An Osceola County builder and his wife took tragedy in their own life to help save the lives of others far from Central Florida.
About 3,000 miles and a world away from Central Florida, Barry and Penny Compton call an unsuspecting place their second home. Tocoa Colon, Honduras.
Barry and Penny spent most of their early years building a family and a business in Kissimmee.
They were complete and then their world came crashing down.
Their son, Branden, died at the age of 8 after battling a rare genetic disorder.
“After Brandon Passed away, we really got serious, kind of had a heart check, on lifestyle, just everything,” said Barry.
They could have never imagined what would come from that heartache.
After visiting Honduras they saw a need they couldn’t ignore and their desire to help turned into Open Door Ministries, an Orphanage where about 50 kids escaping a life of starvation abuse and sex-trafficking call home.
Kids they have rescued include a newborn found in a plastic bag on the street and a little boy named Inglais.
“When we first got him, incredibly happy kid, but he was missing his two front teeth, because he took such a hard hit from his mother when he was younger it knocked his two front teeth out and did damage to his gums,” said Barry.
They also support a home for girls, some as young as 10, on the run from sex traffickers.
Naomi came to them pregnant at 13.
“She was sold for tortillas, very tragic, but her family was being fed through her being prostituted out,” said Barry.
There is also the feeding shelter for children to eat. For some, it’s their only meal of the day.
The Honduran Government calls the Compton’s almost daily asking for their help, to rescue more children, many have to be turned away.
“We need other people to come along side of us, sponsors, donors to help build some of these projects,” said Barry.
The Compton's say they do not see themselves as heroes but the faces of the children say otherwise.
To learn more about Open Door Ministries go to: www.odm.us.org