El Roi

As one flies into Honduras it’s pretty hard to not see the beauty.  The ocean to one side, and on the other rolling mountains of lush rainforest. 

Now zoom in: Within minutes of getting off the plane it is hard to not see the hunger.  The barefoot boy washing windshields in hopes of receiving a few coins.  The crippled man whose foot is rotting begging for just enough to buy his next meal.  Being the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, there is much hunger.

But what about those that hunger to be seen, those that feel invisible? Don’t we all have this desire deep within us, for someone to see us. And not just to see our physical appearance but to really know as us as we truly are? 

Mother Teresa said, “There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”

This is the hunger of so many of the deaf people in Honduras, “Someone see me!” The community around them says, “You are deaf, you are nothing.” and rarely acknowledge their existence except to tease.  The only time their family sees them is when they put them to work.  They have no voice, they are not heard, and they are not seen.

This was the plight of Hagar as well.  She was a slave and after finding herself on the run, alone in the desert, God sees her, despite her mistakes and inperfections.  Genesis 16:7 says, ”And the angel of the LORD found her...in the wilderness...” After God instructs her, Hagar says, “You are a God of seeing [El Roi]...Truly here I have seen him who sees me.”” (Genesis 16:13)

Signs of Love makes it a point to “see” these precious people, to look them in the eye. Often times, when we first meet them, they don’t look back, they are afraid and quickly shift their gaze to the ground.  But one of the most remarkable experiences is to look into the eyes of a child that has never been seen, with the eyes of Christ. 

It has been so exciting to have the village minicamps.  We get to spend 3 days with a small group of deaf that we usually only see for 2 hours once a month.  During this time we have gotten to “see” so much more of these amazing people! 

We are privileged to look upon and 

love Selvin, and we trust
that he will truly know El Roi 

Hilda really likes butterflies and wants to make jewelry when she grows up.  She is patient and is skilled in cooking.

Melkin likes hugs, she believes she can do anything and will try anything new.  She is good with animals and smiles all the time!

It’s been said, “The eyes are the door to the soul.” When we look at these special people like no one else has ever done we are opening a door, a door to share Christ.  That person may not know the name of Jesus (for that mater they may not even know their own name!) but as they grow I know that they will remember the first person that ever “saw” them... Christ in us!  And I pray that they would come to have a relationship with El Roi—“the God who sees.”