We Say Adios

This morning our team rushed into action the minute we were done eating our pancakes and fruit. Bruce, Fr. Matt, and Pat did inventory at the compound, Linda and Carolyn went with Francis and Julio to purchase groceries and materials for the families, and the rest of the missioners headed for the homes to decorate them for the families. The students were able to use the left-over wood to build tables, shelves, storage units, or whatever they designed. The men were allowed only to guide them in their projects.

The decorating time passed very quickly and the students were late for lunch because they didn’t want to stop decorating their houses. We lunched on spaghetti with hamburger, cucumbers, tomatoes, and fruit. Some people played with the children and others relaxed a bit. Then it was time to “gift” the houses.

Marta Sosa, our Honduran helper, read the contract and had the adults sign it. Fr. Matt then led a prayer in Spanish and blessed the homes and home owners. I gave them a mission t-shirt and cross; then turned over their door keys and welcomed them to their homes.

Many tears of joy were shed as the new owners entered their beautiful homes. They were awestruck at what they saw. They thanked us over and over. Fr. Matt blessed the crosses that Jim Konz had made for the homes, and they were hung in the spot chosen by the owners. A side note: we forgot the hammer and nails to hang them, so in typical Honduran fashion, we used what was available. We searched the ground for nails and a rock. The rock was then used to pound in the nails for the crosses.

Everyone toured the homes and shared countless hugs. We gathered everyone together for a huge group photo in front of the homes and finally said our adioses.

Much of the day was spent hugging and saying good-bye to our new friends. It was an emotional day for all.

Our final junta was an excellent way to end our mission projects. We ended with a special message sent by Richard Seivert, director of Mission Honduras LeMars and Then Feed Just One. Due to the lateness of the hour, I plan to post that when I get back home so you can read the message sent to us.

We look forward to greeting you in Omaha. Your family members’ coats were left in Fr. Matt’s office at school. If you have time to grab them for your missioners, they might appreciate it. We have been working in hot conditions and may be a bit more sensitive to the cooler temperatures in Iowa.

Good night from Nueva Capital! Thanks for following our blog.

I pose with my former students.