A New Assignment

Just as many people who followed Jesus were often surprised and even shocked at what He did next or what he asked them to do, our walk is no different.  He often reminds us that this is not a task to complete but a walk to be taken.  Upon coming to Honduras, we thought we knew the plan: Homeschool our children and serve at Manuelito.  Sounds simple right?  Carrie's role of being mom and teacher for our children, two of whom are now teenagers, is becoming overwhelming.  Homeschooling here has added many new dynamics that we were not expecting.  It is important that, in whatever ministry we are a part of, our family be a good testimony to the people we serve.  We began looking into schooling options, however we found no options for our children here in Talanga.  The nearest bilingual school is in the capital city.  Our field director suggested we should consider changing ministries to El Sembrador, a boarding school and farm for underprivileged boys.  Right now they do not have any missionaries serving there and a very good bilingual school is about 15 minutes away.  We prayed much about it and spend a week there.  We felt torn, however, 1 Timothy 5:8 spoke to us.  "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.  We feel like sometimes when we are faced with hard decisions, God removes the options and this is one of those times and the right thing to do for our family is go to El Sembrador and enroll our children in the bilingual school for next year.  We are excited about the new opportunities, however we will miss the children at Manuelito greatly.  In this we must remember, we agreed to say "yes" and follow, although we don't always understand.  

New Roles

Our new roles here will be a little different.  El Sembrador suffered a huge loss this winter as missionary Kent Harmless passed away.  Kent did many things, including maintaining and repairing their equipment.  I will be working in this area.  In years past, El Sembrador offered vocational training but recently they closed this program.  They are interested in re-instating this program and have asked me to work on a plan in which we can do this without breaking the bank.  Of course, I am thrilled to try to do this!  

Carrie will be working as a support role for the teachers and staff.  She will also be helping the sponsorship program and, of course, being a mother figure for all the boys who live at the school. 

Our children will continue doing what they do best...developing friendships and we will be an example for them to see what a Christian family looks like.  

These are just some of the things that we think we will be doing but as we all know, there may be things that the Lord has in mind that we are not even aware of yet.  There are countless needs and opportunities to be a witness for Christ within the walls of a ministry and countless needs and opportunities outside the wall, on the streets and in the community.  Only God really knows what the full extent of His plans are.

We appreciate you very much!  Please remember that we want to pray with you for your life's journey as well, so please don't hesitate to email us with your prayer needs.

P.S.

Don't worry about Ms. Lillian in a n all-boys school.  She made friends quickly with some of the staff's daughters who speak English and who attend the school that our kids will be attending.  She also found the barn cats and the monkeys...which she has been dreaming about since we first talked about coming to Honduras!

Finding Noe

While visiting Talanga we met a boy from the street. He looked to be maybe 9 or 10 years old. We found him crouched in the corner of the entrance to the new taco restaurant in town. I could just simply state that he was dirty and un kept but that would be an understatement. His face was smeared with grime; imagine what you would see if a toddler had gone out to play in a sandbox after eating pancakes for breakfast and no one to wash his face. Only it was obvious that Noe had no pancakes for breakfast and perhaps no breakfast at all. His clothes were dirty and his hands were filthy with back crud under his untrimmed nails. The boys had their Honduran friend, Dimaus, with them and he was actually the first to notice. He also was the only one with any food left on his plate and so he asked if he could give his last taco to the boy. He didn’t just give him the taco. He sat down beside the boy and asked him his name. Dimaus looked up at us and said, “His name is Noe.” Dimaus sat and talked with him for just a little while but long enough for him to find out that he sleeps in front of the grocery store, his mother and step father are always drunk and they beat him so he chooses not to go home. He chooses to sleep on the streets and beg for food...anything to avoid another beating. My heart broke as I watched him lick every last bit of the taco from his dirty fingers. My heart cried out to our Father...”Lord, what are we supposed to do? How can we just walk away and leave him sitting here?” We brought him into the restaurant and to order him a full meal. As we escorted Noe to the table I noticed him limping. I asked him if it was his leg or his foot and he pointed to his foot. Oh, how I wanted to remove the threads of what was once a shoe...I wanted to see why his foot was hurting him...but what would I find? What could I do? So we ordered him a meal and we left him. “Lord, should we have done more?” I know that may be what you are asking yourself as you read this. It is so hard to make those calls, what to do, what not to do...it breaks my heart and I feel so inadequate. Yet when the directors of Manuelito heard of Noe they rushed back to the restaurant to find him and hear more of his story. But when they arrived he had already left. They knew he had an orange shirt on so they searched the streets and eventually they found him. They told him about Manuelito but he said he did not want to study and so he chose not to go with them and to stay on the streets. We cannot understand why a child would choose to sleep on the streets and dig through the trash instead of going to a home that would provide for his needs, show him love and give him the opportunity to go to school, yet in some ways it makes sense. I imagine he is probably depressed and lonely, has no self value, sick and hungry. How could a child in this state even begin to think about studying? Perhaps the Lord will open doors for us when we are living in Talanga to begin working with Noe. Perhaps He will give us another opportunity to show him that he matters and that he is a child of God; to take off that shoe and bandage his foot and to bandage his heart. Perhaps we can nurse him back with a little TLC so that he can begin to process the idea of going to school. I trust that if it be the Lord’s will, He will open those doors and have our paths to cross with little Noe again. Will you pray for Noe?

