Lesson 4: How to Reach Out

Franklin's favorite part of the gift was the deodorant.

 Contrary to popular belief, my life in Honduras is not a mission trip all the time. But occasionally we get a chance to reach out to the community and do a project to help impact people in need. Before Christmas, some of the staff of our school took donated boxes of supplies to another school that ministers to children and families in a very poor area outside Tegucigalpa. This small village is situated right by the city's largest dump, and the people make their living by picking valuable materials out of all the trash. The school's ministry is to offer free education to the kids to help them break the cycle of poverty and accomplish something better than the generations before them.
 So the teachers chose names of students who go to the school and filled shoeboxes with toys, treats, and important items. I chose the names of two boys who are close to the ages of my students. After I had bought the items to put in the boxes, I thought I'd include my students and let them wrap the boxes however they wanted (including my students? pawning off work to someone else? you be the judge.)
 Many people have done Operation Christmas Child boxes or something similar - this project was even more rewarding because I got to go to the school and deliver the boxes myself. We had some treats for the kids, and Santa even showed up (and he looked alot like my friend Harold...) It was a great time to show love to some of the kids who don't get enough of it.

Carlos enjoyed my students' wrapping job

 The kids waited patiently for the names to be called so they could go receive their box. They then waited until everyone had a gift before they could open it (certainly more patience than most American kids have at Christmas time!)
They even sat still while listening to Harold give the gospel message and explain why gifts are more than just fun things white people can give to kids at Christmas time.
I was sitting with a little guy with a great big smile who was one of the last ones called. When he finally went up to get his gift, he came trotting back with an even bigger smile and a duffle bag that said Messiah College on it (not brought by me) I made sure to get a few pictures with my new buddy and his bag from my alma mater (and who knows, maybe his future alma mater...)

Fifth Grade classroom (yes, that's the whole room)

We also took a tour of the school, which was quite humbling. We can wish for more chairs or Smartboards in our classrooms, but seeing how grateful these kids are for their education and seeing their classrooms that seem so minimal, it makes us appreciate what we have even more.

So after lots of smiles and appreciations and a chance for Harold/Santa to explain the reason why gringos come give stuff to kids, we went back to our side of the mountain and retained some of that appreciation as we got to see another side to the Season of Giving.