Organizing Day

We spent the morning going over Vacation Bible School materials and getting individual assignments from Roxanne, who is leading us in this effort. Above, you see us packaging little items, that support the lesson, to go home with each child. We then went into a handwashing, de-worming, tooth brushing, and fluoride update.

In the afternoon we re-organized glasses. Dan has come up with a new system to store the glasses to make it easier for distribution - we are anxious to try out it out tomorrow.

Most of the team (save for Dan, who met with Dr. Tino) then drove to Santa Clara to visit the White Dove school run by A and S.  We are chatting in front of one of the classrooms.  They have done an amazing job of setting up this school.  They are ready to begin instruction tomorrow for pre-K clear through 4th grade.  Each year they are attempting to add an additional grade.

A gave Allen a tour of the road drainage problems near the White Dove School that HAF funded to improve.

After dinner we were entertained by children from Sandra's church.  They did a very inspiring drama to a musical passage, based on Samuel.  Afterwards, some older girls did a lovely creative musical dance by candlelight. We were all moved and impressed with how well these children performed.  A great deal of effort went into the costumes.

We Made It

Here we are in San Pedro Sula.  We were a bit late getting here, but all went smoothly.  We were thrilled to see Maynor and Daniel waiting for us.  After loading our luggage, we made the trip to Quimistan, met up with Roxanne and Sam, and settled in.  Gloria had a lovely meal of fried chicken, french fries, and fresh salad waiting for us.  Then, we were off to Tejeras to feed the children.  Upon arrival Sandra was just finishing up her bible study.  We proceeded to feed the children and watched the happiness in their faces as they were being served.  We noted the little boy who got severly burned, earlier, and he seems to have adjusted quite well. Please note, below, Gloria serving, 2 AP students that are helping out, as well as Pastor Wilmer. 

We all gathered in the early meeting and Dan informed us of how the week would go and what our responsibilites would be.  Tomorrow will be our organizational day.

Packing Day for first 2012 Mission

Team preparations have been underway for weeks now and departure is tomorrow. We have been planning, organizing and today - packing the mission trunks.

A very large Thank You goes out to our Evangelism Committee for all of their preparations for Vacational Bible School.  Beyond the lesson plan, music and scripture; the materials needed for hosting several hundred kids in multiple  locations were quite a challenge. Nearly 200 pounds of everything from Bibles to balloons....from music CDs (in Spanish of course) to burlap sacks for the races. The VBS efforts are our first priority followed by some medical work - fluoride treatment, eyeglass fitting, etc.

Pray for us to hear and share His word.  May we be ready for change... for His plan, not ours, is what we truly seek.

We will be in Quimistan from Feb 1st to 10th, and one couple is already in country ahead of the main team.

A Saturday Morning at La Acequia

On Saturday we visited the Estaban Guardiola school in La Acequia to assess their requests for assistance.  This school seems to be alive and growing!  They have recently added 7^th and 8^th grade classrooms, with help from the community.  They have requested HAF funding for an additional classroom to house a 9^th grade class.  They are also in need of desks and chairs for 5 classes of 45 each, or a total of 225 units.  

Even though classes are over for this year, we noted that some of the boys had already taken an interest in the 11 new computers recently obtained from the government for use next year.

This week we have covered a lot of miles and seen many worthwhile projects to be done and many other needs to be met.  We have been able to cover only a few in this blog.  Please pray with us in the coming weeks and months as we make the tough choices to determine which of these dreams may be realized soon, and which ones will have to wait to see if sufficient funds will become available to cover them.

Thank you all, family and friends, for your support.  Las Bendiciones de Dios!

Tommy

From the Woods They Emerged

“I do this to help them have hope for a better future,” explained Señor Gutiérrez.  The teacher had hitched a ride part way and walked the rest of the way to be there when the students arrived.  One by one they began to emerge from the woods.  Twenty-six yellow tops, twenty-six chocolate brown skirts or slacks.  Each student was a seventh or eighth grader in a community no larger than about 400 people. 

They come every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon to the two-room elementary school in Las Minitas.  Noé Gutiérrez teaches in the morning in San Francisco del Valle, and three afternoons a week he rides a mo-ped to Las Minitas to teach these students—for no pay.  It’s a bit of a challenge, considering that they have no books.

We had received a letter requesting some help to buy books for these rising 8^th and 9^th graders for next year.  The teacher, the pastor of the local church, the president of the Patronato, and the president of the group of students had all signed the letter.  So I wanted to see for myself what’s happening there.  I saw what’s happening.  It’s hope.

