Great News / St. Thomas More

I received a call at 12:40 our time. All St. Thomas More missionaries are on the bus and will leave for Esquias as soon as the remainder of the bags are tied down in the back of our truck. All are excited and ready to go. All bags came through (amazing actually). The next we will hear from them is when they are in Esquias and hopefully I will be able to post at least one photo of the group.

St. Thomas More In Tegucigalpa

They are safely on the ground in Tegucigalpa. Will give you more information when I have it. It all begins now. Spoke with Frank at 12:00 our time and he, Julio, Sister, Carlos are at Toncontin Airport waiting for them to go through everything. Will keep you posted. Just checked the temperature in Tegucigalpa. Right at 90 degrees. I checked the 10 day forcast and it looks like it with hover right about 90 each day.

Update From R. Seivert

They are half way over the Yucatan Peninsula right now and about 55 minutes from Tegucigalpa. I will keep everyone posted.

Message From Richard Seivert

The St. Thomas More Mission Team is in flight, lifting off at 8:57 Houston time. They are scheduled to arrive in Tegucigalpa 14 minutes early, 10:49 Honduras time. Godspeed St. Thomas More Mission Honduras.
I will blog again when I know their plane has landed safely and they are in Tegucigalpa. It will take them a good hour or better to go through immigration, baggage claim, and finally customs before my brother Frank will call me that he has all of them. At that point I will blog everyone.
Follow the blog throughout the remainder of the day. I plan on posting a few messages now and then. Once they are in Esquias you will receive your first blog from Mary Casey and Katie Falkowski - probably sometime late afternoon or early evening.

St. Thomas More Ready To Fly

It is 7:10 CST. Just received a call from Carolyn Bickford. The St. Thomas More team is all checked through security and is ready to fly. They are on Continental Flight 756. Departs Houston at 9:00 A.M.(8:00 Mountain Time) and arrives Tegucigalpa, Honduras at 11:03 (Mountain Time) (12:03 our time). Keep checking this blog throughout the morning. I will post when wheels are up and when they are down safely in Tegucigalpa. Frank, Sister Joan, Julio Rivera, Carlos(bus driver) are in Tegucigalpa and ready to get them at the airport.

St. Thomas More Is on the Way to Honduras

It's 9:35 p.m. in Houston. The mission team from St. Thomas More has had their introductory meeting and is eating pizza. I can feel the excitement and anticipation in this team. They are anxious to get into Honduras tomorrow and continue the work that Springfield started.

Everyone seems healthy and ready to work. I think this is going to be a great group of missioners!

Message From Richard Seivert

Dear Springfield Catholic Mission Honduras,


Greetings from Gehlen Catholic. As I look forward to St. Thomas More from Rapid City, S.D. entering Honduras next Monday, I cannot fully appreciate that adventure without first and foremost speaking about Springfield Catholic and this mission team at the end of a very special time. It is Friday morning at about 5:25 our time and most of you will be awake in Esquias very soon. Many of you will experience, and maybe already have, a feeling like 'I don't want to leave, not just yet anyway.' Thoughts like, 'There is so much to do. How can I leave such a beautiful people.' We at Gehlen know those feelings and those thoughts all too well. We have them with each and every journey into Honduras. Please accept my deepest thanks for what you have done, the friends you have made, and the lasting bond that you formed with so many. I want to thank everyone, Merica, Frank, Sister Joan, Julio, Angel, Carlos, and Tacha. But mostly, I want to thank each one of you mission students and adults that 'put yourself out-there' - that got out of your comfort zone; that looked, held, smelled, and lived with poverty. My brother Francis can be hard to impress sometimes but three times during your mission he referred to 'what a great group of young people and adults' and added all three times about what 'hard workers' you were. The world is a little better today because of Springfield Catholic and your work. I wish each and everyone of you the best in the future. If you ever need me I promise to be there for you. Take Care Springfield Catholic, Richard E. Seivert, Director

P.S. check this blog for updates about their return home. I will try to post everything I know and hear from Frank or Merica.