We are here!

A kind stewardess was very curious as to what our group was planning to do in Honduras.  She asked the names of the churches we were from (Wilkesboro United Methodist and South Aiken Presbyterian), and the name of the organization we were going to work for once we arrived in Honduras. After we told her, she made an announcement on the plane recognizing out group, and how thankful she was that we were coming to Honduras to help people and make a difference in the world.  Everyone on the plane applauded, and showed their appreciation, saying “God bless” and such things.  It was a nice, unexpectedly warm welcome.

Lakey promptly announced to the passengers “we’ll be signing autographs at the gateway.”

This phase of our mission trip is coming to an end.  Tomorrow Joshua returns home to school, Gail comes to join us, and we move to a different location near Santa Clara, where we will spend the next few days before the rest of us all return home.  We probably will not have internet access for the remaining phase of our mission, so this may be our blog swan song for MT-4.

This past week we have renewed old relationships and established some new ones.  We’ve marveled at the continued growth of students–both physically and spiritually–in all the locations we visited.  We’ve continued health and hygiene efforts.  We’ve had fun.  And we have simply been available to do and be whatever God has in store for us.

Today we took advantage of some morning cool (Hah!) by visiting the building site of Tranquilidad Casa de Niños, which one of our translators had asked us to visit.  He is supervising construction of a security fence around the property and he asked that we take photos back home with us.

While we got back and were tidying up to leave tomorrow morning, Karen spotted an iguana on the porch.  Unfortunately, he was eager to leave and we missed getting a picture.  But that was our first experience of that type.  Maybe he is here in anticipation of swarms of grasshoppers like what we saw yesterday devouring lots of greenery in Santa Clara.

 Albania Garcia was able to come for a visit with us after lunch.  We had an enjoyable time talking with her about her progress in the university courses she began this year.  That completed our contacts with all four university students receiving financial assistance from HAF donors.

We were able to assist distribution of food at Tejeras the third time this week.  Here we see Kristen in action–she has been behind the camera most of the week, so this was an opportunity for her to serve in a different way.

As always, these kids are hungry, but we invariably see the older ones caring for the younger ones ahead of themselves.

The final wrap-up for this phase of our mission trip comes at the Good Friday service at Iglesia La Cosecha (the church of the Harvest) this evening, which will be an appropriate close to a week of service for our Lord.

Our day today started with an early breakfast visit with Iveth, one of our newest AP graduates preparing to start her university classes in dentistry in San Pedro Sula in August.  Since we did not have a translator with us that early, Joshua got to practice his Spanish skills and helped us have a meaningful conversation with her.  We had a delightful time of fellowship over the meal, and then she expressed interest in joining us for our activities in Santa Clara.  She was willing to try her hand at teaching some of the VBS material, so we gave her the package of information to read on the way there.

Welcome to Santa Clara!

Just outside Pueblo Nuevo, on our way to Santa Clara, we passed a couple groups of adults walking along the edge of the highway dressed in eerie costumes.  We found it strange, but didn’t really think much about it until we found ourselves face to face with a large group of similarly dressed “ghouls” shortly after we pulled into the elementary school yard in Santa Clara.  As we moved toward the doors of the school, they came near and asked Karen for money.  Following her reply of “no dinero” they danced around and eventually posed for a photo.   We inquired about this strange display and were told they were carrying out a local custom that’s part of Holy Week.  Of the varied explanations for it, including an antisemitic basis, one that may have a church basis is that they are playing the role of Judas Iscariot.  They go through the villages frightening people and ‘demanding’ money (such as 30 pieces of silver).  It is done by adults and involves a lot of noise and threatening.   Almost as soon as they appeared, they piled into a passing pick-up truck and disappeared from sight.

After their departure, the team had the opportunity to practice the spiritual fruit of patience as we awaited the arrival of Stanley and Maynor, who had blown out a tire when they hit a rock at the base of the hill to Santa Clara. Following about a 40 minute delay, they arrived with our VBS supplies.
 

As I previously mentioned, Iveth read the VBS teaching material while we were on our way to Santa Clara and volunteered to teach part of the lesson.  We learned soon that she’s a quick study.  Here she is teaching the Santa Clara students how God can develop fruits of the Spirit in us only if we remain rooted and grounded in the fundamentals of faith.  What she learned during her time in the AP program provides her that firm foundation.

 As Jesus taught us, He is the vine (here, the trunk) and we are the branches.  When we stay connected to Him, the fruit can grow, as these students learned. 

All work and no play — No good.  The kids need to MOVE!

This bright-eyed student came up to us and started counting out her numbers to us in English, from one to one hundred with little prompting on our part.

  
The students, all dressed in their school uniforms, gathered in a circle to sing songs and play assorted musical games.  Here they are singing about their “corazón,” where Jesus resides.

The children diligently colored their fruit trees as a reminder of the lesson material.

Following VBS, we drove down to the White Dove trilingual school so Joshua could see the progress on the facilities there over the past two years since his last visit.  We were greeted there by large numbers of grasshoppers, locally known as “saltamontes.”  Unfortunately, the grasshoppers were very busy devouring tender green spring growth in the village.  We hated to see the devastation they had already done in the past two weeks and prayed for their early departure, before the greenery around the school was totally destroyed.

We gathered today’s VBS team for one last photo before returning to Quimistan.

