The first week was a little trying as our Spanish skills were as raw as their English skills.  But even from the first day, we could sense that these people “live it”.  They show the love of Christ through just about everything they do.  They constantly have smiles on their faces and patience to burn.   They don’t get worked up about a flat tire on their old car, or a broken dish, even if they only have a few dishes.   Yes, I am convicted by people that live their lives in a way that makes it abundantly clear that they are followers of Christ.

At least a couple of times a week, I (Alex) walk home from language school here in La Ceiba.  La Ceiba is Honduras’ third largest city with a population of about 135,000 people.  By US standards, you would not consider La Ceiba a prosperous town.   However, after being here for over a month, and knowing what most cities are like in Honduras, La Ceiba offers some glimmer of hope to her residents.    There is poverty here, but La Ceiba is also one of the only places in Honduras where opportunity and improvement are possible.  I clearly remember our first time in La Ceiba last year.  I thought “wow” this place is crowded, busy, and little dangerous.  Well, it’s still all those things, but also a great deal more.  People live in La Ceiba to work, attend college and raise their children with the hopes of a better life for them.

My walk from language school is about two miles with most of it along La Ceiba’s busiest road.  On multiple occasions, I have been stopped by a boy of about nine years of age asking for money.  Every time he stops me, he is wearing the exact same green tattered shirt.  He runs up to me in a gentle jog asking me the same thing in Spanish at the same exact place each time.  “I’m hungry can I have some money”?  Despite looking for him every time, I never see where he comes from exactly.  It’s just like he appears fifty feet away from me in that slow jog.

I don’t know anything about the boy in the green shirt.  He doesn’t really want to talk or make a great deal of eye contact.  Additionally, I don’t push to make him talk although perhaps I should.   His stare is not yet the 1,000 meter variety that you see in many homeless people.  He’s still capable of mustering up a little smile, but you can see pain in his eyes despite his young age.  I want to ask him all about his life, his family, and his situation.  I told myself, “Just take it one step at a time with the boy and don’t scare him with lots of questions.”

I haven’t seen the boy in the green shirt in two weeks.  Unfortunately, we are only going to be in La Ceiba for a few more days, and I fear my opportunity to see the boy in the green shirt again is fading.  I pray tonight for the many boys and girls in green shirts around Honduras.  I pray for God’s comfort and strength to lift up Honduras.   I also selfishly pray for the patience and the ability to cast love and concern upon complete strangers like our friends and fellow believers,  Hugo and Gloria.

What a sweet time of prayer from the mouths of those we love… those who know us like few others and those who pray us to our destination and back.    Peace.

On another note, Reach Out Honduras officially has a Board of Directors – 14 people with a variety of backgrounds and gifts coming together to add minds, hearts, hands and feet to the work God has prepared for gringos in Puerto Lempira, Honduras.  We will be posting pictures and bios of the Board so that you will know the people who hold us accountable and support us with their commitment.    There is an absolute sense of relief that these people can be the voice for Honduras when we aren’t physically present in the States.  We love each of them and their families who allow them to participate.

Our last weeks in the US have been full of emotion and challenges.   By the time you read this though, that part of the journey will be over and we will be flying south to begin language school.   Praise God for carrying us through many, many moments of faith-testing.

Hopefully, we will post often and share the specifics of our journey with you, our friends and family.

For the cause of Christ alone we go,

The Waits Family

You see, we have creative people in our lives.   No question.   And their creativity spills over into the way they serve.   (See this post) Pharmacists who donate medicine and supplies;   computer-savvy friends who donate time to help with this site;   teachers who donate sample Spanish curriculum;  successful business people who donate money so that a young couple can take a mission trip;   book lovers who share their passion for the written word by donating books and gardeners who have put together a treasure box of gardening supplies to help us with a big dream!!

Big dreams…   things that cannot be done without God showing up…  the stuff of faith.    We have many God-sized dreams for our time in Puerto Lempira.  One such thing is a book lending program for kids;  another is a gardening program that can furnish the children with much-needed veggies and possibly extend to the community.   Each of these programs offers its own opportunity to show Christ’s love in tangible ways.

