Sharon Jackson, from Selma, Indiana, 3 month volunteer with Care4Communities shares her final blog:
It was with very mixed feelings that I finished my third month at Casa de Luz. I was sad to leave the children, and they didn’t make it easy for me, with their hugs and pleas of “Please don’t go, Miss. Sharon!”, but I was also looking forward to returning to my home and to my family and friends. Three months is a long time. Long enough to really get to know a place, to understand a culture and its motivations and rules, and long enough to appreciate the things that you left behind. I am very grateful for this experience. I believe God knew I needed this time. He taught me much this summer about keeping an open mind, about self-reliance versus reliance on Him, about patience in the face of inconveniences, and most importantly, that His grace is sufficient.
I came to realize that Casa de Luz, indeed is a lighthouse: An island within an island and a place of refuge and peace for many of the children. It is a safe and happy place. I can honestly say that I never saw an angry face, a sullen look, an “attitude” that we find so often with young people in the States. Instead I was greeted every day with smiles, and with earnest efforts to speak English. We shared laughter and games, songs and stories. I celebrated my birthday this year with 40 children who made it one of the happiest I ever had. On my last day, Miss. Jamie brought cake with chocolate frosting to share. I’d been missing chocolate so much! We had a going away party and a wonderful last day of crafts and fun. It helped to make the day a little less sad for all of us. Some of the children wrote me letters and made cards, and it is still hard to look at them without tears. Some gave me small gifts which really touched me, because I know they have very little in the way of material things to give. I wanted to say, “Nooo!” but they had such joy on their faces, that I could do nothing else but accept with humble gratitude the things that they offered me.
These are the precious memories I have taken home with me. It has taken me a while to rest and process all my thoughts and feelings about this experience. I expect that God will continue to reveal truths about this experience to me as time goes on. The question I have been expecting to hear is “Why?”. Why did I take three months, go to a third world country and spend a lot of my own money to teach English at a small school on a small island that many people have never heard of? To be honest I have not fully prepared an answer. I have taken time to think and spend time quietly apart from others, but in general this is what I have decided:
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- Because Lusbin… a bright, beautiful and godly sixteen year old who invited me to her Quinceañera to share the most important experience of her young life. A young woman who told me, “I have a great God in me!”.
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- Because Brenda… a sweet, kind and devout young lady who shares my love of music, and who now has my guitar. May God bless her with a music ministry that will last for a lifetime.
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- Because Mariela… a bright-eyed, loving young woman who is trying very hard to learn English so she can fulfill her dreams of becoming a nurse.
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- Evelin
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- Carla
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- Because Robert, one of my advanced students, who speaks English well, and whose intelligence is accompanied by boyish enthusiasm. He was one of our prayer warriors, and I sensed a true love and respect for God in him. Robert wants to be an agricultural engineer, something that could truly benefit his country.
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- Because Arlyn, a remarkably poised 15 year old, who at the end of this year will finish ninth grade and leave school to begin helping her family. My heart aches for her, but I am also in awe of her strength and belief that she will achieve her dream of becoming a chef and having her own restaurant.
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- Because Adalid Exequiel, who is learning to golf, and wants to be a famous fireman. He is incredibly smart, and has a great sense of humor. His words about people, “They should be joyful”. Great advice.
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- Because David, who at age 9, is one of the youngest advanced speakers. He is an avid reader and is going to be a doctor.
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- Because Mayra, a soft-spoken 11 year old, who at birth was expected to be deaf and mute. She is neither. She is intelligent, and is already thinking of ways to accomplish her dream of becoming a veterinarian.
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- morning class
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- First Afternoon Class
And because of many, many, more students, too many to name, who touched my heart with their optimism, hope and belief in themselves, in the face of very difficult circumstances. Their dreams are just like those of young people everywhere: to go to college, to have a family and a career, to be happy. I pray that God will bless each one, that He will answer their prayers and those of their parents, as they grow into adults who will reach their full potential as citizens of their country and as members of His Kingdom. I wish I could be there to watch them grow up, but as I mentioned earlier, God has taught me that He is enough, He is in control, and He will take care of His children. I am blessed to have been a small part of the lives of these children of Roatán. They taught me far more than I ever expected and I am honored that God called me to serve Him at Casa de Luz.