Susan O'Donnell
Ministries
Mission Statement
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Honduras Journal
 
August 4, 2001: THE FINAL DAY
I can hardly believe the time has flown by so
quickly! It feels as though I've only just arrived at the Mercy Ship here in
Honduras and now it's time to come home. While I'm looking forward to being home
with you again, I'm leaving a part of my heart here in Honduras and on the Mercy
Ships.
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"So I asked the Captain if I
could drive the ship and he just laughed ..."
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"I gotta get me a banana hat like
this!"
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First of all, let me say that I have finally
found the job I want on board the Mercy Ship. It's driving the boat. Captain Jon
does a great job, but as you can see, I'm very nautical...or is that not-ickle?
Well, it was worth a try!
In this final installment I'm thinking of it
like the finale to a good fireworks show, where they send you a barrage of
fireworks at once. I'm sending you a barrage of images of the time I've spent on
the ship.
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Before - Melvin suffered and was
ridiculed.
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After - Melvin can look the world
straight in the eye and smile.
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While on board here, I've seen Mercy Ships make
miracles in the lives of the Honduran people... correcting their crossed
eyes...restoring their sight...giving them the gift of God's Word...and leading
them to new life in Christ.
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The children of the dump must compete
with one another, adults, pigs, dogs, even the vultures for what
little they can scavenge.
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Jesus loves the little children, all
the children of the world.
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Children climb a mountain of trash
searching for a way of life.
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Medical teams go to remote villages
where regular health care is virtually nonexistent.
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I've seen the devastating conditions that many
of the poorest people live in each day. My heart has been broken by the children
at the dump...watching them as they fight through mounds of garbage and trash,
fighting off dogs, pigs and vultures to scavenge what little they can.
Four-year-old Lito had no playground to play in...only the mud and stench of the
dump. Mercy Ships doctors and nurses are trying to help the children with health
care, but it is a daunting task.
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No time for play. Little boys do a
man's work carrying water for their whole family.
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Fresh water is life here.
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The children of Honduras work hard. Here, little
boys don't play ball, they roll a 40-pound barrel of water uphill each day to be
able to provide water for their family. Mercy Ships crews are drilling new water
wells that can bring fresh clean drinking water right to their homes. Clean
drinking water here is life.
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Thanks to Mercy Ships there is clean,
fresh water in her village.
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"I know the plans I have for
you," says the Lord, " ... plans to give you a hope and a
future."
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How do I say goodbye to this place, to this
people!? I've experienced so much with them through the Mercy Ships. I will
never forget Antonia. Our visit to her little mud hut on the top of that
mountain. Jesus and his son, or little Adan and his precious, precious smile in
the face of such poverty! I will carry with me the image of the children at the
dump and their sad little eyes.
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Miles and Miles of people come from
miles and miles around for help from Mercy Ships.
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On the Mercy Ship, every patient gets
care and prayer.
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But, I will close my eyes and see the sunset on
the water and the thick, beautiful green mountains. I will close my eyes and
pray for these precious people and for their future. I will pray that Mercy
Ships will continue to bring them the love of Christ.
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The Gift of Sight, the Gift of God's
Word brings a smile.
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The children of Honduras need Mercy
Ships and you.
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I made one last visit to Adan's house this
evening. I couldn't leave Honduras without saying goodbye. His eye is healing
quickly and he is so excited to be able to see without his glasses! He told me
that he had prayed for God's will in his life and that he was grateful that it
was in God's will that Mercy Ships would give him back his sight......what could
I say but, "Dios escucha"...God Listens!
Remember YOU are Loved!
Cuidate!
Susan O'Donnell
KSBJ-one last time from Honduras
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