Update #1 - Papi...

I'm gonna spend some time over the next couple of days sending several updates about random happenings because so many neat things are happening, but I have not had a chance to sit down and fill you all in, and so I'm making that a priority over the next day or so.

So many of you have heard me talk about the fact that I have now adopted Honduran family (or they adopted me, I'm never really sure how that works out) but nonetheless, I like it. See some people collect dolls, stamps, trading cards, trinkets, etc. Nope I collect people...family if you will. If you asked me I'd tell you I have family in Ohio, Nashville, Alabama, Florida, West Virginia, Washington State, and our blood lines run different, but our hearts pump with the same passion for things that matter and somewhere in the middle of all of that they became more than friends they became "family." Some of you can relate out there, because you know the feeling of being so linked up in Christ that the title of friend just would never do the bond justice. So now add to that sweet list, Honduras, and this precious family that have just taken us in and loved all over us.


It started with Gina, (my now like a sister just for the record), who has become this precious addition to my world, the lives of these kiddo's, and this place, and you've heard me talk about her before on here. So although I could go on and on about how wonderful she is, I'll save that for another day.

Then came Mama Lillita, Gina's sweet momma, that Gina is selflessly sharing with us. When I tell you she has one of the most gentle hearts and sweet spirits I've ever seen it is quite the understatement, but the best I've got with this limited vocabulary. She is classy in every sense of the word and we are so grateful to have her around when we are soooo far from home and our momma's there. She's a gift in no uncertain terms and we're grateful for her.

Gina's got two sweet brothers and we've decided to adopt them too as part of the package. Saul, her oldest brother is a photographer on contract with Pepsi and he's quite the little artsy fartsy guy. :) Extremely talented guy. Then Carlos Alberto, her younger brother, is about as sweet as they come. He's worked with us on a few teams translating and he's just such a neat kid.


But this email is about Papi...from the moment I met this guy I have walked around telling people he's so cute I want to just pinch his cheeks. It is the TRUTH!!! Goodness he's close to 70 and a doctor who still works every single day helping people, and then volunteers his time for a mission organization every morning. His face just speaks kindness. I was privileged to get to go with their family on a trip to see the site for their project just a few months ago, (sidenote, I thought I would pee my pants laughing at Papi a few times, he's hilarious and ornery as can be) and so I got to know him better through that weekend. Since then he's reminded us at least a dozen times that his home is our home and that we're welcome there always. (You have no idea how much that means when you're way far away from everything that resembles "home") So the other night I walked into their house and I was having a rough day in no uncertain terms. My momma heart was hurting in horrible ways (will post more about that in another post) and Gina and Mama Lillita and I were all sitting in the living room talking, and I had my feet dangling over the edge of the couch laying down and Papi came and sat down at the edge of the sofa and before I even knew what was happening he was rubbing lotion on my feet and massaging them.


Talk about humbled, goodness. My stinky unclean feet and he was willing to sit there for probably a half an hour with gentleness and kindness and speak love through his servanthood. It's funny you know, Papi can understand some English and I can understand some Spanish so we don't have long conversations about anything usually, but I heard a whole lot spoken in that one act. It spoke so much of acceptance and love and encouragement and the fact that sometimes I don't know exactly what to do to help, and my "language" will in some moments be so lacking, but I can always show up and do something to be kind and compassionate. He didn't say a word really, the rest of us talked while he sat there and rubbed my feet. A silent servant. A heart full of love for a God who would have done the same thing from a man who has learned that this is who he wants to be, cause you can see it in most everything he does...the way he loves his wife, the way he loves his children, the way he treats people.

So Papi rubbed my feet and I learned something in the process about who I really want to be as well.

Thanks to all of you that pillow your heads in that Larios house. You have become family, in neat places in our hearts, and I am honored that God's kindness would take us from different parts of the world and place us together to learn and grow together in Him. You are a blessing to us, a HUGE blessing!!

And thanks Papi, for silently serving, and through your actions, challenging me to live my life doing the same.