Always Enough

“Your love is peace to the broken, Faith for the widow, hope for the orphan, strength for the weak. Your love is the anthem of nations, rings out through the ages, and Your always enough for me”

-Casting Crowns “Always Enough”

This has been one of the most incredible days of the trip for the Catacumus group. We woke up for breakfast by 7:00. The breakfast was wonderful; eggs, sausage, fruit, and beans!!! We had devo at about 8:oo. Brian Steffy spoke this morning. He spoke about leaving positive footprints!! After devo we split into three groups. One group went to a special needs orphanage, one to the church building to paint, and one packed food and met up with the special needs group to distribute.

Painting

About 30 people arrived this morning to a church building in Catacamus. We began painting a very dingy white wall and blue trim building to a beautiful pistachio green, on the wall, with hunter green trim. The church is having a gospel meeting this week so we were happy to make the building look great for their guests. The preacher helped with getting supplies and a lady from the church and her children helped us clean. We painted most of the auditorium and began cleaning out and painting the children’s classroom. We are returning tomorrow to finish panting and we are going back tonight to host a VBS for the children during the gospel meeting.

-Maegan Baldwin Nashville, TN

Special Need Orphanage

Tonight as I sit here in my room alone I don’t even know where to began to tell you about my day. The words of a song come to mind… “Open the eyes of my heart Lord, Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you, I want to see you…” Today not only the eyes of my heart were opened but every piece, corner, and area were totally exposed. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a Special Needs Orphanage. Today, having a special needs child of my own, I believed I could handle whatever God would throw at me. I was so wrong!! Miguel met me at the door with his huge brown eyes and wonderful smile. My heart melted and the tears began to flow. He clung to me for most of the morning and we could not even communicate that well. But God opened both of our hearts and all we had to do was hold hands and sit together. There were no words needed. At one point in the day he looked at me and said in Spanish, “Do you love me?” I replied in my broken Spanish,
With all my heart.” I felt like Peter must have felt when Jesus asked hem the same question. However, Jesus knew that Peter loved him but Miguel had no idea I had fallen in love with him. All he knew was that he was left alone by parents who were supposed to love him. Honduras is a wonderful country and a great place to do mission work. TORCH gives us all the chance to change someone’s life. However, today in a very small, run-down orphanage with not air and very little electricity, a small boy named Miguel, changed my life forever. So the next time you sing the words “Open the eyes of my heart Lord..” you better be very prepared for what God will put in front of you!!

-Terry Cheatham Western Hills C of C

My emotions were truly tested today. We went to a special needs orphanage. I myself have a special needs brother, so I thought I could handle it. But I was not prepared for what I went through today. The owner of the orphanage had a heart of gold. He told us the story about why he started the orphanage. Then he started talking about a little boy named Anthony. He was in the orphanage, but passed on about 4 months ago. That when I lost it. I started crying because I could not imagine losing someone that was close to me. However, ending on a happy and funny comment. My dad was sitting in a chair with a little boy in his lap, and the chair broke from underneath him, Just saying…

-Kennedy Cheatham Western Hills C of C

Packing/Distributing

Today about 10 of us went with Terry Reeves to a store to by food to pack for distribution. The local preacher assisted with negotiating the prices so we could get as much as possible with donated money. We loaded the truck and bus and brought all the bought food back to the hotel to be sorted and packaged. We worked as a team to sort the food and pack it making about 100+ bags. When we finished packing the food we loaded the buses, with assistance from the hotel staff, and headed out to a some community outside of Catacumus. We distributed food, clothes and shoes to many of the local members of the Church. This was probably one of the poorest areas I have been to in 10 trips with TORCH. The people were so gracious and honest. They wanted to make sure everyone was able to get a bag of food. We gave on little boy some clothes and he ended up bringing some back because he said it was too many. While we were giving out the food/clothes/shoes, the preacher took us to the river where they do baptisms. It was an amazing view across the mountain range. After we finished giving out the food we loaded the buses to head back to town. On the way we picked up several people walking to Worship. We made room for many of the people in the community. By bus it took about 20 – 25 minutes to get to the Church building, so you can only imagine how long it would take to walk!! We dropped them off at the building and came back to the hotel for clean-up/supper before heading to worship ourselves.

Tonight we had rice, noodles, empanadas, and fruit. After eating we went to worship with the locals. While the adults had their lesson, a few of us assisted with class for the children. Kim Fussell was the children’s teacher. She did such an amazing job with the children. She taught the story of David and Goliath. After she taught the lesson, we brought one of our translators in, Lucas, to “play” Goliath. The children were given the opportunity to through a soft ball at him like David. Then they received juice and cookies!! Total attendance for the Gospel meeting was 161.

Once worship was over we came back to the hotel. We had devo about 8:00. Brett Mitchell spoke. He spoke about our role while we are here. He illustrated how quickly it changes by giving the example of his soccer team. Brett coaches at Faulkner University. He took his team to Brazil to participate in a soccer clinic, and then do some work with a TORCH missionary. He told about how the first few days was “laid back”. He said his team was able to play the tourist role. Then they went to another location for soccer. That is when they played the soccer player role. Later they met up with a missionary and worked with him. That is the missionary role. Brett spoke about the importance of not forgetting what you take from doing great works for the Lord and no matter what role you are playing to do it for the Lord. Then we did something we have not had a chance to do due to the size of our group; where did you see Jesus. Jesus has been seen each day of the trip. In the children at the orphanages, at the hospital, in our group at the mission house washing dishes, in the villages, etc. Jesus love is always enough for everything we have seen, experienced. What we are trying to do is show Jesus’ love and help the Honduran people understand His love. However, we are the ones who come to realize His love is always enough!!

