And So the Journey Begins

   

Imagine if you will 17 Seniors who have already taken their last class, passed their final exams, and have the finish line in sight.  Yet here they are at BWI airport at 4:30am bags in hand, smiles on faces, and ready to take on the world.  What an incredible sight! 

.........and so the journey begins.

These 17 Seniors are living out our school’s mission statement and serving responsibly in shaping a more just and compassionate global society.  Their Senior Project trip is to Roatan, Honduras to serve in a Children's Home run by Sandy Bay Lighthouse Ministries.  We will be here in Roatan from May14 to May 24th and our hope is that each day we'll be able to give an update for our friends and family back home with this blog.  We'll try to provide pictures, stories, and share our success and our struggles along this amazing journey.  Parents I am so thankful you have encouraged and supported your son or daughter to be part of this transformational trip.  School community thank you all for your continual help and support.  And world, be put on notice, these are kids with big hearts, who want to make a difference, and nothing is going to stop them.   

             So to start our journey today after meeting at BWI (at 4:30am!) we flew to Miami International Airport and eventually found our way to the diminutive Bay Island known as Roatan just North of mainland Honduras.  Roatan, is roughly 48 miles in length and only 5 miles wide!  And while it is only a few hours flight away from Harford County, MD. at times it feels a world away.  

            The Children's Home is a family of 19 children who are being cared for and are very loved by Mr. Orsy and Mrs. Banessa Cruz.  Our project here is to assist both them at the home as well as support some local charities in the work they do.  Our students will be framing a wall and building a partition, painting bathrooms and bedrooms, volunteering at a local clinic, tutoring students in English, bringing food, necessities, and bibles to a local impoverished community and perhaps most important to our mission, we are hoping to be transformed.  What a beautiful and life changing experience.  We get the opportunity to view the world (and our position in it) in a totally new light.  

           Flash forward from 4:30am to 4:30pm, and as I walk around the Home's simple but comfortable grounds, I have the privilege of seeing our kids shining … they are everything that is right and beautiful in this world.  Our kids, our Patriots, making a difference by sharing their gifts and talents.  I see Rita playing basketball with Jairo, and Alex using side walk chalk to draw Gabriela out of her shell.  Sindy won’t put down the picture book that Kelly brought her.  And Lindsey and Destiny just busted out in a duet (was that Frozen?).  And look, there, it’s Colby and Sophie teaming up with Norlan and Juan Carlos down on the soccer pitch to take on the Honduras Olympic Soccer team (at least it seemed that way).  I could give a dozen other example where I just see beaming smiles and grateful hearts. 

            Parents, thank you so much for giving your children this opportunity.  School community thank you for your continual support for this program.  Students thank you for choosing to go on this journey and we are all praying it is transformational.

And so the journey begins…but stayed tuned for more ...