Hope is Eternal

We left Villa Celia Delfina this morning to trek across the great divide of the Quimistan Valley heading for Nueva Esperanza (New Hope) to perform a one day construction project at the local school. Every year for four years, the Wilkesboro team has made this journey into the mountains to bring and share the hope of Christ because the people of Nueva Esperanza have a special place in our heart. No journey is too long… no journey is too difficult when it comes to fulfilling the commandment He gave the Disciples before His ascension. Christ said, “To share the good news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.” New Hope is so remote, one would think that you are close to the end of the world… 

Today was no different, after a gut wrenching two hour journey across torturous and pothole laden roads we arrived to be greeted by the children. They were lined up at the gate smiling and welcoming us to their world. Our work began in earnest when we began installing new screens on the windows of the main school building, and some of the team began to cut and build new screen frames for the lower building. Several team members kept the children entertained while playing a variety of games that included baseball, soccer, volleyball and a few made up games. The work was completed by 4 pm, we loaded back up to make the return journey home.

Once we arrived back at the compound, we cleaned up and went out to eat at the local chicken joint along with several special guests and their families. Following the meal many of the Americanas gathered to play soccer with the locals, and I tell you the truth, the girls were a lot more physical at the game than the guys. I took a cross check from a young lady that sent me into the fence… I think I have a few loose teeth now… The day went well as always. 

Screening

Making screen frames

Hunter cutting screen

Thanks to our drivers and the crew who always put our safety first, God bless all of you.

Mark

The Pepper of Doom

Hola amigos! Como estas (how are you)? 

         Today, the group returned to Rosa’s house, a place that is very dear to our hearts, because the site underwent such a metamorphosis during our last mission trip. Rosa and her family now have a working bathroom, complete with a shower, toilet and pilla, but are in need of a bedroom (not to mention furniture to go in the bedroom). Now, the job at Rosa’s house is to add a 16x9 ft bedroom, so today the team at Rosa’s house had to dig a 22 in. foundation and 29 in. footers, make rebar support columns, and lay the foundation for her soon to be bedroom.

         During our first few minutes at Rosa’s, we carried cinderblocks from the road to Rosa’s house; which was very reminiscent of our first job at her house. Unfortunately, after the morning workout, there were not as many tools as there were people. To give all the members of the team something to do, Danielle proposed that a group of us venture further into the mountains to work on a stove for someone. We had already worked on another stove previously in the trip and were fairly comfortable with the task. Tracey, Madison, Will, Cooper, Kay, Lorraine, Russell, Chris and myself decided to go. 

         Danielle promised us a ten-minute hike to the other job site, but was misinformed, at least by American standards. What might take a Honduran ten minutes, instead took us Americans forty five. Of course, that might have something to do with the fact that we were either walking straight up the mountain or straight down the mountain, with hardly any level ground in between. Our path was simply a washed out creek bed provided by mother nature. Nobody fell or got hurt, which was a miracle of God. Even Danielle was huffing and puffing by the end of the walk. The rest of us were just hyperventilating.

         After the feelings returned to our legs, we finally got to work on the stove. The stove was in a very dark room. The only light came from the doorway and the person in charge of holding a flashlight so Danielle could actually see to measure, lay out brick, and fill in mud. Madison, Tracey, Lorraine and I alternated between muddin’, while Danielle laid the bricks. When Danielle needed the bricks to be cut, Will used a machete to trim the bricks down. Chris tried a few times, but then gave the job back to Will, much to Danielle’s relief. By end of the day, the only part of the stove that was unfinished was the pipe that lead up to the ceiling and we began our long journey back to Rosa’s house.

Here are photos of the stove instillation group:

Mooking the stove

Laying bricks for the stove

Mudding the stove

Here are photos of the job at Rosa's:

The site of the foundation before the digging started.
The batter boards and batter strings - this time we didn't have
to use fishing line. 

Digging commences

 

Becky and Pat wiring the rebar frames

 

Hunter digging the footer

29" footer after the mook had been poured into it

Duct tape is the international tool of choice.
Stabilizing the rebar frame by duct taping it to
wooden boards

Lorie

Half the World

Half the world talks
With half a mind on what they say
Half the world walks
With half a mind to run away

Half the world lies
Half the world learns
Half the world flies
As half the world turns

Half the world cries
Half the world laughs
Half the world tries
To be the other half

Half of us divided
Like a torn-up photograph
Half of us are trying
To reach the other half

         Lyrics: Neil Peart        

I heard this song on my iPod on the way back to Santa Clara this morning and it, as all great songs do, makes you think and see the world through the artist’s eyes and music. Neil’s point in the lyrics is close in comparison to the words of Solomon in the 3^rd chapter of Ecclesiastes when Solomon talks about everything having a light and dark side in life… Although I’m not sure Neil wrote this song using that literature as a guideline, I would like to think he did.  

The third day at Santa Clara started under the threat of rain… we were not disappointed. We gathered together in the school building and waited it out for about an hour or so.  The clouds broke and the busy bees resumed their tasks.

Team Mook paused the mooking on the new bathroom and put their plumbing hats on to prep the drains and supplies for the baby pilla and sink. Then we built a small pilla in the corner of the room under the skeptical eye of HaHa.  I don’t think he liked the way we approached our construction method by dry stacking the blocks, but after driving re-bar through the core holes and packing them to the hilt with mook, we gained his approval and he said “Perfecto!”  We did complete the roof, but sadly due to the rain delay we did not pour the floor.

