As I mentioned in a previous post, my friend Brenda is a mother of 3 beautiful children and has been using her talents in sewing and designing bags for me to bring home to friends and family in the States. I am hoping to continue to purchase bags from Brenda, but it's difficult as I am not living in Honduras anymore (I returned on May 16th). I had to purchase the fabric, buttons, thread, etc. in the city and bring it to Brenda, and then pay her when she finished. As Rio Viejo doesn't have mail service, it's a bit complicated to get the bags to the States, but I'm hoping to work with the missionaries who still live there and see what we can do. It's hard to leave Brenda and her situation and want to help, but being so far away.
Here one of the twins is taking a nap while her sister mischievously swings the hammock.Brenda also makes and sells food during the breaks at the high school to help support her family.
Brenda, like many Honduran women, works very hard, long hours to care for and support her family. Her husband works in the city when he can find work, so Brenda has been able to save the money she's made from these bags to pay for the bus fare to visit her mother over Mother's Day. Brenda took all three kids and spent 5 days with her mother, who she hasn't seen since she was 1 year old. I asked her what it was like when they first saw each other and she said there were "lots of hugs and kisses, but no crying. We were just so happy to see each other." She also added that Minor was a bit apprehensive when his grandmother hugged him, but the twins were both very scared! Brenda is hoping that her children can be closer to their grandma now and that their relationship will grow stronger.
Brenda and her husband, Alfredo, have also been saving their money to build a kitchen on their house. She has already bought some of the bricks and said Alfredo knows how to do construction. He will build it after they purchase the remaining 100 bricks, cement, and iron rods.
Brenda is enthusiastic to have an enclosed kitchen where her chickens won't fly up on the pots and where the dishes can be kept clean after they are washed. Also, she's anxious to put a new doorway to the house as the 3 steps leaving the house are steep and dangerous. She is scared and nervous after one of her little girls was unconscious after hitting her head from a falling down the steps. Life in Honduras and all who live in poverty is full of unfulfilled promises, hurt, surprises, and a lack of options. I hope God will continue to lay on my heart people like Brenda and her family, the awareness of their situations, and what I can do about it.
Saying goodbye to Brenda was probably the hardest goodbye for me, and I'll miss her energetic smile and fun personality. She is so joyful and a wonderful mother. When I was saying goodbye, Minor shared a chip with me from the small bag which was probably his lunch. So generous, yet they have so little. With tears in her eyes, she thanked me over and over and told me she's excited for when I can come back to visit as we will have a big meal of fish that Alfredo will catch from the river, with tortillas, beans and fried bananas...A true example of hospitality and selflessness. As I said to her, it's not "adios", it's "hasta luego!"
No comments:
Post a Comment