Thank you guys so much for keeping up with our trip. Please continue to pray for us and the work here!! God is So Good!!

Brandy B

Choluteca

Wow, day 7 came and went way too fast. The trip so far has been every thing I had expected and then some. Last year our trip was cut short and even though we accomplished quite a bit, this year we are getting a real taste of what Torch can do and what a difference we can make in the lives of the people of Honduras. By day 7 we have already done so many wonderful things and the fatigue really starts to set in (especially for those of us over 40 who are in less than great shape). Most days, up to now, start with breakfast at 7 am. Today, we had to board the busses at 6 am to leave the Villa and take a 3 to 4 hour bus ride to Choluteca. Let me tell you, old school busses are not intended for long rides, but it didn’t keep most of us from taking a nice little catnap. Despite the bus ride and fatigue, I eagerly anticipated yet another wonderful day of serving the wonderful people of Honduras. We arrived at the hotel and unpacked, and then headed to the work site. The country is beautiful despite the poverty. We arrived in a small village that was at the end of a long bumpy dirt road that had a few small houses along the way. When we arrived at the work site, there were hundreds of people lining the road waiting on us to get there. Part of our team started setting up for a food and clothing give away, part of the team set up a medical clinic and I personally went down the road to the church that was already constructed, but needed to be painted. We also had to build benches for the church. I was part of the crew that built benches. A local gentleman showed us how to build the first bench and then we took it from there. We had 4 local boys who jumped in and helped with each and every bench. They were so eager to help. They carried boards, handed us screws, and even carried the finished benches into the freshly painted church building. The time passed so quickly, we didn’t want to stop, but it was getting dark and we had to pack up and leave. When you look around at the wonderful people we meet here, it’s hard to believe that anyone living in such conditions could be so happy. They also seem to be so thankful for what you give them no matter what it is. We all need to learn a lesson from them and learn to be grateful for where we are in life and what we have. I look forward to tomorrow and the opportunities we will have to serve once again and hope that we can be Jesus to the people we come in contact with.

-Dan Hines Western Hills Church of Christ

I went to Choluteca today! We arrived a bit later than we expected to, but Honduran traffic can make for slow going. A beautiful sea of faces all of which were dressed in the Sunday best for the Gringos greeted us! After we set up shop the Heffe (leader) of the village had everyone organized. He had given one representative from each family a yellow ticket to turn in to allow them to come thru the distribution line. We were able to give approximately 180 families a bag of food, a hygiene packet BRAND NEW CROCS (thanks to a donation), clothes, toys and a Bible. I was able to give each family there crocs and tell them "En el nombre de Christo" Today we were able to feed the hungry in His name. Praise God!

Jenny Lovell

The medical clinic today at Choluteca was very busy! Each person had a job to do, whether it was writing names, taking vitals, describing symptoms, interpreting Spanish, or diagnosing patients - every person involved was doing the work of Jesus here on earth. As a lowly nursing student and eager to do any job assigned, my job was to take blood pressure and pulse from each patient. After around 70 people, I was an expert blood pressure taker! Overall, we saw around 150 patients. After I took blood pressure and pulse, a nurse would prescribe the individual medicine according to his/her symptoms, and then the patient would see the doctor. Most of the sick had a fever or cold. Although the healthcare system is very poor, we did treat a 90-year-old woman today! The children there are also so different from children in the States. Because going to the doctor is a privilege, only a half-dozen of the children cried. They were so well behaved! I cannot wait to go back again tomorrow and show the love of Jesus another day.

Marah Casey

Stone Soup

July 6, 2010

Today was a long exhausting day for the Catacumus group. Our group left a little while after morning devo!! This morning we had an AMAZING breakfast!!! We had eggs, beans, and plantains. I am not exaggerating at all when I say it is “AMAZING” because it really was!!! After breakfast we met in the chapel for a short singing devo before splitting into our groups.

The group staying in Teguc had a food distribution team, a food packing/visitation team, three construction teams, and a team going to the Landfill.

The Catacumus group left around 11 am. Our group consists of about 45+ people. Today was not much of a “work day” for us due to the drive. It took us about 4 ½ hours to get to Catacumus. We were blessed to be able to see God’s amazing creation while riding through this beautiful country. We went up, around, and down many different mountains so you can just imagine the scenery we were able to see. We were also able to fellowship on the ride as well. Some of us met new people and shared stories about the wonderful things happening on the trip. We laughed and sang; basically we made the trip as worthwhile as possible.

When we arrived at the hotel we checked in before unloading the bus. Our group is the first group to ever stay in this hotel. It is really nice and it has Internet, which allows me to keep you guys informed. We unloaded the bus in a pretty good pour down. Some of us got soaked, but it was worth it!! As we were settling in we were given the time for dinner. During the two hour wait people played cards, talked, or took naps. At about 7 we had supper, and man oh man, all I can say was AMAZING!!!!! It was so good. I’m not sure if it was because everyone was so tired from the trip or what, but WOW!! We had pasta, beans, tacos, Tostitos, and an awesome dessert!! Yummy!!!!

After supper we met for devo. Our fearless leader, Terry Reeves, led us in a few thoughts. He told the story of Stone Soup. Briefly, there were these men who went into a village where everyone was nasty toward each other and strangers. When the people saw the people coming into the village they went into their homes and locked the doors. So the strangers set up a camp and started a pot of boiling water and added stones. Some of the people noticed and became curious, so they went and asked what they were doing. The strangers told them they were making a pot of Stone Soup, the best soup ever. They began to tell them it would be better if certain ingredients were added to it. One by one the villagers began to pitch in different ingredients, bringing the community together. Basically Terry was trying to illustrate how we all have something to offer and use our talents to be shinning lights of Jesus.

