Honduras 2011//Friday – Katie Hawkins

Friday morning was fairly cool so a couple that was there took all the kids to the river. They were given specific instructions to only wade in the water. Don’t swim. because it was contaminated (the kids used to wash clothes at the river before they had water at the orphanage. Then the water was tested and so they stopped going. They also got sick less frequently once they had their own water.)

So of course it was a long trek. The kids had to stop a couple times to let the Americans catch up. It had been raining so it was really muddy. I was wearing my chacos but I felt like I was wearing platform shoes because the mud was caked on so much. I had to stop a couple times and rake it off with a stick because they got so heavy.

We finally made it to the river.

Overlooking the River (left) Making it to the River (right)

Of course I almost fell in. With my camera. So I left it behind for a while and just waded in the water with the kids.

Side note: After wading in the water, most of my toenail polish came off. Ocean water doesn’t even take it off that fast. We found out the next day that sewage is dumped into the river. So I waded in water with sewage AND chemicals. I can check that off my bucket list.

Oh and of course a few of the kids “fell” in the water. They all tried to catch fish though.

with their hands

Then they’d find random bottles to put them in.

Luis showing me the fish he caught.

We finally headed back and the kids took us another route. One that involved roads instead of passing through mud and fences and people’s back yards. AKA they took us back a MUCH easier way. Longer, but easier.

Unfortunately, Maycol wanted to hold my hand the whole way. That’s not the unfortunate part. The unfortunate part is that he is a speed walker. I felt like I almost got a stitch in my side. But it was his birthday so how could I tell him no. He turned 12. We made him a card and a couple of the other Americans made him a birthday crown.

Birthday Boy Maycol and His Brother Junior

The lesson for Friday was Heroes make hard choices. We looked at Rahab and the hard choice she had to make. Our craft was duct tape pencil pouches…to remind to make the hard choice. They could decorate them and write ideas on them.