Honduras 101

Sorry we didn't post yesterday. The internet was not agreeable with our efforts. I'll include several entries in this post.

Here's what Sara McCafferty had to say.
The plane ride was very exciting. I was very nervous at first, but the nerves went away quickly. As I rode in the window seat I was in such awe. Riding through the bright blue sky reminded me of how awesome our God really is. The landing was kind of bumpy but it felt like we were on a roller coaster. I had a blast! Then we ate Church's Chicken. It was very interesting. The chocolate biscuits were amazing. Afterwards we rode through town, people everywhere, horns honking, cutting people off, cars nonstop. We then loaded the truck with lots of boxes. So by then we headed to the campano, where I write now. The food was okay, but the devo really gave me a new perspective. Love knows no bounds. Language will one day be nothing.  God is love.

Greg Mock,
The trip has begun well. Our new efforts to work in Honduras with the churches instead of around the churches seems to already be bearing much fruit. Also, my opportunity to speak with Gayle Davidson has me excited about what is to come.

Paul
A huge thank you goes out to Ellen Mock who took care of all the small things for the group of nineteen on our trip. Things like buying plane tickets and booking hotel rooms. Flying Delta is a great blessing. Having a direct flight makes all the difference in the world as far as fatigue is concerned. Thank you thank you thank you. Many of you may think that a bacon cheeseburger and fries for breakfast would be a poor nutrition choice. Matt Warren would beg to differ.
Our Delta pilot was a throwback to better, or at least more unaware days. When two people were late boarding the plane he stalled by letting passengers check out the cockpit and even get photos in his hat. I'll share a couple of pics with you in a later post.
Our three hour flight was like a baseball game. There was a moment of excitement at the beginning, boredom and smalltalk in the middle, and then some intense nervousness and prayer at the end followed by exuberant applause. The landing in Honduras is where all the action is.
We disembarked the plane into the refreshing 82 degree weather and were greeted by the smiling face of Tim Hines decked out in suit and tie. At first I thought he dressed up for me. I found out he was organizing a tour for his group through the presidential palace. I guess that's worth dressing up for. Secretly I still think it was for me.
For the five Americans reading this who are soccer fans, you know that this is world cup season. That means everyone in Honduras is crazy. They're gathered around tv's dressed in blue and white jerseys craning their necks to watch every kick and faked injury on the field. The fandom became evident when, while we were traveling to our home, the city erupted in cheers and dancing. Honduras had scored a goal.
As always, we had one detour. We stopped at the Mi Esperanza (my hope) warehouse and loaded up a mount Fuji of boxes. The Honduran men stacked them like a perfect Tetris tower in the back of a flatbed truck. I'm particularly amazed by this because I can't even stack a three high pallet of uniform pine straw bales and go for one mile without one of them falling in to the street.
Our day ended with a particularly touching commentary from Irma, our benefactor who lost her husband Julio, at our devotional. She told us of a missionary group who came to her village. They brought crank up record players and shared the gospel with them. If there was ever a question of whether or not a person of God could make a difference by spending a few short days in a foreign country, it was answered in the joy of her voice.

Daniel Morphew The Big Save

I woke up energized and ready for a hard day of work. I thought I would have been sore from all the boxes but no, I was feeling good. We met for breakfast and a small devo and we were off to build on the mountain. It started to set in now how the traffic was going to be crazy every day but I had no idea that the traffic was going to be the least of my worries. I have a slight fear of heights and I was not prepared for the road ahead, literally. Things were fine going through town but as soon as we hit the mountain road I was very uncomfortable. It had rained the day before and I'm sure it had rained the day before then also. The road was a little muddy in spots and this caused a few traction issues. At first this was no big deal but as we got further up the mountain, the road got narrower. This made it a big deal. There is no way for me to describe the feeling I had when I looked out my window and all that I can see is a cliff, with no guard rail. I mean a cliff, not a hill, or a slight grade to the ground, a cliff that goes DOWN. So a few bumps into the trip I was already moving to the inside of the bus. Once we started slipping and sliding I was sharing a seat with Mary Wilcox, Ellen Mock's sister. I thought all was well and moved back into my seat and that is when it happened. I could see the danger ahead but there was no way to avoid it. I could see the turn coming but right before the turn there was a long, narrow, muddy trail that was unavoidable. My mind immediately thought of all the things that could happen. My heart said, "don't worry." Well, my mind won and I was terrified. We approached the "danger zone" and it seemed like we were going to be fine. Then it happened. The bus slid to the left. The left is  the cliff side! As soon as it slid I slid, right over to the seat with Mary again. She almost became part of the seat I slid so fast. In fact, I think everyone, well, almost everyone jumped to the right side of the bus. I wasn't sure if this was going to be the end but, if not, I thought i'd have a heart attack anyway. As we slid the driver gave the accelerator a hard push and thankfully, with God's help, we squeezed back onto the road. Yes I said back onto the road because the left rear wheels were on nothing except God's hand. I can say that prayer works and God is great! At this point though I'm not sure if I can ride in the bus anymore. It is all I can do to stay on the bus now because I am so uncomfortable. I voiced my opinion quite a bit at this point. Some responded with laughter and some agreed. I was not ok anymore. Well I didn't have a choice and I finally caught my breath. We arrived at the church in Los Pinos by then and I was so grateful to put my feet on solid ground. I told them that I could not go back the same way though and that I could walk back.We were told we'd go a different way down and, while that is better, it didn't make me feel any better. I asked why we didn't come up a different way but hindsight is twenty twenty. This anxiety would follow the rest of the week for me. I try hard to trust but there is something about a big bus, narrow streets, and mountains to bring out the fear in anyone. All in all, I just have to trust in God and worst case scenario... is there a better way to go than serving Him?

