Dental Health....a priority for this week.

This little one, two months old, is completely unaware of the turmoil here in Honduras. Although, it is quite safe here in Quimistan to date. The highways were blocked yesterday and today between San Pedro Sula and here and properly elsewhere too. There was a police road block late yesterday afternoon on the highway as you enter/exit Q town....fortunately, I was going the other way...and kept on going.

Yesterday morning, we visited the Fransico Brogan Escuela, the local elementary school in Quimistan for fluoride treatments....800 children grades 1-6. Praise the Lord, the teachers were ready for us and had the classes organized to come out for their fluoride treatment. We were able to do grades 1-4, 600 children and will return today for grades 5 and 6.




The children were very interested in what we were doing and acting goofy when the camera came out.

Demo again...how many times has Maynor said the same thing????

30 seconds can seem like a long time:)

An action photo that needs no words!

Recess time on the monkey bars....which HAF provided in 2002-3. It is good to see them still in use....unfortunately, the swing sets are not....I plan to investigate how to get them repaired if possible.

Maynor, Dulce (the translator) and a mom who volunteered to help await the next class.

And, yes, we are weary of the word "escupe"......and making sure our feet are no where near:) But are hopeful, these treatments will make a positive difference in the dental health of these children....and to God be the glory!

Roxanne

Monday...on the road again.

Having spend yesterday, Sunday, as a day of rest, Maynor and I were off to do more fluoride and anti-parasitic treatments. We traveled to Milpa Arda first to give treatment to 150 students grades Kinder-6.

When we arrived it was time for recess and snack.

Receiving anti-parasitic medication...good to the last drop.

Each classroom houses two grades with one teacher;

first and third, second and fourth, fifth and sixth, and the kindergarten.

With an average of 45 students in each of the classrooms, except for the kinder,

I can not imagine how the teacher instructs.

Without our fellow missionaries, the moms jumped

in to help prepare the fluoride.

As Maynor demonstrates to the children, some are very attentive.

We then drove a bit further to Jicaro where in a one room school house,

one teacher is instructing 6 grades- 27 students were present today.

She must split the time teaching each grade while the others

sit quietly listening....or not!

The noise level and distractions are difficult to comprehend.

These teachers must be special people to offer themselves,

time and energy for so little pay, using stubs of chalk in an overcrowded

room with maybe a fan for ventilation.

I am reminded again of Jesus saying if you have done

it unto one of the least of these, you have done it unto me.

Saturday - day to visit local areas

My morning was spent in a meeting with Omar Carcamo Matute who is the local coordinator of our Highway Feeding Program. We walked through a small portion of the barrio, neighborhood, which is named " Tejeras".
There are about 40 homes from which the children come to be fed every Friday. The homes line the highway and are built on municipality land and many have been there for over 30 years. Most of the people are brick makers having built their ovens on the municipality land as well. When questioned regarding what water the people use, Omar stated that he has city water at the home he rents and that many get water from his house and the river.

Some of the houses on the right side past the bridge have water, but none on the left b/c the municipality “refused” to give it. (There is not enough water pressure to pump the water if they had the pipes.)

The children attend the Luz de Valle Escuela and Kinder which thankfully is one of the schools we have in our Fluoride/Anti-parasite program.

This house contains 12 people –

5 adults and 7 children and is typical construction.

Many of the homes are made of adobe and sticks.

Only the first two homes on the right just past the bridge have electricity as they own the land upon which they built. These families seem to have better economic resources.

We drove to the land field which was rather ‘clean’. There was one family there scavenging. I gave them the only thing I had that was edible…crackers. The municipality has a worker who sets the fire and watches over it. Omar reported that any attempt to remove the children from seeking food and recyclables would not be supported by the parents.

On the way back, we stopped at a spot three lots away from where the feeding is currently occurring each Friday. The parents have built a shelter…cement floor with a tin roof; approx. 16 yards square. It seems a lady donated the land to be used for the gatherings….although, it is municipality land. There is an additional area approx. 20 yards square available for use. When asked, he states they will carry the chairs, etc. to this lot for the Friday feedings and for the Sunday morning program during which he teaches the children from the Bible.


How great is our God! It is exciting to see how a gift from donors in the US inspires our friends here to work together and create a place to worship our Lord.

Enjoy the Sabbath.

In Christ, Roxanne

A Friday of Peace in Quimistan

Buenos dia de Quimistan!

