His Eyes

11 weeks of quarantine/lock down.  The vasty majority of our population not able to work.  Not even sure what will be coming in June if that will change much, or how quickly.  

We are continuing to roll with the punches as it relates to travel, construction, education, and...well, everything I guess when you think about it.  

As we have been doing food distribution, we have had some changes and ideas as we tweak and see what we can do and how. 

Maria asked last time if she could have some bags for here in Tegucigalpa for the guys that are continuing to try to walk up and down the streets selling food or whatever they can.  That can be a hard life even when everything is open. Now, harder to imagine.  Seemed like a good idea, and she has a good eye, so it was an easy vote.  Just 5 or so of the 600 we were able to do for these two weeks.  Small number.

Today she sent me this picture from a gentleman she encountered, selling avocados, green peppers, onions, tomatoes and raspberries.  He is deaf, so she did not get his name, but she sees him come by with frequency.  

She also sees a couple other guys that help him and work together trying to do this in quite a few neighborhoods.  They live about a mile away, across the four lane road. 

They are technically violating the quarantine.  Selling food probably usually gets them a pass...but they are also at risk at getting picked up and having all that taken from them at any time as well.  But what is the alternative?  Hard to imagine.

But at least he will get to eat tonight. 

We are moving more food this week.  We have a list, and we have definitely been checking it more than twice.  Each time we do this, every two weeks, we look at the money available, the expanding need, and how we can balance the different areas where we work, between helping the Church, and the community.  We create a list of people's names in Tegucigalpa for the most part, and let the pastors determine in their areas which people in the community to help there.

Not knowing how long this will last (we are on a lock down we anticipate to last to the end of the month...perhaps longer) is not helpful for planning purposes, but given what we have seen how hard this is hitting families, we plan on continuing to help for at least a couple weeks after restrictions are lifted.

​Our doctors are the only ones who can get out driving, and man, they have been doing some driving!  They will be out every day this week, and probably next week will have to be out a day or to for buying more food to gear up again. 

We upped our game to 600 bags thanks to huge help from Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, and this time were able to up each bag to 17.69 pounds.

We have to weigh them since we sometimes push the Fords to their weight limits in some of the trips, to make sure we aren't over weight.

The weight of the situation is also something that we feel.  The hunger people are facing is ongoing, and while always present here, is at crisis levels with just a few days of not being able to work, let alone over two months now. 

We will keep giving out food as long as we can.  Currently that is only through mid June with what has been donated.  But...we weren't set up or thinking we could do any of this in March.  It has been a process that just about everyone in the mission, and many many in the US have been involved with.

We are spending about $10 per bag right now.  So just in this week we are going to give out about $6,000 and over 10,000 pounds of food.  

So, we will keep praying, planning, and doing what we can...together.  

There is an area we know well, just a mile or so away from us, an area with many members of the Church next door that live there.  They had a flood last night...like almost chest high.

If we hadn't been already gearing up to do more food distribution, we wouldn't really be in a place to help.  

But this morning Jorge and some of the staff fit into the Ambulance with clothing and 20 bags of food to give to them.  

They lost food, clothes, and more.  Plus, they will probably lose the peace of mind for a while when it rains.  (the flooding was caused by a creek running there that had two massive tree limbs fall into it, damming it with other debris, and spilling over into the neighborhood.)

Schools are closed...but Honduran schools are trying to do online classes.  The only problem...most kids here are not online, and they don't own a computer.  The only internet they can get is via cell phone, but they don't have the money...you get the idea.  

Maria has been helping the kids print out tons of things for them from these online assignments, as everyone struggles not to loose the school year (school here runs February to November, so this all started just a month after starting school)

Now...I may have problems getting more ink for her to continue to do this, since this was not something we were planning would go to this level, and no office supply stores are open.  


We are trying to keep the coffee farms going, and at least keep the guys there employed as they can certainly social distance up there, and farms don't wait well through pandemics.  

The fertilizer we can only sparingly apply once a year should go on right before or right as the rainy season begins.  We are behind, by about a month.  

Today Darwin trying to take the fertilizer that we amazingly were even able to purchase, faced a self-imposed community roadblock (notice though...forgetting socially distancing) trying to get to Sampedrana.  A normally four hour trip turned into eight...but praise God they found a way to get through.​  Although somehow the back window of the Ford imploded...that will be fun to try to replace.

