What a glorious day! After a great breakfast we loaded the vans and headed up the mountain to the village of Texoxingales (Teo). We arrived at the village and took a tour of the stoves and latrines HAF had helped to build in the village. Then we proceeded to set up shop in the school. It was a three room building and we used two of the rooms. School is out now so we could use the building with no trouble. Eight of the group and the interpreters worked with the adults being fit for glasses. Over 50 people were fitted today and it was reported that many of those had marvelous moments when at last they could see. Clients were evaluated, then moved to a fitting station where they were helped to find a pair of prescription glasses--many donated by the Lion's Club--and a pair of reading glasses.
While most of the group worked with the adults, three of the group kept the children busy. There were many of them and they were ready to go. A variety of games, bubbles, balloons, and bracelets were handed out.
For lunch we were all given the honor of being invited to the local leader's home for lunch. We were treated to a rich chicken soup in the living room, where the tables were set with the best hand embroidered table cloths. Then back to work or to play with the children.
There were so many children, all with such bright eyes and ready to play. We tried to play duck duck goose, but with limited Spanish and no translator it became perro, perro, gatto (dog, dog, cat). It worked and everybody had a good time.
After the team finished with the glasses we regrouped and began a mass demonstration (show and tell) of the proper way to brush teeth. Believe it or not we were not laughed out of town. We taught young families with small babies to use a cloth to clean the first teeth of the babies and parents were receptive of the information. They readily accepted the tooth brushes, young and old, and all wanted a cover for their brush.
The next session was a visual demonstration and lecture on the health benefits of hand washing. The local cleaning soap was used and a count down from 1 to 10 was made to show that it needed to be a prolonged wash and not a quick one. It is felt this is one of the most important things we can teach them as this has been proven to decrease disease and the death rates.
While this was going on in the court yard area, a group was meeting with leaders from the three community churches about future needs and concerns. Spanish Bibles were distributed to each church, along with varied children's Bible teaching books and coloring books. The representatives from the three churches worked out a plan for trying and sharing the materials in an equitable way. When we return, the time will be right to ask "Did you use the material? What parts did you use? How did you use it? What worked the best for you and how?" The group agreed that Vilma will be the single point of contact with us. I believe the locals all left with the feeling that they had received valuable items and were ready to test them in use.
One last task was to leave the tub of school supplies that the Wilkesboro contingent had brought. The teachers will arrive for the new school year on Wednesday, so we decided to leave the supplies with the family that had fed us lunch. They would see that the teachers got all the supplies when school resumed.
As we returned over the mountain we stopped at the top to admire the fantastic view of the Quimistan valley, and stopped again at the water fall. It was a truly great way to finish the day.
Except let me tell you about the food. We are all going to come back over weight!
Dee-Dee and Allen
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday
After an early day on Friday we had an uneventful but positive trip into the Quimistán area at Martha's Ranch. We settled in and did a van ride around the town, then met our cooks and interpreters. The last thing before bed was to try to get on the blog--but we just could not get our act together.
So after a night of rest, we've left the starting blocks. To all of you in the land of winter it is beautiful here. Trees are rich green, and many are in bloom. We slept with windows open and under just sheets last night, and we're learning how to work the sun showers or just use a cold shower.
We spent the morning with Martha and her Sunday School. It is conducted in an open shelter with over 100 youngsters for a three hour lecture Sunday School followed by a meal and play time. She is a short and powerful woman who keeps your attention with her animation and ability to talk to everyone at once, young and old. After her lesson on John the Baptist, we helped pass out lunch and then played games with the children. A fun time was had by all.
Then back to the ranch for lunch and a short siesta. At 2:00 we were back in the van and off to see the AP students at their Sunday meal and Bible study. The older students met outside and the younger ones inside. Even though we do not understand Spanish, it was so easy to see the dedication and motivation of the teachers on a "day off" from school. These 50-odd students have been chosen by HAF as bright students needing financial help to stay in school. At the Sunday sessions they get support, Bible instruction, and a hot meal. Here we observed, helped serve, and interacted with the students after the meal.
The afternoon was so lovely we walked back to the ranch and enjoyed the country side. Here we can see the mountains in the distance, much like some views in Wilkes County. We sorted all the many precious donations packed in the trunks and extra suitcases. It was almost like the loaves and fishes to see how everything worked out to be more than enough for all areas and equitable to all. We all agreed that today was rewarding to each of us.
So tomorrow we head out to one of the villages, Texoxingales, about an hour and a half up the road. We will do vision testing and eyeglass fitting, teach tooth brushing and hand washing, and explore with various community representatives some items that our committees have asked us to follow up on . We each have our jobs, from fitting patrons to looking after the children they bring with them.
Dee-Dee
So after a night of rest, we've left the starting blocks. To all of you in the land of winter it is beautiful here. Trees are rich green, and many are in bloom. We slept with windows open and under just sheets last night, and we're learning how to work the sun showers or just use a cold shower.
We spent the morning with Martha and her Sunday School. It is conducted in an open shelter with over 100 youngsters for a three hour lecture Sunday School followed by a meal and play time. She is a short and powerful woman who keeps your attention with her animation and ability to talk to everyone at once, young and old. After her lesson on John the Baptist, we helped pass out lunch and then played games with the children. A fun time was had by all.
The afternoon was so lovely we walked back to the ranch and enjoyed the country side. Here we can see the mountains in the distance, much like some views in Wilkes County. We sorted all the many precious donations packed in the trunks and extra suitcases. It was almost like the loaves and fishes to see how everything worked out to be more than enough for all areas and equitable to all. We all agreed that today was rewarding to each of us.
So tomorrow we head out to one of the villages, Texoxingales, about an hour and a half up the road. We will do vision testing and eyeglass fitting, teach tooth brushing and hand washing, and explore with various community representatives some items that our committees have asked us to follow up on . We each have our jobs, from fitting patrons to looking after the children they bring with them.
Dee-Dee
The Team Has Arrived
The next mission team arrived yesterday afternoon. We're settled in, we've had a good night's sleep, and we're gathering for breakfast. This morning we will join Martha in her Sunday School, and after lunch we will join the AP class. We'll be looking for God moments today, and we'll be back to you soon.
