New House!

One thing I've discovered about myself while living in Honduras is I don't like anyone to think I'm "too good" to live they like everyone else here does. One thing I've known about myself for quite some time is I also don't like to feel I've let anyone down... ever. Sometimes I think I let these things get in the way of taking care of me, and in order to take care of me, I need a few comforts from home.

THEREFORE I am proud, elated, yet humbled to announce I am moving into a new home walking distance from JEC.

This little "typico" house belongs to a retired couple in Zamorano who rent this house, around 200 yards off their main home, to locals who need something fully furnished. Not only is the house comfortable, but its SAFE.

The house has its own gate on my end (directly to the right of this picture), but the owners have their own gate as well. These are high gates which usually ward off any unwanted guests. Then if the gates don't cut it, they have 5 german shepherds to do the trick. I received this email earlier today from my landlord:

"Please remember we live in the country, therefore snakes and wild animals are pretty average. Luckily the dogs usually take care of this before we have to see them."

I'm not sure I can say it enough - Thank you, Lord, for german shepherds!!!

kitchen area

The house has a small kitchen, also fully furnished (amazing!!), a living area with a kitchen table (YOU MEAN I CAN ACTUALLY SIT AT A TABLE AND ENJOY A MEAL?), one main bedroom with a closet, a small guest bed with a closet, and a bathroom. I still have my outside washing board and basin - for all those of you who were worrying!

living and dining room area

On a more serious note (I know you can all tell just how excited I am), I am very humbled this was able to work out the way it did. For a while now, I've felt very bogged down by the culture, the people, and often have questioned why I have put up with it all. But the one unwavering call I cannot deny is these boys. They have been faithful in their need for me. They don't let me down. And sometimes even though they're frustrated with me (as an authority figure), I know they love me and appreciate me. And sometimes I cannot even say that much about the adults here.

I have a hot water heater (see shower head) even if it does come out in a trickle!

When people ask me what I miss the most about home, obviously family and friends come first to mind. Shortly after I think about the little luxuries like in my last post, but most often I miss my culture. I miss the ability to talk to someone and fully believe every word they are saying. To know they aren't lying just to lie. To not have to question friendships and motives. No one is perfect, but this is something I am telling you all - we do not appreciate it like we should.

master bedroom

I am more grateful now than ever to have been brought up in a home where no one lied to me. Where my parents taught me honor, trust, and all good things. Sometimes I think this culture is so wrong for so many reasons because they simply know no better. This was the way they were raised. And THAT means these boys at JEC have a strong advantage. They're growing up slightly different than most young men in this country. They're being raised by loving, christian families who teach them about Jesus and His qualities. This is something we should ALL be extremely grateful for if we care about these boys.

where I will wash clothes/water source

So, starting on May 7th, I can walk to work. I can go to bed and not have to worry about something happening to me in my sleep (sorry mom). I can rest assured God is truly watching over me and has been the entire time. I can walk over to the green house and watch a movie on Saturday nights. I can stay late and do homework with the bilingual boys and not have to worry about getting home late in the dark. These are simple things, but they have uplifted my spirit and washed my worries away.

I needed a private place to relax and renew my spirit, but moving out of JEC came at a cost of feeling lonely and unsafe at times. God has answered a prayer and a worry I didn't realize I had until it was taken away.

Now if that's not a God who's looking out for me, what is?

**Lastly, I am fundraising to live in my new home. The price of rent here is over 3 times my last rent. If you can help, I cannot tell you how much it would mean to me. Checks can be made to Harpeth Hills Church of Christ with "Annie Brown - Honduras" on the tag line. Please check out the DONATE page of my blog for more details. 

Holy Week & Good Friday Thoughts

It's been a busy week (again). I've been working with a group from Brentwood, TN all week, and they just headed back this afternoon. We spent Saturday (see my previous post) and Sunday at JEC working on our future store to house all our new merch and playing with our boys. Monday and Tuesday were building days in Tegus, and then Wednesday was visiting the public hospital, girls orphanage, and the dump. Yesterday we spent all day WAY UP in the mountains learning about how coffee is grown, picked, and the process of making it what we use to drink. I had never seen coffee beans right off the plant before, and it was an awesome experience to translate for the plantation owner and learn first hand all about the process.

Today I headed back to Jovenes to organize, take inventory of donated items, and play catch up from the past week. While sorting through all our amazing gifts for both the boys and employees, I started thinking about how, here in Honduras, the country really shuts down for Holy Week.

I'm not used to that in the states, I guess, but its pretty weird here when all stores, banks and schools shut down from Wednesday until the next week. I think this was what pushed me to start thinking about why exactly everyone does this - and my thoughts honestly turned to tears.

I think it has taken me 24 years to honestly understand (as best as humans can) what this week is meant to be celebrated for. As I was praying over my breakfast this morning, it really hit me that so many years ago on this day (or so we think) a man chose to die for me, my family, my friends, and these boys at Jovenes en Camino. Even though we didn't exist at that point, God knew about us, and He knew my heart before it even existed. He chose to suffer just so I would have a chance to truly know Him...

*mouth opens* 

*dumbfounded look on face*

Can you just take one second to try and grasp the beauty of a love like that? The humility, patience, and above all, forgiveness it takes to act on that kind of love and HOPE for humanity... is indescribable.

