He Has A Plan

Right outside of Comayagua on a mountain top, we are building a house for whom Father Francis Mary called “The poorest women he’s ever met.” This includes the mom, Juanita, the “mute” son, Erminio, from whom a few of us have gotten simple one word responses to questions, and the two daughters.  All of the kids have been said to be mute and mentally ill by the mother, although their whispers suggests they may be able to speak a little. They are also severely malnourished.

Sarah with Erminio

When I first saw them in church on Wednesday, I went over (not knowing they were the people for whom we are building a house) and squatted down to the older girls’ eye level. They were dirty, but beautiful, because of their huge eyes and wonderful smiles like Erminio’s. Along with being dirty, they also looked very skinny, but I dismissed it because almost everyone here in Honduras is.

Then, today, Thursday, I went to the door of their house determined to become friends with these girls who refuse to come out as we work. I was joking around, pretending to guess their ages, “Uno? Dos? Tres?” but the highest I ever guessed was ten because the older daughter, Santana, was only a little taller than my waist.

After I finished joking around, Brother Dismas came up and asked me if I really wanted to know how old she was, of course I said I did and he said she is 14. That’s only one year younger than I. We would be in the same grade, yet she appears to me as skinny as an 8 year old. This difference between us consumed my thoughts for a good hour until Brother Dismas came up and, seeing me troubled, asked if I was “still thinking about the girl.” I replied that yes she had been on mind, and he simply said:

The two girls of the house

You should be thinking that God loves both of you equally, maybe her even a little more, but look at your situations; she’s here [malnourished in a falling down house] and you’re in your own situation. But God loves both of you, and God has a plan.

Maybe part of God’s plan for her was to teach me how I am incredibly lucky even with the occasional troubles in my own life. I have food, I have shelter, I have a safe place to live, and I am greatly loved by my family. It made me reconsider what is really important in my life and made me even more thankful for everything I have.

“Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth”

Sarah