Oscar and Julia cooked up a mess of food yesterday and Darwin went to pick it up (again, only doctors can travel at will) to give to all the staff here for Mother's Day.  Loving on quite a few folks there from afar.  

Yetserday Maria wrote me that Gerardo needed some exams done at the clinic, and that his family has no money.  That is his dad (granddad) with him that takes care of him.  He is a mason...not much work out there for builders right now since there are so many restrictions in place, so no ways for them to make money.  

Yet another time we are grateful to have a clinic where we can make those tests a reality.  


Not many opportunities for work for most people, and after months dealing with the tile floor breaking and lifting around us, (and how now we can actually buy cement again), seemed like a good time to be able to pay some of our regular guys to get that fixed.  Hopefully it will hold up better this time around.  

Manuel sent us a picture from him on the road distributing food yesterday.  I also got to see him on his show on Channel 15 (yes, our TV station in Talanga is also still working strong through this lockdown) praying for everyone all around the country. ​

We have been painting murals on the clinic property for about six years.  I had an idea a while back for one, but kind of wanted to do it myself, although I did not think I really could.  But this week I gave it a try in my free time before and after work. Never done anything like it before, might never do it again, don't know.

I thought about just putting a picture up on Facebook...but this is just a little too personal to share without sharing the story as well.  

I don't know...something about Snoopy's battle with the Red Baron as a kid I found reassuring. Grit, fear, calm...quite the range of emotions displayed.

I am not a kid anymore.  But I still need reassuring. 

I did it in English, and painted it in such a way that no one will see it really unless they are coming down the stairs from where we are living.  I did it that way because I figure it wouldn't make sense to most people just seeing it. 

But for me...I can see it every day...and remember.  

It means something to me, and helps me, to remember that whatever is going on in my brain, or around me...whatever situations or possibilities I think could happen, the real and imagined, the dark, the scary, that which gives us good cause to freak out and be very much afraid...God is there. 

There may be scars along the way, we may lose our lives along the way...but He is with us, and no matter what, it doesn't get better than that. 

Malcolm Gladwell introduced me to omotenashi via his podcast series on Lexus.  It is that sort of thing of being treating guests well, better than yourself, serving determining their needs and meeting them without being asked, being a good host.

I have been able to see quite a bit of that of late.  

From pastors leaving their families to get food to others in their communities, sometimes travelling several days, driving, walking...hiking.  

Marvin, our new English teacher (hired about a week before we had to close everything) also knows how to cut hair.  All barbershops are supposed to be closed.  On a limited basis and trying to take care, he was still willing and wanting to help kids from the Milk Project with hair cuts.  Our hair trimmers were broke...so he brought his from home.  

Most of our staff in Tegucigalpa live fairly close.  Some still get picked up in the ambulance every morning (Jorge putting in extra hours doing that...no glory doing that, just him doing it) but doctor Carlos lives up near Comayagua...for a couple weeks he lived with Doctor Darwin to be able to be at work every day.  Then he got a truck from a family member to at least get home on weekends.  

Doctor Darwin's wife and kids (cuties seen here on the left) are about two hours North of us.  For their safety, he has not been able to see them in person for many weeks.  

Unfortunately, much of the country is also living under a cloud of people not practicing omotenashi, starting more forest fires at several different points not just around the capital city but in many (hundreds) of other points.  The dense smoke this is giving all of us to breathe is definitely not welcome. 

Fires used to be blamed on farmers clearing out land for the upcoming planting season.  But now the vast majority of them are just arson...and some point to those around the capital as being set to destroy forests, so the owners of the land can they maintain there are no trees/forests there, so they can build homes/neighborhoods, exacerbating the problem.  

That smoke produced yesterday an ethereal sunrise for several minutes...so odd, purple and beautiful it was that I had a hard time taking it in or believing what I was seeing.

Both kinds of stories like that abound, not just here, but around the world. 

Here is praying we use the opportunities we have for more omotenashi to those around us, being good hosts not just for others but ourselves, our families, and our communities both local and global.   

Greetings as we enter week seven of our lockdown/quarantine in Honduras.  

It was just announced that we would continue as is with the protocols for at least another week, through May 3rd.  

