Originally posted November 25, 2013
By Leslie Moore (former intern and frequent Honduras visitor)
Baby Lesli has had a piece of my heart since before she was born. She is the seven-month-old daughter of Nancy. I first met Nancy in Honduras during the summer of 2011. What started out with handing out rice and beans and a simple hello, slowly turned into a friendship. Nancy was nine months pregnant then with her first child, Ashley. And a week before I left to head home Ashley was born.
Two days before I left was the first time I got to hold her. While I was holding her, I remember saying a prayer to myself asking the Lord to always be with her. And during trials of this world to reach down and make sure she knows that she is loved.
During the next several months I would constantly check up on Nancy, and Courtney told me that Nancy asked about me often. Over the next several trips, I would always bring Nancy a shirt for Ashley. Even though I wouldn’t always see them, I would always have Amber pass along the shirt and let them know I was praying.
During the summer of 2012 I was in Honduras, and the last week I was there we were feeding at the building. I felt someone come up and give me a hug. I looked over it was Nancy with Ashley. I had not seen them in a few years, but there was an immediate connection again. With the help of Courtney, we talked about life, plans and Ashley.
During spring Break 2013, I asked Amber how Nancy and Ashley were doing. Amber told me that she had not seen them in a little while. During that week I hoped and prayed that I would be able to see them. One of nights that we where feeding, we went down to downtown and area. While walking around the downtown area passing out food, I saw Nancy and Ashley. That is when I found out that Nancy was pregnant with her second child. We laughed and gave hugs till it was time to go.
A few weeks later, I texted Courtney to ask her how the baby was and what Nancy had named the baby. Her response was, “You’re not going to believe this. Nancy told me she named her Lesli.” This almost brought me to tears. Learning that someone named their child after you brings some excitement. The next few months I spent praying for Lesli, longing for a time when I would finally get to meet her.
During this summer, July 25 was the first night the group I was with was going to pass out food downtown. We got to the downtown area and I walked around with Amber looking for Nancy, Ashley and Lesli, praying the whole time that I would see them. I had about given up, when we turned the last corner and I saw them. The next ten minutes I spent holding Lesli, praying over her and showing her love. Though those ten minutes are the only time I have seen baby Leslie so far, I treasure that time with her and cannot wait to see her again.
Nancy, Ashley and baby Lesli are not just people who live at Breaking Chains. They are now my friends. And there is not a day that goes by that I do not think about them. I look forward to seeing Lesli grow up. I pray that she is able to break the cycle of poverty. I am so glad that Lesli has the Breaking Chains family in her life. I hope that you can consider supporting her.
Just because you do not speak the language does not mean you cannot show them love.