Christmas in Honduras

We had an amazing time celebrating Christmas with the kids in the project. Seeing all the kids gathered near Pappy Pinto, sitting at his feet, listening to him tell them the Christmas story and all about the birth of Jesus was so special. And there was also something special about seeing all the kids gathered around the tree, looking for that special gift that had their name on it. Especially knowing that without Project Manuelito there would be no Christmas celebration for them and it would be just another lonely day. And my heart melted even more when our kids decided that they wanted to put their Christmas money together to buy the boys at the transition house their favorite game for their playstation...to replace the one that was stolen. On Christmas morning Jacob posted on facebook about Christmas not being about gifts, money or even family but about Jesus. I figured that this was stirred in his heart partly because of being away from family this year...and while it is true that it has been so hard not being home for Christmas he told me it was because of the kids in the project. We are learning so much from them! Some of them have connections with someone in their family still and they spend a few days with them for the holidays but there are some who do not have any family to go visit. And when we thought they would be stricken with sadness, they were quick to tell us that Manuelito is their family. Christmas was definitely different this year but there were some priceless golden nuggets that we found from celebrating Christmas in Honduras. God is so good! Now, as soon as I find our camera charger, I'll post pictures.  :)  

We know that God allows us to experience certain things to help mold and shape us to be more like him and ready for service...yet sometimes I think about how much our kids are seeing here in Honduras and I wonder how this is molding and shaping them. Today when Lilly came to me with that worried look on her face to tell me that there was an “old” man at our gate I was forced to have to think about this again.  Her look of concern wasn’t for her safety. It was for the elderly man who obviously was in need.  Without our Father in this picture one could easily say that these things will mess them up.  My human tendencies tend to pull my thoughts in that direction as well.  What good could come out of our children seeing an elderly man sitting at our gate, a boy lying on the streets, a man stumbling about with a glue bottle tucked under his shirt, the homeless man sleeping on our steps, the children with their faces pressed upon our car window telling us that they are hungry, the mother with her small child begging on the streets, or hearing their new friend’s story of losing everyone he loves and becoming an orphan.  These things are hard for an adult to take in let alone a child...yet I am reminded that He is clothing them with the perfect combination of compassion and love, justice and mercy, kindness and generosity, courage and perseverance and most importantly He is building their faith and trust in Him.  They are asking some hard questions...they are seeking answers and that is what you must see when a child is finding their own faith and not just leaning on mom and dad’s faith.  So while these things are penetrating not just our hearts but the hearts of our children we must keep praying that they will grow in their knowledge and understanding of Christ and turn to Him when they don’t understand and are filled with grief for what they have seen.  And so when the world around them is dim I pray from Psalm 63:8 “Lord, please instill in my children a soul with a craving for you and a heart that clings passionately to you.” For it is only with Christ by our side that we can witness such need (or experience such need) and still be filled with hope.  And really that is the way it is no matter where we are. 

Before you read any more....if you're still following us on this site please follow us on our new blog that is set up in a way to keep you better in the loop.  www.schmits.blogspot.com Click the link to get emails with our updates.  Thanks!

It's hard to believe that we are wrapping up our time here in Tegucigalpa.  Our formal language training is ending but we still have much learning to do.  At this point the children in the project will be mostly our guide as they are so willing and eager to help us.  It is with bitter sweet thoughts as ponder the idea of moving again soon.  There are many things that we will certainly not miss about our time in the city but there are also things (people) that we will. Our kids have made good friends and we have an amazing church and youth group but we know God will continue to provide just what we need.  So before we enter into this time of chaos and transition again, I'd like to step you through some of what we've been seeing and learning here in the city.  

Our church, Roca Fuerte

Joe helping to make the church a little more secure.

Our church has an amazing Kids club that reaches out to many at risk youth.  Here Joe is making soccer goals for them and he has many wonderful helpers!

It didn't take Jake long to find the guitar players in the church! 

We witnessed some of their best friends here make the decision to be baptized! 

Max made the decision to be baptized during the missionary retreat in Telah, Honduras!

And so did Miss Lilly!  

We've learned that it's ok if you have to cram 5 people in the backseat of a small car. (You can't see Lilly's friend beside her.) And this was Lilly's 9th birthday!