That news comes upon more smoke and haze around the country from more forest fires (and a fire also this past week burned up around 1000 small packed in businesses in the downtown area)...smoke so thick/bad that a NASA satellite picked up some disturbing images of it from space.  

Food distributions continue.  It is the one way we can keep ministry going.  I happened to ask Jonathan about it, here is some of what he said...

Some people we visit are reconciling with Jesus, accepting Him and His message.  People are grateful to God, because when we arrive to visit and give them food, they had nothing to eat in their house.  They thank God for that blessing.  There are also some families that have committed to congregating with us when this passes.

 The brothers and sisters from the Church are very grateful, and strong in the Lord, more than ever.  They are praying that this will pass.  There is trust in God in their hearts that this will all pass, in God's timing.
​ 
​He also sent me pictures of another family they helped, in San Juancito...one of two that have had house fires from the forest fires in the past couple days.  They lost their bedrooms, but at least have a main room in which they can stay, and no one was hurt.  They were able to get them some food as well.  

The clinic continues to work, and patient load is increasing almost daily.  We got some of the supplies we bought with help from IDES, and the packages from FAME finally cleared customs on Friday.

Everyone was happy to pose with more hand sanitizer, and gels, and soon again with the other supplies that have come in.  

Protests are still happening spotty around the country...people saying "I am hungry" and the borders will remain closed for the foreseeable future.  

And so...we enter more quarantine time.  The numbers being reported here are low...but so are the number of tests we are doing.  Roughly 33% of the tests done are coming back positive.  When I talk to our doctors...we are woefully short on the number of tests being done to know how we really are as a country.  The quarantine though keeps most of the sick that are not critical at home, and the asymptomatic also from infecting as many others.  Masks are required for everyone at all times...well, in the brief periods you are allowed to get food if you can. 

Add that all up, and...this will likely continue for a while.

And so will we...with God's help and the provisions He provides.  Thank you for the huge and amazing part you play in this as well...we are a team in this, all of us.    

How about an update?

We are on day 45 or so of our lockdown/quarantine as a country. 

This week the rules of following that are:
You can leave the house one day (Monday through Friday) to visit the following businesses:  Health services, pharmacy, grocery, gas station, and now hardware stores during the day.  All other businesses, still closed, and all borders are closed, except for  a  very few coordinated flights to get people back to their countries of origin.  Hours are just from 7-9AM for senior citizens and those that need help, and 9-5 for everyone else.  Although most stores only allow you to be inside for 20 minutes maximum, require everyone to have a mask on (gloves optional), usually a spray down of some kind, a small number of customers, and social distancing enforced.    Saturday and Sunday no one is supposed to be moving at all.  

The clinic continues to operate, although without dental consults (halted countrywide) and business is less than normal, but very steady and even more than usually people that really are in need, not much that can just be put off (and a lot of requests for dental services as well.) We have received help from FAME, Bring Good News, and IDES to buy more bio-security items for the clinic.  Unfortunately it does take time to get those things even when we have the money ready.  Even the shipment from FAME that arrived almost two weeks ago...is still held up in customs.  They know it is emergency medical supplies...and as such, that requires further paperwork and time to get it released.  Which makes so much sense...not.  

Thanks to so many donating so much, we have been able to keep up donating food to people around Honduras, in our areas of influence where we operate...a total of eight different cities/areas.  And we are preparing to do more in the coming weeks, as we anticipate the lockdown will continue, trying to balance how we do that through the Churches, Milk Projects, and general community need.  

Add to all that, hot temperatures and fires set around the country.  Some days the smoke is so thick visibility here is 1/2-1 mile maximum.  It definitely gives the sun in the morning and moon crossing the horizon extra redness. Very little water available means it is harder for people to get water for their homes as well.  Areas of the city that get water in the grid, are down to getting just a few hours worth every 10-14 days.  

God is still good, He is blessing us every day, and giving us opportunities to bless others.  It is hard, hard to understand, and for many hard to just survive, but we continue ahead, doing what we can, where we can, when we can.  Thanks for being along the ride with us praying for us and everyone here!

Need is a funny word.  

At least it is how it is used most of the time.  

I hear that word quite often, but rarely does it actually reference an actual need.  I mean, by my reckoning, our needs are...
1. Food
2. Water
3. Shelter
4. Health
5. God

I suppose we could have a debate there, I might have missed one or two but my point is...what is my point? 