Allen
Allen
Monday, January 17, 2011
A Miracle at Teo
We finally made it to Teo on Sunday. The 1.5-hour drive up the steep, unpaved, muddy road was not fun at times. For some of the team who had visited Teo during the 1/2010 trip, we were very pleased at the warm welcome that we received. Last year, the people of Teo mostly treated us as strangers.
A Miracle in Teo!
We visited Teo in November. One of the things we wanted to discuss was education beyond the 6th grade. A meeting was held with the six 6th grade graduates and their parents. We explained the importance of education and the role it plays in changing their lifestyle. An offer was made to send several of their children on to seventh grade. After much discussion, and several excuses, we determined they were not interested as no one has ever done that before.
In our visit yesterday, two men asked to talk with us. They both were fathers of this year’s graduates. Two additional parents showed up. They wanted to talk to us about sending their children on to the 7th grade. Juan Jose joined us. After much discussion, they agreed to provide the transportation (about one hour and fifteen minutes each way). HAF would pay for the gas, books, and other fees.
The village will select 3 children based on grades and ability to succeed. The end of the story is 3 children will be going on to 7th grade beginning in February. God is truly good!
Health & Hygiene at Teo
We set up operations in the elementary school after touring part of the village. We used one classroom for de-worming, where we served approximately 110 children and adults. Outside, we set up the stations for hand washing, tooth brushing, and fluoride treatment. Additional people came to the last three stations. We were very encouraged by the patience of the children and adults waiting in line to be treated, as well as the parents participating along with their children.
Tooth Brushing Contest
At the end of the day we held a “who has the best teeth contest”, complete with prizes. Groups of 10 children were examined. Finalists were selected and a winner was selected by Juan Jose. Each winner reached in a large bag and pulled out their prize. Denny Mcgurer had donated stuffed animals from his grandchild. They were the prizes and were they grand. The kids went wild. Our hope is future teams will continue the contest to encourage consistent care of teeth. Two of the winners are in the photos below.
Progress on training the health care workers
After lunch a group of us sat down with Vilma, the health care worker in Teo. Vilma echoed Dr Tino’s comments on the powerful combination of Justa stoves and the nebulizer reducing respiratory problems. We discussed training on breast self examination. She was enthusiastic about this opportunity to improve the well being of the women in the village. A God moment ended the conversation as Vilma told us this coming Saturday she was meeting with 25 women in the village for a chat on respiratory illnesses. Teo is on the road to self-sufficiency! Bruce and Jim met with Juan Jose Carbajal, water board leader, and Jose Membreno, president of the patronato, to discuss the status of various construction projects at Teo.
Status of Construction Projects
They have completed 40 of the 45 authorized latrines using a variety of designs. When this project is completed, every house in the village will have a latrine.
They need 20 additional desk/bench sets for the school. We told them that we did not currently have funding for this, but that we would continue raising money for desks and benches.
We discussed the need to paint the unburied sections of the new PVC pipeline to prevent the pipe from becoming hard and brittle from exposure to the sun. We explained that this would not happen quickly, but that it would happen. We showed then a plastic jug that was cracking to pieces to explain our point. They understood and agreed.
They have built 18 Justa stoves and need 25 more. We told them that we would send more money for stoves as we collect it. They said that they had seen a significant reduction in asthma cases after the Justa stoves were installed. This was consistent with what Dr. Tino had told us.
During our visit to Teo in January 2010, the women on the village said that they needed a Molino, which is a corn grinder. Several times during 2010 there were additional discussions with Mr. Carbajal and others about the possibility of funding a Molino via a micro-economic loan. We were chartered to try to move these discussions closer to a decision point.
A molino is different from a US-type grinder, which grinds dry corn kernels into corn meal. Here, the corn kernels are boiled until they swell and soften and then they are wet-ground into a paste, which is used to make tortillas. Currently, the corn is hand ground in a lava-rock bowl, which is very time consuming since this task is performed 2-3 times per day. We had visited two Molino suppliers in San Pedro Sula on Monday to determine what molinos were available and their costs.
We discussed likely economics of having a molino at Teo. It seemed that a loan could be repaid in about two years even assuming that only 50% of the households used it. They promised to send us the names of the people who would sign a loan agreement. The president of the patronato said that he would sign a loan agreement.
They said that they had seen a significant reduction in diarrhea cases since the new water line was installed. Mr. Carbajal had a broad smile and kept saying “good water”.
We were very pleased with the feeling of a real partnership during these discussions. It was a good day for us.
A Miracle in Teo!
We visited Teo in November. One of the things we wanted to discuss was education beyond the 6th grade. A meeting was held with the six 6th grade graduates and their parents. We explained the importance of education and the role it plays in changing their lifestyle. An offer was made to send several of their children on to seventh grade. After much discussion, and several excuses, we determined they were not interested as no one has ever done that before.
In our visit yesterday, two men asked to talk with us. They both were fathers of this year’s graduates. Two additional parents showed up. They wanted to talk to us about sending their children on to the 7th grade. Juan Jose joined us. After much discussion, they agreed to provide the transportation (about one hour and fifteen minutes each way). HAF would pay for the gas, books, and other fees.
The village will select 3 children based on grades and ability to succeed. The end of the story is 3 children will be going on to 7th grade beginning in February. God is truly good!
Health & Hygiene at Teo
We set up operations in the elementary school after touring part of the village. We used one classroom for de-worming, where we served approximately 110 children and adults. Outside, we set up the stations for hand washing, tooth brushing, and fluoride treatment. Additional people came to the last three stations. We were very encouraged by the patience of the children and adults waiting in line to be treated, as well as the parents participating along with their children.
Tooth Brushing Contest
At the end of the day we held a “who has the best teeth contest”, complete with prizes. Groups of 10 children were examined. Finalists were selected and a winner was selected by Juan Jose. Each winner reached in a large bag and pulled out their prize. Denny Mcgurer had donated stuffed animals from his grandchild. They were the prizes and were they grand. The kids went wild. Our hope is future teams will continue the contest to encourage consistent care of teeth. Two of the winners are in the photos below.