Last week, out of the blue, we received an e-mail from a complete stranger in Missouri who read our website and felt led to join in this work.  Her love of Christ, heart for children-in-need and an interest in Honduras from her Honduran son-in-law propelled her to contact us and just get to know us.  Turns out, she loves books and found a passion-meets-serving area in buying 4 boxes of books for the book lending program that exists only in our dreams!   Today, we received the books, lovingly packed with a sticker of dedication and encouragement.  We are HONORED to take this gift to the children of Honduras.   Ms. Judy, we are so happy that God orchestrated our friendship as only He can.

And now for the seeds…  and other gardening supplies.    A friend called and said she had a few things for us to add to our boxes that are going out this weekend.   When I arrived at her lovely country home, I found a table full of goodies and my friend on her computer ordering MORE seeds.   She has researched every kind of plant that might grow in Honduras for the past few months… and she has ordered and vacuum-sealed the seeds for us.    And she taught me more in 2 hours about dirt, seeds and gardening than I (Laura) learned on my own as a gardener in 6 years!    THAT is why we need one another, friends.  We are not meant to go about this thing called life on our own.

We are within 16 days of departure!   Please pray for us as we cover new territory in our faith.

We need partners in mission to pray with us, to go with us and to give to support God’s work through our family. Will you join us?

I vividly remember our walk over.  My wife, Laura, and I were as excited as two children on Christmas morning.  Would the children at Mama Tara’s remember us from our November trip?  Had the children grown and flourished since we last saw them?  What new children would we get to bond with on this trip?  Would there be a place for us to serve at Mama Tara’s when we moved to Puerto Lempira?  The questions spun around in our minds.

So many of the faces were the same, and it took very little time for many of them to remember me, the Gigantic Gringo.  Their smiling faces and giggles will forever be burned in my mind.

Charlie & Me – November 2009

There is one boy that is always on my mind when I think about Mama Tara’s…  Charlie.   He is a little larger weight-wise than your typical Miskito child.  His smile and laugh are perfect for any ad campaign for children’s goods.    The first time I met Charlie, he wanted my non-stop attention.  We played soccer for an eternity. We talked about soccer, played games and looked at dogs and new puppies.  He was also my personal guide for a tour of Mama Tara’s.

Charlie & Me – March 2010

I remember being a bit nervous as I walked up to Charlie in March of this year, wondering if he would remember me.  When he got a good look at my face and I mentioned my sombrero (hat) from our previous visit, he lit up and knew exactly who I was!  I was relieved and thankful that our friendship could continue to grow.  Charlie’s smile and acceptance of me are exactly what he and the other children at Mama Tara’s need to be shown from Christians.  If Charlie’s smile and friendship can make such a deep impact on this 40-something year-old man in a moment of uncertainty,   I can only imagine what a smiling and compassionate face means to a fatherless child.   I want Charlie and the other boys to play, run and worship God side-by-side with our own children.

Charlie & Me – March 2010

photo by:  Our friend, Holly

One day, later in the week, I was working on bike repair at another home for children in Puerto Lempira.  I felt a tap on my back, turned around and there stood Charlie.   I was so surprised to see him.  You can see the delight on my face in the above picture.   Charlie could have decided to play with the other children, but, instead, he chose to come over to see if I needed any help.  This is love expressed by a child who doesn’t have a lot of earthly possessions.  This is concern shown by a child whose future is uncertain.  Love and concern;   these are the traits that God wants us to share with the world.

I often wonder what will happen to Charlie when his time is up at Mama Tara’s?  Will he end up running the streets of Puerto Lempira with many of homeless, teenage boys in the area?  Will he be tempted to dive for lobsters using unsafe equipment and possibly end up disabled at a young age like so many other young men in Puerto Lempira?    Or will Charlie take the more challenging road of further academic education in another Honduran city?    These are the current “opportunities” for boys like Charlie in Puerto Lempira.    Lord, I pray that you watch over Charlie and lead him on a path that shows him Your hope. He has so much promise.

I spent one day by myself working on maintenance items at Mama Tara’s.  At first the boys at Mama Tara’s were busy with their daily routines of school, playing and doing their chores.  As the day progressed, I noticed boys following me around to watch what I was doing.  At times, I asked them for an extra pair of hands to hold something or retrieve an item I left on the other side of the room.  Then they began to ask to touch and use the drills, saw and hammer.   I tried to use this opportunity to teach them how the tools worked and how to use tools safely.  Then it dawned on me, these boys don’t have many male influences in their lives.   They crave interaction with men.

