A Whirlwind Day!

We only thought this was going to be a slow day.

In the morning, several members of the team met with the local Tejeras workers to discuss the Tejeras feedings.  The objective was to identify opportunities to improve the feeding program with an eye to better serve the children and to improve their educational and spiritual needs.  Many good ideas were generated.

Later, we visited Tranquilidad to view the progress on the children’s home.  Much progress has been made in its construction with a team of local workers digging foundations in rocky, red ‘Georgia clay’.

From mid-morning through lunch, a number of children sponsored by team members came to the Celia Delfina mission home for a visit.  Conversation, lunch, laughter, and joy were shared as time slipped away. 

Quickly, the team raced to attend Martha’s Bible Study.  Well over 100 children were in attendance.  The lesson was marked with song, dance, and prayer.  A small meal for the children was also provided.  The team members were honored during the program.

While most of the team was at the Bible Study, Dan was busy preparing for the arrival of the Dental team.  New dental lights were fabricated and a portable dental stool readied.  The two dental chairs at the local clinic were confirmed to be operable.

Finally, the team relaxed at the beautiful home of Graciela de Paz.  We enjoyed supper and discussions about her projects to help the needy in Honduras.  Her efforts are supported by HOPE Honduras, “Ayudando a Nuestra Gente.”

Now, we are packing getting ready to return home to family and friends. Our eyes have been opened once again to the realities of the world; but, at the same time, we are blessed to be able to assist in God’s work.

Tom & Dan

In Search of the Bees

We made the trip through San Marcos and on up to Los Panales.  Los Panales translates to something like ‘the bee hive’, as much honey comes from this area.  We started visiting this community last year and have enjoyed our visits.  Today we performed the Hygiene Brigade for over 50 kids. 

We also met with the local church leaders and discussed the various needs they have.  We hope to be providing Bibles and Sunday School materials to these churches.

During the hygiene sessions, Dan built a box around the 3 lead-acid batteries for the solar panel, which are located in one of the classrooms.  This was mostly to protect the children from the batteries, but may also work to protect the batteries from the children.  The four pieces of wood that “happened” to be in the HAF storage closet, provided just the right materials needed for constructing the box, with only minor trimming.  How about that!

On the road back, we stopped at a ‘shanty’ that is all alone at a seldom traveled crossroad.  A family of 8 live in this small cobbled-together shelter.  We provided deworming medicines and toothbrushes/toothpaste.  We also left some toys for the children.  Seemed like so little, but they smiled – balls make good fun anywhere in the world.

We also visited the Tejeras feeding program again and are excited to see progress continuing on the church being built beside the highway.  Some 50 kids and several adults were served today.  We give thanks to the donors who are helping feed the children in this impoverished community.

The day was closed out by attending worship at the local church, La Cosecha (The Harvest.)  It was a very different service than we are used to, but also very powerful.  The pastor is such a talented and dynamic speaker, we wished  we could have understood more of what he had to say.

Dan and Tommy

What a Ride!

We had a rough but beautiful ride through the mountains and visited two schools on the way up the mountainside, Nueva Esperanza and Laguna Del Carmen.

The usual hygiene brigade and Bible story were completed at both schools. 

We “lost our lunch”.  Literally we lost our sandwiches, but managed just fine on some snacks.

The children enjoyed playing games and blowing bubbles at both schools.  They also seemed to enjoy the swing sets that the Foundation provided previously.

Our team met with the church leaders at both schools as well as the Patronado at Laguna Del Carmen.  Bibles were delivered to the church leaders at Nueva Esperanza.

Kathy and Vicki

A Very Full and Rewarding Day

We spent most of the day at La Montanita.  The hygiene brigade set up the hand washing, deworming, tooth brushing, and fluoride rinse stations.  We treated 110 children from pre-schoolers to sixth graders.  Children spewed toothpaste and fluoride rinse everywhere.  This was probably the most enjoyable part of any of the station stops.  I think these kids are ready for a watermelon-seed spitting contest!

