The Children of Sandy Bay

by Jennifer Campbell (United States of America)

Making a local connection Honduras

When I graduated from college with my Associate in Arts degree, my parents gave me a special graduation gift. They said I could choose to fly or cruise to any destination I desired, within the confines of the budget they provided. Having never flown in a plane or taken a cruise, the possibilities seemed endless! Since my parents had never sailed on a cruise ship before, I decided this would be the most enjoyable option, so we could all experience something new together. None of us knew then what a profound impact my first trip outside the United States would have on my life. Since our first cruise to the Bahamas, I have had the opportunity to travel to more than fifty countries around the world. One of the most memorable cruises I took with my mom and dad was a cruise to the Western Caribbean. Along with ports of call in the Cayman Islands, Mexico, and Belize, this cruise also visited Roatán, Honduras. However, the thing that made this trip extra special was not a snorkeling excursion or a tour of Mayan ruins. It was a visit to the Sandy Bay Orphanage in Honduras. Along with our suitcases, we brought over five hundred pounds of school supplies, clothing, personal hygiene items, toys, and food. My mom gathered most of the donations, a ministry in and of itself. The children at this orphanage became her children, but for a moment, as she made hand-sewn cloth bags for each child, which would hold items personalized for each one of them. Boxes were stacked in our cruise ship stateroom from the floor to the ceiling. In addition to the tangible items placed inside, those boxes overflowed with love. The children’s home residents were most excited about the canisters of peanut butter and the case of cheese. On the island of Roatán, the market shelves are often sparse and items like these are either unavailable or quite costly. I will never forget how some of the older children immediately made grilled cheese sandwiches for all of the children using the cheese we brought them. One could only guess the last time they had experienced the delightful taste of gooey cheesy goodness as we watched them savor this rare treat. The smiles on their faces were contagious. How incredible that a simple box of cheese, which many people take for granted, could bring such joy to these precious boys and girls. As the children began to open their personalized bags, I knew these items meant more than we realized. One little boy danced around with his new tennis shoes in his hands. Another young boy put on his new baseball cap and never took it off while we were there. One precious girl cradled her new baby doll as if it was a real child. They were very grateful, even for these small gestures of love we brought to them. They especially enjoyed watching my mom put on a puppet show for them. The vivid image of my mom sharing love with the children will be in my storehouse of memories forever, right along with the sweet picture of my dad helping feed one of the younger girls, who was having trouble operating the spoon with her tiny little hands. Yet the moment goose bumps covered my arms was when I stood inside the living room of this special refuge for children. Looking through the window, across their makeshift baseball field, with the Caribbean Sea in the distance, I was overwhelmed. As I sang the song, “Consider the Lilies,” with my dad accompanying me on the keyboard, my eyes welled up with joy-filled tears as I did my best to take it all in and savor this precious moment. The greatest thing about traveling is not the location itself. Even the mouth-watering cuisine and shimmering shorelines will never compare to my personal love of travel. As a little girl, my grandmother had a plaque hanging on her wall that featured a poem by Helen Steiner Rice titled, “Strangers Are Friends We Haven’t Met Yet.” Each time I travel, the new friends I make along the way are the ones who make the trip special.