Day 7 in Honduras: Casa De Esperanza

The Casa De Esperanza (House of Hope) is a home in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, that rescues children from abandonment, abuse, prostitution, and neglect. Brought out of hopeless situations, these children are welcomed into a beautiful home where they are told every day how much they are valued and loved. They are taught that they are precious in God's sight, but it is even more amazing how they are shown it.

Today, I got to be a small part of that showing of love and value. Our team spent the morning at the casa with the single purpose of playing and laughing with the kids there. Here are a few of the precious children whom I want you to meet and pray for.

First, allow me to introduce you to Cindy. She is a bright, cheerful, bubbly little girl who will grab your hand and not let you go. She will pull you around with her wherever she goes, showing you everything that she knows how to do. She loves to sing, color, and cook. And I also think that she really liked those sunglasses.

Many of the girls on our team wanted to braid the hair of all the little girls at the casa; however, Cindy didn't want me to do her hair. No, she wanted to fix mine. She pulled the clip out of her own hair and happily twisted mine into a cute little up-do, which she proudly photographed for me to remember forever.

Now meet Katy. Katy is another sparkling personality with a bright smile and glistening eyes. Full of energy and laughter, she bounced on the trampoline and played with this gigantic balloon until we were all exhausted. 

Below is my friend, Cici. Now Cici loved my camera and took a picture of just about every person, plant, and object at the casa. I followed her around the yard, watching her enjoy her new hobby. I know the future for her is bright thanks to the work that Casa is doing to raise her in the love of Jesus.

All the children at Casa De Esperanza are full of youthful life and energy. It was hard to imagine the situations these children came from, but you would never have known the pain of their past because of the smiles on their faces. They have been rescued and freed. They now thrive in the environment that every child needs - a home full of genuine love and compassionate care. Because of the meaningful and powerful work of the casa, these children now know their worth. They have a hope and a future, and you can see it in their eyes. You can hear it in their laughter and feel it in their tight hugs.

Although we were once orphaned, God our Father adopted us into His home, wrapped us in His arms, and taught us of our value in Him. Now we know His love and care for us, and we can live in freedom as we grow closer to Him.

This beautiful Biblical truth is what Casa De Esperanza is teaching and showing these precious children. I pray that their adoption into Casa De Esperanza will lead them to adoption into God's real family. I pray that each child will choose to give his or her heart to Jesus so that they can truly experience how wonderful it is to have God as a Father.