Random averageness

Here are some pictures of this past week that do not quite fit in a normal posting:

Ah, this patient had the most curly hair I had ever seen. She maintained it just took putting some cream on it after bathing, and it just wound that tight. Blood tests for hair steroids are pending.

If your child does not stop crying for three solid days, then it is likely that she has an ear infection....amongst other possible things.

Gender left Lourdes and Adrian with his mother-in-law so there would be no possibility of them having any problems while he is gone next week at the CHE seminar. We happened to be there for the brigade on Adrian's birthday, so the group baked a cake. Since Adrian was not there...a picture was the next best thing. We certainly enjoyed the cake on his behalf.

It is likely that this flat tire was caused by robbers (or perhaps just misguided youth) that put sharper edged rocks in the road on the way to the clinic coming from the North. The spare was quickly swapped out, with the other Ford shedding light on the situation. Even in Honduras...that tire is trashed.

Ah youth. We are relatively sure the culprit to this lovely act of vandalism is a neighborhood kid that hangs out at the clinic frequently....seeing that he showed up on a bike two days later that is painted the exact same color of spray paint gold.

We met this family distributing corn, we had not visited them before, but had visited the mother back on her birthday in August. We had prayed for her, and she was in poor health...turns out she died just a few weeks ago. After this we went to Eva's house...a niece of hers died that morning.

Sampedrana

We went yesterday for a medical brigade...very interesting experience being Ash Wednesday, and with the mayor's office from Comayagua vaccinating dogs and cats for rabies (yes...people own most of those dogs...actually getting 'leashes' to drag them for their shots) and over 70 patients. That number is lower than past brigades, for which we praise God, as the severity of illnesses, and number of sick people we see there has dramatically dropped over the years of working there, and especially since the Church has been established. Even further proof for us to the future possible success of CHE training (TOT I training seminar all next week.)

Here are some pictures I got from Gender while we were there (downloaded from his camera)
I will try to restrain myself to just posting a few of the pictures.









The Church members painting the Church "building"









Oscar performing a wedding December 31st.

I have pictures of this wedding, which is very nice to see, and the more boring, but also important civil service as well (always two here, not one combined like usually done in US Church weddings)













Gender was concerned about doing a wedding, but the couple was ready, and neither Oscar nor another of our pastors was available, so he was up.










More baptisms!

Clear water as well, not normally seen here.












The soccer ministry continues, and yesterday we found out that the block work is done, now comes the more expensive, and slower moving work of getting the metal posts installed with the "chicken wire" fencing on three sides.

This is a picture of some of the kids in the project getting some T-shirts and back packs.

Behind

Did you know we could have a 20 minute discussion (ok, maybe 30) about poop? Yes, it happend tonight discussing hygiene, worms, parasites, the differences, the commonalities, what color and whether said poop would be frothy, and much more. Disappointed you missed out? I was captivated because all this has great impact on the other 100 patients we saw today, how we treat them (with medicine that is) and how we educate them to not continue living in the same cycle.

Here is an interior shot of the new clinic. Work progresses...still quite a bit left to do, but it is getting done, and every time I go inside looking more and more professional and beautiful to see.

The tiling is progressing...now the grout is being...formed in an interesting, but expediated manner. The only tile left to do is after the doors are installed (to ensure proper clearance) which will hopefully start happening next week.

Nice rainbow on our way to the brigade site this morning. We went even another 1/2 hour past Lepaterique....the site was beautiful, but very rural, and the problems presented represented that. Parasites, worms, infections, respiratory problems, colds (it was downright cold all day there, and even sprinkled most of the way back!) and there were a few very touching sights at least I saw....discussing taking worm medicine, and then watching the child chase it down (it is not good tasting) with water that had so much floating in it it could have been a clear lemonade of sorts. Another was an eight year old girl presenting with malnutrition (sleepiness, hair falling out, etc.)....whose mother died. She was there with her aunt who was presumably (I was almost sure, but afraid to ask, I did not want to hear the answer) taking care of her...she was 12.

Here is Valerie going through the insoles that a recent group member sent (a physical therapist) for her feet problems. The group brought them down...and I was in the house all of two minutes before she started trying them on....bottom line, the most supportive help, and it is a much noted improvement, but the pain is still there. Hopefully that will lessen with time, and improvement due to wearing these orthotics.

