Suyapa fair

Yesterday we could not take the group to see the Basilica of Suyapa because of the "fair" (week of celebration) there. Then I read this article in the local paper today (http://www.elheraldo.hn/Ediciones/2009/01/30/Noticias/Pequenos-devotos-de-Suyapita-en-Honduras)

You can go to google.com and have it translated to English. It gives a little more insight to the mindset of what Suyapa means/is here. I will not make any editorial comments at this time, I just saw it and thought I would share it with you.

Sup

Life can be interesting.

A few cases in point:

Things might be bad, but seeing someone who was told to keep wearing a cast on her broken foot that kept hurting for three months, with no explaination, keeps our aches and pains in check. Here is the group visiting her trying to find some Ibuprofen to give to her to help with the pain and swelling, as well as some advice how to do the best she can to keep the foot up and give it time to heal, hard as that might be.

Despite what some people think...the blue Ford is...blue. And the kids that washed it for 30 Lps seemed to be able to get all the dirt, muck...and other interesting ingredients off it and get it fairly clean...despite the fact they had no soap, just a sponge and several buckets of water.

Several groups have angled for good pictures of the interesting electrical and cable situations here, but this one takes the cake for me. This is not even in Teguc, but in Valle de Angeles. The chains holding the one box in place is for one of the cable companies, whose rather pricy equipment regularly gets stolen (by other cable companies)

So souvenir business is apparently down. So much so that one of the stores in Valle was eager to give discounts and get the group's business....as well as free granitas at their satellite store just down the road...for all of us. Oscar and I had the bright idea to order the very rare here hot chocolate. Hot, it certainly was. Good too, but that took time for me to get past buring the roof of my mouth.

And how about fajitas and fried banana chips with salsa (chimol) for supper? Sure, it was great. Oh, and how about an aperitif of some raw sugar cane procured through potentially extra legal means in Cantaranas? Ah, excellent chewing material as well.

Celestial view here on Earth

So the group started painting the new clinic today. The final color choices, as decided by Valerie and Oscar (with both and neither somehow coming to a concensus, figure that one out) are: Celeste (bright pastel blue) for the walls, and a very nicely blending gray for the ceiling. The parts we did of the ceiling today look great compared to what is without paint, and yet look like we never touched it...blending into the background and not standing out. Perfect. So far using the air compressor and the guns we have is working...but the compressor seems strained, my dad chimes in that the gun may take more of the capacity of the compressor than we might have thought. It certainly lays down a nice patch of paint, this much is certain. I was happy for the extra clothing to protect myself since the paint is oil based (ironic, me using clothing that we were pulling out because it is not needed here...being my size of course...or in this case, close to my size and celebrating the Colts Super Bowl win...longer sleeves to protect me) and that the gun did not in its use also cover me with paint, so the use of thinner on my skin to get the paint off was minimal. If we did not have to use oil based because we were painting this metal...I would prefer in the future never to use oil based paint. What a hassle.

I heard several great compliments for our kids today, and unlike some doting parents, they took me back, not that they are not great kids...but sometimes we focus on what we or others are doing wrong, and overlook what they do right or well. They wanted to help the group this afternoon, so they came to paint, and several people commented that Soren worked hard all afternoon, and one group (as the kids sometimes still refer to group members) remarked that she was frustrated by painting near the existing clinic and not understanding what everyone was saying, and why they were pointing and laughing. She asked Soren what they were saying, and he said "they are happy you are painting the wall because it looks nice and it needed it." Cecilia was hard at work too, even with scraping her knuckle repeatidly. They had fun working...and after visiting the grocery store and enjoying a great strawberry licuado, also had fun snacking with the group in the back of the truck, and then went with Valerie....who did not leave the clinic until well after 5:30 seeing 18 patients today (all the while still training Lourdes) to see Gladys to celebrate her birthday at her house (I remarked last night that Valerie must bake 20 cakes or more a year for birthdays, and she always gladly does so.) She really is amazing...was up late last night trying to get administrative stuff for the clinic done, and again tongiht doing the same thing. She suffers for it (lack of sleep is hard on her, her foot, her back, etc.)...but even still she gladly does it, and it shows she does it all as a call, serving Christ and keeping Him at the forefront in what she does.

Long day

So, today we started out with a tour of the clinic for the group...of the man cave, and the new clinic where they will be working painting tomorrow. Then of course we went to Church, and then after that...a "quick" clothing distribution and VBS. Quick because...we did not get back until 7:30 or so.

