13 February 2014 at about 1700 hours (5pm)

Hi to all from Gehlen Mission Honduras, Mission Honduras LeMars and Then Feed Just One.  Today Julio and I traveled to Tegucicalpa (Tegus) to the Cerro de Plata Foundation.  There we met up with Marta, Olga, Dennis and Claudia.  All have helped us in the past in Nueva Capital.  I drove up to Neuva Capital and then Julio drove back to Cerro de Plata.  He doesn't like driving in Tegus.

A few quick observations:  The government (or probably another country's govenment) has been fixing the road around Tegus.  It has a name, but it is known as the "ring road" and that is what I call it.  This road will sometime this year connect from the north to the east, to the south and then back to the north and west to the main road, Highway 5 going to San Pedro Sula.  Believe me this will be a big improvement.  I have traveled the road down from Neuva Capital towards Hwy 5 before and...you can guess the conditions.  Part of it is still bad.  For those that have been to Nueva Capital, Sister Joan, Carolyn, Linda and Pat you will notice some very start changes.

Anyway, I want to report to all that once we turn off the big road and start our climb up into Nueva Capital I remember what I  remember about this road.  It was bad and it has not gotten any better.  What was a cool morning in VoA turned into a very hot day in Nueva Capital.  The road winds up and around and is very dusty and steep. Even though the road is winding it is not like the mountain roads we have traveled on in the past.  It is gravel.   I was amazed to see a motor taxi trying to make it up the big hill leading to the turn to the school.  Every now and then the people got out, the driver went a little further, they got back in and the same thing happened again.  I will remind everyone you will not be taking a motor taxi.  For our Toyota Hilux 28D no problem.  For the other Toyota buses like Carlos has, no problem.  People walking everywhere.  I always will remember Julio (who has and still at times lives in the jungle) saying who would want to live here with all the rocks.

Rocks, rocks, and rocks.  The digging will be tough.  Our group visited the 2 homes that ACOES has picked.  Both homes are very worthy.  Julio took 41 photos, and I will send some to Dick.  I think he has already sent out photos, but maybe these are different.  I have also sent him the exact coordinates of the homes you can use to see on Google Earth.  When Dick sends them to you just draw back a little and you can see the school where you will stay. In 1 photo you will see the owner of house #1 with a stocking cap on.  It was about 100 degrees but I also had on a long sleeve black shirt.

Both families were told that their homes would be rebuilt.  They were very happy.  Marta will give me the names of the people that live in these homes.  I have no idea how many adults and kids live in them, but many.  This is one of nice things about doing this advance work.  I get the benefits of being with the families early on.  Now the team will have to live up to the expectations that I gave to the familes.

I promise you an incredible mission.  It will be high, hot, dusty and tough, but...worth it!  Each home will present many challenges.  We hope to have all the supplies in place early in March.  I know we have to make changes.  Marta and ACOES will select the chief contractor and he and 1 helper will be around each day.  All the preparations for the homes will be completed.  The floors will be poured or changed.  We spent time talking with each of the proposed contractors talking about the fact we will follow their lead with an occasional exception.  They understood.  It will be a great mission. 

It is starting to rain so I better quit.  I am sitting outside so my signal can be better.  I will post again.  God bless and pray for the poor of the world.  You will see it from Nueva Capital.

Mr. Francis 

Sunday 9 February 2014 @ 1500 hours

Hi to all.  Just reporting in on this Sunday.  What started as a beautiful day has turned into a cool, windy, rainy and then sometimes sunny weather.  Julio and I went to mass at 0915 hours today.  It is a 17 minute walk.  We had 2 dogs following us that eat at our house but they went different directions.  Linda, our girl dog, left yesterday to stay with other relatives of her owner.  Linda is just 1 of many dogs of the street. 

The owner was here today to do some work around the year of this house.  Julio and I then went into Valley of the Angels to have something to do  Tomorrow we go to Talanga and meet with the mother of the 3 year boy from near Acote.  He has been in the hospital.  Hopefully we can get a better idea of what is wrong.  Each time I ask Julio and he calls  the mother, I do not get an answer that I am looking for...that is...what is the Problem?

I am attaching 2 photos.  After all these weeks of feeding this girl chicken, we now have results.  This will be a first for me...eating the eggs this girl chicken layed.  I have 9 of them.  Julio and I will ea

t 4 of them tomorrow.  You can also see a photo of our simple little kitchen.  The stove is electric, but is really slow in heating anything.  I bought other pots and pans the other day to use.  Don't feel bad for us because we are eating good.  Lots of protein. We have beans almost everyday, but like the one's you see in the photo.  I like them more than the street beans, although I eat them as well.

OK.  For now that is that.  I will visit with you another day.

Mr. Francis

Fecha: (date) 03 /Feb/2014

Tiempo: (time)  11:30 am

Hello to all from the same location I've been writing from these past few days in Valley of the Angels (VoA).  It's a nice sunny morning so far but with strong winds.  I have just tried my hand at washing my clothes again and with the sun and wind maybe they will be dry by nightfall.

Julio returned at 0915 hours this morning.  All is well in MDLF.  He picked up Norma Sevilla the young mother of 3 year old Milton Avila, that has the bad heart valve, in Acote/San Francisco at 0600 hours this morning.  She traveled there from LaLima yesterday and stayed with some friends. He left her in Talanga to catch a bus to Tegucigalpa (Tegus) for another heart consult and special medicines for the little boys condition. She is pregnant and is very appreciative of Mission Honduras LeMars (MHL) help.  I look forward to hearing more about this little boy once she returns.  I will have Julio call her.

