Day 3 and 4 Update

Well as you can see we’ve gotten just a bit behind on our blogs…one word for that EXHAUSTION, I apologize. When we’re winding down at 10 pm after going really hard all day I’m finding it difficult to drum up any energy or one creative brain cell to put thoughts together to do justice to our day. I will attempt however to catch you all up on the happenings here in this blog. Please do not interpret our missing a couple evenings as a lack of desire for you to get to experience this with us because we can NOT wait to get back and share our stories and pictures and experiences with you. I promise you you’ll witness some changed people.

Yesterday (Monday) we built our first two homes for two families in the village of Los Pinos. One team had their project finished by noon and were ready to roll. (They also got the sissy sight as someone commented) which was right beside the road with the lumber delivered to the proper spot and the ground level, etc. The other site…hmmm….don’t know how to explain it exactly except to say that it involved about oh 50 stairs up the side of a hill, a huge drop off on the front side of the site, and the lumber delivered all to the bottom of this hill. It was a workout FOR SURE!! Regardless of all the details two families are sleeping in homes tonight that wouldn’t be otherwise unless God had presented us with this opportunity. We had so much fun playing with the village children as we sat on the stairs and sang with them, painted fingernails and just looked for ways to show them love. What a treat…cool job description for a week to look for ways to love on people. They know This is the Day in both English and Spanish and so we sang that for at least 15 minutes probably. It was so sweet their little voices just half shouting half singing that this is the day that the Lord has made and that they will rejoice and be glad in it, when they’re walking around with no shoes, filthy dirty but with the most beautiful smiles you ever did see. Once again we’re reminded that there are some essentials in life and some of the things we put on the list are so very far from truly being essential. Joy is not measured by abundance or lack but by something determined down deep in a heart. These people are such a reminder of that. Had some sweet little boys who helped all day long pound nails with smiles all over their faces. Jody had a nail assistant and they were in heaven being able to be a part of what was going on.

Today (Tuesday) we went to Casitas Kennedy orphanage where children are brought to be taken off the street and placed somewhere that they can sort of rehabilitate until they are able to be placed in a safer environment. Some sad sad faces and cases in this institution. The inside of it reminds you of a prison in a lot of ways. It’s walled in and different age groups are separated into cottages that are locked and it just feels dark and dingy in there. Our expert carpenters and their mighty men designed a playground for the orphanage and today we all worked together to begin to build it. We have half of it completed and will return in the morning to complete the project. On top of constructing the playground today, Tim got a new cotton candy machine and so we tried that out today and let’s just say you would have thought the fair was in town. Grins from ear to ear and pink sugar smiles everywhere on their little brown faces. It was sweet. Tomorrow we’ll take with us some pizza and have a banquet for Jesus with them and hand out clothes and toothbrushes, etc It will be a wonderful day. Can’t wait to see their exuberant joy when the playground is completed. The swingset part of it we finished today and it wasn’t up for 5 minutes before the kids were on it and were loving it so much. They had a ball. We met one little girl at the orphanage today named Dilisia that drew a crowd with her sharing how God meant everything to her and that He loved her and He loved us and that she didn’t care where she was that she would tell people about how much God loves them. She lost her mother several years ago and her father is in the United States and has abandoned her and so meanwhile she’s in the orphanage telling the other teenagers around her about Jesus. What perspective for life. Difficult to justify our complaining and pettiness when you watch an orphaned girl explain that yes she doesn’t have family but God is her father and what more could she ask for? Twelve years old with a faith that blew most of us out of the water. Her life was one of the best sermons I’ve ever heard. She was something tremendously special. Then tonight we went to the mall and did internet and phone calls home and had a meal at TGI Friday’s. Well most of us did. It was nice.

Well that’s all for tonight. I leave you with this one thought…are we really blessed or are the things we presently call blessings so distracting that in simplicity we’re reminded what blessings truly are? I’m thinking at this point in my journey that my list of things I truly am blessed by are not things. They’re God and people and matters of the heart. If that’s what we’re talking about then we’re blessed, but if we’re talking about our stuff that we acquire and hang onto and struggle to keep as we lose sight of so much else, then I’m out. I’d rather do with nothing and have a faith like I’m seeing, then have everything and think I need nothing desperately enough to hunger for God from somewhere beyond deep. So we’re all praying I think that God takes this experience and shows us how it fits into life when we leave. We’d appreciate your prayers to know what you do with all you see and how you live out the changes.

We love you all!! Thank you for your prayers. To date, no sicknesses, thank you Lord. Keep praying those away and for God to continue to use us as His hands and feet and heart wherever He needs us. This is such an honor, I wish we had words to tell you all our hearts feel about that.

Hi Family,
Today is Monday and we as a team built two houses for some very beautiful Honduras people. My team had the easy site (easy meaning not completely on the side of a cliff), Chris’s team however was more difficult, right on the side, all of the lumber had to be carried up about 70 steep steps. He had a good time learning the Honduras house building skills, and are ready to start a big playground at the State Run Orphanage that has 140 kids. Sunday we were at a Christian orphanage and the kids were beautiful my boys name was Leonel, and I have a lot of pictures I’d bring you each home one or two if I could. Tommorow’s orphanage is going to be much different the state gets really no funding and there are so many kids from babies to teens. Please Please pray that we can make the most of our time with out being blubbering morons. This place is amazing you all need to come, its deffinately a wonderful experience. Dylan and Wyatt, Mommy can’t wait to bring you you’d have so much fun playing with all of these beautiful, friendly and wonderful kids I miss you so much but I know your having fun. Keep obeying and being good boys Hugs and Kisses and give Ryley a big hug and kiss for me. You are all in my prayers. I love you all. Thanks for the emails , I everyone healthy yet. Our tummys are all doing very well, with the daily warning not to drink the water. Torch is such a blessing to this country. And they are blessing us beyond measure. Talk to you tomorrow Nt. Hopefully. Te amo, Rebekah