Please pray for Dora....has been in the hospital with labor (and other issues...most of which Dr. Reina told her via phone would be ok) since 8:00 AM February 23rd and we have not heard anything since a little after noon. It could be her phone has no charge, but we have no way of knowing (no visitors allowed in after a certain hour of the afternoon.)

Up and away

So, good news, if you have not tried to access the website lately because it was down, it is now up! Our web guru is also working on updating the monthly updates, and adding some new pictures. It is good to have it back, and interesting to see what we heard from people when it was down...I guess it really is important to have.

Friday the FAME group arrived, with relatively no problems. Saturday we were off early for our first brigade to Nueva Armenia. Things started slowly, as they always do, but took off fairly well, and we were able to see the 100 patients we promised to see. It was interesting to see that many of the people were from the town, but had some major, serious problems, and although we were sitting in the government health center, it was a common tale to hear that there was no medicine, or they had run out of medicine etc. We saw several insomniacs (usually related to depression) many raging diabetics, hypertensives, lots of pain, and a few things that just defied explanation, and a few funny and/or uncomfortable conversations.

Case in point:

So, we see your pain is related to some severe arthritis?

Oh, you mean my severly twisted thumbs? No, this one I fell when I was five and it stayed that way. The other, a machete wound when I was seven.

Wow, I am sorry to hear that.

Ah, but they make my hands great for milking cows!

Juggling

I have several balls in the air right now...not holding any of them long enough to get them done, but keeping them all moving, so that is good.

I am caught up on some administrative tasks, have not even started on some daunting ones (like year end financial statements for the entire mission.) I still need to get medical insurance quotes on all the pastors and administrators, and figure out which would be in our best interest to pursue, plus create a simple, understandable, and easy to fill out excel spread sheet for Oscar on all the new clinic expenses, and get Reina's loan repayment receipts done and settled. I feel like Pa Kettle on those items, but "one of these days" is sneaking up on me to the point where I will have to get them done. And my inner Ma Kettle has a shrill voice just like Majorie Main.

Oscar got us a cook to replace Dora during her time off for having the baby (who has yet to make an appearance outside the womb), so I talked to her, and hopefully things will go well there with this upcoming group, and then was able to oversee some moving and shaking that the clinic staff wanted in the new clinic, working out the details with Oscar.

The work there is moving along rapidly now...you can see how this will in fact be a clinic sooner rather than later. When the doors start going in next week (hopefully) it will look even more impressive. Many of the hand sinks are in, the electrical panels (light switches, plug in areas (my English escapes me) are installed, the overhead lights are in, the paint is mostly done (a few more rooms need paint on the walls but all the ceiling is done.) Next is purchasing the material we found for the bathroom divisions, and getting those installed. Close...but still a ways to go, especially once all the hardware gets done, then we need to see how much we really have in terms of seats, etc. to actually get everything needed.

A FAME group arrives tomorrow, we will be doing four days of medical brigades, and more. After that, will be CHE training for pastors, leaders, community people and others associated one way or another with the mission. It is all an effort to plant seeds...that would take root in those here to move forward with Community Health training that is also evangelism. Prayer for that preparation, for those that will commit to a full week of training, and for those God would call to take the project forward, would be most appreciated.

Head in the clouds, eyes on the stars

I was watching an episode of Star Trek: Next Generation today. I really enjoy that show (not as much as Deep Space Nine however) and always can continue watch it and glorify God in that I know what premises are erroneous about our nature, where we come from, etc. but today one episode particularly struck me. Here are the lines that prompted me to again praise God, and pray for those that think this way, which is ever present and on the rise:

Counselor Troi: Poverty was eliminated on Earth a long time ago. And a lot of other things
disappeared with it: hopelessness, despair, cruelty...

Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain): Young lady, I come from a time when men achieve
power and wealth by standing on the backs of the poor - where prejudice and intolerance are
commonplace - and power is an end unto itself. And you're telling me, that isn't how it is
anymore?

Counselor Troi: That's right.

How arrogant we are to think, and although this is fiction some people (including Gene Roddenberry, the founder of this Star Trek franchise) do think this way.

