Finding Purpose in Honduras | Part 2

After three days spent in the village of San Ramon, we packed up and left on Wednesday afternoon.

Back on the bus, the trip down the mountain and back to the compound took about five hours due to construction on the roads. Once again, the ride was long, hot, and bumpy. The promise of a cool, refreshing shower when we returned to the compound kept us in good spirits as we endured the ride. The only “shower” in the village came from dumping cold water over your head...so we all were missing the mission compound by this point. 

The next day, we loaded up the bus again.

We had reached Thursday of our trip and headed for a nearby orphanage. When we arrived, the experience was nothing like any of us expected. First of all, it was a totally different place than we were supposed to be going. The team members who were on the trip last year had visited an orphanage on their trip, and we were told that we would be going to that same place again.

However, for reasons still unknown to me, we arrived at a place that none of the team members had been before.  The next surprise came when we were told that the orphanage was for children with HIV.

Loading up the bus

Before we entered the building, the woman who oversees the orphanage spoke to us.

We learned that the orphanage houses 30 children who range in ages from 2 to 24 years old. While some of the children’s parents had passed away, many of them abandoned their children when they learned they had HIV. Left on their own, the children had found refuge in this privately funded institution.

The woman went on to explain that the government will not help these children and refuses to provide any funds or care. In addition, society does not treat them kindly and, those who are old enough, have a very difficult time finding employment.  So, she and the other employees have taught the children various carpentry and wood-working skills. The children make wooden plaques, other crafts, and even furniture in order to raise money for their own food and basic needs. 

I began to feel a connection with the children.

I think it began as the woman went on to explain how most of them feel like they have no purpose. Many people in society treat them as if they are “damaged goods” because of their illness. This feeling of worthlessness is not helped by the fact that many of them were abandoned by their families.

While I did not suffer this much by any means, I also felt a lack of purpose when I lost my sight. It was hard for me not to abide by the limitations that society put upon me.

However, I have attempted to find my purpose through growing my faith, developing new skills, and trying new things.

Upon entering the orphanage, the children took turns introducing themselves.

It was then that I lost my heart to a little girl named Alexandra. At only four years old, Alexandra is completely blind and has been this way all of her life. As soon as I began to speak to her, she latched on to me and fell into my open arms.

The idea that meeting this little girl was not an accident was not lost on me.

As I sat there with her, I began to think about all the hardships that I face every day due to my blindness. But then I began to think of this little girl who will also have to face the same hardships - in a third world country while dealing with HIV and with no family to support her.

I was overcome with a feeling of thankfulness for all of my blessings and also with a sense of purpose. Throughout the trip, there were a lot of things that I couldn’t help with simply because they were visual tasks. I felt a little useless at times. However, when I met little Alexandra, I realized that my blindness, despite its hardships, has given me a lifelong purpose to help those in need, share my faith, and inspire others to overcome their obstacles. And that’s just what I plan to do!

Sara Claudia holding child

The week I spent in Honduras left a lasting impact on my life.

I experienced worship services in Spanish, got to taste traditional Honduran cuisine, and “mountain goat-ed it” (Wes coined this term) up the side of a mountain. From sharing my story, to being completely overcome by the kindness of the people I met, it was truly a trip I will never forget.

Over the last four years, I have prayed relentlessly for God to reveal His purpose to me.

Little by little, He has.

And I got to see a little more of the picture through this trip. Not only did I get to take part in blessing others, but I was blessed as well through my grand adventure in Honduras.