After devo we all sat around playing cards, swimming, and socializing before bed. Today was a great day and our group is looking forward to the work we will be starting tomorrow!! Thank you all again for the prayers!! Continue to check the blog for pictures and updates.

I will hopefully be receiving an email from the other groups so you can all keep contact with them as well!! Thanks for your patients!!

Brandy B

Mixed up pictures!!

At Your Feet

“Here at your feet, I lay this day down. Not in my strength, but in Yours I’ve found, All I need, Your all I need. Jesus, Jesus at your feet, Oh to dwell and never leave. Jesus, Jesus at your feet, there is NO WHERE ELSE FOR ME”

-Lyrics from Casting Crowns song “At Your Feet”

All I can say truly about today is that it was a Blessing!! Jesus was seen everywhere throughout Teguc. WOW!! The day started early. Seven to eight was breakfast. For breakfast we had French toast, peanut butter, and fresh fruit!! It was wonderful. At about 8:30 we met for a short singing devo before breaking up into our groups. We had seven groups doing a variety of things.

Special Needs Orphanage

Today a small group of us went to the Special Needs Orphanage. This is a place we’ve gone for many years, but always touches a special place in our hearts. They have a small number of children, but all who are either are physically/mentally impaired. When we arrived the group of women that run the orphanage gave us a tour of their home. They were the getting ready to eat their lunch and our group gladly helped feed them their spaghetti. After that we had physical Therapists their best to work with the children that needed their help most, while the rest of us played and colored and just held the other children. We enjoyed our time at this Special Needs place and the joy they gave us today.

-Hannah Wood (Zion’s Rest C of C)

Construction

Today we went to a small very poor village on the outskirts of Teguc. and built three houses families that did not have them before. Life changing experiences are happening here in Honduras on this TORCH trip. You really don’t know what you have until you see with your own eyes what others don’t have. It blows us away to see how happy these people are with the circumstances they are surrounded by. They have no material goods; all they have is the example of Christ that we are able to bring. Through Jesus, we were able to help change three families lives today and they were so grateful as were we. There are truly some amazing people here!! We met a 10-year-old girl in the village today from a very poor family her name is Vanessa. She is one of the most beautiful girls we have ever seen!! Let me tell you about this little girl’s heart, she was so proud of her family. She introduced us to her two younger sisters, then later to her mother!! She talked about her father; we think he was at work? We had very little Gatorade left in our bag so we gave it to her, then she gave it to her two younger sisters!! The child was unbelievable!! Another child Chase Turner was with was pretty cool as well. Chase asked him what his favorite Bible verse was, he said Psalm 92, and before Chase could turn the Bible there this 10-year-old boy had already quoted (word for word) the first 7 verses!! That blew our minds!! Amazing things are happening here everyday and we as so thankful to be a part of it!! This is truly how God wants us to live, As Servants!! I hope everyone back home who reads this gets a daily servant attitude and will consider participating in mission trips. I’d like to say hello to my mom and dad (Steve and Debby) in Lexington, TN!! I love you so much and thank you for the raising you gave me!! We are truly doing work for the Lord!!

-Matt Wilkinson and James Johnson.

Princesses!!

Today we had a group go out to Molola to do a make over activity with the girls in the village! Our group divided up into hair washing, feet cleaning, nail paint, hair fixing, and dressing up stations. We had assistance from some of the local young men in bringing in water to wash hair. Our group was willing to step out of their comfort zones and do what was needed. We did not have enough buckets to wash the girls feet so everyone put in there wet wipes and baby wipes to clean there feet. As the day progressed, another group from a soccer clinic came up. This group consisted of all guy!! These guys were FANTASTIC!!!!!! They immediately jumped in to assist with anything that was needed. We had guys painting nails and washing hair and feet. I can not tell you how moving it was to watch these men work willingly with these little girls!! I promise to put pictures up as soon as possible!! We also had a station where the young girls were able to dress up and have their picture taken. They were able to put on Disney Princess outfits. They were so precious!! One of the things the girls were able to walk away with was a copy of the picture of them. I promise that words are not close to being enough to explain the joy that was brought to our group. It is so weird that we are suppose to be here to bring joy to their lives, when in actuality it is them who bring joy to ours!!

Once we had finished we came back to the mission house for dinner. Tonight we had rice, chicken and potatoes, and tortilla shells. The food is always wonderful here!! After supper we went to have deco in the chapel!! Jeremy Myers spoke tonight. He did an excellent job. He spoke about how we must be committed to God. We are to trust Him and remain Faithful!! Once deco was complete we split into our three teams for a brief meeting before bed.

It is very important that everyone understand there will be a split in the group. Tomorrow the Catacamus team leaves out. Wednesday the Choluteca teams leaves. I will be receiving information about each group through email! I will be posting the best I can. Please know that I try to keep everyone as up-to-date as possible. I am sorry about the live webcast. I was not sure how to work it and Mark Connell was not with our group tonight to assist me. I am also not sure how the devos will work when we split. Thank you all for thinking about us though. I know that there are many people sending pray up for us! Please email me with any questions (brandyb06@gmail.com)!! Tomorrow I will post about the Soccer clinic, Didasko, and the Hospital team. Thank you once again for your prayers. I love you all.

Brandy B

Goal!!!!

Hello to everyone back home!! Today was WONDERFUL!!!!! We were able to sleep in a bit, which was great for those who have been here, but I was ready to go!! So I woke up at around six and just lay in bed a while. When I arrived in the cafeteria there were many already enjoying breakfast. Today we had toast, cereal, and fruit!!