Progress on training the health care workers
After lunch a group of us sat down with Vilma, the health care worker in Teo. Vilma echoed Dr Tino’s comments on the powerful combination of Justa stoves and the nebulizer reducing respiratory problems. We discussed training on breast self examination. She was enthusiastic about this opportunity to improve the well being of the women in the village. A God moment ended the conversation as Vilma told us this coming Saturday she was meeting with 25 women in the village for a chat on respiratory illnesses. Teo is on the road to self-sufficiency! Bruce and Jim met with Juan Jose Carbajal, water board leader, and Jose Membreno, president of the patronato, to discuss the status of various construction projects at Teo.
Status of Construction Projects
They have completed 40 of the 45 authorized latrines using a variety of designs. When this project is completed, every house in the village will have a latrine.
They need 20 additional desk/bench sets for the school. We told them that we did not currently have funding for this, but that we would continue raising money for desks and benches.
We discussed the need to paint the unburied sections of the new PVC pipeline to prevent the pipe from becoming hard and brittle from exposure to the sun. We explained that this would not happen quickly, but that it would happen. We showed then a plastic jug that was cracking to pieces to explain our point. They understood and agreed.
They have built 18 Justa stoves and need 25 more. We told them that we would send more money for stoves as we collect it. They said that they had seen a significant reduction in asthma cases after the Justa stoves were installed. This was consistent with what Dr. Tino had told us.
During our visit to Teo in January 2010, the women on the village said that they needed a Molino, which is a corn grinder. Several times during 2010 there were additional discussions with Mr. Carbajal and others about the possibility of funding a Molino via a micro-economic loan. We were chartered to try to move these discussions closer to a decision point.
A molino is different from a US-type grinder, which grinds dry corn kernels into corn meal. Here, the corn kernels are boiled until they swell and soften and then they are wet-ground into a paste, which is used to make tortillas. Currently, the corn is hand ground in a lava-rock bowl, which is very time consuming since this task is performed 2-3 times per day. We had visited two Molino suppliers in San Pedro Sula on Monday to determine what molinos were available and their costs.
We discussed likely economics of having a molino at Teo. It seemed that a loan could be repaid in about two years even assuming that only 50% of the households used it. They promised to send us the names of the people who would sign a loan agreement. The president of the patronato said that he would sign a loan agreement.
They said that they had seen a significant reduction in diarrhea cases since the new water line was installed. Mr. Carbajal had a broad smile and kept saying “good water”.
We were very pleased with the feeling of a real partnership during these discussions. It was a good day for us.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Part of our Team Goes Home
On this day of departure for six of our team, we observed communion conducted by Martha. It was a very moving ceremony. We discovered that God reaches out to us regardless of the setting. The wine was jamaica juice, the bread was muffins made by the women in La Montanita, and the cloth covering the bread was a tortilla cloth made by the women in La Montanita. At the end of the ceremony, each of us was asked to relate the gifts we received during our experience in the Quimistan region
The remainder of the team traveled to Milpa Arada, which is about 20 minutes from Quimistan, to attend the dedication of a new municipal water system. IHDER (Honduran Institute for Rural Development), which is the NGO that we met with earlier to discuss their long-distance learning project, funded the majority of this project.
Milpa Arada was established about 300 years ago. It was so isolated that the first and only school they have was established in 1946. In most of the past, women and children had to walk to a water source which was a 45-minute walk each way. They carried the water back to their homes in buckets on their heads. Sometime in the late 1900s, a small water line was run to Milpa Arada from Pinalejo, but the line did not have enough capacity for the 250 houses in the village. In 2003, planning began on a higher-capacity water system. After many obstacles, the project is now complete. A 6-inch line was run the 7-km distance from the water source to the village. All of the 250 houses now have running water. Also, the system has enough capacity to meet their expected growth for the next 20 years. The system has the capability to add chlorine, but the water is pure and does not need chlorination. The project cost about $200,000.
The dedication ceremony lasted about 2 hours. Several of the speakers had tears in their eyes as they expressed thanks for the water project. At the end, a group of young women and men entertained the crowd with some traditional dancing, and there were fireworks.
We heard a comment from a woman that we believe is very applicable to our projects here. She said ”We extended our hands to reach out for help and we got what we needed. If this water line ever needs additional money, we should put our hands in our own pockets”.
Meeting with AP Kids
Late in the afternoon, six AP kids met with their sponsors to spend some private time playing games and to receive gifts that the sponsors had brought. There were many hugs and teary eyes when the kids had to leave.
The remainder of the team traveled to Milpa Arada, which is about 20 minutes from Quimistan, to attend the dedication of a new municipal water system. IHDER (Honduran Institute for Rural Development), which is the NGO that we met with earlier to discuss their long-distance learning project, funded the majority of this project.
Milpa Arada was established about 300 years ago. It was so isolated that the first and only school they have was established in 1946. In most of the past, women and children had to walk to a water source which was a 45-minute walk each way. They carried the water back to their homes in buckets on their heads. Sometime in the late 1900s, a small water line was run to Milpa Arada from Pinalejo, but the line did not have enough capacity for the 250 houses in the village. In 2003, planning began on a higher-capacity water system. After many obstacles, the project is now complete. A 6-inch line was run the 7-km distance from the water source to the village. All of the 250 houses now have running water. Also, the system has enough capacity to meet their expected growth for the next 20 years. The system has the capability to add chlorine, but the water is pure and does not need chlorination. The project cost about $200,000.
The dedication ceremony lasted about 2 hours. Several of the speakers had tears in their eyes as they expressed thanks for the water project. At the end, a group of young women and men entertained the crowd with some traditional dancing, and there were fireworks.
We heard a comment from a woman that we believe is very applicable to our projects here. She said ”We extended our hands to reach out for help and we got what we needed. If this water line ever needs additional money, we should put our hands in our own pockets”.
Meeting with AP Kids
Late in the afternoon, six AP kids met with their sponsors to spend some private time playing games and to receive gifts that the sponsors had brought. There were many hugs and teary eyes when the kids had to leave.
Back to La Montanita
Back to La Montanita Day
Under threatening gray skies with drizzling rain, the team again journeyed up the winding road to La Montanita. This time the muddy narrow road was more dangerous as the clay base was wet and slippery. Water was to the top of one of the bridges at the bottom of the mountain. Arriving at the top, we were treated to coffee and some delicious, fresh baked pastries from the new, micro-enterprise bakery.
