This spring break I was so blessed to have the opportunity to visit the Good Shepherd Children's Home in Honduras for the third time. GSCH is a home for children who have been abused and neglected by their parent's or caretakers. The children at the home will absolutely touch your heart. I headed out for Honduras on March 16, with my mom, dad, and boyfriend. Unfortunately we were delayed in Houston and unable to land in Tegucigalpa until the next day. Thankfully we landed safely at the world's most dangerous airport on March 17. We drove 45 minutes on the bumpy rode to the home in Zamorano Valley. I was so excited to see the children again! We spent the rest of the day playing with the kids and getting settled in. March 18 was father's day in Honduras. We celebrated in church by watching a program the children had put together in honor of the missionaries and men who take care of the home and children. The fathers and my family were given burgers to eat after church. A few of the children hung around waiting for us to finish and give them the rest. I only had an onion, small chunk of bread, and a few chips left on my plate, but Emillio gobbled it up. Emillio was placed in the home by his mother. He was malnourished and his brother had been diagnosed with pneumonia. He has a learning disability which gives him great difficulty in school. The young girl I sponsor, Kristhel, was living in extreme poverty and put to work by her grandmother in a bar as a young girl. My parents sponsor an older girl who suffered extreme physical and mental abuse. She has scars from a machete knife and burns all over her body. She also has dents in her head from being beaten with a hammer. The stories of these children's lives will absolutely break ones heart. Throughout the week we spent time in the school doing crafts and speaking with the children. The first day we handed out plaques a man from my church made for the kids. They have pieces of wood attached to them to spell out Jesus from a distance. We talked about the importance of allowing others to see Jesus in you. The second day in the school I spoke with the children about my platform for Miss Arkansas. I also told them about the importance of dental care and handed out dental kits to each child. The last day we made bookmarks and puppets for the kids. We spent time after school painting faces, handing out glow bracelets and just playing with the children. One night we took the children we sponsor and a few others out for pizza. The children loved it! Emillio ate 4 large pieces of pizza and when he was finished he took his plate into the kitchen. Thats what he knew to do after he ate. It was such a blessing to see the children light up throughout the week. These children are a huge part of my life and have definitely helped me to realize how much I take for granted. Things we throw away are a treasure to them. If you would like to know more about the home, you can just contact me or visit the webpage at www.gsch.bmdmi.org. I encourage everyone to look at it and maybe choose a child to sponsor. Some children don't have sponsors yet and would love to receive letters and photos in the mail.
Please view this link to get a small glimpse of my amazing trip to Honduras: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjxo-Vp597M&feature=youtu.be
