8/20/2019 NOVEMBER 2015 Stolen Lives and Stolen Dreams
Publication
1/2
World Resources Group 509 Flamingo Drive West Palm Beach FL
33401
Nelle Pettit Smith Phone: 561-758-2198
Email: [email protected]
HONDURAS UPDATE
November 2 15
STOLEN LIVES and STOLEN DREAMS
Sometimes we are teachers, sometimes we are
coaches,sometimes we are counselors, and because so few have carsin
the remote areas where we are, sometimes we are taxidrivers, or
even an ambulance service. You may rememberthe time we transported
a young girl of 17, named Sarahi, to
the hospital after she tried to commit suicide.By the time we
arrived at the hospital her breathing was
impaired, she was barely conscious andturning blue. Death
appeared imminent,and according to the doctors, all wecould do was
watch her die. Accordingto our faith that Jesus still heals
today,we prayed and Sarahi lived. Her story isone of the most
dramatic we have seenin all of our years working in
Honduras.Suicide is not uncommon where we are, but it is
especially hard to take when it isa child.
Sadly, on my last trip, I arrived tolearn that a beautiful young
girl didsucceed in killing herself. She was a partof our group but
stopped coming to thecenter this year. This picture was takentwo
days before she swallowed a bottleof pills. Death came slowly, as
herorgans shut down one by one.
The next day we arrived in Linaca asour center teacher Maria was
engaged ina discussion with our teens. They weregrieving over what
happened to theirclassmate and friend. Scanning thegroup, I noticed
a new girl listeningintently. She looked like a little round-faced
angel, young and innocent. It turns out she was thesame age as the
girl who killed herself, 13. They werefriends.
A few minutes later our staff called us aside and askedif we
could take this new girl (I will call her Maya for the purpose
of this newsletter) home immediately. It turned outthat as Maya sat
listening to a discussion on depression and
suicide, her own father lay dying from ingesting a
lethalinsecticide. On what seemed like a very long 3-minute rideto
her home, Chelsey and I attempted to engage Maya in getto know
you talk, realizing that as soon as she stepped out ofour car
her world would implode.
Smiling and thanking us for the ride, Maya turned toface her
mother, who immediately burst into tears. Pulling
Maya’s face to her chest, her mother
choked out three words between sobs,“He took poison.” Helpless
to do
anything but pray under our breath, wewatched Maya’s angelic
face contort in
abject horror and pain as she collapsed.Chelsey and I offered to
take the
family to the hospital. The last time I had been in that
hospital was with Sarahiyears before. It was fairly new then,
butthe locals called it a Piñata - meaning
whatever was there would soon be gone.The place has lived up to
its name. Wearrived to see an ambulance up on blocks, no
wheels in sight, no oneworking on it - a metaphor of Hondurasto me.
Inside people with open woundsdripped blood, there were no gowns,
nosheets on the beds or gurneys, no food,and often no medicine from
what I hear.
Maya arrived just in time to see herfather, gray-faced and
drooling. Glassyeyes rolled back in his head as his limp body
hung halfway off the gurney.Throwing herself across him, Mayacried
out in the voice of daddy’s little
girl, begging him not to leave her. A few minutes later hewas
gone. Two needless deaths in the space of less than aweek from
suicide and two heartbroken families.
Each time I go to Honduras, I am greeted with multiplehorror
stories that our kids have observed or experienced.These stories
range from brutal rape, to assault, toabandonment, to witnessing
ruthless murders.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
8/20/2019 NOVEMBER 2015 Stolen Lives and Stolen Dreams
Publication
2/2
World Resources Group 509 Flamingo Drive West Palm Beach FL
33401
Nelle Pettit Smith Phone: 561-758-2198
Email: [email protected]
Of course, this is not the first time we have told you ofsuch
atrocities. But the facts are, the trauma is wide-spreadand it is
getting worse. Trauma in children stunts theiremotional development
and isassociated with brain damage.Combine trauma, with the stress
ofliving in such a harsh and unsafeenvironment, on top of
malnutrition,and you have yet another a recipe fordisaster for a
whole generation ofchildren.
Yes, ignorance will destroy a people and that is why we
chooseeducation as our emphasis to bringchildren into our circle of
influence, but beyond this, these children needemotional
healing to be productiveadults in their society.
Chelsey is doing a marvelous jobwith the young women out of
High
School, all with hopes of college.Four of these young women live
withher in our girls’ house. Many others
come in for the weekend, specialactivities, teaching, healing
prayer,and just to be. These young leadersare learning critically
importanttruths to help them heal themselves and reach out to
others, just like Maya, who will be lost without their
help.
As a malnourished child cannot function in school,emotionally
wounded people cannot function in life.Without healing it is
impossible for them to uncover theirtrue calling. In addition to
bringing healing and purpose, our
girls are taught life skills – such as cooking,
cleaning, howto manage money, etiquette, and how to become womenwho
are comfortable on any stage in the world.
Plans are underway for a young men’s house next year,offering
them the same opportunities as our girls have.Many of our young
people want to be sent to other regionsin Honduras, and even beyond
its borders, to help others asthey have been helped. They hope to
create a network of powerful leaders that can effect change.
With God’s help,our goal for 2016 is to see as many as possible
healed upand trained to pass on all that they have learned.
Recently I was with Nidia eating lunch when the young
boy pictured above came up to us selling strawberries.
Hewas clean and polite. Asking him if he was in school, helowered
his eyes shook his head no. I could see it painedhim greatly.
The reason he was not in school this year is because hismother
could not buy his school supplies. He had theuniform, the most
expensive thing needed. But his mothercould not afford the pens,
notebooks, etc. that amount to afew dollars a year. Nidia and I
were devastated to see this
articulate and intelligent boy, who desperately wanted to bein
school, selling strawberries.
Nidia asked him where he went to school before. Shewrote
down his name and wherehe lived. After he left we made a pact
to go hunt him down andask his mother if we can enrollhim in school
when it startsagain in 2016. Nidia is makinggood on the promise. We
arelooking at expanding our workinto this child’s school. The
next
step is to find him beforeJanuary and get him enrolled.
We are ever encounteringchildren that are bright, just likethis
boy, who for the lack of afew dollars of supplies aredenied a
chance at a better life.My dream is that we not only
put him in school, but thatsomeday he will grow up to
be part of our boys’ house.
We so appreciate your partnership with us. Time is ofthe
essence in preventing moredeath and dead dreams.
Prayer and Needs
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater ’s EnactusChapter
started an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for aHydroponic
Farming Initiative. This will create jobs forour youth, train them
in this innovative method of cropraising, and feed the children of
our centers.
The group has only a few more days to reach theirgoal of
$10,000. For more information you can find them
athttp://uwwenactus.com/ or look them up on their
Facebook page
at: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/. There
is a cute video of the kids.
Last year we had a $28,000 grant from RotaryInternational that
provided uniforms and supplies for 1500children to stay in school
in 2015. Unfortunately, we do nothave that same grant for 2016. If
you would care to make
a special donation for supplies, please indicate that on
your check and 100% of your gift will go to the kids.
As school has ended for 2015 and we are wrapping upthe year, we
have grown in size, efficacy, and vision. Weare asking for your
support and your prayers to make ourdreams come to pass for these
kids. Without all of us, theyhave little hope, but with all of us,
these kids have the powerto transform their own lives, their
nation, and many other places in the world. Wishing all our
partners a very HappyThanksgiving! We are thankful to God and each
one of you.
mailto:[email protected]://uwwenactus.com/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hydroponics-4-honduras-lavidaverde#/http://uwwenactus.com/mailto:[email protected]