Quickly, we set up the eye clinic, brought in the boxes of donated prescription glasses, and set up the various stations. When we opened the door of the kindergarten, it turned into an eye clinic and we had a line of patients ready for us. Three hours later some 40 community members (one 90 years old) were fitted with distance and reading glasses as needed, along with non-prescription sunglasses. The HAF purchased focometer (funded by St. John’s United Methodist Church) provided a simple and easy method of determining the approximate strength of glasses. Needless to say, it was heartwarming when a patient beamed when he or she could clearly see again.
After a quick lunch of sandwiches, the HAF Education Committee met with the village’s Patronato (or village government leader). This meeting solidified plans for a pilot project to send 7th grade students from La Montanita to attend Saturday classes in Pinalejo. This will allow rising 7th graders to proceed on a path to completing the 9th grade. In closing, the Patronato and members of the Construction Committee discussed ongoing and planned projects.
New Craft Projects
Several members of the team met with Reina to begin several more craft products.
Tilapia Ponds
We saw two tilapia ponds at Riena’s house. These ponds had dried up before the new, HAF-funded water line was completed early last year. It was surprising how small the ponds were (about 8’x20’). One pond was used to grow the tilapia fingerlings and the other was used to grow the fish to harvest size. The larger pond typically held 150-300 fish. Some of the fish are used as food by the family and some are sold. Needless to say, we had talipia for dinner.
Under threatening gray skies with drizzling rain, the team again journeyed up the winding road to La Montanita. This time the muddy narrow road was more dangerous as the clay base was wet and slippery. Water was to the top of one of the bridges at the bottom of the mountain. Arriving at the top, we were treated to coffee and some delicious, fresh baked pastries from the new, micro-enterprise bakery.
Quickly, we set up the eye clinic, brought in the boxes of donated prescription glasses, and set up the various stations. When we opened the door of the kindergarten, it turned into an eye clinic and we had a line of patients ready for us. Three hours later some 40 community members (one 90 years old) were fitted with distance and reading glasses as needed, along with non-prescription sunglasses. The HAF purchased focometer (funded by St. John’s United Methodist Church) provided a simple and easy method of determining the approximate strength of glasses. Needless to say, it was heartwarming when a patient beamed when he or she could clearly see again.
After a quick lunch of sandwiches, the HAF Education Committee met with the village’s Patronato (or village government leader). This meeting solidified plans for a pilot project to send 7th grade students from La Montanita to attend Saturday classes in Pinalejo. This will allow rising 7th graders to proceed on a path to completing the 9th grade. In closing, the Patronato and members of the Construction Committee discussed ongoing and planned projects.
New Craft Projects
Several members of the team met with Reina to begin several more craft products.
Tilapia Ponds
We saw two tilapia ponds at Riena’s house. These ponds had dried up before the new, HAF-funded water line was completed early last year. It was surprising how small the ponds were (about 8’x20’). One pond was used to grow the tilapia fingerlings and the other was used to grow the fish to harvest size. The larger pond typically held 150-300 fish. Some of the fish are used as food by the family and some are sold. Needless to say, we had talipia for dinner.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
.....and the Heavens Opened Up
Distance Learning with Instituto Hondureno para el Desarrollo Rural
Back in November, Margaux Yost, the Peace Corps volunteer in Quimistan, suggested we connect with the folks in Quimistan. On Wednesday we met with Mariano Mendez, the Coordinator, and Sonia Maria Carranza, his assistant. IHDER (Honduran Institute for Rural Development) is an NGO organized in 1978 with a primary objective of reaching out to farmers in remote areas to organize them and make them more productive. Subsequently they changed their direction to look at the lives of people to include housing, health, education, water, and sanitation. IHDER works with communities to understand the needs, set priorities, and develop plans. They continue to believe rural communities can’t prosper without good farming. All projects have a training module which includes how to maintain what’s been implemented and ensure environmental sustainability.
Our initial purpose of meeting with them was to discuss remote educational opportunities. But the discussion expanded into other opportunities. The remote education project is based in Playon, a community in central Honduras. Education materials are provided to students supported by radio communications at the remote locations. Periodic onsite visits by a teacher reinforce learning and evaluate progress. The program can handle 20-30 students/location from 1st through 12th grades. This has very practical applicability for the children in Teo. We’ll be following up with Mariano and Sonia next week.
University Education Program
We met with Maynor to understand Carlos Rapalo’s 1) finances, 2) family situation and 3) ability to succeed. With him meeting all our criteria we agreed to provide initial support for his first year of university. We rejoice in having this opportunity to add a third Agape Promises graduate to the program.
On the way back to the “ranch” we stopped again in Pinalejo to observe the operation of a molino. This is an electrically powered machine that grinds corn mixed with water to make tortilla dough. The dough must be ground and mixed just prior to cooking because the dough immediately starts to ferment. As a treat on the way back into Quimistan, we stopped to observe tortilla dough being rolled and fried into delicious homemade corn tortillas.
After lunch we traveled to the private hospital in Quimistan to listen to a most impressive presentation by Dr. Turcios. He has just earned a master’s degree in psychology in addition his medical doctor’s credentials. He is desirous of leaving his current medical practice. He then would devote himself to changing the current cycle of parents imprinting upon their children inappropriate family moral values. Currently, at the age of 13 to 15, local Honduran children who are missing parental love and lacking in self respect seek short-term relationships. This results in children having children born into single parent families. The mission team members are exploring ways of partnering with Dr. Turcios and serving our AP students. Much more discussion and thought is needed in this area.
Dr. Constantino returned to our dinner table Thursday evening and offered a most informative PowerPoint presentation on the results of the 2010 Medical Brigades. His focus was on the communities of La Montanita, Nueva Esperanza, Texoxingales, and Banderas. Of the 1895 members of these four communities, 741 required medical assistance during 2010. For all age groups, asthma and diarrhea were the most prevalent medical problems, both of which are targets of the Honduras Agape Foundation. Dr. “Tino” stated that since the introduction of Justa stoves and use of the Foundation- purchased nebulizers the incidents of asthma have been significantly reduced. The Foundation’s partnership programs with these communities, with regard to clean water, have proven to be most successful.