Connie and girls,
It is Monday evening and we just got back from the worksite. We built our first house today and went over to the orphanage to see the site where we are going to build the playground tomorrow. The house we built today was up on a hill and we had to carry all of the supplies, lumber, tools and roofing sheetmetal up probably 70 some steps that were very steep. But it was a labor of love, and after the house was finished……….what a feeling of accomplishment. Meridith, I loved reading your email, it means so much to me that you are proud of me. Hannah, I cant wait to come home and see you and buggy again, I actually am missing buggy myself. Libby, when I get home you are going to come and sit on my lap and tell me about your dance and swimming lessons. I miss and love all of you so much. Connie, again I cannot tell you how much I want you to experience this with me. Thank you again for your never ending support of my wish to come and make this journey serving God. Well I cant wait to hear from you again, and I will maybe be able to call in the next couple of days, or Saturday when we go to the mall.
Love you all, cant wait to see you.
Mark ( Daddonk)
PS: Just got back from dinner, and had a big surprise in the cafeteria, everyone came in wearing some article of my clothing, including my underwear. It was hilarious, I first saw Leann and Karen Vaughan in a Hilfiger Tshirt , both of them wearing it getting their picture taken, and didn’t realize for a few minutes that it was my tshirt, then they told me to look out the window, and here comes everyone across the lawn in my clothes, Brandon had 2 pillows in a shirt to fill it out, cyrena had on my underwear and Michael had M&Ms in his lip, like skoal and a spitcup. Too funny.
See ya.

Linda and Eric,
All is going well. Davey and I were on the same team building a house. He did so well. We met the lady that was going to move in tonight. The houses are wood with sheets of corrugated steel. We stopped at the orphanage that we are going to work in tomorrow. A sight to see. Davey says hi and wants to know what game Eric got. Love you greatly and we will be talking to you again soon. Love you with all of our hearts.

Dad and Davey



Hi everyone,
Just a note to let you know I am working hard and having fun. The kids are great!! Today we built our first two houses. That was hard work. I can’t wait to tell and show you all about it. Love to all of you!!!
Love,
Dianne/Mom/friend




Pam, Drew, and Craig, Family and Friends:

All is going well. No sickness to report in the whole group. We built 2 houses today(interesting process). We will be building a playground for an orphanage in the city tomorrow. The nights are wonderful here. There have been beautiful moon and stars, and wonderful cool breezes to feel while viewing these wonderful sites(the days are quite hot though).. The children and families we are serving are going to be quite memorable. I am looking forward to seeing everyone soon to share more. I’ll write again soon. Love Ya!! Tim



Bobbie and Becca,
Today was a good day for work. As you can see from other postings, we built two houses today. It sure was good to get cleaned up at 5:00 or so…kind of reminiscent of farming. There were two work groups and our job site was close to the church we attended yesterday. We met the family who will live in the house: two parents and three children. One of my jobs was keeping the kids out of danger. They had a little boy who kept wanting to go where he shouldn’t be. His sister sort of attached herself to Leann Bates; her name was Kati. Grandma was there and helped with kid control. Later we had some kid control problems of another kind, but that is another story…nothing we couldn’t handle. I will have to tell you about it later. Good luck on the trip to Columbus.
Love, Dan/Dad




Mom
God is so good! The ways in which I see Jesus here everyday is unbelievable. Jesus is everywhere you look. Let me tell you I will have so many stories and things to share with you when I get back. Hope all is well at home and you aren’t missing me too much. Have you bought me a house yet? J I love you! Be God’s! love ya, Karen


To the Laughery friends and family,
Wow! It is hard to put into words the needs of these people. Most of all the need for someone to show them they truly love them with no strings attached. There have been many faces for all of us that will forever be etched in our minds. I am so proud of the girls. Delaney has been so giving to all the children. She sat today and let some little girls at the building sight braid her hair. Kelsey has been such a loving worker. She gave her heart to the kids at the private orphanage yesterday only to have it broken when it was time to go! Today when she was finished with the house she had been working on all day in the blazing sun she showed up at the second job sight and worked her heart out! We miss you all and are making many memories to share with you when we get home! Love ya! Jody, Mary Ann, Kelsey and Delaney.

Sarajane and Linda,
Just wanted to let you both know that my heart is missing you both. I have thought about you both many times each day. Sarajane, I have seen your face as I have looked at so many of these beautiful children. And, Linda you would be so proud of your guys! Even though we are many miles apart I know God is connecting us through His Spirit. Keep praying! Love ya, sistas! Mary Ann


Sarajane, Kylie and Maggie,
It has been such an amazing experience so far, it is hard to even describe all the emotions that run through my heart each day. We’ve built a couple of houses so far and tomorrow we get to build the playground at the orphanage. It is incredible where they put some of these houses!!! I’m feeling great so you don’t have to worry. The sickness was just from the approach of trying to land a 737 in the mountains. Hope you all are enjoying Nashville this week and have safe travels home. Please send me Mandy’s cell phone number if you get a chance so I can call you this week. Love you all, can’t wait to see you in a few more days. Much love, Tony (Dad)