As I usually do, I asked the students “Why are you doing this?  It’s a lot of work for you after you do your work in the fields, isn’t it?” One by one they responded.

“Yo quiero ser una doctora.”  (I want to be a doctor).
“I want to be an engineer.”  “. . . a business administrator.” “. . . an attorney.” “. . . a computer operator.”

Do they understand everything about these careers?  Surely not.  Will they all reach their goal?  No.  But some may.  Señor Gutiérrez is encouraging them to think beyond their Las Minitas world of poverty, disease, and hopelessness.  He has asked simply for help to buy books for these students.  At about $40 each for 26 students, it seems to us to be easy to do.  But for Las Minitas it may mean that the other kids will have to go hungry.

Most villages in Honduras have needs and we can’t meet all of them.   But maybe can meet some of them as the needy emerge from their woods into the light.

Allen    

A Busy Friday

Hiking in La Montanita

After bidding farewell to Jerry, who was to fly home today, Karen, George, and I enjoyed the scenic, 40-minute ride to the mountain community of La Montanita.  We started out in the schoolhouse, with meetings on Bibles/Sunday School literature needs, construction of additional latrines/stoves, and higher education.

Schooling in LM only goes to 6^th grade. This past year, HAF sponsored 4 children to attend 7^th grade in Pinalejo on Sundays.  We met with 3 of them.  (The fourth was out of town on an errand.)  The 3 we talked to expressed their gratitude to God and HAF for the opportunity to continue their education.  All 4 did well in school, and wish to continue with 8^th grade if possible.  There are 12 more now graduating from 6^th grade, but no information yet as to how many would like to attend 7^th grade.  Most of the 12, no doubt, will be required to go to work to help to help support their family.

Following the meetings, we spent an hour or so hiking to 3 of the 4 churches in LM, which sometimes involved a steep and treacherous path.   

 

 At the Church of the Good Samaritan, the pastor's daughter, models one of the 25 chairs donated by HAF.

We finished up our LM visit with a cup of coffee at Juana’s home, while her granddaughter did the laundry.

 

Kitchen Request at Milpa Arada

On the way home from La Montanita, we stopped at the Milpa Arada school, near Pinalejo.  The kitchen there is not usable, except for storage, and they have requested help torenovate this building, including replastering inside and out.  New beams are also needed, as the existing ones have been destroyed by termites.

 Tommy

Thursday - Flying Birds and Dragging Shoes

Thursday we were swarmed by smiling kids looking for hugs.  What a great welcome we received at White Dove school in Santa Clara!  Following the pathway lined by a block-long chain of whitewashed rocks alongside the road, we had parked and climbed out like clowns from a car in the circus, to be welcomed by Suyapa.  The students who were there on the last day of exams behaved politely and with discipline as they are being taught, but they simply were not able to withstand being picked up and hugged and tickled and loved.

We saw the construction underway on the bathroom and the third-grade classroom which both should be completed before the next school year begins in late February.  Of course Lencho was there, diligently laying brick.  We marveled at the added landscaping which gets better at each visit, and noted the added covered porch at the entrance to the multipurpose room that is quickly becoming a veritable community gathering place for all sorts of meetings and events.

After hearing the story of how Channel 6 out of San Pedro Sula had shown up one day to take a few shots that might be part of a larger story of the five White Dove schools being started up around the area, we were able to view the more complete story.  The “few shots” turned into a complete video clip for the evening news, easily generating such a flood of calls from viewers that the station was pleased to re-run it later for those who missed it.  Those of us who have witnessed how this ministry has grown from a few kids around a rickety table on a little porch, to this little bilingual elementary school with 35 students could be excused for exhibiting some tears welling up as this little video vignette went along.  It’s not difficult at all to envision a future in which some of these kids have become leaders in their country, having the background of a good education, good moral and spiritual grounding, and an obvious love for their country and their people who still need good leaders.

We had a lengthy discussion of needs at the school—such things as a fourth-grade classroom, curriculum books, an office, computers, and even North American teachers!  We discussed how the school includes simple meals for the students—two meals every school day.  We talked about the possibility of student sponsorships for the elementary school students as well as for eight students who graduated from the Santa Clara public school and need help to attend the colegio school in Pueblo Nuevo, grades 7, 8, and 9.

But where did “dragging shoes” enter the picture?  As we were leaving Santa Clara, we heard strange noises from a rear wheel of the vehicle.  After carefully limping back to the ranch, Daniel took the car to a local mechanic who confirmed that a parking brake shoe had come unbolted and was dragging intermittently on the brake drum.  A simple fix was done, and the team is ready to go again tomorrow, to La Montanita and other spots yet to be named.

Allen