Man Down Girl Down Everyone Down

The crowd around the breakfast table this morning was greatly diminished. roughly half of our group had serious stomach issues and would need to stay at the compound today. We would be spread thin. After a short devotional, we loaded up and rode into Santa Ana to drop some off to work with the church and others to build. The road to our building site was mostly sand. The sunlight glittered off it in places like the ground was filled with paparazzi and their camera flashes were out of control. It was beautiful and disorienting at the same time.

Our build site was on the edge of a hill over looking another hillside covered in rows of windmills. Their blades spun lazily in the wind. A family of horses casually chewed grass to our left. Their nays and whinnies carried through the air. Our ground was soft. Our post hole diggers were hungry chewing deeply into the earth. We hit a rock. After slapping at it with a  heavy metal bar we decided we'd have to dig it out. The ground moved and shifted as we dug four bars beneath the stone. It was a stubborn tooth that would not come out. It was huge! We pulled it out and watched it roll down the hill.

We set our posts and had no wood. That was ok. It gave us a minute to rest. The sun was hot and our small number of workers finished the day burnt and tired. We were happy to have provided a home for a twenty year old member of the church. His preacher showed up towards the end of day and prayed with us.

Billy presented his, "the story" series to members of the church while Edna and Romana worked with the ladies. Seven studies were set up for tomorrow and our women were all greatly encouraged. After preaching, Billy, Cisco, and Don returned to casa to build the playground. The evening set and the playground still wasn't finished. 

Welcome to Honduras

We have a saying in Honduras when Murphy's law kicks in and all our well made plans unravel. "Welcome to Honduras." There are always a couple of days like that on every trip. Today was one of them. Many of you may remember the weight of the playground equipment our church purchased to put up at the Casa de Esperanza. After moving it four times I can assure you we do. We moved it so many times that the box ruptured and spilled its contents all over the ground like candy out of a broken pinata. That's probably why we failed to notice that are bag of screws and nuts was missing when we strained mightily one last time to put it all in the back of a truck this morning.

Our plan today was to spend some time at Casa and then travel up a mountain road to a small church near its peak in the afternoon. We arrived at Casa, took out all the boxes of playground parts, and began sorting them. Under Billy's careful instruction we laid out pieces of wood in the order they would be needed and labeled each section. Things were going smoothly and we were ready to begin putting everything together. Unfortunately we had no screws, no bolts, and no special connectors. That tiny important box was picked up along with several other boxes meant to go to a warehouse in tegucigalpa forty five minutes away. It was locked up and the only one with a key was Marc Tindall. He was at the dump and we were out of luck.

We were flexible and decided to go on up the mountain. Some of us were wary after a harrowing experience driving mountain trails at the first of the week. We climbed to a height of seven thousand feet. It was a spot, that on a clear day, would reveal the ocean. After dropping some things off at the church and and receiving the thanks of an extremely enthusiastic preacher we walked a trail to the mountains edge and looked out over the lush valley below.

Life is everywhere in honduras. The landscape is a canvas of many shades green dotted with vibrant reds and yellows. Plants grow on the plants and bright flowers erupt from their stems. A few of us walked a tiny dirt path to a secluded edge and sat on some rocks. We spent time in prayer and were encouraged.

When we returned to Casa the parts were there but time was short. We went to work, some of us playing with the children while others were drilling holes. Evening was coming quickly and Progress was slowly being made. We'd have to leave the rest for tomorrow if we could squeeze it in between a house build and ladies class at the church.