It might have taken longer than we anticipated, but wow, it was a good turn out. The third time we have done one in Pueblo Nuevo...and each time they continue to surprise us with the turn out (we figure 200-250 today....with less than a weeks notice we gave them, and them assuring us they would not be able to let "very many" people know.) The VBS I heard did not go according to plan, but we were assured that the Church was happy with how it went, and once again, we refined how they organized and set everything up. I do not think we counted the kids (not part of that 250 number) but I am guessing they would be 75-100. And to those that still wonder about sorting clothes and the like: We took probably about 20 full bags....and brought back 6 full bags of clothes that we will use for rags or the like that are of no use here (either way too big, ripped, stained, torn, winter gear, etc.) and I think had we sorted with a little more time, we probably would have had 7 or more. We have limited opportunities to use such clothes (including an idea for a possible new ministry for single mothers...a sewing ministry making blankets, etc.) but those are just stop gap measures....it would be better to never get them here in the first place, but that depends solely on those sorting the clothes before they get here. Just food for thought.

For those that have let me know (and thank you one and all...seriously, because it might have taken me a few more days to figure it out)...we are aware the hiseyes website is down (renewel not done on time apparently) and our web guru is working on it...hopefully the situation will be resolved soon.

Relax

So tonight I am on early. The group from OCC (not Orange County Choppers) left today, and we do not have another group coming in until...tomorrow at 4:00.

Just a time of relfection and thinking, something I do not have or make time to do much of as of late. It is amazing how much that helps...to give God praise, to amaze in what He does, and today as I felt drained in certain aspects unrelated to the group being here, as someone put it today...the 75% of the iceburg that is under the surface (all the decisions, administration, etc.) and I took time to ask myself "How do people do this?" It hit me....they don't....God does! Hello stupid? I needed a refresher. I did feel stupid, and human all at the same time. Good times or bad...God is still sovereign and good.

We had another visit this week from the-requested-to-be-unnamed-on-this-blog-good-friend-and-fellow-follower-of-Christ. We will call her...Mrs. H. She was here for over a week, and was encouraging to us and many others, helped around our house as well as a ton in cleaning the man cave and the containers, and was generally just here showing support and hopefully being supported, as it were before and during while the group was here. She won't be happy to see me talking about her if she reads this blog, but sometimes we do not always get want we want. Besides, her actions are reason for praising God, so that is just what I am doing right here.

So this is a video panorama from the game. Game? Yes, the group caught an advertisement on the TV for the Honduras/Belize Nations Cup game tonight, and decided they wanted to go. Given that they are nine men and one woman, and that they leave tomorrow, we decided to go for it. It was a good game...good in that we won, that there were no problems, and that for the first time, I sat in the fancy pants section. THe tickets for the fancy pants section were $11, much cheaper than I remember them being in the past for other games. I think they all had a good time.

Early in the day, we did corn distribution in Cantaranas. Jonathan wanted to show us two pieces of property for the future possibility for the Church. This was the more promising of the two, in the downtown area, already with a wall, gate, and house built. Of course, the cost would be about $55,000. Yikes, but we put it in God's hands, and see what happens. The other property was more like $15,000, but huge and next to a high school, but would require all sorts of work to get something done, and is technically in town...but not by much.

This group not only layed an incredible amount of tile in the new clinic, but also helped an anonymous worker from abroad to clean out the man cave, and get a few of the containers with clothing and misc. items organized, which is huge for me personally because I would have had to figure out when to get that done otherwise myself. Hopefully they can come back...and the sooner the better!

And on a side note, I finally discovered what the wood is in our new dresser that Oscar had made for us in Costa Rica (his brother did it) In Spanish, it is Cenizaro. In English? Cenizaro...or Raintree. According to this website (http://www.cds.ed.cr/teachers/harmon/page64.html) it is even more valuable than we knew...but I already knew it was really pretty. Mystery solved. Cool stuff. Now I just need to save up to have him get us something made with Rosewood or Nazarene wood (in English Purple Heart) or Teac next time perhaps. Our house is rapidly becoming a place for exotic woods (cedar, St John, mahogany, cenizaro) Who would have thunk it.