Back in November, Margaux Yost, the Peace Corps volunteer in Quimistan, suggested we connect with the folks in Quimistan. On Wednesday we met with Mariano Mendez, the Coordinator, and Sonia Maria Carranza, his assistant. IHDER (Honduran Institute for Rural Development) is an NGO organized in 1978 with a primary objective of reaching out to farmers in remote areas to organize them and make them more productive. Subsequently they changed their direction to look at the lives of people to include housing, health, education, water, and sanitation. IHDER works with communities to understand the needs, set priorities, and develop plans. They continue to believe rural communities can’t prosper without good farming. All projects have a training module which includes how to maintain what’s been implemented and ensure environmental sustainability.
Our initial purpose of meeting with them was to discuss remote educational opportunities. But the discussion expanded into other opportunities. The remote education project is based in Playon, a community in central Honduras. Education materials are provided to students supported by radio communications at the remote locations. Periodic onsite visits by a teacher reinforce learning and evaluate progress. The program can handle 20-30 students/location from 1st through 12th grades. This has very practical applicability for the children in Teo. We’ll be following up with Mariano and Sonia next week.
University Education Program
We met with Maynor to understand Carlos Rapalo’s 1) finances, 2) family situation and 3) ability to succeed. With him meeting all our criteria we agreed to provide initial support for his first year of university. We rejoice in having this opportunity to add a third Agape Promises graduate to the program.
… and today the heavens opened up
Under a gray sky with drizzling rain falling, the mission team left in a two car convoy for Texoxingales (Teo), about an hour and a half drive from Quimistan. As the team's vehicle started up the steep wet clay winding mountain road the heavens opened up with a downpour that made the road unsafe to travel. Have you ever tried to turn around a large 15 passenger vehicle on a small mountain road with no guardrails and a ditch of rushing water on either side?
Returning to the bottom of the mountain and to the village of Pinalejo we shopped at the local Catholic Church to purchase some Catholic adult and children's Bibles in Spanish, along with some children’s Sunday school materials. These materials will be distributed to the Catholic community in La Montanita.
On the way back to the “ranch” we stopped again in Pinalejo to observe the operation of a molino. This is an electrically powered machine that grinds corn mixed with water to make tortilla dough. The dough must be ground and mixed just prior to cooking because the dough immediately starts to ferment. As a treat on the way back into Quimistan, we stopped to observe tortilla dough being rolled and fried into delicious homemade corn tortillas.
Dr. Constantino returned to our dinner table Thursday evening and offered a most informative PowerPoint presentation on the results of the 2010 Medical Brigades. His focus was on the communities of La Montanita, Nueva Esperanza, Texoxingales, and Banderas. Of the 1895 members of these four communities, 741 required medical assistance during 2010. For all age groups, asthma and diarrhea were the most prevalent medical problems, both of which are targets of the Honduras Agape Foundation. Dr. “Tino” stated that since the introduction of Justa stoves and use of the Foundation- purchased nebulizers the incidents of asthma have been significantly reduced. The Foundation’s partnership programs with these communities, with regard to clean water, have proven to be most successful.
Search for the Guilty
This blog will be short and sweet. Today’s winner of the coveted “el Grunon” award (put a tilde on the n) was Catherine Vandegrift. She was up to form but declined to have her award photo published.
Today Ken, June Denny, Allen and Nola Radcliffe met with a representative from two representatives from an NGO which receives support from the citizens of Spain. They have been at work in Honduras since 1974 and in Quimistan since 1994. They were investigating ways in which our organizations might be able to partner.
The rest of us went to Tejeras to teach kids how to brush teeth , wash hands, for deworming and fluoride teeth treatment. After all was set up and the folks had arrived, we discovered that we forgot to bring the medicines and tooth brushes. The culprit for this booboo will remain nameless but the finger pointing will continue. All worked out well in the end.
During lunch we had a guest, Margo Yost, a Peace Corp volunteer working in Quimistan. She told us of some of her health related initiatives in Quimistan. These were related to prenatal health, HIV Aids, birth control of any method.
After lunch we returned to Tejeras to feed the children which was a fun experience as it usually is. After lunch we took some of the Ladies to see the tumbling down house three doors up the road. This was to provide more support for our contention that something had to be done soon to prevent a disaster.
We then went for dinner at Canchita’s restaurant for a delicious dinner. Upon exiting Canchita’s we discovered we were to return via a school bus! On the way how the driver didn’t know we were to go to Shirley’s for ice cream. We didn’t sound the alarm until we were about a quarter mile down the road to the ranch. The driver had to back the bus up the quarter mile, in the dark, because he couldn’t turn around. NOTHING stops you from getting ice cream in Honduras.
Eventually everything worked out well and we got to bed. Unfortunately, some complained of snoring, otherwise it was a perfect day.
More Peace Corps
In yesterday’s blog we made brief mention of a presentation from a peace Corp volunteer here in Quimistan. We would like to expand a little bit on her mission here. Her name is Margaux Yost, and she spoke to us about her mission as a Peace Corp Volunteer and how she fits into the Quimistan community.
Margauex works on a monthly basis with four small mountain communities that have nurses located in their clinics. Her role is to teach various heath topics such as: personal hygiene, dental health, importance of clean water, etc.
The other part of her mission is to work with high school students on the subject of sex education. She is allowed to hold a class once a month for two hours with 7th and 8th grade students from one class of 44 students. Only twelve parents gave permission for their children to attend these sessions. She hopes to train these students to act as mentors for next year’s class of 7th and 8th graders.
She is attempting to get cooperation from the teachers to have them include some of her information into their curriculum. Because of the culture, talking about pregnancy prevention, HIV and STDs is taboo, and she is trying to overcome that. Judging by the numbers of teen pregnancies, prevalence of HIV and STD these are subjects that should be in the high schools as the children apparently are not getting this from their parents or guardians.
Today Ken, June Denny, Allen and Nola Radcliffe met with a representative from two representatives from an NGO which receives support from the citizens of Spain. They have been at work in Honduras since 1974 and in Quimistan since 1994. They were investigating ways in which our organizations might be able to partner.
The rest of us went to Tejeras to teach kids how to brush teeth , wash hands, for deworming and fluoride teeth treatment. After all was set up and the folks had arrived, we discovered that we forgot to bring the medicines and tooth brushes. The culprit for this booboo will remain nameless but the finger pointing will continue. All worked out well in the end.
