A Volunteer's Experience

While working in Honduras in 2005, I found my heart touched by a little girl named Maria. I was working for Friends of Los Ninios, at their nutrition center, and their children's home, Hogar Suyappa, Maria was one of the malnourished children at the center. She was pouting in the corner of the room, so I coaxed her over to sit on my lap. I wanted to cheer her up. From that moment on, she would not let go of me. The staff noticed this. This prompted a great deal of concern. They knew my journey to them began from a desire for my wife and I to adopt a child. This was going to make my departure difficult. Adoption from Honduras is impossible. When I left, I asked if Sheryl and I could sponsor her if she was moved to the Hogar. I was informed that she was going to a foster home. I would never see her again, and there was no way to keep contact with her.

I returned to Honduras in June of 2008 on our Scouts to Honduras Mission. We were building a home for Pro-Papa. on our day off, we took a tour of Hogar Suyappa. The children were settling down to eat lunch. I saw a cute little girl, and thought I recognized her. I was told her name was Lupe, and that she had only been there for a year. I heard a child behind me call her Maria. I yelled stop at the top of my lungs. the room fell quiet. I asked if someone could tell me the little girl's full name. It all suddenly sank in. One of the staff members told me her name was Maria; Lupe was just a nickname. I immediately picked her up and held her. She pointed to me and said to the other children, "mi hermanno, mi hermanno" (my brother, my brother). We want to help her, but there is not much we can do. She is happy, and well cared for by my dear friend Lucy, who runs the Hogar. What I can do is continue to try to help Honduras' poor, through Pro Papa.

Thank you to Jeff Hutchinson for sharing his experience.