In the Midst (Ps. 23:1)

The gate is opened a few minutes before 11:00 a.m. in preparation for their arrival, and they come.

What starts as a trickle soon becomes a flood of small eager feet racing to eat lunch in the new food kitchen at In the Midst Honduras. Maybe they are running away from a morning spent across the dirt road at school just as much as they are running to anything, but running they are. 

These tiny, bright-eyed school-aged children wear the required public school uniform of neat white shirts and navy skirts/pants; others wear the alternative bright blue polo shirts with their names embroidered on the front. Shiny, still almost-new, black dress shoes (66 pairs provided by donations and the ITM ministry) now coated in dust hide under the tables. As a mother and a grandmother, I cringe a bit on the inside at the white shirts and wonder at the state of cleanliness of these young ones after a morning spent at school for these little ones, but maybe that just speaks volumes to my lack of ability to get or keep a white shirt clean. Regardless, I am impressed with their mama’s abilities to present such well-groomed children daily in a place that does not make that easy and put a respect in their children for the clothes they have. 

As the children enter on Monday morning, they are handed a Bible verse printed on a small strip of paper. What better verse could there be than today's?  

Psalms 23:1: “Jehová es mi pastor; nada me faltará.” 

When Lourdes, the person with the microphone, is finally able to get these wiggly littles focused enough to begin, she reads the verse to them a few times and then asks them to repeat it with her. Hopefully, by the end of lunch Friday, this verse will be planted and then have opportunity for much water to be poured upon it in the future. Then they pray together and the action begins.

Behind the scenes of this new venture, there is a learning curve, but much preparation has gone into this daily meal for 216 children and 40 elderly and 15 or so others, including the ones preparing the meal in a very hot kitchen. The menu is prepared a week ahead and by the Wednesday before, it is set and the items needed are purchased or delivered and stored for the coming week. A rotation of three teams of men and women and teenagers prepare and serve the meals for a week at a time along with the assistance of a different parent from the school each day.

The meals are simple yet hearty, and they are varied. Each day a fresh fruit drink is also provided, and sometimes Tang is added to it for fortification. The children make short work of the eating, and by 11:40 or so the room empties and then the clean-up begins for the second round of older children, who come at 12:00. The young children (K-3) go to school a Brisa in the morning from either 7:30 or 8:00, depending on age, until 11:00 or 11:30. The older children (4-6) attend school in the afternoons from 1:00-5:00, but because of the school population doubling this year due to access to daily lunch at ITM, another class of 2nd and 3rd graders attend the afternoon session with the older children. 

Seven teachers teach 216 children. Those of you who teach, let that sink in a bit.

Life here in La Ermita is not always easy. It is rarely kind. But there is joy that spills over onto others. There is need. But there is also laughter. There is much love, and the people are friendly and eager to speak to this and other American strangers. The hugs are sweet. The food is delicious and prepared fresh daily from a sometimes meager supply, but they generously share, and that love is returned. 

Christ is here amidst a people eager for His love and compassion and the mercy that never fails. The Word is taught and received, and it is being planted in hearts and growth is taking place. There is food that is more important than what is served in the kitchen, but it is in the kitchen that love will reach many that are not in church hearing the Word. Maybe. Just maybe they will hear the heartbeat of Christ as hands reach out to meet their needs.

There are battles being fought in Jesus’ name. Change is hard. Wills are stubborn. Not everyone cooperates with the hands that are trying to feed them, but they will keep feeding in Jesus’ name. Please pray that He will continue to be glorified, that the work will keep making inroads into hearts and salvation will come in this place where God is In the Midst of Honduras. 

May God be the Good Shepherd to this people in this place at this time because that is the ultimate goal, the Word implanted in the hearts here. 

Amen.