The circus is back in town

(Update on the Honduran political situation is indeed contained in this post...just keep reading, just keep reading)

I knew before the group arrived that this would be a different group. All groups seem to have certain things in common, but knowing the activities we were going to be doing would be somewhat different...then of course them being delayed a day due to flight issues, the awesome day yesterday with them arriving and then going straight to Cantaranas for 11 baptisms (5 from Talanga, 5 from Cantaranas and 1 from San Juancito) and getting to experience all that....and then today's work.

With the new clinic up from the old clinic and man cave, getting the supplies needed for the clinic out of the containers in the man cave is more problematic. For months we had wanted to make the switch and move everything to make it all come together...but it is a big project. Today was the start of that project. It is kind of like one of those puzzle you play where you move the numbers around to try to get them in the correct order. To get the container we wanted to occupy with the medical/optometry "stuff" ready, that meant unloading all its current contents, which needed to go into different containers themselves...you get the idea. Getting the shelving units out of the existing container, adding some more shelves to them, and sprucing them up structurally was a big task as well.

We are not totally moved, but made considerable progress today, the group worked very hard. We cut out around four o'clock to go to the grocery store...while first hitting the dumpster to rid ourselves of trash...always an interesting trip for the smells, the sights, etc. but especially 'interesting" with the drunk man we encountered who had lived in the US for some time (and was in prison there) who tried to tell me when he walked up to the truck "hey my friend, please, my friend, wait" and when I said to him something in Spanish he said "I no speaka Spanish" Hmmmm

But the grocery store was closed. The deposed president Zelaya came back to Teguc today, and although everything is calm...tensions are higher as this is likely just the start of an uglier process of figuring out whether he will stand trial for his actions or reclaim power and stay for a very long time ala Hugo baby in Venezuela. For now he is hold up in the Brazilian embassy...but that is a situation that would seem to have its limits. No one is entirely sure even how he got in the country, which is interesting in and of itself. The latest rumor that the current president repeated is that he came via a Honduran political figures' vehicle through a border crossing with Guatemala.

So why was the grocery stored closed? Turns out there is a curfew in effect from 4:00pm today to 7:00am tomorrow Tuesday. So, we turned around, dropped the group off making sure they had supper, and headed home...which for us was no problem, but for people in the areas closer to downtown and the presidential palace....was quite a trip. Although the curfew started at 4....we did not get home until after 5 and there was no problem. As long as everyone was heading home, there was not any more police presence than normal, although overnight that will likely change.

And now tonight it has been announced that all flights from all Honduran airports are cancelled, and that the curfew has been extended to 6:00PM tomorrow...not quite a full 24 hour period. I talked with Oscar and I am going to try to get to the clinic regardless of the curfew. If I do not, no work will get done and the group would just have to chill. I am going to try to go before 8:00 with my scrub top on....needing to get to the clinic of course. Oscar thinks that would present no problems....of course then he tells me "call me if you make it and I will try to come...better one of us in jail than two." Then we laughed. So pray if you will...I do not think it will be a problem, but still it requires a little chutzpah and God's providence that this would go well...for His glory!