After everyone had eaten we got our money and bags ready to leave for the futbol (Soccer) against the Cobras. For those of you who do not know, the Cobras are pretty much the same as our S.W.A.T. We occasionally play a game with them on trips when we are blessed with enough players. TORCH has a pretty good rapport with the Cobras. The game was fantastic!! We scored the first goal and then they scored like two seconds after that. At halftime the score was 2-1 Cobras. Coming into the second half the game was much more interesting!! We scored twice putting us ahead of the Cobras!! However, just a few minutes before the game ended Cobras scored once again. The game ended in a tie!! It was a great game!! Afterward the players prayed together with the Cobras.

Once the game was finished, there was somewhat of a demonstration. The Cobras showed us their "toys". With the assistance of our translator, Minor, along with Lonnie Jones we were able to see different weapons they use. Lonnie had to explain what they were called due to Minor's lack of knowledge for the "American" terms. It was very interesting. I will post pictures as soon as possible.

Once the demonstration was finished we loaded the buses to go and eat. The group had several different options to choose from when deciding to eat lunch. We all ate in about 45 minutes. Once we finished we headed to the Valley of Angels to do some shopping. The drive was incredible. The view was unbelievably amazing!! God is so Mighty, and we were able to view is amazing creation today. We shopped for about an hour, hour and a half then loaded the buses to go eat supper. Supper was another wide variety of choices. We spent about an hour eating before heading back up the mountain to the Jesus statue.

The Jesus statue, enough said. We had a very uplifting worship service while at the Jesus Statue. We were able to look out over the City. We heard the noises of the city, dogs barking, horns blowing, people talking. It was beautiful!! Tim Hines led us in singing, and let me tell you....well words really can't explain the awesomeness of the singing!! Lonnie Jones brought us our lesson tonight. Lonnie spoke about the importance of a servant. He gave different examples of how the servants of the Bible were always the ones to "win". He talked about how Jesus came to be a servant and how hundreds of thousands of people would travel miles to see Him. He spoke about how Jesus took our place so we might continue to serve. He told of story about him and some others going somewhere and seeing an exhibit where people were able to actually get on a cross and be lifted up. Lonnie explained that he had been asked to do it but did not and later explained he didn't because Jesus had done it for him. WOW!! I'm sure it does not have the same power reading it as it did hearing it. Lonnie's lesson was so moving. We all need to be servants for Christ. Think of God's sacrifice. He loved us so much He sent His Son to die, so we might LIVE!! Our theme this year is RUE2B (Are you ready to be). We must all be ready to be a servant. That is what it is all about!! Serving!!!

After the lesson we loaded the bus and came back to the mission house. We met in the Cafeteria for a bit for some announcements. We also were greeted with a few cobblers Joe Jones had made. One word, YUM!!!!!! It was fabulous. Once we had the announcements we all went our separate ways for bed. Thank you guys so much for your thoughts and prayers. Please continue to remember us. Also remember if you have any questions contact me by email brandyb06@gmail.com. Thanks again.

Brandy B

Together at Last!!

The last part of the Group

I cannot believe it!! I am finally back in Honduras!! For those of you who do not know me, my name is Brandy Barnett and I will update the blog nightly!! I was with a group of 8 who flew in today. We were all so happy to arrive today in Honduras. On a personal note, when I came through customs I saw the rest of the group along with a young boy from Molola who I see each year. When he saw me he smiled and ran into my arms. It made my day and the long wait worthwhile!! After we got to the bus we went to pick up the construction team in La Tigra where they had built three houses. Then we came back to the Mission House to wait for supper.

Didasko

Today, I was on the Didasko team along with 39 in the TORCH Group. Didasko, for those of you who do not know, is an orphanage on the out skirts of Tegucigalpa. It holds about 30 children and many workers and interns. Our morning was pretty eventful. We woke up around 6:30 for breakfast and headed out about 7:30 to head to the orphanage. It’s about an hour and fifteen minute drive to get to Didasko but two things happen that changed our timing. First, we had to get snacks for the kids to eat during the VBS, so we stopped off at the super market. After the detour, we headed up the mountain. Unfortunately we had some bus trouble, which delayed our travel, TALK ABOUT BAD TIMING!!! We finally were able to obtain another bus to bus us to the orphanage. The Didasko team consisted of two parts: The VBS crew and the Medical Team. I was on the VBS crew, which taught over 125 kids the story of David and Goliath. We allowed the kids to measure up Goliath but marking on a 9-foot tall poster we made. We also allowed the kids to throw stones (water-balloons) at a real life Goliath (Joe Jones (Little Joe), who was a real trooper). The kids also got to make a shield with the verse Psalms 3: 3 written in Spanish which says “But You, oh Lord, are a shield about me”.

The Medical team was also with us. A group of about six doctors or nurses worked diligently with a group of people who may not have seen a Doctor in years. A group of about 100 people were waiting since 8:00 to see the doctors and seek medical attention for Free. We also had countless amounts of medication to help the ones in attendance; something they could never afford with the little money they make and have. This group had a tough job of working to see these people and did a PHENOMENAL job with it. The plan is to return to Didasko for another round of medical and VBS teams on Monday. Pray for our continued success.

-Kevin Cline (Rainbow Church of Christ)

Dental Clinic

The TORCH team, which included 8 members, worked with Dr. Betulia, to give dental care to children. Terry Barber, Patricia, and Steve Kemp (better known as Sparky) worked Fluoride, and Sealants. Jacque and Loni Beth assisted Dr. Betulia with sealants, fillings, and extractions. Kerri, Brittany, Ethel, and Loni Beth all played with the waiting children and held the hands of those who were frightened bringing smiles to their beautiful faces. In total 40 children were given beautiful new smiles because of TORCH funds for equipment, while working with local Christian Dentist who volunteered their time. We will return tomorrow and expect to see 40 to 50 more children!!

