In La Ceiba, it was mealtime, and also time for exchanging currency and a quick trip to the Internet cafe. Sister Eleanor found us at the food court at the Mall in La Ceiba, and shepherded us along the way.

Late and tired, we sank into comfortable beds, and thanked God for a fine day – in safety and for the caring of many people along the way.

God is good!
Grace and Peace!
UMVIM in (Olanchito) Honduras

Saturday, March 12 AM
I start out this day, knowing my own sin, yet sharing the love of Christ. Keep me aware, dear God, of my own flaws!

Saturday, PM: We had a sort of successful day – with hoards of children who came. They are cute as can be!
(I am writing this part in retrospect – from my home in Camden) We had three vans with drivers and a pick-up truck. My van was delayed arriving at the church, and we found most of the rest of the team trying to set up for the medical clinic – in the midst of multitudes of needy people who were, in greatest patience, waiting for the doctors. Nicole was sitting in the midst of about 50 children, playing her guitar and teaching them to sing “This is the Day That the Lord Has Made” – in Spanish, of course! They also learned to sing “They Will Know We are Christians By our Love”!

We used a little picnic table out in front of the church building. It sat under a thatched roof. We began to learn how to deal with little children who are starved for color. I can’t say “starved for love” – these children are loved!

The clinic was set up inside the building. As expected, several of our boxes of medical supplies didn’t come, so the eye glass people did something else. The eagerness of these people for even the temporary relief – of Tylanol or cough syrup – is touching.

Someone local had arranged for us to have police for crowd control – think AK47’s and billy sticks! I think they worried us more than the crowds did. During the afternoon, Nicole explained to the kids how to play “duck-duck-goose”. (Thinking that they would not have any notion about ducks and geese, she changed the game to “rojo-rojo-azul”) They enjoyed the game. (Nicole sustained the first team injury, falling on her run around the BIG circle, and cutting her chin.) They decided to try a relay game, dividing the children into two long lines. The children were to pass a ball over-and-under to the end of the lines. They stepped out of the lines, as children do in the excitement of the game, so the guards poked them with their sticks. (Not a comfort for us!)

Aleyda came out and told stories to the children and they colored pictures related to the stories. They sang familiar (to them) children’s choruses.

The next day was Sunday. We had a church service. Then the people were told that they must move out and allow the team to set up for the clinic. There went the “children’s department”, as families moved the table out and sat packed in chairs under the thatch. However, Aleyda went over to the kind lady, who had offered her hospitality as a comfort station for the team. She had a fine, big ficus tree – lots of shade. (Unlike tin roofs, trees add their own bit of air-cooling. I won’t say it was cool, but it was many times better than working all day in the sun!) The children’s department opened its “annex” that afternoon.

The best of this day was finding myself under the ficus tree in the afternoon, with only three or four children that afternoon. I picked up one of the bilingual storybooks and attempted to read them a story in THEIR language. I would come to a work I didn’t know and turn to the bright-eyed, eager little girl beside me. She very patiently assisted me with a page of two. Finally, I turned the book over to her and asked her to read me a story! She was very happy to do so. Others wanted into that act. More and more gathered to join into that quiet activity. Later more stories, more coloring pages and more group games, led by David and Rene, two of our four drivers. (These beautiful, talented young men are involved in youth ministry there – and they are GOOD at what they do!)

I believe it was the second afternoon (Sunday) that a very craggy, tough-looking fellow came wondering around asking for his stick. He said he had given some woman some money and asked her to give it to one of the guards to pay for a stick. Uh-Uh – not us! He finally left.

(Sunday night -- As I write, I hear the hotel combo singing and shouting. I hear the shower running for my roommate, Joannie Bowen, and it’s time to quit and go to sleep. The children will need me tomorrow!)

Monday -- Olanchito: We have three medical clinics, a pharmacy, a person doing lab tests, two eyeglass stations, a parasite station, and vitamins for all. The New Testaments are being given away by the local pastors and our reading glasses station. The children’s ministry continues with the help of the local pastor’s wife and Sunday School teacher that Kathy arranged for ahead of time. Kathy says we should expect even larger crowds, as we will be in a more urban situation. I had only sent a sentence or two upon arrival. I only had 3 Lempira, and had to borrow a couple from Nicole to pay my small bill. Her Spanish is fluent, and she has been so helpful! Tonight after supper, I was able to get to an Internet cafe and send a message of a bit more substance. I will need to return ASAP and send more.

Bethel Church, Olanchito 3/14: today at Bethel we had a smaller number of children. It was school day, but the clinic functioned full blast until 6PM. (We had agreed that we would quit at 4. But, how do you tell hot, dusty, sick people you have to leave to go back to an air-conditioned hotel for a warm shower and a hot meal!)

Bethel Church has a half-roof. I believe that at one time it had a full roof, which was blown off by Hurricane Mitch. They have been able to scrape up enough money to replace the front half. It seems that there is some kind of grant that requires them to do half, then, somehow other money kicks in to construct the other half. The problem is the “other money” has lost his kick!

The “children’s building” was, again a friendly ficus tree. It is also the pastor’s kitchen. There are two small, square tables and a mud oven. Today the oven was still hot following breakfast preparations for that family. There was still a small bit of beans left from the meal. The church “nursery” was nearby – a remnant of a hammock, hanging from the ficus tree.

The original plan had been to overnight in Olanchito on Thursday, leaving early the following morning. As it turned out there was to be a drivers strike, with blockades across the main highways. Sister Eleanor urged us to pack up and leave that afternoon – early, in hopes of getting our traveling done before the strike started! However, the blockades were in place earlier than expected, so we had to wait a bit later in the afternoon to leave. Strikes follow a different plan than in the USA. They only last during business hours, and they never continue during a weekend. We were fortunate in that the strike was settled the first day, so our travel was without delays. We did find ourselves in La Ceiba a day before our reservation, so the manager put us three-to-a-room for the first night. How helpful she was. She spoke English fairly well. She said, “My name is Ellie, and I will take care of you!” She did!

Thursday, 3/17 Las Cruzadas @ Las Ceiba: This is the “home base” of Las Cruzadas. Sister Eleanor’s home is here. It is certainly not fancy, but she has a clean two-story house – and office on the first floor. She cooks on a stove and has floors, ceilings, walls, and a roof. There is a porch around the side, which had a lovely breeze during much of Thursday. Sister Eleanor and her helpers prepared breakfast for us – pancakes, bacon and fruit juice (and scrambled eggs for anyone who wanted them) – quite a switch from the traditional Honduran meal.

This “compound” has several buildings, a church (air-conditioned), a clinic with examining tables, classrooms, other buildings. (Note that an examining table is a table with a sheet across it and a pillow on it. There are clotheslines with white privacy curtains to pull across as dividers. There is also a little pharmacy – with a few medicines. Not impressive, unless one compare it with the plastic (card) tables set up for patient interviews in the other places.

We gathered in the church (with the air conditioner on) to hear Sister Eleanor’s testimony. God has worked a great work in her!

We expect to do a bit of sightseeing tomorrow.

Well, I’m home, safe and sound and comfortable – even a bit chilly. I’m wearing my favorite sweater and feel about ready to quit and go to MY bed. Isn’t God good to allow me such an experience, such friendships, such good care!