I went to dear, ol’ Texas for the Navidad, and I’m really glad that I was able to. I so enjoyed getting to spend time with my family and friends there. (I miss y’all!)

Last Christmas it was my first time to go home since moving to Honduras, and it was hard. I had adjusted really well to my new life in Honduras and then it was time to go back, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. When I got to the airport in Houston, I cried. And I felt like it took me a while to adjust and be happy about being home. When it was time to go, I was ready to get back here. Thankfully, this year was different. It was my third visit home, and apparently it’s like they say: the third time’s the charm 😉 I was happy to go home for Christmas and I enjoyed my time there. And when it was time to leave, I was sad. I couldn’t believe the time had gone by so quickly! And I think that that’s how it should be. I think I should feel sad to leave a place if I’ve enjoyed my time there. So I’m grateful. Wherever I am, I want to be all there and I want to be joyful.

On this lovely Saturday, I’m chilling in the city house. Saturdays are so nice. It’s the only day we don’t have any commitments…usually. I slept until 9:15 or so, watched a silly movie with Tiff & Amanda, ate a donut, played my uke while Michele played her guitar, drank coffee that our landlord brought by, and now I’m bloggin’ it up.

Now, let me tell you about the happenings here. We had two sets of mentor parents move back to the States over Christmas break, so we’re short a few people and it has led to some changes. My roommates and I are now helping with homework time after school and mentor time a couple of evenings a week. We’re still in the city on the weekends and on Mondays, but we’re staying at the Ranch Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. This past week was our second full week with our new schedule. It was weird being at the Ranch for so long, but I think that I’m really going to enjoy getting to spend time with the kids outside of school. I feel more like a missionary. It was nice to be able to help my students with their homework, and our mentor time with five 6-7 year old boys was CRAZY and so much fun! I’m excited to see how God uses this time to grow our relationships with them.

Let me share a story (: One of the little boys who is in my second grade class is in the family we’re helping with homework. I get to be at his house twice a week for homework time. He came to class a couple weeks ago wanting me to play “Speak Life” by Tobymac.  This week when bringing his little brother home after our “mentor time” with him, my roommate and I hung out at their house for a while and this little guy asked me what the name of his favorite song was so he could tell one of the other boys. I asked why he liked it so much–was it the words, the sound..? And he said he didn’t know because he wasn’t even sure what all of the words were saying. So this week after he got finished with his homework, we wrote down the lyrics. I took a screenshot on my iPad and we wrote half one day and the other half the next. It was so good, y’all. I don’t know if it sounds like that great of a thing, but it makes my heart so happy. He wanted me to write the song down because he likes my handwriting (even though his is super good). At first I didn’t want to because I wanted him to be involved in it too, but then he said he’d read it to me so I could write it. The teacher in me saw all of the wonderful opportunities in that suggestion! What an excellent way to practice his English pronunciation, gain confidence, and share a little bonding time.

I’m very hopeful for other sweet moments like these, among the crazy ones that I know will come as well. These kids are so special. I worry sometimes because they don’t have the kind of family that God intends for kids to have. I don’t want them to have hard hearts. I don’t want them to be angry at God for what they’ve had to go through. I don’t want them to be cynical. I don’t want them to leave the Ranch without experiencing God’s love for them. I know that they’ve learned a lot about the Bible and that’s good. But it doesn’t matter if they never experience God for themselves. Head knowledge is good, but it’s not enough.

Please pray for these kids. And pray for the counselors, teachers, mentor parents, Sunday-school teachers, and all of the others involved in their lives. Sometimes I forget about their souls and I’m not thinking about the spiritual realities. These little (and big) guys have a lot against them, but they have a lot for them as well. Pray for breakthrough and healing and true relationship with the God who loves them and knows them completely. Pray that the people influencing them would join with Jesus and his plans for them. Pray that we wouldn’t forget what’s truly important.

Thank you for reading & caring & supporting.

Much love,

Lindsey