-Jacque Jones (Maysville C of C) and Terry Barber (Fairville C of C)

Construction team!

Today on the construction front, three crews went to build houses in a village in the La Tigrea Rainforest. The view was incredible!! The three teams divided up and went their separate ways to start building. Two of the crews had a relatively easy hike to their sites, while the third had a more difficult time. However, the construction crew demonstrated an amazing level of teamwork and dedication. When one set of lumber took longer to arrive. Everyone worked together to dig postholes and help out the other crew. At times it felt we were digging through solid rock, but once the posts were in, the house went up fairly quickly thanks to everyone’s hard work. Once the roof went up, those nailing floorboards had some lovely shade to enjoy. It was a great day with lots of hard work and collaboration. Finishing three houses was definitely worth the muscles, sunburn, and blisters.

-Katie

Food Distribution/Good Shepherd

Today we went to Nuevo Orental to deliver bags of food. These bags will feed families there for about 1-2 weeks. It was a true eye-opener to see the need for a 40lb. bag of food. Most of us take for granted the amount of food that we have in the states, and do not realized that we can get by on so much less. After the food delivery, we went to Good Shepherd to play with the children. We passed out countless toys, candy and some of our macho men walked away with freshly painted fingernails. But all of us walked away with a more humble heart and desire to be a better servant.

-Michael Rosenblum (Maysville C of C)

Supper

Tonight we had PAPUSAS!!!!!!!!! WOW what a way to start off an AMAZING trip!! Well we didn’t only have papusas, we also had tacos of some sort. It was YUMMY!!!!!! After supper we had devo led by Steve Kemp, better known as Sparky!! Sparky gave a lesson about the Parable of the Talents. Sparky encouraged everyone to utilize their talent/talents in order to improve or build them. Sparky did a wonderful job and defiantly practices what he spoke about.

Today has been wonderful in so many ways, as everyone can see by reading. Many of us a stepping out and doing things we have never done before. We come to minister to the Honduran people, but they will never realize how much they minister to us. Thank you all so much for your prayers!!

Brandy B

Just a reminder for those who are interested!! We will try and do webcast of devotionals each night. You may all tune in a worship with us. Also everyone will have access to the computers sometime during the trip. They will be allowed to check their emails. If you would like to email love ones feel free to. You may also email me with any questions at brandyb06@gmail.com. The link to the webcast is www.ustream.tv/broadcaster/210462 If the link does not appear I will have it up as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone!!

We are ready to be...

Today I realized that I have never been truly tired, until today. Our day started off great! You cant beat pancakes and fresh pineapple! Especially when you follow it with a wonderful devo reminding us to look for the ways that we could be servants. We managed to make hundreds of hygiene packets. These packets had toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, soap, tissues, razors, and a personal care item like shampoo or deodorant. We also went to the bodega to unload ANOTHER container full of medical equipment. I was not personally able to experience unloading the container last night, but I certainly got my fill today! We unloaded hospital furniture, gurneys, bed trays, copiers, fax machines and a hot tub (how we managed to get that out of the truck is nothing short of a miracle!) just to name a few items. It was unbelievable how much equipment was in just one semi truck.

When we finished unloading the container part of the team headed back to the mission house to prepare for VBS, sort medical supplies, and break down bulk food items for a food giveaway. A group of about 8 went to set up a dental clinic which will be held Saturday. All this was accomplished while 2 teams where building houses! It is astounding to think of all that was accomplished today. Tomorrow we will take over 250 bags of food that were packed today to a village in Nueva Oriental. These bags of food have beans, rice, corn meal, sugar, salt, coffee, spaghetti noodles, tomato paste, vegetable shortening, bullion cubes, and no food giveaway would be complete with out…Ramen noodles!! A small group was also able to travel to the fresh food market and get potatoes, onions, lettuce, oranges, carrots and peppers to add to the food that will be given away tomorrow.

Supper was the most amazing meal I have ever eaten. I have never tasted such wonderful tortillas, beef, vegetables, and rice and I’m only partially saying that because of how hungry I was after a long day of work! Devo was lead by Tim O’Dell with Terry and Nathan following up with the work assignments for tomorrow. 6 more translators arrived today and the last few members of the team will be here tomorrow!

Its hard to believe that one day is already over! But all the hard work and planning has really paid off we have got a lot accomplished and it will only get better as the trip continues. As always please keep us in your prayers!

tea is made with water!

Today is the day! The majority of the group arrived today with virtually NO PROBLEMS! Once we touched down we were lead through customs and graciously welcomed to Honduras by Chris Wright. After taking our bags to the bus we were able to grab a quick bite to eat at Mickey D’s. There was a little confusion about if you could drink the water…if you could have the ice…the usual. Even after explaining that you can have the ice, but not to drink the water, some members of our team decided to drink tea…made with WATER.

On the way to the mission house there were only a few girls that were terrified of the bus ride (which was completely safe!!). Once we got back we were made to sit through a brief lecture by one of our fearless leaders, Nathan Reeves, about the rules.

We got the call that a container was coming to La Bodega (the warehouse) so a bus of about 30 went to unload it. Welcome to Honduras…when the bus got there, the container had not yet arrived. After about 45 minutes it came – a semi full of boxes of food and clothing. It took the crew 38 minutes to unload it all! Another short wait later and another container made its way to the crew, this time full of thousands and thousands of dollars worth of donated medical equipment from hospitals in Boston. Tightly packed, this shipment took over an hour to untangle and unload…carefully! When it was all completed, the crew enjoyed their Gatorade reflecting over their job well done. Without a doubt, these crew members had never handled so much money’s worth of high-tech medical stuff. Quite possibly the most impressive part was that none of it got broken! It made for a late night, however, as the group came home to a late dinner, a quick devo, and some brief announcements before it was time for bed.

