Don’t Blink-7/13


Twas a day for new sight for many in Quimistan as we started our two-day eye clinic at Gracias a Dios hospital. Jenn, Kristen, Karen, Shirlita, and Roxanne worked the clinic with the assistance of about six AP kids and Andrea Pena’s translation services. One hundred and one patients were registered between the hours of 9 am and 4:30 pm. By the end of the day, we had given out 73 pairs of glasses and seen 70 of the 110 patients. The ones not yet seen today were asked to come back first thing tomorrow am to receive their screenings and eyeglass fittings. Because the autorefractor chose to “sleep in” for about an hour this am, we decided to screen those needing reading glasses while we waited for Jenn and Roxanne to search Quimistan for the missing eye chart. After a visit to the Agape clinic and Sra. Umanzor’s kindergarten, the elusive chart was finally located in a box of room decorations at the kinder and relocated to our room at the hospital. Shortly after we had the eye chart in place, the autorefractor decided to “wake up” again, so we were able to work the rest of the day without any problems. We saw children as young as 10 and adults all the way up to 80 years old. 18 patients received prescription glasses and 39 received reading glasses All in all, it was an awesome experience and a very smooth operation. Shirlita, Karen, Kristen, and Andrea worked in the autorefractor room doing initial database collection and screenings; Roxanne, Jennifer, and two former AP students assisted the patients with glasses fittings; while the remaining students helped with registration and traffic control. Hopefully, tomorrow will provide us more opportunities to share God’s love to the people of this area through hugs, smiles, and the hope of new vision, both spiritual and physical.

Karen

Laying the Foundation 7/13







Today at Sra. Umanzor’s kindergarten, George, Ron, and I continued the work that was started several days ago. We began our day by making the rest of the rebar columns that provide the support for the walls. After the columns were formed, we cemented most of them in place. We then went back to Martha’s for lunch while the concrete set. After lunch, we put in the remaining columns, set up the wooden supports for the foundation, and mixed and poured concrete for the foundation. Tomorrow we will be ready to start laying blocks. Besides all the work that we did, I spent time with 2 Hondurans that were helping us on our project–Rigo and Nelson. They taught me about about concrete volcanoes. By about three o’clock we were done for the day, so we returned for some R&R time followed by a dinner of empanadas and tres leche torte for dessert.

Joshua (almost 14)

To God Be the Glory





This Sunday was a busy and fun-filled day, sharing God’s love with children. We started by putting on a VBS for the children of “the Ministry by the Highway”. Approximately 85 children attended! We used the colored beads to tell the salvation story and sang songs with the children.
Then we divided into groups for games, coloring and making bracelets. The children were very attentive to the lesson and thoroughly enjoyed the activities. While making the bracelets, the children remembered the meanings of the colors of the beads and while playing a game with the parachute and ball, we continually heard “muy divertido!!”.

After lunch we practiced our lines for the Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego skit; our Spanish often quite amusing for the Honduraneans! 60 AP kids visited us in the afternoon, when we performed with great enthusiasm! Sam was an awesome King Nebuchadnezzar and the performance was enjoyed by all. Then we explained to the children that God has blessed us, so we wanted to return thanks to Him by singing “To God Be the Glory” (our theme song). We then shared a snack with the children and played games with them outside.



From there, half the group went to church at La Cosecha. It was an awesome outside service on a beautiful, warm evening. The other half of the group went to the hospital to set up for the eye clinic tomorrow.

So today was a full day of sharing His love and good news with many.

Cookita (Deirdre)

Additional pics added by Karen on 7/13

The Final Four: Safe in Quimistan

Yesterday was a happy- yet hectic- day for us Livingstons. We finally arrived at the Airport in San Pedro Sula about 10:45 am (half an hour earlier than scheduled) and went through immigration in a about 7-8 minutes(which is not normal from what my parents tell me). We walked to the baggage claim and waited for the 7 trunks and Karen’s duffel bag. We waited, and waited and waited some more… for about 45 minutes we waited until everything had been unloaded from the airplane we came in on. Our luggage never arrived! So we talked to the Delta Representative, and had him track our bags. Guess What? They were in Columbia, our starting point. They had even had an extra day (Friday) to get them here. Oh Well. We eventually met Mrs. Roxanne and the three other assistants who had come in to help transport us back to Quimistan, and being hungry, several of us decided to stop at a local joint in the city for some “Power Chicken” sandwiches. By this time, feeling rather worn out from our past two days’ adventures, the local “pollo” was a welcome relief. We arrived at Martha’s about 2 pm after a uneventful ride and a view of the local scenery. We made it just in time for the regular afternoon storm, but we got indoors before we could get soaked. Karen and I went to our rooms to get our stuff settled, and Ron and Joshua did the same (I think). Around 2:30- 3:00 Cecelia, Cookita, and George got home after being in Santa Clara. During the early part of the day, they had continued with the brickwork on the classroom building. They freshened up and we started working on sorting and preparing VBS supplies for today (Sunday). Many of the VBS supplies that we had prepared and packed in the trunks for our team were, of course, still in Columbia. Fortunately, the rest of the team who had worked at the kindergarten in Q-town, joined us and helped cut construction paper for the weaving project and stuff bags for the children. At about 5:45 we went into the “dining hall” and had a delicious dinner. We finished up, had our team meeting to organize the VBS activities and the AP skit at 7:00 to about 8:15, and then we went our separate ways for late evening. We will try to post some pictures from the day’s activities later.