During lunch we had a guest, Margo Yost, a Peace Corp volunteer working in Quimistan. She told us of some of her health related initiatives in Quimistan. These were related to prenatal health, HIV Aids, birth control of any method.
After lunch we returned to Tejeras to feed the children which was a fun experience as it usually is. After lunch we took some of the Ladies to see the tumbling down house three doors up the road. This was to provide more support for our contention that something had to be done soon to prevent a disaster.
We then went for dinner at Canchita’s restaurant for a delicious dinner. Upon exiting Canchita’s we discovered we were to return via a school bus! On the way how the driver didn’t know we were to go to Shirley’s for ice cream. We didn’t sound the alarm until we were about a quarter mile down the road to the ranch. The driver had to back the bus up the quarter mile, in the dark, because he couldn’t turn around. NOTHING stops you from getting ice cream in Honduras.
Eventually everything worked out well and we got to bed. Unfortunately, some complained of snoring, otherwise it was a perfect day.
More Peace Corps
In yesterday’s blog we made brief mention of a presentation from a peace Corp volunteer here in Quimistan. We would like to expand a little bit on her mission here. Her name is Margaux Yost, and she spoke to us about her mission as a Peace Corp Volunteer and how she fits into the Quimistan community.
Margauex works on a monthly basis with four small mountain communities that have nurses located in their clinics. Her role is to teach various heath topics such as: personal hygiene, dental health, importance of clean water, etc.
The other part of her mission is to work with high school students on the subject of sex education. She is allowed to hold a class once a month for two hours with 7th and 8th grade students from one class of 44 students. Only twelve parents gave permission for their children to attend these sessions. She hopes to train these students to act as mentors for next year’s class of 7th and 8th graders.
She is attempting to get cooperation from the teachers to have them include some of her information into their curriculum. Because of the culture, talking about pregnancy prevention, HIV and STDs is taboo, and she is trying to overcome that. Judging by the numbers of teen pregnancies, prevalence of HIV and STD these are subjects that should be in the high schools as the children apparently are not getting this from their parents or guardians.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
A Good Day at La Montanita
Water, Latrines, Corn Grinders, and Justa Stoves
Members of the construction committee met In La Montanita with Jaun Murcia, head of the water board, latrines and Justa stoves; Pastor Adrian Soriano Gonzales; and Jose Santos. An add-on water line to service seven homes on the far side of the gully was discussed. These homes also are in need of latrines as they are contaminating the adjacent stream. Senor Murcia gave a very well thought out proposal for dealing with the situation. A parallel line would be run from the supply tank to the homes and then those homes provided with latrines (which require water for flushing). Until the new water line is completed, latrines will be provided for homes in need but having water. He gave us an itemized bill of materials for the new line suitable for estimating the costs.
Although many of the ladies would like a Justa stove, we pointed out that our funds are limited and our main mission was to alleviate health problems. Pastor Gonzales has a child with asthma and he is such candidate. Mr. Murcia will give us a new, prioritized list of Justa stove needs.
Jose Santos was informed that he was suggested as an instructor for the building of Justa stoves for a sister mission organization. And should he be agreeable, he should expect to be called upon for his expertise. Also discussed was the possibly of interest in a microenterprise for providing the service of maize grinding and of assuming the responsibility for a sizable loan to purchase the equipment for doing so. Senor Mucia agreed to investigate to determine if any ladies would be interested in this proposed endeavor.
All in all it was a very informative and productive meeting. What has been thus far accomplished in La Montanita and having met face to face with them gave us a lot of confidence in their ability to carry out tasks if provided with adequate funds.
Hygeine, Dental, and De-worming Clinic
We spent the first part of our afternoon teaching two things: hand washing and tooth brushing. We administered two items, as well: de-worming medication and fluoride treatments (30 second mouth rinse). The children were very enthusiastic and eager to participate. It was rewarding to note a few parents came along with their children and followed through with this program, setting a good example for their youngsters.
Fun Time with the Crafts
Thanks to your response to our last minute request for yarn, we were able to show the interested girls how to decorate flip-flops. They learned quickly and were pleased. Having only 4 pairs of slippers for teaching, we had to draw lots but we also had 2 girls wash their own flip-flops and gave them yarn and directions to cover these. A fun time was had by all and we have yarn left to take to Teo on Thursday.
Meeting with Pastors in LaMontanita
The team met with the Pastors of two of the churches in LaMontanita (Church of the Good Shepherd and Church of the Good Samaritan/ Assembly of God) and a leader in the Roman Catholic Church (Sabrina Zamora). Each one described their church, their challenges and plans. Of special interest were their plans to collaborate with one another.
During the October team visit, all had expressed interest in receiving Bibles for personal use by families and coloring books and children’s storybooks. They were delighted to receive the materials they had requested. With the participation of Lety, the Agape Promises teacher, they brainstormed ways to utilize the materials. It was good news to learn that all have Sunday School classes for the youth.
As we said our goodbyes to the Pastors we knew it was a special God moment as the children picked up the story books and started to read aloud.
Members of the construction committee met In La Montanita with Jaun Murcia, head of the water board, latrines and Justa stoves; Pastor Adrian Soriano Gonzales; and Jose Santos. An add-on water line to service seven homes on the far side of the gully was discussed. These homes also are in need of latrines as they are contaminating the adjacent stream. Senor Murcia gave a very well thought out proposal for dealing with the situation. A parallel line would be run from the supply tank to the homes and then those homes provided with latrines (which require water for flushing). Until the new water line is completed, latrines will be provided for homes in need but having water. He gave us an itemized bill of materials for the new line suitable for estimating the costs.
Although many of the ladies would like a Justa stove, we pointed out that our funds are limited and our main mission was to alleviate health problems. Pastor Gonzales has a child with asthma and he is such candidate. Mr. Murcia will give us a new, prioritized list of Justa stove needs.
Jose Santos was informed that he was suggested as an instructor for the building of Justa stoves for a sister mission organization. And should he be agreeable, he should expect to be called upon for his expertise. Also discussed was the possibly of interest in a microenterprise for providing the service of maize grinding and of assuming the responsibility for a sizable loan to purchase the equipment for doing so. Senor Mucia agreed to investigate to determine if any ladies would be interested in this proposed endeavor.
