Due to our rainy evening - a big thunderstorm that knocked out the electricity for the evening - we had a little difficulty getting to El Picacho today. The road we normally take was pretty wet and soft, so that first mountain caused us to turn back. Frank and Julio found alternate route that bypassed the bad area, and we were back in business.
The missioners began digging a bit more slowly each day. Like one of them said, "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Each day more of them discovered it was easier to team up with a Honduran worker because those guys are machines! Once again we dug through horrendous terrain, mostly rock, and if we were lucky, some clay-like dirt. We also put the finishing touches on the cement floor, and Carlos fixes their window sills with the leftover cement. Linda took the family's photo with their "Extreme Makeover" home.
We knocked off work at noon for lunch. As soon as we'd finished eating, we gathered together with as many of the villagers that showed up and took a group photo. We'll print the remainder of the photos we've chosen for the village's photo book. We've been printing them as we go on our portable printer.
I know everyone is looking forward to our day off tomorrow. It's "shop 'til you drop" day in Valle de Angeles (Valley of the Angels). It's a quaint little town with many tourist shops and artisans. Our noon meal will be pizza, which I'm sure sounds great to the kids. We've been eating well, but there's nothing like pizza. As soon as we return, we'll eat supper and prepare for the 7 p.m. church service. I may not have time to blog until after all those activities are complete.
2023 Team
The 2023 Team
Carolyn
ReplyDeleteThank you for keeping us Gehlen Mission Honduras Blog Addicts up to date, with details of your day and the status of the missioners.
I think I can speak for many---Thank you!
The
Begnoche's
Enjoy the day tomorrow everyone!
Shop Shop Shop!
Peace
Well, I hope that all the hard work has paid off in some muscle tone Ali! LOL Tomorrow you get to participate in your favorite past time! SHOPPING! Have fun with that and enjoy your time! You will be home soon! Miss you!
ReplyDeleteMom
Hi Lauren, how are holding up? Getting enough sleep? How are the bugs? Can't wait to see you Sunday. Love you, Dad.
ReplyDeleteYes thank you Mrs. Bickford (& Dick) for keeping us posted on the day to day events of the trip - Tell Megan we miss her terribly & we love her very much - Enjoy the Easter Celebration in Honduras -
ReplyDeleteTake care and God Bless!!
the Heissels
Glad you get a break tomorrow. Have fun shopping!! Don't forget Mother's Day is not to far off. Thanks for all the updates. Love you Rachelle. See you soon.
ReplyDeleteHi rachelle, brittany, ali and lauren! im glad it sounds like you are all doing well! Lauren i care about you!! hahaha :) ali, last night i ate a whole box of wheat thins cuz i got my wisdom teeth out today and knew i wouldnt be able to eat them for a while. and today i watched footloose so i thought of you because you are sexier than socks on a rooster :D Brittany, i cant wait for you to get back so we can continue quotting the office on twitter. "Of all the idiot people, in all the idiot villages, in all the idiot worlds, you stand alone" (michael to toby in 'goodbye toby part 1') rachelle, that is for you too. there is so much i want to say to you! i just want you to know i feel like a smelly loner walking to anatomy class alone everyday. also, your phone will not be empty when you get home :) (dont worry havent reached 50 yet!) Miss you all sooo much! have a safe trip back home!! :)
ReplyDeleteLauren have fun shopping tomorrow. I finally figured this out. I will keep blogging you until you grow very weary of listening to my nonsense. Hopefully Heather, Chels and Brea make contact soon. Your sister still has not figured out how to blog with you, maybe se will feel a little embarassed since I figured it out and she hasn't and be more persistant. Love you and have fun.
ReplyDeleteMOM :)
Hey Joe!!! This is your better looking brother speaking. I meant to blog earlier but haven't gotten around to it with so much homework from when i was sick but let me tell you how things are going. So far I have been enjoying a room to myself, getting to use the downstairs bathroom in the morning, having more supper to eat, sleeping in your bed, using your cologne, wearing your shorts, laughing at the fact that you have laudry on the floor and i dont for once, not having to worry about not being able to hook my ipod up to the stereo, having the car to myself, not having to have you wake me up in the morning, and my personal favorite using your phone to text kendall all the time....just kidding!!! Guess what?!? I was on broasters then salad bar then broasters again when i worked on sunday. We werent that busy but i think ill leave the legendary chicken making to you. And whats really funny is that brian scheduled you to work on saturday for two shifts so you better come back early or your fired! Not really but i get to cover your open (you owe me big time!!!) and hes taking care of the rest. Despite all of this though i kinda wish it was sunday...not so we can get you im just excited for the zoo...okay that was kind of a cheap shot. Actually though its been getting kinda lonely here and im anticipating the return of the prodagal(thats you). Im still regretting not being able to go to the sendoff but sundays only four days away so ill see you soon anyway. Oh and make sure you bring me back something cool or i might not let you back in our room. Well i hope you have fun your last few days and have a safe flight. Bretey and Andrew are over so i better not keep them waiting much longer so ill talk to you later. BYE!!!!!