Team Zilla continued to ground and pound the latrine pit with a new convert in Coop. They rallied around their leader and took turns digging while others on the team moved the fill dirt by wheel barrow across the playground to start a new garden. Thanks to Lorie, Mads and T Mac for assisting.  The Team committed to work through the heat and humidity of the day trying to complete the pit at the prescribed depth… Sadly after all their hard work, they came up about 6 inches short of the goal; it was not because of lack of effort, again the rain delay hampered the teams goals for the day, but God will send others to complete what we have brought along so far.

Daniela and his group completed the new Justa Stove in the kitchen area, YA!!!!! This will assist the teachers who prepare the meals for the students, and it will remove the harmful smoke fumes caused by burning wood. Chris, Russell and Daniela installed a smoke stack thru the roof. Loraine, Becky, Kay and Pat also assisted where they could, but their greatest contribution may have been connecting with the children all week and sharing the love of Christ with them, which is the heart of our team.

Half the world lives
Half the world makes
Half the world gives
While the other half takes

By our baptism, we are called not to conform to the world, but in to the ministry of Christ our Lord… in His suffering and in his glory. Remember your Baptism and be the other Half that makes rather than the half that takes…

Mark

Foreboding Doom

Mook packing

Lorie and Madison trying their hand at
mook slinging.  They have nothing on HaHa.

Tracey with the kids

Michael is in ecstasy in the hole

All these pictures were taken yesterday.

Hunter and co. dug 5-6 feet into the rocky earth, pulling out rocks the size of soccer balls (and maybe bigger).

Mark, Jerry, Brad and HaHa plastered the bathroom wall with mook.

Chris, Russel, Lorraine, Pat, Kay, etc. all but finished the stove.  They left with only eight blocks to lay and a chimney to install.  

Sorrow forever awaits on joy.


Brad

The First Mook of the Season

As the darkness relinquished its control and gave way to the beautiful new day at 4:11 am this morning, the birds of many different feathers began to sing praises to the One who provides for all of their needs. And we, being created in the image of God should do the same and yet rather than relinquishing control of our lives and trust in Him the same way that the birds of the air do, we boastfully think we can do it on our own…  What a blessing and joy today has been, serving our Lord and the people of Honduras, making differences in people’s lives while bringing glory to His name.

The long wait is over… The planning and preparing have come to an end and today is when the rubber meets the road, today we share the Gospel of Christ in our words… actions… and deeds. After breakfast we piled into 2 mini vans and traveled to Santa Clara to begin working on the White Dove School renovation projects. We divided into 3 different teams once arriving. One team lead by Daniela, and assisted by Chris, Russell, Loraine, Becky and Pat began demo work in the kitchen and made preparations for the Justa Stove. Team 2 Lead by Hunter-zilla, Nick, Graylan, and Wilbur joyfully pounded on the ground with picks and shovels to dig a latrine pit for the new bathrooms that were already under construction by a Honduran man, whose name I can’t pronounce, much less spell, so we just called him HaHa. Team 3 consisted of the master Mooker, B-Rad Triplett, Jerry ‘Dusty’ Kilby, Tracy ‘Mac’ and Mark ‘El Blocke’ Reavill. Team 4 had a short mission of refurbishing the swing set at the school, they were Kay Passa, Madison, Lorie, and Coop.

By the end of the day, much progress had been made on all 4 projects. The demo was completed and a new top was poured so that the Justa Stove construction can begin in earnest. Team Zilla thrust their way through 4 feet of rock laden soil setting up round 2 of ground and pound tomorrow. Team Mook completed the upper layers of blocks on the new bathrooms, although they had a couple of minor setbacks (A scaffolding crash and communication error with Senor HaHa) but all in all, according to Daniela, our workmanship and quality was the talk of the town. The swing set was sanded, cleaned and repainted and new chains and seats installed. The children from the school should be able to enjoy it tomorrow after the new paint job has dried.

The first mook of the season

As the evening storms loomed close by, we packed up our tools and equipment and headed back to Villa Celia Defina to a welcomed shower and a wonderful meal prepared Ms Sandra and Gloria. The wait is over, we are back! Viva Honduras!

Mark

The Great Escape

Gazing modestly at the sunrise over the clouds

Passing over the Gulf

Give him a blonde wig and he's Dee Snider

Group picture at Santa Clara

We stopped by on our way from the airport
to scout out jobs.  This will be our work site
for the first few days.

Today has taken the wind out of us.  We need to recharge our batteries, turn off the engines and get ourselves back to neutral. 

Hunter has found his therapy in herpetology.

Blogging will kick into full throttle tomorrow.  It's time to listen to DOOOOOOOOOOOM.   

Brad

Hope Deferred Makes the Heart Sick

The trains are moving slowly across the yard.

Coiled tungsten filament

Mixing inert gasses at low pressure

Featured on the front of this year's t-shirt is the light bulb of hope.  It was originally designed as artwork for Godspeed You! Black Emperor's F# A# Infinity, though by who specifically I'm unsure (probably Mr. Efrim Menuck).  On the original design a Russian word could be seen written across the top of the screw cap, but instead I wrote in "Esperanza" - the Spanish word for "hope." 

Until 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! was released, and the subsequent tour was underway, the members of Godspeed were opposed to printing t-shirts and selling merchandise at their concerts due to their anti-consumerism ideology, and in fact they encouraged fans to design and print unique Godspeed shirts of their own.  So, I have done just that for this year's mission team.  

Remember, hope is a good thing.  Maybe the best of things.   And no good thing ever dies.


In haste,

WUMC Youth & Tra la la band