Journal August 15-16, 2013       Returning to Central America, Honduras First stop

 We had great flights, no hitches, and got in yesterday to San Pedro just fine.  Our Pastor friend Francisco picked us up at the airport and drove us to Seguatepeque, about 2.5 hr, where our car is stored at Sebcah.  It spent this past year parked near a missionary’s house within the seminary campus grounds.  It's a lovely spot, very comfortable guest rooms, and we enjoy connecting again with friends here.  Mark had the battery recharged so the Escape is in good driving shape. We just had some unexpected residents when we opened the door, ants everywhere, the big red guys!  No problem, Francisco drove Mr.Terminator to the market and bought bug spray.  Ron gave it a good going over and closed it overnight.  This morning, tons of dead ones were lying in the floor and seats but not a live one among the bunch.  Ron gave it another spraying, for good measure.  We shook out the mats and brushed the seats off.  Then we drove it promptly to a local car detailer nearby and 3 teenager employees gave it an "endentro limpiando" going over with a shop vac for $3.50.  The ants are all gone now, thankfully.  We want no unwelcome passengers when we hit the road tomorrow. 

So, tomorrow night we will be in Copan then cross into Guate Sun. am, arrive in Guate City in the afternoon. 

  Saturday August 17, 2013

Road trip to Copan, Honduras    

The Escape started running a little rough just as we were leaving town this morning.  We stayed in a guestroom at Sebcah seminary in Seguatepeque and felt very rested and ready to start the journey.     Ron had installed new plug wires and new wiper blades, as well as thoroughly checking all the fluids, tires etc.  Also we rejoice now over the car being ANT FREE!  Last year just before leaving Ron put in new spark plugs. So this morning we were very pleased and fully expected the car to be in top running order.  Even the snafu of the gas gage not registering yesterday was back to normal.   

“It’s probably condensation in the gas from the car sitting parked for so long.  The gas treatment additive I put in and full tank should take care of it soon.”  The route we usually take is beautiful.  Within an hour we were driving along the shore of Lake Yajoa in the central part of the country.  We have to admit that we were a little disappointed in the condition of the roads. Pastor Francisco told us yesterday about the bad political situation in Honduras right now. This is an election year.  The incumbent and other officials are busily vying us about the latest for reelection.  They seem to require all the money the government has at it’s disposal to prepare for, hopefully, reelection for their party.  Thus no money has been available for road repair or maintenance.  Both of us had to keep our eyes glued to road ahead to avoid 95% of the potholes and missing pavement.   I wonder if the people will vote for this administration that is more interested in their own position than the welfare of the people and the country?  We have noticed some other significant changes here.  Gasoline is $5.00/gallon now.  The money has devalued again.  The Honduran limpera is 21 to $1.00 American.  Last year it was 18 to 1. This makes life that much more difficult for the people. We can see signs of higher desperation among the people. Everything is more expensive, not just gas.  

The vista became more mountainous with lush, green tropical foliage between the corn fields as we passed through many small villages.  It never ceases to amaze us how these tough, hardworking farmers can grow corn on the steepest of mountainsides.  So the road also became steep and curvy as the elevation climbed.  I probably don’t have to tell how the car was doing at this point.  Ron had decided by this time that the new spark plugs were faulty or the wires weren’t seated correctly.  He could tell that one of the car’s four cylinders was not firing at all.  Our average speed for the trip was probably 35mph so we were praising God when we drove into a large town with an auto parts store.  We had spent most of the day so far breathing a prayer for God’s favor in keeping the car going.  Sr. Ramirez was very helpful and had just the sparkplugs and tool Ron needed.  I’m very proud of this roadside mechanic/hospice missionary!  We drove away with a “thumbs up” to Sr. Ramirez.

Our prayer life notched up again as the car began running rougher than ever!  Only one hour left to our destination, Copan.  Ron was very determined as he drove the pothole obstacle course, around steep curves and up and down mountainsides.  Finally the little town of Copan came into sight perched on the side of a mountain.  He gunned the engine and made a run for it.  Slowly the car made the final rise to Hotel Calle Real.  Yes, they had a vacancy!  A comfortable room with a gently whirring ceiling fan.  The mountain breeze is cool so no air conditioning is necessary, nor available.  We strolled down into the town passing market stalls and corner grills to our favorite restaurant, “Llamar del Bosque” (Call of the Forest) and enjoyed a much deserved meal of grilled chicken, tortillas and avocado topped salad. 

Tonight we will relax, rest, pray some more and prepare for an early start tomorrow morning.  We anticipate a long day, much like today.  We are trusting God to get us to Guatemala City, on three cylinders for tomorrow night and to the Ford dealership Monday morning.   We will see if Ron’s diagnosis, by process of elimination, of a faulty coil turns out to be the culprit!

