Been home a week now.

A week ago today, we were just leaving Honduras. We're all rested up and we showed the video at the luncheon at church yesterday. I'm going to try to post what we did by days, so here is the start of our trip.

Monday, June 16th

We gathered at the church and loaded the trailer loaned to us by Bob and Roxanna and headed for Dallas Love Field. From the Jacksboro area are Vicky, David and me, Phyllis, Brent, Laronda, John, Evan and Leslie and Mike from Wichita Falls. Melanie had baked muffins for us and Michael and Trey decorated bags and put apples in them for a send-off surprise. Tommy & Bill drove and we really appreciate them getting up that early. We left around 2 am and met up with the rest of our group from the Naples area. Those included Brittany (who is actually from Wichita Falls), Mac, Debbie, Connie, Darrell, Donna, Damon, Artie, Yvonne, Frank, Todd, Anna, Toni, Phillip, Ginger, Kayden, Cassidy and Richard.

We had about a two hour layover in Houston, then, on to Honduras, where we landed at San Pedro Sula where we were met by David and Suyapa.

To be honest, we weren't looking forward to the 4+hours on an old yellow school bus. But then up drove a charter type bus! Alright, we would ride in air conditioned comfort! But alas the air couldn't keep up, but we were able to open the windows and most of our ride was through the mountains so it was a little cooler. Most slept, some read. As I reported in the earlier blog, the bus driver honked his horn A LOT! Sometimes to warn another vehicle that he was going to pass and sometimes, just to say hello to vehicles we were meeting on the road. We stopped about halfway at a restaurant for a much needed break, then, back on the road again to Tegucigalpa. It was not quite dark when we arrived then had to drive many narrow streets to get to our hotel. At one point, we were turning and a car was in the way. So some guys (not from the bus) picked the car up and moved it on to the sidewalk and out of our way. Then, on to our hotel. We stayed at the Honduras Maya, which is a really nice hotel.

Honduras Maya

Honduras Maya's Pool

More to come... Tuesday, etc...

OK, I just had to post this...

In the first post, I had a picture of Olga and Alba Ruth. Olga's son, Enrique is doing better, but has a long road ahead of him. The surgical wound is slowly healing. I think all of the nurses on the trip stopped by to check on him, and/or take him to the clinic, etc... I didn't see Olga until Friday night. We just hugged and hugged and cried. As for Alba Ruth, I only saw her for a short time and later found out she has a growth (cyst?) on her kidney and she needs surgery. Please pray for Alba Ruth. That she gets the medical help she needs. I can't remember, but the surgery would be very costly, and here in the states, we would just have it. Not so in Honduras. Seeing the picture again, and remembering the time we spent with those two Godly women last year, I had to ask you to remember both of them in your prayers. It's now after 11 and Brittny and Mike should be in Wichita Falls now and the group from Naples should be home as well.

So, I'm gonna shower and hit the bed asap.

Compartir Esperanza!

Carole & David

Home Again!

Praise the Lord, we made it home!!! We all had a great time, but are glad to be safely home. Just wanted to let you know. It's late and I will post more in the next few days.

IT´S ALREADY FRIDAY?

CAN IT REALLY BE? TIME HAS JUST FLOWN BY. WE ARE ALL DOING GREAT. A FEW UPSET STOMACHS, BUT OVER, THE PRAYERS ARE DOING THEIR JOB. KEEP THEM GOING UP. WE ARE GOING TO GO ALL THE WAY TO SAN PEDRO SULA ON SUNDAY. 8+ HOURS ON A BUS, BUT HOPEFULLY THE AC WILL BE WORKING. HA! GOTTA RUN. THE TRUCK IS LEAVING. LOVE TO ALL... CAROLE & DAVID

Tuesday Morning

We made it to Tegucigalpa just fine. It was about a 5 hour bus ride, instead of 4 hours, with lots of curves around the mountains and lots of horn honking. We decided the driver got bonus pay every time he honked his horn. ;o) Some had motion sickness and we had one down this morning with upset stomach, but so far, everyone else is good to go. Back on the bus again, that is. It will be approximately another 4 hours before we get to Catacamas. We will be stopping about half way at the store that is run by Mennonites. They will have bathrooms and they have lots of baked goodies.

We spent the night in a REALLY nice hotel and we just finished breakfast and will be hitting the road to Catacamas around 9:00. Honduras is in the same time zone as Texas, but they don´t observe daylight savings. This hotel has internet, but getting used to a spanish keyboard is quite a chore. I do at least have a proof reader, reading this over my shoulder, so if there are any mistakes, it´s his fault! lol



Keep the prayers going!!! Thanks to all!

