You Can't Outgive God!!

Hi, I know you haven't heard from in a long time.

It's that time of year and I'm ready to go back to Honduras! If you have been following me at all on Facebook, then you know that I've been working hard to raise money to build homes in Honduras!

I can't say I haven't had my doubts! There were a few times when former contributors Cut their donations from previous years. It didn't matter though when someone didn't give someone else did and I have to say I have been amazed!

I have gotten even more since this! What does that mean? It means I've been able to buy household items for these people are getting new homes. I have also been able to purchase undergarments. Needless to say, those things are donated often plus, I will be able to donate to the work fund once I get to Honduras!

I would appreciate your prayers and if you're interested all this blog during my trip. I do my best to share the work that I do each day and add as many pictures as I can. The group also has a blog that your might be interested in, it is: childrenoftheking.blogspot.com 

Honduras, Mi Corazon, Proximo Ano!!! (sorry no accent marks)

We had our clinics inside classrooms at the school.  This was a major upgrade from our last clinic.

Today is bittersweet!  It is our last work day in Tegucigalpa.  Even though 9 of us are traveling on to Costa Rica, the rest will be flying home and we’ll have to say good-bye in the airport.  I know that is obvious, but the people I see here are like family. (The bus drivers, the kitchen workers, the laundry ladies & of course my fellow Torchers)  Plus, each year I always make new friends.

 

 

Teri Barber is a hygienist, she worked on patient education and gave out toothpaste and brushes.


 

 

 

 

 

  This year, I particularly enjoyed meeting Jo Dawn and Dave from Sarasota, Florida.  Since tomorrow is a travel day, I probably won’t blog.  We should make it to Costa Rica by late afternoon and I’m assuming the internet situation will be better.

 

I'm sorry this is blurry.  It was the best I could do on an Iphone at night.  These are some of my new and old friends and family here!!!




 

 

 

Today the whole group went to the  Didasko orphanage.  We had one group that was medical, dental, and vision.  Another group would take lunch back to the dump and then meet us at Didasko.  At Didasko, we would have our clinics, have a VBS class and do a “Daughters of the King”. Also, a few of our talented builders added to the children’s playground.  As far as I know, past Torch teams have built that playground.

 

 

Sarah, our nurse, worked in the medical clinic, of course.  Also, Dr. Ponce came out to help us again.  Their team saw about 150 patients. Diane, Jo and I manned the eye glass clinic.  We probably gave a total of 30 eyeglasses a way. 

 

People waiting for the clinic.

 

Didasko is way out  in the country about an hour away from the city.  The grounds are beautiful and the children are well cared for.  Our Torch Team usually works there every summer. The younger Torch members always enjoy playing soccer and hanging out with the kids there.

Teri is educating some of the  the children of the orphanage.

 

 

 

A new pair of glasses and a happy patient



 

 

I know I explain this every year, but “Daughters of the King” is created to show honor, respect and attention to the young girls.  It seems like that girls here don’t seem to be honored in the poor communities here.  Our young men (and ladies) wash the girl’s hair, put in braids and hair bows, and paint finger and toe nails. I usually let the other kids do the Daughters of the King because they enjoy it so much.

This little girl didn't like getting her hair washed!

 

Yes, I know my eyes are closed.  The teachers arranged for the children to dance some traditional Honduran dances.  It was so cute!!!

Well, I need to say good-bye because I’m tired and tomorrow is a travel day.  I know there’ll be many hugs, tears and “Proximo Anos”!!

 

Hasta luega!

PJ  oxox

Boring job, but someone has to do it

Goofing off with the timer camera on my phone.  It was getting late, and we were wondering about our ride.  We called Mark with a ladies' phone and he arranged for us to get another ride.  Luckily, we didn't have to spend the night there.  It is a cool and safe place though!!!  :)

Today is Wednesday, our next to the last work day.  We have our last house build, which is an all-girls build.  I did not choose to do that because I had built just yesterday.  Plus, they had tons of girls who wanted to be on that team.

 

 

 

 

Another group was going back to Mololoa to work in the daycare and the feeding center.  I had done that a couple of days, so I didn’t volunteer for that either.  I would have loved to have seen the ladies again, but I didn’t want to be selfish.

 

 

Another group was going to break down bulk food again and hand it out to families.

 

 

Pewter cross bracelet I bought at Mi Esperanza (You might be able to find these at their website.)

 

Sarah, our nurse, and a few others were going to stay back at the mission house and inventory and sort the medications.  The plan is to do a big medical clinic at Didasko tomorrow.  (We will probably all be going there.)

