March 30 A Day as Tourists

Today we were not scheduled to visit with any of the Missionaries until in the evening so Derm and Viola acted as our tour guides and took us around Tegucigalpa and the Valle. We headed to the market in Parque Central which is home to St. Michael Archangel Church. Because we are close to Palm Sunday (which is the time we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and marks the day he makes his triumphal entry into the City of Jerusalem and the people lined the trees with Palm branches) there were many merchants in front of the Cathedral selling Palm tree branches and wooden crosses.

We next headed up to El Picacho City Park which overlooks Tegucigalpa. There is an awesome view over the City. 

We ran into another Missionary who was taking a group of students from the United States on a tour of the Park. She had time to share some of her story with us. 

Our group shared Communion in one of the lookouts prior to proceeding to the huge statue of Jesus Christ that the park is famous for. We were in awe of the size of the statue and for what the statue represented. Jesus was overlooking Tegucigalpa with His arms spread out inviting the people to "come unto Him". 

Our driver quietly sat and prayed and worshiped at the feet of Jesus as did we all.

After we left the park we dropped in on a really good friend of Viola's and what a reunion. Your heart would melt at the love between two good friends who had not seen each other for several years. Viola wants to take Nuvia and her family home with her and Nubia wants Derm and Viola to stay in Honduras!

Then we had lunch at restaurante Asado's El Gordo on our way to El Valle where we became real tourists and visited some of the gift shops. 

Every where you go, there are armed police or security. I am not sure if it makes you feel safe that you are protected or unsafe that you need so much protection.

We did a little shopping in El Valle after which I sat at one of the cafes, had a coffee and people watched while Derm met up with one of the local business owners who was a good friend of his and while the others continued to shop.  Alvin Anderson from Manos Extendidas told me on our first day that all Hondurans stop around 3:00 pm and have a cup of coffee. I took Alvin's advice. 

We met with the three groups of Missionaries for dinner in the evening. It was a blessing and an honor to be in the presence of such visionaries who have gone to "the uttermost ends of the earth" to do the work that God has laid on their hearts.

March 29 Hospital Visit

Our hotel is just around the corner from the Presidential Palace. Whenever any dignitaries are expected at the Palace, the roads are shut down and the National Policia man the road blocks which delayed our departure slightly this morning.

We eventually met up with Jim and Francis Martin from Honduras Ministries who took us to one of the Government sponsored hospitals called Hospital Escuela. The team includes several other women who weekly visit the pediatric inpatients and their families. The children are fed while they are in hospital but often the family has no means of getting or buying food so the Team brings in food for them. While distributing the food they also have an opportunity to pray for many of the children and their families. If you would like more information on their Ministry, Child Sponsorship Program, Skill Development Program or Hospital Visitation Program  CLICK HERE to be directed to their web site.

Jim and Frances (on the left) speaking with Maria and her daughter Valerie!

As it happened, Nellie Anderson from Manos Extendidas was also at the hospital. See the Blog for Tuesday, March 27th for more information on their Ministry or CLICK HERE to be directed to their web site. She goes in weekly to visit the mothers of newborn babies. This was heart breaking. Many of the mothers have no clothes for the babies, no blankets, just nothing. Nellie and her group of women do up bundles for the mothers which include a blanket, a sleeper and a few diapers. We (the visitors from Newfoundland and the Honduras Ministries team) were able to accompany Nellie. The two Mission groups jumped right in and went to work. Some greeted; some prayed; some changed babies; some took pictures; some distributed food.

A friend of mine, Nicole, just had her sixth baby. I always refer to Nicole as a woman made to be a mother. I happened to be in Minneapolis when she delivered the sixth baby and had the pleasure of watching her love on her baby and how her husband and other kids interacted with the newborn and each other. You could just see and feel the love she has for her family and her family for each other. The thing that struck me the most today was how disconnected from their newborn babies many of the new mothers seemed to be. The babies were just bundles on the beds. Few were held unless being fed and many mothers had not even chosen names for their new babies on the day of discharge - which was about 3 days old. I could only pray that some of Nicole's love could cross the miles and penetrate the hearts of these new mothers. But you know, you could see a softening of hearts as the groups dispensed the blankets, food and gifts, Bibles and prayed for the young mothers and their babies.

Jim and Francis have pulled together a powerhouse team who prepare the food and distribute it to people along the corridors and to the children's parents in their rooms. In between patient rooms, Jim was able to enlighten us more about Honduran Ministries.

Again, you just have to be there. The hospital is old and well worn. The hallways are lined with people waiting to be treated or waiting for family. Many have traveled for miles without food or water. Many have not been able to contact family to tell them where they are. One young child (15) was ready to go home with her newborn and had not been able to phone anyone to say she had delivered her baby and did not know how she was going to get back home!

The hearts of Missionaries like Jim and Francis from Honduras Ministries and Nellie from Manos Extendidas do not see the mountain. They see they can help one person at a time and one person is better than not helping anyone. With great people like these Missionaries, their work, and their prayers, they will help shape a new Honduras in years to come!

March 28 Schools of Hope - Escuelas de Esperanza

We spent the day with Judy and Randy Lundrigan (originally from Newfoundland)  who oversee Escuelas de Esperanza (Schools of Hope).

We piled into our touring van with our experienced Honduran driver and headed to the poorest areas in the hills overlooking Tegucigalpa where we visited 3 of the public schools. Children usually only attend school to Grade 6 (if they attend at all) after which many are sent to work out on the streets to earn a living. Schools of Hope works with the public schools to provide educational materials and supplies, equipment and "the Gospel Message in cooperation with the teachers to complete a well-rounded educational experience".  If you want more information on Schools of Hope CLICK HERE to be directed to their website.

We were blessed today as the Director of each school took us on a tour because of the relationship Judy and Randy have built with the Directors, teachers and schools.

The first school we visited put on a show for us with the children performing a traditional dance. These are 2 very short video clips. You will need to turn on or turn up the volume on your computer for best viewing.

Parents volunteer at the school. In this case the parents are clearing land to build a new play and meeting area. The land is mostly rock, no topsoil, and hard as a rock. Most of it looks like dried up river beds in Newfoundland. The work is certainly not easy.

I am amazed at how happy the children are! Each classroom today gave us a huge welcome. We all felt like royalty.

The sign on the second school we visited was made with recycled drink bottle caps.

It was a privelidge and an honor to pray with the Director for provision of supplies and more teachers.

Some of the work performed on and around the school is done by men and women of all ages.

At the third school, we had the opportunity to meet in a small group with the Director and the Teachers for the morning session. When asked what was priority on their "wish list" they asked for more Bible teaching for the children. The teachers have found that the children have become better students and citizens since the Gospel has been introduced to the school. They are also looking for more student desks, Bibles and other things on a more extensive list which they have shared with Judy and Randy but Bible teaching was on the top of the list. 

Notice the Newfoundland flag on the wall. There is a church in Triton, Newfoundland who annually sponsor the school with Short Term Mission Trips.

Victor, the Bible Studies teacher, works for the 3 schools 6 days a week. The teachers want him at their schools all day every day! He is studying English himself  but feels he will have more time to allot to teaching Bible Studies after April!

This is the playground!!

These are a few of my favorite pictures from the day!

Again, I took far too many pictures to be able to share within the Blog but to view the pictures in a Picasa Web Album just CLICK HERE . You do not need anything special nor do you have to sign up for anything to view the album. You should be able to play the pictures in an automatic slideshow as well. 

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