Having arrived back at the ranch a little earlier than usual, the team spent time relaxing on the porch playing cards.  After about an hour, most of the team and the VBS helpers headed to Pinalejo for a brief concert by Stanley and his four member band, Pajizos.  While there, we visited Maria, a former AP student of the Livingstons, who had recently delivered a little boy. 

 
 A special supper followed with special guests, Martha and Gary, and Jessy and Maynor.

Day 5: 
Destination:  La Montañita
Purpose:  To share God’s Love in Word and Deed
Method: Fluoride/Deworming/Hygiene Clinic #2, VBS, Meeting with Pastors, Meeting with Post 6th grade education support students
Team:  Brooklyn, Kristen, Karen, Allen, Joshua, José, Dr. Tino, Maynor, Stanley, Tony, Josselin, Ingrid Paola, Maria Estela

Step 1:  Swallow ye all of it!

Step 2:  Wash, wash, wash
              Rinse, rinse, rinse

Step 3:   Brush, Swish, and Spit–Let me see your pearly whites!

Step 4:  Swish, Swish, Swish . . . Spit

Just how many do you think we can fit in one room?  Can you count to at least 120?

You must get it into the can at the other end, but please don’t let it touch the ground!

On your mark, get set, hop!

Simon dice ” . . . ”

Canto Muy Feliz!  (I sing with happiness)   because Jesus came into my life and cleansed my heart from my sin!

Patience, gentleness, and self-control.  Don’t let the ball roll off towel or you’ll have to start over!  Can you and your team accomplish the task?

Are you serious?  No hands?

Studying for success!  Our newest post-6th grade education support students from La Montañita! 

Food for the hungry children of Tejeras! 

–Karen

Today was a day to clean up several administrative tasks and to prepare for the VBS and personal/dental hygiene sessions in three villages.  Two team members visited the IHDER office to assess progress on two remaining reports being prepared, then visited the bank to discuss options to simplify financial transactions.

While those tasks were underway the other three team members packaged toothbrushes and toothpaste into separate bags for handout to students.  They packed up the fluoride and antiparasite meds that will be administered as part of the village visits starting tomorrow in Teo.  And they also prepared the ‘goody bags’ for the VBS sessions.

After lunch we were joined by AP students Maria Estela, Ingrid, and Josselin, as well as Maynor, Stanley, and Tony, for VBS practice sessions.

The spiritual emphasis for VBS in this year’s mission trips is ‘Fruit of the Spirit’.  One of the memory items in each goody bag is a bracelet with a fruit of the Spirit.

Next was a visit to the local Red Cross office for a chat about the status of the Quimistán Valley Scholar(QVS) program.

  That turned out to be a God moment for Karen.  The man we were to meet had been called out on an emergency, so rather than calling a mototaxi, we started walking back to the villa.  Karen mentioned that one of the students she sponsors lived a few houses down a side street.  Karen had not been able to spend any time with Angela yesterday because of all the responsibilities involved in the meeting with AP parents.  So we decided to just drop in for a really nice little visit with Angela and her parents.

We finished the evening with a discussion of status and future possibilities for the QVS program.  One of the two local coordinators has left town, but the other coordinator joined us for dinner so we could discuss options for re-energizing local support for the program.

We’re waiting patiently for rain to cool things down, but the forecast is for more sauna-like weather.  Maybe the mountain villages will be a bit cooler.

Allen

Energized by a breakfast of fresh fruit and pancakes, our small team set out for the morning activity. We assisted with Sunday School, led by our good friend Sandra, in Tejeras. The joy of hearing little children worshipping in song was added to after a couple of boys and girls participated in a balloon-blowing contest, clearly showing their enthusiasm. 

With the aid of the newly purchased easel, Sandra then taught the children a well-know Bible story: God speaking to Moses through a burning bush.

Afterwards a meal was served, and the hungry children eagerly ate their fill.

Once we finished teaching the younger kids, they were introduced to the game we know “Red Light, Green Light.” “Simon Dice” (a.k.a. “Simon Says”) was another game played, allowing Brooklyn to practice her Spanish skills and letting me spend more time with the adorable children that inhabit this country.

 

With a bit of time to kill before dinner, the three teenage team members (Josh, Brooklyn, and myself) played futból americano with a couple of the children living here on Martha’s compound.

 

                                                     

We’re a small team, but we serve a big God.  After a typical muy temprano start, a 40-minute departure delay from Atlanta, and a Holy Week Saturday traffic jam leaving San Pedro Sula, we eventually arrived in Quimistán to renew acquaintances, chow down with Gloria’s enchiladas, and review the plan of the week with Maynor.

Kristen prepared posters showing the words to songs we will be using in the Vacation Bible School session at several spots this week, and our newest team member, Brooklyn, enhanced their readability for the groups of kids who will be singing them. 

 
For those of you who may not read español, this one is what we know as “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.  Where?  Down in my heart.”

While they were preparing those posters, Karen and Allen prepared ‘goody bags’ for the AP students tomorrow

So we begin in earnest tomorrow morning at Tejeras.

Allen

We are busy packing before breakfast.  We load the bus at 9:00 for the hour plus ride to San Pedro Sula Airport and home.  This was a memorable faithful trip and we are thankful that we were able to serve the Lord by serving the children of the Quimistan Valley in Honduras.