I Am Either Going to Throw Up or Pass Out

Dedication Day for the water system. It's always a wonderful day when we can officially turn the system over to the community. We told the folks at Proteccion that we would have the dedication at 9:00 knowing that we wouldn't start until 10. We had to buy more cups for the toast. Katherine had to buy more medical supplies for the lady with the hurt knee. And, we wanted to buy a fan for the water building so the operators wouldn't be so hot. 

Needless to say, we didn't get to Proteccion on time ourselves. Plus, when we got there, we had to sign the certificates for the educators and the operators. I sat in the mayor's chair in her office for this. 

We held the dedication at the community center. When I walked in, my mouth almost dropped at how they had decorated the place. The mayor spoke, I spoke, the president of the water committee spoke and several others. We gave certificates to the educators and operators. 

The mayor, Teresa Sarmiento, gave gifts to each of us - a basket with breads and coffee from her coffee farm. 

Following the dedication, we hurried I've to the comador of the man who had been cooking our wonderful lunches. After lunch Katherine was going to clean Natalia's leg and give her first aid supplies to take home. We went to the back of the house. Katherine finished and said, "I am either going to throw up or pass out." Probably a minute after that, her face turned white and her eyes rolled back in head. I knew she was out. I started yelling for plates to fan her and for some water for her face. She was out for a few seconds. My thought was not that we are in a foreign country but we are at the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country. A little frightening but I stayed extremely calm. 

After Katherine could stand, we loaded her in the van where it was cool and headed down the mountain. 

We were not going to back to the hotel but to Nueva Frontera to talk to the folks there where we put a system in last year. That was another trip up and over a mountain. 

It was a very long day especially with all the driving over the very rough roads over the mountains. 

Beautiful way to end the day!

Poor Manuel

What a day! The guys got the system up and running today! That is always incredibly exciting. 

The story behind poor Manuel is that there is a man in the group who might have some sort of limited cognitive ability. Very nice but comes up with crazy things to say sometimes. This morning we acted out Moses striking the rock and water coming out. This afternoon the folks we taught this morning became the teachers. Though he was in the morning session, Manuel wanted to be the water again (paper streamers tied to a child's plastic bracelet). Someone called his name and he gave away his "water" to leave the room. He came back into the room quickly and discovered that he didn't have any "water" so he grabbed some steamers off the table and ran to where the water was flowing (steamers are being raised up and down). Just as Manuel got in the circle the story was over, and poor Manuel was left standing in the circle looking around like a child who has had the red licked off his candy. 

Here is poor Manuel as we are putting our hand prints on a banner. 

We have had an engaged, fun, energizing, inquisitive group of people to teach. 

Katherine had to use some of medical skills at helping a lady who had fallen and scrapped her knee very badly. Beside our hotel is a pharmacy so we bought some extra first aid supplies this morning for her. 

Dinner today was at a Chinese restaurant, Hong Kong. Unbelievable amount of food - 8 people and enough to feed an army for $54. We have so many leftovers that we are taking them to Proteccion tomorrow. 

Tomorrow is the dedication. The afternoon will be traveling to Nueva Frontera where we put in a system last year. Lots of mountains to travel!

A Great Day at Proteccion

We had a good day at Proteccion Saturday as Katherine, Sherri, and I began teaching about how to use the purified water, had an activity about creation, and talked about washing hands. We had 13 students (adults) in the morning. Several were young men who were quite bright and asked good questions. 

Lunch was an incredible meal of chicken, rice, and green beans. 

After lunch the students from the morning taught the same lessons we taught in the morning. It always makes me so proud when they are able to do that after hearing the lesson only one time. It reminds me that intellect is not totally about a good education. I wonder what some of these guys could be doing with more, quality education. 

The men in our team basically put the system together today. 

Around 4:30 or 5:00 we headed back down the mountain - 40-45 minutes. It is a long trip when you are tired. 

We had arranged with the hotel for dinner at 7:00. By that time I wasn't feeing too well. I skipped dinner and spent time in the bathroom or in the bed. As the trip leader, I began worrying about what was going to happen if I couldn't go tomorrow. 

Sunday 

Woke up feeling well. Was careful about not eating too much breakfast. 

The trip up the mountain included some spinning of tires occasionally as the dirt was so slick after all the rain. 

When we arrived at the municipal building where we teach, there were lots of people all around with music playing and someone talking over a loud speaker. Didn't know what that was about. 

Most of our folks came back for the morning session. My favorite story to act out is Crossing of the Red Sea. A fun time was had by all!

Yes, those are grown men lying on the floor as the Red Sea closed in over them. 

At lunch time, we met with the mayor who has been very supportive of the system. We also found out at lunch why so many people were by the municipal building. A local church was having a raffle for a used Toyota pickup truck. 

Another good afternoon session with the teachers teaching. 

A beautiful drive back down the mountain. 

Ate at a restaurant on the way back to the hotel. Delicious food, sat under a thatched roof, and saw cages with toucans and monkeys. Tourist trap, I guess, but food is good enough to go back. 

Katherine has been our nurse for bandaging cuts. Tomorrow she will be looking at a very nasty cut on a lady's knee. So, we go to the pharmacy next door to the hotel first thing in the morning to buy more medical supplies. 

Ruston to La Entrada, Copan, Honduras

The day started early for Lane Adger, Lemar and Sherri Bullard, Katherine Hill, and me. Our flight left Shreveport at 7AM. We each had a checked bag plus we had 4 boxes with the water system and a suitcase with teaching supplies. 

We flew to Houston where we met Tom Caldwell who had flown in from Baltimore to meet us. Plane was full. A little bumpy at times but good.

We were met in San Pedro Sula by Melvin who is the Living Waters in-country director, Olvin who is in charge of the installation, and Nineth who will translate for those of us who teach. 

Went to lunch at Power Chicken which has great food - chicken, pork, beef, rice, plantains, rolls, French fries, tortillas. We stuffed ourselves like we were never going to eat again. 

Then on the road for the 2 1/2 hour ride to La Entrada. I don't remember it taking that long last year (actually we were about 30-45 minutes closer last year) and that the road had so many potholes. We did stop at a coffee shop. I think 6 people had coffee or Frappucinos. Bill was just over $7. 

Got checked into the hotel, El San Carlos. Had dinner around 7:30. Headed to room for bed. Exhausted!

Living Waters 2016 - Honduras

Suitcase packed for teaching materials. There are 6 of us heading to Honduras to install a water purification system for the town of Proteccion in Copan, Honduras. Tom Caldwell, Lemar and Sherri Bullard, Lane Adger, Katherine Hill, and I will leave Friday morning from Shreveport. We will stay in La Entrada and drive each day up the mountain to Proteccion. 

The boxes are packed with the system. The suitcase is packed with the teaching materials. Now I need to pack my own bag. I try to keep a running list from trip to trip to remind myself what I need to take, but it always seems that I forget something or need something I never thought of. The last several trips I didn't remember to take a crown for Pharaoh to wear when we act out Crossing the Red Sea. We always figure out something, but this trip I have a gold paper crown. So, I'm wondering what I forgot since I  remembered the crown. 

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we go to share Living Waters!