All in all it was a very informative and productive meeting. What has been thus far accomplished in La Montanita and having met face to face with them gave us a lot of confidence in their ability to carry out tasks if provided with adequate funds.
Hygeine, Dental, and De-worming Clinic
We spent the first part of our afternoon teaching two things: hand washing and tooth brushing. We administered two items, as well: de-worming medication and fluoride treatments (30 second mouth rinse). The children were very enthusiastic and eager to participate. It was rewarding to note a few parents came along with their children and followed through with this program, setting a good example for their youngsters.
Fun Time with the Crafts
Thanks to your response to our last minute request for yarn, we were able to show the interested girls how to decorate flip-flops. They learned quickly and were pleased. Having only 4 pairs of slippers for teaching, we had to draw lots but we also had 2 girls wash their own flip-flops and gave them yarn and directions to cover these. A fun time was had by all and we have yarn left to take to Teo on Thursday.
Meeting with Pastors in LaMontanita
The team met with the Pastors of two of the churches in LaMontanita (Church of the Good Shepherd and Church of the Good Samaritan/ Assembly of God) and a leader in the Roman Catholic Church (Sabrina Zamora). Each one described their church, their challenges and plans. Of special interest were their plans to collaborate with one another.
During the October team visit, all had expressed interest in receiving Bibles for personal use by families and coloring books and children’s storybooks. They were delighted to receive the materials they had requested. With the participation of Lety, the Agape Promises teacher, they brainstormed ways to utilize the materials. It was good news to learn that all have Sunday School classes for the youth.
As we said our goodbyes to the Pastors we knew it was a special God moment as the children picked up the story books and started to read aloud.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Day Two -- A very productive day
George, Bruce, and Jim went back to San Pedro Sula on Monday to gather information on corn grinders. HAF is exploring the possibility of helping La Montanita and Teo acquire corn grinders through micro-economic loans, like they did in Santa Clara. A corn grinder is not simply a convenience item. The women, and many times the children, spend hours per day hand grinding the corn.
We visited two suppliers and collected general information on the grinders, along with price quotes and maintenance requirements. One supplier offered us a 15% discount and the other 25%. We will visit La Montanita on Tuesday and Teo on Friday to discuss these projects.
On Monday PM, several team members visited Tejares to follow up of four items. A woman needs help to complete a latrine project. We will return on Friday to work with Rigo, our construction coordinator, to pour the concrete cover for the cistern and a pad for the toilet building.
We then visited a woman’s house across the very busy highway to determine if we could repair a stick-mud house that was on the verge of collapsing. The woman said that she could hear the house moving at night. There are 7-8 kids living in this house. A log had been “planted” against the front wall to keep it from collapsing. The back wall was leaning inward at least 20 degrees and there was no practical way to support it. Rigo suggested that the back and front walls and the tile roof be replaced. We all felt an immense sense of urgency to fix this severe safety problem. A proposal was sent to the Board with the hope that this safety problem can be fixed quickly.
Cervical Cancer Testing and Paper Flowers
This afternoon 13 women from LaMontanita arrived on the busito at the Quimistan Hospital for testing. Dr Elsa greeted them and attended to each of them. The women from our team joined them in the waiting room. You could tell they were nervous. The crafty members of our group began teaching them how to make paper flowers. Five minutes later there were smiles all around and happiness from sharing a joyous experience. Two mothers brought their babies who were passed around among them and us for lots of love and laughter. Two hours later we waved goodbye as they left carrying their bouquets and lots of fond memories for all of us.
A New Eye Testing Device
Thanks to a donation from St. John’s, our new Focometer went into use for the people of Tejeras. After a slow start, the team helped us to get organized and we tested almost 40 patients. The God moments were many. People who had extreme difficulty reading or who had poor distance vision, were overwhelmed when they tried on a pair of glasses that changed their lives. Their smiles and happiness brought tears to our eyes.
One man who was 79 and had lost one eye is a wonderful story. He wanted to be able to read better, but could not afford glasses. He was fitted with reading glasses
and also given a pair of sun glasses. There was a dramatic change in his ability to read. He was so thankful, he expressed his gratitude to most everyone he could. He was grateful the HAF missionaries came to help him, his village and his friends. He said God surely sent us to help them lead a better life. It was truly a very emotional experience.
Catherine Vandegrift and Denny Mcgurer who were handling our check out table said everyone who left thanked them, even gave them hugs in appreciation for what they had received.
God was truly with us all today.
It was our distinct pleasure to have Maynor, his fiancée Jessy, and Dr. Constantino as our dinner guests. The entire team was in agreement with Maynor’s choice for his bride. The wedding date is planned for March 17, 2011. We wished them both much happiness. Dr Tino said he would get them a discount in the maternity section of the hospital.
Dr. Tino was asked many questions by the team about the hospital’s future plans, the success of the medical brigades, his background and experience, malaria and aids. He answered every question with openness and honesty. We were all very impressed with his dedication to improving the health of the people of Honduras.
He spoke about the impact of Justa stoves on respiratory problems in LaMontanita. His response was that there has been a significant reduction since their installation. Additionally, now that the Community Health Care workers have access to the nebulizer, they are able to treat the symptoms much quicker. When asked what the major health problems were in Honduras, he stated pneumonia and diarrhea.
Dr. Tino is returning on Thursday to provide an annual review.
We visited two suppliers and collected general information on the grinders, along with price quotes and maintenance requirements. One supplier offered us a 15% discount and the other 25%. We will visit La Montanita on Tuesday and Teo on Friday to discuss these projects.
On Monday PM, several team members visited Tejares to follow up of four items. A woman needs help to complete a latrine project. We will return on Friday to work with Rigo, our construction coordinator, to pour the concrete cover for the cistern and a pad for the toilet building.
We then visited a woman’s house across the very busy highway to determine if we could repair a stick-mud house that was on the verge of collapsing. The woman said that she could hear the house moving at night. There are 7-8 kids living in this house. A log had been “planted” against the front wall to keep it from collapsing. The back wall was leaning inward at least 20 degrees and there was no practical way to support it. Rigo suggested that the back and front walls and the tile roof be replaced. We all felt an immense sense of urgency to fix this severe safety problem. A proposal was sent to the Board with the hope that this safety problem can be fixed quickly.
