Where we're going...we don't need "roads"

Thursday was another brigade day...just a drive to Guaimaca, do the brigade, head home.

Or so we thought.

We got to Talanga and the road was closed...some kind of protest.

We looked for options to go around...the obvious one (to those in the know apparently) was closed, blocked by dump trucks...sweet talking our way through it as a brigade trying to help people did not work.

I looked on the handy iPhone, dropping a pin where we were and expanding out, and saw another road that would get us into Talanga, and then hopefully out the other side and on to our destination.

How this “road” had been added to a map registry somewhere...I will never know. It was often not really a road. Had there not been some barbed wire fencing to help guide me...sometimes I felt like we were driving through just random land...and sometimes random land that limited very narrowly on both sides. There were several times when I wondered what I had gotten us into...and how we were going to back up and exit when the road would end around the next bend, which seemed more and more likely the more we drove.

Somehow...God got us through it all and...eventually after much “excitement” on to Guaimaca.

Where...lest I forget it, I was in a constant state of distraction trying to help in the dispensary, and not finding the glasses I needed (big shock there) and during one side conversation, I looked back to my hand...only to find the prescription I was looking for...but did not find? Thank you God...for the drive, the path, the glasses, the safety, the food (I had tilapia...for lunch!) and four great days of brigades that brought refreshed and/or renewed sight to so many! The great need for quality and honest healthcare, let alone the greater need for eye care, continues to impact us.

Eye brigades

Just wanted to post a few pictures of the ICO FCO group here this week.  May God move through the eye work being done to touch and move hearts towards Him!  (some of the pictures are sideways...too much work to fix it this morning or I would run out of time before leaving for the last brigade.  Sorry about that) 

We had to switch vehicles this week...the first picture is the Ford taken apart...apparently the clutch went out!  Now we have to see if it is cheap enough to get a replacement here or make a trip to the US to replace it cheaper (sometimes...parts can be very expensive here.) 

The group has been doing a great job...so many people need so much help, and physically with their eyes many need help beyond our ability to treat them in the brigade.  For some, that means coming to the clinic in Teguc, for others referrals, and for some prayers for God to move in what otherwise are humanly unfixable situations. 

Coffee road

The group left yesterday back for the US. There is some more work to do on the false ceiling raise...but the lion’s share of the work they completed before leaving, we just need to finish the mud work, put the tiles back in, paint...all the hard work of moving everything is pretty much done. We can have some groups help with that in March. They completed a great deal of landscaping as well...surely there will be more to do for the next year or so, but slowly but surely we are making a greater oasis there to honor God. 

Before they left, we took several of them (while the rest stayed behind to continue to work on the ceiling and sewing) to Sampedrana for a site visit for another couple guys that came to see about bringing a group here in July. The idea was to just get to know the area, maybe see the new coffee property via the new road, distribute some corn, and head back to TGU.

The first part...went according to plan.

So did the last two parts. 

The part of visiting the new coffee property...more “interesting.” It is always interesting when half the people in your truck walk back while the rest figure out what to do.

We got most of the way there on this new road, which for the most part is wide enough for the big Ford, when we came upon some “slight rubble.” We had no tools (other than the hammer seen below) to try to break them apart. The irony was...these were not rocks, but dirt. Dirt that had never been unearthed for thousands of years seemingly until the bulldozer moved it...so they were boulders, but most of the smaller ones crumbled when you picked them up...all except the big ones of course that even broke brother Alfonso’s pickaxe. We called for Alfonso as he was working and he came down to help us out...and got a fractured pickaxe for his trouble. Not before chopping down a six inch tree section about 8 feet long to use as a lever to move the bigger “rubble.”

With the rubble cleared...we were out of time to continue up to see the property itself, although we were 95% of the way there...you can see here (if you blow up the picture) the clearing that Alfonso has been doing...the line that starts our property on that edge and goes up and around the bend, where our entrance would be with the road.

Next phase is to put up a fence for the 20,000 seedlings that will be ready soon...without the fence the plants will make for good food for the cattle that roam. Fixing the road...will come later, perhaps with some group help this summer.

