Agros Blog

Her gold-rimmed front tooth reflected the midday sun but it was her bright brown-eyes that outshone the gold of both, reflecting instead a heart-shine radiating from a spirit fired with hope and promise.

Gloria is her name, and aptly so. She has but a 3rd grade education yet was recently elected secretary of the all Lenca (a Honduran indigenous group) Agros village. I met her Friday last when gathered with all the leaders of this village. She waited her turn to speak until all the men had their say, although while translating for them I kept catching her out of the corner of my eye, an eager-eyed face and radiant smile nodding in agreement, lips pursed to extol her perspective.

As the conversation continued, Gloria could no longer contain her joy and began raising her hand, waving it for all to see she too wanted to speak, turning her captivating gaze upon me , declaring the following:

“Now I give God all praise, because of your coming here and telling us about people I’ve never met who are praying for us and seeing too that these here with you Don David have come to help others like us receive the promise of land and place for their families. My heart sings. You must tell them (Bethany Presbyterian Church, Seattle, and North Delta Evangelical Free Church, B.C.) and all at Agros how we thank them for this privilege. God, who is the Father of us all, has given us this open door and a father-figure here in Don Cándido, (one of the original family members of this village and the current village committee president), as well as including and adding our family to the families of Carlos and Armando (two of the other original families). We’ve been here for only a few weeks, but already our corn is sprouting and all of us toil daily making the adobe bricks that soon we’ll build our homes with. Only God could do this because we had nothing before, but now look at all we have. Our children will soon be in school and the Agros staff and Don Cándido are helping the adults already to learn to read. I must tell you all we will pray for you Don David, and these you’ve brought with you, asking also that you pray for us because we know there is hard work before us and more families who could join us to help.”

Finished, a giddy Gloria flashed her golden-toothed-grin, while all present applauded.

Formerly known as Agros Uno, this our first village in Honduras has now chosen a new name, as bright as Gloria’s heart-shining eyes…it’s appropriately called: “Nuevo Amanecer”, meaning “New Dawn”… and indeed it is, resplendent with an infusion of 13 new families who have joined with the original families and are forging new ground together by the sweat of their brows as each day dawns.