Cervical Cancer Testing and Paper Flowers
This afternoon 13 women from LaMontanita arrived on the busito at the Quimistan Hospital for testing. Dr Elsa greeted them and attended to each of them. The women from our team joined them in the waiting room. You could tell they were nervous. The crafty members of our group began teaching them how to make paper flowers. Five minutes later there were smiles all around and happiness from sharing a joyous experience. Two mothers brought their babies who were passed around among them and us for lots of love and laughter. Two hours later we waved goodbye as they left carrying their bouquets and lots of fond memories for all of us.
A New Eye Testing Device
Thanks to a donation from St. John’s, our new Focometer went into use for the people of Tejeras. After a slow start, the team helped us to get organized and we tested almost 40 patients. The God moments were many. People who had extreme difficulty reading or who had poor distance vision, were overwhelmed when they tried on a pair of glasses that changed their lives. Their smiles and happiness brought tears to our eyes.
One man who was 79 and had lost one eye is a wonderful story. He wanted to be able to read better, but could not afford glasses. He was fitted with reading glasses
and also given a pair of sun glasses. There was a dramatic change in his ability to read. He was so thankful, he expressed his gratitude to most everyone he could. He was grateful the HAF missionaries came to help him, his village and his friends. He said God surely sent us to help them lead a better life. It was truly a very emotional experience.
Catherine Vandegrift and Denny Mcgurer who were handling our check out table said everyone who left thanked them, even gave them hugs in appreciation for what they had received.
God was truly with us all today.
Last Night’s Dinner Guests
It was our distinct pleasure to have Maynor, his fiancée Jessy, and Dr. Constantino as our dinner guests. The entire team was in agreement with Maynor’s choice for his bride. The wedding date is planned for March 17, 2011. We wished them both much happiness. Dr Tino said he would get them a discount in the maternity section of the hospital.
Dr. Tino was asked many questions by the team about the hospital’s future plans, the success of the medical brigades, his background and experience, malaria and aids. He answered every question with openness and honesty. We were all very impressed with his dedication to improving the health of the people of Honduras.
He spoke about the impact of Justa stoves on respiratory problems in LaMontanita. His response was that there has been a significant reduction since their installation. Additionally, now that the Community Health Care workers have access to the nebulizer, they are able to treat the symptoms much quicker. When asked what the major health problems were in Honduras, he stated pneumonia and diarrhea.
Dr. Tino is returning on Thursday to provide an annual review.
Monday, January 10, 2011
First Two Days of Our Mission Trip
Like travelers of old, a semi-caravan of four cars left Aiken Friday ranging from noon to 2:30 for the easy drive to various hotels in the Atlanta airport. After excellent dinners at several restaurants and a good night’s sleep, we met at Gate B16 (after first reporting to E18 as directed during check-in) for the 3 plus hour flight to San Pedro Sula. The flight was early, but the immigration lines were packed and we had to wait in long lines. Fortunately, an immigration officer recognized June and we were moved to a much shorter entry lane --- it pays to have recognizable team leader. After claiming our bags and the team trunks, we boarded a bus and a SUV for the one hour trip to Quimistan. George, Jim, and Bruce attempted to visit several merchants in San Pedro Sula en route to Quimistan to price corn grinders; unfortunately, these merchants were closed.
After a few minutes to put our bags in our rooms, the team took a short tour of Quimistan to acquaint the new team members to our surroundings. During a quick tour of the hospital in Quimistan we had a bit of a frustrating period as the bus’ battery started acting up, fortunately repairs were made, a la shade tree mechanics. Saturday evening after supper we finished formulating plans for Sunday’s AP celebration program, and then good fellowship followed by much needed sleep.
Sunday morning we finally got the internet connection to work – would you believe how much better the connection is when you have the correct password. After devotion and , we brought from storage to the community room case after case and box after box of donated glasses. We have to sort these glasses tonight in preparation for the several eye clinics we will hold, the first one tomorrow morning at Luz Del Valle school for the people of Tejeras. The team then departed for a short drive into one of the Quimistan neighborhoods where our hostess Martha holds an excellent and heartwarming Sunday school. Started two years ago with just 14 students, the children’s bible study has expanded to about 300 students split between two sessions on Saturday and one Sunday morning. The children ranged in age from toddlers in care of their 4 to 6 years siblings to 6th graders. All were well dressed, cleaned, and very attentive to the hour long program.
One of the moving moments of the morning service took place when Martha asked for all the first born males present to step forward. Individuals from Honduras, Guatemala and our mission group members George, Allen, Bruce, and Denny were included. Martha then offered a special blessing and referenced the responsibilities and faith that the Lord had given and placed on us. As we now prepare for doing the Lord’s work in the Quimistan Valley, we are also basking in 85 degree weather with a bright sun and a gently breeze vice the projected snow and ice storm for Aiken tonight.
After lunch we climbed back into our van and SUV and headed to Kinder school in Quimistan to attend the AP student’s Sunday afternoon’s bible study. This week’s activity consisted in having the younger children, with the older kids mentoring, drawing their own face on a balloon. They then attached their balloon to card stock and passed it around their small group. Each child in the small group wrote a characteristic of that child on the card. Pre-printed on the card stock as the phrase “God created the human being to his own image.” “God looked at everything he had done and considered that it was very good.” A healthy prepared meal was provided to all the younger children. The team then hustled back to the “ranch” to prepare for the arrival of the AP high school graduates and their family. Each AP graduate was recognized and the team joined them and their family to an excellent fried chicken dinner. Graduation gifts were presented from the Honduras Agape Foundation to this year’s graduates: Carlos Miguel, Albania Carolina, and Denia Catalina. Keyla Merari was not present to be awarded her gift. Leticia Martinez, the AP Bible school teacher was recognized and presented a token of appreciation, the book, “A Mile in My Shoes”. Each of the graduates expressed their appreciation to God and the Foundation. Additionally, three previous graduates expressed their appreciation: Vilma Aguilar and Laura Garcia spoke in English while Carlos Rapalo spoke in Spanish.
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