Thursday, February 11, 2010

Roatan - February 2010

Back from Roatan again! What a whirlwind! We enjoyed spending time with a variety of people discussing education on the island and how to join forces to improve it and add skills training to help people get jobs and make a decent living. More on that to come later!











We had a great time with the children at the home. This trip, I brought everything with me necessary to make chocolate chip cookies with the kids! They were excited about having home-baked cookies, but the funny thing was… as soon as I got everything out and was ready for them to start helping me cook, ALL of the boys were eager to help and were crowding around me, but ALL of the girls scattered like the wind! It was almost as if they were ‘afraid’ of cooking. So of course, we made them all take part and they learned that they actually could do it and it wasn’t scary! It could even be a little bit fun! In the end, everyone helped and the kids enjoyed 3 cookies each. For most of them, it was the first time they had ever had a chocolate chip cookie which, to me is unthinkable!!





While the cookies were baking, there was opportunity to have some quality time with several of the kids. We love them so! We were also able to deliver more letters to the children that have mentors, and collected letters from some of the kids back to their mentors. It’s beautiful to see their faces light up when they receive their cards and letters from their mentors, knowing that someone “far away” is thinking of them and remembers them. I pray that these relationships will be life-long and life-changing.

School started the Monday after we left, February 8th. For the four children who have been financially sponsored through ALF to go to the Methodist Bilingual School, the Schulers worked with all 4 of them through the Christmas break to prepare them for the higher demands that will be expected of them. Sibelis, in particular, was nervous about what to expect in her new school, but the Schulers said she was more than ready to take it on! I look forward to getting a full report on all of them on our next visit! Again, thank you to those of you who contributed to make it possible for these kids to go to the better bilingual school. It will make such a difference in their lives.









The Schulers invited to take us for a walk to meet some of the people they minister to in the area. It was like being in a National Geographic magazine. They introduced us to a 60 year-old man called “Pastor” who lives by himself back in the jungle about a 30-minute hike off the main road. I couldn’t imagine making that hike every day, in the dark, in the rain, etc. We kept criss-crossing a little creek, which of course he and the others who lived along the way, used for bathing and washing dishes and clothes. Other families we met along the way had very rudimentary shelters to live in, which served them well on a nice day, but I couldn’t imagine being “holed up” in them for the months of rainy season. The people we met had next to nothing materially, had no running water or electricity, yet were mostly quite happy, friendly and hospitable. “Pastor” invited us into his home and gave us some fresh bananas called “apple bananas” that I had never heard of before. I’m not a big banana fan, but these were delicious and tasted like a blend of banana and green apple. We were so glad to have had the opportunity to meet “Pastor” and the other families on this hike as it allowed us to see the “real” Roatan. This is how probably 80% of the islanders really live – if not more. And these are the people we hope to minister to and help.









Lastly, it looks like a new television program called Majesty Outdoors will be coming to film in Roatan! The founder and host of the show is a friend of ours and he has been following what we've been doing in Roatan, specifically with the children's home. He approached us with the idea of filming a couple of the teens there. This is exciting as their mission is to minister to fatherless teens! We discussed the idea with Pastor Glen Solomon at the home and he has agreed. We are excited at how this will bless some of the children at the home! To find out more about Majesty Outdoors, go to their website at http://www.majestyoutdoors.org/ We will keep you posted!