 

 

 

 

 

Diane and I decided to work in the bodega.  We had to pull VBS materials for Costa Rica, supplies for “Daughters of the King” at Didasko, plus a few other things people had been looking for.  It isn’t very exciting work, but it has to be done.  Hopefully I can take some interesting pictures to add to the blog.

shopping at the pewter store

 

 

After dinner, we experience a “first”.  There is a lady who works in pewter and she has worked with the ladies/artisans at Mi Esperanza making pewter jewelry.  Those who were interested got to go to the pewter store.  Everything is handmade and much cheaper than it would cost in the US.  I got a few donor gifts, but didn’t go crazy.  For example:  you could get unusual handmade pewter salad tongs for about $12.

 

 

 

 

We finished the evening with a split devotional.  Gayna (from my aunt’s church in Mayfield) led our lesson about submission.  The theme for our whole trip has been Obedience, so it fit right in.  It is always special to study and worship in an all girl’s class.

 

Tomorrow, the whole group is going to Didasko an orphanage quite a distance away.  We will have a VBS, Medical Clinic, Eyeglass clinic, and Children of the King.  Tomorrow is the last work day here.  Most of our group will be flying back home on Friday. A few others and I will fly to Costa Rica for the last part of our trip.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers!!

Can you tell I'm bored??

 

Hasta luega!

PJ  xoxo

 

At the feet of Jesus, House #4

Mi amiga, Oneyda.  She is an amazing beautiful young lady with a tough life story.  She could build the whole house by herself!!

At the feet of Jesus

 

Today is Tuesday and it will be my last house build.  This house was built with the money from everyone who donated, volunteered or bought jewelry.  I would love to go through my 700 plus friends on FB and tag everyone who was involved.  I would do that, but there really isn’t a good way to do it on my laptop.  When I get back home, look for your name!!!

some of our house build team

 

 

 

 

Two of my roommates, Sarah and Diane, hadn’t built a house yet and they planned on helping.  Diane started feeling sick and decided to stay back at the mission house.  Sarah is the group nurse and she is always pulled to stay with the sick or do other things, but she was able to go.  Jo Dawn had already built 4 houses and wanted to be sure she got to do something else, so she didn’t go.

 

 

Two other groups would be visiting two different hospitals, going on a Gatorade Blitz and then visiting the Jesus statue during the day.

The post is one corner of the house. Do you see the tin the guy in the red shorts is standing on?  There is a straight drop off !

 

 

 

 

I was a little concerned that no one would want to miss out on the day trip to the Jesus statue, but we had about 15 raise their hands to help build the house.  Kathryn and Melissa Bettis go to church with me in Clarksville and they got on my team. 

Look at how much room there is between the wall and the side of the hill!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We soon learned that the build was in Mololoa.  I love it there, but last year we had to build one way up a mountain there, so you never know!!!!! 

 

We actually didn’t have far to walk, but the wood needed to be carrying on a narrow path about 40 yards.  No big deal, except the path got crowded quickly and one false move and you could fall down a steep drop off.  All ages of Honduran children started helping us carry the long siding and other wood.  Some of the kids looked like they were no more than 4 years old!!  They are so sure-footed they often only had on flip-flops! 

 

 Also, there are times when you can sort the lumber neatly at the four corners of where the foundation will be.  Not today, one side had about 8 inches and then it was an earth wall, another side was about a foot and it was the same “cliff” drop off.  The house was being built for a mother with 3 daughters and one son.  She was right with us all day.  Usually walls (nailing) are reserved for the women and inexperienced carpenters, but because we had such “tricky” sides, the guys had to figure out how to make it work and they did. 

 

Regardless of all of these things, we finish around 2:45.  The mother cried tears of joy when we presented the house and I did too!!!  I had bought a few things to give the families for a “housewarming” gift, but the space was limited in my suitcase.  Another church from Nashville collects things for this and they gave me things to add.  I was able to give the family a Spanish Bible, curtains, sheets, tablecloths and many other nice things.

 

 

 

 

We ended the day with a devotional at the Jesus statue.  I have gone many times, but the view is always breathtaking!!!  Tim Hines (IRC & Torch board member) spoke to us with enthusiasm.  He pointed out a large spot that was dark. It was the area where thousands were killed in flooding and mud slides.  Torch began when a group first came after Hurricane Mitch in 1998.  They have been coming ever since.

This is Aldo and Martin.  Aldo has been working with us many years.  Martin hit his finger pretty bad and I had to "doctor" it for him!!

Mirander is the girl in the blue shirt in front of me.  She is from a teacher from around Nashville and she is interning this summer with Mark Connell.  She translated for us.  The little girl with glasses must have been a cousin or niece.  Miranda told me the little girl said excitedly, "I want a new house too!!"