(this is Angie, watching her own and her sister's baby, with whom I study each Sunday afternoon)When I last wrote, we were preparing to leave for a 2 nite trip up to Las Vallas on horses to do a Women's Clinic and a hospital survey, assessing community needs for both evangelism and for community development. We put a lot of energy into preparing, complete with borrowing bicycling shorts to protect my bottom on the wooden saddles! We picked up the male RN at the public health clinic in Balfate, and with all our backpacks and a visiting MD, Dr. Evelin, headed out close to the end of the road to meet the horses that had been sent down the steep trail to take us up. Well, we got there 15 minutes early, really hyped for this adventure- to hear that the locals had been there and departed for some unknown reason! We occupied the sunday afternoon as best we could, dealing with our disappointment, wondering why the Lord had closed that door after such thorough preparations. After exploring a nearby waterfall and introducing Dr. Evelin to Rio Coco, we headed back to the hospital to unpack our carefully prepared backpacks! Back went the hammocks, the granola bars, the women's health supplies.
We only had a few hours to find out why the trip had been cancelled. Early in the evening we got the call that our coworker, Suyapa, had finally gone heavenward after a several month battle with cancer. The next 24 hrs were devoted to that, and some of the missionaries accompanied about 50 staff and friends of Suyapa in a rented bus over to the city for a beautiful wake in her church of many years there. It was a good closure for all of us, who had so many funny and special memories of our friend, her Pollyanna-like spirit, her spontanaity, her passion for lost souls. There was a time for sharing memories of her life, with her fiance Oscar sharing his many years of friendship with her and what he'd learned from her. She was buried in her wedding gown with her engagement ring.
A urology team had arrived Sunday for surgeries, so in between these special memories, we had a very full couple days, screening patients, preparing the chosen ones for surgeries. This team always bring their own anesthetist, and surgical nurses, so are fun. The normal confusion reigned the first day, but think all agreed it had been a success when they left Saturday.
We had planned on catching up Saturday, but John had seen a very sick pregnant girl on Thursday in Rio Esteban, sick enough that he had cancelled lunch plans with some locals so as to introduce Dr. Evelin to the culture there, and taken the patient back to the hospital to admit her. (Evelin and I kept the commitment for lunch, and enjoyed both our visit and the bus ride back to the hospital!) Because the patient had only gotten worse by Friday, John and I made plans to leave with her at dawn Saturday to transport her the 5 hrs. to San Pedro to see a specialist and admit her to the hospital. So our catchup day ended up being in the car driving- we have heard that the patient is doing well, and was discharged, so is all worth it! (This is just part of what Women's Health funds pay for).
Sunday we got a call from Emel, a former employee of the hospital who married in December and is now pregnant. She hosts about 15 Garifuna single women in her home regularly to study the bible. She asked if I could come to help answer the women's questions! Was a real delight to sit on her porch in the shade and listen to her describe her ladies and their search for answers biblically for the plights they have created for themselves. This past week, 2 of the men showed up demanding equal time, wanting Emel to host a study for them too! I talked with Emel's husband, asking him if he felt her could lead a companion study, and he agreed! Pray for Joni, that the Lord will enable him to tackle this needful task. Not only does Emel host these women, she is also trained in using the Proclaimer and hosts a listening group in Garifuna in her home. (This is the program that John worked to initiate here about 2 weeks ago)
This week was the first of my weeks committing to supervise Oscar in the inventory program and the accompanying organization of all supplies in the warehouses. A dirty, exhausting job, but in the end, it will pay off with knowing where everything is and keeping better track of it for ordering purposes. Oscar is young, think about 19, the youth pastor for the kids in The Church of God in Rio Esteban. I am praying that having someone to teach him his job will bear fruit in better work ethic and job performance. Think he has potential. We are expecting a container from Gulfport any day, so our first major job has been to prepare the receiving warehouse to receive it!
Oscar asked us to come out to his youth group Wednesday night to help him by lending a computer. So we took part in his weekly meeting, John sharing a brief devotional and then being an audience for a drama that the youth hope to present on the soccer field on Saturday night. Looked like they were a long way from ready, but we'll see! We will bring out a projector and the computer for them to use and be on hand to troubleshoot. Thanks, Peggy, for all your computer classes 6 years ago!
(below, Oscar on our computer)
(below, Oscar on our computer)Thursday PM was the second of the every other month Honduran Outreach fellowship, in place of our normal missionary praise and worship time. Everyone involved in some outside ministry is invited to bring their folks in to a Spanish worship service preparing and run by the hospital employees. It was great! Women's Bible study groups, our group from Margarita, related churches, etc- with the staff leading singing, preaching, sharing a drama.
Griselia, with whom I played guitar in the schools with Dr. Don's outreach, left us last Monday for a year in an orphanage in the Moskitia. She had waited to "know" her new sister, the ninth girl born to her parents. Little Juanita is now 3 weeks old, so was time for Gris to shove off. Another missionary, Lisa, who is on the orphanage board, and I will fly out to visit her in mid June just to encourage her.
Only 6 weeks til our granddaughter, Eryn, comes for a 5 week visit! This is REALLY big! Can't believe its really happening. We have dreamed of it for 5 years, wanting someone in the family to really SEE what we see here. Blogs only go so far in painting a real picture! Pray with us that its a lifechanging trip for Eryn.
