March 14 San Jose del Cayo

Today was the last day for the medical team. They ended on a good note, seeing 193 people. All of the patients got vitamins, and most got cough medicine. There were also lots of stomach problems due to the water in San Jose del Cayo. The medical team also ran out of scabies medicine. Some of us were able to make a home visit to a nice young man who had a bullet wound to the head, and was paralyzed on his left side and having occasional epileptic seizures. Also, there was a woman who had severely high blood pressure, and although we did not have any medicine for this, we were able to go out to a nearby store that sold it and get a two-month supply for her. There was also a girl who had lost vision in her right eye and was losing it in her left. This village was one filled with many happy people. There was a 15 year old pregnant girl who was happy as could be, and there was a little old lady who smiled the whole time.
The amazingly efficient construction groupo was doing just that today. We constructed the things needed in order for the cement to be poured. This meant taking out original wall plus into the ground, and making the supports for the sides of the columns, along with the rebar reinforcements on the inside of the will-be columns for much needed support. Taking out the existing wall took awhile, along with trying to use a saw which was having a hard time sawing. We decided that it was too sharp to be able to cut the wooden boards which needed to be cut. Aside from this it was another overall nice, hot day of hard work for the much-needing commmunity. Tomorrow some people are going to pour in the cement into the columns, and then on monday we are going to help put on the roofing.

Señor Benjamin de la Perkasie

March 13 El Cipres

Finally our suitcases have arrived tonight! Much needed vitamins were attained through this discovery. Today, our medical team saw 130 people at El Cipres with many more people being dewormed. A lot of scabies cases were reported, along with a bunch of wounds that needed treatment. Yet again, there were stories that stuck out to us. One was a boy with a swelled foot due to infection. An older lady with diabetes had a discolored ulcer on her foot, and it's probable that she will lose it in the future. There was a 9 year old with Herpes on his armpit area. Also, a 70 year old had a bullet stuck in his head. This was due to his defending his daughter from a man who was loco.

Through the excruciating job of mixing the intense cement by hand, the amazingly effiecient construction groupo was painstakingly able to complete tres floors, all in the Santa Ana region. While Neptali finalized the floor, we were able to go throughout the community along the river to view the dwellings of our neighbors. One particular shelter stood out when looked upon. Once we cometh closer to the building where people lived, we realized that the shelter which we had looked upon was actually constructed from only cardboard. We immediately felt for the family that dwelled here.
Gustavo has been concentrating very hard at holding down the bench at the little pulperia near to our site of work. Today he worked especially hard when he picked up a pala full of cemento. Through all the great things that were accomplished through the extremely hard work, Mincho was to blame for all of it. Tomorrow we will be consructing columns for Pastor Juan in front of the church so he can have a roof over the place where the kids can play.

Señor Benjamin de la Perkasie

March 12 Community of Aldea Mealer

Everyone is healthy so far, except for that everyone is suffering from CLD (Chronic Laughing Disorder). The other three suitcases have not arrived yet. Our medical team went to Meulir village today, which was a nice and bumpy ride. We saw approx. 160 people. A few stories stuck out to us. The first was an old man with Parkinson's disease who was alert and thankful for the prayers because we did not have medicine for his disease. We also saw a boy in a unique wheelchair with muscular dystrophy who was able to walk last year. Another story that touched us was a 16 year old with a baby with a big head. This was touching because we knew that this was a situation that needed surgical attention, and this is something that we cannot supply. There were also some fun things like a bearded 90 year old man whom we called Abraham and he was still working, and another was an 82 year old man that was kind of the town comedian and also a great singer.
Today was another great day for the amazingly efficient construction groupo. We completed tres floors while mixing triple batches by hand. One of the houses that we graciously helped to provide an exciting new floor to was also a house that was worked on at last year by one of our church's team's consrtuction groupos. When we had finished working early, Pastor Juan took some of us to visit some of the families along the river that we had worked at last year (Santa Ana). At the end of the day, we had to haul the mixer to Gustavo's house in the city.
For lunch we were able to have ham and cheese sandwiches, which were delicious. Aurora made three sandwiches for each of us. Most of us only had two, except for Bob. The meals have been muy delicioso.

