Sampedrana...that's where we chill

Quite an extraordinary series of events...we set off with the group on their first days here to work in Sampedrana.  Normally we give people a few days of acclimating to the country and culture before such a trip, but that is how it worked out this time. 

Tuesday the group helped clearing out the massive rocks in the new sanctuary building that the Church is building.  Those...were some big rocks.  Later we moved more than we probably should have in the Ford up to Gender's house that he is building for use in a retaining wall.   

The progress on the building is quite impressive given that they only started less than two months ago, and of course are working with tithes and offerings from within the Church.  Open market coffee prices being what they are this year...that has certainly helped.

Also we took half of the group to do some corn distribution.  No hour long walks or more this time around, we stayed pretty close to the homes that were near the road.  The reactions to receiving the blessing of a visit, some corn and prayer vary so much, it is amazing. 

From the family on the right, not involved in the Church, that does not quite know how to take it all in...to the woman that rushed back out to see us with a bunch of bananas to say thank you, and the man who pulled out chairs from wherever he had to for the entire group to sit down and feel welcome. 

Having pastor Gender with us was great, to make that connection again why we are all there. 

I took Gender down to the hospital (his brother has been fairly ill) and on the way down we picked up a woman along side the road...quite a ways from Sampedrana.  I jokingly asked if he knew her....he did. 

We talk about the change in Sampedrana...but that change and impact extends beyond there...he said that everyone on the mountain knows that when is coming down the road in the Land Cruiser that "there goes the pastor!"  Daily life, how we live it...we touch people all the time that we do not even realize.

Coffee is still a mainstay in Sampedrana...this is the entrance to someone's home there...the only path to get to the house is just wide enough to get through the coffee that otherwise surrounds and hides the house from view. 

The rainy season may not be totally in full swing in Tegucigalpa, but we got rain both days we were there...and you can see the growing coffee exploding on the bushes/trees. 

The beauty of Honduras...this is at the Church's neighbor's home.