tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89573497186328477142024-03-13T10:11:54.739-06:00AuthenticityAmanda Scott's blog about her ministry in Honduras with The LAMB Institute.Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-24946365337209523932022-03-24T18:04:00.001-06:002022-03-24T18:04:41.524-06:00The world of ought and the world of is...<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinax7odwgZVsY53lK_S8-taH8CVNQ9SDa1GW4tLRpHmUAkIvJ8WiUGYoMJS2AbfvzUDKJo3Xq_O-CiknhxG5Zq3mMRtIa-PTA6jgzYwCM4xa7yV7inOGSNuBzgQJRsai52q7Gjx78Udlv4pPwibHP8e3GqnXkXWiom3AKVqZ9vH3TnW5R9zCiXkWjo/s4032/IMG-0511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinax7odwgZVsY53lK_S8-taH8CVNQ9SDa1GW4tLRpHmUAkIvJ8WiUGYoMJS2AbfvzUDKJo3Xq_O-CiknhxG5Zq3mMRtIa-PTA6jgzYwCM4xa7yV7inOGSNuBzgQJRsai52q7Gjx78Udlv4pPwibHP8e3GqnXkXWiom3AKVqZ9vH3TnW5R9zCiXkWjo/s320/IMG-0511.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are many people who believe there should be no such
thing as a children’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Academics
have studied the issue and concluded that children in a group home don’t bond
as well as those in a family. (Blinding insight!) I have been lectured, criticized, and patronized
about the disadvantages of children’s homes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Children ought to be in a family.” “You ought
to enable the families to care for their children instead of housing them”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You ought not to be a part of perpetuating
children’s homes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The root causes that lead to a child being placed in a home
began many generations ago and are not just country specific or even regional.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The root causes are global in nature and
deeply embedded in cultures, politics, and laws. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At LAMB, we cannot fix a country and we
certainly can’t fix the world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
absolutely agree that children ought to be in safe, loving families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that children in homes have a harder
time bonding. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, in this world of “ought,”
what ought we do when social services brings us a newborn who was found stuffed
in a latrine? What ought we do when they bring us a 5 year old boy and baby
sister whose mother sent him out to sell the baby?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What ought we do when an 11 year old girl and
her 3 younger siblings are delivered to us because she was the primary (sole)
caretaker of them? What ought we do when an impoverished mother begs us to take
her children so they can be fed, clothed, and educated? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We live in the world of “is…” When these children come to us,
we say, “yes.” We open our hearts and arms to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We provide for them, love them, educate them,
ride very stormy times with them. All the while, we hope and pray for families
for them, either their biological families or adoptive families. For the
sibling groups, we encourage them to bond with each other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all our children we welcome them into our
LAMB family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like a biological
family, we reassure them “once a lamb, always a lamb.” They know this is true
because they have seen older lambs who went astray welcomed back into the fold.
We do everything we can to strengthen the bonds with the biological families, through
visits, zoom calls, and phone calls. Our lawyer and technical staff work
tirelessly to facilitate other adoptions, despite the onerous and mysterious process
in Honduras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hire loving staff but if
they are not we fire them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Today we celebrated with Isaac, age 4, who has been with us his
entire life, having been abandoned at birth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tomorrow, he joins his adoptive family in Spain. Hopes realized, prayers answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One final hope and prayer we all have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We long for the day every children’s home is
closed permanently…because every single child in the world has a safe and
loving family who can and will care for them. Until that day, we will continue
to say yes.
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These are pictures of Isaac then and now and from today's celebration during which we all hugged Isaac, told him we love him, prayed for him and his new family, and then celebrated with a huge cake! </span></p><table>
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<td></td><td><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-7478467019913911232022-02-20T19:10:00.000-06:002022-02-20T19:10:47.362-06:00What's to know?<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhghSAVtLq-zeTOCZ_0i4Tsos0GxjP3_czu6UMHl6vd9Sxa_xHi4RAfl-0UkRpSgizc6MRcdd_ELnKSjsvLucm4bxh0zcy-AQCfdA3iG4IeZQR1SB6LNl-WByoqZS_VSuYvd29WoXhH7pJNkXmWJi8mM2jLo3sQfhsAsQrTAObwocc2dWNayKyW4fbh=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhghSAVtLq-zeTOCZ_0i4Tsos0GxjP3_czu6UMHl6vd9Sxa_xHi4RAfl-0UkRpSgizc6MRcdd_ELnKSjsvLucm4bxh0zcy-AQCfdA3iG4IeZQR1SB6LNl-WByoqZS_VSuYvd29WoXhH7pJNkXmWJi8mM2jLo3sQfhsAsQrTAObwocc2dWNayKyW4fbh=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of school with Mengui to cheer us on!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>For many years (10+) people would ask me, “How long will you
be the Volunteer Coordinator for LAMB?” My answer was always, “Til He tells me
to stop.” Knowing God’s will is something we all struggle with.<span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Rarely do you get a text message, email, or
phone call saying, “Hi, God here.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do
this.”</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Instead, we enter in that vague,
mysterious process called, “discernment.” Any explanation of what that is or
how to do it is equally vague and mysterious! </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have learned that God uses a sense of peace,
or lack thereof, to nudge me towards the direction He has in mind.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">That seems so simple and clear, yet every time
I have to figure it out all over again. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Starting sometime late last year, I started feeling like I didn’t
quite have my skin on exactly right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sort
of like if your leggings are twisted a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nothing major just squirmy. I figured it was pandemic fatigue and worry that
I had forgotten how to be a volunteer coordinator!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Note to self: Pick the team up at the
airport. Check.) I didn’t have my normal excitement about returning to
Honduras. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I posited to some friends that
I just needed to get back in the saddle and everything would fall into
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely loved my job,
welcoming teams, making friends, experiencing God’s work and miracles with the
teams, and everything else that went along with the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything would be fine…if I could just get
my skin on right.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then the email arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When Suzy founded LAMB, it was always with the intent to turn the
leadership entirely over to Hondurans. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something I have always admired and
endorsed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After our Cuban missionaries,
Richard, former Director of the Children’s Home, and Lariza, former coordinator
of education, moved to Spain, there was one non- Honduran left in leadership.
Me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Suzy is a naturalized Honduran.)
The leadership team decided it was the right time to make it 100% Honduran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, the email, with love, respect, and
gratitude for my service, announced they were going to replace me with a
Honduran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My reaction?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Anger, upset, disappointment? Nope. </span>I was flooded with peace. I realized that the
Lord had been preparing me for something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had been telling me it was time to stop being Volunteer Coordinator
and get ready for the next thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within
a week, I became the 5<sup>th</sup> and 6<sup>th</sup> grade teacher for Joy
Academy, our bilingual school at the Children’s Home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately, I couldn’t wait to get back to
Honduras!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remain filled with peace and
joy as I prepare for week 2 of school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have been working until 10 pm every night but with happiness and energy. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I remember the first time I really focused on doing God’s
will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was many years ago, before I
had been to Honduras the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
suddenly had an overwhelming desire to do God’s will but had no idea what that
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I prayed fervently for weeks, “Lord,
just tell me what your will is and I will do it!” Silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More prayer, more silence. One night, I had a
dream. In my dream the Lord said, “You want to know my will?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s to know? Love the Lord your God with
all your heart, mind, and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THAT is my will.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I have had some thunderbolt moments from
God (how I got to Honduras in the first place, for example) but really they are
so rare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is God’s will for
each of us is right there in front of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Love Him and love whoever He places in your path. The rest, big stuff
and small stuff, will take care of itself. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My class:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC6YJyXLnqzviXKfyPVV_AnIhYgG7Y1sZMN0MVF_dHGrLDnIANleXGz87QzGx9cMRh3Tj9LXjS4HwyUfbZEaodjhsrvH08Wqcqut1qB35d878T-UflrpJuZHpciVbR5g7M63jGZUd5BSJKGTqOK0bR565asVrR9jJ0dtsoM5UOtSKZvEUdQa8bq6Dd=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjC6YJyXLnqzviXKfyPVV_AnIhYgG7Y1sZMN0MVF_dHGrLDnIANleXGz87QzGx9cMRh3Tj9LXjS4HwyUfbZEaodjhsrvH08Wqcqut1qB35d878T-UflrpJuZHpciVbR5g7M63jGZUd5BSJKGTqOK0bR565asVrR9jJ0dtsoM5UOtSKZvEUdQa8bq6Dd=s320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgicuTOzErJ8U91UbitIf9rxRfQNUeXZpHht4cl-InWDZeGtPae5FnkNQike0iHzbd40cYprm4Vi-9D6GNUu4mz3MOdnAV7LlHl9gmwy2yt_u51iHCseKCez5284TH2xjvc4vtqhUwO63uO7vgFbljFoy7reihcUl3_-y5o3MEMJKUuRuTIdF1f6PvS=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgicuTOzErJ8U91UbitIf9rxRfQNUeXZpHht4cl-InWDZeGtPae5FnkNQike0iHzbd40cYprm4Vi-9D6GNUu4mz3MOdnAV7LlHl9gmwy2yt_u51iHCseKCez5284TH2xjvc4vtqhUwO63uO7vgFbljFoy7reihcUl3_-y5o3MEMJKUuRuTIdF1f6PvS=s320" width="240" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNKzXhdBw7b5pEUb19Y0d1OUn-aXLODu83v9O0n14iE77yEZk7BYO5lW4j_hEn3Vju-RkPKuu2mMTAW2ijEtUF37J9ZZEQ0Tx6iXVFBiYeQezhplVmqrP_71n2mIA2aB4RvFLQb7iikYPHC4sYC-A-ZWhRqp2qyEZqtK6kutwWfNkTufWI0369As0A=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNKzXhdBw7b5pEUb19Y0d1OUn-aXLODu83v9O0n14iE77yEZk7BYO5lW4j_hEn3Vju-RkPKuu2mMTAW2ijEtUF37J9ZZEQ0Tx6iXVFBiYeQezhplVmqrP_71n2mIA2aB4RvFLQb7iikYPHC4sYC-A-ZWhRqp2qyEZqtK6kutwWfNkTufWI0369As0A=s320" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJPggoi7noyrYylzQ9_L8EoHHU9EUiJjtyLPWiULT-6Ztjmx3ce_jP4k0ZuqG0DDiHyRXOjOGH1wHzzCLJZdwJCp4c02mtgOLK6Coyi4xTI_AebXUN6JMtDiDfK9P_wFv4p__Uc1Imr24g5IENfOK7LSiqoMtNH0R6oxxyB-FnBUJgCBZmFs2116df=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJPggoi7noyrYylzQ9_L8EoHHU9EUiJjtyLPWiULT-6Ztjmx3ce_jP4k0ZuqG0DDiHyRXOjOGH1wHzzCLJZdwJCp4c02mtgOLK6Coyi4xTI_AebXUN6JMtDiDfK9P_wFv4p__Uc1Imr24g5IENfOK7LSiqoMtNH0R6oxxyB-FnBUJgCBZmFs2116df=s320" width="240" /></a></p>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-28161045769232882021-10-09T16:05:00.000-06:002021-10-09T16:05:29.324-06:00Hope is the thing with feathers…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzIZ07twX38/YWIOpXZiEkI/AAAAAAAGtm0/m8Ntp51o-8oWIZ2gM68YpZ9jHQ4xH5FrACLcBGAsYHQ/s4032/IMG_7762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana; font-style: italic; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yzIZ07twX38/YWIOpXZiEkI/AAAAAAAGtm0/m8Ntp51o-8oWIZ2gM68YpZ9jHQ4xH5FrACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_7762.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">A beautiful poem by Emily Dickenson starts:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></i></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hope is the thing with feathers</span></i> </p></blockquote><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">That perches in the soul</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">And sings the tune without the
words -<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">And never stops - at all</span></i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was on my mind during the most recent quinceañera that
we had to celebrate the lives of 6 of our girls at the Children’s Home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been to many over the
years and I still am moved beyond words by each one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quinceañera is an important rite of passage
for girls when they turn 15.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For us, it
is, first and foremost, a religious ceremony in which we give thanks for their
lives and remind them they are precious daughters of the Risen Lord. They receive
a rose and a beautiful ring symbolizing purity, beauty, and the eternal nature
of God’s love for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then we
party! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Occasionally, a girl will have a parent or other relative
present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, there are siblings
who are still in the Children’s Home or who have grown up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More often than not, however, we are the
family there to celebrate and love the girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some girls have been with us all their lives and grow up expecting and
looking forward to their big day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other
girls came to us later and never in their wildest dreams thought they would
have a quinceañera. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the girls get
the dress of their dreams, impossibly high heels, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and “princess jewelry.” They spend the day of
getting their hair and make up done and generally being pampered all day long.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We have had girls who, just a couple weeks before, had been
in a living hell, being trafficked or had sole responsibility for several young
siblings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did they not dream of
having a quinceañera, the idea of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>being
loved unconditionally, being valued for who they are, being recognized as a
beautiful child of God was beyond comprehension.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yet, <i>hope is that thing with feathers,
that perches in the soul…</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The poem goes on:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></i></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">And sweetest - in the Gale - is
heard -<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">And sore must be the storm -<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">That could abash the little
Bird<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">That kept so many warm -<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’ve heard it in the chillest
land -<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">And on the strangest Sea –<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yet - never - in Extremity,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">It asked a crumb - of me.</span></i></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wU5ZWruuos/YWIOjh05BJI/AAAAAAAGtmw/BBRj3_1CGVol7pwAdtBimFBNMlwEGxOGACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2wU5ZWruuos/YWIOjh05BJI/AAAAAAAGtmw/BBRj3_1CGVol7pwAdtBimFBNMlwEGxOGACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_3747.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2A-HE-eFS58/YWIOb6yoUgI/AAAAAAAGtms/_SeZMY0mzn4aaUfg9xuQBNCeQcZBwRT0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC02198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2A-HE-eFS58/YWIOb6yoUgI/AAAAAAAGtms/_SeZMY0mzn4aaUfg9xuQBNCeQcZBwRT0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSC02198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fkXGpbv5N8M/YWIObQwPXEI/AAAAAAAGtmo/ycnEVvSEm5YM2aVBvM_h0vew_qUzUK-pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1401/DSC00955-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1231" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fkXGpbv5N8M/YWIObQwPXEI/AAAAAAAGtmo/ycnEVvSEm5YM2aVBvM_h0vew_qUzUK-pwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/DSC00955-17.jpg" width="281" /></a></div><br /></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Safety, nourishment of body and soul, education, opportunity, and love has replaced rejection, poverty, violence, and hopelessness. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Seeing these girls reminds me of the
constant promise of the Holy Spirit, of redemption and hope, of God’s presence,
and of grace that is always there and never asks for a crumb from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just need to open my heart and believe.</span><o:p></o:p></p>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-47175018320105893642021-07-08T15:04:00.002-06:002021-07-08T15:04:40.052-06:00What do you see?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8d_O4UHmp88/YOc8y_U5JHI/AAAAAAAGbxM/Zytw7qI3gnoJWmNyVacb3ZMZCkPF5io_QCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_4365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8d_O4UHmp88/YOc8y_U5JHI/AAAAAAAGbxM/Zytw7qI3gnoJWmNyVacb3ZMZCkPF5io_QCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_4365.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />This is a picture of the sum total of a 9 year old boy’s
personal belongings. (Not including some stuffed animals on his bed.) What do
you see? Are you shocked at how little he has? This is what he sees… <b>Order</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our kids come from chaos, often violence, unpredictability
(will I be able to eat today?) and lack of care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He happily and expertly folds his clothes and
carefully puts them away in his own space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His own space! <b>Abundance</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He has more than 1 shirt, pair of pants, socks, shoes, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are all clean and they fit. When he
outgrows his clothes or when the season changes, he gets more clothes and
shoes. There are several loving people who make sure he is clothed and fed. The
kids are young when they arrive and don’t realize they will begin to so
something they have never done before and, likely, have been told is beyond
their reach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will begin to dream
about a future.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">During the pandemic we welcomed 13 new children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> N</span>ew children always arrive malnourished, bewildered,
often in shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Melisa has serious health issues, some children were extremely neglected, some abandoned, some came from loving homes but so impoverished the parents couldn't care for them. </span>Suddenly Social Services
whisked them away from where they were and delivered them to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New kids have no idea what to expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We, including the all the "already-here" children,
know exactly what to expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We expect
to love them and include them as members of our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children patiently guide the new ones
through the schedules and routines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
remind them not to use bad words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
share all their things with them. Recently, our newest boy, exclaimed when yet
another meal was put in front of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Food again!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t take long for the new
children to figure out they are in a good place, free from violence, full of
love, with plenty of food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They learn a new meaning for "family." </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">As Alex, who has been with us since he was 14 months old said,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i></i></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>"I am thankful to God because here we have a large family. (Alex is an orphan.) We have grandparents, aunts (caretakers) and the supervisors. The grandparents love us, the aunts are like mothers and the supervisors are like fathers. It doesn’t matter that they aren’t parents by blood, they are our parents through the Holy Spirit."</i></span></span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most important of all, this is where they meet Jesus.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The truth is, it takes awhile for them to know Jesus.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">That’s ok.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We do our devotionals, attend church, sing
praise songs, pray together, and wait for the Holy Spirit to do His work. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K079tF-iSQw/YOc-lH--WFI/AAAAAAAGbxs/YeB2CjBAwVcuXAHqDkdohwMvdy_m0ZhugCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="591" height="189" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K079tF-iSQw/YOc-lH--WFI/AAAAAAAGbxs/YeB2CjBAwVcuXAHqDkdohwMvdy_m0ZhugCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h189/image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisters - Mabell and Melisa<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZEU_TtXTyu0/YOdc1DNI_nI/AAAAAAAGbyk/_d0Nm1DtwAQ674yyNA96z3mGcdLDKbgCACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="613" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZEU_TtXTyu0/YOdc1DNI_nI/AAAAAAAGbyk/_d0Nm1DtwAQ674yyNA96z3mGcdLDKbgCACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="305" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisters - Suyapa and Enma</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nXL3lanHXU8/YOddMs-VELI/AAAAAAAGbys/PqXsi9oakQgCqFUk5SyPdDb2Qsj-215HgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="307" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nXL3lanHXU8/YOddMs-VELI/AAAAAAAGbys/PqXsi9oakQgCqFUk5SyPdDb2Qsj-215HgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="190" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monserrat (Monse)</td></tr></tbody></table> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qDnYtzAjezU/YOdeEvqd8kI/AAAAAAAGbzA/u0xrRlh-G0kOiGd1O13BT6b4C2nrnL1awCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="217" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qDnYtzAjezU/YOdeEvqd8kI/AAAAAAAGbzA/u0xrRlh-G0kOiGd1O13BT6b4C2nrnL1awCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="170" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Valentina</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vtEwb1dH4dM/YOddu1APHvI/AAAAAAAGby0/bmnydOP56Nk5NgaGTxphb13sNaUT8BB_wCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="475" height="214" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vtEwb1dH4dM/YOddu1APHvI/AAAAAAAGby0/bmnydOP56Nk5NgaGTxphb13sNaUT8BB_wCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siblings - Sofie and Darwin<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZPt9RBAD3v4/YOdgsJOBCOI/AAAAAAAGb0A/EV7L0Ha6wKYaicc1A_Oxq5I7P-Sxk9USACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="582" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZPt9RBAD3v4/YOdgsJOBCOI/AAAAAAAGb0A/EV7L0Ha6wKYaicc1A_Oxq5I7P-Sxk9USACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucas</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xXzNIBHamPk/YOdiHWdWGcI/AAAAAAAGb0o/J1os4F-dOaAUbljS92reEJeRZA4YZVnlQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="963" height="262" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xXzNIBHamPk/YOdiHWdWGcI/AAAAAAAGb0o/J1os4F-dOaAUbljS92reEJeRZA4YZVnlQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h262/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siblings - Luis, Maritza, and Brayan</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-szxa8WPe9cA/YOdiy4q39VI/AAAAAAAGb00/nf8cquO9k1g3m3NDUXXvWmR00PgEINvqQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-szxa8WPe9cA/YOdiy4q39VI/AAAAAAAGb00/nf8cquO9k1g3m3NDUXXvWmR00PgEINvqQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="184" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Damian, who is Alejandro's brother</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have been teaching some of the older kids English.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I asked 2 of the girls to write 15 sentences
while I made a quick trip to the US. To my surprise, they both wrote about
their dreams.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Naturally, the first sentence
for each of them was, “When I am an adult, I will be a trillionaire!” M. wrote,
“When I am an adult, I will have the best restaurant in the world.” C. wants to
be a missionary and to be a role model for others.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">She wrote, “The best moment of my life was
finding Jesus,” </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and “I thank God for
giving meaning to my life.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What we do here isn’t easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some days I wonder how the staff puts one foot in front of the other.
