Fecha: (date) 03 /Feb/2014

Tiempo: (time)  11:30 am

Hello to all from the same location I've been writing from these past few days in Valley of the Angels (VoA).  It's a nice sunny morning so far but with strong winds.  I have just tried my hand at washing my clothes again and with the sun and wind maybe they will be dry by nightfall.

Julio returned at 0915 hours this morning.  All is well in MDLF.  He picked up Norma Sevilla the young mother of 3 year old Milton Avila, that has the bad heart valve, in Acote/San Francisco at 0600 hours this morning.  She traveled there from LaLima yesterday and stayed with some friends. He left her in Talanga to catch a bus to Tegucigalpa (Tegus) for another heart consult and special medicines for the little boys condition. She is pregnant and is very appreciative of Mission Honduras LeMars (MHL) help.  I look forward to hearing more about this little boy once she returns.  I will have Julio call her.

I attended  mass yesterday at the church of Divino Nino Jesus.  The church was packed because the people had just finished a new shrine to Mother Suyapa.  Today is the dia Festivo (the day of the festival) of Suyapa.  She is the patron saint of Honduras and the celebration marks 267 years of honoring her in Honduras.  Julio and I were watching the Cardinal say mass at the Basilica of Suyapa earlier.  The church was packed.  I was watching television Friday evening during another mass held in advance of the festivo and I was amazed with all the politicians, including the new president and his wife, plus hundreds  of military and police.  The Archbishop was talking about all the problems etc. in Honduras. I could not help but think of all the corruption in this country. 

VoA is pretty dead again on this Monday, as it is during the week.  The weekends are very busy especially if the sun is out and it's warm.  I was there yesterday.  Those motor taxi's are rough riding bums out here on these rural bumpy roads.  I will tell one thing about riding in these taxi's, not all drivers are created equal.  Some will pile in a number of people which makes it a little dangerous.  Then, when they go downhill they turn the motor off.  I'm sure they think they are saving fuel, but I'm not so sure because I don't think these motors have fuel injection systems, plus it sometimes takes a bit to get the motor started again.

I am going to try and attach a few photos which Julio took over the past few days.  They show Julio providing school supplies to Mayveline, Yesenia, Francesca and Franci.  In some of the photos Julio took a photo of the limperas MHL provided to them since he was not able to get a factura (invoice).  You will also see a photo of Norma Sevillo the mother of little Milton (the boy with a bad heart), Hilana the mother of little Maynor, Franci along with her mother Gloria. Then there are 2 photos of the little indigenous kid that has a cleft lip and pallet.  He had his lip fixed late last year by Operation Smile with help from Mission Honduras LeMars. You can see this little boy is healthy looking.  He loves the 'Then Feed Just One' food, according to his mother.  Julio saw them last Saturday in LeCeiba, MDLF.

By way of information, the club foot brigade at San Felipe hospital has completed its trip.  Remember this brigade treated young Santos from MDLF 2 years ago.  It's hard to imagine 2 years have already passed.  Julio tells me you would never know Santos had those terrible club feet.  He plays soccer and lives a normal life for a kid his age with the only exception he lives in terrible poverty. Also, Operation Sonrisa (Operation Smile) brings another large team to Honduras and San Felipe hospital starting 27 February.  Mission Honduras LeMars assisted greatly with little Santos and his family during the operations on his feet. The little boy from MDLF (Manuel) will need another consult later in the spring to repair his palate.  There are US doctors arriving often at San Felipe.  He will need the palate surgery later this year.  I'm glad all the milk MHL provided, and now with the rice food, he will be able to have the corrective surgery to his palate without problems.

I have some shopping to do so I'd better quit this message.  I wish everyone a happy day.  Be safe, God bless and peace.  I'm glad Julio is back so my laundry will get washed better. Scroll down to look at the 9 photos I sent.

Mr. Francis

  

Franci (multiple leg surgeries)

Mayveline

Francesca

Manuel (split lip and cleft palate)

Milton

Norma (mother of Milton - little boy with bad heart)

Yesenia and her family

Hilana with Maynor (distended abdomen)