Cory working hard under Phil's "leadership"
Cory undergoing the 21st surgery at the John Eaves Medical Clinic
Looks like Stevie has found her calling
Phil using an unorthodox method of Children's ministry
Guadalupe in all her glory!
Hello once again from Honduras,
Well, if you're reading this, you've most likely read yesterday's entry regarding our team's day. You'll be happy to know that today's entry will in no way be as mean-spirited or as inaccurate as that. Let me just say that I will use this space for good and not for the purpose of lifting myself up by insulting others and their ailments. Oh, by the way, my back is much better today after some much needed medical rehabilitation yesterday.
Once again we hit the worksite bright and early this morning (well, in Honduran time). We each assumed our much too familiar positions with shovels in our hands and wheelbarrels at our feet. We spent the rest of the morning moving rocks and sand and loading it a bucket at a time into the cement mixer. Steve however, was allowed to work with all of the wet cement since he claims to have a couple of decades of concrete experience. I tried to claim the same thing in order to have a chance to write my name in the cement but for some reason they didn't believe me and they told me to get away from the experienced workers and go back over to my rock pile.
As we were working away, Cory tried to get out of work by placing about a half inch long splinter deep into the palm of his hand (he claimed he was shoveling rock at the time). Well fortunately, since we were pouring the driveway for the medical clinic, we didn't have to walk far for some of the best medical care in all of Honduras. I think Cory got a little concerned when the doctor brought out the surgery tools on the tray and began asking him to hold out his hand. I think the real problem was that the doctor didn't speak English so Cory was not able to get the usual calming words that it wasn't going to hurt a bit. We're happy to say that Cory pulled through the operation and La Providencia's medical clinic has increased it's record to 21 successful surgeries without losing a patient. I think it's safe to assume that Cory's procedure was one of the least difficult that has been performed at the clinic but we we're still very grateful for the excellent care.
After our day at the site, it was once again time to go over to the church to help with VBS for the community children. These children (ages 3-4) walk in with the cleanest clothes that they can possibly find (which most likely have already been handed down through about a half-dozen other children before them) and the most precious faces you've ever seen in your life. They are each hearing for the first time in their lives that Jesus loves them and cares for them and always will. I look forward to future trips down here where I will be able to see some of these very same children make decisions to follow Christ.
Once we said good-bye to the kids for the day, we were guests of honor at a softball game put on by the church that is sponsoring the VBS. It was so much fun getting to play with some of the older kids from the community and trying to communicate with our very broken Spanish. It was definitely a unique game, especially due to the fact the the field doubles as a soccer field (with soccer definitely having priority). So quite often the game was interrupted as the kids playing soccer would need to run through the infield.
As it began to get dark, we arrived back at our apartment after a pretty exhausting day. Of course Guadalupe had another unbelievable meal prepared for us consisting of the best tacquitos I've ever had in my life.
As you saw in the title of this entry however, our day ended with a very sad piece of news. And that is that Guadalupe has to leave us tomorrow morning due to a family emergency that she just found out about this evening. She lives in a town about two hours from here and has just been here this week in order to cook for us. Please pray for her as she leaves in the morning to go back home. She really is a special person and we are praying for her family.
Well, it's about 2:30 in the morning now so I'm thinking about trying to get some sleep so I can go throw some rock around again in a couple of hours.
Tomorrow(well, I guess I mean today, Friday) is definitely going to be bitter-sweet as we will have to say good-bye to the workers at the site that we've been working side-by-side with all week. We will also be saying good-bye (until our next trip down here) to the kids that will be at our VBS tomorrow.
I am like the Rock of Gibralter(Sp?), so I of course will not cry as we say good-bye, but please pray for those members of our team that are not as strong as me that they will be able to hold it together. And if it says on here tomorrow that I cried when we said good-bye, it's a lie. Really, it is. I'm a rock. Seriously. I am. Bye for now, John
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