Sometimes the kids have melt downs or go through very difficult phases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C. and M. both did. We all hang in there and
hang on to Jesus as<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-50N_gAL9QUM/YOdoJRPT-ZI/AAAAAAAGb1U/07kkHv6lKhMDACzaUO-Spo0lO8DiqlrOACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="533" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-50N_gAL9QUM/YOdoJRPT-ZI/AAAAAAAGb1U/07kkHv6lKhMDACzaUO-Spo0lO8DiqlrOACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="185" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julio, architect, our first <br />university graduate</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> one day we celebrate a university graduation, or another day a mute
child beginning to speak, or when a troubled child is smiling and opening her arms for
a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There is such joy in being a part of these
transformations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It often feels like a
miracle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you like to be a part of
that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> One way is by prayer: w</span>e believe strongly in the power of prayer. Another way is through sponsorship: many people enjoy special relationships with a child they sponsor and giving
financially keeps food on our tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Finally, and most fun for the kids, another way to help is visiting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The staff received their first vaccination
today (thanks be to God) and will be fully vaccinated by early fall. We are delighted
to begin receiving teams in September. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
long to share LAMB joy and hope with you! <a href="http://www.lambinstitute.org/give">www.lambinstitute.org/give</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-14551364818114107812021-05-15T17:07:00.001-06:002021-05-15T17:07:36.336-06:00A day in the life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WacVn3id8Q/YKBNsIrWknI/AAAAAAAGTQY/NVR5Id0v_nEfuhD7ELH_YbTzpI7RP5dwACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0808.JPG" style="clear: left; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WacVn3id8Q/YKBNsIrWknI/AAAAAAAGTQY/NVR5Id0v_nEfuhD7ELH_YbTzpI7RP5dwACPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_0808.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">We have astonishing sunsets </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="text-align: center;">I
have been living at the Children’s Home for over 2 months now.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">It is almost always a joy, at times
hilarious, at times heartbreaking, at times breathtakingly beautiful and,
occasionally, baffling. I will start with bedtime which is a favorite time of
the day. </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">The boys come roaring back into
the cabin from, usually, the cancha where they have been playing a variety of
games. They brush their teeth and put their pajamas on. (If that sounds quick
and orderly…it is not…) The Tia (caretaker) dabs Noxema on their faces
(forehead, nose, chin, cheeks.) Several of the boys then come to me, presenting
their faces so I can rub it in for them. Once they are marginally in bed (I
sometimes think the beds have the opposite charge than they do, sort of like
magnets, because the instant they jump in bed, they pop out again…) I remind
them that everyone needs to have teeth brushed, jammies on, and be in bed for my
part of the bedtime routine. We have two bedrooms of 4 boys each.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">I begin with the youngest boys and the boys
who are in bilingual school, Edgar, age 10, Angel, age 8, Jackson, age 7, Alex,
age 8.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">The other bedroom has Wilson, age
12, Ishmael, 12, Darwin, 11, Jorge, 8.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">I
come in and give each boy and hug and, for most of them, tuck a blanket around
them saying, “snug as a bug in a rug.” (It is hot now so they immediately throw
the blanket off again.) Next up is either lullabies or a story.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">I sing the same lullabies I used to sing with
my boys when they were little.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">In the youngest
room, they will sing along with me.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">In
the other room, where there is much less English, they will sing the umm-hmm in
Froggie Went a Courtin’ with me. What they really prefer is a bedtime
story.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">As I did with my boys, I make one
up as I go along with the bedroom inhabitants as the stars of the story.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">The younger boys are the Hero Team and the
other boys are the Brave Team.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">They have
encounters with Metzel, a teeny tiny man, Bubba the bear, Dalrymple Max the
dragon, and one of their favorites, Davy the Rainbow Dolphin.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">Recently, Sebastian the Stegosaurus made an
appearance but it is not clear whether he will be a recurring character. When
the story, or episode, is over I leave saying, “Good night, sleep tight, don’t
let the bedbugs bite!”</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">I walk out to a
chorus of the same from the boys. </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">I put
myself into bed chuckling with a heart filled with joy.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;">It amazes me because even the oldest boys
want the hug, the snug as a bug routine.</span><span style="text-align: center;">
</span><span style="text-align: center;">I often also have to tuck in their stuffed animals too.</span></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3SCFaVkYRhk/YKBNsB13RaI/AAAAAAAGTQY/CEoWVXTmGpIbeg9mFDQC5eciqdoGCfxNgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3427.JPG" style="clear: right; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3SCFaVkYRhk/YKBNsB13RaI/AAAAAAAGTQY/CEoWVXTmGpIbeg9mFDQC5eciqdoGCfxNgCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3427.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;">A ronron</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I put myself to bed and begin my battle against the ronrones (flying beetle type bugs) that are like kamikaze pilots diving for my head, the pomerias which are</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> termite like flying bugs that suddenly swarm out of nowhere, and the gecko who randomly makes a loud EH-EH-EH and occasionally drops a nicely formed pellet of poop on my head.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At around 5 am, a heard of wildebeests thunder through and around the cabin, shouting, whistling ear piercing, tuneless…(what? Noise) I hide in my room until they go down to the communal kitchen for breakfast. Then I shower and eat breakfast. Alone. If I try to eat breakfast when the boys are there I get peppered with the same questions 8 times: Are you eating cereal? (as I put a spoon of cereal in my mouth) Why are you eating cereal? Do you like cereal?<o:p></o:p></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4D7IHnyxSLo/YKBNsAgbLdI/AAAAAAAGTQY/mE26jk57cYk4r5eGOXIEePv2yL9rj1GEQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3608.JPG" style="clear: right; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4D7IHnyxSLo/YKBNsAgbLdI/AAAAAAAGTQY/mE26jk57cYk4r5eGOXIEePv2yL9rj1GEQCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_3608.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">English students</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bAY1ft-R6U/YKBNsGb5uPI/AAAAAAAGTQY/CVdsGVkFjTM-W71G5IgaOHIjEu2kQ1ERQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3752.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6bAY1ft-R6U/YKBNsGb5uPI/AAAAAAAGTQY/CVdsGVkFjTM-W71G5IgaOHIjEu2kQ1ERQCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3752.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Wilson learning virtually</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At 8, I head to my school assignment. I am either in 4th/5th grade or in 1<sup>st</sup> grade. For reasons that defy logic, the local education authorities will not let us use our school which is large and well-appointed about ½ mile down the road. Nor will they let all the teachers be physically present at the same time. So, we</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> always have 2 teachers who are virtual and 2 who stay in the school down the road for a month at a time. The other teachers arrive and leave each day. I am the assistant in whichever class has the virtual teacher. Virtual teaching is the pits. I have even more empathy and admiration for all the teachers worldwide who have been</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> teaching this way. By 2:30, when school is over, I am exhausted. I rest for about an hour and then teach English to a varying number of teens who want to learn. It is really fun. Those of you who will be coming back, get ready to converse with the kids! On Thursday, we learned about all the ingredients that could go on a pizza, (they were grossed out by the pineapple!) the types of crusts, and phrases such as, “I am full,” “I’m stuffed,” “He is a bottomless pit,” “She eats like a bird,” “He eats like a horse!”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SmEI1B6xfQ/YKBNsBabudI/AAAAAAAGTQY/E8YxuvCjq1AXtEYXEdO7qJViwfz_TEi7ACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3515.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: verdana; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SmEI1B6xfQ/YKBNsBabudI/AAAAAAAGTQY/E8YxuvCjq1AXtEYXEdO7qJViwfz_TEi7ACPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3515.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana;">The rest of the kids go to the Honduran school, virtually, under the guidance of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lariza, Academic Director. The computer lab is full of kids all in their zoom class in a room that is like an oven. How they survive that is a mystery to me. Elias and Judith have their own program with a wonderful teacher and the other special needs kids go to another virtual school.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The rest of the time, I play with the kids. I have a selection of games and books that I share with the kids. I visit the other cabins and play and horse around. The boys in my cabin have learned to take care of the books and games. I am so happy to see them lounging around, each with a book they have picked out of the basket of books I leave outside my room. I also hang out at the cancha with the kids and generally have a good time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table>
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TepwztoZPGA/YKBNsF-C0oI/AAAAAAAGTQY/pZjo9yXHXCAvpczMvB7Ub19Rk9wNxT8eACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3737.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TepwztoZPGA/YKBNsF-C0oI/AAAAAAAGTQY/pZjo9yXHXCAvpczMvB7Ub19Rk9wNxT8eACPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_3737.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yH26uzPMms0/YKBNsHvEjMI/AAAAAAAGTQY/dCKE19NyIXEyJggrfHumOq2xGKZZr7r4wCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3566.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yH26uzPMms0/YKBNsHvEjMI/AAAAAAAGTQY/dCKE19NyIXEyJggrfHumOq2xGKZZr7r4wCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3566.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2uJR9j375-0/YKBNsNlgfgI/AAAAAAAGTQY/WwZv0kO_uYUQLtjbKQhhNLZfJepOgB7qgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3512.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2uJR9j375-0/YKBNsNlgfgI/AAAAAAAGTQY/WwZv0kO_uYUQLtjbKQhhNLZfJepOgB7qgCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_3512.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Monse</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td>
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ocTkHIw7Xf0/YKBNsE6QSDI/AAAAAAAGTQY/ZkfY_Qju0QsSZupBBUqFpOe7Uz0OC4EUQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3444.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ocTkHIw7Xf0/YKBNsE6QSDI/AAAAAAAGTQY/ZkfY_Qju0QsSZupBBUqFpOe7Uz0OC4EUQCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3444.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEHguuSHz3c/YKBNsBSXqcI/AAAAAAAGTQY/vUwZqL8s7kcDSh-2nPDOk8srZqp-JiWWwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3300.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NEHguuSHz3c/YKBNsBSXqcI/AAAAAAAGTQY/vUwZqL8s7kcDSh-2nPDOk8srZqp-JiWWwCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3300.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pi9-mzWmz88/YKBNsJtwJhI/AAAAAAAGTQY/pq3bBV26Imom5bJ_Ss3DDjb55PDk5aXmACPcBGAsYHg/s3088/IMG_3086.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pi9-mzWmz88/YKBNsJtwJhI/AAAAAAAGTQY/pq3bBV26Imom5bJ_Ss3DDjb55PDk5aXmACPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_3086.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Ester in 1st grade</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Abram and his cat, Pokey</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Fun times with Enma and Suyapa</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ECzDhQHFnM/YKBNsAl4IJI/AAAAAAAGTQY/So-KsUAdnCQufyN4JUW3tnNZj5oOO5ZYgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0812.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5ECzDhQHFnM/YKBNsAl4IJI/AAAAAAAGTQY/So-KsUAdnCQufyN4JUW3tnNZj5oOO5ZYgCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_0812.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yTR92UEqZJA/YKBNsOBnhgI/AAAAAAAGTQY/3k-NcYdIkgATTezt-RmfzpNbuvQwgPe0wCPcBGAsYHg/s3520/IMG_2235.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="3520" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yTR92UEqZJA/YKBNsOBnhgI/AAAAAAAGTQY/3k-NcYdIkgATTezt-RmfzpNbuvQwgPe0wCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h113/IMG_2235.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKZ83Ra-rSg/YKBNsMUIu0I/AAAAAAAGTQY/8LJ5wrzGMQEm3wFoAWUtHDig7UFsfZ7xwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_2116.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKZ83Ra-rSg/YKBNsMUIu0I/AAAAAAAGTQY/8LJ5wrzGMQEm3wFoAWUtHDig7UFsfZ7xwCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_2116.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Before school sing along with Angel</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Church</span></td>
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</tbody></table><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not every minute is one of bliss, however. The children haven’t seen their families for over a year and some are orphans or were abandoned at birth and know nothing about their mothers. The staff organizes phone calls and video calls but, as we all know, that isn’t the same. Facebook was filled with pictures of joyous Mother’s Day celebrations butI experienced the other side of Mother’s Day. The kids all made Mother’s Day cards for their tias, Debbie, me, Lariza or other favorite staff member. I received a card with an exuberant turkey on it! Aside from the cards and phone calls to moms, we downplay the day. Nevertheless, the pain of being separated from their mothers is evident, often through their behavior. Mother’s Day evening, I put the boys to bed with a particularly good story (if I say so myself!) I was quietly reading in my room when I suddenly heard loud pounding. I went to investigate only to discover one of the best behaved boys had lost control. He was outside pounding on the door, laughing and shouting that he didn’t want to go to sleep. He had a defiant look on his face and refused to come inside. I leave these situations up to the tia – better to have only one person in charge. A few minutes later, I heard a quiet tap on my door. I opened it to find the child with a stricken look on his face. “What’s happening?” I asked. He burst into heaving sobs and cried, “I want to see my mom!” I gathered him into my arms and we sat on my bed. I held him and sang to him until he calmed down. My heart was breaking. The next evening I went into the older boys room to find the youngest with the blanket over his face. He was sobbing. Nothing had happened to cause him to cry. I can only assume that he, too, was missing his mom. I held him for quite a long time. I feel so helpless at times like this. I can’t fix this for them. I can only love them and pray for an end to this pandemic. Please join me in this prayer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are so many things that happen day in and day out. I wish I had a video team following me around so you could laugh with me, marvel with me, cry with me, praise God with me as I go from moment to moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A final story…I eat breakfast alone, for reasons outlined above, and dinner alone in the cabin. Our big meal is lunch and dinner is often bean focused. I have discovered that, as much as I like beans, I can only eat so many beans before my body revolts. I often eat yoghurt at night. One morning, I reached for my milk in the frig only to find the carton was empty. That evening, I discovered all my yoghurt was gone. During devotional I explained to the boys that my milk and yoghurt had gone missing. I had two problems with that. First, they were my things taken without permission. Second, and most important, they provide the calcium that women my age need to keep our bones strong so they don’t break if I fall. Sweet Wilson, with huge eyes, asked, “So you didn’t eat all day?” Edgar, during the closing prayer, prayed, “Dear Lord, please protect Amanda’s milk for her bones because she is old.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These last two months have been some of the best in my life! I look forward to returning to my “real job” of volunteer coordinator and welcoming teams again. We REALLY REALLY miss y’all. If you feel so moved, please send an email or, better yet, a short video message to a child of your choice. There are kids with no sponsors or special relationships and I would be happy to give you a name of a child to write to. They are starving for relational connections. You can send them to my email, <a href="mailto:Amanda.vpscott@gmail.com">Amanda.vpscott@gmail.com</a> or to LAMB in Charleston.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="text" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background: white;">The </span></span><span class="small-caps" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background: white; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background: white;"> bless you</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span><span class="text"><span style="background: white;">and keep you;</span></span></div><span class="text"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="text"><b><sup><span style="background: white;"><span id="en-NIV-3849"> </span></span></sup></b><span style="background: white;">the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="background: white; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white;"> make his face shine on you</span></span></div></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span><span class="text"><span style="background: white;">and be gracious to you;</span></span></div></span><span class="text"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white;"><span id="en-NIV-3850">the </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="background: white; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white;"> turn his face toward you</span></span></div></span><span class="indent-1-breaks"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px;"> </span><span class="text"><span style="background: white;">and give you peace.”’</span> Numbers 6:24-26</span></div></span></span><p></p><span class="text" style="text-align: left;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Stay safe, get vaccinated, come back to see you. We love you and we miss you.