Partying with the People

An idea that my friend Linda had a few years ago while in Honduras was to have a fiesta with our Hope Families while we were there with them.
She divided the families in half.....eleven families invited the first week of the trip, twelve the next. If you were a mission team member during Week One and support a family, your family is invited that week to dinner so that you have a chance to visit and get to know your family.
My first time to experience the family dinners was last year, when my family was invited during week two of the trip. We had the dinner indoors last year, but this year we set up tables in the courtyard of the mission compound.
I was on a remote medical mission when they set the dinner up for week one. My family came that night, which was great because bethany was able to have dinner with them as well.
All the families come dressed up, and they often bring something to share.
Marj and Deb make up a great meal of paella.....rice with chicken and lots of other good stuff thrown in. There are sides of beans and watermelon. They order cakes from the bakery in town....you cannot believe the delicious and beautiful cakes they make in that little village!!! A good time is had by all.
During Week Two this year I was able to be in on the planning and set up for the family dinner. Others had gone to a remote medical clinic, but my help was needed with the dinner. A Honduran family, a translator, and a Mission team member are seated together at each table. The Mission team member and the translator serve the table.
I decorated the tables with balloons and namecards in colors of red, blue, yellow and green for the dinner, and scattered multi-colored jelly beans across each table. Linda added tall yellow candles. Once lit, the humble courtyard was transformed into a real party scene.
Through the translators, we are able to connect with the families on a social level and enjoy good food and share smiles.
After eating we have a short program indoors that included having the town Elvis lead "This is the day" in both Spanish and English. We also use that time to pass out to the families special large bags that were sewn by a Ladies Bible Study in Ingomar. The bags are for them to carry their groceries home from the food distributions. Made of beautiful decorator fabric in stripes and florals, each bag was filled with kitchen items we purchased for them: cheese grater, cutting board, measuring cups, and wooden spoons.
The evening ends with each family posing for a picture, their smiles assuring us that they indeed had a good time.