Box it up

So, today was more tile laying. Have I mentioned that is hard work? I asked Shawn to take some pictures for me since I was not feeling like standing up at the time to do it. As it turns out, I should have taken off my hat to cover two entries in one, but I am sure that opportunity will come soon enough. You see, I had a preconceived and discussed agreement with Valerie that when my hair was getting too thin in her opinion, she would let me know, and I would then shave my head. That day came Monday. Back to tile laying...they are advancing remarkably quick, and could be almost done with all the rooms on one side of the building by tomorrow, when we wrap up the construction work with them.

After that, we took the group to do corn distribution with the Church evangelism group, with Cecilia serving for several visits as translator. I asked about how well she did....B- Why? They got to the third house, and after asking her what the guys from the Church were saying and everything, her reply was "oh, the same thing."

This is a view from my seat driving back from the clothing distribution Sunday. Those rains in October last year did some serious damage. Every road out of the city I have been on since still shows the signs, and this one was big (that is the road, more than half gone in the bottom of the picture). Those upside down dwellings I think were part of a motel that was right there.

And here we have Keith and Shawn with our prized treasure from the clothing distribution day. It occured to me that a year ago we were in the same village doing a dental brigade, at the same time of year, and that we were blessed with an abundance of bigger than grapefruit-sized lemons. This year...same thing. We got 50 or more, and the staff there said there had been a bunch they already picked. All that from a base no bigger than that which you see in the background. The only pain to pay for such delicious lemonade (which we have been enjoying since) was the very sharp spikes also on the branches of the tree. I got cut three times, but it was still worth it. (Also note...my rain jacket...and yes, it was raining that day...was doing double duty holding the bounty until we carried it back to the car...twice, plus a bunch people carried in their hands.)

Gomer Tile

Ah, the sweet sounds of more tile being laid in the clinic were heard today. All nine guys hit it in the rooms, while the Honduran workers continued the hallway "on the points" which I am told is the lingo for those in the know for saying diagonal.

They all went to work so well, so quickly, and all so occupied, I picked the one open room closest to the activity where I really did want to work...the one room where I could, just maybe, work in the future...one of the optometry exam lanes.

I credit the rubber gloves, but working this Monday versus last...I am not nearly as sore, nor in as much pain, which I count as good things.

Tomorrow is more of the same, as Wednesday will bring as well. When will it get done? When it gets done. Patience Prudence!

Arrival

The group from Owensboro KY arrived today. They were remarkably quick in exiting customs (before I got there even!) and we had a remarkably peaceful afternoon getting to show them the clinic, man cave, and grocery store in the midst of a big promotion (got some more thrown powdered milk for Dora's kids while Soren and I stood there.)


We also got to give the group a tour of the local drive through bank changing money (the money changers at the bank made no money today...no one was buying dollars.) Note the lovely picture of them enjoying the scenery as we waited in line. It was quite the scene.





Now, I was dropping the group off yesterday and saw this little item for sale. I was this close to buying it as a gag gift (for whom? I can think of quite a few people for whom this would be a funny and appropriate gift) but at $25, it was too salty. Still funny though, and they said that someone had indeed already pointed out to them the spelling error. I added that it was also an insult...they did not seem impressed. I did not correct the incorrect punctuation as it seemed beside the point, so to speak.

Busy days

So the tile laying continued until yesterday. Hard work. Very hard work. The guys in the group carried on, and the guys that were doing the normal clinic construction also stopped that to do tile work (seen here working on the diamond pattern in the hallway.) The only exception was Kevin, who is an electrician and the two electrical guys working in the clinic. They kept knocking as much out as they could of running wire, installing lights, etc. Overall...there was always plenty of noise and stuff happening, to the point that several times I wished I had earplugs. Sweet sounds nonetheless.

Corn distribution with the evangelism ministry of the Church here in Teguc in a neighborhood where they are fixing their efforts went well. It was the first time I had been near Geovanny's house since he went to be with the Lord several years ago, and we got to see many of that ministry group in action, as the students (members of the Church giving Bible studies and studying themselves in the morning) picked the houses we would visit. Seeing Lilian so involved, even praying out loud so that everyone could here her, was also pretty amazing, at what God is doing in her life.

I had an interesting experience Wednesday. Two police on a motorcycle stopped me on the road. Not usual, but I was not worried. I had my license and registration ready, and they came up and asked me..."What is your name?" Huh? "Felipe" I answered. "I told you so!" The one said to the other "From the blue clinic!" So then they proceeded to inquire as to their variety of ailments what possible solutions I could give them. Now I am not only not an optometrist but playing one here, but was also giving general medical advice. The best advice being...come to the clinic when it re-opens next week after vacation.