</span></span></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgE9uoooQxA/YKBNsNIFHYI/AAAAAAAGTQY/oEeBtTVMUBE8Y-4-wLVrParC_t7nWPO6ACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_3071.JPG" style="font-family: verdana; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgE9uoooQxA/YKBNsNIFHYI/AAAAAAAGTQY/oEeBtTVMUBE8Y-4-wLVrParC_t7nWPO6ACPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_3071.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-15597551955748646182021-04-04T15:58:00.000-06:002021-04-04T15:58:21.505-06:00Promise kept<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTou7k2tFQQ/YGoqdaFaq6I/AAAAAAAGLNQ/MBVWl2LWi0wb503k1soJmIZ6IzQ_7XwBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/IMG_2018.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xTou7k2tFQQ/YGoqdaFaq6I/AAAAAAAGLNQ/MBVWl2LWi0wb503k1soJmIZ6IzQ_7XwBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w150-h200/IMG_2018.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Feliz Dia de la Resurrección! </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Happy Day of the Resurrectio</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">n!</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the day every Christian hopes for, waits for, expects to happen. It is what gets us through Holy Week, especially Good Friday. All through the Bible, a promise is made:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the </span><span class="sc" style="background-color: white; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white;"> your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deut. 31:8</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">No man shall be able to stand </span><span style="background-color: white;">before </span><span style="background-color: white;">you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Joshua 1:5</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="text Matt-28-5" id="en-ESV-24197" style="background-color: white;">But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="text Matt-28-6" id="en-ESV-24198" style="background-color: white;">He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Matt. 28:5 </span></span></p></blockquote><blockquote><p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matt. 28:20</span></p></blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">But will the promise come through? Most of our kids have suffered abuse, rejection, abandonment, disappointment, and promises forgotten. Walking through Holy Week, especially the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday is, for me, sobering and heart breaking. How much more so is it for our kids who have experienced some of those stations themselves? Every year, we anxiously and eagerly await Easter morning to proclaim with relief and joy, "Alleluia! Christ is Risen!" Will it come this year? Can we trust in the promise when we have been betrayed in this world so many times?</span></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="text Matt-28-6" id="en-ESV-24198" style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">At the Children's Home, we not only celebrate that but also baptism when we welcome children who have so chosen into the body of Christ. One of the newly baptized gave a testimony on Palm Sunday recounting an experience with their baby brother. The older sibling, at 11 years of age, was responsible for the younger siblings and the household. The 15 day old baby fell out of a hammock and stopped breathing. The sibling ran and picked him up. The family did not go to church nor read the Bible. This 11 year old, who knew nothing about God's promise, prayed for the life of the baby. The baby is now in our preschool and very bright and as cute as any child could be. The sibling ended the testimony by saying, "I realized God was with us." The child knew nothing about God except He was there. Is there. Will always be there. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">That is the promise. No matter what, God is with us. Jesus suffered death by crucifixion and rose again to be with us to the end of the age. <i>"</i></span></span><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">'For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">will</b><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;"> be able to </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">separate us from the love of God</b><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px;"><i> that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ' </i>Romans 8:38-39. Not even ignorance of Jesus nor disbelief will separate us from the love of God. </span></div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="color: #202124;"><span style="background-color: white;">It is with great joy I share evidence of the Risen Lord in the pictures from today.</span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 16px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G2vh_josYUg/YGovzr0tSVI/AAAAAAAGLO4/lfd9ArZD1jktwALLnDjSmL8zUR4ct8bGgCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="974" height="178" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G2vh_josYUg/YGovzr0tSVI/AAAAAAAGLO4/lfd9ArZD1jktwALLnDjSmL8zUR4ct8bGgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h178/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The service begins in the church and then we process to the cancha where the baptisms occur</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 16px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SALLrDIXUmY/YGoxDaOZ_yI/AAAAAAAGLPA/0lETgAZdSfIkd10ait3wjHzrT1focDPngCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="795" height="232" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SALLrDIXUmY/YGoxDaOZ_yI/AAAAAAAGLPA/0lETgAZdSfIkd10ait3wjHzrT1focDPngCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h232/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Richard blesses the baptismal candidates and then the water. The youngest, Sofia, bravely goes first. (It was really cold this morning!)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ampONFufOyY/YGoydA8A-EI/AAAAAAAGLPI/DAXpTRpU6EkHyO8azbmKxKauRSdqNd6-gCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="678" height="182" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ampONFufOyY/YGoydA8A-EI/AAAAAAAGLPI/DAXpTRpU6EkHyO8azbmKxKauRSdqNd6-gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h182/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sofia, Paola, Ismael, Darwin, Angie are fully immersed </span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eHAltIi-Ydc/YGozWx2Ks5I/AAAAAAAGLPQ/t39TDwXq-nsE141FFzf2lqTFO5ADdbAMACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="1162" height="170" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eHAltIi-Ydc/YGozWx2Ks5I/AAAAAAAGLPQ/t39TDwXq-nsE141FFzf2lqTFO5ADdbAMACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h170/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">They are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ's own forever<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4aD1Sfcvn34/YGoz-C4FqEI/AAAAAAAGLPY/ylB1R9GD0d0QRPdNSKFc3Uxw589XxqWUQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="1177" height="172" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4aD1Sfcvn34/YGoz-C4FqEI/AAAAAAAGLPY/ylB1R9GD0d0QRPdNSKFc3Uxw589XxqWUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h172/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Let us welcome the newly baptized!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">For these children and for all of us, the promise made has been kept!</span></span></div><div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1UXiUKFkBQw/YGo0vnbfADI/AAAAAAAGLPg/9om0lRb3U2EDhciwrD6yb6lp_SKc0jWvACLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="314" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1UXiUKFkBQw/YGo0vnbfADI/AAAAAAAGLPg/9om0lRb3U2EDhciwrD6yb6lp_SKc0jWvACLcBGAsYHQ/w305-h400/image.png" width="305" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alleluia! Christ is Risen!</span></span></div></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Lord is risen indeed!</span></span></div><span face="Roboto, arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-46399226128786522642021-03-20T12:24:00.002-06:002021-03-20T12:24:16.005-06:00Home again, home again<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gG_rcxBn8Zs/YE_mWkBDmFI/AAAAAAAGF0U/gK5knw4A0Po56NLdhJBLOU8DEvjtaUq6wCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0228.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gG_rcxBn8Zs/YE_mWkBDmFI/AAAAAAAGF0U/gK5knw4A0Po56NLdhJBLOU8DEvjtaUq6wCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_0228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am filled with joy to report I am back in Honduras! I
have had several reunions, eaten way too much Honduran food, and discovered to
my relief that my Spanish is about what it was when I left. Attending
church at the Children’s Home for the first time was wonderful. It had
been a year since I last attended church in person, a year since I had taken
communion. The little kids have gotten bigger, we have several new
children, and some of the older children have moved to the transition program and
are living in houses around Tegucigalpa. Other than that, it was just the
same. I really felt like I had been to church the week before. It
felt like home. As I felt the breeze and watched the trees sway outside the
window, I thought about the Holy Spirit. A feeling came over me that this
church experience was just like God, who is, was, and ever shall be. We
change, we come and go, we move closer or away but He is always steadfast,
always faithful, always the same. Thanks be to God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After a couple days at Casa LAMB, I moved to the Children’s Home.
I am living with the medium boys! Being the mother of two boys, this is a
perfect fit for me. I have begun helping at our bilingual school, Joy Christian
Academy (JCA.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the schools are
closed in Honduras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the infinite wisdom
of the local officials, we are not allowed to use the beautiful, large,
well-appointed school just down the road from the Children’s Home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We explained it is just our children but to
no avail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, we have changed the
house at the gate, where Angel was living, into JCA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like a sequel to the movie, this one
called, “Honey, I shrunk the school!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two
teachers are living at the big school and coming in each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The others are teaching via internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t optimal but it is working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also have had to shorten the school day
due to fewer teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jen is on her
honeymoon with Jacob and Lariza is in charge of all the other kids’ schooling
via computer. She is working a very long day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every time I walk into her school room, I see tons of kids hard at work
at the computers. Lester Alexander blurted out last night, “Amanda, I like
school!” I nearly fell of the stands at the cancha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, Lariza is doing a great job! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #313131;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-naY6exfmdvM/YFY5QHjShEI/AAAAAAAGG0A/q7PMBe7OX3EfdDHl4HVcIBe_lNv6PIItQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-naY6exfmdvM/YFY5QHjShEI/AAAAAAAGG0A/q7PMBe7OX3EfdDHl4HVcIBe_lNv6PIItQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_0313.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #313131;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We
are all hoping the schools will open soon but there is no word from the
officials. We have a new Director of Joy Academy. She is going to approach the officials again. I work from 8-2:30 with ages 3-12, grades pre-K - 5th. In the morning it is "A" says ah, ah, ah. In the afternoon, it is "The scientific method is the way..." Sheesh!
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eWLUxwVV3d8/YFYyxacnnAI/AAAAAAAGGzE/lvVU6x3N_ugMhpQIhEtoE8kiCKuZhJTLQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0343.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eWLUxwVV3d8/YFYyxacnnAI/AAAAAAAGGzE/lvVU6x3N_ugMhpQIhEtoE8kiCKuZhJTLQCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_0343.JPG" width="200" /></a>.</td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyWVJwF1KKY/YFYyxXHeFRI/AAAAAAAGGzE/xZC2c-GtyKodkIuH31U_LdgvAS8rVr9YgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0302.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyWVJwF1KKY/YFYyxXHeFRI/AAAAAAAGGzE/xZC2c-GtyKodkIuH31U_LdgvAS8rVr9YgCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_0302.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpxjIczDg8A/YFYyxfOhWiI/AAAAAAAGGzE/3K7enMSRvaoSdyf-CL1o2DJuD2cTYTdzwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0308.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VpxjIczDg8A/YFYyxfOhWiI/AAAAAAAGGzE/3K7enMSRvaoSdyf-CL1o2DJuD2cTYTdzwCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_0308.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EI3CWPR7H7o/YFYyxaE1olI/AAAAAAAGGzE/jqbw3Z29heM-rgJMMXOUrJSxXzfUGfGwwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0378.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EI3CWPR7H7o/YFYyxaE1olI/AAAAAAAGGzE/jqbw3Z29heM-rgJMMXOUrJSxXzfUGfGwwCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_0378.JPG" width="200" /></a></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="-en-clipboard: true;"><br /></div><div style="-en-clipboard: true;"><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">The kids, as always are adorable, funny, and BIG!</span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">We have several new children, Lucas and
Valentina are babies, Enma, Mabel, Melissa, and Monse are in the little girl
Angels cabin, and Suyapa is in the medium girls cabin.</span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">All are adorable and seem to have adapted
well.</span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">Monse who is 4, doesn’t
speak.</span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">Melissa has serious kidney
problems and is being treated for her condition. Mabel and Enma are in JCA and are
holding their own learning English while doing their work.</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebT7LHK6bbk/YFYqMaG0RXI/AAAAAAAGGtA/s7FuYyW7HEQJLztxKQhxc2Fghe9vil46QCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0720.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ebT7LHK6bbk/YFYqMaG0RXI/AAAAAAAGGtA/s7FuYyW7HEQJLztxKQhxc2Fghe9vil46QCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_0720.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KT8CMxH5I/YFYq0c-7itI/AAAAAAAGGt0/ITFzMk0STq8TcMv4QCXJnCjzoIG5SqBAACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0638.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O9KT8CMxH5I/YFYq0c-7itI/AAAAAAAGGt0/ITFzMk0STq8TcMv4QCXJnCjzoIG5SqBAACPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_0638.JPG" width="150" /></a></td><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-45e14W5qm0k/YFYq0UmrTFI/AAAAAAAGGt0/i76xddpxIUsBKDdxNK_UNdBz2T1X14TbwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0329.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-45e14W5qm0k/YFYq0UmrTFI/AAAAAAAGGt0/i76xddpxIUsBKDdxNK_UNdBz2T1X14TbwCPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_0329.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWpVMM_lWcA/YFYq0RGockI/AAAAAAAGGt0/rVpTEmfI88wJU3PfjiSSq4vOYm2VS6zGwCPcBGAYYCw/s4032/IMG_0330.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWpVMM_lWcA/YFYq0RGockI/AAAAAAAGGt0/rVpTEmfI88wJU3PfjiSSq4vOYm2VS6zGwCPcBGAYYCw/w150-h200/IMG_0330.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Enma</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Suyapa</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Lucas</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Valentina</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ejNc-nrTYcU/YFYrd4flaMI/AAAAAAAGGuk/RUfSi3hrUVc3X5dzsLHNwzr7JJxxqjlKACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0474.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ejNc-nrTYcU/YFYrd4flaMI/AAAAAAAGGuk/RUfSi3hrUVc3X5dzsLHNwzr7JJxxqjlKACPcBGAsYHg/w150-h200/IMG_0474.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wDfe-xZ_9c/YE_nLDwHV9I/AAAAAAAGF0k/7siHatOCZCMfKq-zI4Y8uOHlP2AqxD4KACPcBGAYYCw/s4032/IMG_0478.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wDfe-xZ_9c/YE_nLDwHV9I/AAAAAAAGF0k/7siHatOCZCMfKq-zI4Y8uOHlP2AqxD4KACPcBGAYYCw/w150-h200/IMG_0478.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w0tWZJaXMgY/YFYq0Yiv00I/AAAAAAAGGt0/kBZB6eE9rL4uGNLOJsDYKsTgZ0uZEVLtgCPcBGAYYCw/s4032/IMG_0639.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w0tWZJaXMgY/YFYq0Yiv00I/AAAAAAAGGt0/kBZB6eE9rL4uGNLOJsDYKsTgZ0uZEVLtgCPcBGAYYCw/w150-h200/IMG_0639.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Monse</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Melissa</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Mabel</span></td>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Living with the medium boys is a hoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They really are sweet and anxious to be of
help to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t carry anything, not
even my water bottle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been
reading them books at night, which they love. Right now, The Napping House by Don
and Audrey Wood is their favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you have a young child in your life, I highly recommend it. Last night we were
at the cancha playing volleyball and soccer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was dark as we walked back and Alex was holding my snazzy little
flashlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we got back to the
cabin he said, “Amanda, when you die will you give me your flashlight?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sure,” I replied! Another Alex story: One day I was walking up to the cabin. Several boys came running up to tell me another one (who shall remain nameless) had thrown some rocks at my car. (I don't think he was aiming at my car.) I spoke solemnly to the child and said it made me sad that he had thrown rocks at my car. Alex followed me into my room. "Amanda," he said seriously, "it is just a car. It is not family. I would rather have a family than a car." Amen.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B162z94gaSM/YFYv-_ZLfPI/AAAAAAAGGxs/CqD_yO1_NIIpv_BUq8pZAUsUMg__Fya-gCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/IMG_0774.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B162z94gaSM/YFYv-_ZLfPI/AAAAAAAGGxs/CqD_yO1_NIIpv_BUq8pZAUsUMg__Fya-gCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_0774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My house mates!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #313131;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Another challenge I have had is getting accustomed to schedule
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boys get up at 5!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no question that they are up and on
the move!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We eat dinner at 5 and bed is
at 8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy a couple of hours of alone
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 10 I can’t keep my eyes open! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are many advantages to living at the Children's Home. One is you get to experience things you wouldn't otherwise. For example, one evening I walked into the baby house in time for their devotional! Dulce, our cook who is working there until teams return, was leading it.
