Let the work begin!!!

Today is the day it all begins for real!!  Yesterday was the day we all arrived and many believed that was the day it began.  I am not saying that it did not begin that day because it did, trust me.  I am saying that the first day there is a lot to take in.  The second day is the day when we might get to make a choice!!  

Saturday we all woke up to sunshine!  We had cereal, toast and fruit for breakfast.  After breakfast we met for devotional outside.  This morning Chad Roberst (Nino) led us in a few thoughts.  He talked about what an important impact just one of us could have on one person during this trip.  He encouraged each of us to go out and be a positive Christian example to the Honduran people.  

After devotional, Terry Reeves divided us into four teams: a building team, market team, bodega team, packing/medical team.  I have decided to do the blog similar to last year and have different individuals tell about there experiences in each of the groups.  I hope you all enjoy their stories.

The Market

 

No matter how many times I think my Spanish is getting better, I quickly realize that I am greatly mistaken. When I go to the open market. I sat on the bus for 20 minutes memorizing a few phrases that I knew I would need to know. When I stepped out of the bus I forgot EVERYTHING. Luckily, Chase Tunner was with us. He studied Spanish in college so to say the least, he made up for my lack of Spanish knowledge. It’s always a fun and exciting experience going to the Market. Its obvious that the vendors are excited that all the crazy Gringos are there too because we spent nearly 10,000 limps there. The most remarkable thing of the day to me, however, was the lady that left her business and potential income behind to help us bargain and get our money’s worth of food. There are only more great stories like this to come.

 

-Alex Jackson

 

My first experience out of the mission house was very enlightening. I discovered that there are very different traffic laws in Honduras, and whoever has a horn  must use it.  A group of about twenty people including myself went to the bodega…a storage unit where TORCH keeps their supplies. We transformed masses of mad chaos into neat and organized piles. We also saw a rat! The rat was almost the size of a small dog and it caused everyone to run for cover into the bus! It was a wonderful day J !

 

-Marah Casey

 

Construction Team

 

You may have heard the song lyric “out in the country past the city limits sign.” Well that line describes exactly where the construction team went today. We drove through the mountains to a beautiful site to build a house, way out in the country. I loved it because the smell of fresh grass and animals reminded me of home in Tennessee. We didn’t waste a minute when we arrived we worked to get all the tools and lumber to the site and began to build. The house we built was an extension for a family of 9. Their original house was made of dirt and clay. It wasn’t all work and no play we took some breaks to play with the kids some played soccer while others played with playdoh. I got the opportunity to learn a new skill, roofing, it made me nervous to be up on the roof at first but I got the hang of it and it was really fun. We finished the house in a little under 4 hours and the family was very grateful. We said a prayer with them before we left and it was a great way to begin the trip.

 

-Katie Griffy

 

Packing/medical team

This team consisted of everyone else!! We stayed at the mission house and went through all of the medical supplies/toys/food/etc. and sorted it.  We also a few guys working on the water purification thing that I am not even going to talk about because well I am not an engineer of any kind and I do not know what I am talking about, but I have pictures!!  So, when I can get them on the computer I will post those handy little things and you can see them!!  Ok...the medical team took all of the medical supplies and divided every pill, liquid medicine and broke it down how it needed to be.  While other people divided clothes, and toys and more clothes and more toys and some coloring books and more clothes, ok you get the picture.  We also had a group sorting and bagging rice, beans, and flour, too.  As you back home can tell we were busy!!!!!  Once we bagged the food and sorted the clothes, and moved the meds, and organized everything....nope not done yet.  We started making bags for families to have.  These would be bags of food by the way.  by the end of the day we had, can you guess I be you can't......ok I'll just telll you.....600 bags of food!!!!  ISN"T THAT JUST WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I mean God is so good!!!

By this time the rest of the team had gotten back to the mission house so everyone had started getting ready for dinner.  For dinner we had chicken, salad, pasta salad, and a roll.  It was pretty good I might add!!!  We sat around for a while and conversed with one another then headed over for devotional!!  Tonight the devotional was done on the live stream!!!  Chase Turner led us in some thoughts tonight!  He started off with Phil. 4:13.  Chase wanted us to remember that we can do all things through CHRIST if we are doing it for the glory of God the Glory of me!!  Because you know what it's not about me, it is about GOD!!!  Chase sure knows what to say!!  After the devotional thought we did the Where Did you See Jesus.  This Is always, always an awesome time!!  He was seen in so many places today.  I am going to just put people's name and hopefully I can write quicker next time and get stories!!  Jesus was seen in Darla Ham, Sara Tucker, Tara Shea, Erin Mann, Terry Stewart, Girls on the Build site, Bodega crew, Whitney, Mark's interns, there were so many more guys I just couldn't get them down, I'm so sorry!!  

The devotional was great tonight.  Like I said it was live stream if you are reading the blog then you can get access to it.  There is a link!!  I will try first thing to get that on in the morning, I do not know hat to do it right now.  Guess what it is actually already posted from last year though so if you would like to try and find it just scroll down the blog to the 2008 post and it says click here I think.  It is actually really simple.  I will try to get up on a recent one ASAP though!!!  Thank you all for being patient!!  LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!  Please keep praying!!!!!

Brandy B