Long post

 Hey Guys, Brandy B here, and I am missing Honduras like crazy!!!  This post is from Margaret. Love you all ❤️❤️

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in the pharmacy and working with Dr. Manny at Clinica Esperanza: Bob, Robin, and Diane 

On Monday, Bob and Diane sorted the medicines that had arrived earlier in the month from Gayle and the partial delivery of meds that were donated by various team members. There were five bins of meds that ranged from vitamins of all varieties to pain pills of various over-the-counter brands. Carolina (pronounced Caro-leen-a), the pharmacist, asked us to write down an inventory as we sorted . . . name of med, size, number in bottle, and expiration date. She said that it was ok to keep the medicines that were up to six months expired as the Hondurans are not used to medications of any kind and so the potency was still effective. They worked on the inventory all morning and again in the afternoon until allbut the pain meds were cataloged. 

On Tuesday, Robin finished cataloging the pain medications, while Bob met patients with Dr. Manny and on Wednesday, Robin and Diane arranged the new meds on the shelves in the pharmacy, and cut out hundreds (maybe thousands) of slips of paper that are put with the medications as to how much and how long to take. They also had a great time getting to know Carolina and Veronica (who cleans the Clinica). Veronica makes gorgeous flowers from the used pill bottles, makes pinatas, and fashions pastries and cakes in her spare time. Carolina was born and raised in Santa Ana and received her bachelors’ degree in Administration. She is working to obtain her master’s on-line through a college in Spain.

Bob’s best part of the day was helping Dr. Manny with an ultrasound to determine a pregnancy of a woman who came to the clinic complaining of an upset stomach. He said they heard the faint heartbeat of the new life.

 

Monday & Wednesday Building:

Both days found the remainder of the team building houses with donated funds. On Monday the funds came from Elizabeth Rosenberger from the Kittanning church of Christ in Pennsylvania.  She sold candy to church members and others to raise the total amount needed to bless a family here with a house.  We built for a lady named Brenda who had two daughters who are 7 and 11 years old.  Brenda worked with us throughout the day.  Our great blessing (other than providing a home for them) was to work with some of our dear friends from here in Honduras.  Cesar & his wife, Fabiola; Jonathan & his wife, Daniela; Oneyda & her 5-year old niece, Marianna.  They are all sweet friends who we have gotten to see grow up.  They are from Mololoa and have worked hard throughout their lives to enable them to get educations and to escape the cycle of poverty that many in that village still experience.  If you’ve been on a Torch trip in the past 25 years, you probably met them.  Mama Margarita (as they call me) had her heart filled with the joy of seeing them take vacation time from their regular jobs so they could work with us to bless others.

Wednesday’s build included all of the above, except Marianna.  We added Aldo as well as Jonathan & Daniela’s daughter, Ashley (also 5-years old).  Today we built a home for Francisca (a woman who struggles mentally)who has been living on the top of a mountain with limited shelter and an old camping cot until about a month ago.  She was helped by neighbors in getting tin to build a 2-sided shelter with a roof and old bags from grain or beans that were pieced together to make a third wall.  She has had 7 children, but most are grown.  She has a 10-year oldwho she has sometimes (he lives with his father at other times).  She also has a 4-year old son who lives with her.  Dalton & Jen Hines were able to bless him with some clothes since he spent much of his day holding up his little jeans that were too big for him.   The view from her new home as spectacular.  It was interesting to get there, but others had carried the wood up.  We had to first scale a rocky mountain and then go across a “goat-path” before going back downhill a bit before reaching a slightly muddy area to climb up to the plot of land she had received.  Torch team members will easily understand the adventures we have just getting to sites.

Tuesday was a day of great joy for Jenny Lovell and Diane Adams as they were able to go to the Mololoa feeding center (along with Linda Hodges).  At the feeding center the ladies (Evelyn and her full crew) had prepared disposable plates that were covered in plastic wrap for each child.  The children just come to the top of the stairs there and are given their food.  Everyone (of course) wears masks- including the ladies working & our Torch team members who helped.  Only the kitchen workers interacted with the children due to the continued concerns for the pandemic.  They finished early and met with Terry & I (and Jen Hines -the extraordinary translator).  We were able to stop at Mi Esperanza while in town and purchase with a purpose.  For any of you who are really missing that ministry – please check the online store.  And, if you are attending the Equip workshop in Orlando in July – Mi Esperanza will have a booth there.

For the Vik boys – Tuesday was also an adventure.  They worked with concrete in the morning (I can hear all of you saying Ugh).  They were assisting in a new building here on the campus that will be our new “cantina” for snacks.  But, for their labors, Dalton Hines took them in the afternoon to a waterfall that was truly amazing.  They are very excited to be the inaugural Reeves team to stay here at Agua Viva.

We are headed to dinner tonight, so will end for now.  God has given us extraordinary opportunities to serve after our year off and our hearts are filled with joy at His outpouring of care for each of us during the trip so far.  

 

Dios te bendiga.