Sunday, April 6

Our first morning at el Hogar opened with some quiet leisure over coffee--a well-earned moment of centering ourselves after a full day of travel.  We organized  for church, and stuffed the boys into the rumble seat of the van, where they seemed delighted to be picking out cars "Americano" on the road. And cars were not the only influence Americano that has made it to Honduras--any flavor of fast food has made its presence known, golden arches and all!

Though the service was in a language foreign to some of us, we did not feel removed--the ritual and rhythm of the Espiscopal service brings us comfort and familiarity. The "Paz" in particular was defining, as we were embraced by the warmth and welcome of the Hondurans. We are struck not only by the sense of the supreme, but a connection to the overall global humanity to which we all belong.

Lunch at the food court was clearly a special treat for all.  Not only did the Wendy`s hamburgers and fries go down smoothly with quiet concentration as every morsel was savored, but the bouncy slide after made it feel like an EnKa fair moment for these little ones!

At 3:00 we made our way into the mountains to the casa of the older girls, bearing provisions for another meal "Americano"--burgers, fries, and coca-cola to wash it all down.  After a "photo shoot" and tour, we all got down to business of cooking. The girls instructed us as to just the right level of pinkness for their preferred level of doneness, and nothing less would do!  With the light fading in a spectacular sunset over the mountains, the dining room became a stage for singing and dancing by a troupe of beautiful lively girls. How lucky we were to be in their presence, and to see such unbridled joy from these young hearts!

All too soon it was time to say goodbye. There were tears in our eyes, as we were all overwhelmed by the wonder of falling in love in the space of two short hours with the girls.  As we traversed the long, steep and winding trail back to El Hogar, the silence that had descended upon all of us was a clear indication that we were all savoring our own sense of "paz" and wonderment not only of a day well-lived, but of all that would unfold for us in the week ahead.

Susan Haskell