Anyways, the thoughts of water on this mission turn me back to a figurative comparison I use from time to time of water and acts of service. While serving in whatever capacity, whether on foreign mission or otherwise, one can sometimes get overwhelmed by the immense need or ill in the world and the seemingly smallness of their impact. Two comments yesterday, the third full day here, also brought this to mind. In our morning prayer/reflection meeting, one of us who was also on foreign mission for the first time made a comment on how the need is so big and although we know we are doing good with what we are doing, it's so small in comparison. There has to be a way to do more. Also, while at the nutrition center tour in Limon, Luis Fernando the administrator that oversees it made a joking reference about needing counseling because of the dauntingness of the work at hand.
I say that service, including that of mission work, is like water. One act of service, just like one drop of water, may seem completely insignificant, but take that act, or drop, and combine it with enough others, and it can become an unstoppable force capable of anything. On this mission trip so far, I have seen so many drops of water. I am amazed at the variety and holistic nature of the good works being done.
In the morning of day three, we toured the nutrition center in Limon, Honduras. This is a community in which this mission has built houses before but isn't our location this time around. Years ago, a neighboring area was devastated by hurricane Mitch. Women and children evacuated, but the men stayed behind to guard their possessions, what little they had. They were wiped out. The men. Suddenly, there were thousand of household without their fathers, without their bread winners. Aid swooped in and built these homes in Limon. But then that was it. It was a great aid, but like all too often, and especially with American aid, it was short-sighted. It wasn't just about the loss of a home. The community was full of households that were not self supporting. Soon after the aid, there was a different set of problems.
Women had to deal with extreme poverty for their households. Many without husbands fell victim to men who preyed on that need and more children were added I already poor homes. Malnutrition became rampant. Households resorted to cheaper ways to fill bellies but not meet the needs of their kids. Sugar water and bread is no substitute for milk and meat. The director of the center said that they were seeing malnutrition cases in both the calories and protein areas.
The nutrition center started with a desire to fix that need but quickly found that you can save a child from malnutrition, but sending them back to their old environment without anything else is... well, a death sentence. So the center does many things now. It not only rescues these children but gets them to a place where they have healthy numbers for three consecutive months then they graduate them to a day care area where the child gets continued support into their teens. They get at least one good meal a day and have access to other resources. On site there is a special needs school, the only one in an urban area of 200,000 people. There are regular classrooms as well including a computer room. They teach the kids English, because translator jobs can be easily had.
They now have a tortilla "factory" on site. It is really a one room building with one machine in it. But what an opportunity it creates. The machine cost $17,000. Before, it would take all day to make 400-500 tortillas. Now, they can make 2,500 an hour. Currently, they make 7,000 a 10,000 a day and serve a niche market of restaurants. It's hard to break into the home market, because there are hundreds of women across the city that make these by hand. People still prefer the handmade ones for home use. This production and it's niche does allow the center to employ some local women.
This place is doing amazing work and is making an impact. Not just feels so small for the Director in light of the need. As I write this entry, I am opening my "mail" from my prayer partners and I read something very appropriate. "Giants - you may look out and see nothing but giants in terms of the endless work that needs to be done. Do not be discouraged. Giants stand for great difficulties and are stalking everywhere. We must overcome them or they will eat us up, as men of old said of the giants in Canaan (Numbers 13:33 "There we saw giants." There are mighty giant killers down here.
God Bless.
Aaron Mason
I say that service, including that of mission work, is like water. One act of service, just like one drop of water, may seem completely insignificant, but take that act, or drop, and combine it with enough others, and it can become an unstoppable force capable of anything. On this mission trip so far, I have seen so many drops of water. I am amazed at the variety and holistic nature of the good works being done.
In the morning of day three, we toured the nutrition center in Limon, Honduras. This is a community in which this mission has built houses before but isn't our location this time around. Years ago, a neighboring area was devastated by hurricane Mitch. Women and children evacuated, but the men stayed behind to guard their possessions, what little they had. They were wiped out. The men. Suddenly, there were thousand of household without their fathers, without their bread winners. Aid swooped in and built these homes in Limon. But then that was it. It was a great aid, but like all too often, and especially with American aid, it was short-sighted. It wasn't just about the loss of a home. The community was full of households that were not self supporting. Soon after the aid, there was a different set of problems.
Women had to deal with extreme poverty for their households. Many without husbands fell victim to men who preyed on that need and more children were added I already poor homes. Malnutrition became rampant. Households resorted to cheaper ways to fill bellies but not meet the needs of their kids. Sugar water and bread is no substitute for milk and meat. The director of the center said that they were seeing malnutrition cases in both the calories and protein areas.
The nutrition center started with a desire to fix that need but quickly found that you can save a child from malnutrition, but sending them back to their old environment without anything else is... well, a death sentence. So the center does many things now. It not only rescues these children but gets them to a place where they have healthy numbers for three consecutive months then they graduate them to a day care area where the child gets continued support into their teens. They get at least one good meal a day and have access to other resources. On site there is a special needs school, the only one in an urban area of 200,000 people. There are regular classrooms as well including a computer room. They teach the kids English, because translator jobs can be easily had.
They now have a tortilla "factory" on site. It is really a one room building with one machine in it. But what an opportunity it creates. The machine cost $17,000. Before, it would take all day to make 400-500 tortillas. Now, they can make 2,500 an hour. Currently, they make 7,000 a 10,000 a day and serve a niche market of restaurants. It's hard to break into the home market, because there are hundreds of women across the city that make these by hand. People still prefer the handmade ones for home use. This production and it's niche does allow the center to employ some local women.
This place is doing amazing work and is making an impact. Not just feels so small for the Director in light of the need. As I write this entry, I am opening my "mail" from my prayer partners and I read something very appropriate. "Giants - you may look out and see nothing but giants in terms of the endless work that needs to be done. Do not be discouraged. Giants stand for great difficulties and are stalking everywhere. We must overcome them or they will eat us up, as men of old said of the giants in Canaan (Numbers 13:33 "There we saw giants." There are mighty giant killers down here.
God Bless.
Aaron Mason
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