ReplyDeletehi joe this is chris the other {not so good looking]brother.hope to see you soon on sunday we hope.i have to go cause everyone is playing tag in the house bye.
ReplyDeletehi joe this is the oldest sister speaking just wondering how you were doing by the way i was kidding when i said i was playing your ipod any stupid person would do it with out asking cause you would be really mad.hope you take lots of pictures and bring souvenirs mabye even bring some money to show us well i should go see ya
ReplyDeletemadeline
Hi Dave, Janet & the rest of the team - We have enjoyed following the blog each day. Sounds like you are having a great time. Shouldn't have to worry much about fires & smoke with all the rain you have been getting. We got a good laugh reading about the April Fool's joke. Dave - thought you would be interested in hearing that Matt went skiing last Friday in Ames without a wet suit. I think he said the water was 60 degrees. Janet - Emily wants to make an Easter egg tree again this year like she did with you last year. We might try that on Friday. Did you see the comment that Mom sent on Sunday (posted under the pictures from Saturday)? Looking at some of the pictures - it looks like Janet is doing more work than Dave:) We are looking forward to see you Sunday night!
ReplyDeleteJim & Mary
Hi Micah, I know how much you enjoy shopping so have fun tomorrow. If you find soemthing for grandma that would be great. Don't worry about getting us something treat yourself. If you have a chance, see if you can pick up a cigar or 2 for Mr. Meyer he likes to have one once in a great while and he would apprediate it. Remember when we brought home some from Cozumel for him? I think he still has one left. We are having Easter at Carie's with a Easter egg hunt for the boys.They will miss you wrestling and teasing them. It looks like you got a workout this week so missing Coach Ryan's workout is okay. See you soon. Love mom and dad
ReplyDeleteHi Ali, it's Calla and Emma...We miss you and want you to come home soon. Have a safe flight home. Pick us out something cool if you have enough money.
ReplyDeleteWe love you! xoxo
Hi Austin (AKA.DEAN)
ReplyDeleteWell,I hope everything is going well. Glad to hear your work is behind you. Hope you enjoy shopping tomorrow and get some neat stuff. Emily says you better bring her the BEST gift and some honduran money..like a couple coins. I havent seen a blog in a long time.I hope to see one tomorrow or even later tonight big guy! A picture would be ok too. Anyway, everything the same here, got a draft of your invite from Christophers that looks good. Will wait to see what you think. They laid the rest of the cement by gas tank today and yes and the lawn still needs mowing. I didnt want you to feel we didnt leave any work for you. Tyler is coming home this weekend too and he says he has the urge to get your car wet and run it down the gravel a few times..what a brother, uh? Been awefully quiet here with Emily only home or when she is. She is liking your car alot!Probably will need oil change soon! Anxious to see Sunday. Did ya get Marys blog? Rest easy tonight.See ya in 4 days.
Mom
Brittany~
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you coping well with life in Honduras. Heard you got some rain the other night along with some lightening. Maybe you can bring some rain back with you Sunday.It is supposed to be colder back in Iowa next week. I'm not able to watch the Kardasians but Grandpa's nurse is watching so I will get the update from her. I'm impressed with the great work you are doing.Love you- see you on Sunday!
Dad
Good Morning Joe B. ~
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful time shopping today!
Be safe and have fun the rest of your time in Honduras. See you on Sunday evening.
Love,
Mom
Micah, Dad bought 3 small barrel cacti and I replanted them in a new pot with his tall ----- cactus.:)I am hoping he will be satisfied now that he has 4. We are planning on doing yard work this weekend, Becka,Dijon and Nora come home Thursday til Monday and Andy and Wylee Friday til Sunday. Too bad you are going to miss all the work....Love you mom
ReplyDelete