Technical Difficulties

We had trouble with online access yesterday, but we are back in business now.  Today a second router was installed, so we have one in the Gazebo and one in the Comedor.  The local power has been out all day and most of last night, but here at Martha's they have a generator and we even have machine washed and dried clothes.

The weather here is much better than what we hear you are having back home with the weather that seems to be doing that snow thing again.

We have been to two more villages up in the mountains and have done eye clinics and demonstrations for hand washing and tooth brushing.  We've played with the children and talked with local leaders about ways to improve conditions by working together.  We've left Christian education materials--Bibles, children's Bible story books and coloring books--with church representatives.  We've left school supplies with the teachers, and today did the fluoride rinses and deworming in Nueva Esperanza.  We are getting better at it each time, as we know what supplies are needed for each task and what they look like. 

We have seen the positive response of the adults when they enjoy sight again, but it is the children that always touch us the most.  There have been several handicapped children needing assistance, and they always tug at the heart strings. 

We can not get over the children and their responses.  Then there are the teachers and their responses to the materials.  Then we can not forget the parents and other adults.  Who is not being touched?

So several observations of today from various team members:

Today was a riding trip that few of us in the States have ever experienced.  The road was straight up the mountain and was more like riding a roller coaster with drivers braking every  few minutes.  We could smell the hot brakes and men were concerned for the rotors as we forded the streams at the bottom of the hills.  Although the countryside was beautiful you had to hold on for your life to stay in your seat.  What a trip! 

The games for the children were in the school courtyard today.  That meant that the adults could observe the activities as they stood in line.  They laughed hard and with pleasure to see the Americans try to play the hokie pokie in Spanish, or a game of cat, cat, rat, (duck duck goose is too hard in Spanish).  Not to mention how the children screamed with delight when the gecko we thought was dead suddenly sprang to life as we posed with it on our head for pictures.

God has made life good for us.

Dee-Dee and others