The Crew Comes Back to Honduras!

 By An 11th Grader From Our Little Roses

When I first saw the teaser I was in my Spanish classroom. I felt like wow, because it looked like a real movie and it has cool effects and I felt weird because it’s the place where I live. Because I never thought this place would be in a movie.

From Left to Right: Cassidy (producer), Brad (director) and me.

On Tuesday morning, before the crew arrived, the girls started to talk about “the film crew is coming.” I was like wow, how long are they staying?  The first time the crew came to Our Little Roses home, I just felt: who are these weird people? Are they visitors who came to volunteer? When they asked me to interview, I was thinking no, I’m not going to say anything to these weird people. They don’t even know me. They don’t’ even know who I am. I really didn’t know what they were coming here to do.

But this time, when I heard they were coming, I was like wow. They are coming back. Oh my God.  Are they going to keep bothering me? I just don’t like cameras. People say I’m not so pretty to be on cameras. Sometimes some of us don’t like how we appear on camera, our gestures, our face because it’s awkward to have people in your face with a camera.  We’re not used to being on camera every day like famous people.

But at the same time, I feel like the crew has been here a long time, even though it’s just their second trip.  The crew is not unknown to me anymore. They are people that have a mission, a vision, people that have come to see this place grow, to show people outside that this place is not a regular home. It’s a family.  People fight but seconds later, they say let’s go take a walk and talk about our problems or our feelings. We feel safe, with a united family, people who listen to each other’s problems and fears and help each other with everything.

Even so, today, I felt so uncomfortable. When Carmen and Kevin were filming, in the playground this morning, I was like “Sara” - my friend from the school- “you have to be with me all the time.” I thought Cassidy was kidding when he told me they were going to film me all day long. I’m not a person who likes to be on camera. But starting this trip I’m allowing myself to be on camera, I just let it happen, forget that I’m on camera. Let the moment happen. Because I just have to get used to it.

The reason is this. When the world sees this film, they will be seeing a place that they never have lived in, a place they wish they would have lived in, grown up in.

Because people on the outside they think we are not the same as them only because we live in a home. They look at us like less. But we have the same love of family that you have, the same intelligence, the same goals: we have something to do and we are going to make it happen, no matter how hard it is.

This film is about learning poetry. It’s complicated. Not just anyone can do it but everyone has the capacity to do it if they want to.  That’s the key: seeing poetry as a way to reach your goals and dreams.

Film crew in Padre Spencer's 11th grade class!

Everyone sees poetry their own way, according to their experiences. For me,  what I’ve been through I can use to guide me toward a future that is my destiny.  I’ve written poems and sang, but if I practice, maybe I can be a professional singer or a poet. Someone who tells a story that makes people understand what I’m feeling.

That’s why I’m choosing not to be just a character in this film. I’m helping direct it.  I like the way I feel directing.  It’s something I know nothing about but my conscience tells me what’s right and what’s wrong.  I just feel that I can be a leader anywhere I go.  I can lead people, make things better, help the filmmakers, improve the film.

This is what I think. Please tell me what you see when you watch the teaser, and eventually the film. What you see and what you think about us matters to me. 

(Producer's Note: This blog was written by a girl from Our Little Roses home in San Pedro Sula, where the crew is filming all year. Her name has not been published for legal reasons. Please respond to her in the comments section below so she can see and answer any of your questions or comments).