Greetings from Gehlen Catholic and Mission Honduras. Obvioiusly from Merica's blog of Sunday the Springfield team had quite a day.
I wanted to use this forum for the next bit of news involving both teams, Gehlen and Springfield, along with their families, friends, and schools - as I know all will be interested and excited for this news.
Frank and I just spoke 15 minutes ago. The team was up and getting ready for their last day in La Florida.
It will be another emotional day for all of them.
He called to give me an update on the food purchases for the Tolupan people of Montana de la Flor.
Let me begin by identifying Julio Martinez: Julio is one of our closest friends and has been with all our teams over these many years. He is the oldest son of Chief Tomas, one of the five Chiefs of the Tolupan.
Julio stayed in Sulaco yesterday and did not return to Esquias with the Springfield team because he was leaving for the mountain this morning to deliver the food purchased from the students and the wonderful donation from a Kids Against Hunger packing event that occured in Churdan, Iowa a few weeks ago (that was the group that had $2500.00 left over after packing and when they heard about the desperate situation in Montana de la Flor they asked if we could get emergency food aid to the Tolupan people).
Julio and Frank purchased the food in Marale, Honduras, just yesterday. The combined monies from the two groups was just under $3,000.00. With that money they purchased 3000 lbs. of corn, 2,000 lbs. of rice, 4,700 lbs. of cooking oil, 860 lbs. of sugar, and 1,600 lbs. of flower. In 35 minutes from the time I am writing this Julio and the truck we have rented for this purpose will leave Marale for the 2.5-3.0 hour trip to the mountain. Julio has made all the arrangements with the 5 Chiefs and they will all be present for him to execute his plan. Wonderful things are happening because of these two groups of high school students.
On a related note just last Friday I shipped a full container of Kids Against Hunger food (285,120 meals) to Honduras. I have been doing this for years into Honduras, Haiti, and Tanzania. Our container arrived in East Gulf Port, Mississippi yesterday and was loaded aboard 'Dole Ecuador' for transshipment to Puerto Cortes on the northern coast. It will be there in about 7 days. Once it is in country it will be taken out of customs by members of the Cerro de Plata foundation who work closely with the Sisters of Charity of Mother Teresa. We have a close relationship with them. The entire food shipment will go into Tegucigalpa for eventual transportation into Montana de la Flor. I will be sending a second container within a couple of weeks destined for all the orphanages run by Cerro de Plata and the Sisters of Charity.
Pray for a good last day in La Florida for the Springfield team. They have done amazing things.
Late this afternoon I will again post a message - before Merica's blog. You will understand when you read it this afternoon.
Take Care,
Richard E. Seivert
Gehlen Mission Honduras
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