To eliminate poverty? Sounds good...but Jesus said the poor would always be with us (and ultimately...who defines what poverty is?) Eliminate hopelessness, despair, cruelty? That is just trying to turn a blind eye to what we are as humanity. We are cruel from our earliest years, and no matter how fulfilled, how rich, how poor, how much we are loved, or not...we all experience hopelessness and despair for a wide variety of reasons, but ultimately because we each know what is true about ourselves, deep down in places we try not to think about...that we are not good, and that we need someone to save us from ourselves.

What she describes is heaven, not some possible future great social triumph of man's intellect and common good will.

Praise be to Him instead that sent Christ, who will usher all of those that are His together into such a place in the future!

Comb my agua

Yesterday is a prime example of what I feel like much of life is: Man plans, God laughs.


Sometimes that takes different forms, but our plan (Oscar was with me, as will soon be evident) was to drive to Comayagua, pick up the ailing Mistubishi, and drive back to Teguc. I had (and still have) more paperwork to do than I can organize, plus do sermon prep for preaching in a few weeks. So, we go, we get the truck, which we were assured was done, fixed, ready to go, and get back here before lunch. No muss, no fuss. Ah, you are ahead of me by now.

So two and a half hours later, we were still waiting. It turns out that when we were following Gender in the Mitsubishi, we heard a loud repeating noise. He thought it was the brakes that were recently adjusted...maybe too tight. Turns out, it was a CV joint or something...long story short, we would not have made it to Teguc with the way it was. Good thing the mechanic that did the repair will have to take care of it.

In those two and a half hours though, we had an informal meeting with Gender, talking about...his struggles, the Church's struggles, praises in what is happening there (five more baptisms next week, two more weddings) the two families being sent to the Bible Institute (we are sending one, the Church sending the other that feels the call to leave their property, crops, etc. and follow where He leads them), the soccer field, and our plan to buy more property up there to grow more coffee, for us to sell that coffee (to people like you!) and thus provide future financial security for a pastor, as well as for the Church. That part was frustrating (sitting outside the shop, etc.) but even when it was happening, I think we all knew it was good.

We also talked about how we are taking the Mitsubishi, what we are going to have to do to get a good, reliable, easily fixable, easy part availability, vehicle for Sampedrana. There is still work to be done on the soccer field (slowly but surely) and eventually more to be done with the coffee, as well as people needing rides, baptism services, soccer games down the hill, etc. Our options are limited to two Toyota pickups here both with solid front axles. I will spare you all the other interesting details on why they are the best for that area and what they are (unless you write me interested.) The bottom line is, despite what we have saved up, scrounged, and other areas of ministry are contributing to the effort (around $7,000), we figure that when we find one (they are not terribly common...for sale) we will be short $6,300. Getting something tough and reliable does not come cheap...and that is for a vehicle we figure being a minimum of 11 years old. For the time being, he has a twenty five year old Nissan (supposedly already sold to his uncle, who has not come to claim his purchase yet...see picture left.) but that is definitely not a long term option, especially with the work there is left to do there, and of course the basic mountain transportation needs. So, we have that to put into God's hands, and keep praying He would reveal one way or another what we need to do there.

We get back to Teguc, and almost as an after thought, I mention to Oscar about the 4x4 hubs we bought for his truck. Our mechanic said they did not fit. I maintained...that they were what the website said we needed. He just happened to have them in his Toyota. So we sat down to see what the problem was (with my Ford as a guide) and discovered that my original hubs were ready to break sooner than we thought, and after some work installed the new ones. That night I ordered another set for Oscar's Ford. Price difference? Priced here locally...$1,000 for one truck. I spent $400 (for both trucks) and these replacement hubs are guaranteed for life, and better hubs than factory.

After that, we went to test our work on a hill near here (to make sure the hubs worked, and we did not screw them up, before I ordered a pair for the other Ford.) On our way, through some back streets...we see a place selling materials used for walls, counter tops, etc...just the thing we were needing to see for the new clinic, the divisions in the bathrooms. From plain, to colored, to a wood veneer, we were very happy we stopped...especially with the prices.

Neither of those things would we have done had it not been for the earlier "inconvenience." It was a very productive day.

