Living the life

I think we have all settled into our new routine here in Honduras. The past few days have been so much fun! It's been so great to see the kids again and build relationships with the ones who have started coming since I was here last year. Having them bond with me already after only meeting them three days ago is so encouraging! The kids come from such rough homes, so it's great to see the progress they're making here, learning how to love and be a kid!

We have thoroughly enjoyed jumping right back into their routine with them and my favorite part of the day is when they all start arriving! You never know who will walk through the door next, ready for you with a huge smile and a big hug! 

Here are a couple pictures from Monday, our first day in Honduras, when we rode the new covered pickup truck for 2+ hours to Santa Barbara.

Bekka, Katie, Me, & Shelby

Lanae, Brittany, Chelsea, & Kristin

It started to pour while we rode to Santa Barbara in the truck

Letter from Judith waiting on my bed when I arrived :)

Our life here in Santa Barbara is pretty chill. We wake up for breakfast at 7:30, then do devotionals with the staff at 8:00, which is one of my favorite things. After that we pretty much have free time until the kids start arriving around 11:30-12:00. During our free time I usually meet with my devo partner(s) for the day and we talk and pray for each other. It is a neat way to get to know one another one-on-one (or sometimes in 3s) and find our focus for the day. After that we nap, blog, prep for our lessons, hang out, make bracelets with Judith, play with any kids who show up early, or do anything else to get ready for the day. It's nice and relaxing. 

All the kids arrive by 12:00 and get ready for lunch by setting up tables and chairs and washing their hands. 

Mirian washing her hands

Brayan - we called him the miracle child because he likes broccoli

 After lunch is chores, which they take very seriously.

Ana Gabriela sweeping in the front courtyard

Carlos cleaning a table

Then hygiene time, during which they take turns brushing their teeth, flossing, and combing their hair. Then they get a multivitamin and some lotion. The little boys are so cute when they come out of the room holding a little handful of "crema" and smile as they put it all over their arms and neck like they're so cool. Who knew lotion could make kids so happy?

Felipe (left) brushing his teeth, Erick (center) flossing

 While some are doing hygiene, the rest are playing games and hanging out with us waiting for their turn.

Lester is a great artist!

 After hygiene is worship time where the kids love to sing "Si tuvieras fe." :)
It's a song about how God says if you have faith like a mustard seed, you can tell a mountain to move and it will move. It's a loud, fast, fun song with motions and they absolutely LOVE it! It's one of our favorite things to do all day!

Then we split the kids into older and younger groups for Bible time and ESL classes and then do tutoring and homework help. The kids leave at 4:00 and that's usually when most of us take showers to cool off and get ready to leave for dinner at 5:00. We've gone into town almost every night this week for dinner and afterwards we get ice cream! Then back at the orphanage we hangout and talk and play cards until we all get tired around 11:00.

Last night we got to experience our first power outage due to a storm, but it only lasted about two minutes, which was convenient because we were playing an intense game of Tick. The rain was so loud on the metal roof that we could barely hear each other, but it was a nice sound to fall asleep to. :)

That's about it as far as day-to-day living goes. Life in Santa Barbara is the best.

¡Hasta luego!
 Cassidy