Hello from Honduras

Anna is helping me blog again because I really enjoy her perspective on things, seeing as she’s 17 years old and wise beyond her years. – not to mention she is my roommate and I am too tired to think for myself what to blog.

“Anna tell me about your day,” I asked. 

Anna’s response:  “Well, when I arrived in Honduras I was certain that our plane was going to crash by overshooting the world’s shortest runway, situated on the top of a very steep mountain.  Kerry had given me horrible stories about her past landings here and when she gripped my arm with her nails, I realized she wasn’t overstating her trepidation.  As it turns out it was the best landing we could imagine on this tiny runway that concludes with a cliff view and a sharp 90 degree left turn.  But as we drove away from the airport, Brian validated Kerry’s concerns by pointing out the remains of an airplane, which had crashed several months back in the valley just below the tiny airfield because apparently it had overshot the runway and fallen off the mountain as a result.

The next big thing we did was to go to a local orphanage and orphan center to talk with the social workers and attorneys who are assigned to qualify the orphan children for permanent placement thru IHNFA and in cooperation with the same gov’t organization..  Each of these ladies from the NGO side of this working partnership shared with us their most touching stories from the last three months of visiting orphanages and qualifying children.  Each story they told was more horrific than the next. The talked of children who had been burned, abandoned, abused or even left alone to totally starve to death.  Although we were devastated to hear about some of these specific cases they have reviewed on children, we were just as encouraged to see their sincere hearts through their tears and  their work on behalf of these same little ones. 

We then had the opportunity to do a little craft that we brought with all the 80 kids in this facility.  We brought foam visors and hundreds of little stick-on decorations to use with each child.  Before we started the craft, Kerry shared some words with the kids in Spanish that we had prepared together on the plane ride down.  The man who sat next to us on the plan ride from the States helped us write down our hearts for these kids in Spanish.  We shared with the children about how according to the Bible God is the father to the fatherless and also that He is the King of Kings…and that as a result, these kids are very special from God’s perspective and from ours, like members of the royal family, because they are children of the Almighty King.  And we told them also that we are very honored to be spending time with them.  I believe that this message really set the stage for their good behavior that we experienced during the craft time.  When we have done these crafts in the past, the children tend to be much more rambunctious.  But this group stayed respectful and orderly, acting truly as little princes and princesses while we were together.  They loved doing the craft.  As a matter of fact, each child ended up decorating two visors (as did each of the caregivers – they too loved this craft.) 

Because we had so much fun with the kids we were having a difficult time leaving this group of older kids.  But we did eventually say good bye, give hugs and move on to the section of the center which houses the infants and toddlers.  In one room there were four cribs covered in netting, with one caregiver in an adjacent room.  All four children were crying when we arrived.  We each picked up one of these gorgeous children, held them and prayed blessings over them and their future.  We were hesitant to return them to their cribs knowing they would again start crying but we realized that eventually we would have to do this inevitable and sad thing and have to say good bye.   The last section we visited was for the toddlers and when we walked in we were greeted by the happiest and jolliest little boy ever.  Now that’s the best way to be greeted of all. We gave each of the children some snacks and it was really neat to see the joy on their faces as the received these little gifts.  These children were gorgeous and so sweet – every one of them.  And again, it was so very hard to leave them there motherless and fatherless.  I asked God before I left to really be the comforter and sustainer of all of the children we met today and on the rest of this trip.

Comments

[Debbie from Ohio]

I will agree with you on your prayer that God will be the comforter and sustainer of all of the children you met on this trip! Bless you all and God's hedge of protection around all of you.

[Diane]

I can only, Kerry, once again thank you for generously sharing your journey with all of us. I thank you because my heart aches for the orphan, only after being opened by our journey's to our three youngest daughters. I was clueless to international adoption....cluless!!! Until God took our hands and walked us there...China that is.

I understand the peace that came upon you in knowing that God is powerful in all things...for all His timing and reasons. I know because my daughter Jadyn languished in an orphanage for three years, an orphanage that was literally closed to international/domestic adoptions. She was extremely ill, God knew her, she needed immediate surgery, God knew this, He chose just the right people to fulfill His journey with my daughter....after three years in an internationally closed orphanage...she was found, surgery received, sent back to the deplorable conditions, not acceptable to God:) and was moved to an orphanage that was open to international adoption.....she is now at kindergarten, thriving and loving her family and life...that is really quick summary to a beautiful little girl, my 7 year old daughter, Jadyn(which translates in Hebrew to God Has Heard) So many, MANY, MANY people prayed for her.....God truly does see and hear!!!

We don't see the bigger picture, I sometimes know this is painful, and yet, I think if we saw the bigger picture....we might say, Oh, Lord...don't ask me to do this...I just can't, BUT...as we all know in Christ all things are possible.

Thanks for loving the precious babies and children and welcome home!!!

[Cindy]

Kerry,
God Bless You for your obedience to God's leading for this trip!

It is so sad hearing about all these kids not being able to be adopted even within their country. We need to pray for the hearts of these people - that they would want these children to be loved in "forever" families. God can change their hearts.

My husband & I are childless and while we would love to have a child of our own, we are very much open to adoption. We would love to adopt girls from China knowing how they are unwanted in their country. I've only just begun checking into adoption. It seems that it is overwhelmingly expensive for international adoptions - which is something I don't quite understand. While I know about paperwork & legalities of things, we want to help the children of their country and yet the cost seems astronomical. It almost seems like countries take advantage of the situation - is this wrong thinking or is the costs truly that much? The post above from Diane mentions being clueless about international adoptions. What is the most significant information to know for international adoptions?? Can you advise on this?

I really do appreciate your openness with your emotions. I am so sorry for your losses with your babies. I am sure holding the baby with the black curly hair was difficult to do. I am understanding how God uses our hurts to help others. I am sure that little baby so needed your special love that day. And from what I have heard in miracles happening, God may even put that same little girl back in your arms someday. HE's so amazing with surprises like that! (I have heard of some awesome adoption stories!)
Again, thank you Kerry, for this blog - it blesses me more than you know. There's a realness in you that is so lacking in this world. (I know it's a fallen world but, even Christians we know put on a fasod (sp.) which I don't believe God wants.)
Thank you.