Tomorrow will be a busy busy day! We have plans to build a few houses, visit the hospital, work in a dental clinic, go to the open air market for a fresh food giveaway, AND sort supplies and medicine at the mission house! Please continue to keep us in your prayers!

Boxes Boxes Boxes

So as many of you know the advance team has now landed in Honduras and hit the ground running. A group of about 12 of us landed yesterday and about 15 more joined us today. It already feels like there's a lot of us and most of the group hasn't even left for the airport yet! We've already begun working by organizing the mountains of boxes that we shipped down for the trip. Our medical and hygiene supplies are already here at the mission house. We even had time today to visit Hospital Escuela for an hour or two after picking up the 15 of our group that came in today. If you're trying to imagine a Honduran hospital take the worst U. S. hospital you know of, remove the walls or curtains separating patient beds, forget about the hand washing protocols, and throw in about double the number of people you normally see and you start to get a feel for what it's like. The hardest part for me was the fact that there were simply too many people for us to give everyone something. We walked in loaded with beads, coloring pages, crayons, stuffed animals, tracts, etc. and we left with almost nothing. I still remember a little guy who was upset at me when I gave my last stuffed dog to the girl beside him. On the other hand it was amazing how open these people were about everything. Nowhere else can you have such in depth conversations with total strangers. Regardless I've had a taste of the country and I'm ready for more. Pray for us. We will be busy.

-Chris Wright

Here we go!

Monday, June 28th. This is the last blog before I write to you from Honduras! In just a few minutes we will be on our way to Memphis to spend the night at one of Margaret's sister's house and to get some rest before our flight. Tomorrow 12 advance team members will leave (4 from Memphis and 8 from Nashville) and begin the trip. The second wave lands on Wednesday with Nate and Karen, along with 13 others. 120 arrive on Thursday and 8 arrive on Saturday. We will pretty much be running an airport shuttle to and from the airport while we are there!

Let's go over departure procedures one more time... just want to make sure everyone is on the same page before you leave:

* Print your flight information. Take it with you to the airport.

* Check in on line. If you have an electronic ticket you can probably check in on line. Margaret and I did on Continental and it took about 10 minutes. Now all we have to do is show up, present our passports, and we are good to go.

* Make sure to wear your Torch t-shirt for the flight. It will be much easier to keep up with everyone that way and besides, we have cool t-shirts to wear!

* Arrive at least 2 hours before your departure time. Flights are sold out and it will take a while to check in (even if you checked in on line).

* Make sure your bags are color coded.

* Make sure each bag has a name tag.

* MAKE SURE YOU KEEP UP WITH YOUR BAGGAGE CLAIM NUMBER! When you arrive in Honduras you MUST have the luggage claim number,security will not allow you to leave the baggage area unless they match the luggage claim number you have with the one on the bag.

On the flight that will be arriving in Honduras, the flight crew will pass out 2 different forms that you will have to fill out before you land. The form I posted on this blog is not the actual form but it is similar. Here is information you will need to know so that you fill out the form properly (you might want to print this article or at least copy this part down):

* Have a pen with you, you will need one to fill out the form!

* The forms are in Spanish and English. Take your time filling them out. Write your name as it appears on your passport.

* Keep your passport handy and easy to get to, you will need it to fill out the form

* When you write down your birth date, make sure to write the DAY, then the month, then the year. (it is different than the way we usually do it)

* Destination: Tegucigalpa, Honduras

* Address you will be staying: Villa Gracias, El Hatillo, KM 8

* You are traveling as a TOURIST (don't mark anything else!)

* Your flight number will be on your boarding pass (American will be Flight #954; Continental #756; Delta is #551)

* If it asks for your occupation, give general description (student, minister, counselor, teacher, business woman, etc)

When you go through customs, have the 2 forms you filled out inside your passport. Speak to the customs officers in English, they probably speak English and if not, it will speed your way through since they will know you do not speak Spanish... (unless you speak Spanish of course). Once through the customs lines, you will enter the baggage area. We will gather all of the luggage in one area. Help if you can but don't worry too much about identifying your bag at first. We will be grabbing orange handled bags and stacking them off to the side. Once we have all of the bags find yours and go to the X-Ray machine. Once your bags have cleared you will go to another check point and the security guards will check your baggage claim numbers. Once you have cleared this area you will pass though a large classed wall into the main terminal.

The advance team will be waiting outside the classed wall wearing grey Torch shirts. They will help you with your luggage and show you where your bus is parked. Once your bag is loaded onto the truck or bus, go straight to the bus and wait there. We will have someone there to collect your $20 and giving you a packet of Limperias for your lunch and shopping. Once the roll call is checked and we know everyone is there that is riding that particular bus you will leave and go eat lunch at an American fast food restaurant and then go the the grocery store. Once everyone has bought their snacks and lunch foods the bus will head up the mountain to the Mission House. Once you arrive you will go the main chapel for rules and orientation.

Sounds easy, right? It will be if you follow the instructions. otherwise, it will be complete and utter chaos! If we are voting, I vote for neat and organized. Good luck, we look forward to seeing you in Honduras in just a couple of days! If in doubt, find a seasoned veteran flying on the same flight as you and ask away. It will help you feel more secure on the flight and it will make them feel important. It is a win / win for everyone. Take care and get ready, it is about to begin! Torch Missions 2010, reporting for duty!