So, instead I had to turn around. The pictures here do not do the magnitude of this job any justice. And you won’t see any pictures here of that attempt, as my mind was quite occupied with what I was doing and in prayer. Not only a tight bend, but a big rut in the road for the water to pass, and plenty of water/mud for the back tires. By God’s grace and hand we turned around and headed back...up, and down, up and down, up and down. I am relatively confident that we went from about 4,200 feet above sea level at the Church to well over 5,200 feet at the property (probably 5,600, with the top end of the property over 6,000) We are working on getting Alfonso a motorcycle to get back and forth...right now he walks the two hours up and down every day with whatever tools he will need. As he told me... “It is hard work just walking up, but I do come down a little faster knowing my work is done and I get to see my family.” Imagine how much more he will be able to do with just some basic transportation!

We got to spend some time with a few families on the way down, sharing corn, some conversation, and prayer. One of the mothers in particular reminded me how important what we are doing is when she was surprised by the corn and toys for her children and then my petition to pray for them. I asked if it was ok...and then Gender said “it is ok right? Sure!” Then came her response... “well, if you want to pray, then pray.” Not the heartiest of endorsements...but I took advantage while I had the chance. Prayer makes a difference the scriptures tell us...but many of us do not know the Scripture, let alone Who wrote it.

Some of the girls with their toys...the excitement and surprise of it all was evident, and they seemed so overjoyed.

You can see, for those that have been to Sampedrana in the past, some further improvements on the property here....the white picket fence, the windows in the building (with screens) for greater light and protection from bugs, changed the bars on the windows (they are learning how to do that) and the shift of the old Church building to a garage and bodega (storage room) plus the painting to match the Church building.

 

 

You can see the mission house from the road now! They cut down the older coffee trees to allow more room for growth for the ones planted several years ago...which won’t produce as much for the short term, but will take off...they should produce some this year, but the older plants had given their all and some were catching a disease, so they had to come down. (Coffee plants do not produce more and more as they age...after a certain age they need to be replaced anyway.) The wood from the plants is being used as fire wood for cooking. Also...Gender and Lourdes have a refrigerator! No electricity...that is true, but this one runs on kerosene! It adds the benefit of being able to keep meats and such...but they pay for the kerosene and purchase by selling chocobananos, icy pops and the like to the community, like a mini pulperia. Their daughter Alison is walking now as well!

Gender reports the Church building being well used...Sunday services now see 57 regular attenders and over 30 children! For a community this size...the growth of the Church there is amazing! They even used the Land Cruiser mission vehicle there to take 16 people to the CIY conference in January! Praise God for that, and that the vehicle that seats 13 had enough space for 16 people...plus all their suitcases for a weeks' trip!

Long Night

I don't have much time to post, as we had to go up last night on an emergency basis to unload the clothing container. The cops stopped by the semi as it was stopped to fix a tire...and from there the situation spiraled downward. There were questions about the driver and his “girlfriend” who did not have any ID, seemed underage, and the driver could not answer questions like “if you have known each other for a few years and supposedly have children together...what are her last names?”

Then they wanted to see Jana’s passport. Valerie drove up and down and all around to get that.

In the meantime, they called customs, and we eventually had some supervisor there and the police were under great suspicions that the container was full of drugs. So...we had two options: Either they take the entire container, or we unload it right then on the property while they investigated under their very strong suspicions that we were dirty.

So, with a very small crew we started after 6:00PM...with the semi on the road because he would not pull into the property for fear (did I mention we found out he was not a real driver, had a fake license, and was still “learning”?)

The policeman with the strongest suspicions pulled back in with his $50,000 vehicle (way above his pay grade...if you catch my drift) and proceeded to insult us some....while never really opening a box or bag until the very end when he was most sure the ill-gotten booty would appear.

By the time they gave up and left, we had already worked so much and had so little left to unload that we just finished it all right there, ending a little before 10:00...very quick considering how much we had to unload in the street, the small crew, and having to keep an eye on the police so that nothing went missing.