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<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">The devotional begins</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Showing pictures from Bible story</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Camilla rocks out to the song</span></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Victor in prayer</span></td>
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</span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">Evening activities are another benefit of life at the Children's Home. One evening all the kids were at the cancha playing futbol (soccer,) volleyball, and just hanging out. I was on the stands surrounded by a bunch of the teen girls and some younger ones. No social distancing was going on, we were cheek to jowl! Suddenly, from behind me a tongue licked my face from my jaw to my cheekbone. I shrieked and turned around. All I could see was Nahomi! I said, "Nahomi!" in an accusing but joking way. She couldn't speak she was laughing so hard but her little index finger was waggling furiously back and forth proclaiming her innocence. The kids were doubled over laughing. The real culprit, Negro the dog, had fled. The best part of that "traumatic" experience was hearing one of the teens who suffers from depression and rarely smiles or even interacts, absolutely belly laughing. I will offer my face to a dog licking any day to hear that beautiful sound. The Lord definitely works in mysterious ways and has quite a sense of humor!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I spend Friday nights and Saturday at Casa LAMB. After a year of solitude, I find I need some during the week. As much as I love the kids, when I am there it is a constant, "Amanda!" "Amanda!" "Amanda!" Last weekend, I was doing my laundry. My excuse is that I was fuzzy brained from fatigue. Anyway, I was in the kitchen while the washing machine was churning away. I reached for my phone. Not there. I assumed I had left it upstairs. "No problem," I thought, "I'll get it later." When the wash was done, I was moving the clothes to the dryer and guess what I found... My cell phone had fallen into the washing machine when I put the clothes in. I WASHED MY CELL PHONE! Miracles of miracles, it works just fine. I have never been a fan of Apple products but I must say, I am impressed with the iphone. It is truly Amanda-proof. Maybe Apple should use me in a comercial! </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Julio is living at Casa LAMB so I get to spend some time with him too. This morning he made me breakfast! Before heading back to the Children's Home, I am going to search for some supplies to do science experiments with. I have never taught science so this is a bit of a challenge, not to mention finding the supplies. Wish me luck!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The question of the moment is when can teams come back?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this
point, we are comfortable with vaccinated people coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will have to discuss further whether teens,
without vaccinations, can come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone
is dying for y’all to return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hang in
there with us and pray! And get vaccinated as soon as you can!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are rumors here that the vaccine from Russia may
arrive. Pray for that, or any vaccine. It is an election year so
maybe that will motivate candidates to get the vaccine into the arms of the
people. Everyone is vigilant here about COVID precautions. EVERYONE
wears a mask. To enter a store you have to walk over a mat soaked with
disinfectant, have your temperature taken, and get a squirt of hand
sanitizer. When you enter the Children’s Home, they disinfect the car
tires and your shoes! </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;">Being back is wonderful. I am having a blast. I am surrounded by people I love and who love me back. The weather is great! The most wonderful part, by far, is returning to my call from God. In March of 2007, He called me to "Go to Honduras," and I made my first mission trip. In spring of 2010, He said, "Move to Honduras," and I did in January of 2011. Spending a year in limbo, away from my call was so hard. I am so thankful to be back here serving the Risen Lord. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, better than answering God's call with a resounding YES! I highly recommend it, wherever, whenever, how ever He calls you.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;"></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><span face="Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #001320; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify;">Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"</span><span style="color: #313131; font-family: verdana;"><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>Isaiah 6:8</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 12.5pt;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-65953889715822810422020-04-03T14:14:00.000-06:002020-04-03T14:14:39.413-06:00Home schooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are two things I firmly believe are true. #1 - God did not rain down corona virus on us. #2 - God can and will redeem the pain and suffering we all experience during this crisis. I don't know when or how, but He will.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also believe the Lord wants us to learn something from this crisis and time of physical separation. I imagine we will be learning things long after it is over. I have been pondering this in the endless hours of solitude. Here is a preliminary list...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. As Americans, we are socialized to be independent, self-reliant. To charge forward and take the bull by the horns. In the Covid era, we are learning that our survival depends on each other. My solitude protects the stranger in the shopping mall, my church family, the server at the restaurant. Your solitude protects me. We are in this together or we all go down. Isn't that one of Jesus' most fervent desires for us? "...that all of them may be one" John 17:21. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. The last shall be first. Suddenly the lowliest jobs, sanitation workers, for example, are hailed as heroes as they put themselves at risk to do a job we have new appreciation for. In the blink of an eye, parents have a much more profound appreciation for the work, endurance, and commitment of teachers. Same goes for daycare workers, babysitters, and nannies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Our generosity muscles are getting a real workout. The news and social media are filled with heartwarming stories. My neighbor picked up some blueberry scones for me at the grocery store and refused reimbursement. A small thing, for sure, but it meant a lot to me. LAMB has been able to keep our staff in Honduras working with medical benefits thanks to the ongoing generosity of our donors. An anonymous donor sent relief money so we could deliver food to the impoverished who no longer have any way to make a living. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. We are discovering that we really do love one another. I have heard of more web conferencing programs and apps in the last two weeks than in the last 10 years. There is zoom, house party, and for those in different time zones, marco polo. We set aside petty gripes and log in to be together, laugh, play games, pray, and simply say, "I love you."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. We are discovering what it really means to be the church. Church is not the building where your child was baptized, or you were married, or where your loved ones are buried. Church is us, wherever we are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. We are learning that as contagious as corona virus is, kindness is a thousand times more contagious. When you get it, you can't wait to pass it on to as many people as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. We are learning that political divisiveness is passe. Sticking together, supporting one another is so much more important that whether you are red or blue. We are one nation and we can only beat this together. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. We are learning that prosperity is fragile. Whether we like it or not, this is a global world. Borders are lines on a map and mean nothing to corona virus. So many people live on the edge. The most vulnerable pay the highest price. So many of them are children. What we do about it is a lesson in process.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I pray that we are all learning that God is in the midst of us. The types and numbers of tragedies boggle the mind. We can only get through this by leaning on Him. If we lean on Jesus, we can be a balm for someone else. If you need a kind word, or some encouragement, or a prayer, let me know. I am your sister in Christ and I love you.</span></div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-34569649781094064962019-11-25T21:08:00.000-06:002019-11-25T21:08:22.966-06:00Where is God?<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Where was God? This is a question we often hear when something bad happens. It implies that if something horrible happens, there must not be a God because otherwise He would have prevented this terrible thing. The common response from a person of faith is, "God never promised to prevent bad things from happening. He promised to be with us at all times." True but incomplete. What exactly does that mean that He is with us during that terrible time?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A couple of days ago, I visited the 9/11 memorial in New York City. Close to 3,000 people died that day. Was God there with them? If so, what did He do?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Of course, it is impossible to know exactly how each person experiences God in those times. I</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">f we look at the life of the human Jesus we can get an idea of what it means for Jesus to be present in tragedy and heartbreak. In the worst moment of Jesus' life, in fact the worst moment in the history of the world, past and future, this innocent man hung on the cross, betrayed, abandoned, and forsaken. As He suffered unspeakable torture, slowly dying a horrific death, Jesus looked out on the people who put Him there and...prayed. Prayed to His father to forgive the perpetrators of the most heinous crime that will ever be committed. Next, He promised salvation to the justly convicted criminal hanging next to Him. He certainly could have used His power and authority to smite the perpetrators and come down from the cross. Instead, knowing in that horrible moment how the story will end, Jesus prayed and Jesus loved.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On April 16, 2007, my younger son, Hunter was a freshman at Virginia Tech. Early that morning, a student named Cho murdered 32 students and faculty. When Hunter returned home, he was in shock and despair. I was focused entirely on being his mother, not even praying or thinking about the victims. At some point that week after the tragedy, I received a vision from the Lord. I could see 3 students lying on the classroom floor in pools of blood. I knew they were in great pain and terrified. Suddenly, Jesus walked into the room. He walked up to each student, held out his hand and said, "Come with me." At that moment, I knew the pain and terror were replaced with the peace that passes all understanding. He loved them. When Hunter returned to school, while praying at the makeshift memorial, he also had a vision. "Mom, I saw Cho in heaven surrounded by the victims. They were telling him they love him and they forgive him. Mom, if they can forgive him, so can I." Jesus forgave Cho and, through His great love, so did Cho's victims.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I toured the 9/11 museum, 4 things made an indelible impact. First, as you </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuH5B_OjEY8/XdwykD2rJaI/AAAAAAAFVIA/Aw9-thjyotIb2ughfePSHFe0XiElgRtxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/wall%2B911%2Bmuseum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1304" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RuH5B_OjEY8/XdwykD2rJaI/AAAAAAAFVIA/Aw9-thjyotIb2ughfePSHFe0XiElgRtxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/wall%2B911%2Bmuseum.jpg" width="162" /></a></span></div>
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walk down a ramp to get to the museum, deep underground, you see a nondescript, rather ugly, concrete wall on the left. It was odd since every other part of the museum was beautifully designed and finished. I learned that it was the original retaining wall from one of the towers--the wall that holds back the Hudson River. If that wall had been breached, the tragedy would have been so much worse as lower Manhattan would have been instantly flooded. I can see an army of angels holding that wall in place during the explosions that incinerated the building and fire so hot it melted the steel. God protected the people in Lower Manhattan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I also believe that the Lord continues reveal His presence to us in the aftermath of the tragedies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Take the Ground Zero Cross. In the midst of all the debris, on September 13, a worker discovered a cross, perfectly proportioned, made of I beams, from the prefabricated materials used to build the towers. Recovery workers prayed there and left messages there. The presence of God must have been powerfully felt by them as they were surrounded by death and destruction. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Many saw the crossed metal as a Christian cross and felt its survival was symbolic. Fr. Jordan spoke over it and declared it to be a "symbol of hope... a symbol of faith... a symbol of healing".</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; white-space: nowrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">One minister at the site says that when a family of a man who died in the attacks came to the cross shrine and left personal effects there, "It was as if the cross took in the grief and loss. I never felt Jesus more." Wikipedia</span></span></i><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The next item I saw took my breath away. A New Testament was seared into a </span></span><br />
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molten piece of steel. It was open to Matthew 5 which includes the verses:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span class="text Matt-5-38" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">“</span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Blessed are those who mourn,</span></i><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 0;"><i> for they </i></span><span class="text Matt-5-4" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><i>will be comforted." </i>and "</span></span><i><span class="text Matt-5-38" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’</span></span><span class="text Matt-5-39" id="en-NIV-23274" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="woj" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"> </span>But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." Matt. 5:4,38,39.</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Surely, the Lord is speaking to us through this one page, made of flimsy paper, out of the entire Bible that survived the hellfire and brimstone of 9/11.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, I listened to a recording by the brother of the pilot, Captain Burlingame, whose plane crashed into the Pentagon. All that was recovered was his passport and the prayer card he carried in his wallet. The plastic laminated prayer card, from his mother's funeral, survived the explosion as the jet, used as a bomb exploded. It too had the verse from Matthew 5:4 -- <i>"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." </i>His sister said, </span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>"It also has a poem that says 'I did not die. Do not go to my grave,'" she said. "We took that as a message from my Mother: 'It's okay. I got him.'"</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Yarely, our bouncy, pouncy, flouncy, 10 year old died, God sent us the same </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">message. As I wrote in a <a href="https://hondurasamanda.blogspot.com/2015/09/grace-notes.html" target="_blank">post</a> the day after: </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hImgYe9K4X8/Xdw0qSV6YkI/AAAAAAAFVIQ/X7xgqPjq8K4K6fuXtTIPJNmK4g5mjV9BwCKgBGAsYHg/s1600/yarely.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="538" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hImgYe9K4X8/Xdw0qSV6YkI/AAAAAAAFVIQ/X7xgqPjq8K4K6fuXtTIPJNmK4g5mjV9BwCKgBGAsYHg/s200/yarely.jpg" width="175" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">After the funeral service, we processed to the burial site. It is a cemetery on the side of a mountain in the village of San Buenaventura. Although the path was long and a bit treacherous, the view over the valley was beautiful. "Just like the view from our mountain home in Tennessee!" exclaimed Brad, Yarely's father. Off to the left was a beautiful view of a valley with a town at the far end. It was cloudy and dark when we arrived. (Thank you Lord for holding off the torrential rains during the burial.) Led by Angel and the small guitar, we began singing a beautiful, meditative song called, "Aleluya" praising God. I looked up to see the town, just the town, illuminated, shining in the midst of the grey, cloudy mountains. As the song ended, the clouds returned. For a moment the Lord reveals, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">"Yarely is with me, in my Holy City."</i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Where is God when bad things happen? Right there, loving the victims, holding them in His arms, inviting them into a new life. But that's not all. He is here, with us, speaking to us, the survivors, offering us comfort and hope. The very last thing Jesus said was, <i>"</i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">And surely I am with you</span><i><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-24216U" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-24216U" title="See cross-reference U">U</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i> always, to the very end of the age.” </i>Always. Amen.</span>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-27691548426190344582019-10-10T22:58:00.000-06:002019-10-10T22:58:14.731-06:00Daily bread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Over my life as a Christian, I have learned a lot about God. Often I realize in retrospect something He has taught me. I listen attentively to sermons to glean what I can, I seek out a deeper understanding through my own studies. I pray for discernment and understanding. However, it is rare that I am aware of being in the midst of being actively taught something by the Lord. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I recently attended the New Wineskins Mission Conference. I attended two break out sessions on healing. I believe miraculous healing through prayer can happen. In fact, I have received healing twice, once a physical healing and the other healing of a deep, long standing emotional wound. As I sat in the sessions, I decided I wanted to learn more about healing and, even perhaps, how to be an instrument of God's healing. So, I bought 4 books on the subject. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I flew back to Honduras, I thought maybe I should start with myself. I have carpal tunnel in both my wrists and thumbs. (Side note to all you avid thumb texters...you will be here one day. As I told a doctor once, I am like a cat - clever but ineffective since I have no use of my opposable thumbs) I prayed with complete faith and belief for healing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Here is what happened. First of all, the Lord taught me about daily bread. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">"Give us this day our daily bread" is not just about bread! </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is something the Hondurans know very well. As Angel says, "Yesterday is gone, we don't know if there will be a tomorrow, all we have is today. Live today as though it is your last." Anyone in recovery understands this concept as well. "One day at a time." Instead of waiting for a dramatic healing event, I understood the Lord was teaching me to pray for healing one day at a time. All I need is for my hands to be pain-free <u>today</u>. "As Jesus said, "</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." (Matt.6:34)</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">So I start each day with a prayer, please heal my hands for today. Tomorrow is another day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">After several days, I realized He was teaching something else. Throughout each day I will have moments when I realized my hands don't hurt. I say a quick prayer of thanks. Occasionally, my thumb or my wrist will start hurting, sometimes in the middle of the night. I say a quick prayer asking for healing. Within a minute or two the pain subsides. I was pondering this and reflected on the time He healed me physically. I had a bad case of tendonitis in both Achilles tendons. I could hardly walk. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I had a huge knot on each tendon. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I had just started my ministry here and worried it would severely impact my ability to fulfill my responsibilities. Two orthopedic doctors had examined them and both had said there was nothing to be done. One day, I met an extraordinarily spiritual woman. Suzy introduced her as Sister Lupita, a prophet. I asked her to pray for my ankles, which she did. That afternoon, the knots were gone and I was painfree. It was a miracle! Dr. Jim, one of the orthopedic doctors who had examined me, was amazed that my tendons were totally healed. This was over 8 years ago and I haven't had a twinge since. I suddenly realized that I rarely think about them or what God did for me. Sometimes I will tell the story to illustrate our miraculous Lord, but mostly I just thoughtlessly enjoy healthy tendons. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">This time, with my hands, the Lord didn't give me a one and done miraculous healing. Instead He helps me one day at a time. This is my lesson - to depend on God when I have needs, to lean on Him in times of trouble, to be thankful at all times for all things, and to walk through this life hand in hand, day by day with Him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I don't know how my hands will feel tomorrow but today, despite hours of painting which should have left me writing in pain, today my hands don't hurt. I talk to God all day, asking for help and thanking Him for His grace and mercy. I think I like it this way best. (By the way, I haven't opened the books yet!) So pray with me, "Lord, give us this day our daily bread"...whatever that may be for you and take His hand today.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">For I am the </span><span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">your God</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-41-13" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">who takes hold of your right hand</span></div>
