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 Gregg Alsbrooks July 10, 2010 at 11:07pm
Subject: Honduras Trip Update Good afternoon, everyone! (Or, for you, it may be evening!) This is our first chance to sit down with the internet and tell you how things are going. We had a smooth travel day on Wednesday… no problems. But it was long! We arrived The next morning, when we arrived to the church at 9am, we found out that we had to leave right away and go to a school where there would be 400 children! Needless to say, we were in scramble mode. But it worked out well. Our team responded like champs… Jared Corbin was especially helpful during this time, leading the VBS and helping us to be able to connect with all the children. A portion of our group stayed at the work site, and got a good full days’ work in. Not only did they work hard, but they connected well with the Honduran workers who were there. The VBS group went back out again in the afternoon to a different school, this time about 150 or so kids. We had worked out some of the kinks, and the VBS flowed even better. The work crew joined us at the very end, and we had a great time of just playing with the kids after the VBS program was over. The next day a VBS group went to yet another school, with about 200-300 kids. This time we had a sound system, so we were real dangerous! Even with the sound system, the children sang louder than the music! Hopefully, we can get some video uploaded so you can see it for yourself!. We are really excited about how the kids are responding, and blown away by the opportunity to see so many kids! It’s a humbling experience to be used by God in this way! We are excited that schools are asking us to come back. Two of these schools have never had white, non-Catholic groups come in and do VBS. We are excited that we may be paving the way for other groups to come in later and do VBS as these same schools. We pray that there will be much fruit! The work crew went at it again on Friday. They are helping to mix cement, chipping away at a big wall to get “laha” to help fill the walls, unloading brick trucks, and they are helping to make the corners for the building out of rebarb. Kevin Knight is even laying block for the walls! (This is a big deal, since the workers are not accustomed to letting teams do work like this.) It’s a lot of hard work, and they are doing a great job. Our missionaries have commented about how our group is doing well with connecting with the workers. On Friday afternoon, we went on pastoral rounds with Pastor Riggo, and hiked around 2 miles, climbing several hundred feet maybe. We met with four families and came face to face with HUGE need. At one of the homes, we gave backpacks and school supplies to the family so their kids can go to school. Not only can they have an opportunity to learn, but they can also have a safe place to be during the day, when there may be no adults or older teens at home because of work. We hope to be able to meet some needs of individual families while we are here. This is something you definitely want to ask team members about when we get back! Today (Saturday) we traveled to Agua Dulcita, a remote town outside Siguatepeque. It is about an hour drive, going to a much higher elevation. We had the opportunity to do VBS with a group of about 50 kids there, and spend a lot of time playing with them afterward, using the parachute and doing some face painting. It was a fun time for the whole team.
Denise Jordan All is well here in Honduras and God is good despite some challenges. Our travel day could not have gone more smoothly, from checking in - to flights and waiting. It was a long day but again went great. Our dinner ended up taking longer than expected with messed up orders... but hey what do you expect from a bunch of Americans who mostly don’t speak English. Thurs - Our first work day was INTERESTING and so AMAZING and EXCITING. We ate breakfast and the work crew headed off to work site and VBS folks to a Catholic school who has NEVER allowed Protestants to go there. So we were in an open area court yard setting up when kids started to come out of their rooms. It was so powerful and God’s spirit was so real to me that I had goose bumps. The kids just kept coming - our count was 250-300 kids. Needless to say we had to remain flexible because we prepared for 80 kids 2x a day. Let’s just say lots of plans go out the window when you get there. But God is working a miracle with me... I am remaining flexible with HIS help. We did our program and it went well. Jared led us. Jared was awesome. He speaks Spanish like a champ and has such a heart for these people! We passed out pieces of candy a sticker and Dalton and Davis did balloon swords. Kids started to come from the neighborhood also which was CRAZY! Getting out of there was a bit challenging. The boys were mobbed by kids wanting balloons. All the kids did great. Martha was our clown and did a great job. After lunch, I went to market with shoppers... WOW, what an experience. The VBS crew went back to another VBS... Smaller group of young kids with only 100... Can’t believe I am saying only 100. At any rate after we were done our program the work crew stopped in and EVERYONE got to play with the kids. It was really cool. The work crew is doing an awesome job. The team before us has paved the way to open the door of trust and they are letting us do more and more. Kevin was even allowed to lay block with the locals. The work is tough, chiseling away at something like a limestone wall to make cement. But many people have said our boys are hard workers, and girls. In the evening, Luke got pretty sick with stomach bug. However, he is doing great now. Davis also got sick once during the night but not nearly as sick, only threw up one time. Fri - Mike stayed back to hotel in morning with Davis and Luke. We headed off two groups, one VBS, one work site. We were told we would go to a school to visit two classes around 80 kids. We were in an open court and again, kids started to pour out of classes we thought we had 100 or so, but it didn’t stop ended up with 200! Again Jared led the songs and did all the talking to the kids. Afternoon - we stopped back to hotel and took Davis and Luke to work site. Still weak but rested at church. We ate lunch and took a hike from the church to visit a family with 9 children and a Mom. Only 7 kids were there with the 9 year old in charge. Mother was out working. We took school supplies and clothes to this one family but had to be discrete so others did not realize we brought them items. It was living conditions beyond explainable. One home the grandmother with 7 grandkids cried as she explained her husband had gone to the hospital and was their only provider. We prayed with her and I wept and just felt moved to such compassion. We have so much and these people have so little. We went to many houses with the pastor to Sat breakfast Jared wasn’t feeling well. Weston was really feeling rough. Left both at hotel with Kevin, while others went to Aqua Sieta, a very remote village, took 1 hour and 30 min to travel 20 miles. Did VBS for 80 children. Did face painting, salvation bracelets and used salvation puppets. THANKS LouAnne for those! We are back at hotel area with some much needed down time. Jared is doing well up and around, I think just exhausted more than anything. Weston is very sick, fever and stomach... everyone who has gotten sick - so far seems to have different symptoms. Pray for health for all team members. Hagerstown had a 24 hour bug, hit 16 out of the 24. I so wish I had more time to write. God’s spirit has been so real to the team and the missionaries here Amy and Tom have been wonderful hosts. Tell Kathy that Morgan is doing very well. He loved his care package. Davis is working hard and doing well... he didn’t lose his passport. Sierra felt a bit bad one day but is doing well. David is doing well too. He was a clown today with Martha at VBS. Sam is doing well also and moving outside of her comfort zone with so much sickness around. Hey I really need to go. Weston just showed up in this shop looks great and says he feels great! Praise the Lord. Jonathan K. was feeling a bit rough today too, but seems to be better Luke is great now, please tell Lene, but I will also try to call. I love you all very much and covet your prayers. Love, |
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