Week 4- Snapshots of the Boys

I am fortunate to be a part of many different communities; these include my church family, Edison, the Actors Guild, church camp, etc. Many people within this community know exactly whom I am talking about when I mention Mario, Marvin, or Yovani. Either they have met these boys or they have seen pictures of them that others or I have posted. I realize, though, that many have no idea who these boys are. They are just names. Because of this, it is beneficial for me to share a little bit about the boys here, so that when you are praying for the ministry, you have some idea of whom you are praying for.

If I were to write about you in a blog post that could be read by any number of people, there are parts of your story that you probably would not want me to include. Parts of your story are dark and, while you would share them with close friends, they are not the bits that you want the whole world knowing about. With that in mind, realize that as I am writing about the boys, I am probably going to leave out some of the gory and hyper-personal details. David said, “Each boy’s story is a saga.” Some of these boys have seen and experienced things that I can only imagine in fictional terms—nothing that I have experienced would help me better understand their lives. Understand that, at times, I may euphemistically express certain details. 

Carlos and Saul have been with the ministry since its inception. They, along with their brother Eduardo, came to live with David, so that they could have greater opportunities—educationally, socially, and spiritually. Carlos, 25, is the transportation guru for the ministry. Additionally, he also helps care for the boys here. Carlos also has a small business selling cell-phone accessories. Saul, 17, goes to a bilingual Christian school in town. He is excellent at soccer and was MVP for the JV team at his school.  Saul is quiet, but then he spouts off something sarcastic, which I always appreciate.

Henrry, 20, came to the ministry by way of Breaking Chains Ministries, a homeless ministry that we work closely with in town. Life for him has not always been easy (in fact, at times, it was devastating); you would not know this from interactions with him. Communicating is sometimes difficult (because my Spanish is not up to par, yet), but he is patient and always greets others with a smile. This week, he and I began English lessons, which I am excited about. He told me that it is his dream to go the States for college.

Antonio, 19 (tomorrow!) is the most recent addition to the ministry. Though he is initially shy, when Antonio warms up to you, be prepared to be picked on. Antonio, too, came to us from Breaking Chains. After living on the streets and dealing with what that life produces, Antonio decided that he wanted something better for himself.  That included getting an education. On Sunday, he started courses created for older teenagers and adults. He proves that no one is too far behind or too old to receive the benefits of education.

And finally “the boys,” as many mission groups have come to know them over the years. The five brothers, Yovani, 18, Marvin 16, Mario, 14, Francisco, 12, and Jairo (the artist formally known as Antonio), 11, have been a part of my life for almost ten years. Their mother, Maria, found herself with six boys and no one to help her take care of them. Because of that, she made the selfless decision to turn custody of the five youngest over to the state. In doing so, the five brothers were the first children at Casa de Esperanza, a children’s home where I interned for two summers during college. After Maria and her husband, Chilo, were reunited, the boys returned home to live with them. To make a very (VERY) long story short, it was later decided that the boys could come live here at MTM, so that they could receive bilingual education. Throughout the years, these boys have taught me many different things: wrestling terms, Honduran slang, how to play Clash of Clans, and, most importantly, the parental qualities of God.

This was just a snapshot of the boys here. Each one of them is unique, but we have the same dream for all of them—to be men of God who will positively impact whatever community they land in. To read more about each one, visit mtmhonduras.org.