Spending time with these boys, playing with them, showing them how to use tools, teaching them the basics of being a man of God…  what a privilege and what a joy!    If you are reading this, I urge you to invest in the lives of these young people … for a day, a week, a month or longer.   The rewards are eternal for all parties.

We would love for you and your family to be our partners in mission to pray with us, to go with us and to give to support God’s work through our family.

Written by: Cathy Cantelli, Sponsorship Coordinator for Mama Tara’s here in the United States

Today is the birthday of a great lady. Her name is Florinda Flores Blas, also known as Mama Tara, which in the Mikito Indian language means, “ Big Mama”. Mama Tara is celebrating her 81st birthday today at the Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, in Puerto Lempira, Honduras. Can you imagine for one minute taking care of a house full of noisy, energetic, needy, and orphaned children? This has to be something that God has told her to do, because most woman at that age have long since raised all their children, and maybe have even helped to raise their grandchildren, but very few are running an orphanage in a 3rd world country. Imagine living in the tropics with no airconditioner or running water, in house with very few modern conveniences.

I admire this monumental task that Mama Tara has undertaken and the Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, Inc….USA,  has come alongside this noble woman to help her in caring for these 26 children.

***There are still children to be sponsored at Mama Tara’s.  Click this link for more information!

Please pray for Mama Tara:

1. Pray for her health.   She has been diagnosed with diabetes. She also suffers with arthritis in her hips.

2. Pray for wisdom  to know how to deal with all the drama of everyday life at an orphanage. She needs the wisdom of Solomon with the constant decision making that is required daily.

3. Pray for patience. Can you imagine dealing with at least ten 11 -15 year olds? Teenagers are a hard age for any adult to reach. There is sometimes tension between Mama Tara and this age group, because there is a huge gap in their ages and Mama Tara is very “old school” in  her approach, which exasperates some of the kids.

4. Pray for protection. We eventually would like to build a wall around the property, but that is still in the distant future. In the mean time we need to pray a hedge of protection, with angels surrounding the property.

5. Pray for continued provision. We are still trying to pay a debt which we incurred in the recent renovation of the original dorm and dining hall. We still owe around $5,000. This is nothing to God, who is our provider, but we need to pray for this provision to come in, before we can go on with further improvements and begin working on the much needed fence.

6. Pray for a replacement for Mama Tara. One day she will need to retire. We have been prayerfully searching for a godly, Christian couple who are called by the Lord to live in La Mosquitia, to live at the orphanage and take over for Mama Tara.

May the Lord richly bless you for all your support of Mama Tara and the children,

Cathy Cantelli…………Sponsorship

***There are still children to be sponsored at Mama Tara’s.  Click this link for more information!

The purpose of the dance was to teach these young ladies how they should be treated by their future husbands.  Obviously, it was also a very special one-on-one time for both the girls and their Dads.   Arlee and I had a wonderful time that began with dinner together at a small Italian restaurant.  As I looked at my beautiful daughter, I thought about what type of man she would marry.  Would he be kind, God-fearing, and loving?  Would he cherish her?  Would he protect her at all cost despite danger to himself?

We arrived casually late for the dance.  After Arlee warmed up to the idea of dancing in front of people, we were able to twirl, spin, and dance our way through the evening.  I studied the room and saw many beaming faces of both little girls and fathers.  Each face was glowing for a different reason.  Perhaps the glow was from having the sole attention of their Father.  Perhaps it was just being able to get dressed up, eat cookies and punch, and act silly.  Or maybe it was the feeling of safety each young girl felt being with their Daddy.  For the Dads, I assume it was the joy of seeing their daughters in a different light.  I thought my daughter had a good time, but didn’t realize how good until we got home to tell Mommy all about it.

It was during my time of people-watching that I began to think about the young girls of Honduras.  How many of those girls still have their Fathers in their lives?  How many have been sent out by their Dad to sell themselves on the street to put food on the table?  For the ones that do know and have good Fathers in their lives, how many of those girls would give a year of their life for opportunity to have 30 minutes with their Father’s undivided attention and love?  Laura and I have had the privilege of meeting many very special young ladies in Honduras.  Many of these young ladies are fatherless due to their father’s death, incarceration, or abandonment.