We also took the group to the mall. Since there were rumors of some circus perfomers being there, we went and took the kids, and Dora's daughter Diana. It was her first time ever in a mall, and as reserved as she is, it was hard to gauge, but just all the firsts that went along with that (first time eating pizza? first escalator ride? first...?) was humbling.

The group leaves today. Mark and Susan arrived yesterday. The next group arrives tomorrow. Busy? You bet. Just wait until the clinic starts back up, and the kids have classes again!

Prayer

Please pray for Brad (and his family)....he is here this week leading a group from SOCC laying tile in the new clinic. I just got word that his father died this morning.

Going through something like this is not easy, let alone when you are a couple thousand miles away, so please pray for God's peace, patience and felt presence...and for those in whom He would work to make that happen.

Sore

A group from SOCC arrived on Saturday. We went to Church on Sunday, then to a clothing sale in Lepaterique that afternoon. To say they people were excited to get in and buy clothes was an understatement.

Yesterday we started on the main reason the group of 4 guys came...laying ceramic tile in the new clinic. It is slow, hard, back-breaking, knee-breaking, fingernail-pain-inducing, work. I can honestly say I have never felt so sore. Just typing hurts my tender fingers (from working with the cement.) I am not sure how we will progress today, but we will press on.

I'm including these last three pictures as just beautiful things from Teguc that most do not get to see on a regular basis....a recently painted mural in the Church, Teguc view from the clinic with a full moon, and a fierce pirate.

Take a breath

Ah, I feel like sighing over and over again. A week to catch up on things has produced much of that, but then even or of the other. Those fun projects like baking cookies with the kids, flying a kite, playing with the Legos, hard fought battles of Old Maid have not happened. I feel bad, for them, but more for me. At least I take solice in knowing that I am not being a good father...I presume that is better than not even noticing. Ah, but then rationalizing is an easy thing to do, is it not? I am hoping that the non-construction with the groups these next three weeks will provide opportunities for them to go with us and get to spend more time with me (school does not start until February.)

I heard from Oscar today...apparently no connection in his family to the earthquake in Costa Rica yesterday, although he did tell me his sister had a miscarriage last week.

Here is Soren enjoying my long meeting with Pastor Jorge (at his house) this morning. Between the mother hen and her chicks trying to get in the house, and the German Sheppard that playfully thought about masticating our back side, he did have plenty of time to eventually get bored. Bored enough I finally took a picture. I can assure you what we were talking about was not only mind stimulating, challenging, and thought provoking...at least to us. (scholarship program, bakery and soccer ministry.) All items for rejoicing, prayer, and deep thought.

Here you get a glimpse into how Cecilia and Soren are properly educated on US/Latino cross cultural living. Yo Amo a Lucy continues into another generation...they would watch it all day if we let them.

Swearing/oath

So I get an email about someone close to us sending in a letter to the editor to the local paper (there, not here of course.) I have been very busy, but something in me could not let this just go, and so I wrote one back (hard telling if it will get published though).

Let me just say to start...the slow erosion of what has been tradition and cultural Judeo-Christian values and laws in the US does not surprise me, but I do find it interesting once again how we as humans can rationalize and do whatever we want...when it suits what we want. We all do it, so I am not angry or without understanding, rather it makes me reflect on what I am doing in a similar fashion.


Here is the original letter:

Swear Obama in on the constitution

On Jan. 20, Barack Obama will place his hand on a Bible -- the one Abraham Lincoln used, no less -- and take the oath of office as the 44th president of the United States of America.
As noble and inspirational sounding as it appears, one may ask if it is the proper way of administering the oath.
Contrary to popular belief, our country was not founded on Christianity. The First Amendment of the the Constitution of the United States prohibits the establishment of religion by Congress. Separation of church and state was a fundamental statement in our Bill of Rights.
Wouldn't it make more sense for the president, as well as all other elected public officials, to take the oath of office with his hand on the Constitution, which contains the laws they are to obey and uphold?
By swearing on this revered manuscript, the president would be abiding by the secular doctrine mandated by the First Amendment with no reference to a Bible and no "so help me God."
Randall S. Smith



Here is my response exactly as I sent it to the paper (I had to keep it within the 250 word limit...not to mention not write a small book):

Reading a recent letter commenting on using a Bible for the oath swearing, is it a good idea because of the separation of Church and state, and that the USA was not founded as a Christian nation, I had the following thoughts.

