Honduras - "Just Because"

One of our friends, Mike Schuermann, planned a mission trip to Honduras for March 2002. I asked, "Could I go?" I learned we would bathe from buckets, there would be no air conditioning, and I would share a bedroom with several women. I prayed, please God, let me survive this week.Once there, I painted walls, and helped the group transform two bare cement buildings into a home for orphaned high school girls. Our group created a bond that won't be broken.

During this trip Mike talked to Sister Teresita. She is known as the Mother Theresa of Honduras for her work with poor children. When Mike came back he was upset. I asked, "What did she want?"

He explained that there was a school in the mountain community of Guyamitas. The government was to provide high protein beans to feed the kids, but the school needed a kitchen to make the meals. Sister Teresita asked if his church could build it. Mike didn't think it was possible but Sister smiled and said, "You'll find a way." I asked, "What would it cost?" That night our host family asked their godson, Perfecto Moya, a contractor, to come and give us a bid. He said it would be $2500 and on the spot I decided Bob and I would build the kitchen in honor of Timmy, my son who died.

Eighteen months later, on our next trip to Honduras, I asked, "What happened to the kitchen?" We learned that the government grant didn't come through and the kitchen was being used for storage. I asked, "What would it cost to feed the kids?" Mike and our host mother, Judith made lists of food and organized a shopping trip to check prices. The next day we bought a propane stove, pots, utensils, plates, cups, tables and chairs for the kitchen. Within 24 hours we had a plan and a budget. I left Judith some money from the golf tournament and within four weeks the kids were getting two meals a week and milk everyday.

Judith is uniquely qualified to help. She is a pediatric nurse at the state hospital in El Progresso. She treats starving children everyday and fights to get them stronger. As Americans we don't understand all the problems of malnutrition, she helps us understand. She is also a lawyer learning how to put together big plans and ideas. At last year's golf tournament she couldn't eat because she was thinking of the children. She says, "They are my life."

Judith gathered basic information and took a blood sample from each child for a hemoglobin test to check the number of red blood cells. This is a standard test for checking malnutrition levels in Honduras. From her findings, eleven children were severely malnourished. I asked, "What would happen to these children without the nutrition program" Judith said, "They would die." Out of 109 children enrolled at the school, only eleven had healthy hemoglobin levels.

With two meals per week, the results were immediate; attendance rates were up. Because the children came to school more often their grades were going up. But on Monday mornings girls came to school and fainted because they hadn't eaten anything all weekend. Judith knew she had to supplement the meal program and began offering cereal on Mondays.

During our trip in October, 2004 we asked, "What would happen to the kids over the three month break starting November first?" A teachers' strike lengthened the school year to mid December. Still, the children would have six weeks off. Judith said "The children are used to better nutrition and will suffer withdrawal." We decided to extend the meal program through the vacation and offer English lessons so the children would come to school. Judith's son and his wife, who translate for us during our visits, were hired to teach the students. The parents were very excited about their children having the opportunity to learn English. Also, we granted three scholarships for children to attend high school.

During our visit in February, 2005 I will get the results of the second blood tests, and final school grades to make a comparison. New first graders and kindergartners will be enrolling and the three scholarship students will start high school. We are taking tennis shoes, socks and underwear for each child. Because most students walk up to an hour over rugged dirt paths to get to school, good shoes are valuable. After walking from one of the homes on these treacherous paths I am amazed that the children come to school.

In the future we hope to serve at least three meals each week, year round. We will continue giving the kids vitamins. At least three more students will be chosen to attend high school. These children need so much that we will never stop thinking of ways to help.

When we feed the children we give them hope, and let them know someone cares. As one girl explains, "You can't study when you are hungry." This has changed me forever, and is the most important thing in my life. In a small way we are changing lives and with your help we can build this.

During our October trip we took candy to the children as a treat. Bob held out his hand to one boy, hoping for a high five or handshake. This starving child immediately attempted to share some of his candy with Bob. Bob says he will never forget this.

Thank you for your questions and interest, I never get tired of talking about them. Our mission is to keep helping these children. But we need your help, there are now one hundred forty children in the school and the price of food has risen fifteen percent since last fall. We thank all of you who are able to support this work, your compassion and generosity will change lives in Honduras.

Just Because We Care,
Diane Wamhoff