Day 43

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.    

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