We continued our Bible story program of Jonah and the whale.  With the practice of the past two days, we got the program humming like a well-tuned car.  The kids listened to the story, answered the questions, and learned about the universal call of God’s love.  It is not limited to a select few.  Though I suspect that the appreciation of this lesson was a distant second to the whales they made.

We met with the Church leaders to discuss their needs for the spiritual nurture of both their children and adults.  We came away with some insights and a few ideas on reaching the adults.

We also had the opportunity to meet with the post-six grade students.  There were 15 present.  Interestingly, most claimed math to be their favorite subject!  I am sure that would not be the case with a similar collection of American students.  (One did state an interest in dentistry.)  Each is progressing and interested in continuing their education.

We then visited “Juana’s Porch” for our PB and J lunch, supplemented by her excellent coffee and baked treats.

On the way down the mountain, we stopped at Señora Rosa’s house.  She is a widow with two small children.  It has been a gift from the Almighty to be able to help her with a new home.

Next, we visited the feeding at Tejeras, which has, once more, been relocated.  A church is under construction at this new location, so the children will have protection from the weather when necessary.

Later, Tommy & Mandy were able to spend some quality time with one of their sponsored children, which included some shopping and dinner.

We're all pretty tired this evening, but are already looking forward to seeing what excitement God has in store for us tomorrow!

Tom & Tommy

Sunshine and Smiles at Santa Clara

Today we visited two schools in Santa Clara.  In the morning we went to The White Dove School, which is a private bilingual school, and conducted a hygiene brigade.  We continued with our story of Jonah and made the whales again.  This time it went smoother and was less chaotic.  By the end of the week we should have this perfected.  The children loved the whales and enjoyed drawing the faces on them.  Some even had eyelashes!  

Our afternoon visit was to the Santa Clara public school, Jose Cecillo del Valle, with another hygiene brigade.  The children were very appreciative and some of them sang a song to us expressing their gratitude for the special gift we gave them.

The picture below shows us giving them the deworming pill and saying “mastica, mastica bien” which means “chew, chew well.”

The team leaders talked with the principal and community leaders about the funding the HAF board has approved for this year for some construction work at the school.

Looking forward to another exciting day of whale making tomorrow.

Vicki and Mandy

We Had A Whale of a Time at Teo!

We visited Teo this morning and conducted the semi-annual hygiene brigade and introduced to the children a short Bible program.  The hygiene brigade engaged in the traditional game of dodging toothpaste rinses and fluoride swishes.  The outcome is still under review. 

The addition to the hygiene brigade was a Bible Story -- Jonah and the whale.  The team spent the evening before preparing the script --- actually getting one of our translators to proof the script prepared by a team member who will remain nameless.  (He stated that the red marks on his Spanish reminded him of the marks on his English essays when in elementary school.)  The script was rehearsed by Marleni, one of our AP students.  She led the telling of the story.  This went well.

Part of the program was the construction of a whale.  The craft was child-tested before leaving the good old USA.  The parts were readied and the team set.   But, inexperience made itself manifest.   The craft was successfully tested; but two children do not compare to the logistical challenges posed by 40 to 50 non-English speaking children.  There was near pandemonium.  The balloons used to inflate the bag that served as he whale’s body were VERY popular.   Near chaos ensued.  Order was restored with the help of all the team members, several older students, the teacher, and Daniel, our translator. 

The children’s smiles showed how much they enjoyed the program and the whales.  They ran around the school yard with the whale’s fins flapping in the breeze.  They learned about God’s infinite love and the joy of a simple paper bag big fish (as Jonah says.)

From Teo we stopped part-way down the mountain at the school in Arena Blanco.  There, the team conducted another hygiene brigade.  Afternoon rain and the muddy field (and weariness about another whale-initiated chaos) limited the Bible story to entertaining the children with balloons while the rest of the team readied the hygiene stations.  One truth we learned – balloons are able to bridge language and cultural barriers.

We also met with the church leaders in Teo to discuss HAF’s involvement in the activities of older children and adults.  We have been actively involved in the religious and academic education of children, but little involvement with older children and adults.  This meeting is the first of many to come to explore nurture of the adults.

Tom