Making Progress

I noticed that everyone crawled out of bed a bit more slowly this morning. That tends to happen as the adrenaline from anticipation wears off, and the missioners start to settle into a routing. Plus, we are not used to the altitude here. Everyone, however, is doing a great job of staying rested and hydrated. This morning was a little cool and windy, but this afternoon is sunnier and warmer.

Work continued on the houses after our breakfast French toast and fruit. By the way, Bruce tried to pull off the trick of scaring the girls with a spider that the guys looped over a beam and dropped down into the middle of the table where the girls were eating. He was totally disappointed when Reanna just picked it up off her plate and tossed it aside.

After breakfast most of the missioners continued nailing the siding into place, while other missioners began delivering the gift bags. Gift bag delivery is an experience we like all missioners to have because they see the homes that the families live in. Though most of them are quite clean, all of them show the poverty that exists in this area. As you can see from the pictures below, the families are very grateful for the gift bags. Not all of the homes have dirt floor, and it’s difficult for you to tell from the photos, but there were two homes this morning that had dirt floors. All of the houses are extremely difficult to reach. Some of them we could drive close to and then had to walk with the bag.

Since it’s Friday, and even though the Hondurans don’t follow the “no meat” rule because they very seldom eat meat anyway, we followed it. Lunch consisted of tuna noodle casserole, taro chips, fruit, and machateadas for dessert. Tonight the menu says cheese tacos (quesadillas) with sauce and beans.

For our blog followers: I hope to blog after lunch for the remainder of the trip. That means you’ll be able to read of our adventures by supper time. It will also allow me to go to bed when the other missioners do so I don’t get too tired. I miss out on some of the building, but I can’t do everything I guess. Since Linda usually is there when I am not, the photos will be covered.

Tonight I will give the missioners a chance to send messages to you. I hope to have those posted before bedtime tonight. We are enjoying your comments, especially since I read them aloud at the end of our junta. Special message to Jeremy: I’ll relay your new challenge to the missioners tonight. Bruce did forget to do the push-ups this morning, but we talked about it over lunch to be sure it gets done this afternoon. Tomorrow will be day 3 of the challenge, and Monday will wrap it up, as it will be the 4^th day. Yesterday they had a Honduran audience who truly enjoyed the push-up performance.

As I finish today’s blog, I hear a program taking place on the school grounds. They are honoring fathers because today is Fathers’ Day in Honduras. Many of the children do not have fathers in their lives; there are lots of single mothers here. Actually, just as I was typing this the principal asked me to go outside to see the fathers that were here. She stated that they have 2,000 students and there are only 70 fathers who are in the homes of those students. Perhaps there are a few more, since some could have been at work, but that would not be many. It is quite sad that most of these children will grow up without a father in their lives. We all know that fathers make a big difference in the lives of their children.

lady does laundry in the lagoon

home in NC

Dan feels right at home as he changes a tire

returning from a gift bag delivery to the white house on left

students cleaning the school grounds

clothing store in NC

the roads we travel

Honduran home in Nueva Capital

traveling to work

Push-Up Challenge on Thursday

the homes we see

Proof that we are hydrating

Missioner Blogs

Hey famil,y all is good in Honduras. The food is actually really good here. I miss and love you guys. See you soonJ Brady Livermore

Hey family and friends, how’s life back in Iowa?  Nathan Weber climb any snow piles lately????? Gerardo miss you a lot. Family, hope you guys are holding down the fort back at home. Give buddy a hug for me, love ya, Brian Sauer

Hey Family, it’s been pretty fun so far. The food is pretty good if you like tortillas with everything. The sleeping accommodations are pretty good too. It’s like a big sleepover, but with a lot more snoring. The bad part is that around here the vehicles communicate by honking their horns. The water trucks start driving around 4 a.m. so that’s about the time we all wake up. Chandler, I gave Paola her gift. Her mother and her really appreciate it, and they remembered you. She said she cried a lot when you left last year. Love and miss you, Deven Paulsen

Hola mis amigos Jado and Narb, how is the ACN doing without me??????? Miss y’all and I’ll be fluent in Espanol when I return. Adios, Cooper Eugene Sebastian Davis

Hey mom and dad love ya. I learned some Spanish over the trip so far. Some of the phrases I learned are: Gordo=Fat; Tengo mucho hombre=I am very hungry; Gringo=White man; Vamos a jugar futbol= We are going to play soccer/ Let’s play soccer. My favorite thing to say is “Andele.” The weather is good. I am hot. The food is AMAZING. Adios mi familia! – Ralph

Hi Livermore family. Hi to Bob, Carol, Sydney, and Ryan. Don’t worry, Brady is still alive. Just wanted to say Hi! –Love Steph!!!!!

Hey fam bam! Love and miss you all, yes that means Doug and Paris as well. The food is amazing, and I am having a blast. See you all later! –Love Maddog6820

Hey Mom and Dad, things are going well, can’t wait to tell you all about what’s happened when I get back. I’ll be coming home with a little color, more specifically red. It’s very hot. Tell Cole I really miss him. –Lucas McCarty

Hello parents! Starting things off with the most important question: how is the dog? Give her a big hug for me. Honduras is great. Nice and warm. A bit breezy though. How’s my bracket doing? Oh, the food is muy delicioso. I have many things to talk about when I get back. I am really missing Metallica too. Also I’m getting pumped up for the Styx concert. Thanks, Carli! –Colin Wise

Hola Family and friends, things are going good and the houses are progressing. I am beginning to learn a small amount of Spanish. The food is great and filling. The kids are very caring and loving and very good at soccer. Can’t wait to tell you all the stories and about the people I have met. BFS employees, I’m taking good care of Mango. Lastly, I owe someone a shoutout so here’s your shoutout.   –Thomas Holzman