Tuesday...

The day started early for many members of the group. It was a slaughtering day for the pigs, and some of those with stronger stomachs experienced this first-hand at 4:30 in the morning. It means fresh meat for the orphanage, but made some members of the group a little queasy. This is life here at Emmanuel and survival. Yesterday was another day of hard labor on the pipes. There was a brief reprieve from trench digging, but new challenges arose trying to figure the schematics to span a gully and support pipe above ground rather than below. In the end, having a new sewer line will be well worth the work. As it is now, there are leaks and seepage where the old pipe has just given way over time. While half of the group worked on water line, the remainder of the group spread themselves across the grounds to find work where it is needed most. Some went to the school to work on administrative needs. Some stayed behind and work with the special needs children. Others returned back to the farm to collect eggs and catch chickens. There is always work to be done, and someone mentioned something about idle hands -- there is no time to be idle when meeting the needs of so many on a daily basis. We went on a tour of Emmanuel. When the founders first bought the land, they thought they were buying a small parcel and a few houses that were standing. They learned upon signing the contract, they had actually purchased 1,100 acres of land. What a blessing! There are now seven housing units for children, a toddler house; young, middle, and older girls dorms; and young, middle, and older boys dorms. The toddler house alone has 47 children under the age of four. Each area has a kitchen, where older youth prepare meals daily over an open fire pit. Other structures include a dental clinic for the dentist who comes each February, a bakery, a wood shop, a craft house, and the farm buildings. The goal is not just for survival, but to raise these children with a firm foundation in God's love, and hopefully some technical skills that they can take with them into the world when they leave this land. The land is beautiful, surrounded by mountains. God's presence is truly felt from the moment you step on to the property and through each smile from a child and in the loving embraces we are met with daily. Last night, we met with Katcha (spelling?) and Max, a married couple who have dedicated their lives to working here at Emmanuel. Katcha is Dutch and came here early on as a volunteer before she found her faith. She committed herself to the Lord on these grounds. Likewise, her husband Max, a Honduran native who traveled all over Europe before returning to Honduras, also found his faith here at Emmanuel.. They shared their story and said that one reason they love to bring the teams in is to spread the word of what happens here. They have both committed their lives on faith to do God's work, but they are unable to travel beyond these grounds to share the love of God. By bringing teams in, they are able to give a bit of themselves to the world beyond. What a testimony to living in faith and following where God calls! It is still early in the week, and I am sure there is more amazing stories to hear, and ways our lives will be touched. But for the time being, it is time to get to work. God bless, Linsey and Team Honduras