Genesis, the Beginning of Something Beautiful

In 2013, I had a moment with a mother in the streets of Mogote, a tiny village in Honduras.  I was singing "La Niña de Tus Ojos" in the street with the little girls.  It translates, quite literally, into "The Little Girl of Your Eyes." His eyes.

As I played the guitar and sang with these little girls, the meaning of the song and how God sees us as His precious children, along with these little voices singing, overwhelmed me.   The tears poured out and I couldn’t sing anymore, but the little girls, with their sweet voices, carried the song.  One of the moms and I met eyes and she was bawling, too.  We embraced each other and praised God.

This mom’s name was Haydee, and her daughter's name was Genesis.  Genesis was such a pretty little girl…she had the most beautiful, expressive brown eyes.

I may have met her the year before, but in 2013, she really made an impression on me. She was only 4, but she acted much older.  She was one of the quiet kids, reserved and behaved. Her hands were always folded inside of each other and in her lap in front of her.  As the other kids romped around and tickled and tumbled, she sat and observed, taking it all in. 

When I sat down to play the guitar, she was enchanted by it, captivated by it.  As I strummed or picked the notes of a chord slowly, her face turned to me and those big brown eyes lit up with wonder and joy.  She smiled with her whole face as she watched and listened to me play!! 

She was shy.  When I moved in to let her see and hear the guitar more closely, she nervously looked away, but then found the courage to look back at me and break into a big beaming smile.  I coaxed her into taking the pick from my hand and let her strum while I changed chords, so that she could hear the different sounds.  She strummed so delicately and beamed when the sounds changed. :-)

When Billy and I got back home from the 2013 trip, I did some digging to find out who this little girl was, and what family she belonged to.  I found out that Genesis’ mom was Haydee, the same mom in the streets when the little girls were singing us, the one who cried and praised God with me!!  That was it.  Billy and I decided to give the family some monthly support.  We began sending $50 a month, each month. 

When we went back to Honduras the next year, I was excited to see Genesis and her mom.  Out in the street the first day, I saw them both and ran up to greet them. Genesis was a little shy at first, but she did hug me at her mother’s coaxing. 

The next day, Genesis had found her courage.  When she saw me come outside, she marched right up to me and proudly stuck out an envelope.  I took it, opened it up, and my eyes began flooding with tears as I read the letter.

You see, all Billy and I did was to start sending a small gift of 50 dollars a month to Genesis and her family.  But what God did, with His incredibly personal touch, was to have that gift arrive for the first time on Genesis’ birthday.

A little girl turned 5, and what God did was provide for her the shoes and clothes that she really needed on a special day.  A birthday gift from the Lord Himself.  How precious He is to us...
  

I stood there reading the family's letter of thankfulness and awe, and I saw the pictures Genesis had drawn for me in magic marker, flowers and whatnot. :-)  She had also written a scripture in her 4-year old-handwriting, a Psalm of thanks that acknowledged the Lord's blessing.  It was clear there was a special connection between us and this family.

From the left: Me, Genesis' sister Katy, Haydee.  Genesis is up front. The father, Cristino, was working during the time of the picture. 

So, what we are doing now is sending sweet, shy Genesis to “Hope Academy.”  It is a program run by the organization we volunteer with on our mission trips every year-- “Hope for Honduras, Inc.”  Genesis will be starting in the bilingual school for pre-K and Kindergartners, but as we continue to provide sponsorship, she will continue on through grade school.  We have seen these programs in the flesh and know how valuable they are to feed children both spiritually and physically.  The mission is Christ, but physical needs are provided for as well.  And the education is also top notch. We feel blessed beyond measure to be able to give Genesis and her family this gift. We thank the Lord for what he has done and can't wait to see what He will continue to do!!

P.S. If you are interested in changing a child's life and spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth, consider sponsoring a child through Hope Academy, or donating to this mission:  http://www.hope4honduras.org/#!contributions/c1avz  There is nothing better than allowing God to use you in blessing others.  Nothing.