My personal journey here in Honduras has not been an easy one. I have definitely struggled with not giving up on man-kind at some points. Disappointment and deception are something we have learned to be pretty good at as humans. Yet after all the times we have disappointed and deceived Jesus, He continues to love us, believe in us, and encourage us to seek an intimate relationship with Him.

I don't think there is anything more beautiful than that. 

So, at 9:49 PM on this Good Friday, I am reminded and blessed to live another day where I try to honor God in everything I do. Thank you, Jesus for giving me this opportunity to serve your people in Honduras. Thank you for teaching me about your unfailing love. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for thinking of me when you were nailed up on that cross. I pray I never forget the sacrifice you made... just so you could know me intimately. I'm so humbled by the selflessness of Your love.

March!

Busy, busy, busy, busy, busy March!

This month starts one of our busiest months here at JEC. We have spring break groups who come, play with the boys, and sometimes help us with projects around campus.

One of my best friends, Kathleen, and Cristian, who her family sponsors

HOWEVER, this March is much different than most. This year, on March 23rd, we will be kicking off the countdown to our 10th anniversary. We celebrated our 9th on February 26th, so we're going to have a full year of events counting down to our big, 10th anniversary of Jovenes en Camino.

So, it's time to celebrate! Several boys from the green house (our oldest) have been here almost for a decade, and their lives are absolutely 100% changed for the better. Jovenes en Camino has seen its ups and downs, because in any place where people seek Jesus, the devil works his hardest to destroy the hearts of those who yearn for Him. Please pray for us this year counting down to our 10th anniversary and our guests traveling down for our kick-off on the 23rd. We will be joined by our entire board of directors, friends, and people who want to love and support these boys and this home.  It's going to be a great month!

On a personal note, my parents are coming a week from today! It'll be the first time EVER on Honduras soil, so pray for their trip and their experience too. Can't wait for my family to finally see my life here. 

Hasta la playa, neña!

A week ago today we packed up two, school-size buses, three of our work vehicles, and Jovenes en Camino headed south. 

An annual beach trip was something our director, Ronald Millon, wanted to make a priority at the beginning of each year. Not only is it special for the boys, but we also extend the invite to all employees and their families. This being said, we also let the families know the trip is in no way luxurious. We sleep on a concrete floor inside a hot church in Choluteca, where even the night temperatures are over 80 degrees. Plus you sleep inside along with 120 people, so you can imagine the body heat generated. 

Therefore not everyone always comes, but most decided they wanted to bare the heat this year. We headed out on Friday midday and returned Sunday afternoon. Luckily a church in Choluteca (about an hour away from the beach) always opens their doors for us to sleep and use their bathrooms/other facilities to call home for that weekend. 

This year I drove my car along with my 4 friends who visited, Scat, Richy, Lindy (Wendy), and Cassie. We packed up fans, sleeping bags, and snacks for the road trip we had ahead of us. The boys followed behind on the big, blue JEC bus, and we arrived just as dusk was settling in Choluteca.

After a church in Barrio Brazil led a devotional, they fed us dinner and each of the boys got a “welcome cupcake”. We set up camp, played soccer, and got ready for the busy day ahead of us on Saturday.

This year we decided to join Ronald and his family on the “terrace”. This means we slept outside under the stars on the second level where only the roof has been poured - no walls, no sides, etc. My mom would’ve died. No one slept close to the edge, and luckily being hot was not one of my concerns. The night wind kept us chilly, so my beach towel and twin air mattress were my best friends. *Picture credit to my friend, Cassie.

Saturday (early) we got up, watched the boys bath in the river behind the church and got ready for the short hour drive to Cedeño. The water was chilly early morning with lots of wind, so again, we lucked out since the south in Honduras is known for extremely hot and humid days. After helping the boys get sunscreen-ed up (yes, Hondurans still wear sunscreen) we hit the water. Here people swim in clothes (shorts, tshirt) as a cultural thing. Even though it felt weird, I didn’t have to worry about burning this time! 

Our big treat on Saturday is a local fisherman always prepares fried fish (the whole thing, eyes and all, baby), banana chips, and repollo (salad). The boys go crazy over this, so we all sit under the tiki huts with our feet in the sand and fill our bellies. 

After lunch I had helped orchestrate the best surprise ever for my best friend, Sarah Catherine. Her boyfriend and I had been in communication since New Years to discuss how he would pull off the surprise engagement of the century. 

Needless to say, she was surprised and everything went as planned. She and I met while in Honduras, so it only seemed fitting to help her beau pull it all off in her favorite place in the world. 

Saturday night we headed back to Choluteca, celebrated Scat and Richy’s engagement at KFC, and then watched the boys play soccer until late. Sunday morning early meant church, and then it was back to reality.

My friends headed home on Monday, then we all decided to get sick in different ways. Today is my first full day back at work, so thank goodness we’re all getting back in the groove of things. 

The boys had an amazing trip and all came back exhausted before starting the new school year (public school boys) on Monday. Needless to say no one wanted to get up Monday at 5:30 in the morning. 
Here's a picture of the boys all ready to walk to school at 6 AM. 

Excited, right???