Señor Benjamin de la Perkasie

March 11 Gracias a Dios / Santa Ana - Pastor Juan
We are still waiting for the other suitcases to arrive. We did not obtain extra medicine from San Francisco. We saw Carla briefly as we passed her by in the van. Our medical team saw about 240 people today. Some of the stories caught our group's eye tonight as we discussed our day. These included a 24 year old woman who had 4 kids and the first one she had at age 11, at least two epileptic patients (one also had a head injury during a seizure), and a woman who had MS in her brain and was losing sight and a little hearing. The construction team (aka Barry) had problems with the truck. They got the assistance of a 15 year old. The amazingly efficient construction groupo had the Hulk-like strength to complete four excruciatingly grande floors. We carried multple large buckets full of heavy sand uphill from the river which was downhill from the house where we were working.
Prayer for the process of Pastor Juan and the community obtaining the lot next to the existing church is much appreciated. They would like to get this lot to buld a main church hall and use the existing room as a Sunday school/ kindergarten place. This lot is expensive for this community and they would like our prayers as to how they can obtain it.

Señor Benjamin de la Perkasie

March 10 Gracias a Dios and Pastor Juan

We finally got to work today in Pastor Juan's community. The medical team got to see 195 people, all with different complications. All were dewormed. Several stories stuck out to all of us. Some of them were Miguel and Adalid, a teenager with cerebral palsy, a lady with a lump on her clavicle, and a 75 year old lady with most likely lung cancer. Miguel is a very special young man who has basically adopted Adalid, a 10 or 11 year old boy who was abandoned by his mother in his sleep, and is taking him under his wing. Adalid cannot read or write, and is walking pretty well after having knee surgery. Each of these have their own stories behind them, and touched our hearts. All of the pen pals letters were delivered today to Pastor Juan, and we saw four of them at the clinic today, and took their pictures, and we hope to bring back letters from each of them at the end of our trip, and...., and....
We only completed two floors today, yet the scientific methodic engineering of the construction sites within the boundaries of the living quarters of the families was successfully supreme in fufilling the destiny of the future of the floors, and was much appreciated by the grateful recipients.
The improvement of the community was much recognized by Carmen, as she has seen throughout the past three years. The people have become more connected through each other and most importantly through the church. Much of the improvement is due to the leadership of Pastor Juan and the involvement of MAMA in the community. This has been great to witness.

Señor Benjamin de la Perkasie

Paola's Story:
I was blessed this morning when Paola walked into the room where we were seeing people. She didn't seem to be afraid of approaching us, and she said a few words in English that she had learned in school. From that moment on, I was really impressed with this 8 year old. I kept thinking about her all day long, how she told she was abandoned by her father, and the mother wasn't there for her. Plus she only lived with one woman, who took care of her. Even though they were not related, they seem very attached and close, like a grandmother-granddaughter relationship. Yet in spite of all this, she acted so happy and excited. This is actually worth it sharing her story, how poverty, abandonment and all other sources of limitations have not been able to quench in Paola's heart that excitement in life. What a tremendous example for the rest of us. Please pray for Paola as the Lord leads, that she would be able to continue to walk in that joy given by God, which is her strength.

Rolando

March 9 - San Pedro Sula and Lake Yojoa area - San Francisco de Yojoa

We received 8 of the 11 suitcases that didn't arrive yesterday with the other luggage. It was a beautiful day for us to visit the MAMA Project at San Francisco de Yojoa. We conversed with the Project administrator, Elena. She showed us the rooms and kitchen and we met the mothers and children that were staying at the center. It was great to see a father come and visit his wife and four sons. Then we were off to see Lake Yojoa. We ate a delicious meal lakeside consisting of tilapia (a type of fish caught from the lake), fried plantains and a soft drink. On the way back to the apartments we stopped for some fresh pineapple and bananas. When we got back to the apartments we sorted the meds into five suitcases. We went swimming for a little while then had to get ready for church with Pastor Juan. The service was very lively and the singing was enthusiastic by all. Even though we could not understand the word we recognized the tunes and were able to praise God. We met some of the children that we will be seeing later this week.

Brent

March 8, 2008: We arrived safely, just 2 hours late. This meaning we, the people, arrived safely not the luggage. Half the suitcases arrived, and half didn't. We were short 3 personal suitcases and 8 medicinal suitcases. Everything went as planned at the hotel. Then we went to Pollo Fuerte (a.k.a. Power Chicken), and chowed down the delicious assortment of authentic Honduran cuisine. Gustavo showed us how the real Hondurans drive. Gustavo, Aurora, and Dinora picked us up at the airport, while Larry was waiting for us for 4 hours after arriving on time, unlike us. Looking forward to seeing Pastor Juan and the MAMA project in San Francisco de Yojoa (hoya, joyo, jojo, joya, joia, yojo....take your pick), and eating fishheads at the lake, and attending Pastor Juan's iglesia.



-Señor Benjamin de la Perkasie