St. Michael the Archangel Honduras Mission Project

What a week! It feels like I blinked, and here we are already going home. As I told the niñas last night at the hogar, this experience easily exceeded any and all expectations I had going into the trip to Honduras. So excited to share with you all a piece of it!

We are currently in route back home to KS. It appears we are still on Honduran time (where nothing occurs on time) as our flights from Houston to KC were canceled. Guess the Lord is giving us more time to reflect on our time with the girls, elderly, sisters, and each other as it truly was an unforgettable encounter.

Yesterday mirrored the flow of the week as it was another beautifully, busy day. We got to start the morning with a heart-warming mass with the elderly and Sors at the Hogar de Ancianos. Look below for a video of Crescencio killing it on the tambourine during mass with his sunglasses on of course. We then walked to a cafe shop ran by a graduate of the Hogar de Niñas, Sonia. How beautiful is it for the girls at the Hogar to have such a strong and successful leader in their community to look up too! After some always-much-needed coffee (Mike can attest to this statement), we went back to the Hogar de Ancianos for a concert from the Sors and Jóvenes. Two concerts in two days? I swear they were spoiling us with a little taste of heaven!

We then spent the remainder of the afternoon and evening at the Hogar de Niñas. We were tie-dying headbands, handing out gifts to the girls, playing at the park, eating ice cream, praying the rosary, playing more and more card game, eating Chinese food, and ending the night with a talent show from the girls! A great day to say the least. 

I’m finding myself stuck in amazement at how strong the relationships were developed between the team and the girls, elderly, and sisters in such a short amount of time. This made saying goodbye so hard. So hard. I feel an important aspect in constructing such genuine and strong relationships with everyone in each home starts from such a simple ideal: being present. This is what our mission to Honduras is all about, forming and building relationships. Rather than spending the days fixing up areas around the homes, we are walking hand and hand with everyone (or sitting side by side if we are with the elderly). We are simply basking in one another’s presence. You can see this from just all that we did with them yesterday. This form of construction with the human person constitutes a gracious amount of love, reminding us that at the end of the day this is truly all we need. One another and love. Wherever these two things lie also lies the presence our Lord as He is love.

Our mission to Honduras exemplifies the importance of loving each other as God loves us as we see firsthand the fruit this principle bears with the girls, elderly, and the sisters. I am so thankful for the door to this community that has been opened to me, as it in return opened new doors within my own life. I can’t put into words the emotions that can overcome one during a week spent at the Hogar de Niñas and Hogar de Ancianos. The love and faith you leave with after this trip is something that I know I’ll be carrying with me for the rest of my life. And has left me yearning to come back to Santa Rosa for more! Everyone that has been on one of these missions would equally praise the internal gifts and graces one receives.

Thank you to all those that aided this mission in a variety of different ways. From the all the planning to plentiful donations to the countless volunteers, none of the work that is put into this mission goes unnoticed or unappreciated. The nuns, girls and elderly in Santa Rosa are eternally grateful for our help and presence within their communities. 

A final praise to the other four people on the team. Mike, Jenny, Emily, Dad (John), it was such an honor to undergo this journey with you all. It was not always easy, but I am grateful for every single moment that we shared together and with those at the Hogars. Same time next year? 🙂 
Praise be to our good and gracious God!

Con Amor,
Michaela