Kristen Livingston (11)

A Good Time Was Had By All

Though today was hot and there was a lot of hard work to do, I think I can speak for the whole team when I say it has been a wonderful day.

We started out this morning by dividing ourselves into those going to work in Santa Clara and those staying to work in Quimistan and went our separate ways. Cookita, George, Roxanne, and myself stayed in Quimistan to help work on the kitchen for the kindergarten. Like I said before, it was hard work. We carried the rocks or boulders (whichever you prefer) to the trenches. And then we sat for a while because the re-bar had not been delivered yet. Luckily, our break was during recess so we were able to play with the kids. After a while, Roxanne picked up concrete and we began to fill the trenches. This took up the rest of the day and we will have more to do tomorrow. I’m so grateful that our friends, Nelson and Rigo, helped out today because we would not have gotten as far without them, as none of us are strong, young men. (No offense George)


The group in Santa Clara also worked hard by helping the mason on the classroom and cleaning up the bricks on the house. However, they were extremely lucky because they were able to enjoy a short rain shower and chicken soup provided by the family.

This evening we went to deliver the food to the highway children, which is always such a humbling experience, and then went to the stadium to watch Nelson and Rigo’s soccer game. However, right as we got to the stadium, it began raining and the electricity went out. After many minutes and much persuasion for the opposing team to stay, the electricity came back and the game began. I’m pretty sure all of Quimistan will be talking about those crazy gringos at the futbol game, but it will be worth it. I don’t think anyone has ever cheered that loud…or cheered that much!

Today was hot, the work was hard, and our muscles hurt, but it was a wonderful day. We all know God has a purpose for us coming down here (and it’s not necessarily to build houses) and I personally think it’s reassuring when we can build relationships and spend days like today joking and working alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today was a wonderful day.

Pato, Pato, Ganso

Today was a day of mixed emotions – we had to say goodbye to Ardyn, who returned home today after being in Honduras for almost a month. We hope she had a safe and uneventful trip home!
While Roxanne took Ardyn to the airport, and Maynor, Jacobo, and Gloria to purchase supplies for the future teams in San Pedro Sula, the rest of the team (6 of us) went to Santa Clara to work. Guillermo’s house is almost finished – the walls are done, the roof is on (and what a fine looking roof it is!), and today, we helped to clear out the house of general debris in preparation to put in the floor early next week. Shirley and Jenn also mixed cement for the walls – first Otoniel (literally) slaps cement on the wall and smoothes it out. After that dries, he will put on a mixture of some chemicals that makes the walls white which allows them to be painted – kind of like stucco. They do this for the bedrooms, and leave the living space with brick walls. It looks awesome.
We also helped with the building of the classroom for the kindergarten in Santa Clara. Deirdre and Sam, George, and Cecelia assisted Lencho by mixing cement, applying mortar, and laying bricks. They were able to lay four rows today! Great job! It seems that tomorrow they might get to the section where they will have to allow for the windows – exciting to see it go up so quickly!
Before a delicious lunch of bean soup, Deirdre and Cecelia taught the children the Canadian (and sensible!) version of Duck, Duck, Goose (Pato, Pato, Ganso) – watching the kids hustle to get their spot so they weren’t “it” was hilarious, especially when that “kid” happened to be Deirdre or Cecelia!
While it looked a lot like rain on the ride home from Santa Clara, and there were some very threatening clouds overhead around dinner time, it seems we were spared the torrential downpour that we experienced yesterday. Tomorrow is another day of hard work, and we are excited to welcome four new members to our team – the Livingston family! We can’t wait to have you join us!

A Note about our yesterday….8 July 2009

Today, the team was split into two groups of four with one group going to Santa Clara to work and the other remaining in Quimistan to work at the kindergarten.
Ardyn, Cecelia, Deirdre, and Sam (lucky Sam) headed up to the top of the mountain with the local support staff first thing in the morning. They spent the day moving bricks, mixing mortar, and building relationships with both the adults and children. They even visited some homes in the area who have needs and may be considered for future projects. Since today was Ardyn’s last working day in Honduras, it was very special and also a difficult day as she had to say goodbye to all the friends she has made over the past month.

