Samepdrana mission house

Yes, it used to be just the former test building for the new clinic, then a bodega, then a place to sleep in a pinch, but now the building is taking shape as an honest to goodness mission house...sans kitchen. All this is due to a group from a Church in Ohio. They were not able to end up coming to see the fruits of their labor (concern over the political scene here...they changed to Costa Rica for their trip at the last minute) but the group that is here now certainly was.

(You can see the newly constructed portion of the building...the second floor...peeking here out of the coffee from the view from the street. The building int he bottom of the shot is the Church building for those that have been there trying to locate themselves.) I have not started trying to think up a nickname for this building yet...but I am sure that between my twisted mind and those of you all, we will think of something.

Once we knew the group that funded the project would not be able to come, Oscar sprung into action to take Miguel and Juan up to help Gender start...and finish the major construction, so we would be sure it was done the way he imagined it and had sketched it out for Gender. After that was done, our construction priority for this current group changed to became that the wood needed to be cured/sealed/protected, and then varnished.

(Seen here...the wall to the left of the one seen above...unvarnished. You can also see the electropanel first floor and a bit of how they were tied together.)

The first floor was the test building for the electropanel. We worked more this morning finishing a second coat of varnish all the way around of the wood portion of the building after getting one coat of sealer and one of varnish yesterday, and then as well painting the first (and hopefully only needed) coat of the white sealer inside and out of the first floor. There are a few walls that still need to be painted, plus a medium green color for the outside of the first floor....which hopefully later we could have some talented people help us decorate with other seemingly natural coffee plants as well.

Oscar is always one to follow all OSHA standards and practices, as can be seen here with our great Woot purchase of a metal ladder combined with a high standard Sampedrana built wood ladder and only the finest rope holding it together most of the time. It was the best method available for getting all the nooks and crannies with the varnish on the back side of the building. Although it looks like he is only a few feet off the ground....right there he is about 12 feet or more, and at one point was even further up the metal ladder.

You can also see in this picture the attached bathroom space that will be finished in the coming weeks. Much of what was needed was already bought (fixtures, etc.) but there was not quite enough wood, so Gender will tackle that next week. Hopefully the next time we are there....it will be possible to use those facilities and even take a shower....a cold shower, if it is needed/desired. Next up for the future would be putting more bunk beds upstairs for bigger groups that stay there, and figuring out some lighting solution. There should be enough funds given for that construction to provide for some basic lighting. Maybe instead of bunk beds we should do Gilligan/Skipper style hammocks. Oooooh, that would give the house even more of a cool feel. Hmmmm.

And this was one of my views trying to reach the highest part of the building from the lowest point of the surrounding property....fun for your neck. I decided on this particular spot for picture taking because it highlighted the difference the varnish was making, plus you can see the lovely spider and his/her web in the coffee plant next to me. Plenty of outdoor life around for discovery...whether I wanted to discover or not.

After working last night, we also showed a movie....the followup of what the CIY group brought, the Chronicles of Narnia II, Prince Caspian. Due to confusion between Oscar and Gender, the word did not get spread very well about that being the movie we were going to show until the night before, so there was not quite the crowd we normally have...but those that came were highly motivated. Oscar talked to one family that was heading out after the movie in the rain to go home...they walked 2 1/2 hours to get there, just to see the movie. Just thinking about that is enough to flabbergast me, let alone thinking that they returned at 9:30....in the dark, in the rain, with cloud cover and no moon light....up the mountain. Wow.

Oh, and the political situation? Oh, about the same thank you very much. More talk, more rhetoric, more rumors and fear being spread, but our entire trip went off without a hitch...except the funny police stop when he asked for Oscar's ID and Oscar said "Why? He's driving!" Funny because he and I both knew that he was asking because of all the venezuelans, nicaraguans, etc. that are illegally in the country helping...with all sorts of fun stuff. I continue to marvel at some of the stories, things politicians are saying...and the threats, violence, and vandalism from those that are proporting to support "democracy"...or at least as they see it. Even talking with one teacher at a public school today....some of the teacher's unions want to continue to protest for Mel, and as such their leaders are telling their teachers that they are not allowed to have their schools open or teach, upon threats of violence. Violence? Good grief, how about a sanction, a tardy slip or such, but...violence for wanting to leave the political to the political and instead take their time to teach? How dare they! This teacher said he was going to come anyway (to Sampedrana mind you...not exactly downtown) and that there would be ten fathers of the kids there to keep the school open. Oscar said that one teacher (they have not gone back to work since June 28th) when asked why they should continue to receive their pay when they are not working answered with what I can imagine was total sincerity..."we are teaching the children a lesson in civics." From everything I have seen from this particular faction of Honduran society....those leaders could use a refresher course in what they are supposedly teaching.