We can assure you that we feel and experience the reality of answered prayer every day. We are so thankful for our family, friends and ICH prayer supporters.  We could not be here if you all were not with us in thoughts and prayer!    

       

 Sunday August 18 – Wednesday August 20  2013

In hind sight we know that it was God’s hand that kept our Escape engine running and His hand that enabled Ron to coax the car along. 

Sunday was a beautiful day! The skies were clear with very warm temperatures as we crossed the border from Honduras to Guatemala at 8 o’clock. Our progress was slow through the frontier but each little village was a marker of progress.  The car was running very roughly but did not die on us once. The road ran through expansive valleys and began a slow climb to the City at 6,000 ft.  There were times when Ron had to get a “run at it” for us to make the uphill grade. Guatemala City, what a welcome sight! We felt like we were “home” when we navigated our way through the hectic city traffic and arrived at the gate of Seteca (Seminario Evangelico Teologicol Central America).  By email we had requested a guestroom and we are so grateful for the comfortable accomodations.  Seteca houses and educates both undergrad and graduate students from all over the Latin world and North America. We have gotten to know many of them as well as the professors and staff over the 5 years we have been coming to Guate for ministry work.  God has connected us with translators through the school and we are pleased that one of the graduates, Gabriela (Gaby) Santizo has agreed to accompany us for the week our LBC (Lexington Baptist Church) team will be working here. She is an answer to one of our many prayers.

There are so many little parts to the logistics and planning for our time of work abroad. Much of it we can do ahead by emails of phone calls. But some of it is a walk of faith because we often don’t have all the little pieces in place that are needed particularly for a team to join us. Once again we get the front row seat to seeing God in His awesome ways! So many times we wish YOU all could be with us for this part. He goes before us and prepares our ways. We are continuing to learn to not be afraid or discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8). It is our nature to want to SEE everything and have a PLAN. He requires us to trust Him and be willing to move out of our comfort zones almost constantly. Then it becomes about Him not us! We pray for the spiritual eyes for all of us to see His work in each of our lives every day, no matter where in the world we are.

Monday morning we started our day scouting about the city for an electronic coil for the car. The Escape is unique in that it is a Ford but has a Mazda engine. Thus we started our treasure hunt at the Mazda dealership. “No, we do not work on Fords and do not have parts for a Ford.” Three auto parts store later a helpful man found the phone number for a specific store that carried Ford parts. We have learned that sometimes it is simpler to park our car and give a taxi driver the location. One place in downtown Guatelmala we know and can always find is the Union Church. This morning Pastor Conner was in the office when we arrived and allowed us to park at the church.  Taking a taxi was our strategy and it worked! We zipped merrily through traffic, with someone other than Ron at the wheel, and found the Ford place in no time. The part was not available in stock but could be ordered. It would be brought over from a bodega by 4 in the afternoon. This would work perfectly. We had plans to meet Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon for lunch near Union Church. The site manager for the team construction project, Joe Leier also a missionary in Guatemala, joined us for lunch as well.

Susan has noticed some vision changes over the past year. A few months ago Dennis had very successful cataract surgery and highly recommended Dr. Mariono Yee. Conveniently his office is within walking distance of Union Church. We know this was a divine appointment. Dr. Yee is in practice with his brother. They offer private services for regular costs but also offer eye care for the poor for whatever they are able to pay. He and several of his staff are English speakers and they gave us a tour of his entire facility. It was so impressive with state of the art examination equipment and 3 surgical suites.  Dr. Yee has performed over 1000 cataract surgeries last year not to mention many other corrective procedures. He and his staff do “brigades” which means they travel out to the villages in their mobile clinic bus and give eye care to people who would never be able to come into the city. We are sure God brought us here today.  We have been doing reading glasses screening in hand with our hospice work for 2 years. We always meet people who have serious eye conditions. God has given us another resource to offer. It is so wonderful when we find nationals who are working for and giving to their own people! God must have some folks in mind that we will meet in the future that Dr. Yee can help. Susan received a very thorough exam including an ultra sound of her eyes. Everything checked out great except the early beginnings of cataracts. Dr. Yee did not feel that surgery is necessary soon but recommends it eventually. Hopefully this will be possible in conjuction with another trip to Guatemala in the future.

Another blessing for us was to be able to spend time that evening with a dear friend, Yesinia Valasquez. Yesi was a translator and worked with us in our ministry for 3 years in the past. She now is helping us with coordinating our trips and teams here in Guatemala. Yesi graduated from Seteca 2 years ago and God has placed her in a job with International Justice Mission. She is so passionate and compassionate for her people and especially for those who are abused or forgotten and have no advocate. She sees many sad cases of children and women and God gives her opportunity to pray with them and share hope for a future through Jesus Christ. She is an advocate for them for legal and social services. We thank God for His power in her life and for her volunteering of her services in her spare time to help ICH. Please pray for her and for the countless helpless people who suffer at the hands of others. God cares and IJM can help!