In the end...no one was hurt, no long term problems (hopefully someone comes back for the semi and the container today), no one got a sunburn during this unloading, and Oscar got a good jab in to the policeman before he left.... “Thanks for watching us! Sorry we did not have any coffee for you!”

The group continues to work...here are some pictures of Tuesday’s efforts.

 

   

The Honduran workers have the side walls are done...now to start on the ends!

The false ceiling raising is really taking shape!

More quilting skills being imparted!

 



Quilt it!

Two of the women in the group are making a point to help with the sewing ministry...making some new cutting tables (that can be easily stowed almost like a tray table in an airplane when not needed so as to not take up valuable space in the small room...very clever!) or also helping Dora and the women with some quilting skills. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the basic skills, but also using the same basic base pattern to make over ten different quilt overall patterns. See? They make bigger squares of the smaller squares, and then can re-arrange them to form different overall patterns for the quilt. Very cool. Dora was very excited, as she has a standing order of 25 quilts for the mission, but before today...she was not sure she would ever know enough to pull it off.

 

 

I arrived early this morning to find several of the women already working on planting what we bought on Saturday (they started both down at the man cave, as well up near the parking area...more pictures tomorrow on that.) They did so well, and so fast, we went and bought another 35 plants today...to finish what was already started, and to start some climbing vine type plants on the back fence wall of the clinic...they look beautiful and add extra protection as well (they come with lovely thorns all over them if you get “too close.”) We also bought some annual seeds to plant.

The work on the ceiling raising continues...I’ll try to post some pictures tomorrow on the His Eyes Facebook page...the frame is taking shape, but it is a much bigger job in some ways than originally thought, with us needing to make extensions to the plumbing, electrical, and since we will, in about a month or so, get some ceiling fans, have to make some changes to the lighting positions in the different rooms to accommodate them. Already though, even dusty, messy, and with no ceiling tiles...seeing the difference is already very impressive.

Tomorrow...supposedly unloading another clothing container. Between all the above, the continued work on the Tegucigalpa sanctuary project (both a crew on the roof...contracted by the job instead of by day and another crew working on the walls) and the clothing container...should be a busy day tomorrow.

higher calling

We have a somewhat unusual group here this week...several different projects going on, the biggest of which is the raising of the false ceiling of the mission house. The idea was something we have toyed with for a while...I mentioned it to a group last July, and soon enough, a couple members from that group spearheaded putting together people to come and make it happen. 

More on that later in the week.

In addition, other members of the group are tackling some other projects as well.

Bob saw our simple skid system used to get into the containers and devised a new stair system to put in its place. He sent the lumber with the FAME container, and now is here to put it in place. Stairs....what a concept! We look forward to putting them to good use this week.

And we will be taking some further steps with the landscaping of the property! We bought 49 more plants to go around the property...mostly flowering bushes, but three coconut trees and an orange tree in the mix as well. I’ll post some “after” pictures later on in the week, as they will also be cleaning up and working with some of the other plants we already had planted last year that need some help, and might help us with some seeds they brought for a small garden, as well as help with our compost system.

Complicated, different (with some more differences/surprises coming later)...it should be an interesting week!

When an eye exam is not just an eye exam

A long day, Valerie sits down and tells me about the few patients she saw this morning before leaving for Bible study.  She promised to see no more than two...a third was walking up, but lived close enough they could come instead tomorrow (she is not scheduled to see any patients on Tuesdays.) 

Soon...a 26 year old woman made her way in the crowd...with a huge, huge black eye.

Patient number 3. 

Yes...huge should be there twice...Valerie repeated the word with emphasis describing it to me. 

At first she tip toed around the reason and instead Valerie asked her basic questions about health, about how long ago she got the black eye, if everything else with her vision/eyes was normal, making sure there was no other damage, etc. 

But it was indeed spousal abuse. Her husband is from Teguc, but she is from Santa Barbara. 

When Valerie asked her to read the letters on the chart came the next big surprise...."oh no, I have never been able to see well, I can't see any of those."

26 years old...never had an eye exam, and turns out she is a -13.00 in her right eye and -9.00 in her left.  For those that don't speak optometry lingo...she couldn't read the big E on the chart....in other words, she needs glasses...desperately.  Corrected...she will be 20/40. 