TR

I guess you could call this the calm before the storm. Today we issued out the last of the 14 duffel bags we packed a few days ago full of the meds and last minute supplies going down to Honduras. Friday morning we drove over to Dr. Schwartz's office to pick up another couple of boxes of meds that came in that we have been expecting. We shipped those meds, along with other supplies, back to Nashville with Brandon Mann who was here this past week for soccer camp. And as crazy as it has been , we are still hoping that the children's chewable vitamins that we ordered might still arrive before we head down to Hondo. So, everyone flying out of Nashville on Thursday, make sure you have enough room in your suitcase or backpack for a large bottle of vitamins in case they come in! If they do Gayna and Jenny Taylor will be bringing them to the airport (80 pounds worth of vitamins) that will need to be distributed. It just doesn't get much crazier than this!

For the meteorologists out there, the tropical storm that was threatening to turn into a hurricane off the coast of Honduras has moved northwest and will be making landfall between Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. The northeastern coast of Honduras did receive a lot of rain today but it looks as if Hondo will be spared the brunt of the storm. I for one was quite nervous since the advance team is to fly down on Tuesday. But as of now it looks like we will have clear sailing down the Teguc and begin the work. We have actually been in Honduras during a hurricane so nothing really surprises us much anymore, it is just part of the trip.

Joe Jones emailed me and told me that he went to Wal-Mart and bought a handy dandy vacuum system that sucks out all of the air in items like clothes that you are packing to take down to Honduras. He said it made quite a difference in the space he has in his bags and recommends it to anyone out there that might be struggling to figure out how to close and zip your suitcase! (Sorry, it doesn't help with shoes....) I know a lot of people are already packing for Honduras and I just want to remind everyone to be aware of the weight restrictions for luggage and to make sure you have your suitcase / bag handles color coded with the orange tape and the colored tape of your flight (red for American, Yellow for Continental, and blue for Delta).

When you arrive in Honduras make sure to have $20 that is easy to get to... we will have $20 packets of Limperias ready for you at the airport. The $20 exchange will give you enough money to buy lunch on Thursday and to go to the grocery store to buy lunch items and snacks for the first few days that you are in Teguc. Don't go crazy at the grocery store, you will only need to buy stuff for lunches for Friday and Saturday. We will be going out to eat on Sunday for lunch and dinner. You will have a chance to shop again on Sunday for the next week. Remember, the Torch banking system exchanges money in $20 packets... help make banking to be a simple and easy system. Also remember, EVERYONE will deposit their money, passports, and other valuable items (credit cards, driver's licenses, social security cards, etc) into the bank. We do not want to take a chance on any one's valuables being lost or stolen. Since we are dividing into 2 teams we will have an Alpha and Omega bank. The banks will be available every time you will need to have money.

Because of the size of our group and the way the rooms are designed at the Mission House, we ask you to be very gracious and understanding about rooming assignments. In most cases, the rooms will be at capacity and their will be VERY little room to store luggage and to spread out. This will only be a temporary situation since Tuesday, July 6th the first team will split off to go to Catacamas (about 45). Wednesday, July 7th the Choluteca team will depart (about 65) along with a small team that will be working in Santa Ana (7). That will leave about 40 at the Mission House and all of us will have some breathing room for the duration of the trip. If things begin to get to you just take a deep breath and sing The Greatest Command to yourself (just the soprano part... you can't sing all 4 parts at one time to yourself....).

I will post 1 more blog on Monday to go over last minute packing suggestions, reminders, etc. Hopefully you have received your Torch t-shirts to wear down on the flight, have bought your insect repellent with DEET, sunscreen, and the other items on the suggested packing list, and numerous other things that you have thought of that was not on anyone's list! I will actually pack my bags tomorrow (Sunday), a full 24 hours before I have too! I marked off the last "to do" off my list today (1st time in 20 years I can honestly say I have completed everything needed this far in advance) and am actually planning on getting sleep before I fly down on Tuesday (another first).

The time is near, the tasks are at hand. Months of plans and prayers are about to be put into action. We have 160 people ready to go and are excited and anxious to put the hand to the plow. The army of The One is about to deploy and hit the ground running. We are about to find out what 160 missionaries can do when they are focused, poised, and ready to work. Our mission is simple: live, work and breathe Matthew 25. We will give God the Father all of the glory and we will seek to be humble servants serving to be the hands and feet of Jesus for 11 days. We will work with each other and we will serve those whom the Lord has prepared for us to serve. We will lift each other up and we will not allow Satan to defeat us. Neither snow or rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds. OK, that is the postal service's motto, but change a couple of words and it works for us too (besides, I am not sure they use this motto anymore....)! Neither rain, or heat, or mosquitoes, or gloom of day or night, nor mud or intense sun or lack of sleep will keep us from the swift and compassionate completion of our appointed work. And the Torch group said, Amen!

Terry

Here ye, hear ye

I have received a lot of emails asking about shots, malaria pills, etc. the past several days. Maybe addressing the questions collectively will be easier. So, here we go.

First, I need to talk about a red alert the U.S. has put out on it's travel site. Honduras has issued an emergency alert for Dengue Fever. This is a virus that is carried by the striped Aedes aegypti mosquito and is common to tropical and subtropical regions (like Central America). It is a common ailment with the Wold Health Organization reporting over 50,000,000 cases a year. It is not contagious and can only be spread by mosquito bites, which happen during daylight hours since the Aedes Aegypti mosquito is a daytime bitter. It carries flu like symptoms with fever, rash, headache, and aching joints. It usually takes 3-15 days before one realizes they have the virus. There is no specific medical treatment or antibiotic for the virus, the typical treatment is rest with lots of fluids. There is currently 10,000 cases of Dengue Fever in Honduras, which is approximately less than 1% if the population. Since it is rainy season in Honduras their will be mosquitoes out and about.