I have been mentally fidgety for a few weeks.  Bear with me.  

We state and feel needs that are actually wants, and with far too great regularity.  Some are important, but equating the two also cheapens the idea of a need...and trying to meet needs.  

Sometimes happiness is just being aware of what is going on around you and finding joy in the mundane, but real joy in recognizing what a blessing that can be.    
  
Examples you say?  
​Can I breath?
Am I hungry?
Does my body answer my commands?
Am I in physical pain?
Was I a victim of violence?

How about a little exuberance for a boring need filled day?  Boring is a privilege most do not enjoy.  Many (billions) every day are faced with the struggle of life and death...of meeting needs to survive.  

This man here to our right got a bag of food today. 

Not from us though.  I mean...it is a bag of food the mission purchased, and we did give it to someone who definitely could have eaten everything in the bag.

But then that person said...his needs are greater. He walks up and down the roads collecting bottles to sell, so he can eat something.  

And so they made the decision to give him their bag.




I got this picture from Manuel in Talanga.  No story to go with it.  Just this picture, and then one following it.  A picture of prayer, and a picture of this
young man with a bag of food.  

Help us Father...to see how blessed we are, to see our need for You, and how we might be able to help others with their needs.  

I mean, isn't that why this mission is named His Eyes?  Aren't we supposed to try to see the world the way Jesus does?  Meeting others and ourselves where we are, seeing the physical and spiritual needs that abound around us...and then doing something.  

I need to do something today.  I can't do everything...but I can do something today.  And tomorrow, and for as long as God gives me breath.  

Maybe that's the point.

The title from this post comes from our family word for the week.  I am now sharing it with you.  Perhaps you are studious and already know this word.  Otherwise I'll pepper it throughout so that you might learn from context when it is idoneous to use.

We are still in the midst of lockdown/quarantine, in our fifth week now, and expecting word any day about how that might extend/hange (currently it is set to expire the 19th)  We are anticipating it will be extended, it seems it would be idoneous, especially on the North coast where cases are exploding faster than here.  Heat has not seemed to abate that growth, at least not yet.  

Food distributions continue, thanks to many generous people and their generous donations.  I don't think it would be idoneous to go on again about the humanitarian challenge here in the lack of food for the majority of Hondurans.  So we continue, and will continue as long as we can.

Fear of the virus has led to the road to Las Botijas yesterday being closed by fallen trees.  Dr. Darwin skirted that by opening a neighor's gate and skirting around it.  Without permission, but still idoneous given the greater situation.  And we still cannot drive to Sampedrana.  Thought was given ahead, and Henry was able to get written permission to circulate enough to meet Darwin and get the food from him outside of Comayagua and take it back.  

We have been carrying so much weight in the Ford that I had to check the manufacturer's specs on what the bed can hold.  We went well over that today, so quite a bit of the food had to ride in the back of the cab.  (3000 pounds in the back, 700 up front)

The pastors have lists of who they will give this food to in the Churches, but also have an allotment to give to those in need in the community.  Pastor Jonathan reports that he gets more requests than he can meet, and that also through this crisis, some they have been able to help "have reconciled with Christ."

It would be quite idoneous to mention the staff here in Tegucigalpa who take the bulk foods Darwin has ventured out to buy, sometimes driving hours to save money, and packed all this food up to be given away.  Almost 1100 bags, and around 18,500 pounds they have bagged in the heat of the man cave.

And the clinic, as always is working.  We received a donation from Bring Good News to help us buy more bio security goods, already in place now not only for staff, but for patient security.  

We will need to buy more in the coming weeks...masks, gowns, thermometers, etc.  it is quite a list.  We also just got help from IDES to pay for that...but the purchase takes 2-4 weeks to complete.  And we have a couple boxes from FAME coming in...but they are held up in customs...since they are medical goods.  Go figure, not at all idoneous to hold up medical goods in a medical emergency.  The boxes were ready for pickup...but these additional forms and wait will take probably another week.

And of course, in all things it is always idoneous to stop (or while going) and give praise and glory to God. (seen here in the final picture, devotion and prayer with patients in the morning) 

Reminder:  Whatever we are doing, if any good comes into our lives, or we are able to do any good, that comes from God.  Remembering God is always idoneous (definition...fit, appropriate, suitable, proper) and keeping Him at the forefront of our minds and actions is always key.