We had a busy weekend. Friday Madonna came for her regular clinic day. I didn't get the final count, but I heard that they had a full load of patients. I was gone most of the time because also on Friday was our scheduled visitation day for the church. We visited homes and families of five of our students. Saturday was the church soccer event. There were four teams that played a tournament. The purpose of the day was to present the Gospel to the young men. Toward that end, Selvin preached a really good sermon before play began. They started playing at 9 AM and we got home around 5. Sunday we went to El Sauce to pick up people for church and no one was there. Presently we learned that they had not had water for a week and all the men were working at repairing the water lines. Therefore church attendance was less than usual, but we did have a few visitors. Today we arranged for 1000 six inch blocks to be delivered for the dorm construction.
Cheryl left yesterday and arrived home last night without incident. She will be getting ready for Michael’s reception and then the plan is for her to have kidney surgery, again. Many of us are praying for a miracle that will make surgery unnecessary. She received lots of prayer at church last night. We had several visitors from Seis de Mayo. After class yesterday there was a soccer match—3 teams including computer girls, computer guys, and carpentry students. Girls usually win as they are given some distinct advantages. Most are pretty well outfitted; however, one girl was playing goalie in heels and when she booted the ball she lost a shoe. Dina, our new nurse, was here today and saw 20 patients… this morning! She will be back tomorrow with Madonna and have an open medical clinic. When I walked downstairs yesterday morning I was delighted with the flurry of activity. There were sewing students entering class; carpentry students on their bicycles going to get supplies; the engineer just leaving the dorm construction site; the pastor sharing with computer students; Joel working on gardens; children getting their Bible lesson, in the kitchen preparations for morning snack. An hour or so later Cheryl would be giving a Bible lesson to the English/computer class….and so on. The Monday luncheon with the pastor and his wife has become very productive. Yesterday we discussed doctrine and church history; their schedule for fall and winter; music for the church; and the impact the church is having/will have. This noon we had all of the Hoffs for lunch to celebrate Katrina’s first birthday. Afterward Nicolas and I met with the lawyer again. Two more sessions and we will have our documents ready to take to the capitol. - Gary
Yesterday was a teacher’s conference so we had 46 children in the morning and 36 in the afternoon. Such an increase is significant when you realize we have to feed everyone. We went to Baracoa for a visit with the village president in order to find out how the OSU/EWB water filter project is going. They are still interested in putting a filter in every house—but they haven’t made very good progress. We also visited the project in Seis de Mayo and they are progressing. Today we went to San Pedro to run all of our errands. We hadn’t been in awhile; I counted about 20 stops.
Over the weekend we put out notices that our nurse, Dina, would be here twice a week. Yesterday she saw 15 patients. She came back today specifically to get the medications organized, and she had several more patients. It looks like this is going to become an important part of the Ministry.
This morning Nickolas and I went up to the private school and handed out pen pal gifts that were sent by Stephanie Weckler's group in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For the first time that I can remember, we had a gift for everyone and there were none left over; and there was only one substitution. Today I spent time both morning and afternoon with Nelson's English classes. In the afternoon class he was able to speak mostly English; and in the morning class, which is less advanced, so a little of both. This afternoon we had another session with the lawyer on our tax status. Seems like we spend a lot of time on that but we are making good progress. Gary First of all, we had our new nurse, Dina, all day for the first time. Little Jose, the boy with spina bifida, came back to have his dressings of his infected back changed; and Maria, the motor accident victim, returned to have her wounds dressed. We are putting out notices today that will have a nurse here all day every Monday and Thursday. Four of the translators from Atlantic School returned also (for the second time) to bring diapers, clothing, food, etc. They stayed for lunch as did our lawyer who showed up at noon for an 11 o’clock meeting. Afterward we had a very productive meeting concerning our tax exempt status. Emelie, the translator for Dr Wendy McConnell, was so moved by the condition of this little Jose who has spinia bifida, she has returned twice since the team left bringing diapers and ministering to him when he comes back to the mission center to get his bandages changed.
