Our last days in Honduras

Having finished our houses early we had all day Thursday to relax and do some sightseeing.  It was also St. Patrick's Day.  I woke up early and just lay on my bunk listening to the unusual sounds of the Canchias camp.  Since the tire had blown out on our truck the day before, we loaded the bus for the ride to the Heart to Honduras youth camp.  It was a wonderful place with a lot of potential but it was only partically finished because they had cut some trees during construction without permission from the government.  The government has prohibited new construction and the future of the camp is now in litigation.  It is easy to see why the trees need to be protected since they are magnificent and dripping with Spanish moss.  I hope there is someway to resolve this situation.

Linda relaxing in a hammock

We continued on to Lake Yure where Heart to Honduras has gorgeous property overlooking the lake.  They put out several hammocks and opened coconuts for us.  We enjoyed a couple of hours there hanging out in the hammocks, eating P&J sandwiches and just relaxing.

Thursday night we joined with the students at the School of Discipleship for a service at the Canchias camp.  The bug had finally caught up with me and I was not feeling great but it was a wonderful night of music, message and fellowship.  We got a late start since the electricity kept going out.  Our guys got a chance to lead in worship and did a fantastic job.  The students said we were the first group to visit who could play all the instruments and lead them in worship.  It was fun when the students got to lead us in one of their songs and it was the same song we had learned earlier in the week.

We all woke up early on Friday morning and were excited to pack up for our trip home.  We loaded the truck again for our last bumpy ride.  It was a somber trip with not as much laughing or talking as previous rides.  At the office we switched back to the bus for the ride to San Pedro Sula and shopping!  Linda, Jimmy and I were on a mission to get some hammocks.  At the market, the three of us combined our order and felt with Leo's help we negotiated a good deal.

Getting though customs and immigration in Honduras and then the US was a long process but it was so wonderful to finally be in Miami.  The three Odum kids stuck together and enjoyed an American meal of pasta at Pizza Hut along with a Diet Coke and as much ice as we wanted!  It was so meaningful to spend so much quality time with Linda and Jimmy.  I am really an Odum.  Mama always said it was unnatural how Daddy's brothers and sisters loved to be together but I totally understand it.  For so many years, we were not able to be together and now we can and it is great.

After a fast and scary landing in Nashville, I finally got to see my sweet Jerry.  Sharon came with him to pick up Jimmy.  When I got home, Jerry had a card and a rose for me.  Awww, he really missed me.  It was a trip I will never forget.  I can't say I would do it again any time soon but maybe some day.

A Real Roof

We were so excited to present Guadalupe and her family with the her new house and the items we had bought for her.  Heart to Honduras is very careful to select women who are in the greatest need.  The home is then presented to the woman so that she and her children can never be kicked out if the husband decides to take a new wife.  We assembled all the items in the new house and hung the new mirror on the wall where Guadalupe indicated.  Through an interpreter, we took turns telling her how much we had come to love her and her children and of our prayers for their future in the new home.  Then it was Guadalupe's turn to share with us her thoughts about the new house.  She started to speak and was overcome with emotion.  She cried and we all cried.  Through the interpreter she said, "I am so happy to finally have a real roof."  There was no mention of the beautiful mirror we were so proud of.  We repeated the presentation of two more houses with two more women and their families that afternoon.

We are so blessed as Americans.  I have more in one closet than Guadalupe had in her whole house.  It may take me some time to accomplish but I am going to get rid of my excess.  In the future, I am going to be more careful about buying things that I don't really need.

Getting money back

Wednesday morning in Honduras and we were up early again.  Today was going to be a fun day.  Since we had basically finished our houses, all the women got to visit a local school while the men went back to the job sites to put screens on the windows and doors.  One team had been going to different schools all week but this was the first time I got to go along.  The children of Honduras are so beautiful and friendly.  Yes, I am a sucker for kids with brown eyes!  We gave them bubbles, beach balls, toothbrushes, toothpaste and candy.  (I know it seems wrong.)  Most of the children's teeth are full of cavities since the water is not safe and they drink a lot of sugary sodas.  This little boy's front teeth were decayed.  He had a beautiful smile but he would close his mouth when the camera was pointed at him.  I hope somehow something will change for him and his permanent teeth will be saved.

My brother, Jimmy,
enjoying his burger

In the afternoon, we rode into Santa Cruz and went to a fast food restaurant.  It is crazy how good a hamburger and fries can taste.  We also got our first glance at a TV since we left on Saturday.  We were shocked and saddened to learn that over 4,000 had been confirmed dead in Japan from the earthquake and tsunami. 
After lunch, we broke into teams and went shopping for items for our homes.  I was so thrilled to be chosen to manage the money we had to spend on Guadalupe.  The first store was like an old hardware store; it had everthing.  We picked out a teal, plastic table with four adult chairs and two childrens chairs; a folding bed with mattress; a red, plastic storage unit and a beautiful mirror with Psalm 91 at the top.  I was excited to pay AND get money back.  Of course, it was in lempira which are 1/9 of an American dollar.  We crossed the street and spent the rest of our money on two toy cars, a broom, a mop, a bucket, a storage box, lots of food and soap.  All together we spent $133 and got back 61 lempira.  I love this getting money back!