Big Boats = Big Smiles :)

Greetings from Honduras!! We started our day off with a great devo lead by Ryan Thompson. He talked about his favorite holiday, Christmas, and compared receiving Christmas gifts to receiving the greatest gift of all, salvation. His main point is that salvation is a gift that you can choose to accept or not. This was his first ever devo talk and he did a GREAT job! Linda (LT), you would have been very proud! After devo we split into 2 groups for the day, a group of 17 loaded 250 food bags to Nueva Oriental which each contained rice, coffee, beans, sugar, corn meal, salt, and lard on to the bus for a food giveaway. When we reached Nueva Oriental we split into 4 smaller groups to cover the mountain. During one of the many treks up the mountain side, a group of 20 children joined us to help carry the food up the mountain. We seem to be a kid magnet... every where we go we attract children! This team then held a power packed VBS in Mololoa which was about Noah. We had a skit with Bud, from Memphis, as Noah. A few of our girls created an ark with leftover cardboard boxes and coloring pages it was a Masterpiece!! Following the songs and skits we had face painting, honey sandwiches, chips and LOTS of balloons and stickers. The church building was PACKED with kids from all over the mountainside.A group of 4 men went doorknocking to promote the VBS and to invite adults to come to the bible study. Colby Hill, from Sarasota, Florida, led the study with 15 women. Reports are the study went really well.

The other group went to the special needs childrens home where they enjoyed a baseball game. Kids were wheeled around in their wheel chairs as the went to bat. It was amazing and the kids loved it! Toys and stuffed animals were passed out with plenty of hugs and smiles. From there we went to Didasko where we donated a truck load of food. We also gave boxes of toys and clothing. Jorge, the director, told us that they will use the clothes for both their children at the home and to distribute to needy families in the area. The team also made minor repairs on a playground we built a few years ago. We also got the opportunity to play with some of the cutest kids you will ever meet! After emptying our backpacks of toys and snacks, some even gave their shoes to a child that they spent the day with. Many tears were shed while leaving.

We enjoyed a relaxing night at the mission house, a devo from "Tricky" Pat Gutherie with a 4th of July fiesta following devo. The refreshments added to the competitive card games and spoons that were being played in the cafeteria. It was a lot of fun.

Everyday has been better than the last. Please continue to lift us up in prayer. Tomorrow we are heading out for the Valley of Angels to build a house and to do some shopping. The blind school in on the schedule for the afternoon. Sounds like an exciting day! Adios!