Roxanna, Jenn, George, and Shirley started helping at the kindergarten early in the morning as well. There were two Hondurans on site when we first arrived and our job for the day was to dig the trenches for the foundation of the new kitchen. What a hard job it was! Using pick-axes, axes, shovels, and a machete, the trenches were dug by the end of the day! We couldn’t have done it without the hard work of Roxanna and George and the most welcome addition of our two friends Nelson and Rigo! We discovered that not all of us have the gift of “labor” and it was duly noted!!!
Tonight, we had BIG PLANS! We were going to watch the US/Honduras soccer (futbol) game at one of the local dining spots in town (El Fermin)! Our plan was cut short when the electricity failed as soon as we arrived. But we were fortunate because the site had a backup generator! Whew! but we soon found out that the generator did not (or could not) also run the television! After a short time, the electricity came back on and we were happy. It was already half-time and no-one had scored. In just a few minutes, 3 actually, we lost electricity again. After waiting for another long while, we decided enough was enough and we returned home to the ranch. How disappointing! And depending on your viewpoint you might be happy or NOT that the USA defeated Honduras 2-0!
An excellent day was had by all! We’re tired and hot but thankful for the opportunities to be of service and to share in the lives of our friends.
Buenas noches

Shirlita

The seventh day of the seventh month of 2009.

Today the mission team worked together to assist local masons in moving bricks from one location to another, yet again. It was approximately 900, 12lb bricks we toted, and 1300 ceiling tiles. As well, we had the privilege of watching the local masons as they finished the roof of Guillermo’s house. (Hurrah- it looks wonderful…Good Work Team!!!)

This is the smoke of the Justa Stove coming out of a neighboring house,
providing a healthier environment for its occupants.
Today’s story is one of hope, inspiration, and true Christian value. Experienced by the beautiful ‘CC’ and ‘Canada’, this heart-wrenching tale comes from the luscious, mountain village of Santa Clara, Honduras.

Before embarking on this story-telling journey, we shall rewind to adventures of the past, in an effort to clarify some main details.

Yesterday, we went up to Santa Clara, to assist the local teachers, in the kindergarten. (Or pass time, as Roxanne went to SPS to pick up the newest additions to the mission team.) While we were there, we noticed one of the young men standing watching us. ‘El Abuelo’, as we like to call him, explained to us that this boy has had a rough upbringing, does not attend the local high school, and is known to be somewhat of a troublemaker. ‘El Abuelo’ offered him a job chopping shrubs and grass on the side of a hill. The young man (TYM) accepted the job offer, and spent the morning with his machete, clearing brush from the rocky hillside. After we had finished in the classroom, us two girls took to the shade under a large mango tree, as we waited for the local masons to provide us with some more work. After some time, we were given the job of moving a pile of wood from one location to another (something we got quite used to doing during the last trip)…TYM, as we were working, took rest under the shade in which we had previously rested, and proceeded to watch us work. In the spirit of making light of the awkward observations, we jokingly asked TYM to help us move wood. Not wanting to be known as lazy, in the eyes of the pretty white girls, TYM assisted us in our job. As long-winded as that may have been, hopefully you have a good enough understanding, to comprehend the significance of the part that follows.

Today, our missions team packed up and headed for Santa Clara. The two of us had the pleasure of joining ‘El Abuelo’ and another team member in a garbage-picking adventure. (A.K.A. we picked up garbage.) As we went about our business, TYM sauntered up and continued to observe our every move. Again, we asked for his help. This time, before he had the opportunity to act, ‘El Abuelo’ told us that he had never helped before, thus we should not expect him to be of any assistance. To all of our surprise, especially that of ‘El Abuelo’, TYM picked up a garbage sack and joined as we walked the town’s streets, cleaning as we went. This was a rather rewarding experience, and we were able to spent the rest of the day playing soccer and working alongside TYM. We left Santa Clara in the mid-afternoon, with the feeling that we had made an impression and impact on this boy’s life.

Today was an exceptional day, in that we were able to see a change in TYM’s actions, and we hope and pray that he will continue to develop to reach his full potential. We very much look forward to tomorrow and the days to come, to in turn, observe our new friend as he goes about his daily activities.
Written by Ardyn. 😉

What we have been up to between teams

For ten days or so between teams, two youth and I have spent our time building relationships.

This day, we took these kids on their first picnic….our first in a cow pasture. And swam and played in the river.

Another day we purchased food and put together clothing and evangelistic packets and visited several poor families.

We were more blessed by these shared experiences than our Honduran friends, I know.

First part of second team arrives safely

Good morning, PTL! Yesterday, the 6th of July, with the aid of a local friend who drove for us, the first part of our second mission team arrived safely into San Pedro Sula and back to Quimistan. The flights were smooth but the Delta team was diverted for a few fly overs due to wild horses blocking the runway. Definitely different than the military who were blocking the runway in Tegucigalpa.

Today, we are up and about ready for a day of construction work to continue on a home, classroom and kitchen. May everyone we encounter see Christ in each of us.

More with photos to come later today.

In Christ, Roxanne