Now that the holiday season is over at Amigos, I can finally sit down and reflect on the whole experience. The past months have been very special ones. From seeing the kids open their Christmas and Three Kings gifts, to bringing in the New Year while watching fireworks next to them, to eating all the yummy food like tamales, ice cream, grapes, and apples. Every event was so special. However, there was one event that stuck out from all of them. Amigos de Jesus has a Christmas giving program in which every year they sponsor the Christmas meal of 120 of the poorest families in the surrounding areas. They give each of these families enough ingredients to make tamales.
On December 22nd I got into a truck with four of our jovenes to distribute tickets that said "Amigos de Jesus quiere compartir con tigo una vez mas" to the families most in need. As we drove through these poor neighborhoods, I looked at Miguel and the rest of the jovenes, and I was humbled. Here I was, serving God by the side of those who I came to Honduras to serve. There they were, familiar with the pain and struggles that these people go through, and so willing to help. I was especially humbled by Miguel, who had done this several times before, and was leading the whole thing. I wondered if he knew that he was helping make a difference in the community. I wondered if he understood that he wasn't only out doing a job that he was assigned to do, but was serving God and the different communities.
The families recognized his face from previous years and their faces instantly lite up because they knew we were there to take down their information so that they would be able to have a delicious Christmas meal. Miguel also recognized some of the people, and approached them in such a humble manner. Desperate times caused some of the people to become angry and impatient as we were jotting down names. Thinking that they wouldn't get their names written down, they started crowding us, and pushing their ID cards in Miguel’s face. He was very understanding towards them, while being firm and keeping everything under control.
On Christmas Eve at 7 in the morning, all 120 families that we had seen were at the Amigos de Jesus gates. They had all walked miles and miles to be here and receive their bags full of ingredients. That morning more of the kids wanted to help distribute the bags. It was beautiful seeing the Amigos de Jesus family so excited about giving to others.
Being able to go with Miguel, Danilo, Joan, and Aaron to tell the 120 families that our family wanted to share with them once again was a blessing. I will always cherish this opportunity to serve by their side; it was the best Christmas gift that I could have received.
-Jaquelin Fierros, 2014-2015 Volunteer