Who needs a table to arm wrestle? This is some serious business!

Nobody wins a mud fight! Jacob and Max with their youth group.

A big table is a must! We're thankful that our field directors have let us use theirs!

Hondurans are very willing to teach us about their culture and have an amazing gift of hospitality.

Monday afternoons have been a highlight of our week, playing soccer with the kids at the transition house.

And after soccer they love to learn how to make jewelry!

You have to be flexible and creative.  We carved watermelons instead of pumpkins!

It's worth the hour and a half drive on the weekends to visit the project and see our friends there.

There is never a shortage of hugs at Manuelito.

The girls are excited to help us learn how to wash clothes Honduran style.

And we can't forget the new addition to our family, Tippy.  Lucas and Lilly really wanted a puppy but dogs are pretty expensive here and they often are very sick so we weren't sure if we would get one.  They kept praying every night that God would help us find a puppy.  And so he was a gift from God, delivered to us right in front of our church. Two boys came walking by with puppies in their arms.  They were for sale for 120 Limperas, which is equal to a little over six dollars.  So we gave in.  Tippy has been a typical puppy all full of troubles but he has been good for the kids.  He brings many smiles.  God heard their prayers...the desire of their heart was for a puppy, a friend that will go with them wherever they go.  

Thank you for your prayers for us during our time in the city.  We are very thankful for our amazing team of prayer warriors.  Our time in the city has certainly had it's share of challenges and heartaches but in all it has been a good experience with many lessons to be learned.  We have not only been safe and had our needs met, we were blessed with exceedingly and abundantly more than we could have ever hoped for or imagined!  And we know that He will continue to bless our time in Honduras as we move to Talanga and begin our daily routines with Project Manuelito.  

Writing poetry has been a way that I can express myself when it seems there are no other words to express how I am feeling.  The realization of the reality here in Honduras has hit me pretty hard and I've been struggling to find a way to put into words what my heart is feeling.  Not only has the realization of "their" reality been hard for me but also making the transition with our family.  Helping our children to understand what they are seeing and helping them to understand what they are feeling has been overwhelmingly hard too.  Please pray for us as we continue to make adjustments here and as the "Honeymoon" phase has worn off.  The reality here seems to have hit us pretty hard but we hold firm to our calling and know that He who started this will help us finish.  Thanks so much!

Lord, I feel so torn

In this land with such need

I feel so small

With just a little mustard seed.

Lord, I’m holding on to your word 

My little seed of faith I’ll hold tight

You said it can move the mountains

So it can surely help us fight.

To fight for Your precious children

To fight for what is right

To step into the darkness

In order to bring Your light!

Lord, apart from you

I can do nothing of eternal worth

For my heart has already broken

And could not proceed forth.

My flesh is so weak

And yet I try to do so much alone

Forgive me, Lord

For no Glory do I own.

It should be of no surprise

That I would feel so weak

And that my heart would shatter

At only just one peek.

Just one peek of your broken world

Just one peek of a broken heart

Just one peek of the greatest need

Just one small part. 

Lord, help me please,

To be all that you’ve called me to be

Lord, remind me please

That I am only little me.

Let no area be left in darkness

No matter which way I go

Even though I am so weak

Please help me to know.

Help me to better know how

Help me to better know who 

Help me to better know when 

Help me to better know You. 

Are We Helping or Hurting?

This is the question we’ve found ourselves pondering on a lot these days.  You give to the elderly woman only to have her staring back at you with a dissatisfied look on her face as if to say “that’s not enough”.  You buy sandwiches for the pregnant women and children after they tell you that their hungry and ask you for food and they still look at you with the same hopeless eyes...wanting, needing more.   We try to do what is right but we are left wondering what is even right.  We would never want to be part of the reason for their constant return to the streets because that is where they get their needs met but to drive on past a hungry child who is asking for food feels wrong too. We try to do the right thing but we still leave with an empty feeling inside and they are still left in desperate need. That constant look of desperation reminds me of the scripture from Matthew 4:4 “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”.  So yes, we should expect that they will return that look of desperation to us even after we buy them all that their stomach’s can hold.  And yet I’m left wondering,  “How can we help them to see what their greatest need is in such a situation?  And where do we even start?  We help one and 10 more come running to your door. Somewhere in the midst of such desperate need we need to find a peace in knowing that we can’t help them all but we need to be extra sensitive to the prompting of the spirit in order to know those that we can.  I am constantly reminded of the little boy who came upon the thousands of starfish that were washed upon the shore.  He knew that they would surely die if they were left on the shore and yet the fact that he could never save them all didn’t deter him from helping those he could.  It would be easy for a person to see a need that surpassed their ability and to turn away. Yet we need to always remember that everything that surpasses our ability is for the sake of depending on God so that He will be glorified and not man.