We arrived on a late flight on Saturday night and spent the night in San Pedro Sula at a Holiday Inn express near the airport. We were a group of 11, 3 men and 8 women. Patrick and a driver met us at the airport. Early the next morning we loaded back in the bus for the 3 hour drive up the mountain to LaUnion.
We then visited Don Otilio and Margarita, his wife. They had just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary and they told us they were born on the exact same day in LaUnion.
In the afternoon we visited the orphans and they are all now very happy to be living back in Casa Hogar. We also visited Lucy at the bi-lingual school where they were very busy getting ready for school to begin the following week. The orphans received rain coats and Lucy was thrilled (this is an understatement) to get some new chess supplies for the students.
We were very excited for Wednesday because it was our day in LaCuesta. We went up early Wednesday morning, Doug, Pam, Charlie and Martir, and our translators were Carlos and Anthony. Nelsi Alvarado is the teacher at the LaCuesta school and they were well prepared for our visit.
We started with greetings in the classroom and the parents, adults and water committee members came filing in during that time. Charlie read and translated the message that Lakeshore had prepared.
Then a few of the villagers welcomed us, blessed us and gave thanks to God for our visit and Lakeshore's commitment to our work in LaCuesta. Even though we did not send a team over this year, Lakeshore provided $2000 funding from the water project funds for 15 pila's. A pila is a deep concrete sink with a shallow concrete sink attached. And, while the school has had a pila, they received a new water connection from the water project and should by now have flushing toilets in the latrines.
After that we did a walking tour to the 3 pila's that had been completed before our arrival. We witnessed thankfulness, pride and joy at each and every home. They were personally involved in creating and building their pila's and the water, of course, was the piece that made it all possible.
During the walking tour, and after lunch, we saw the pila supplies at the homes of others. 15 pila's in all were provided and I just found out that they have all been completed.
After lunch we did another walking tour to visit with families who had invited us to stop by during the morning session. We shared small gifts and conversation through our translators.
During this visit we also shared with the La Cuesta school that Lakeshore Fellowship had provided funding $1846 for a security fence to be built around the school and a new playground. This project is currently in progress.
In all we had a wonderful day in LaCusta and I am so glad that we travelled in 2017 to keep our connection going.
Thursday was a day spent with Charlie, doing some paperwork on the water project and tying together all the loose ends of the week. In doing these errands with Charlie and watching his interactions with the people of LaUnion, I realized that he is “living his ministry” in his day in and day out activities. We should all be so blessed to be able to serve and honor God and our fellow man in this “walk alongside you” fashion.
In all, we learned a lot, God blessed our trip and our interactions. We traveled safely and look forward to our next visit to LaUnion and LaCuesta.
A trip is being planned for June 19 to 26, 2018. An interest sign-up sheet will be at the information desk soon. Contact Pam Heins or Bill Boyd with questions.