HONDURAS: PARTE DOS

In many parts of Honduras, Coca-Cola is cheaper than water.  It leads to cavities and a 27 year old needing every bottom tooth pulled out by our dentist.  I must say, coming home and seeing the water that my lawn gets is a bit hard to swallow.  Even harder to swallow is the reality that even if I stopped watering my lawn, the Honduran people would not have access to cheap, clean water like we do here.  I wish the world were a simple place with simple answers.  But, it is not.  And, I am forced to deal with the inequities and injustices that I help perpetuate.  As I said in yesterday's post, I feel that the Lord is dealing in my heart in this issue, and I am not yet sure where it will all lead.

The last two days of our brigades were spent in a slightly more rural area.

The days were slower, but no less rich for it.  I spent time in the optical area, being a total poser running the Auto-Refractor Machine; it reads people's eyes and gives part of their prescription.




It was while sitting here that I found my hardest moment.  This girl and her mother walked in.



She has down-syndrome, though she does seem to be pretty high-functioning.  Her mother was asking for help from us that we could not give.  Then, I screened the mother's eyes and found out that she is beyond legally blind.  She was the worst I screened all day.  My eyes filled with tears throughout their time in our booth.  It was the realization that she does not have options.  She does not have resources.  Her life is unimaginably hard most days, and yet, she must go on.  I know that pity does her no good, so even now, I pray that God gives her strength and grace for each moment.  I hope that she turns to him.

It was a wonderful, potent reminder that I have nothing to complain about ever.  I need those reminders.

The rest of my team was hard at work with the Honduran people, which was such a blessed joy to watch.

(I never did figure out why she had this saw.)

(Dressed beautifully for a Honduran Holiday)

(Combing out more lice, never-ending lice)

Which brings me to my team.  God knew exactly which people needed to go down to Honduras this past week and getting to know each person was an unexpected joy.



This group of girls, in particular, was such fun.  It felt like I was in college all over again.  (Also, people kept telling me how young I looked, which made my vain little heart happier than it should have.)  We would stay up talking and laughing and developed inside of jokes and saw more of Jesus in each other as the week wore on.  What a privilege!  Thanks, girls, for letting this mommy feel very young at heart all over again.



And, here's one last picture of most of the ladies on our combined teams (two other AR teams were there with us!).



Such fun women, with hearts for the Lord who want to serve the poor.  I think tomorrow I will do one last wrap up post.  It is wonderful to be home, but I already miss these people.  Funny how one week can knit your heart with others.