Arrival & Day 1

I guess it's about time I shared what we were actually doing in Honduras...along with a hearty dose of pictures (read: this is a long post but mostly pictures).

Let's start at the very beginning, shall we?  I hear it's a very good place to start.

Here we are the morning we left the church.  This was at 2:30 in the morning.  Obviously, everyone is looking alive, alert, awake, and enthusiastic (with the exception of Yours Truly).

Our flights went smoothly, although our connection was excruciatingly tight in Atlanta.  We got to our gate right as they were starting to board.  Praise the Lord our gates were close!  One of many answers to prayer.

Before we knew it, we were in warm, sunny, humid, Honduras   Dago picked us up in the (really nice, air conditioned) bus and had donuts for us.  Maybe a ate this whole box of donuts myself...

We stopped for cold drinks, and also got some plantain chips.  I liked them a lot more than I expected.  No, they don't taste like banana chips... these are lighter and saltier.

We flew into San Pedro Sula (thankfully, NOT Tegucigalpa, the second shortest runway in the world and allegedly the murder capital of the world).  This is the futbol stadium there.

Before long, we were dozing off.

About an hour and a half later, we arrived at the children's home-- Hogar de ninos Vida Nueva in Azacualpa.  Before long, the kids were playing soccer.

The sunset over the mountains was beautiful.

The next morning (Saturday, December 29) we arrived at our work site around 7:30 am. Our project was to start a house for a widow in the community, but step 1 was to tear down her existing house.  This building is her house.

This is Victoria, the woman we were building the house for.  As you can see, she does have running water... and this is it.  She is doing her laundry here.

Here she is cooking in her outdoor kitchen.

The kids worked hard.  I just took pictures :)

This is what the neighborhood looked like.

Before long, there was not a lot of house, but a large pile of rocks.  Behind the rocks you can see Victoria's bathroom.

This are the power lines going through the neighborhood.  I don't think Victoria had electricity, but her neighbors across the street had TV.

This man was related to Victoria, and he worked with us each day.  Here he is tearing down the roof.

Hello, Mr. Rat.  The neighbor kids are about to chase you down and catch you.

This home was two doors down.  I believe this is where Victoria is staying while her new home is being built. The children loved to help out.  This is where we stacked the boards from her old house for re-use.  Nothing is wasted here.

Oh look... no more house.

Marking out the area for the new house.

This guy was a master with the machete.  He is using old wood to make stakes to mark out the corners of the foundation.

Here's the team with Victoria. That's enough work for one day.

The big soccer game was that afternoon... USA vs. Honduras.  Honduras may or may not have creamed the USA.

That night we did an outreach program in the beautiful town square of Azacualpa. Our group sang some songs in Spanish, and Ruth, Elliot, and Licia shared their testimonies.

The kids did a skit that drew quite a crowd.  Don't worry... the drama was carefully chosen so that we would not have to speak in Spanish.  Or speak at all, really.

Licia shared a very powerful testimony and challenge while Dago translated.

Looking back through the pictures, I can't believe how much stuff we packed into one day... no wonder time slowed down!

Since the Lord blessed us beyond what we "needed" through our fundraising effort, we were able to build a larger house for Victoria.  She will be able to have two rooms and her kitchen will now be inside.

"I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Philippians 4:18-20