Often times we should thank God for what we intially see as inconveniences in life, it may sound corny, but they really are opportunities to do something, just not what we wanted/planned/thought....and really usually that is probably a good thing. So the next time we get stuck in an hour line at the bank, or traffic is backed up because of a cow in the road...or there is 5 o'clock gridlock, or three people in front of us at the grocery store...instead of thinking what else could we being doing...why not think about what we are doing, right then and there? Read your Bible if you have it with you. Actually talk to those around you, no matter how crazy they think you. Or if you really want to look counter culture...pray. Either silently, or even out loud (but not loud of course.) If we are different, should we not look it? Ah, but I am starting a rant. Inconvenient to what I had planned, but so much the better.

Amazed

This new schedule with the kids back to school is proving hectic, no surprise there. Getting home at 5, in bed by 7 or thereabouts, little time for much other stuff. Whew. We are a little closer to prospectively hiring someone to be at the house, making lunch for Valerie and the kids, cleaning, and then helping the kids with their homework in the afternoon until Valerie gets back. That will be interesting, and help for them to continue with French lessons, and whatever would come in the future (piano? Chinese? Underwater basket weaving? We would need a new kiddie pool for the last one.)

So Valerie was telling me last night about a conversation she and Cecilia had. Cecilia says "I talked to Ricardito the other day (Dora's son) and asked him if he knew God, if he was of God, and he said "Of course!' If everyone knows about God, why do we need to go tell people? Why do we show the video in the clinic?" Add to that similar questions to me earlier this week about some people very close to us, and how they are lost, do not read their Bible, and about praying for them. "Why is it important to read the Bible?" "Why do people not know about Him? I keep trying to tell them they need to read the Bible, and encourage them, and pray for them." And Soren praying for his breakfast today (by himself, he did not know anyone was listening) "Thank you for mommy, for daddy, for Cecilia, for my school...(insert many other things here)...and for Dora, and she does not have any food, and I just want to pray for her."

And we wonder why Jesus says we must have faith like a child. I am supposed to be here to teach them...and God is using them to teach me about Him. Why do we not ask those questions, not yelling or demanding answers...but should we not be thinking those things? Why do we not pray that way...out loud, without answers, just seeing things, and taking them to our Dad?

I get so bogged down day to day making decisions, moving money, saying yes, saying no, moving too fast, forgetting too much, not spending enough time doing many different things I should... praise God for moments like that. And praise Him for forgiveness from being too busy and voluntarily putting on blinders sometimes to things that are going on around us.

Yes, it is cold

So my Facebook comrades have been commenting on the severe cold in the past few weeks in the US. I would then relish (a little) in posting about the "cold" here. It actually has been cold for here, even colder than normal, getting down to 50 here in Teguc, and even colder in the Western part of the country. 50 does not sound super cold to those suffering with 0, but one must remember, here there is no or little escape from those temps, because there is no/little insulation, and when it is 50 outside, it is perhaps 60 inside. Case in point, here is Soren dressed for the opening of classes. The gloves might be overkill...but he wore them all morning, and there were many others with similar outfits in the sanctuary.


Here are Soren and Cecilia yesterday dressed for their first day of school. To give a little depth, Valerie gets up at 5:30 to get everything started, and the kids in their uniforms (everything down to the black belt and what color hair clips is strictly enforced) to be out the door no later than 6:40, to get to school before 7:00 start time. After the first two weeks of breaking in the schedule, Cecilia's exit time will be 12:15, Soren's 11:30 (he will wait and play until Cecilia gets out for us to pick them up.) Soren is in pre-k (not required, but for some reason, we are motivated for him to get a good education, go figure) and Cecilia starting 1st grade.

Both Soren and Cecilia's classes have maybe 20 kids (I think less, but did not get an official count.) It is very interesting to watch the brother/sister dynamic between the two, plus see how they interact with people there...so far, it is not difficult to see the differences between them. Cecilia knows everyone, talks to everyone, runs to hug everyone. Soren...just goes to his room. That might change as Soren gets more comfortable They are definitely individuals...and yet somehow they also remind me of my personality extremes at times.