She was...pleasantly surprised to be able to get glasses.  That is putting it mildly.  We will be able to get the lenses for her from another ministry in the US that helps us with such cases (www.godseyes.biz)

Valerie prayed for her about her living situation, and beyond.  She is staying with someone in her husband's family right now, but is preparing to head back to Santa Barbara...with their two young kids, to get away from him. 

The clinic work...is not just an easy "exam process" for the doctors, staff or patients.  I am not sure I can really describe what it is like to walk into that situation day after day.  The only weak analogy that comes to mind as I sit here to write is like walking into the ocean.

As you walk along the shore, get your feet wet, venture in...you see the beauty, how it all comes together, the clear water.  But if you let your eyes wander or stop paying attention...it will knock you around fairly quick. 

I pray God continues to guide the staff and volunteers at the clinic, strengthening them from the waves that can bring focus to what they are doing, but be overwhelming also.  Peace, His words, His actions....for His glory. 
 

Construction update

Time for another update on the Church building process.

This is a long row to hoe...and becoming evident as we progress.

The roofing process alone is probably going to take another two weeks, and requires a minimum of six guys at that. You can see here why it requires so many guys and yet goes so slow...we rigged a zip line of sorts to shuttle the insulation and roofing sheets from the container side to the roof itself. Getting the insulation in place, and then putting on the roofing sheets more than doubles the time required, and makes it more difficult...but insulation is a good thing in the long run. The zipline is a rather creative way to speed things up a bit...but still is a complicated slow process. We will still need to buy scaffolding for the long term (to handle the soffets, guttering, the interior wall work and ceiling, electrical, fans, lighting, etc.)...we will be looking into that this week more. Renting them given how long a process this will likely be will not be cost efficient, and at least we will have the scaffolding whenever we need it in the future.

At this speed...we will not finish by June, but with the funding we have we can not go any faster. It is encouraging to all to see the work progressing...but at this rate we will likely have to stop and wait at the end of March (with some help from the groups coming that month.)

Join us in praying for some guidance on this, and of course the funding to continue at a faster pace. If you are so inclined, for newer readers, the link to make a donation pasted here works via PayPal...just add in during the process that you want your donation to be used for the Tegucigalpa Sanctuary Project, and we will start putting it to good use straight away.  

 

 

Imagining the building done for the 20th anniversary service is something I am sure all of us here would love to see come to fruition, especially as I looked upon the columns for the current pole barn building this Sunday during the service and seeing the continued toll the termites are taking.

Sitting to God's glory

Last week with the group we went out to Talanga first to do some paperwork with the mayor’s office and to see the Church building and to stop by the TV station to find Jose Luis doing his program again, discussing more of the physical needs of the mission/Church/TV station there. After a time consuming, but extremely successful time at the mayor’s office (God’s provision...no doubt there) we moved to Cantaranas to work with Jonathan distributing corn, talking with him about how things are going with the baby on the way, about how they have taken three, and now four, more people into their household, and about the physical needs of the Church there...it struck me that in the midst of constantly trying to address everything in the mission, get things where they need to be, built, etc. and how overwhelming that can be...that almost exclusively when I am talking to these guys they never address their own personal needs first, if at all, when asking for help.

Things like...a guitar to not have to do worship a cappella, amps, speakers (the list for music ministry...is unfortunately quite long) battery back up for computer protection in Channel 15, more programming for the TV station (where do you get Spanish Christian videos to use?) and the list continues. 

We also got to see some coffee sorting in Cantaranas...being done to use these beans as seeds for more future plants. It takes longer to do it that way (minimum another six months for the seedling to be ready to plant in the ground)...but when you can get the beans for free, it is certainly cheaper. We won't rely on this method to get all our coffee property planted...but every little bit helps. 

And we saw again that sitting in the car while the group distributes food still provides you plenty of opportunities to get to know people and talk at length. The people though tend to be of smaller stature, but not all the time. 