We have had the privilege of getting to know one of these young ladies fairly well.  We don’t know the whole story about her father, but we do know her mother was the only parent in the household.  After the death of her mother,  this special girl and her siblings was sent to live with her aunt.  The aunt assured Honduran officials that she would be well taken care of.  Instead, the aunt quickly decided that if this special girl wanted to eat, she would have to go out and sell herself on the streets at the age of 14.  Having no skills, little education, or money, this special girl was forced into sell her body to feed herself and her siblings.  Luckily, one of the homes we will work with in Puerto Lempira uncovered this information.  They were able to bring this sibling group into the home and into the arms of safety.  Today, this special girl is a beautiful thriving 18 year old with a promising future.  She is process of receiving a theology degree in order to minister to other children in Honduras.

Parents –  hold and cherish your children a little tighter tonight.  Your children are treasures that depend upon you more than you can imagine.  We are fortunate to have all the safeguards in America that protect children.  Other countries are not as fortunate.  As we seek to relocate to Puerto Lempira in August of 2010, we would love your help!  If you feel that you can help us share the love of a Father that will never leave or forsake with the children of Puerto Lempira,  we would love to have you  pray with us, to go with us and/or to give to support God’s work through our family.

Visit I-Share Ministries to download this presentation to your i-pod or phone

I have been blessed with four wonderful children:   three boys and one beautiful girl.  On our latest trip to Honduras, I was actually the father of five for one day during Honduras’ celebration of Father’s day.  I was given the honor of being Orchito’s Daddy during his Kindergarten class party to celebrate Father’s Day.

Orchito is a loving five-year old who lives at the House of Hope.   Orchito does many things that any typical 5-year old would do.   However, Orchito has yet to find his voice …  he speaks only a few words.   Despite this, Orchito has the ability to charm a crowd with his beautiful smile and big eyes.   I was one of three Gringos that day that had the opportunity to stand in as surrogate fathers for children from the House of Hope.

After we arrived at his school, Orchito grabbed my hand and took me into his classroom.  It didn’t have lights or electricity and the balloons that were hung the day before had popped due to a storm and wind, but to him it was his school and he was proud of it.  Likewise, I was not a stranger from another country to Orchito; I was his father for a day or at least a few hours.  After meeting his teacher, we found a seat with the rest of the group and Orchito jump onto my lap for the duration of the fun.  He held my hand and rubbed my arm the whole time.  He occasionally looked up at me smiled and laid his head on my chest.  We were treated with skits, plays, songs and a wonderful lunch.  Yes, we looked a lot different than the Honduran fathers, but  we were just as proud!

We have only been home for week now, but I already miss my boys: Orchito, Charlie, David, Michael and Cinco……and the list goes on and on.  We have many areas we hope to impact during our time in Puerto Lempira.   These young men are a huge part of God’s calling.  They are the future of La Moskitia.   When we relocate to Puerto Lempira in 2010,  I want to be a father figure and point them to their Father in Heaven.    I hope to teach them the things that my father taught me:  how to fix a bike, use carpentry tools, repair an engine and catch fish.     These skills can serve them for a lifetime, in addition to being potential income sources right there in Puerto Lempira.

And Dad, thanks for being there for all the lessons taught, games attended, and ups and downs!  You made me a better man and father.

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25

What if it is true what they say about missions -  that the missionaries themselves are the ones truly changed by the act of service?   What if it is true that the more we practice serving, the more we are changed?

What if the people of La Moskitia do not need us?   They don’t, you know.   They have survived for centuries without us.   Some would say that all of Honduras was better off before missionaries came to their shores.    The history of missions in the greater part of Honduras is replete with examples of coercion – believe and you can receive (medical attention, food, water, etc.).   And yet, what if the attitude going in was different?   What if the heart of the mission was communication and compassion rather than coercion?   That is what we see in the missionaries who already work in Puerto Lempira.

What if, on the other hand, the Waits family needs the people of La Moskitia?   Could it be?   Can we turn this thing on its ear long enough to realize that the very lives that God may hope to change are our own?

Just something to consider.