Daniel Morphew's Experience

Daniel Morphew's Thoughts on our tripDay 1:
It's hard to describe the feelings and anxieties that occur before beginning a mission trip and the fact I've never been on a mission trip doesn't help at all. I did a lot of praying before our departure and while i was planning this through. The first day seemed to go well and our travel was good. My mother-in-law, Jodi, was delayed but I believe she was the only person who was slowed down. Since this was the only issue that arose I would definitely say that God was looking out for us. At the airport in Honduras we met up with the other TORCH members and secured our luggage on the bus. Now most people would assume that the bus would be right out front but not in honduras. It was parked in a lot with a bunch of other buses and cars. It was more like a sardine car lot as close as they were parked together. This lot was located away from the entrance kind of like the rental lot would be at most airports. either way, once our belongings were safe, we set out for nourishment. There were a handful of fast food places nearby. Most of us went to Church's Chicken while the rest went to Burger King. If you thought deciding what to order was hard in the states then you should try ordering when you can't read or speak the language. I ordered a simple chicken, or pollo, sandwich combo. I was told to make sure and get my drink with no ice. This would make sure I could function normally the next day. There are so many things we take for granted each day and they become evident when we leave our comfort zone.
Dinner went well and then we were off to Julio's, this would be the place we would lay our head until the twenty ninth arrives. Now I know a lot of people think Columbus, MS is crowded with traffic but it doesn't even compare to the traffic here in Honduras. The amount of people honking their horns is outrageous and almost amusing at the same time. It is definitely a game of, "He who has the biggest vehicle wins." Thank goodness we were in a bus. Some lane changing and a lot of honking later we arrived at Julio's.
From the outside everything looks very modern and convenient. Julio has a nice house and it is way more than I ever expected or deserve.
Oh, I forgot about our "great box relocation". Before arriving at Julio's we went to Mi Esperanza to gather our boxes that came over in our container. We were lucky that someone had unloaded them into a room for us but we now had to sort and move them. It didn't take too long but I know there were times when I moved the same box at least three times. We managed to get all the boxes we could loaded onto three trucks and the bus we were in. The rest of the boxes would stay behind until another day.
Now back to Julio's. I was saying that everything was very nice. We have a great room for dining, nice bedrooms with bathrooms, and a staff that even cooks for us. God is truly taking care of us on this trip. Everyone is so friendly and glad to meet you. It just goes to show you that a smile goes a long way. I say that because I don't speak spanish. Well, after all the traveling, I was definitely ready for bed. The next day would involve a house build and a trip up the mountain

Peaks and Valleys

After a meal of eggs and bacon or maybe just peanut butter we loaded the bus and made our way to hospital escuela. (hospital school where people training to be doctors learned their trade by giving medical care at a reduced price). We'd already loaded hundreds of diaper bags on our bus in boxes and quickly pulled them from the rear of the bus while a parking attendant fussed and prodded our driver to get out of the parking lot.

Loaded down with our boxes we marched into the hospital and climbed the four flights of stairs leading to the maternity ward. Two guards sat behind a desk at the top of each flight of stairs. They directed us to the ward and we began unloading bags so that our ladies could deliver bags full of diapers, children's clothing, bottles, and formula. 

Whenever a box is opened in honduras people take interest. They show up out of nowhere as if there is a secret network of  informants making sure everyone knows there are good things to be had. Our ladies ventured off into the maternity ward to encourage the fifty seven new mothers resting six to a room. The youngest, a mother of twins, was fourteen years old. One woman lay in her bed alone, blankets pulled up to her face. She was emaciated and stared at the wall with a vacant look in her eyes. She had lost her baby.  

Our boxes of bags were piled side by side in a hallway outside the ward with two silver plated elevators side by side. I did my best to keep bags ready for our girls as they entered and exited the ward. The rule, to avoid chaos, is that we don't give items out of the boxes to people who walk up and ask. I was dreading having to turn them away. An older woman with a milky cataract eye came up to me first asking for a bag. I told her i couldn't but that she could get one in the maternity ward. As soon as she left I felt hardhearted and terrible. I prayed that God would bring her back so i could sneak a bag to her and then couldn't say no to anyone else after that. shortly, while Edna was reloading, the older woman returned and Edna immediately gave her one.

After all the bags were gone, a few of us went down to the children's cancer ward. They sat in a medium sized room with iv's in their arms receiving chemotherapy. Some were babies and others were in their teens. Matthew had a deck of cards and after a little talking we explained the game of, "go fish". Two girls watched us from the other side of the window and slowly inched towards the entrance. When they got close enough we invited them to play with us. They laughed and laughed as we told them, "pescar". (to fish)

Matambritas (hunger killer) is an incredible hamburger joint in down town Tegucigalpa. Some of the more interesting concoctions are theRed hot Chiri Papas (chili fries), Chuck Norris (an extremely spicy burger) the Pious Maximous (a double chicken breast sandwich) and the pio rio (a hamburger and chicken breast burger).  We all stuffed ourselves and headed off to the school for blind kids.