In other news, Valerie's foot is not getting better. It is painful enough to make her quasi-scream, and makes driving (clutch foot is the bad foot) a very painful experience. We briefly discussed a few months ago that we would need to think about replacing the Musso eventually...but are not exactly in a position to start looking for an automatic equipped vehicle right away. Her new shoes and foot wrap help to a minor extent, but if she walks any amount, the pain the next day is overwhelming. Working in the clinic is bad, not not as bad, but this pretty much means doing anything else is out of the question. So we pray for guidance as she struggles to see what options she has to hopefully reduce the pain, and be able to get back to a more normal life schedule.

Mixed bag for sure on this post...something for everyone

I am behind. Today, and what feels like always. I might actually get the February update sent tonight...if it passes the Valerie proof read. So for now, let us catch up a little with some pictures, and stories before I get swept away into getting Ford and Defender parts ordered from the US, get quotes on health insurance, and do more accounting for last month. Ready? Here we go.

First, I do not think I ever posted pictures of our trip to the circus. Not just any run of the mill circus like they have sometimes here, you know, mom & pop affairs set up in a vacant lot. Although this seems dwarfed by the huge Marriott (which is what? 20 stories tall?) this big top was pretty big...big enough for one of the illusions to be a helicopter to appear on stage. It was the famous (or so it is to many people I found out) Tihany circus from the US, with performers from all over the world. It had no super exotic animals, although it did have very cute tiny dogs, tiny cats, big dogs, big cats, and birds. Besides several cool magic tricks (also a Harley Davidson...or were there really two?) there was trapeze stuff, very cool juggling, and dancing girls. So we had our kids covered with what interested them, and them some for sure. It was not cheap (ok, not cheap for us tacaños) but worth every minute, and the first time Soren and I had been to the circus.

For those that have had to be driving at night here and know how much fun that can be, they will be happy to see we have invested in some better lights for the Ford, and modified the mule killer to better allow them to shine in front of us, just in case there be something worth seeing before we hit it, not that you ever find dark objects, animals, cars, or people in the road here. We will see how this progresses as we need to align them still. I am also of course constantly making sure they are well maintained...thus the above note that I need to order more parts for them, as they are expensive enough here that it is worth my hassle to get them much (like 50% or more) cheaper in the US and arrange a group or container to bring them later....when we can of course.


This is Jose Donaldo and his wife Trinidad, and their kids Jessia (4) and Isis (2). They are from Sampedrana, and Gender has identified them as one couple we could send for training at the Bible Institute Bill and Mark Hoff run up near the Yojoa Lake. We met with them today to discuss their desire to go, and learn more about them before supporting them in this decision. The purpose would be for José to get the training there, and then see if he would be right to take over for Gender as pastor of the Church there. Christ came into his life a little over six months ago via listening to sermons on the radio, and getting invited to Church by Gender. He was, in his own words, very lost, and involved in drinking and producing alcohol, and growing and using marijuana He tore up and spilled out all that, and then came to Church. He was baptized, and he and his wife were married in December. He knows how to read and write, and is ready to put in the work required...all this despite having a third grade education. He is 28, his wife, 26. Do not fret from looking at their picture...they are reserved, humble, but happy and actually do smile....that is just what Hondurans look like when you tell them you are going to take their picture. They will be well prepared if they ever want to get a driver's license in the US (I hear it is catching on there for security purposes to not allow you to smile in pictures.) We are excited about this opportunity, as well as the other couple that Gender is going to send for study as well that have a real desire to grow in the Word (leaving behind family and fields to pursue this.) We will see in two years when they graduate what roles they will take...the plan now is either in Sampedrana, or perhaps one of them moving even further into the mountains to establish a Church (which is already being requested.) We are praying about the possibility of getting more in the coffee business to be able to help provide for them, without them being dependent on us for a monthly salary.


And lastly here is a shot from the mini mall in Comayagua today. I know people get piercings, but I did not realize how cheap it is to get someone to pierce you in places that regardless of their cultural place they might have...just seem really painful and annoying. Those prices, from top to bottom are: Tongue $5.25, Belly Button $6.60, Eye brow $4.25. Note that they are still called "pearcings" even in Spanish. No pears were harmed however. I can at least now see why kids are doing it...if you are curious, other than what must be excruciating pain, I doubt they numb you up first here, it does not cost much to see what it would look like.