What you can’t see in this picture is the equal or greater number of kids on the other side of the truck. They were chatty...wanting to know everything from where the corn was from, to talking about school and Jonathan the pastor, to question how every piece of plastic or bump in the Ford was used (turns out that if you have never seen an air vent before, you think it has something to do with changing the gears.)  Good times. 

No matter where you go...you minister....whether just asking for a guitar instead of seeking personal gain, sitting in the truck, doing paperwork, or sorting coffee beans.  Scary and reassuring at the same time. 

Changes come, sometimes whether we want them or not

While the group was working on the construction aspects today, Oscar and I unfortunately had to skedaddle on out to Talanga. We had been having difficulty there since late last year after the completion of the Church building. That came to a head in late November, and we had to take steps to replace the pastor there, mostly related to a lack of reporting, financial accountability, and completing projects, but there is also unfortunately much more to the story that is best left in God's hands. We have been working to this end since then, and after the prior pastor abandoned the work ahead of what was planned, via Jonathan we found Jose Luis to take his place...unfortunately for him pretty much starting from scratch, and missing some of the equipment/supplies that were supposed to have been there.

When we arrived, it was to try to encourage Jose Luis and find out how we could best help him as he gets started and settled in, and as we were getting out of the Ford (which we took to also transport some rice and corn for the members of the drug/alcohol rehabilitation center who have been helping try to watch over the Church building in the mean time and can most certainly use the help) we heard Jose Luis on the air...receiving a call from someone asking for prayer and for Christ to change their lives and to follow Him.

 

 

Very cool.

This pastoral change is not one we were seeking, but God seems to be blessing us with this new man to guide the Church into the future, seeking His will through it all. Right now Jose Luis is the interim pastor, but in terms of making that a permanent move...well, we shall see!

On making our way back to Tegucigalpa we stopped to see Jonathan in Cantaranas, to see the coffee plants that Hill Climber coffee is purchasing for the farm in San Juancito. These plants will not fill the property totally, but are a great start to the several year process of getting that property producing.

We also wanted to stop to take measurements for the planned Church building there. The Church members want to do as much of the labor as possible to build their own building, but need a hand along the way, and right now that would be...the rebar for the footer. They want to buy the concrete and sand, as well as band together to get ‘er done. We are going to see what we might be able to do to give them a helping hand.

 

 

While there we also saw the newest "pet"...Oscar’s piglet. He bought a male and female pig to have the piglets and try to make some extra money for his family, but all of the rest of this piglets brothers and sisters died, making a loss for Oscar instead of a gain in selling the other piglets...so instead of a breeding business, it looks like Oscar is going to end up with a fridge full of ham and pork chops sometime soon.

 

 

The piglet was being well taken care of by their pet dog who has been sleeping with him. The only problem is the piglets missing tail...apparently the dog likes a little pork in his diet as well.    

Truss and obey

This week we are blessed with a group from Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, a team of guys here to help get to work on the Church building here in Teguc. 

A long journey starts with a single step...or single purlin as the case may be.

 

 

Getting the columns up and all that entailed was...interesting, and involved more swaying than a full course luau.

 

After trying some other ideas, we had to rent the crane shown here for two long days. Cranes charge by the hour. At least they did not charge us for lunch. But finally they got up...along with a lot of help from ropes, cables, etc. and us pushing, pulling, and in general laughing giddy with the thought of something falling on us.

 

The group has been focused on getting everything level, square and plumb after getting those columns and trusses in place. We of course would not want a building wavy, round, or pear.

 

In addition, the purlins need to go up for the walls and roof as the other first big steps to stability that has been all Monday and Tuesday (they did some corn distribution on Sunday afternoon with the Church in the neighborhood.)

 

While starting everything was literally a bit shaky...with every passing hour, things are taking shape more, and are just encouraging everyone working on the project. 

 

 

The view will forever be altered as this continues to go up and becomes opaque...but in a very visible, God honoring way! We have enough funds to get everything under roof, but still need to raise quite a bit of funding at the $26 per square foot to get all the interior work done that will soon be ready to start. Please join us in prayer about raising those funds...our goal is that with enough funding we could finish the building by the Church’s anniversary in June!

 

We will need lots of financial help, prayers, and physical help if that is to come to pass!