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and says to you, Do not fear;</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: monospace; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Isa-41-13" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">I will help<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-18465B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-18465B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> you.</span></span></i></div>
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<span class="text Isa-41-13" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Isaiah 41:13</span></div>
</span>Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-25388479570550441272019-09-21T21:58:00.000-06:002019-09-21T21:58:32.707-06:00Mess or Miracle?<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5vDNPm8X-o/XYbtwzPkE_I/AAAAAAAFM3s/eclBaUPEZsYmn6BBjiFUu8mZdPVbIL4LgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5vDNPm8X-o/XYbtwzPkE_I/AAAAAAAFM3s/eclBaUPEZsYmn6BBjiFUu8mZdPVbIL4LgCLcBGAsYHQ/s200/IMG_5719.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have a combo team in house. Part of the team is a medical brigade and part is a construction team. Yesterday the construction team set off to a rural, mountain site to build a house in a day. We have finally gotten rain, thanks be to God, which made the dirt road leading to the site a muddy road. The truck carrying all the wood and supplies got stuck. Finally, it made it to the site. The </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">team had just started unloading when a man showed up and announced that HE, not our beneficiary, owned the tiny plot of land. We can't settle property disputes in the moment so the team had to leave. The wood truck got stuck in the mud again and almost slid off a small ledge. So, now what? We have wood for a house and team to build it but no beneficiary. Fortunately, my assistant, Edson, is on the ball. He had already begun scoping out beneficiaries for the houses we will build in October. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, a woman in Flor named Felicity, was reeling from the day before. Her daughter had been mugged. In the middle of the night, the heavy rain was too much for her fragile, makeshift roof. It collapsed. Felicity was relieved they had survived the disaster but at a complete loss. Everything she had was gone. They literally had no roof over their heads. She does the only thing she can do. She begins to pray, beseeching the Lord to intervene, to somehow provide shelter for her and her daughter. Please, Lord, help us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then the wood truck and the team showed up. The team jumped out of the van and began unloading the wood. Edson explained to Felicity that, if it is OK with her (!) the team would build her house right then and there. Just a few hours later, Felicity and her daughter had a new, waterproof,</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">strong house, built to last!</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42Vygh2r04U/XYbtv4YDNbI/AAAAAAAFM3o/z-BzeybtVkAaAjFn0UHBDMWpbiYuHTJkACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-42Vygh2r04U/XYbtv4YDNbI/AAAAAAAFM3o/z-BzeybtVkAaAjFn0UHBDMWpbiYuHTJkACLcBGAsYHQ/s200/IMG_5717.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> During the house blessing, Felicity shared how overwhelmed she was that the Lord had heard her prayer and answered it..immediately. Her daughter cried. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The team was equally overwhelmed to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a real, bona fide miracle for this faithful woman and her daughter. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, which was it? A mess or a miracle? The day sure started as a mess but the Lord has a way of making a mess into a miracle.</span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Jesus looked at them and said, </span><span class="woj" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26</span></i></blockquote>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-55562822416452135242019-04-09T22:52:00.001-06:002019-04-09T22:52:26.924-06:00Stepping UpIn the US, when you hear "s/he stepped up" to accomplish something or help out, it connotes a bit of a heroic effort. One steps up in a situation where everyone else is stymied or it is a task no one wants to do or the task is outside of the person's responsibility. It is a good thing.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AAgIWflgmls/XK1vqJAS9UI/AAAAAAAEwPE/DfXnbpSh3H88v9HtOnDCIYxO19O1AV9PQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_9076.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AAgIWflgmls/XK1vqJAS9UI/AAAAAAAEwPE/DfXnbpSh3H88v9HtOnDCIYxO19O1AV9PQCKgBGAs/s200/IMG_9076.HEIC" width="150" /></a>I see people stepping up all the time here. Last month, the Lord showed me a little girl who desperately needed a wheelchair. On a Tuesday, I texted my friend, Kathy, my go-to person when we need a wheelchair, and asked her if she could find a child's wheelchair and send it with the team coming the following <i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></span></i><br />
Saturday. Within 2 hours I had a reply, "We've got a one!" She collected the wheelchair and then delivered it to the team, a couple of hours away, so they could bring it down. Lots of people in South Carolina stepped up to help a little girl they didn't know.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujnmZx7o0ro/XK1zIRserLI/AAAAAAAEwQY/ANnPUqGGDOsUfDdCZbPYP98KWhj5qO8hwCLcBGAs/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ujnmZx7o0ro/XK1zIRserLI/AAAAAAAEwQY/ANnPUqGGDOsUfDdCZbPYP98KWhj5qO8hwCLcBGAs/s200/image1.JPG" width="200" /></a>A couple of weeks ago, a 5-year-old girl in our school in Flor told our psychologist that her step-father was abusing her and that he had also thrown her 7-month-old brother on the floor. By that afternoon, they and their 2-year-old brother were in our Children's Home, with a caretaker hired to care for them. There were no discussions about capacity, about affordability in adding 3 children and a caretaker to the already stretched budget. The staff at the school and Children's Home stepped up to save these children from further abuse. Edgar, 8, stepped up and took the 2 year old under his wing, teaching him how to say grace at dinnertime!<br />
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Last Friday I got a call in the late afternoon. "There is a big fire behind the church. We are evacuating all the children. Can they come to Casa LAMB?" We didn't have a team that week and Gloria and Dulce had spent the entire week cleaning every inch of Casa LAMB, even scrubbing the wall behind the stove! When they heard the news, they stepped up. They knew that all their work would be undone in minutes, yet with big smiles, they immediately began preparing the house to receive 42 children and 8 adults. They graciously oriented the Children's Home cooks to the kitchen and announced they would be back Saturday morning, their day off, to redo all the work they had already done.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxt7Zp6IcKU/XK1wRdMi7RI/AAAAAAAEwPY/_jug6wzaJ60bHXXIeMj6uV2aFNffIxLTACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_9760.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kxt7Zp6IcKU/XK1wRdMi7RI/AAAAAAAEwPY/_jug6wzaJ60bHXXIeMj6uV2aFNffIxLTACKgBGAs/s200/IMG_9760.HEIC" width="200" /></a>On Saturday, I went to Mengui's house. Mengui and his wife, Damariz, are the house parents for the adolescent boys at the Children's Home. They built a house neighboring our property. Marvin, one of our boys, had had difficulties and is in a wonderful program called, "Teen Challenge." Marvin and a mentor came to spend the weekend with "family." Marvin doesn't have any viable family - biological family. But he has a large and loving spiritual family. Mengui and Damariz hugged him and told him they are his parents now. This is not part of their job description. They stepped up and stepped in to love a child who needs it so very much. Several of the adolescent boys were there as well as Mario, our grounds supervisor. We were all there to support, encourage, and love Marvin. We celebrated the changes in Marvin that he has prayed for and wept with him as he told us of his new, deeper relationship with Jesus.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #001320; font-family: Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: justify;">Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17</span></div>
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While I was there, I noticed a big cart in Mengui's living room. "What is that?" It is a bicycle with a food cart attached to it. Mengui and Damariz have started a neighborhood worship community in their home. Many of the members are single mothers who have no work. (Unemployment in Honduras is 50+%) The Lord told Mengui to help them. So, he took out a loan to buy this contraption and they are preparing to start a business together cooking and selling Chinese food! Damariz is a cook at the Children's Home so is very experienced in cooking in large quantities. They both have the reputation of being excellent cooks! They, the women, and Carlos, one of our boys who has graduated from the program, will run the business. Carlos, also unable to find work, dreams of being a chef.<br />
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Why all this stepping up? Because we follow the Lamb wherever He goes. Because Jesus calls us to step up when we see people in need. But the real reason is because we are <b><i>family</i></b>. And that is a very good thing.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29199A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29199A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> to all people, especially to those who belong to the family</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29199B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29199B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> of believers. - </span></i><br />
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</span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Galatians 6:10</span></i></blockquote>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-50816248175388598982019-02-28T16:10:00.000-06:002019-02-28T16:10:47.623-06:00Perfume <br />
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The other day I was walking across the campus at the Children's Home on an absolutely gorgeous day. The cloudless sky was a bright, deep blue. It was warm with a gentle breeze, causing the pine trees to dance lightly with the sky. The air was sweet with the scent of pine needles. I thought, "this must be what heaven is like." I was reminded of a joke told by one of my clergy friends. He would say, "If you don't like the smell of incense, you won't like heaven!" As I walked along I thought, I bet the incense in heaven is not clouds of smoke billowing out of a censer like at church. Instead, I imagine it is like the pine straw, occasionally wafting up its sweet aroma as a surprise grace note to passersby.<br />
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Today, during my devotional, I read, <span style="font-family: inherit;">"<span style="background-color: white;"><i>From the rising of the sun to its setting my Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my Name, and a pure offering; for my Name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.</i>" </span><span class="littleref" style="background-color: white; clear: right; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Malachi 1:11 </span> I doubt heaven is covered with pine straw and we don't sacrifice animals on the altar anymore so what is this incense that we should be offering up to the Lord of hosts? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="littleref" style="background-color: white; clear: right; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span></span> <span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Several weeks ago, for Epiphany Sunday, we planned on giving food baskets to 3 local families in thanksgiving for the gifts of the 3 kings. I was in PriceSmart buying the food when I was suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit. I knew He was saying, “Yes, this is how I want the children to celebrate Epiphany.” A</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">fter </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">blessing the food during the church service, we all set off down the hill to deliver the first basket to the family at the gate. The basket started out very heavy but within a few steps, it was almost empty because many children wanted to help carry the food. We were met at the house by the gate by Kimberly, a young pregnant woman. Her face was wreathed in smiles as she accepted the basket, full of nutritious food, milk, and some cookies, for the family. We went to the second house just up the dirt road from the Children’s Home. The bigger boys took the food into the kitchen. There was no food in the house. Dona Reyna, the mom, joined us in prayer and then prayed herself, thanking God for this miracle. Although we had planned this, to her it was like manna from heaven. One minute her family has no food, suddenly they have a basketful! I think at that moment, a sweet aroma wafted up to heaven. Our offering of incense to the Lord in the form of food for His children.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span> <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmuYvaern4I/XHhGENaR0oI/AAAAAAAEtbc/SCvl-b24uR4REBGomaLnwS2qmddqGT-aACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_7068.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmuYvaern4I/XHhGENaR0oI/AAAAAAAEtbc/SCvl-b24uR4REBGomaLnwS2qmddqGT-aACKgBGAs/s320/IMG_7068.HEIC" width="240" /></a>In January a medical brigade came and we held a clinic in a rural church. A mother brought her severely disabled 5-year-old son. His muscles are so week and flaccid, he can't even hold his head up. The mom carries him everywhere. The team left money to buy a stroller for him. Edson and I delivered the stroller to their home, a long walk down a treacherous dirt road. The mom was thrilled with the stroller and immediately rolled him up and down the length of the porch. Then she smiled and thanked God for the stroller. The incense of her gratitude rises to heaven and God smiles.<br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span> Most of our children at the Children's Home have sponsors, or "madrinas and padrinos" (Godparents.) Many of them have established relationships with the children and communicate with them regularly. It is a wonderful thing to see a child's eyes light up when they hear from their madrina or padrino. It is also true that some of our children either don't have a sponsor or don't have any contact with their sponsor. They are all very gracious and are happy when another child receives a gift, card, or visit from their Godparents. Not long ago I asked one girl what she would like from her madrina who was coming soon. After the long wish list from her friend, Genesis (the older one,) who does not have an active madrina, looked at me and said forlornly, "I would like some skates." Her little face pierced my heart and I determined that she would get skates. I reached out to the other girl's madrina and asked her if she would add some skates to the list. The look of pure joy on Genesis' face when we presented her the skates was priceless! Sweet, sweet aroma! Later on that afternoon, we saw many other children helping her learn to skate and learning to skate themselves as she happily shared her new skates (and the only skates at the Children's Home!) with anyone who wanted to try. The generosity that comes so naturally to the children must lift up billows of incense! (Oh, and now Genesis has her own madrina! Love sends more incense heavenward...)<br />
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<td><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Obq7HDiCXk/XHhPGiycDyI/AAAAAAAEteA/AwQ3TgiUguQteUYcOmmUKT4LWfdc6txWgCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_7768.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Obq7HDiCXk/XHhPGiycDyI/AAAAAAAEteA/AwQ3TgiUguQteUYcOmmUKT4LWfdc6txWgCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_7768.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SaizLKIoHvk/XHhXIcgmbGI/AAAAAAAEteg/LyLALLV1C2QprrnzsyKGQKdDctb81CtSACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_8062.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SaizLKIoHvk/XHhXIcgmbGI/AAAAAAAEteg/LyLALLV1C2QprrnzsyKGQKdDctb81CtSACKgBGAs/s320/IMG_8062.HEIC" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Our latest team, another medical brigade, went to Col. Emanuel, an impoverished village behind the city dump. We saw a young man and his little brother. We learned that 22 year old, Raul, is head of household for his 4 siblings. His 4 yr. old </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">brother, Sem, had a serious case of asthma. Dr. Ann brought them into the pharmacy to nebulize Sem. Raul was so sweet, so loving, so dear. Sem was adorable. Sem sat on Raul’s lap and they sang little praise songs during his treatment. I learned that Raul lost his job several months ago. “How do you buy food?” I asked. Raul shrugged and said, “We trust in God.” We gave him all of our leftover food and some money. At first he refused the money but we insisted. He was so very thankful. Raul embodies grace as he cares for his siblings and puts all his trust in God. Daily incense offered up to his faithful Savior. </span></span><div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">There is a Spanish praise song that I love dearly. It is titled, Perfume a Tus Pies. (Perfume at Your Feet.) The lyrics lead up to <i>"I want my life to be like perfume at your feet."</i> I believe the incense we lift up, becoming perfume at the feet of the Lord, is the way we live our lives. It is our actions of love and gratitude, trust and hope, that is the pure offering that makes His name great among all nations.</span><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">To listen to Perfume at Your Feet, follow this link.</span></i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/JXrGBjKyMvY">https://youtu.be/JXrGBjKyMvY</a></span></blockquote>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-4751306093367607702018-11-28T20:12:00.000-06:002018-11-29T12:22:36.225-06:00Living ready<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Every now and then I see a post on
Facebook ominously declaring that we are in the </span><b style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">end times</i></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. My reaction is “Of course we are. We’ve been in the end times since the moment
Jesus ascended.” However, our personal “end time” could come at any
moment. A comet could come crashing down
down right now and we’d all be in line at the Pearly Gates. Jesus
says:</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: black; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your
Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had
known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and
would not have let his house be broken into. So you also
must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you
do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42-44)</span></span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether it is the END TIME or our
personal end time, the message is clear:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>be ready</u></b>. What do we
do to be ready?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, one thing I
do is say the prayer of confession before takeoff and landing every time I
fly…just in case!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are two reasons to be
ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One is to avoid hellfire and
damnation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other is to live into the
promise that is Christ Jesus -- eternal life in His presence.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After almost 8 years in Honduras. what
I have learned is that being ready is not saying a particular prayer or going
to church every Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being ready is
about <u>how you live your life every day</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Soon after I moved to Honduras, I asked a Honduran pastor, “How is it
that the poor who suffer so much, with no end in sight, have such a profound
faith?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He answered me immediately,
“It’s because we set our sights on the next life.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized, despite my faith, I and many
Americans set our sights on this life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our measures of success and security are job titles, the neighborhood we
live in, the car we drive, our school, the size of our investment portfolio… But,
when you set your sights on the next life, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">everything</b>
changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hondurans know that they are <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">totally</b> dependent on God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our independent, self-sufficient, do-it-yourself
culture, does that make you feel a little itchy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Hondurans give everything over to
God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The country is one of the poorest
in the western hemisphere and the government corruption is mind boggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you ask a Honduran how those conditions
might change, they smile and shrug, “God knows.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not fatalism, or complacency, it is
trust. When they talk about a future event, even meeting for lunch the next
day, they say, “Si Dios permite!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If God
permits!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as far as I can tell, they
rarely try to do God’s job for Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have
you ever done that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t worry, God, I
got this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll let you know if I need
help!” Or, do you ever lay out the solution for Him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dear Lord, here is the situation so please
first do this, then this… or…you could do that…either way works for me. Amen.” (Personally, I hope God has a sense of humor!)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Hondurans walk in the
Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they want you to join them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year during Holy Week, Dony, a staff
member, received tragic news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His father
had been murdered for no apparent reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The morning after the wake, Suzy, our founder, and I were in my car on
the main street waiting for the funeral procession to start. Dony came
over and leaned into the car to talk. Suddenly an older man, slightly
drunk and reeking of alcohol, came up. He tearfully told us his
story. He has no family, his mother abandoned him when he was young.