If God was in fact not at the most basic levels of the government's formation...why do so many documents reference Him (including the constitution that the letter's writer would have us use instead for oaths)? Why is our national motto "In God We Trust"? (not to mention it is on our money)

The point of the freedom of religion is just that...freedom to practice whichever religion one chooses (including the belief in nothing.) But trying to say that the USA does not have Christian, or at minimum monotheistic roots (a basic belief in "God") is closing our eyes to our past, and the writings of many of those that started this whole thing...not that by acknowledging it means we permit forcing anyone to believe anything.

Some may want this to change, and many are doing their best to accomplish this, but at least let us not alter history to achieve that end.

And may the LORD our God draw each of us closer to Him, and help us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

There is in fact, no place like home...unless you have two homes I suppose

Monday was different. First, the kids and Valerie are officially on vacation from their respective normal daily routines.

We started out with a trip to the clinic to drop off some supplies, for Valerie to take care of some eye glass ordering, sorting, etc. and to see the amazing progress on the new clinic in just a week we were gone (almost all the bare concrete floor is poured...waiting for next week's group to start putting down the ceramic tile, which Oscar and I are going to price and buy in 1/2 hour, the electrical is getting closer, the plumbing is actually looking like recognizable fixtures, etc.) although I am still concerned, even with the donations we have received...that we will not be opening in February, because work will have to stop before then. God knows, His timing, we shall see.

Then we visited briefly with Dora and then Juan (of Juan and Leandra fame.) Dora's house looks so nice and clean (and bare) although I share in her concern that she does not have the window covered or the back door secure. I could easily share in her telling of having one eye open and a candle lit all night in case someone decided to climb in and take what little they have.

In the afternoon I met with Jorge and Jorge from the Church. They came to see me, which was a bit disconcerting, but it was a good meeting, if not depressing. The first item was the bakery. A long story short...it has failed in its mission. This afte the initial donation from the US, and their investing another $3,000 of their money. That was hard for them to share, and hard to hear. They were very aware of wanting to move forward, but also not sinking more into what has already shown to not work. Is it not having a truck to sell the product? Is it improper management from Pastor Manuel? Is it the wacky economy and wildly fluctuating flour prices in the last year? A combination? I have yet to get a financial report from Manuel, but likely it is a combination of all of those. So, they are thinking about renting it out to someone else that wants to run a bakery, which would at least provide dependable income, which was one of the goals of that ministry, but would not be quite as productive in providing employment to people or on the job training. We also talked about the women's ministry using it to try to make a go of it...instead of bread making pastries, doughnuts, etc., possibly using it for another kind of workshop (electrical?) and the idea that God seems to be continually reminding me of...a sewing ministry. What the future holds...only God knows, but it was encouraging to see that they did not just give up by any means, and are still looking to see how to use what God has provided to help provide for them to, as they put it "keep expanding the Kingdom."

The CIY conference is this week, this year just outside of Teguc...we are hoping to at least stop by to see so many old friends and share for a few hours. Churches and youth from Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala are here.

We also talked about their ambitious evangelism ministry that they are already doing, how we can help some with groups, the continuing scholarship ministry, and...

some of you know Lilian and the struggles that she has had, and that we have had trying to help her last year. To the amazement of all involved, she is very involved now in the evangelism ministry, and both Jorges were extremely impressed with the change in her life in the past few months, so much so that Jorge the evangelist said "when she speaks, it is so moving because you know that she wants people to believe, and that what she is saying is coming from her heart. She has to be one of the top two people working now in the ministry." Praise God for that! Lilian was even blessed by the Church in getting to go to the CIY conference this week, something she would not have been able to afford otherwise, and Pastor Jorge told me she is thinking about going back to school...a Bible College of some kind. Let us pray God continues to guide her in the coming months.




And to end with a picture, and...well, something of a light note:

Here is a picture of Dorothy taken at her home she sublets from the Glenda (that chick that lives up North.)

Update

You see, saw, or might see that I added a poll this month.

We are curious your opinion on how the updates should be addressed (a little debate amongst us here).

Should the update be titled "January update" when sent in January (that is, reading the events of December, but you are reading them when the update is sent...in January) or rather in February, reading events that transpired in January.

Seems perfectly obvious to me...but then again, not everyone agrees, thus our asking.

Hard hitting stuff, as you can no doubt see.