By Norris Burkes Jan 12, 2025
In last week’s column, I described in detail what it’s like to go on a volunteer trip with Chispa Project, the charity founded by my daughter Sara, to start children’s libraries in Honduran elementary schools.
When people ask me why they should volunteer or donate, I will often tell them about Justin, one of the earliest beneficiaries of Chispa.
I first met Justin in 2018 when he was a 12-year-old student at Southwest Bilingual School in the mountains outside La Esperanza, Honduras. Back then, the charity consisted of my daughter, her assistant and the volunteer trips made by my wife and me. The manpower was far less than the 7 employees Chispa has today and the dozens of volunteers that come each year.
Every weekday, Justin and several of his classmates rode 5 miles on a school bus through twisted and rutted dirt roads. The only thing that sometimes impeded their determined journey was when heavy rains made it impossible for the bus to climb the 7 percent grade of cratered road.
Maybe it was this tough terrain that inspired the school mascot to be named the Wildcats. Fortunately, the first time I met Justin in 2018, I didn’t have to ride in a bus.
On that day, nearly six years ago, my wife and I were bouncing like popcorn in the backseat of the SUV my daughter Sara drove the Honduran roads to the school. Behind us, and on the roof, we carried the second part of the 1,300 books provided from stateside donations.
Three hours later, Sara parked inside the school compound and we walked to the faculty lounge hoping to recruit help to unload.
Inside, we met Edmundo, a science teacher who was writing his lesson plans for the day. I remember how grateful he was to see us because Spanish books are rare and costly to purchase in-country. Most children grow up without a culture of reading in the home.
“As a kid, reading bored me″ Edmundo told us. “We had only reference books and I’d fall asleep reading them. The books you brought will inspire our students to read.”
“Muchas Gracias,” he added. “De nada” I said. Literally translated, “It’s nothing,” an informal expression for “You’re welcome.”
In a few minutes, Edmundo helped me enlist Justin and a gaggle of seventh-graders to unload the books.
It took about twenty minutes for us to carry the boxed books into the library where we watched the kids tear open the packaging, nearly inhaling the titles.
One girl quickly settled with a Harry Potter book, while another began devouring Moby Dick.
I remember Justin so well because he focused on the Steven Covey’s book, “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.”
Conversation with him was easy as he spoke excellent English he’d learned from being born in the U.S. His family returned to Honduras when he was 7.
He asked me if the book would help him succeed.
I allowed a “maybe,” and he then turned to Frank McCourt’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Angela’s Ashes.”
Justin asked me if McCourt’s Pulitzer won him a lot of money. It seemed a typical kid question, more so from those without money. While Southwest was a private school, money remains a concern for the middle-class parents who send their children.
A few days later as we loaded up to leave, several children gathered to thank us. My eye moisture returned.
All I can manage to say is, “De nada,” because for all that’s been given to me, it’s nothing for me to do this for Justin and his classmates.
And now, I ask the same “nothing” of you.
If you join us on a volunteer trip, I think you’ll find near no effort at all. If you can paint, organize books and negotiate a few stairs and uneven pavement, you’re in. The flight is a few hours south from Houston, so we remain on Central Time. We take volunteers of ages 12 – 85+.
Before boarding the plane home, the school faculty will present you with the typical “thank you” certificate and you will probably accept it with the customary “De nada.”
But we both know that the experience will be priceless!
—————————————-
Copan Mayan Heritage Experience, March 5-16, 2025
Spanish Immersion at Lago Yojoa, April 6-13, 2025.
See details on our website.chispaproject.org/volunteer/
———————————————————-
Donate at www.chispaproject.org/chaplain or send check payable to “Chispa Project” 10556 Combie Rd. Suite 6643 Auburn, CA 95602. Email me at [email protected] Read more columns at www.thechaplain.net
