Pride

I was just at a Forum for Injustice in Tegucigalpa Honduras. Pastor Jeony and I were invited by one of the directors of the forum. They had also asked if we could bring a couple students from AFE to share their testimony. We chose Antonio and Rene. They were nervous about having to tell their story before a huge crowd. Rene’s hand was ice cold from his nerves. Yet they boldly stood up before 100 leaders in Honduras, and shared what God had done in their lives. They shared about their past in the garbage dump, their present at AFE, and their future dreams. When they were finished, the audience responded with a thunderous applause. I was in tears.

Antonio and Rene did not share any new information with me that night. I was in tears because I was seeing a dream come true. I was experiencing the hand of God. I was witnessing a miracle. Our mission is to see lives and structure transformed. Both of these young men are transformed. I know they are only the beginning. There are another 170 students who are in the process of transformation and will one day be walking testimony of God’s love. There are another couple hundred still in the garbage dump but I know they are still in God’s plan. I was so moved because these two young men were shining God’s light that evening. I could imagine the pride God felt, in hearing his two children say such wonderful things about their heavenly father. I could imagine the pride Jeony felt, in that he was the first to respond the heavenly Father years ago to help his children in the garbage dump. I felt overwhelming pride, in working next to God and this amazing team, being part of this unstoppable movement. I know that by ourselves, there is so little that can be done against injustice, poverty, and evil. But for the last year I have been part of this team working in Honduras, whose members are in Washington Cathedral, Amor y Vida, Orpan Outreach, StreetKidsDirect, Bethel Church, and so many other places, and I have seen firsthand transformation. I have tangible, empirical proof that God wants to and is going to transform this entire community. And at the end of the day, God will be glorified.

Future Computer Technicians

Today I was typing into an Excel file in AFE´s office when I was surrounded by eager learners. “Did you type in all of that information?”
“How do you do it so fast?
“Can you even type with your eyes closed?”
“Yes”, I replied, “And you will learn how to do it too!”

Thanks to generous donors from Washington Cathedral AFE now has eleven computers in its upstairs room. The children are taking typing classes. Soon they will learn how to use the programs in Microsoft office, and then the internet!

For children whose world does not expand much further than their neighborhood, this is a great opportunity for them, and they are excited!

Little Ivan was amazed as he was given the opportunity to type out his name on the keyboard and see it appear on the screen. “Would you like to learn computer skills?” I asked him. He nodded his head fervently. Someday I believe he will work in an office instead of in a garbage dump.