Today is our last full day in Honduras. This morning we
ate breakfast, had our devotion time led by pastor Jerry, and then gathered
around the big tree for our team picture.
The team picture is a tradition and a great way to have a memory of all
our teammates.
We boarded the old school bus and said good-bye to
Cofradia. Henry, our very capable bus
driver, drove us over the back roads to the park with the huge statue of
Christ. From this vantage point, you can
see all of Tegucigalpa. And the monument
of Christ can be seen from anywhere in the city. It’s a very cool landmark. It’s also cool to see the airport right in
the middle of the city. Several
airplanes landed while we were watching.
It is surreal to be on land yet above an airplane that is in flight!
After a leisurely hour in the park, we descended into the
city. What a contrast! While at the park we saw very few people, and
there was a stillness and quiet all around that was very refreshing.
As we entered the city, the number of people
and cars increased significantly! And
the noise! Have I mentioned that there
seems to be a “language” among drivers that involves their horns? One honk is “Hello” or “Hey”. Two honks seems to be an alert that “I’m
passing”, or “I’m coming around the curve”.
Three honks seems to be “Move
over, please”. More than that seems to
be some sort of horn swearing and cursing.
J
We made our way to El Patio Restaurant. This restaurant is a team favorite. Their specialty is grilled kabobs of all
kinds. No kidding, the kabob skewers are
about 18” long! It was a crazy amount of
food, but it tasted so good!
After lunch, we checked into our nice hotel, and we
dispersed. Some went straight to their
room for a (reliable) hot shower, some took naps, and others ventured across
the street to shop. Across the street is
a modern shopping mall with many of the stores that you find in the States. Here’s a brief look from inside the mall:
After dinner in the mall, we headed back to our rooms for
a good night’s sleep in a very comfortable bed.
As I sit in my comfy bed, clean and warm after a shower,
I can’t help but compare my current environment to those of the Hondurans we
just served in our clinics. Most didn’t
have running water, or if they did, it was one spigot for the entire
household. Most of the beds would have
thin mattresses, or sheets of foam rubber, if they had any mattress at all. We gave out beans, corn, and rice at each
clinic. Today, we ate grilled chicken, steak, shrimp and veggies. We are in a temperature controlled
environment, and most only have windows with no screens.
I’m reminded to be thankful. And I’m reminded to be a good steward of what
I’ve been given. My prayer is that this is
a lesson that will stay with me through the year.
Tomorrow we head back to the States. Thanks for your prayers. And thanks for the kind words about how the
blog has helped you follow our trip.
Your affirmation kept me going. Bendiciones!
Blessings!
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Wow, you are a dedicated blog reader! Just for fun, since we have a blazing fast internet connection here at the hotel tonight...