Tattoo

This may be the greatest picture I have ever seen.  Josh Drake, a photographer who came down here to dig a trench!, took this last week.  I have never wanted a tattoo but I just might tattoo this on my arm so I have it with me always.

Why would I want such a tattoo?  Well, clearly it is a good picture of two kids having a blast.   But it is so much more that than.  I think this picture captures just what redemption looks like.  Yolani, blind from birth, was dumped by her mother who called her a dog.  Dunia had a horrible life before coming to us.  Living on the streets with her little sister, Yessenia and brother, Fernando, begging for food, going door to door to find a place to sleep, spending several months in the INHFA (social service) home which is hell on earth -- really.  I remember when Dunia first came to our Children's Home.  She was alienated, detached, depressed.  You couldn't get her to make eye contact, never mind a hint of a smile.  Now, just look at them.  Look at what the power of Christ's love can do, working through ordinary people who answer God's call to help.


Redemption has many faces and many scenes.   Look at this picture below.  Would you guess that these children had been abandoned, abused, and neglected or would you say this is a Sunday School class putting on their program during a church service?  Redemption.

This past week a medical brigade has been in town.  Dr. Ken and Pat Holden have been bringing brigades here for 22 years!  My favorite part of their brigade is the collaboration with Honduran doctors and med students.  Dr. Ken has many patients here whom he has followed for years.   They flock to him every year.  My job was to make Salvation Pins for the waiting patients.  I would explain (in Spanish!) the signficance of each bead - black is our sin, red is the blood of Christ, white is purification, green is hope, and yellow... Up to this point many of the recipients would be smiling politely, nodding their heads.  When I got to yellow - symbolizing the streets of gold in heaven - I would say, "One day, we will walk with Christ on the streets of gold... FOREVER."  Suddenly they would break out in a huge grin and say "Amen!"   Redeeming hope.

Dr. Reyna Duron leads the US and HN team in prayer before the day starts

Devoted father brings his son to see Dr. Ken

Broche de Salvacion!

And then there are the Buckners, a middle-aged, childless couple who came last year and fell in love with one of the girls at SBV.  They came back this year for two weeks, staying the first week out at the Children's Home.  They came to spend time with one child.  They returned home to PA resolved to move back and live with their 64 beloved children! 

and, Ned, recently married, whose heart is now owned by Aaron Joshue.   

And the Edwards family - Wendy's new madrinas.  Wendy had prayed and prayed for one madrina.  Now she has 3!

And Debbie Buckner, finally a mother, saying goodbye to sweet Christopher...till next time.

Redeeming love.