Traveling

I believe I have shared in the past that our US travel may seem like a vacation...but it is usually far from it, most of the time we are more busy here than even in Honduras, and there is not much grass growing under our feet there.

The trip this time has been a success, thanks be to God, and we are winding down and hoping to get home (standby...so there is still some risk there) on Saturday.

I did not keep an exact tally, but something like three thousand miles driven in a little under a month, with only leaving Indiana to Ohio a few times and a brief foray into Kentucky.

I won’t list all the details here of where we went and what we did. I am sharing a few pictures however.

Pictures...I wish I had stopped to get more, I forgot to get a good shot of our booth at the ICOM (my feet are still feeling that concrete floor) but I did get a shot of myself with Juan Rodriguez.  His booth was next to ours..and it was not until Saturday that we figured that out, that we spoke the same language, were from the same general area...and that we had a mutual connection...Juan worked with Oscar before he came to Honduras in 1992 and is still in Panama to this day.  It was great to get to speak some Spanish...although Jana and I were doing quite a bit of that to each other already in the weekend, and share some back and forth.   

 

 

The kids...so much they learned, experienced, questioned.

Soren saw a billboard that said “SPACE AVAILABLE” so he immediately perks up and says....I want to go to space!

 

I had to get this picture with Cecilia in the famous Cracker Barrel.  She wondered aloud why they named a root beer Más (Spanish for more)  and so we had a little discussion.  Then the waiter said they would be bringing biscuits and she said "what are biscuits?"  She saved hers to get a picture with it. 

 

There are things indeed that are different for you when you are born and live outside the US.  There have been a ton of those "little things" this trip. 

 

 Like unexpected snow. 

 

While visiting friends in Bloomington....there was snow.  We as grizzled pros, we told the kids it was pretty but would not stick.  Then it kept snowing...and stuck.  I think they liked it...but at the same time they will be ready to get home...nothing like sleeping in your own bed, with your own weather, day to day life, etc. 

On a serious note, this picture shows Valerie not being spontaneously fun, but needing a ride through the grocery store due to her foot problems. We had a very gracious doctor in Ohio check out her MRI, even took some X-rays (no charge for those either) and after an exam told her what the treatment was.....surgery. And surgery that needs to be done soon.  stretched tendon (short explaination)...and the surgeon will need to make a judgement call on what really needs to be done only once he is in the operation, perhaps grafts or bone fusing, as nothing clearly wrong is showing on the MRI or X-rays. 

 

Standing is ok...but walking more than just a minute or two and she is spent.  Getting around the ICOM we were fortunate to have FAME bring us a wheel chair for her to get back and forth.   

So pray for that if you would, as we will be looking for a foot/ankle specialist when we get back to Honduras to see about scheduling that surgery, as we have no US insurance and the cost here could easily pass $20,000. Not sure what the cost will be in Honduras...that could be interesting as well, but much much less than in the US.

 

Recovery time...six months to a year, maybe more. Hopefully she will be able to drive even with the cast and/or walking boot she will need....that is also an item for prayer as the foot that needs the surgery is her clutch foot, and if that is a problem...we are not really wanting to sell and then buy an automatic truck if we can help it of course.

 Not just the kids got to see some new things.  After our disappointing meal in the Dominican Republic Ikea....we had another shot at the one near Cincinnati, when we needed to find a place to eat.

It was good!  Valerie just trying to walk in and eat and leave though...was spent with her foot.  Another example of how if you are used to walking that not being able to limits you in so many ways. 

The ICOM was great...so busy, so much work.  The main session on Thursday was great, the only one I was able to attend.  We got to see so many supporters of His Eyes, talked to a few people about possible future internships, had a great His Eyes annual board meeting, and sold quite a bit of chocolate, bracelets, and coffee.  Due to the work involved, cost, and manpower needed (Valerie and Jana were there with me the entire time) we probably won't be able to have another booth next year, but it was definitely great to get to do it this year!  Especially given the attendance, as I heard estimates well above 10,000 people.

This is Lancelot, the 12 passenger van that we were most blessed to borrow from the ministry Valley of Baca.  The ministry has these vehicles especially for people like us that are back for brief times and need to get themselves, their families, and their stuff around.  When Valerie and the kids got in especially...it was full. 

These vehicles get used...frequently.  I dropped off Lancelot Tuesday at CCU to a missionary that works in New Zealand and he was about to head out West with his family.  We are prayerful that they will be able to let us borrow Lancelot or one of his brothers next summer when we are in the US. 

Our family is with us in Honduras.  We have us four...plus many other brothers and sisters.  However, we also miss out on some blood family in the US (and brothers and sisters in Christ as well!) These trips sometimes offer brief times to get to connect...this time the first time for our neice Macy.  Everyone got a turn to hold her...but Valerie and especially Cecilia dominated of course.