7/5/13 Friday Honduras Mission Day # 5 Well, we have made it thru this amazing week in Honduras. There have been so many blessings that they can't be counted all at once. The relationships that we have made with the locals here are cemented in our hearts and will last a lifetime. They are so eager to learn about our lives as we are about theirs. I've never seen a people that are so receptive to hearing the gospel and the Love of Jesus Christ and so respectful to our efforts. It truly means a lot to them that we are willing to come to serve them in their needs. I think it is as hard on them to see us go as it is for us to leave knowing that it may be some time before we see them again. I can speak for myself that a part of my heart will always be here at the Mission. This is the first Mission trip I have made out of the country and it has changed my heart for the better about knowing my fellow man from another culture. Building this dormitory was just the catalyst to bringing our hearts together. The language barrier served us to try harder to get to know one another. I know we butchered a lot of words but it created a lot of good laughs. Gathering Hearts Mission is a tremendous blessing to the local people here in Honduras and to those that are willing to travel here to help others. The best part about coming here is that those that come are usually the ones that receive the biggest blessing. Meeting Gary and Cheryl Kuney has has been an amazing experience. I have never met a couple that is SO committed to serving others and sharing the gospel that I am greatly humbled by their efforts. The medical team did an outstanding job seeing over 320 patients from fevers and sinus infections to some very serious conditions. We used local student translators in our efforts to communicate with these wonderful people and one of which has so moved with compassion by the condition of a little boy with spina bifida that she broke down in tears and had to take a break. Now she has committed to further needs of this family that lives in one of the houses that was built by the funds that were raised by the track team at Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa, Ok. I have so many new memories that I pray that i will not soon forget. I have many new brothers in Christ and that is a wonderful feeling that's will always have. Working with the locals they have nick named us. I was tagged with ="the Terminator" I'll be back! Nelson Orr 7/4/13 Thursday. Honduran Mission
Day # 4 After a very busy morning of working triage, Jim Pile and I, along with our translator Saby, went with Gary to take a tour of the Puerto Cortez Government Hospital. The experience was eye opening, from unsanitary conditions to the anxious faces of patients waiting to be seen. The power was out, so the heat carried the smells of the dried blood and sweating patients. The Disney cartoons on the walls of the children's ward did little to make it feel like a welcoming place. There are not words to describe the feeling of that hospital. I have not seen a place in more need of prayer than that hospital and I'm sure the other hospitals in the area. Mark Keilbarth "I did not want to come to English class yesterday. I did not want to come to English class today. I do not want to come to English class tomorrow." That was my introduction on Monday to Yolinda, a quiet, sullen young girl who sat alone at the back of the advanced English as a Second Language class. The Honduran teacher, Nelson Osorto, was puzzled why the teen attended the class if she disliked it so much. Today, though, Yolinda was the captain of the girls' team, encouraging her team in the board race and a flashing a winning smile as the chicas beat the chicos. As we closed the week's classes, precious Yolinda came to the front of the class, gave me a hug & a kiss, and told me she loves English class and is so glad that we came to Honduras to help teach her English and to talk about Jesus. Amazing what some laughter, some prayer, and a heaping measure of the Holy Spirit's grace and leading can do in the face of two languages, two cultures, and two generations. Praise be to God! Kathy Pile 7/2/13 Tuesday. Honduras Mission Day # 2 So we tackled the second day at the mission with the same zeal and excitement as the first with a few more blisters, mosquito bites, and really rough Spanish phrases. We have been continually humbled by the language barrier. Not being able to communicate even the simplest messages can be humorously frustrating. Mrs. Pyle and Dan put on some great games that everyone couldn't resist joining in. Even Nelson, the ESL teacher, had to join in. Many relationships are being formed with the students. The medical team treated over 75 patients and more importantly God provided more opportunities than yesterday to pray and share the gospel with patients. The construction team tried to keep up with our Honduran friends as we continued to work on the foundation of the dorms. We are finally picking up on simple phrases such as "rocko," "cemento", "concreto", "bucketo", and "pappas" (rough English to Spanish translations). We are excited to see what God has in store for us tomorrow. -James Keilbarth (Written on a bus) |