Three years ago my husband began bringing groups of engineering students to Honduras to work on water projects in Seis de Mayo. As I learned more about the ministry of Gathering Hearts for Honduras I began to dream of a family mission trip. I was particularly interested in the sewing classes taught at the mission house.... When the opportunity came to accompany the group from OSU this year we were thrilled! We prepared several sewing related activities to share with a variety of ages… On our first day we worked with Norma’s sewing classes and Myrna’s children’s class… On Tuesday Nicolas took Susan, Karen and me, along with our translators, to a nearby public school… We had burlap sewing activities for about 45 students... My daughters performed a skit about being stuck in sin. I shared a message about how we can get stuck in sin, fear, anger or pain; and how Jesus can rescue us… Tuesday afternoon we sewed another project with Norma’s class at the Mission House. Thursday morning we filled the church behind the Mission House with a group of fifty or more 7th – 9th grade students. I shared a message about choices we have in the midst of trials. I encouraged them to consider the consequences of the choices they are making at this point in their lives. I reminded them that no matter the situation they can always choose Jesus and the life He offers. Afterwards the girls decorated personal information pages and we took pictures to match each one of them with an e-mail pen pal. The engineering education team conducted a water filtration experiment with the boys. Then Nicolas suggested we visit the worksite to show the students the water filters built by the EWB team. Several students gave us hugs and thanks as we said “Good-bye.” ...Thursday afternoon we had an intimate Bible Study with Norma’s sewing class. They are a group of sweet believers…
In addition to our time with the people in Honduras, the girls and I were able to get to know the OSU students much more personally. It was the first time for most of the students to hear the testimony of God’s grace toward our family in the face of the loss of our son. I had many individuals share personal testimonies with me. I was encouraged to hear so many of them express a desire to serve the Lord, particularly through using their engineering training. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” - Ephesians 3:20, 21 Lourdes, who helps in the kitchen with the children's feeding program, passed out this morning and was taken to the government hospital. This hospital does not always give the best of care. Your prayers for her are greatly appreciated - please pray that an accurate diagnosis might be made and that she would receive quality care.
Hello, Gary and Cheryl,
We started the day with a great tour of Landau Apparel with Mauricio. They treated us like celebrities and painted a great picture of their company. In Seis de Mayo, the students had a very productive meeting with the Patronato. They want to start building filters on Monday! They have a very realistic plan for getting started, I think. A man named Manuel will direct construction and they have raised enough money to pay someone for labor. It is all very exciting. We are now in Tela, which is beautiful. The students are really enjoying themselves. And as usual, Nicolas is helping us feel safe. Attached is a shot from our factory tour with our guide, Francisco. Thank you again for your marvelous hospitality. It has been another awesome experience. Sending you best wishes for improving strength. Sincerely, Greg Wilber I am in contact with Oklahoma State University Engineers without Borders team several times a day while they are there at our mission center in Honduras. The goal of the project was to put water filters in the villagers home and educate them as to why it is important to drink purified water. The team has had a very successful and enjoyable time. They feel they have accomplished their goals, and have also had a great time. They especially enjoy playing soccer with the local kids there.
Here is an excerpt from one of Eric Lam’s (student team leader) emails so far: 3/19 “Nicolas and Beto have been fantastic as facilitators and have been quite accommodating to our needs. Beto has talked up our project to everyone he passes. Alfredo has been around all yesterday and today, from morning to evening, helping us cut wood. I honestly think we wouldn't have progressed so much the pass two days without his knowledge. Joel was helpful with stormwater tasks. “Speaking of the project, Brinny the secretary of El Patronado says they have collected down payments of ten people totaling about $100. They were under the impression that we would take the money. We are planning on letting them keep it to pay a wage for a worker to build the rest of the filters and get more payments. Hopefully this will build momentum to keep the project going. 3/22 “As weird as it sounds, I think the project is almost finished. Tomorrow we will talk to El Patronado and ask them about going forward with the project. Their foreman has come to every training we have had and we think he will be great as the person in charge. We'll share our report with you when we get it written up. Much hope, Eric Lam" The doctors are trying to adjust medications that will not interfere with Gary's heart meds but Gary is falling a lot and his cognitive skills are still impaired. For those who don't know, Gary had a fall and hit his head early February and we began noticing that his responses were not his usual. Tests show that he has had a stroke. We appreciate your continued prayers for Gary as he recovers. Update posted by Janice.
We would appreciate your prayers especially for Gary. An MRI showed there has been a stroke. Gary is not incapacitated, but he is definitely not himself and we do not yet know the extent of the damage.
We are to depart San Pedro tomorrow morning and arrive in Tulsa tomorrow night and hopefully be in a doctor’s office on Wednesday. It is hard to leave here. There has been such great momentum with two teams just here and another one arriving on Saturday. You could check out the blog of what team members from FUCM experienced here in February at www.firstmissionwordpress.com . Isaac Hotz medical team from Greely, CO will also be sending in some blogs. Do pray for the Oklahoma State University team of nineteen that will be here next week. The “president” of Seis de Mayo who coordinated the water filter program with them was killed in a car accident not long after she had met with us in the mission center. Please pray for her family, this project and for the OSU team who will have neither Gary nor I and now also not their coordinator. Dr Isaac Hotz and wife Ann Isaac Hotz and team saw nearly 300 patients in three and a half days. This included going out in a rural area of RonDon. There are so many setbacks. Wednesday we were without water and electricity. People waited sometimes all day There were more than several seriously ill people who needed a lot of care and yet this team made the best of it. Dr Michele Myers and translator Marco They were also a great help and encouragement to us personally. They made difficult situations easier. It was at this time we thought our van would be confiscated by the police. The police had pulled Nicolas over because he did not have some kind of documentation license plates, BUT the company that makes the plates has been on strike. They threatened to take the van if their deadline was not met. If they had confiscated it, It would not have been back in the same condition. Nicolas managed to get the right documentation in time. He is such a blessing.
Dr Isaac Hotz and his team left today. Pictures and blogs of their time here is coming. We are not preparing for the Oklahoma State University Engineers without Borders team of 19 to arrive on Saturday. Yesterday, we met with Claudia, the president of Seis de Mayo. She is the coordinator between the villagers who have water filters and the engineers. She has worked with us for some time. Later in the day after she left here, she was killed in a car accident in Campana, just north of here. Do pray for her loved ones and for all concerned in this project.
Dr Isaac Hotz’s team of doctors and medical staff saw over 275 patients in three days and clinic is still going on today. People from the villages start coming to the mission center as early as six and wait in line until nine when the clinic begins. Tuesday, in spite of a heavy wind storm, then went to a nearby village, RonDon, to see 87 patients, some too ill to come to clinic. Yesterday was more excitement that we like to have in one day. In addition to having no electricity and no water, the police pulled Nicolas over in our new van and said they would confiscate it if we did not get plates and some other documentation. The company that manufactures the plates has been on strike, and there are no plates to be found. Our concern was that if they did get the van, it could be a long to time to process and it would not come back the same. They gave Nicolas a grace time to get the documentation. That is not easy to get in a hurry down here, but Nicolas managed it and we have the van today.
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