His Eyes

This year has seen all the emotions for all of us in Honduras.  Highs, and lows, and some in-betweens.

The clinic has been going gangbusters helping people, especially as we are still seeing so many that can't get even regularly scheduled visits at the government hospitals/clinic.  Our staff has seen more illnesses, some COVID, and some family members also suffering quite a bit.  

We have a pediatrician now, another dental chair (now seating three patients at once) and moved the optical to make more space for dentistry.  

This hasn't been easy, but so encouraging to see this progression, and to see the architect working on plans for a future surgical/birthing center building.  Trusting God to work all that out...all in God time.  

We have had vehicle issues...like four of the mission's vehicles down lately, varying from brakes, overhauls (yes, more than one) and wiring harnesses needing replaced.  That part always sucks, for what it does to capabilities, abilities of pastors to get around, and to start to doubt on the vehicles.  

Prep work continues to get the new houses for migrant workers in Sampedrana before harvest time.  The rain has been relentless this year, making progress slow, and harder than we would like.  Rome wasn't built in a day...but they had better roads.  Another thing that will need investment, this winter.  It can be frustrating some times to see what you want done, but be held back.  At those times, again, we have to lean back on God's timing, and not our expectations.  
​
Harvesting and giving away avocados I love to see personally, because in the midst of road work, trying to find people to drink Hill Climber coffee (which isn't easy, and can be quite demoralizing), this is a tangible way we can remind ourselves why we do what we do with the farms...to show people Christ loves them, in many different ways.  

The Churches are continually working, week after week, although it has been difficult with COVID, to get pastor's meetings going well, and just to get the interaction we are all used to, and need. 

One thing happened recently, we put the need out to our monthly email recipients for a family in Las Botijas that needed a roof for their house.  It isn't something we do normally, but felt like we needed to stop overthinking and put it out there.  Several people donated, to the point we had enough for their roof, plus to help with the houses mentioned above for the migrant workers.  

2021 has been full of expected, unexpected, gains and loss, and frustrations and expectations surpassed.  I don't see that changing. 

​After today, I am a little more at ease about that.  Not 100%, but one day at a time.   

So that is some uncomfortable growth there.  

In other news, we are praying for some more comfortable growth.

After a lot of work over many months, we are ready for some more fruit trees on the Tegucigalpa property.  More room for birds to perch, more shade, more oxygen, and maybe even some fruit eventually, presuming we can keep them alive and well.  

We put some money in the local economy buying nine clay pots to put around the property.  Big pots though, about a meter by meter.  Big enough to plant trees in them and maybe some plants eventually around the base.  

There is some other space we have though that have the rest of the trees without being in the way long term. 

I say long term because we will be meeting soon with an architect to see how we can plan for the next 5-20 years on the property with expansion of the clinic, probably big expansion over a couple decades,  a proper meeting area (for pastor's meetings, etc.) and a non-clinic office area for Oscar, and more parking, extra space.  

Should be interesting.  I am guessing there will be more to hear on this in the coming months as we work out a plan. 

The white Ford keeps taking a beating but keeps ticking up in Sampedrana on the farm.  One recent casualty was the back bumper which got a big dent in it.  But...we didn't need the seating area in the bed, so Pablo is "modifying" one of the seats to be a beefy strong replacement.  



We are experimenting with some leather projects with a friend in the USA, he might have a market for leather journal covers, etc.  During the experimenting, Maria had some bits of extra leather to make some key chains.​

Some of you know that Valerie and Felipe will be at Camp Allendale near Indianapolis this summer working with the camp/campers there and raising funds.  

But what not everyone knows is what that fundraising will be used for...
(short answer...Milk Project)

Expanded answer...
Part of our long term plan is to increase our impact in the geographical areas where we are already working.  So where we have Churches outside Tegucigalpa, can we also add the other things we do as a mission?  Not every community could support or make even close to cost feasible a clinic, nor can we do coffee planting everywhere, but we do look at each community.  

So, we will be focusing in 2021 trying to raise the up front funds we will need to do the construction for Milk Project buildings...

first... in Las Botijas, where we will have less to do (play area, kitchen, storage...we can use the classrooms already built to start)

second... in Talanga.  We will have to figure out with an architect how to build in Talanga, given we will want to add a clinic there as well.  We were going to buy property adjacent...but it is very expensive.  So maybe we can save the money and go second or third story with some new construction?

We won't raise enough at the camp to do all this...plus we will need sponsors to keep the project going when construction is done, but that is the plan...exciting stuff as to how it can help children in these communities, and the Churches as well to have these outreach possibilities.  

The coffee harvest continues.  It is almost over in Las Botijas, but still plenty to go in Sampedrana.  I chose this year to dream big and have a goal of holding back 10,000 pounds, hoping that we can find homes for all of it abroad.  

Well, not sure if the dream is possible yet, but we already have over 10,000 pounds green already.  And we are selling the rest we are harvesting as it comes.  

The raspberries we bought in October to plant on the farms are producing.

Not much for now, but Carlos sent the "first fruit" back with Oscar for us to see.  

Yet another way we are focusing on helping rather than just doing this as a business.  These raspberries won't be sold...they will be used for the Milk Project or juice for staff or people working on the farms, Churches.  

If we can find homes for this coffee though, we could actually end up doing a lot more for the ministry.  I shouldn't say if...but when.  All in God's timing.  

As always, if you are interested in joining us on the ride by drinking some, you can do that right here 

We took a trip up to Sampedrana last week to see how the road has been faring since the hurricanes and after some of the work that has been done. I must say I was taken aback about still what can be seen around the road, and how much work it must have taken to build it back up and repair after the storms...and that is just the road to the Church, let alone to the farm!