Due to the classes of most kinders and schools being closed for the strike, no fluoride treatments were given. I spent the morning doing necessary things like laundry, paperwork....sorta' just like being in Aiken:)

In the afternoon, I spent some time with Maynor developing spreadsheets to ease his recording and then we ran errands. We stayed in Q town due to road closures and threats due to Zelaya's activities.

I popped by the concina project at the kinderllate in the afternoon:

At first I found only Obin, Hector and two other boys working.

Obin, el jefe.

Shortly, help arrived from the other work site of the Pinto Construction team.

(For those who have been coming for years, the young man to the most right is Chepita, Grecia's 'little' brother. He is now 14 and in high school. We reminisced of years ago having a Twister competition on his front porch. Of course, our memories differ on who was the champion:) Oh, the years fly by!)

Believe me, this is not as easy as it looks....the bucket is full of cement!

Down the hatch, and a column is made.

Friday Afternoon: Ministry of the Highway

Prayers of thanksgiving are offered.



Even the smallest is fed.

I think he likes his supper?

These sure did as they lined up for seconds or thirds looking for more nutritious soup in the big pop of Gloria.

And at least one, left very happy and full.....to God be the glory!

Roxanne

Let the Little Children Come

We visited the Luz de Valle Escuela to provide fluoride treatment to these first through sixth graders. This is the classroom funded and constructed by HAF a couple of years ago.

Even Maestro David enjoye(?) his fluoride treatment.

Swish and swallow for thirty seconds and then escupir (spit out)!

We then visited Banderas to provide anti-parasitic meds as the children had received fluoride in June. Unfortunately, the teacher is pregnant and has not had classes for a month and it is unknown when the classes will resume. An example of the sad, inefficiency of the school system here. But one parent was more than willing to help us gather the children for the treatment.

In the afternoon, I chauffeured the medical brigade to Los Montanitas.....my first visit. It is a beautiful pueblo albeit without electricity and clean water. Maynor did take a sample of the water for testing.

At first, I did play nurse and relieve Edith for the vital sign station.

Maynor ready for his first patient and then working hard to fulfill Dr. Elsa's prescriptions.

Dr. Elsa during a consult with one of the thirty one patients with whom she consulted this afternoon.

It did not take me long, to move outside, where it was much cooler, although still hot, and entertain the children and adults with my antics. Thank God for who ever invented balloons and Frisbee....a huge hit no matter where you go.

As requested, I rode by the kinder cocina project to visit and view the progress made.

Obin, seems to be making great progress with out the gringos to 'help' him.

Unfortunately, again today, Friday, many teachers are not in school so we can not visit for the planned treatments. This has been the case for a month now as the government struggles to settle and Zelaya calls for strikes. Again, the children are suffering.....they will have lost so many days of school this year and yet, be passed on to the next grade, unprepared.


MT 19:14 "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?"

As I am here solo in the missionary home, I have no one else's devotion to listen to so in my quiet time, I read from Isaiah 40:28-29: " Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

What a wonderful promise in the midst of such turmoil here in Honduras.

Looking at these sweet, precious faces, you can see that my time in Honduras continues to be special. Despite the political environment and the news you are hearing, I have had no trouble traveling in the past week. Today, I assisted our administrative assistant (AA) in providing fluoride treatment and de-worming meds to two kindergartens in small neighboring villages.

Good to the last drop! Muy Rico!

Or maybe not?!

It was my joy to tell them that I love them because Jesus first loved me and that He loves them and wants to be their friend and to live in their hearts.....looking at these faces, it is not hard to believe every word spoken.

No, I have not been arrested!

Later in the afternoon, the AA accompanied me to finally receive the license tag for my car. PTL ! This is the final paperwork needed for the imported vehicle......it only took 6 weeks; a trip to Miami followed by a flight to Honduras; weeks of waiting; a trip to Puerto Cortes to pick it up after five trips to San Pedro Sula for paperwork and insurance; a trip to La Flecha because the system in the bank here was not working; and the third trip to Santa Barbara this afternoon to have the tag in my hands. Tomorrow, once I find a wrench it will go on the car.

I only regret no one will be here to see my celebration dance:)

And if the children are in school we will administer meds to three of the remaining 8 schools in the morning so I look forward to sharing more photos with you all.

Please pray for the freedom of this country which so many of us love.

Roxanne