Hurray, the correct part arrived at 4 o’clock!  We picked it up and after supper with Yesi headed back to our guestroom at Seteca. Since it was dark Ron had to postpone the mechanic work until in the morning. In the meantime, although the Escape has coughed and sputtered we got around to everywhere we needed to without breaking down. 

Tuesday morning. It’s daylight at 5:30am here so we were up early.  Thanks to Ron’s mechanical experience through the years he has saved us and ICH a lot of money.  Within only a few minutes he had the new coil installed.  The car started and almost purrs! God blessed us with the right part at the right time. Today is our next stage of travel. We have arranged to meet Dennis and Joe at Hospital Santa Fe in Chocola today. Ron and these guys will be checking on the preparation of the generator site. Now Ron says the car is running better than it ever did! We are so thankful! 

We “smoothly”(no hesitations, hiccups or backfires) traveled from Guatemala City down to sea level taking the Pacific Coast road to the city of Mazatenango. The morning was already hot but we had a clear view of the majestic volcanos on our inland side. The steamy feeling reminded us to expect clouds and storms that come every afternoon since it is rainy season.

First we scouted out the Hotel Alba where the LBC team has made reservations. It all looks good. It took us about 45 minutes from Mazate, passing through several villages, to arrive at Hospital Santa Fe. The final village road through Chocola winds between hedges and follows a riverbed but what a delightful surprise to pull into (or “lurch into” might be a better word?) the gate and see the smiling face of Dr. Sergio. We still are amazed to think of the 14 years he and Veronica have spent in this remote place serving a region of thousands of indigenous people who have no access to medical care.

Dennis and Joe beat us there but it wasn’t long before they were all 3 helping the 2 local men to dig the footers for the support pad for the new generator. This will be the primary construction project the LBC team will tackle. It will include building a secure place to house the generator and installing new electrical boxes and lines. Joe has drawings of the proposed remodel project so we took a walk through envisioning all the new aspects that are to come. They include 2 new ORs, a new recovery room, new bathrooms (total plumbing redo), remodel of the sterilizing/autoclave room, a new central supply, surgical wash/prep station, new triage for day clinic and much more. It will be done in phases of “gutting out the old” and rebuilding the new so that the hospital can still function as it is at the present. Dr. Sergio performed one surgery yesterday and saw several clinic patients. He is maintaining this location of medical care as well as three other day clinic locations. He is trying to go to the people, meeting them a little closer to their own homes. He rotates days of the week and location where he is working.

The day ended as we all enjoyed a delicious lasagna dinner in their home prepared by Veronica. They are still living in a portion of the hospital. Part of the “dream” is for a small house on the property to be renovated for their personal residence. The area they are living in is to become team guest lodging. 

Pastor Eligio of the Quiche’ council arrived and shared the evening meal with us. It was the perfect time to plan our ICH schedule for working with his churches next Thursday. We will be sharing our ICH ministry seminar and lunching with 20 church leaders from this indigenous group.  

Wednesday morning. After breakfast together it was time to return to Mazate. Since we had never been to Mi Dulce Refugio, My Sweet Refuge old folks home, in Mazate it took a while to find but we did. We like to make a brief visit ahead of time to introduce ourselves and meet the folks we will be working with. The meeting went well and we are all anticipating a good time of sharing ICH concepts with the staff of the home on Friday afternoon. Please pray that we can be an encouragement to them. They are the ones doing the hard work willingly in Jesus’ name!

Next Ron and Joe went to the hardware store to purchase some of the supplies the team will need for the generator project. The generator is already on site. It was shipped several weeks ago via container by Vine International. That is where Dennis came in as he and Cindy are at the “End of the Pipeline”.  Dr. Sergio himself and a truck driver picked the generator up in Guatemala City from Dennis at Vine’s warehouse and brought it to the hospital. I love to think about all the details that are required to making God’s plan happen.  He is the author of every detail.  It is awesome to see each person and each step take place as He accomplishes His plan. We are honored to get in on the beginning and to see the dream with Dr. Sergio of having a new facility for excellent health care. His greatest love is sharing the Word of God. God is using Dr. Sergio’s medical work to not only heal bodies but also hearts.

Now it was time to start the 3 hour trip back to Guatemala City. These two days of travel have been the acid test for the new car part and repair Ron did.  Arriving safely back in the city we will rest well tonight.  Joe and Dennis are remaining at the hospital continuing to prepare for the team and the generator project.  Tomorrow the team of 10 men will fly in. We will drive the Escape and will caravan with a hired van bringing the team down to Mazate. 

We know and feel the prayers of you all who are praying for us and ICH during these days.  May God be glorified and honored in all that we do and say. May many come to faith in Him as we all work together for the kingdom!