Who Is Mama Tara?

Who is this lady called Mama Tara? The name, ”Mama Tara” actually means Big Mama in the Miskito Indian language. I don’t know how she got the name, but in my opinion, it is because she has a big heart. She has such a heart of compassion for children, who have been abandoned, or abused, and especially the orphan. When she was around 14 years of age, her mother died, and it was this traumatic experience, that caused her to tell the Lord that one day she would help orphans, feeling very much like an orphan herself.

This wonderful lady’s real name is Florinda Flores Blas. She lives in Puerto Lempira, located on the Mosquito Coast of Honduras. Mama Tara just celebrated her 80^th birthday in April of 2009. She is the person responsible for beginning the Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, a few years before I even met her, which was in June of 2003. At that time, the orphanage was still located in an old dilapidated, camp-like structure that was built out over a lagoon. This lagoon, is by no means a small body of water. It looks more like a lake to me.

The situation, at the time of our arrival on the scene was desperate. Our missionary team, which consisted of around 15 people from the U.S. was appalled and shocked at the living conditions of the little orphanage, which looked like at any moment it would collapse in a heap of splintered and rotting pieces of wood into the polluted water below. All 15 of us piled into the building, with a hint of fear in our hearts as we knew the building was stressed with all the added weight. As it was, there were about anywhere from 30 – 40 women and children, of various ages, all crammed into this old condemned building.

Inside the building was a very large room, with many people scattered about. The children scurried around, as they knew we were coming and they were so excited. Apparently they had gotten all dressed up for company and they had prepared a song for the Gringo Missionaries, called ”Bienvenidos”. I had seen photos of the children before we got there, but in person, they looked so different. None the less, I fell in love with them those first few days. Amazingly enough, they seemed very happy. I would notice later, after being there a few days, the children at the orphanage seemed brighter and happier in their countenance then many of the other children that we saw as we walked through the town.

As I glanced around the room I noticed many young mothers holding their babies, while sitting on the floor. They would cluster together in little groups. They smiled sheepishly at us, or some pretended not to notice us. All of these sights and smells were overwhelming to me, but what seemed to be the most alarming problem that needed immediate attention were the gaping holes in the floor, where parts of the floor boards were missing, large enough for a child or animal to fall through. It was very dangerous to walk around from room to room, because you had to constantly watch your step.

As all of us were trying to take everything in when Mama Tara walked into the room. She, too, was dressed in a nice blue dress, something that she might wear to church. Of course she greeted those on the team she had met on prior occasions. Tracy Houpt, our faithful leader, had met Mama Tara on a mission team that went down the year before. The Lord impressed on him a desire to help Mama Tara from the moment he met her and that is how the U.S. ministry of Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, Inc. began.

The mission team members were introduced to Mama Tara one at a time. I felt honored to be in her presence. She embraced each of us warmly, and made us feel so welcomed. I felt her love, when she hugged me. I knew there was something special about her. She reminded me of a Hispanic version of Mother Teresa.

Mama Tara was so grateful for us being there. She had been praying for years that the Lord would send her some help to build a new orphanage. A few acres of land had been donated to her for her use to build an orphanage, but she did not have any money or resources to begin the building process. The American mission team, headed by Tracy Houpt, was a sign of hope for her dream to come true, on behalf of the orphaned children.

Mama Tara doesn’t just help children, her heart is so big, she will feed anyone who is hungry, who comes to her in need. She sometimes houses women with babies, who’s husbands have left them, and so they have to try and fend for themselves. She takes in the elderly women who have no place to live. And then there are the animals. Mama Tara takes in strays. She nurses them back to health, so needless to say there are always many dogs and cats hanging around. Her policy is, if a person or animal comes to her in need, she will not turn them away. She believes the Lord will bless her for looking out for the helpless. I think she is on to something here! To me actions speak louder than words. Words don’t put food in someone’s mouth, words don’t put a roof over your head nor provide clothing when you are cold and naked.

Yes, Mama Tara had a dream, that someday, somehow, God was going to send her the help she needed to build a new orphanage. She had the dream, she had the heart, she had the land, she even had the orphans, but she needed people to help her, people who had skills, and resources who could come along side this noble woman to help with her vision. Thankfully, the Mama Tara Miskito Orphanage, Inc. was formed and has been helping make these dreams of Mama Tara’s a reality ever since. In April of 2004, the children and Mama Tara moved into the first phase of the new orphanage building project. It was only the beginning, but, it was a huge improvement to the unsafe building in which they had been living.