was also a time of pride for me. To see our children, Chad, Tanya and Trina, care and love and be involved with these children is more than any parent could ask for. Laurie's and my prayer, our stated objective when raising our children was to bring them up in such a way that when they were adults they would be well integrated responsible individuals that loved and served God. To see that in action brings unspeakable happiness. And the fact that they both have spouses, Trina and Brian, that also love and serve God is a huge bonus.