One group spent the day visiting Laguna del Carmen in the mountains above Quimistan.  Looks like it's going to be a rough ride! 

 In the village, Klancie consulted with a former Red Cross nurse who cares for the village, while the rest of us (including the guys) made bead bracelets with the children.

Christy helped the children get started on their bracelets.

Jack, Jonathon, and Rusty prepared for fluoride treatments.  We also gave deworming treatments and handed out toothpaste, toothbrushes, and floss.

During lunch, we bagged up beans and rice to deliver to families in need.  Wayne and Colin filled bags of beans.

Klancie and a happy resident of Laguna del Carmen!

Wayne demonstrated what to do with the glow sticks we brought to give away!

 We gave away beans and rice to households along the way back down the mountain.

A beautiful view from the road leaving the village!

A second group returned to Santa Clara for VBS.  Kathryn, Craig, Katie, Missy, and Anne sang with the children and taught "Jesus Loves Me" in sign language and English.

 Katie helped a little girl decorate her cross.

  

 Amy and Anna Marie illustrate the students' word for the day - spider - teaching "The Itsy Bitsy Spider!"

 Craig taught American history to a group of 1st graders.

Teaching the children "This Little Light of Mine!"

Anna Marie, Craig, Katie and Suyapa, who visited Starkville before Christmas, sang with the children.

Arturo saddled a horse for the girls to have a little fun!  Tanner got a lesson from her dad and one of our Honduras friends!

The construction group continued work on the clinic.

 

 Andrew, Jack, and John mixed cement for the foundation.

As you can see, lots of different projects are taking place here in Honduras.  Our team is tired but happy at the end of each day.  After showers, supper and a devotional, we're ready for an early bedtime!  We covet your continued prayers for our team - for our safety, for our work, and for the people we are serving.  Buenos noches!

We had a visitor on the porch of the cafeteria the other night.  

 Today our team visited La Cebita School in the morning.  We gave flouride and deworming treatments to more than two hundred children.  

This is a home we saw while touring La Cebita.

This team traveled to the "Swinging Bridge" Community in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, we visited the "Swinging Bridge Community" where again we could see the benefits of your generosity and compassion to the people of Honduras.  This is a bridge built by our church and in the picture below you can see the log previously being used as a crossing.

 Amy taught a Bible lesson to the children.

We met the local residents of the "Swinging Bridge Community".

 We had our hearts broken in Tejeras.  This meal is provided by our church to these children three times a week.  They walk down a busy highway carrying a plate and cup and are served a hot meal.  Women of the Church, today you fed these beautiful children.  Some did not bring plates, but plastic lids from containers and thermos tops.  The need was overwhelming and we had to ration out the last of the food because we had so many to serve.  Believe me when I tell you that it was difficult to maintain composure or to even process what we saw.  They were so hungry and we did not have enough.  

This is the road the people travel to and from Tejeras.  We saw children three years old leading smaller children by the hand down this road.  

Thanks to all of you who are praying for us.  The weight of the needs around us has begun to really sink in and we are at times having difficulty understanding how to even help.  Tonight, we are all tucked in bed listening to the steady rhythm of a good hard rain. To God be the glory.

Construction Team

Wayne demonstrating the Honduran Cement Mixer

Footings under construction

John supervising?

Management

Jeff, Andrew, and Jimmy discussing where they will eat lunch!

1st Course of blocks

Yes, Rusty actually works!  

A quick alternate project

Wayne, Collin, and Jonathan painted the local church

Painting and Tropical Breaks

This is the first of a couple of posts we are going to try to put up today.   Wayne, Colin, and Jonathan helped paint a Catholic Church in Santa Clara.  In the other photos, the constuction crew took a couple of "coconut" breaks to cool off.  Things are moving along and we still have several things going.  More about that later. 

May 29, 2012

Our day began early with a trip to the local hospital in Quimistan.  The hospital had agreed to lend us the use of a dental room for our work among the people of Honduras.  Our focus today was on the village of Laguna del Carmen (Wilmer's Village).  The people of this remote village have had little medical care and had never seen a dentist.  We saw a total of 48 patients today.  Desperate is not an adequate word to describe the need.  This is how our patients arrived.

Panama Jack (a.k.a Andrew Fountain), Katie Bell, and Kathryn Stringer oversee the coloring operation for the children awaiting their dental appoinment.

Christy Burton, Jack Smith, Wilmer, Andrew Fountain, and Craig Aarhus hanging out in the Quimistan hospital.

 Quimistan Hospital

 Roadside music lesson.

 This is Sandra Roja's house that was built by our church during last year's trip.  Sandra is our cook while we're in town.

 Mary Adele blowing bubbles with a Honduran child.

 Children awaiting their turn to be dental patients.

 We kept the children busy with vacation bible school activities before and after their dental visits.

 Mary Elizabeth and Anna Marie...big smiles from the standouts on the dental team!!!

 Klancie "boss lady" Smith, dental office manager with Daniel, our trusty translator.

 Mary Adele Rackley and Kathryn Stringer are getting ready to give a patient her first ever dental cleaning.

 Mary Adele hard at work.  Future dentist?

 Vacation bible school leader Amy Aarhus did a fantastic job with the kids.  They had so much fun learning, coloring, singing and playing.  Today was the first day that most of these children had ever heard of Jesus!

This is probably our favorite picture of the day.  The line was literally out the door of the hospital with the children waiting for their dental appointments.

 Fear not.  This young man survived his extraction just fine!

 More kids at the hospital.

 Tanner Smith and Andrew engaged in strenous manual labor outside the hospital.

 Suyapa tried her best to teach Tanner the finer points of drinking fresh coconut milk!

 Quimistan hospital.

 This is what became of Tanner when she harrassed Wesley nonstop for three days about a loose tooth.  Tonight, the tooth fairy will be at Martha's compound.  He might not admit it, but this was his favorite patient of the day.

She was all smiles in the end, but it was touch and go for a few minutes.

Construction continued today in Santa Clara.  The footing were poured and the wire was tied for the columns.  Tomorrow they will lay blocks and build forms for the columns.  Pray for the continued success of our mission.  Your prayers are being felt and appreciated.