Honduras update #2

Hello again. We don’t really know much more than you about the political situation. The newspaper here only reports congressional mandates like curfew of 6pm tonight. The rest of our news comes from CNN and a few other missionaries. It appears that the conflict is escalating. We are praying that the embassy won’t call us out. We are safe here. The action is at the capital and in San Pedro. We aren’t even sure what a safe route would be out. It’s hard to comprehend because from here the only obvious things are the ocean, the kids, and the heat. We did register with the embassy here so they know we are here. Keep praying for this country—from where we stand and what we have learned about the former president it’s hard to understand why the world seems to be supporting a man who was trying to gain more dictator-like power. We know know it’s in the name of democracy but the Hondurans swear heads will roll if the President is reinstated. We feel inner peace and blessing that we get to be here.

So in this orphanage are 14 orphans. They are all four or younger. They are considered unadoptable by the Honduran government. Except for one baby, all the kids are healthy, happy, and normal. The government took them away from their parent(s) due to abuse or mental illness. The courts have ruled the parents unfit but give the parents the right to chose adoption or visitation. If they choose visitation, their children cannot be adopted ever, even if the parent(s) never show up to visitations. These children are destined to be in an orphanage for their entire life because their parent(s) won’t sign them over to be adopted. These kids are not real orphans. The couple that started this orphanage took them in, fully intending to raise them to adulthood. These children are their family—forever.

Mama and Papa Jones have three biological kids: a 25-year-old daughter who is married and lives here with her husband helping to develop a team of support, a 19-year-old son who is here helping for the summer, and a 9-year-old girl (Joy) whom Hadley loves and Kassy wishes would go away. The family has been in Honduras for more than five years, doing a variety of ministries. Now, the orphanage is run through two rented beach homes.

Think of a nice, large 3-bedroom apartment in the States. Three bedrooms, a big room the encompasses a kitchen, a dining area and a living room and one bathroom. The living part is on the second floor. The first floor is open to receive breezes. It’s a giant open room with tables for eating, cement for bike riding and plenty of shade. Both homes are more or less the simlar. The orphans and mama and papa live in one. The two older adult children and volunteers live in the other. So yes, all the kids and mama and papa live together in a small 1200 sq ft space with one bathroom.

Right now, Tom and Chris are building a small house (think shed) in the open first floor where mama and papa stay. A single mother and her four children will live there. That brings the number of kids to 18.

Both homes are protected with locked gates and a fierce group of dogs. These four dogs are gentle and kind to the kids, allowing them to pull, tug, climb and sleep on them. But if a stranger approaches, they are vicious until Papa calls them off.

I have so much to write, to tell. I hope you want to read because I am anxious to record. Keep praying. Until next time….