It is a good time of year to take that drive and pick priority points of where we need to invest more to make getting to the farm safer.  It will take years yet to get to a "happy" place...but it starts now, and with an impetus to invest more in smaller places, but work that will be more...concrete, if you will.  Also gravel and digging/widening, but mostly more concrete to get over water, and to improve traction on the worst hills

We also discovered the big, towering tree that overlooked much of the lower part of the farm was struck by lightning.  It will have to be brought down before it falls down, soon. 

​
We also need to work on building more "bunk space" for the workers that come up to harvest coffee.  As they are in the middle of harvesting right now, we got to see how they are currently using the one house we have, and how it is less than adequate.  Everyone pays the same amount per pound harvested...but as a mission we can do more to testify and show care to those that invest months working, but giving them better quarters, and maybe looking at how we can help them on the food front as well more intentionally.  
​

Given the ability to move about a little more freely, along with the fact that our groups for this year won't start until June (at least) we decided to take advantage of the time to tackle a big and small project that has been needed for the mission house.  

The big project was revamping, changing, and tiling the stairs.  We increased the step size, added a step, and added the grippy tile.  If you ever felt a little unsure going down these stairs...this is a big upgrade.

The second is adding a false ceiling in the hallway above the stairwell.  Which is just a nice "less dust" touch, and if you have been in the house when it is raining now...should cut down on the noise factor.  

With that...we put a close on all the needed work on the mission house for the foreseeable future, which is nice.  

​

​

The Milk Project continues, albeit now going on a year of not having in person classes.

The staff is constantly working/thinking about how to do things differently and be creative.   

I was talking to Maria when I saw some of the "homework" they have been sending out, in addition to the actual schoolwork.  These are lessons that they send out...and that the kids have to turn in when they are done.  

This one is about the birth of John the Baptist, but the fourth question is "What has God done in your life?"   ​

​Sorry it has been a while.  Things have been a bit, well, you know.

We last left you with hurricanes.  And since then, the mission has been blessed to help.  We received almost $47,000 total, and probably in the next week all that will be spent.  

Between brigades, house cleaning, rebuilding/materials, food, mattresses...there are a lot of volunteer hours, driving, and just a lot of heart involved.  We are so thankful to everyone involved, abroad and in Honduras, that worked together through donations and hands and feet on the ground here to make all this possible.

The process isn't over, those communities face a very load road of digging out (still...thousands and thousands are still homeless) and rebuilding.  ​

In other news, after many years with us as pastor in Sampedrana, Henry decided to quit at the end of December, taking a full time job for a milk company. 
​For now, we are going to try out a new pastor who is not from Sampedrana but has worked there in coffee for several years, and has been getting trained and serving in the Church, Juan.  He will help us with the coffee some, as well as serve as pastor.  We are praying for this transition time and that it would be good for all involved.   

We have a new Church plant, in an area called Guayavillas...although I haven't found it on the map yet to confirm.  Where is it?  Kind of between Tegucigalpa and Danli, but also not too far from Cantarranas.  

Pastor Jonathan had people approach him to start Bible studies, and in a borrowed location, started to have services...and last week had six baptisms.  We are praying how we can support this new work, that wasn't in the budget for 2021, but this is a good problem to have.  For right now we are at least trying to help Jonathan with the extra fuel he will be spending weekly, and praying about adding another pastor there possibly soon?

That is a brief update for now...tons of other things going on, lots of administrative plans, and activities...hopefully more to share soon!

We have missions that we know up in the San Pedro Sula area, and taking medical relief was requested.  Doctor Darwin quickly coordinated a team from the clinic and went up for a few days and saw over 600, and heard and saw much more of the damage.  That was after Eta and before Iota, which re-hit that area hard.  The airport in San Pedro Sula was under water, and then with Iota, under water even more.  

With this kind of flooding, and from reports from those in the areas they visited, in areas that have not seen flooding in the past, houses were lost, or completely flooded making almost everything in the homes ruined.  As things are cleaned out, big piles are left in the street waiting for the government to dispose of everything.  

The staff is coordinating buying, transporting, and distributing what is needed most...mattresses, food, medicines and clothing.  It will take several trips over several weeks, with staff and volunteers.  

Thankfully, donations are coming in to help, and there is a lot of help needed.  You can donate here via our donate page, designating for emergency relief in the drop down menu.  

I got word from Maria today that the homework help they have been tirelessly giving the kids in the Milk Project seems to be helping.  

(Seen in the picture...just one little batch of pictures and things they are tasked with finding online.)

None of the kids is currently scoring under 80%!  Good news indeed of building up.

We knew that the sewer project the government has been working on for the neighborhood has been moving along after being stopped for several months. Building down indeed.    

They started coming up our road, and even have the hole dug already where our connection will be (going through the man cave, see picture 2) although it will be months still before they finish and any kind of connection is possible. 

This is good news!  

Months though is what we will need.  ​We will have to re-route everything we have done over the years, and that means digging trenches for new pipes, inspection boxes, drops along the way, etc.  All coming together in one pipe that will exit to the road and join up with the network.

It might take us several guys and a couple months or more to make that happen.  

It is not easy stuff...cutting/digging through concrete, rock walls, and more.  It will be a huge undertaking, but in the end, a lot more peace of mind for the long term.  

Who knows, they may have the neighborhood below us even with fully paved roads in 2021.  What a thing to see that will be!