He <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thinks</i> God might love him but he
isn’t sure. Sometimes he wants to “leave this world…” but he is
afraid of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is even more afraid
of not being loved. Dony, on his way to his father’s funeral, began sharing the
Good News with this man, assuring him that Jesus loves him and will never leave
him. At the worst moment in his life, Dony was evangelizing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s ready. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Hondurans help people who
need help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are trying to back out
of a parking spot or parallel park, a man (or boy) is always there to help guide
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not for a tip, it’s just what they
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t carry anything around the
Children’s Home for more than about 3 steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Someone, even our smallest children, will rush up to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Israel and a small portion of the food</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Soon after I got to Honduras, I
impetuously set off with a car full of food to give to the family of a young
woman who worked for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We drove 3
hours and stopped at a restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was there I learned that the family lived in some remote area where “taxis
couldn’t go.” Well, I certainly didn’t want to go, at least not in a car full
of women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I walked outside onto the
dirt road to look for help. We were right next to a gun store so, not knowing
what else to do, I started explaining my predicament, in fractured Spanish, to
the heavily armed guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Why did I think
that would help?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, the woman behind
the counter heard and rushed over, dialing her phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know someone who can help you!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10 minutes later a young man named Israel (!) roared up in a pick up truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
cheerfully loaded </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">all the food, hundreds of pounds of it, into the truck and
off we went.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">We drove for an hour and a
half!</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">All the while he was smiling and
chatting with me.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">He knew a little
English and I knew a little Spanish.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">When we arrived, we discovered the house was deep in a ravine.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">No problem! Israel loaded the food on his
back and ran up and down the treacherous path until all the food had been
delivered.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">As we set off back to the
village, I was so grateful for his help.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I looked at him and said, “Tu eres mi salva vida!”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">(you are my life saver)</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">He looked puzzled for a second, then smiled
and nodded.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">He dropped us off at my car
and drove off with a wave.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The woman in
the gun store called Israel and he came -- because someone needed food and they
are always ready to help. (By the way, it wasn’t until I was back in Tegucigalpa
that I realized Salva Vida is the name of their beer.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It was like I had told him, “You are my
Budweiser!”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eva</span></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hondurans are clear about from whom
all blessings flow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last team of
2018 came at the end of October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
addition to all the other usual activities, they decided they wanted to build a
house in a day for Ernestina, a tiny, homeless, elderly woman in San Buenaventura.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mayor had given her a minuscule bit of
land way down a dirt road in the mountains behind the Children’s Home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to get the </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">materials to the site was to carry them down and
back up a ravine.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was standing in the
woods monitoring the progress when another woman appeared, arms full of wood
that she had gathered for her wood burning stove.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eva, too, is impoverished but slightly better
off than Ernestina.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">She put down her
machete and wood and smiled broadly at me.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“I am so thankful the Lord is helping Ernestina!</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thank you letting Him use you to bring this miracle
to her.”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Eva </span><i style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">knows</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> where that house came from. We were thankful to be part of Ernestina's miracle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The team realized Ernestina didn’t have a mattress so they gave me the money to buy her one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked Angel, our singing construction worker, if he could help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problem!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gave him the money and the next day, he recruited a friend with a pickup truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They went into town, bought the mattress, and then hauled the mattress and box springs to Ernestina’s </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">new house.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Again, because that is what they do.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If they can help, they do…with a smile.</span></span><br />
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMne4qAJ16A/W_9IuFXRapI/AAAAAAAEojU/WuxBl_fgqw8OsvLbGJKtbJHWwlTHUPlnQCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_4608.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "helvetica neue", arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oMne4qAJ16A/W_9IuFXRapI/AAAAAAAEojU/WuxBl_fgqw8OsvLbGJKtbJHWwlTHUPlnQCKgBGAs/s320/IMG_4608.HEIC" width="240" /></a></td>
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<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QR7sa3XZnlc/W_9CmH9UAUI/AAAAAAAEoiQ/0Vh_f6KvtOMHjNGJZuSGr7OtCBvzbIqpgCLcBGAs/s1600/69749456-3620-4d3f-aafd-b5c94819268e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QR7sa3XZnlc/W_9CmH9UAUI/AAAAAAAEoiQ/0Vh_f6KvtOMHjNGJZuSGr7OtCBvzbIqpgCLcBGAs/s320/69749456-3620-4d3f-aafd-b5c94819268e.jpg" width="240" /></a></td>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D0tOX-UTykE/W_9HC_Vod9I/AAAAAAAEoig/3eB9qagnNI4naTL4biEnPv8AirAlnx_MgCLcBGAs/s1600/Jimmy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D0tOX-UTykE/W_9HC_Vod9I/AAAAAAAEoig/3eB9qagnNI4naTL4biEnPv8AirAlnx_MgCLcBGAs/s320/Jimmy.jpg" width="179" /></a><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hondurans live lives of hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jimmy came to us, broken and malnourished,
at 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One day I saw him at our school
where he does volunteer work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is 19
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was doing his university
homework, playing very complex classical music on his guitar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His fingers were flying over the strings as
he changed chords and picked a sophisticated pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked him how growing up at the Children’s
Home changed his </span></span><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Suzy came and
gave us the possibility to dream and the possibility of having a better
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a lot of Christian
influence at the </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Children’s Home. They teach us that our lives have a lot of
value.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It changed the way I dream.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My hope for the future is more than a degree
from university. More than that, it is to influence society positively. More
than changing my life, it is changing
the lives of others in a positive way.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I
want to give a future to kids who don’t have one now.”</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Through LAMB God has given Jimmy hope…and now he plans
to share that hope with others.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">70% of Hondurans live below the
poverty line. 40% live on less than $2 a
day. Unemployment is over 50%. The
government is so corrupt it makes your teeth hurt. There is no end in sight for the poor in
Honduras. And yet, they are always
joyful, ready with a smile, eager to help, full of hope and focused on the Risen Lord. They know this life is less than a blink of
an eye in the context of eternity but the <b><i>next lif</i></b>e is forever. They are
ready.</span></span></div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-30431506476197246582018-07-05T16:18:00.000-06:002018-07-05T16:18:22.014-06:00Just shareFrom the time we are tiny little children, we are told to share. Moms and dads, teachers, and grandparents encourage us to share some of what we have with siblings, friends, and, sometimes, "starving children in..." The Bible exhorts us to share all throughout the old and new testaments.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 19.5px;"><i>One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. Proverbs 11:24</i></span> </blockquote>
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<i style="color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 19.5px;">And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16</i></blockquote>
Often, we are sharing out of abundance. We have a bag of candy and give a few pieces to a friend. We have clothes we haven't worn in a long time (or no longer fit) so we give them to a charity. We have a couple of $1 bills in our wallets, beside the $10s and $20s, so we give them to the homeless person on the corner. We pledge money to the church, working towards fitting a tithe into the family budget. <br />
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What does it look like when we just share? Not out of abundance but out of love? It looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vrCBV0kSaKw/Wz6UCzMyH9I/AAAAAAAEcVM/PGMuI5bCVXUFwIL9QAVbtKsFQeeQ54k7QCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_8080.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vrCBV0kSaKw/Wz6UCzMyH9I/AAAAAAAEcVM/PGMuI5bCVXUFwIL9QAVbtKsFQeeQ54k7QCKgBGAs/s200/IMG_8080.HEIC" width="150" /></a>Little Alex Eduardo just graduated from kindergarten. He got the award for being curious! He also got a gift of an airplane, some cars and signage to go with it. Pamm Ferrand, from the Atlanta team, was walking by as Alex was playing and he handed her the above items. "It's a gift!" Pamm checked several times that afternoon to see if he wanted them back. "No, it's a gift!" Our kids don't have many of their own toys and Alex only received one toy for his graduation. Yet, unbidden, for no particular reason, he shared it with Pamm.<br />
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This is actually pretty common at the Children's Home. Just a couple days ago, a child casually shared part of his small pack of Smarties with me. Candy is a real treat for the kids. No words, just a couple of Smarties offered up. <br />
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The most touching example of sharing happened twice in June, by the same person. There is a student, Andrea, at our school in Flor with cystic fibrosis. Dr. Ann Von Thron and Joseph Klosik have become involved and are able to find CF parents in the US and pharmaceutical companies to donate meds and more sophisticated and effective equipment to help Andrea. Her mother, Reina, is overcome by the love and generosity shown by anonymous people in the US. As she thanked Joseph and Dr. Ann, she explained that there is only 1 doctor in all of Honduras who treats CF and meds are expensive and often impossible to get. So, despite her own very limited resources and a child with CF, she shares the meds with other families with CF children. <br />
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This leaves me speechless. I imagine what it would be like to have a child with a life threatening illness like CF. I am certain I would hoard any medications I could get my hands on to ensure MY child had what he needed. I am equally certain it wouldn't occur to me to share the meds that were otherwise out of reach. And yet, that is what she does. She shares out of love and trusts in God to provide.<br />
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My experience in Honduras over and over again is that those who have nothing share everything. If they have 2, they give you 1. If they have only 1, they give you half. It makes no difference if you are poor or wealthy. They just share because that is where their heart is.<br />
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<i> <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 19.5px;">For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. </span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 19.5px;">Luke 12:34</span></i></blockquote>
Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-46518164054383140332018-03-20T09:33:00.001-06:002018-03-20T09:33:09.634-06:00FriendshipI have a devotional that I do most days from a book called, <u>The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer.</u> Each day includes a section called <i>Christ the Friend</i> discussing the appointed scripture from the perspective of Jesus as our friend. During Lent, I have been thinking a lot about Christ-like friendship. How would Jesus handle the ups and inevitable downs of friendship? I have often wondered what Jesus thought about Judas. Over the course of his 3 years of ministry, Jesus must have been a friend to Judas as He was to the other disciples. Jesus loved Judas, even knowing how that relationship would end. And Peter. How heart breaking it must have been when, at the time when Jesus needed him the most, Peter was busy denying Him. Jesus was not a fair weather friend. He loved and forgave his disciples and friends no matter what they did. In one <i>Christ the Friend</i> section we read in the author's version of Jesus's advice : <br />
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<span><i>Rest in my heart for a moment now, and see how I love those who hate and persecute me. Since you know that I am always with you, always loving and guiding and protecting you, you have the strength to do the same.</i></span></blockquote>
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One of our boys, Elias H. is severely disabled, both physically and mentally. He is mostly a delight but, frankly, he can also be annoying. (Like all of us can!) He lives in the adolescent boys' cabin. The boys share in the care taking responsibilities for Elias, making sure he stays safe. Friday was Elias' 15th birthday. As I was perusing FaceBook that evening, I came across this post from one of the other boys, Jimmy:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">On a day like today Gabriel celebrates the birth of Elias (Elijah in English.) There are no records of it, but regardless of whether it was today or not, we remember that on a very special day Elijah was born. (Our) Elias has been in the LAMB family since he was very small, he grows up with teenagers and in a very special or sweet way he teaches us so many things. He teaches me that you don't have to have everything to be happy, that a simple hug fills your life. He teaches me that no matter the sex, color or race we are all human and we are all family since he hugs every person he finds, Elias does not see if you have more money than the other Elias will always embrace you. Many times we have everything and we are not happy, give Elias a snack and he is already happy, Elias laughs with you and also cries with you, every person who comes to live with Elias is aware of all this and many other things. Elias does not need to see the morning to be happy, Elias is happy today because, for him, life comes to have more meaning than we imagine. People like Elias teach me how valuable life is and that we waste life being bitter, wondering what I need to be happy? Elias teaches me that I just need a lempira (5 cents) in my pocket to be happy all day.</span></span></span></div>
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Jimmy understands how to be a Christ-like friend. He looks beyond the times when Elias annoys him to see the authentic Elias - a child of God, who shines the love of Jesus all the time and loves us unconditionally.</div>
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I pray we all have an Elias in our lives and that we can be friends like Jimmy.</div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-59573709012880855552018-01-06T14:13:00.000-06:002018-01-06T14:13:01.793-06:00Joy and wonder<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Happy Epiphany!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the Baptism liturgy for my denomination, there is a prayer I just love for the baptismal candidate:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Heavenly Father, we thank you that by water and the Holy </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Spirit you have bestowed upon </span><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">these</em><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> your servants the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">forgiveness of sin, and have raised </span><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">them</em><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> to the new life of </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">grace. Sustain </span><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">them,</em><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"> O Lord, in your Holy Spirit. Give </span><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">them </em><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">persevere, a spirit to know and to love you, and the gift of joy </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">and wonder in all your works. </span><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">Amen</em><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My favorite part is when we pray for <i>"the gift of joy and wonder in all your works." </i>I imagine the wise men experienced that joy and wonder when they had their epiphany - the tiny baby Jesus, bringer of joy and wonder to the world!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am also reminded of construction worker, Angel's, answer when a team member asked how he knows there is a God. "The sun comes up!" God's creation is filled with constant joy and wonder, if we pay attention. We open our eyes to see a </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">myriad of </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">beautiful flowers, the ever changing sky, the magnificence of the stars and galaxies, wacky fish in the ocean, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">the majestic mountain ranges, and on and on. </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DZfnLE2bHck/WlERVaOlzyI/AAAAAAAEFnQ/eEPW10qkJasOoWJVU6Kx0kCVbookeCEcACLcBGAs/s1600/santa%2Bbabies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DZfnLE2bHck/WlERVaOlzyI/AAAAAAAEFnQ/eEPW10qkJasOoWJVU6Kx0kCVbookeCEcACLcBGAs/s200/santa%2Bbabies.JPG" width="112" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have thought a lot about our two newest lambs, Daniel and Isaac, abandoned at birth. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">They have no idea what their lives could have been. </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks be to God, instead their lives are filled with joy and wonder. All they know is love. These tiny babies are also are bringers of joy to all who encounter them. Can you see this picture without breaking into a smile? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every once in a while Suzy will give me some advice: "Don't let [situation/person] steal your joy. Her message is that joy isn't the same as happiness. Happiness is fleeting, situational, tied to a moment in time. Joy is bigger, broader than that. It is more a state of being, a gift from God that we choose to accept...or not. Jesus doesn't promise happiness all the time, instead He promises to remain at our side through good times and bad. More important,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He invites us to follow Him into a life of love, joy and wonder...eternally.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Some people choose to live a life filled with joy and wonder in spite of circumstance. I recently met and wrote about Doña Santos. <a href="https://hondurasamanda.blogspot.com/2017/11/gracias-papa_11.html" target="_blank">(Gracias Papa)</a> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She lives as hard a life as just about anyone. She and her family survive by digging through the dumpster along the side of the road. It is generous to call where they live a "hut." It is really scraps of wood crudely nailed together against the side of a cliff. No electricity, no water, plenty of gaps for wind and rain to flow through. And yet, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Doña Santos and her family choose to live lives of gratitude and joy. For her, like us, the holidays are a time to celebrate, to decorate, and to bring the joy of Christmas into our homes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Despite the hardships of her life, her home is transformed into a place of beauty and celebration to share with all who pass by. She chooses joy and brings joy who pay attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As <a href="http://www.ssje.org/word/">Brother Jim Woodrum</a> writes: </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #202020; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">What you’re searching for, you already know. God has blessed us with this amazing life, with eyes to see, ears to hear, a mind to discern, and a heart in which to perceive the living presence of God in our midst.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My prayer for you this Epiphany and this year is that God will </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">give you </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">persevere, a spirit to know and to love Him, and <b>the gift of joy </b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>and wonder in all His works.</b> </span><em style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Amen</em><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">.</span><br />
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-77014755628710652622017-11-11T11:09:00.001-06:002017-11-11T11:09:45.885-06:00Gracias, Papa<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">One of my favorite songs is called Alaba a Dios (Praise God.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To me it is exemplifies the Honduran faith. It is about praising God no matter what. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Simply praise Him</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>If you're crying, praise Him</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>when you're tested, praise</i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Him</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>you're suffering, praise</i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Him</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>no matter what, praise</i></span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Him</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>He will listen to your praises</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It goes on to encourage us:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God goes before you opening the way</span></i></div>
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<i><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">breaking chains, removing thorns</span></i></i></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He sends His angels to struggle alongside you</span></i></span></i></div>
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: yellow; color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He opens doors no one can close.</span></i></span></i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dweiGpgUdcrf812fkGL-lafFol4ZWfAUx6qWmakSGVJsJ5onKzP3sTPeuWYhNQ5NTAMi9sgISqP4BIsidGE4g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, I was reflecting on the words, "He opens doors no one can close" when suddenly they struck me a new way. I had always thought about God giving us opportunities, new hope when, perhaps, a door in our lives had closed. I realized that they have another meaning and fear flooded my heart. He opens doors in our hearts that no one, not even us, can close. I knew exactly where He was leading with this new interpretation and I was not sure I wanted to follow. Really, for the first time since I have lived here, I was afraid. Not for my physical safety but, instead, for my heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You see, for almost 7 years I have driven the road to the Children's Home countless times. Every time I look at a </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ramshackle hut built into the side of a cliff. A mass of garbage bags line the front filled with recovered trash from the dumpster in hopes of selling it for pennies to support whoever lives in there. I have often tried </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to imagine what life is like in there. The rain streams in through the gaps and holes in the roof and walls. Cold wind howls through them at night. Each time I wonder, "who lives there?" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Over the last few months, I have felt more than curiosity. I have felt drawn there as the van zooms by. I couldn't stop thinking about the people and worrying about whether they have enough, or anything, to eat. Each trip past it, the feeling grew more urgent. But what could I do? I didn't know who lived there. How many people live there? It could be one family or many families. How would I know how much food to bring? What kind of people are they? Violent men? Gang members? I would have to go with a Honduran man, I decided, IF I went at all. Most of all, I feared that if I made contact with the people who live there, they would move into my heart. The Lord would open a door that I would not be able to close. It wasn't just about money. Food is expensive here but I figured anything I could do would help. It was more than the time it would require to shop for and deliver food. My real fear was capacity. Does my heart have room for more people? Why are you asking this of me, Lord?</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On the last Saturday of October, I took the last team of the year to the airport. It had been a great week and they were filled with joy. Joy turned to dismay as we heard the announcement. All flights in and out of Tegucigalpa were cancelled due to bad weather. They were rebooked on flights leaving Tuesday! We returned to Casa LAMB in varying stages of panic. ("What in the world am I doing to do with them until Tuesday," I thought. I had not prepared 2.5 days of extra activities!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Suzy called and offered to come to Casa LAMB on Sunday and have a church service since the children were going to a different church. It was intimate and lovely. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After the service was over, I felt a spiritual nudge and found myself saying, "Do you remember that awful hut on the side of the road? How would you feel about taking some food to them?" </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The team's eyes brightened! It turns out the Lord had placed the same thing on their hearts and provided reinforcements for me, giving me the courage I needed. We went to PriceSmart and loaded up with rice,beans, flour, sugar and more. Luis, our driver, pulled over by the hut and got out of the van with us. There was a teenage boy standing in front of the hut. "Hola!" We brought food for your family!" He called for his mother. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A
tiny woman stepped gingerly across the plywood bridging the gutter between the
hut and the road.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She has no teeth, was
dressed in filthy clothes, and thin as a rail.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She looked at us puzzled.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Hola!</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We brought food for your
family.”</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She looked at her son, “God
brought these gringitos to help us.”</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She
explained, “We had no breakfast this morning.”</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She broke into a broad grin as her sons took
the food inside.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We introduced ourselves
and she replied, “My name is Doña Santos.”</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIrdHh9ygTE/WgZUv60HYyI/AAAAAAAECkU/24SvlZXZNuovi1AaoJMlFH0jKNsl3h5ygCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zIrdHh9ygTE/WgZUv60HYyI/AAAAAAAECkU/24SvlZXZNuovi1AaoJMlFH0jKNsl3h5ygCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2992.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7F8cpKABQXY/WgZUogG1mqI/AAAAAAAECkQ/WC5iEkff8S8uQQ_6fgLWxitXUY8zmEAmwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7F8cpKABQXY/WgZUogG1mqI/AAAAAAAECkQ/WC5iEkff8S8uQQ_6fgLWxitXUY8zmEAmwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2991.jpg" width="240" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yep, the door in my heart was opened. I promised I would come back with more food. This afternoon, I stopped by again with Suzy and Kristen, a visiting friend of Suzy's. When </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Doña</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Santos saw us, she recognized us, raised her arms to heaven and looked up and said, "Gracias, Papa!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This door in my heart is not closing and that's ok because when God opens it, He makes your heart bigger. Gracias, Papa.</span><br />
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-57188805024831920142017-10-19T21:57:00.000-06:002017-10-19T21:57:17.195-06:00Ariel's Miracle<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBVAv_9NXss/WelqZug7b9I/AAAAAAAEB2A/cI0ogAqzzVELnPsP-wJicBR-6cFOUnzqwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fBVAv_9NXss/WelqZug7b9I/AAAAAAAEB2A/cI0ogAqzzVELnPsP-wJicBR-6cFOUnzqwCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_2344.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A typical house </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In Honduras it is very common for extended families to share
the same home. For the poor, this means
many people squeezing into a very small house.