Love, Carole & David

OK, So I'm not a proof reader...

Yes, I need a proofreader. If you've read the two previous blogs, you will see several mistakes. Even though I read and re-read, some still slip by me. I don't however, work for the Jacksboro Gazette-News. In the June 10, 2008 issue, the following caption went with a photo of the '08 JHS graduating class.

"Graduation night
The Jacksboro High School Class of 2008 performs “??” for parents, friends, teachers and members of the community during Friday night’s graduation ceremony. Commencement also included presentation of scholarships and other accolades, speeches and a fond farewell from the graduates."

So, if anyone knows exactly what song "??" is, I would like to hear it. If anyone wants to volunteer to proofread my material, come on by. I'm going to keep my day jobs..... ;o)

Compartir Esperanza

This time tomorrow...

well, hopefully, we'll be resting, if not asleep.
David had to work today, and just got in, so he's pretty tired.

We've already had some changes in our plan. We will be staying Monday night in Tegucigalpa, instead of riding 8 +/- hours in a bus. So, ok, well still be riding that long in a bus, but it will be over 2 days. Also, we will leave early Sunday, June 22nd and again spend the night in Tegu. This will allow for some time to shop at the mall, or, go to the hospital and see Enrique. He's the young man who had his leg amputated after a motorcycle/auto accident. They finally did surgery Thursday night. We have 4 RNs and 1 nursing student traveling with our group and they are all anxious to check things out.

I had a slight accident myself Thursday morning. My friend Connie and I got hybrid bikes several weeks ago. I've already got 75 miles on it! Anyway, we were riding the Fort Richard State Park trail. It goes from the state park to the lake. We got on the trail about 2 miles from the State Park and road towards the park. There is a lot of gravel or "chat" on the trail and in some places, it gathers or "pools" and sure enough, I hit one just rignt and fell. (see picture below) When I looked at my hand and there was a piece of gravel imbedded under the flesh of my palm, I thought of Enrique. Of course, his injuries are MUCH worse than mine, I didn't have any broken bones, just hamburger looking leg with a really big bruise and several skinned spots on my hand. After the wreck, we kept going, got to the state park and back home again. I've iced and medicated it, but it still looks bad. Really messed up the good tan I had going. Laronda and I rode the same trail again this morning without incident. ;o)

OK, just a reminder that we need lots of prayers. We appreciate all who are praying for our safety and the success of our mission.

Also, want to say a big THANK YOU to Bob and Roxanna. They are letting us their cargo trailer to haul our luggage to the airport. THANKS, again.

AND, I mentioned that Tommy & John L. were driving us to the airport, but now it will be Tommy and Bill. Thanks Guys!!!

FYI - Mom, I have 1 bag packed so far!!!

David just asked me from our bedroom "Have you seen our bed?" Oops! It's covered with clothes I haven't packed yet. Guess I'd better go for now. Love to all and Compartir Esperanza

carole

One Week to Go!

We will be leaving from Love Field, Dallas, flying to Honduras. We (David & Carole) will leave Jacksboro early Monday, June 16th with 7 members (Laronda, Brent, Evan, Leslie, Vicky, Phyllis & John), from Jacksboro church of Christ and Mike (the translator ;o)) from Edgemere church of Christ in Wichita Falls. Thanks to Tommy & John L. for getting up early and driving us to the airport. We will be meeting the rest of our group from the Naples area at Love Field, then flying from there to Houston, then on to Honduras.

Because of the crash in Tegucigalpa, May 30, 2008, we will be landing at San Pedro Sula. Our sympathy goes out to those hurt or killed in the plane crash. (http://tinyurl.com/2pvmhz/ Here is a clip of a good landing at Tegu.) I've been told that the airport in San Pedro is on nice, flat land, so we pray that our plane landing is uneventful. We also pray that our bus trip, which is extended from 4 hours to 8 hours is uneventful.

No telling what time we will arrive in Catacamas, but we are all ready to get busy with the Lord's work there.

Please pray for our safety and for our successful mission trip.

Below is a picture of Olga & Alba Ruth walking hand in hand. We had just finished the VBS and Ladies class at the church in Amacupa. Please pray for Olga & Jose's son, Enrique. Enrique was in a motorcycle/auto accident around the first of May. They had to remove one leg below the knee, and are still waiting for surgery to repair the compound fracture above the knee on the same leg. The hospital conditions are deplorable. Keep Enrique in your prayers and his mom and dad, as well.

Compartir Esperanza
To Share Hope

That is our mission for this trip.

Carole & David