I attended  mass yesterday at the church of Divino Nino Jesus.  The church was packed because the people had just finished a new shrine to Mother Suyapa.  Today is the dia Festivo (the day of the festival) of Suyapa.  She is the patron saint of Honduras and the celebration marks 267 years of honoring her in Honduras.  Julio and I were watching the Cardinal say mass at the Basilica of Suyapa earlier.  The church was packed.  I was watching television Friday evening during another mass held in advance of the festivo and I was amazed with all the politicians, including the new president and his wife, plus hundreds  of military and police.  The Archbishop was talking about all the problems etc. in Honduras. I could not help but think of all the corruption in this country. 

VoA is pretty dead again on this Monday, as it is during the week.  The weekends are very busy especially if the sun is out and it's warm.  I was there yesterday.  Those motor taxi's are rough riding bums out here on these rural bumpy roads.  I will tell one thing about riding in these taxi's, not all drivers are created equal.  Some will pile in a number of people which makes it a little dangerous.  Then, when they go downhill they turn the motor off.  I'm sure they think they are saving fuel, but I'm not so sure because I don't think these motors have fuel injection systems, plus it sometimes takes a bit to get the motor started again.

I am going to try and attach a few photos which Julio took over the past few days.  They show Julio providing school supplies to Mayveline, Yesenia, Francesca and Franci.  In some of the photos Julio took a photo of the limperas MHL provided to them since he was not able to get a factura (invoice).  You will also see a photo of Norma Sevillo the mother of little Milton (the boy with a bad heart), Hilana the mother of little Maynor, Franci along with her mother Gloria. Then there are 2 photos of the little indigenous kid that has a cleft lip and pallet.  He had his lip fixed late last year by Operation Smile with help from Mission Honduras LeMars. You can see this little boy is healthy looking.  He loves the 'Then Feed Just One' food, according to his mother.  Julio saw them last Saturday in LeCeiba, MDLF.

By way of information, the club foot brigade at San Felipe hospital has completed its trip.  Remember this brigade treated young Santos from MDLF 2 years ago.  It's hard to imagine 2 years have already passed.  Julio tells me you would never know Santos had those terrible club feet.  He plays soccer and lives a normal life for a kid his age with the only exception he lives in terrible poverty. Also, Operation Sonrisa (Operation Smile) brings another large team to Honduras and San Felipe hospital starting 27 February.  Mission Honduras LeMars assisted greatly with little Santos and his family during the operations on his feet. The little boy from MDLF (Manuel) will need another consult later in the spring to repair his palate.  There are US doctors arriving often at San Felipe.  He will need the palate surgery later this year.  I'm glad all the milk MHL provided, and now with the rice food, he will be able to have the corrective surgery to his palate without problems.

I have some shopping to do so I'd better quit this message.  I wish everyone a happy day.  Be safe, God bless and peace.  I'm glad Julio is back so my laundry will get washed better. Scroll down to look at the 9 photos I sent.

Mr. Francis

  

Franci (multiple leg surgeries)

Mayveline

Francesca

Manuel (split lip and cleft palate)

Milton

Norma (mother of Milton - little boy with bad heart)

Yesenia and her family

Hilana with Maynor (distended abdomen)

01 February 2014

Hello from the same location as the other day in Valley of Angels (VoA) many kilomters away from Neuva Capital and Internet Tree Central.  I walked to VoA again today (21 minutes from my house to the big road) where I can get a motor taxi.  I think these things originated in India, but I'm not sure.  Along the walk I talked with a former US marine from Texas that lives in the area with his family and works in a block factory close to VoA.

I've got great news for you in the USA.  It is pouring rain now, as it did earlier, and Gracias Adios I got the walk done before I really got wet.  It was really cool again last night but unlike so many I had blankets to stay warm.  My girlfriend showed up at the house this morning.  I have not seen her for a couple of day.  She is a beautfiful young dog that has over the past many days has had  many male friends into the yard.  I think she will now be having some puppies in about 3 months.  I have spoken with the owner and he thanks me for feeding her each day.  She really likes me.  Along with feeding the girl dog I also have to feed a rooster and his girlfriend.  I give them corn everyday.  I am becoming very domesticated.  Now if I can only do a better job of washing my clothes.  I miss Julio.  He usually does them for me.  It took 2 days for them to dry. 

Julio will return on Monday in the afternoon.  He had to return to Montana de la Flor (MDLF) to check on the conditions of his coffee farm as well as attend a special meeting of the LaCeiba tribe earlier today.  I am unsure of our schedule, but Julio and I will probably drive in Tegus on Tuesday for a better food selection...things that are not so frozen and have labels on them.  I plan to go to mass at the Iglesia (Church) tomorrow at 9 am (a 17 minute walk from the house) and then walk to the big road and catch a motor taxi to VoA to use the internet.  It has just quit raining and the sun is coming out.  Weather in the mountains.  By the way it is 1206 hours currently. I was supposed to meet with Marta today in VoA to talk about our schedule for next week but she has just called and had to cancel the trip.  She needs to meet with some school officials about 1 of the 2 kids from Neuva Capital that we recently bought uniforms for to attend a very special school.  These are older kids. The school gives them scholarships if they meet certain conditions.  These 2 kids qualified. I guess the problem is transportation daily.  It's so sad when kids want to go to school to better themselves but can't because of issues like uniforms, transportation etc.  It's a lousy system.

Our cable in the house is working again.  I had to reset it a couple of times.  Maybe a power outage.  This is one time it's nice to have owners that have a few $$.  I may be able to see the super bowl tomorrow night.  Can you imagine!

Well, God bless.  I must go.  I have to start working on my 2013 Tax Return.  Since I use Tubo-Tax I can do it all online.  I have to watch my battery life.  Talk again soon. 

Mr. Francis