Pics & Overview

Okay, they're just some favorite pics and don't really show you what we did, but that's another post.

At the Heart to Honduras compound - first day. (We all wore matching shirts.)

Jason working hard.

Holding down the boards. (They were warped and they didn't fit together.)

A must for sun protection - a big hat that protects your ears, neck, and FACE. (In the background is the house we built.)

In the hotel after church one night. (They had matching shirts on.)

Baby tarantula. We didn't see the mother, thankfully.

At the cathedral square in Comayagua. (You can see the spider bite on my leg.)

Yes, that's a tractor on Jason's shirt. And the blue thing is my pedometer.

Kissing on the other side of the fountain. :)

Jason and Junior before church

Lake Yure - beautiful!! This is where they're putting the kids camp - International Extreme Camp.

Last day, ready to go home.

Honduras Overview - Just really quick -

Saturday (the 9th) - at the airport at 4:30 am. (Yes, seriously.) Flights were on time, maybe early, and everything went smoothly. Got to Honduras and had to wait for last group to show up - three groups were traveling together to the Heart to Honduras compound in Canchias. Had a flat on the way, fixed within 20-30 minutes. Rest of the day was relaxing, lots of time to sleep.

Sunday - breakfast then hike up Ambassador Mountain. Then tour around village and then off to Comayagua to check into the hotel. Got ready for the evening, had dinner and then went to church. Wonderful to see everyone again. (Jason got hit on by a couple of girls who could speak some English. Hee!!) Discovered I had a bug bite - thought it was a mosquito bite. Wrong.

Monday - started house in the morning, and by the time we were done for the day it had walls and a roof. The staff guys were amazed we got it up so fast. We had a great team and we had a fun time working together. Decided it was a spider bite, NOT a mosquito bite.

Tuesday - made doors for the windows and doorways. Got those "installated" (Kevin's word). Put awning out back for kitchen area behind the house. Church service where we prayed for the church members, and then they prayed for us. Kept the kids occupied with coloring books & crayons. Spider bite was looking really bad, doctor on our team gave me antibiotics.

Wednesday - added screens to windows & framed them to cover edges. Built & put up screen doors. Didn't open very far, so had to figure out how to put them on the house. Then "reinstallated" screen doors. Area affected by spider bite now huge and purple. Also very swollen, hot, and painful. More antibiotics! That night went to see cathedral in town and then hit a Baskin Robbins for ice cream. :)

Thursday - did prayer walk through town. Women had to wear skirts - fun fun with the muddy roads. Got to pray for just about everyone and invited them to church. Very hot day, even the Honduran people complained about the heat. Spider bite was smaller, swelling went down, pain gone. Still purple though. Last night at church and several we visited came to church. So sad to see everyone for the last time.

Friday - Went to Lake Yure (2 hour drive) to see site of new camp. Amazing!! Several of our kids from El Quebracho went last year. Here's the video:
International Extreme Camp on youtube.com Then went to Power Chicken for lunch, food was delicious as usual. Then to the market where I got some great finds. Then checked into the bed & breakfast for the night. Beautiful house!! Dinner was wonderful!! Played Uno and two of the kids who lived at the B&B played with us. The 3 year old sat on my lap and was a force to be reckoned with!! (As Grace found out.)

Saturday - at airport by 7:45 am, flight took off at 11:55 am. Got to Houston for 4 hour layover. Flight to Dayton then delayed. Got in at 1:30 am Sunday morning. Spider bite turned pink - things are going to be okay.

Overview - wonderful team, had so much fun, I don't think I've laughed so much in a week. Spider bite was scary and put a damper on my trip. I'm okay with not going next year. Went to Urgent Care and got more antibiotics and as long as it looks better by Wednesday, it should be fine. Jason fell in love with Honduras, he gets it now. :) Building the house was the most rewarding thing I think I've ever done. Saw glimpses of God working everywhere.

Unlike previous years, I don't want to sell everything and move down there. This year I just want to sell everything and send the money down there. I feel like I own too much, that I've wasted so much money on stupid things. I've taken so much pride in what I've acquired and it really counts for nothing. The lives that are touched is what's important. Not just in Honduras, where the need is obvious, but here in Dayton. I help physically, but am I touching emotionally, spiritually? Do I serve people and then walk away not remembering their faces or their needs? Do I really CARE or am I just helping out to make myself feel like a better person? There's a difference. Not sure why I didn't think about this before.