A family of five may share </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">one bedroom in a two bedroom house. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Often there are multiple generations sharing
the small home.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A sheet hung from the
ceiling provides the only privacy for intimacy for a married couple.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There
is no room to move around or space to be alone for a few minutes each day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Our collaboration with Torch Ministries has given Suzy and I the
opportunity to provide a home for some of the people we know and dearly
love. Suzy and I have a
mental list of people who need a house. Earlier
this summer, the Holy Cross team built a “house in a day” for Virgilio, who helps Suzy with
her yard. "Virgilio is a new man," Suzy said recently. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two weeks before Christ Church
Anglican in Overland Park Kansas was to arrive, Karen, the team leader said
they would like to build a house in a day if possible. "Great!"
I answered, "Ariel is next on the list." (We had built a house in a day for his brother, Jose Luis. Ariel told me then, two years ago, he would like one too.) Christ Church knows
and loves Ariel so it was a done deal. When I told Ariel he smiled and
strode forward ahead of me. It seemed like a muted response but I could
tell his excitement was growing the closer we got to the day as he asked more
questions to verify we were actually going to do this, made sure the team had
arrived and even called in the morning before we left Casa LAMB to check once
again that this was happening. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Early Monday morning, we met the Torch team on the way to
Ariel’s lot. We drove as far as we could
and then walked down a dirt road, over a footbridge and up a hill to the site
of his future home. Of course, we had to
haul all the tools, wood, roofing material, lunch, and water with us. Each house is 16x16, wood with a raised wood
floor, tin roof, a door and one window. The
Torch team builds about 100 houses a year. They got right to it, digging the post holes and measuring out the dimensions off the house. They agreed upon the placement of the door and window with Ariel. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Christ Church team figured out quickly how they could help. Jose Luis and Angel both came to help, sacrificing a day's work. Of course, Ariel grabbed a hammer right away! Soon the framing was done and the teams were hammering away at the floor and walls.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The building site</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D3ThqpBANxA/WelvuTHxUYI/AAAAAAAEB5s/LBagngzNpAIYk95IQJgKpux4NorWK-P5ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D3ThqpBANxA/WelvuTHxUYI/AAAAAAAEB5s/LBagngzNpAIYk95IQJgKpux4NorWK-P5ACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2601.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Meanwhile, his brother and co-worker, Jose Luis, took me on
a tour of the area. “Our family lives in
all these houses. That one is my sister’s. That one up there is my uncle’s.” He invited me to visit the house in a day
Torch built for him a couple of years ago, straight up the mountain. He proudly showed me the </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">improvements he had
made and his plans for expansion one day.
I explained to him that in the US people pay big bucks to have a view
like he has! It was there he shared with
me how he became a Christian. (Read his story </span><a href="https://hondurasamanda.blogspot.com/2017/03/on-his-way.html" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">.) When he was 19 a friend invited him to
church. The pastor was preaching and
suddenly he got chills and felt “filled.”
He came forward and said to the pastor, “I accept Jesus.” At that moment, Jose Luis, who never had a
relationship with his father, heard a voice, “I love you. I am your father.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As we were walking back down to the build site, Jose Luis
asked me if I knew about Ariel’s situation.
I didn’t. Ariel has been living with his 2 sisters. The landlord is evicting them. They have until right before Christmas to
move out. The sisters have a place to go
but Ariel didn’t. Unbeknownst to me,
this has been weighing on him heavily.
Making $13 a day, 4 days a week only when we have teams does not allow for any
savings. “Amanda, for Ariel this is a
miracle.” I believe his initial muted
response was the reaction to the unexpected answer to his prayers. Two years after his initial request and just in the nick of time, he was going to get a house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We spent the next couple of hours building the house
together. More and more family members
and neighbors arrived to watch, smiling and sharing Ariel’s blessing. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When the last board was nailed, the roof on, and the new
floor swept, we all gathered inside to inaugurate his home with prayer and
love.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> "It is so big!" he exclaimed. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Angel sang, we all prayed, and
hugged.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ariel’s response now?</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">See for yourself.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His smile went from ear to ear and his face
shone all day.</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The team retraced its
steps back to the van for the ride home, all filled with joy and walking lighter
knowing we had been part of Ariel’s miracle. </span></div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-54330278216856719602017-09-30T17:04:00.000-06:002017-09-30T17:04:19.165-06:00Flowing love<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jesus Christ, the Man for Others, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> We, your children, make our prayer: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Give us grace to love as brothers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">All whose burdens we can share </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(From hymn Father, Lord of all Creation)</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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Bill Curry's medical brigade was here last week. As always it was wonderful. Hundreds of people were seen by the US and Honduran doctors. They left with bags filled with meds we take for granted that are completely inaccessible to them - Tylenol, cough drops, tums, worm pills (well, OK, we don't take them often in the US!) and more. Babies were held, children hugged, little old men proposed to (by me, much to the delight of the little old ladies present!) thousands of stickers stuck to hands and shirts, countless smiles exchanged. A great time was had by all. <br />
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In my blog I often write about events from the Northamerican point of view - what an experience meant to us/me. This time I want to present an event from a Honduran's point of view, with some artistic license on my part...<br />
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"I got up early this morning. Yesterday was the anniversary of my daughter's death. She would have been 28. I still look for her to walk in the door. I can hear her laugh. I think I see her out of the corner of my eye. I turn quickly to call out to her but she isn't there. It breaks my heart all over again. With a heavy heart I put on my orange vest and grabbed my broom to go to work sweeping streets. I guess this government program is good, although it doesn't pay much and often they don't pay us for months. I don't have any other work so every day I sweep and hope in the hot sun and driving rain. I heard about a clinic happening in a church. I stopped by to see a doctor. They gave me a number but it was at the end of a long line. I can't be away from work that long. Just as I was about to leave, a woman called me to the door of the clinic and said, "Come in. We'll take you right now." I was surprised. I am used to being at the end of the line. Soon it was my turn to see the doctor. He smiled at me and said something in English that sounded nice. The Honduran lady translated everything he said. I was telling him about my aches and pains when suddenly my daughter came into my head. I couldn't help myself and started to cry. I explained to them what had happened. The doctor stopped what he was doing and listened to me. I could see tears in his eyes. This northamerican doctor came from so far away to be in my little village and he stopped to <i>listen </i>to me. Then the lady from the door appeared and they all began to pray for me. They put their hands on me and prayed while I cried for my precious daughter. When we said amen, I felt different. As I stood to leave, the doctor <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">hugged me. My clothes were so dirty and his were so clean but he hugged me. My heart still hurts for my daughter but I feel lighter somehow. I left with a bag full of medicine but so much more. Is this what Jesus meant when He said He will always be with us?"</span></blockquote>
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<pre style="text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While medicine happened last week, it was love that flowed through the clinics each day. From little Jenny who greeted us as the vans pulled into her impoverished village, to the elderly woman who made us the most delicious semitas (sweet buns), to Dr. Jill, the optometrist, who saw almost every one of the 618 patients, to all the local volunteers, to the brigade team who gave of their time, talent and treasure, to the patient who told Dr. Bill that an angel in heaven sent him to shoot cortizone (painfully) in her knee, to every person who gave God's blessing to one another, to the grandpas waiting for hours in the hot sun to bring their grandchildren to see a doctor, to the Honduran translators (including Suzy's daughters) who go so far above and beyond the call of duty, and finally to Dr. Bill who gave his shoes to a member of my airport family.</span></pre>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jenny welcomes Jen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elsa listens and explains</td></tr>
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<pre style="text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There is a common denominator in all the LAMB teams. They come laden with crates and suitcases full of meds, clothes, school supplies, games, etc. but Love is what they bring.</span></pre>
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<pre style="text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"God, through us your love make known"
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>(From hymn Father, Lord of all Creation)</i></span></span></pre>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-59732318871509956872017-07-25T12:41:00.000-06:002017-07-25T12:41:23.285-06:00The kingdom of heaven is like...<div style="text-align: left;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says over and over, "the kingdom of heaven is like..." Do you ever wonder what the kingdom of heaven is like in our world today?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Last week the kingdom of heaven was like the annual </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church (MPPC) employee luncheon held to celebrate the hard working staff at our Children's Home. It is always lovely, something the staff looks forward to.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This year, however, was different. The morning started with a disaster as I learned that there had been a misunderstanding about the date and almost none of the staff was there. I was in a panic, wondering how I would tell the team. In a moment of lucidity, I prayed, "Lord, please redeem this day." Staff members, Samuel and Oneyda, got on the phone to call the local staff members to return for lunch. I found Mengui and asked him to go with me to invite our neighbors to join us. We went door to door up the dirt road next to our property inviting them (at the last minute) to lunch. We had no idea if they would come or how many people would attend the lunch. Shelley, the team leader, was so gracious when I finally confessed the mix-up. "The right number of people will be here."</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yQuEiUdth38/WXTO74e_OTI/AAAAAAAD93A/pEoLKsvHY-cG04WTKkU3EK3CZAp8j0gWACKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yQuEiUdth38/WXTO74e_OTI/AAAAAAAD93A/pEoLKsvHY-cG04WTKkU3EK3CZAp8j0gWACKgBGAs/s200/IMG_0108.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">At noon, the church porch was set up and we waited. The on-duty staff appeared. One by one the local staff returned. Just as I was about to give up on the neighbors I looked </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">out and saw the family who live by the gate approaching, all dressed up! </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Pretty soon, all the neighbors were there and we had to get an extra table! (Thanks Debbie and Steve!) </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">As always, it was a great </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">event with good food (thanks, </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Judith!,) </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">good service (</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">thanks </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">MPPC servers!,) lots of fun (thanks Mengui, Georgia, and Dawn for dancing!,) fellowship (thanks Solo Por Hoy band!,) and,worship (thanks, Holy Spirit!) My prayer for redemption had been answered!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">What made this year special was the inclusion of our neighbors. What started out as a last minute effort to fill the tables has become the beginning of a new tradition. My favorite part of the lunch was seeing how happy the neighbors were to be included in the LAMB family and how happy everyone was to be together:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Abuelita!" Everyone's grandmother</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When you get a group of Hondurans together, for what ever purpose, inevitably, worship breaks out. Mengui and Angel took charge and led the impromptu but beautiful worship. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rkKPv0dlQkU/WXTO7_8SXTI/AAAAAAAD93A/mw5FSBr1uCAWHUm9kpfB17fcNRa24VIcwCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rkKPv0dlQkU/WXTO7_8SXTI/AAAAAAAD93A/mw5FSBr1uCAWHUm9kpfB17fcNRa24VIcwCKgBGAs/s200/IMG_0194.JPG" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mengui invited people to come up and receive prayer. <a href="https://hondurasamanda.blogspot.com/2013/01/welcome.html" target="_blank">Bienvenido</a>'s (who died about a month ago) mother came up </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">along with "Abuelita," the grandmother who lives next to our gate. Abuelita got down on her knees to receive our laying on of hands and prayer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This luncheon is what the kingdom of God looks like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And it sounds like this as American voices from Holy Spirit, two weeks ago, mingled with Honduran voices:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">kingdom</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">of </b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></span><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">heaven</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"> has come near.’ </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Matthew 10:7</span></span></div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-79300548360400569362017-07-18T17:07:00.002-06:002017-07-18T17:07:52.386-06:00Keep them in<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrbw7VqFM-o/WW6IFsV63MI/AAAAAAAD9OI/zXJw5LxK4g0ND4B6Qs6SmHMHqJrbRpOsgCLcBGAs/s1600/trump%2Bwall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="294" height="116" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xrbw7VqFM-o/WW6IFsV63MI/AAAAAAAD9OI/zXJw5LxK4g0ND4B6Qs6SmHMHqJrbRpOsgCLcBGAs/s200/trump%2Bwall.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">I have been seeing a lot of news, opinions, memes, etc about people entering the US illegally. I read about a variety of actions the US government could take from programs to legalizing certain types of people (those with jobs, "dreamers," etc) to building walls and deporting thousands. I have a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">different solution to the immigration situation. Instead of "keep them out" I will call it "<b><i>keep them in</i></b>." By that I mean keep the young men and women <i><b>in</b></i> Honduras. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homes with bags of plastic bottles to sell <br />for 25 cents a pound, their only means of support.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In my 6.5 years as a missionary in Honduras, I have seen that people don't really want to leave their families and their country </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">(and the Honduran food!) What they </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">do </i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">want is to provide for them to "sigue adelante" or move ahead in life. However, the conditions in Honduras are desperate. There are no jobs, only 13% of children finish high school, urban children live in dysfunctional homes in violent neighborhoods. The government offers no help or relief. People will do anything to provide for their families, even risk their lives to go to the US and find work and support for their families.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At LAMB, we want to keep the youth and the hope they represent here. They are Honduras' greatest resource. Consider these contrasts:</span><br />
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<td><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Emanuel is a scholarship student at our school who was being trained to be a drug mule by his gang parents. Here he is leading a prayer at the school devotional. He is also a member of our Alonzo Movement and now living with his grandmother, safe and loved. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--TeMNtzdKGg/WW59VtojddI/AAAAAAAD9N4/I0Rsx1ZSa90zFLN9mky57gg0O_y2CCegwCLcBGAs/s1600/young%2Bgang%2Bmember.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--TeMNtzdKGg/WW59VtojddI/AAAAAAAD9N4/I0Rsx1ZSa90zFLN9mky57gg0O_y2CCegwCLcBGAs/s200/young%2Bgang%2Bmember.jpg" width="150" /></a></td><td><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This is a gang member sought by the police for robbery. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Boys from impoverished barrios and from dysfunctional families are prime recruiting targets for gangs. In a country with over 50% unemployment the offer of a "job" (drug running, extortion, robbery) and a community of "family" (the gang) is irresistible.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Eduardo (an alias for his protection) was abandoned by his mother and bounced around state run children's homes (nothing like ours) until he finally ran away. Somehow, at 15 he arrived in LA without documentation or any education. 15 year old Eduardo fights for his life in ICU in Los Angeles. He has never experience a stable home, a loving family, or hope for a bright future. If he survives, what will his future be?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mirza, a beautiful young woman from our Children's Home, is studying medicine with a scholarship as part of our transition program. One day, Dr. Mirza will be helping her fellow Hondurans.</span></td></tr>
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<td><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Michael is 11. He sells nuts along the highway for food. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">His clothes are dirty and he only wears flip flops. </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What are his prospects? Graduating from </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">high school, learning a trade, going to university are not realistic options for him and children like him. </span></td>
