ARNOLD'S STORY:

A 15-year-old's encounter with the Northlake Church

Arnold is a 15-year-old Honduran boy who lives with his mother, Suyapa, and two younger sisters in the community of Perlas Arriba. His older brother is living in Tegucigalpa, and his father lives in the U.S. An adolescent with lots to discover about himself, he is the leader of the family by default, and is called to lead in the construction of a latrine for their adobe home.

In past weeks, he has been preparing - making blocks, digging an 8-foot deep hole, and hauling gravel and sand from local streams. This week, visitors from the Northlake Church of Christ, Tucker, Ga., are coming to partner with his community, and will help him. His primary desire is to help his mother in the construction of a new latrine to replace the old, smelly latrine where the pig spends more time than anyone else.

The children in the Northlake group surprise him, and he soon learns that the adults are parents of these children. Family — a concept so ingrained in his culture — makes the visitors more real. He begins to consider the gringo visitors as a family, and the family is like his family, and the differences that often seem so dominant in visitors fade as he starts to consider the similarities.

While he is intimidated by the big adults who offer to help him with the sand, and who help him move the blocks and mix the cement, the kids are easy to reach out to.  He watches them and sees that they like to play and to get wet and dirty. They are like his siblings, and this common bond further tips his curiosity.

The days of work wisk by and soon the visitors are saying goodbye. Arnold has worked hard, and the latrine is something he will be proud and excited to show to his father when he returns someday. 

Yet, today he is trying to capture a memory with these visitors. In a last-minute plea, he asks for a photo with young visitor Braden Clinebell.  This moment trumps Arnold’s rebellious youthfulness. His heart is opened with his need to hug and be photographed with this child who has come to his house. It is a moment of laughs and smiles. 

For me, it is a moment to hold back tears, as I see once again how God has worked through all things for His purpose.

As a missionary, I find that God calls me to facilitate the mission in certain moments. We are all called to share the Good News and the Good News is something to be given and received. 

As the Northlake family was able to share with the community of Perlas Arriba, likewise, the people of Perlas were sharing the message of hope and love with Northlake.  The building and edification of one another is part of our life journey with Christ. 

Arnold was impacted by the Northlake Family. Christ and his message of forgiveness and hope are clearer to him. Many more people will cross his path in the next few years, but he will never forget the families that came to share with his family.