The blind school is always a real joy. The children are well taken care of, well behaved, and full of happiness. Frankie, a seven year old with some sight, was quick to grab my hand and ask to play soccer. A plastic ball full of rice makes enough noise for these children to locate it and allow them to play. They don't let off either. They run full on towards the ball and kick it towards their friends with uncanny accuracy. The most uplifting part of being at the blind school is hearing them sing. All the children sing like angels. We were all  uplifted.

Aside from candy, the children love to receive stuffed animals with lots of different appendages. As I sat soaking up the notes of one of their songs one of the men who runs the school came up to a boy sitting at my table. Being blind as well, he ran his hand down the boys arm until he found the hand that held a stuffed pokemon doll. The doll was plush with long pointy ears, short horns, fat legs, and a tail with a bulb of fuzzy fur at its apex. I watched as this man slowly slid his fingers along every bend and stitch of the toy. It was fascinating. I felt a little like I was trespassing, peaking into their world, as i watched him seeing this object. I tried to imagine what he was picturing as he felt along the edges of the strange animal. I wondered if his mind created pictures or if he had a mental catalogue of different textures to compare the animal to. God has given him an ability to see in a way I can never fully understand. It made me realize how much I still have left to learn.

Sweet Reunion

Our return to Los Pinos was a sweet reunion. Many of our ladies gathered at the church ready to celebrate the women who work as their teachers. They carried foot baths, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and trays full of fresh pineapple and watermelon. Also, in boxes hauled up the mountain, were stacks of vbs materials that Janae, Mary, Chris, Anna, Ellen, Matthew, Jeanette, and Daniel worked late into the night preparing coloring books and tiny plates on popsicles that had the face of a blind man on one side and a seeing man's face on the other.

By the time we reached our build site, a house for one of the teachers at the church, we found that someone had already dug the holes for our posts. AND THEY WERE PERFECT! The fact that our wood had not arrived was not perfect. After thirty minutes of slapping fire ants and and joking around the truck arrived and we went to work alongside many Hondurans. Their stamina put us to shame. 

Enthusiasm was contagious inside the church building at Los Pinos. Women laughed and hooted as they shared stories with one another. Billy and Cisco had a Bible study with a family during the revelry and, to hear him tell the story, the women were all going so crazy with laughter that he thought there must have been a Bunko game going on. Actually the Honduran women came prepared to share a lesson of their own and blessed our ladies so much that they never had time to do all they had planned. When God writes the script the story always winds up better.

Chris stood on the roof of our almost finished home, hammer in hand, ready to pound roofing nails into layers of tin. Clouds were beginning to darken in the sky threatening the downpour to come. It was 1:30 and we were three hours faster than Saturday. By 3:30 we were praying with a family of four inside a fully completed home. Don Cole brought in a picture of the family that donated the money for the house along with a brass template that the family proudly chose to display on their door front. 

Back at the church VBS was in full swing. Over a hundred children sat side by side in the auditorium listening to Ramona translate Edna's stories. Our ladies had their hands full trying to keep everyone and everything in order. The children were fidgety and eager to get on to the crafts but came away knowing the story of Jesus healing a blind man by rubbing dirt on his eyes. 

A family across from the church building held a special place in Cisco's heart. The mother had a skin condition and was covered in large bumps kind of like the skin of an ostrich. Her three daughters are now sixteen years old and younger. Two of them spent the day at the church while one stayed in the home. When Cisco asked about her the mom told him she was in the house and hadn't come out of it for weeks. Cisco asked permission to visit her and went inside to talk. After a few minutes conversation Cisco asked if the family had food for the night. She said, "no." Cisco told her if she would come out with him that he would get food for her and the family.

As Cisco and the young woman's daughter walked the dirt road to the pulperia (store) she pointed to the pink hat Cisco's niece had begged him to wear and asked if she could have it. Cisco told her he'd been asked by many people and how special the hat was and that he couldn't just give it away to anyone because it had to be someone really special. They continued to walk and she asked again. He said that he couldn't. They bought a huge pepsi and some snacks and headed back to the home. After speaking with her a little more it was time to go. As he got up to leave he removed the cap and placed it on her head. She looked up at him puzzled and said, I thought you were waiting to give the hat to someone special. He smiled as he left and said, "I just did."