<td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDVBNw6zs4U/WW6FczwXGNI/AAAAAAAD9OA/uQDoxgQ4sFQUubX_XU-xyab4ln8S9lKgQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Michael%2Bcola%2Bboy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDVBNw6zs4U/WW6FczwXGNI/AAAAAAAD9OA/uQDoxgQ4sFQUubX_XU-xyab4ln8S9lKgQCEwYBhgL/s200/Michael%2Bcola%2Bboy.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
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<td><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">These boys pray at their Alonzo Movement Club meeting. We encourage them to dream big, have goals, and work to achieve them. The Alonzo kids are choosing life over gangs and drugs.</span></td>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><br />Help "keep them in" by providing hope through education. At LAMB, our daycare program gives life to the highest risk toddlers and pre-schoolers. Our school provides outstanding academic and spiritual education to poor children. The Alonzo Movement provides a loving community, spiritual formation and scholarships to high school and university to teenagers. Our Children's Home protects and loves children whose families can't. All these children are on a path to stay in Honduras and lead Christ filled, productive lives, start and provide for loving families, and one by one, break the cycle of despair and poverty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><a href="http://www.lambinstitute.org/dream-big">Click here</a> to have your gift doubled in our <b><u><a href="http://www.lambinstitute.org/dream-big">Dream Big</a></u></b> campaign. Donations up to $10,000 will be matched </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">for scholarships for our children. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Keep them in and help make their dreams come true! </b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lambinstitute.org/dream-big"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Dream Big!</span></a></td></tr>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-64601039771645281972017-07-13T20:02:00.000-06:002017-07-13T20:02:24.649-06:00Something beautiful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6skEJudRB0E/WWe0Y1shsqI/AAAAAAAD8SQ/4onm9W05-hsZJRZk7-apUyvRSw_8WahkQCLcBGAs/s1600/LGH%2Bexterior%2Bfront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6skEJudRB0E/WWe0Y1shsqI/AAAAAAAD8SQ/4onm9W05-hsZJRZk7-apUyvRSw_8WahkQCLcBGAs/s320/LGH%2Bexterior%2Bfront.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Suzy had been longing to get back into urban ministry. Not long ago, she was driving down the main street in Flor del Campo, a route she takes often to go to our school, when she saw a small house for rent right across the street from the "cancha" - the large soccer field. She stopped to write down the phone number on the for rent sign, drove home and called the number. Next thing she knew she had rented the small house. Why? She didn't really know. All she knew was she had to rent that small house. In April, Suzy wrote:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Arely and Evelyn met me at the Little Green House. We walked through it (which takes about two seconds), talked about possibilities, and then prayed together that it would be a place of peace and joy and growth. We invited the Holy Spirit to make His home there. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Suzy had already told the children at the Children's Home about the house and invited them to participate in the transformation of the house.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I shared with them how I feel that it is a Kingdom initiative because so many of them came to us from Flor del Campo, and now they can go back as God's ambassadors. Now they have the best Gift of all to offer others. We are going to paint murals on the front of the house. </span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Now the house is inviting and draws attention to itself with the message, "Something beautiful happens here."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally we were ready to have the grand opening of the newly named "Casa de Oracion." (House of Prayer) The open invitation to the grand opening was for 5 - 8 pm. We got there early to get everything ship shape! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ladies prepared<br />a ton of naca tamales</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Debbie and Steve<br />brought a huge cake</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We had no idea who or how many people would come. We joked that the party was scheduled to start at 5 but, knowing the Honduran culture, people would start arriving at 6! Imagine our surprise when the room started filling up at 4:45! </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JavrbQ6z5DI/WWgWK9IXd9I/AAAAAAAD8VI/2C4LCHZcVVUXK2EgH0SMEd_HyvxMnhY1ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8162.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JavrbQ6z5DI/WWgWK9IXd9I/AAAAAAAD8VI/2C4LCHZcVVUXK2EgH0SMEd_HyvxMnhY1ACLcBGAs/s200/IMG_8162.JPG" width="133" /></a><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVjfCDIuVpU/WWgjHlIScAI/AAAAAAAD8b8/cOeU65LrfOMotBNJrEFdsyjKj88CKhy_QCKgBGAs/s1600/IMG_8186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVjfCDIuVpU/WWgjHlIScAI/AAAAAAAD8b8/cOeU65LrfOMotBNJrEFdsyjKj88CKhy_QCKgBGAs/s200/IMG_8186.JPG" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Soon both of the rooms in the house were full and the front porch was too. I was moved that most of the women there were from La Cantera, where the poorest of the poor live, where the gangs rule and where prayer is much needed. Ladies from David and Evelyn's church, Amor Fe Vida (Love, Faith, Life) made a huge tub full of delicious naca tamales. No one knew how many people would come. As people arrived, we delivered plates of naca tamales and a drink. I started to worry that we would run out. Some (mostly men) were too shy to come in the house so we fed them just inside the fence or on the street. The naca tamales kept coming. Then, the big blue bus with the Children's </span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Home kids arrived. Uh,oh, I thought, we won't have any food left for them. The naca tamales kept coming! As I went to get more plates I commented to the ladies, "this is just like the loaves and fishes!" They agreed! We ended up having exactly enough to feed everyone who came by for food. Miracle!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The program was wonderful. It wasn't planned minute by minute and beautiful spontaneous worship, prayer, fellowship and music happened. Suzy's message that the House of Prayer is for everyone, not one church or another, that we all love Jesus and we are here to listen, to pray, and to be community resonated with all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Suzy and Evelyn invited the Holy Spirit and He came...and remains</span><br />
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-24971470507114675232017-06-29T10:57:00.000-06:002017-06-29T10:57:14.256-06:00Be burdened<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A recent team member asked Suzy if she is ever burdened by the poverty and need she encounters here in Honduras. She responded by telling a humorous story about being a "fool for Christ" when she knowingly was scammed at the airport by a man selling her a very rare and valuable "bonzai" tree. All the Hondurans witnessing this sale were frantically gesticulating that she should not buy what was obviously just a twig stuck in dirt. "I could see that he probably had children at home wondering if there would be food on the table that night." She also pointed out that, although there was some fabrication in his pitch, he wasn't stealing or committing a crime. She also recounted another conversation about a man with one arm who looks for help at the very busy intersection by the airport. He is bright, well-spoken, and otherwise healthy. "Wouldn't you rather work?" she asked. "No one will hire me," was the response. True enough. In a country with over 50% unemployment, why would you hire someone with one arm when you can two for the price of one? So, he dodges traffic looking for a couple lempira or two (just pennies) from cars stopped at the light.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of us living here have these experiences day in and day out. Sometimes I will go a couple of days without being approached and some days I can't walk 10 feet without coming across someone in need. At times, especially when I am exhausted or stressed, it is overwhelming. I just want to cry out, "Go away! Leave me alone!" I am heavily burdened by the sadness, the unrelenting need, and the feeling of being so small, just one person. I am tempted to look away, to change my path to avoid the disabled person, to ignore the dirty face of the hungry child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I reflected on the team member's question, I realized the problem is not being burdened. The real problem is when we are NOT burdened. God calls us to be burdened, from the Old Testament: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ - <b>Deuteronomy 15:11</b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To the New Testament: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>- <b>1 John3:17</b></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XgOpSswT8wA/WVUw7OVj7QI/AAAAAAAD7Lg/EP0uGtZ1JwoD8BSCaVuO6d2huRtv7bw3ACLcBGAs/s1600/michael%2Bairport%2Bboy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XgOpSswT8wA/WVUw7OVj7QI/AAAAAAAD7Lg/EP0uGtZ1JwoD8BSCaVuO6d2huRtv7bw3ACLcBGAs/s200/michael%2Bairport%2Bboy.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These are not gentle suggestions. These are <u>imperatives</u>. When we follow these imperatives, no matter how burdening or inconvenient or expensive, we are richly rewarded, not just in the next life, but in this life. You receive hugs from children clutching a toy from a just eaten Happy Meal, a prayer from a grateful mom and even two little chicks from an older man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A final story. A confession. I have a large "airport family" of baggage handlers, money changers, disabled adults, and poor families. We love each other, ask about each other's families, help each other out, and pray for one another. A couple of years ago, I noticed an older unshaven man hanging around the outskirts of my team as they loaded the bags into the van. He had a hopeful look but said nothing as I paid the baggage guys. I made a snap decision that he was a drunk and ignored him. This scene repeated itself over the next few weeks. Although I wasn't rude, I wasn't kind to him. One day I was waiting for a team and he approached me. I noticed his hands were shaking. "Are you okay?" I asked pointing to his hands. "I have Parkinson's. I used to have a job but now I can't work." Do you know what the sword of guilt feels like as it pierces your heart? I do. I learned a valuable lesson. <b><i>Never judge.</i></b> Roberto and I have become fast friends. One day, recently, he asked when I would be back at the airport because he was going to bring me 2 "pollitos." (baby chicks) I was inwardly alarmed (what am I going to do with baby chicks???) but smiled and thanked him in advance. Sure enough, the next week he gingerly handed me a bag. "Careful. There are 2 pollitos inside." Honestly, I was afraid to look inside! I waited until I got to Casa LAMB so I could ask Dulce and Gloria what to do with them. I opened the bag to find this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love my pollitos and the accompanying scented roses. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, be burdened and you will be richly blessed.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 19.5px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10</b></span></span></div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8957349718632847714.post-70622522843813509092017-04-14T21:26:00.001-06:002017-04-14T21:26:45.212-06:00Be ready<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><i>Therefore
keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will
come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at
what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not
have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because
the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew
24:42-44)</i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">This is
not the only place in the Bible that exhorts us to <b>be ready</b>, that Jesus will
return without warning. I don’t spend much timing worrying about the end
times, however. After all, Jesus said: <i>“But about that day
or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,</i></span><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <span style="background: white;">but only
the Father.”</span></span></i><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> (Matthew
24:36) So, I do the best I can to love and serve the Lord and hope for
the best. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9r_Ipjd4IdY/WPGHybMPHqI/AAAAAAAD26A/BD3ZGlOvsNwhv0hSL3pMwy-2PugPpQT4ACEw/s1600/IMG_3398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9r_Ipjd4IdY/WPGHybMPHqI/AAAAAAAD26A/BD3ZGlOvsNwhv0hSL3pMwy-2PugPpQT4ACEw/s200/IMG_3398.JPG" width="150" /></a><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Living in Honduras has brought a new, and
immediate, meaning to “be ready.” Two weeks ago I was puttering
around in the evening when I got a text message from Suzy. “David and
Evelyn lost the baby.” No warning, out of the blue. Early the next
morning I arrived at their church for the velorio (wake.) Suzy had been
there since 7 am, others all night. The Hondurans knew just what to
do. They are always ready. More and more people were
arriving. “How did they find out,” I wondered. Most people don’t have
internet at home so a group email was not an option. I didn’t see Dulce
and Gloria (Casa LAMB household staff) and I thought I </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">should call them.
No need, they were already cooking for an indeterminate number of
people. I saw clients from our micro-credit program and Jose Luis and
Ariel, construction workers from the Children’s Home, were there. How in
the world did they know? Somehow the word is spread far and wide when a
tragedy happens. The Hondurans have an instinctive and immediate response
of love and support. They are always ready to drop everything and go.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">It is
not only in the sad times that the Hondurans are ready. The children
at the Children’s Home are always ready. I can’t
walk more than about 3 steps with something in my hands before a child, even a
very small child, runs up and takes it from me, always ready to help. The
older children are always watching the younger ones, ready to rescue a child
from danger or pick up a crying child. I can’t count how many
(microscopic) bites of food I have had, offered by a dirty, sticky little hand,
always ready to share. They are always ready to give a hug, a
smile, or other expression of their love.</span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We were still reeling from the loss of the baby when
another text arrived on Tuesday evening. “Dony’s father was
murdered.” Again, I got a lesson on being ready.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7vwFU5906D4/WPGE_riqwGI/AAAAAAAD250/5zw28iU2gHc10iGUI7h-McGtdTF7iZwAgCEw/s1600/IMG_3587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7vwFU5906D4/WPGE_riqwGI/AAAAAAAD250/5zw28iU2gHc10iGUI7h-McGtdTF7iZwAgCEw/s200/IMG_3587.JPG" width="150" /></a><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be ready</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> to provide food and
coffee for the people coming to the velorio. Food arrived from many
people. The women, of course, knew just what to do. Soon coffee and
sweet bread were being passed around while another group of women were
preparing a hot meal for later in the day.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rbKUiQH45Vk/WPGE_9VywNI/AAAAAAAD250/KdOl6lTnKt8lyeHHxQGXiHvvt1hJIMCRwCEw/s1600/IMG_3586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rbKUiQH45Vk/WPGE_9VywNI/AAAAAAAD250/KdOl6lTnKt8lyeHHxQGXiHvvt1hJIMCRwCEw/s200/IMG_3586.JPG" width="150" /></a><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be ready </span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">to arrange flowers for the
velorio. Someone arrived with arms full of cut flowers. A
teenage girl and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">some women who live across the alley from the church hastily
gathered empty coke liter bottles, cut them in half, and filled them with
flowers. They made an arrangement around the casket, the containers
disappearing in the beauty of the vibrant flowers. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBbpDIjML00/WPGFEfDQloI/AAAAAAAD250/jwIC-uUPLVUAsXliZiwBtnnxMT9X4T_wwCEw/s1600/IMG_3591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBbpDIjML00/WPGFEfDQloI/AAAAAAAD250/jwIC-uUPLVUAsXliZiwBtnnxMT9X4T_wwCEw/s200/IMG_3591.JPG" width="133" /></a><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be ready</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> to find and purchase tall
candles for either side of </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">the casket. Karen B. had arrived to
spend a week playing with the children and bonding with her sponsored teenage
girl. Instead, we were driving across town to find velorio candles which
she contributed to add reverence and dignity to the deceased.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VXgniLX6Rp8/WPGE_xOUCGI/AAAAAAAD250/bH-xFkhgZB8jCPRcnoeQk6K7I2y6eJd5gCEw/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VXgniLX6Rp8/WPGE_xOUCGI/AAAAAAAD250/bH-xFkhgZB8jCPRcnoeQk6K7I2y6eJd5gCEw/s200/IMG_3585.JPG" width="150" /></a><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be ready</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> to leave vacation (all of
Honduras is on vacation during Holy Week) to stand together with your friend
and co-</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">worker. Spending the day and all night keeping
watch. </span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be
ready</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> to
provide financial support. C., a frequent visitor saw the terrible news
and immediately wired money to me for Dony’s family. She couldn’t be here
so she did what she could.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Be
ready</span></b><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> to
lead a memorial service at a moment’s notice. Suzy, of course having no
lead time to plan, got up and led a memorial service for everyone
present. We sang, she ready scripture, and Jackie, the principal of our
school, led us spontaneously in a beautiful prayer. </span><br />
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<td><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I7qZMhBxARQ/WPGFEDSzQVI/AAAAAAAD250/kdTFCaG2TB4Rm4k1XosCUNS62gvLvHLoQCEw/s1600/IMG_3588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I7qZMhBxARQ/WPGFEDSzQVI/AAAAAAAD250/kdTFCaG2TB4Rm4k1XosCUNS62gvLvHLoQCEw/s200/IMG_3588.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
<td><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UBF9-FC_b_I/WPGFFOG1oVI/AAAAAAAD250/1ftexNbO7l0pQSSrEtB3SxR-4p_8JVycACEw/s1600/IMG_3590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UBF9-FC_b_I/WPGFFOG1oVI/AAAAAAAD250/1ftexNbO7l0pQSSrEtB3SxR-4p_8JVycACEw/s200/IMG_3590.JPG" width="150" /></a></td>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">The next morning, we were in my car on the main
street in Flor waiting for the funeral procession to start. Dony came
over and leaned into the car to talk. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Suddenly an older man, slightly
drunk and reeking of alcohol, joined us. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">He </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">tearfully told us his
story. He has no family, his mother abandoned him when he was
young. He thinks God loves him but he isn’t sure. Sometimes he
wants to “leave this world…” He is afraid of death, but even more afraid of not being loved. Dony, on his way to his father’s funeral,
began sharing the Good News with this man, assuring him that Jesus loves
him, that He will never leave him. Dony, even at the worst moment in his
life, was </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">ready</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">.</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Am I
ready? Are you ready?</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Amanda Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12087185006129356026noreply@blogger.com1