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.
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​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. 

Another missionary reminded us today that the last flights that were arranged to take US citizens to the States left today.  Those that remain, are here for the long haul, no one is exactly sure when you will be allowed to leave again.  

I don't think it was a particularly spiritually powerful time for us, but evacuating was not really even a decision.  

We were originally scheduled to attend an optometry conference and were supposed to leave tomorrow for the US for three weeks.  When that trip was no longer possible, and when we switched gears seeing the great need developing to get food out to people with no reserves, backup, or money to buy anything, or way to leave to work (we have been on lockdown since March 15), I saw the posts talking of specially arranged evacuation flights, but I did not even give it a second thought.  

Like I said, we just knew to stay.  It did not even come up talking as a family.  We knew people were leaving, lots of people, but I never once heard any of us even consider or ask if we should.  

We didn't have a plan for something like this COVID19 situation.  Then again, it doesn't seem like many did.  The clinic stays open, although with some extreme precautions, and the Milk Project really got us started with food distributions via them switching gears to try to still help the kids then stuck at home.  

We raised $9,000 for food distributions in less than a week...a humbling, astonishing really, figure that has put us on a fast track to use this opportunity to encourage and help people in our Churches around Honduras, in seven different cities, and both Milk Projects.  

The staff has really come together...even though we are mostly apart, to make this possible, and worked very hard, in very difficult conditions to do all this.  

And we aren't done.  We are meeting tomorrow to see how we can do even more with those funds, and in even bigger ways, to help more over the coming weeks.  We are learning and growing as we do this.  We have already distributed over 4500 pounds of food, and are looking to more than double that in the next week.  

So, let's stick around, and watch God work in great ways none of us would have imagined a month ago.

It has already been quite a thing of beauty to behold, and in times like these...those seem to be in short supply.  Sometimes though, it is just hard to stop and look, and not look at the news or the troubles around us and see...God is working all the time and has things for us to join with Him. 

If you want to help from afar...check out the donate page on this website....just look up and to the right.  Or click here and you can designate what area of the mission you want to support, including "food" which is definitely in short, or in many cases NO supply, for the vast majority of Hondurans.   
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