It is very important that EVERYONE bring insect repellent with DEET. Wearing long sleeved t-shirts and pants will be encouraged. I know that this sounds threatening, but remember that Dengue Fever outbreaks happen every year in Honduras and all over the world. It usually infects people in low lying areas and those with weak immune systems that do not have insect repellent. By taking proper precautions we have a minimal risk of getting sick.

Malaria pills are not required for the trip. However, some people choose to bring the medicine which is perfectly OK. Malaria is also carried by mosquitoes and the symptoms of the 2 viruses are very similar. Malaria is carried by the Anopheles mosquito. Malaria pills will not prevent or treat Dengue Fever. If you have any doubts or questions, contact your doctor and make an appointment before you leave. Bringing and using insect repellent will be the key to working this trip. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

Tim and Mark reported Wednesday that our container arrived and was unloaded at the warehouse! This is very good news, especially since we loaded and sent out the container over 6 weeks ago. The advance team will sort and organize supplies when we arrive on Tuesday. By the time the main team arrives on Thursday we should be set and ready to roll. We will still have a ton of stuff to sort, pack, bag, label, and prep before we launch out full force on Friday. Our first 2 full days will be packed with projects. During the first 2 days we will build 7 houses, conduct a VBS and medical clinic, do a food distribution, and have a carnival for a children's home. Ever heard of the movie Fast and Furious? Ha! Nothing compared to what we are going to do!

I have the emergency contact information for the trip. PLEASE REMEMBER, THESE NUMBERS ARE FOR EMERGENCIES ONLY. To call Honduras, you have to dial the numbers exactly as they are written:

Tim Hines: 011-504-9892-7672

Mark Connell: 011-504-9858-5397

Lori Connell: 011-504-9858-6208

Villa Gracia (Mission House) 011-504-211-8210

E-mails:

Tim Hines: waywalker@msn.com

Mark Connell: mark@thehondurasproject.org

Terry Reeves: reeves.tl@gmail.com

Margaret reeves: margaret.m.reeves@gmail.com

Nathan Reeves: ncreeves@gmail.com

I will be posting again this weekend. As the days wind down before our trip we want to make sure all of the last minute things are covered. the excitement is in the air, I am seeing it on Facebook postings and in the emails. I am getting phone calls and and visits too. And from the feedback I have received, the t-shirt design seems to be a hit. I believe it is one of the best looking t-shirts we have ever had on a trip. It certainly is a conversation starter! i wore mine to church Sunday night and had several come up trying to figure out what the letters were on the back. Once I explained it to them they were amazed that they did not figure it out themselves! So, I leave you with this one, RUE2B4HM?

TR

more trip information

Today was another busy day here in Henderson, TN. Busy in the fact that I had tasks to do, but I was running at a slower pace today. It was kind of weird, actually, since the past 3 weeks I have been going at break neck speed. I had some shirts that needed to be embroidered today and the lady that does that for me lives out in the county, about 15 miles outside Henderson near Chickasaw State Park. I was driving my Mustang today and usually on the winding country roads I love zooming down the roads and hugging the curves in the road (I am pretty sure my Mustang enjoys it too, I am one with my car). Besides, I get their quicker. But today I took my time and enjoyed the drive and the scenery. I dropped off my shirts and was told they would be ready on Thursday. Perfect. Then it was off to Jackson to go to the Party Store to pick up clown wigs, clown noses, goofy sunglasses, for the Patch Adams project. I also found games for the carnival, stickers, toys, and all kinds of stuff. It was a very productive day.

A couple of days ago I posted a listing of things everyone needs to bring with them (forks, spoons, bowls, etc). We went to Wal-Mart yesterday and found white plastic bowls 4 for $1.00! We also found a 4 pack of metal forks for $1.00 and a 4 pack of metal spoons for $1.00! We got everything on the list for $10, so hopefully you guys will find similar deals too. For that matter, if you decide to buy some extra stuff, I am pretty sure it can be used! Also, I have heard that some of the team members are doing an "unofficial" drive to bring down soccer cleats to give away. If you have cleats, or know anyone that has good used ones to give away, feel free to join in. We are looking for smaller sizes.

Brandy Barnett reminded me to post a note about digital cameras. If you bring a digital camera make sure to bring your cable so that we will have to ability to down load photos onto our computers while we are down there. Brandy works with us on the communication team and posts articles and photos on this blog. Since we cannot be everywhere at the same time we will be relying on team members to get photos of work sites and activities to post on the blog. By the way, make sure you give family members, friends, classmates, church members, (pretty much anyone other than complete strangers) this blog address so that they will be able to keep up with the team while we are in Honduras! We will try to update the blog everyday to keep people back home informed.

For those of you that received packets from us, you should have found a note from Margaret with your name label. The name label goes on the outside of your passport ABOVE the word passport. This really helps us when we are sorting passports or passing them out (we don't have to open each passport to find the name). Margaret also asked me to remind team members with NEW passports to make sure you sign them before arriving at the airport!!!! Some of the passport copies that we have received do not have signatures. If you are with a group, your group leader probably has your label. If you do not have one, we will make one for you when we get to Honduras.

Several of you have asked about dress codes for the trip. Although we do not have an official dress code, we certainly have some parameters that we want everyone to go by while in Honduras. Shorts are allowed on the trip, but they must be long (near the knee) and loose (comfortable) fitting. Tank tops are not permitted (except in you dorm room). The same would be true for cut off t-shirts. (This is true for the guys and the girls). Sorry, the gun show has to be kept under wraps. Jeans and light weight pants are recommended, Christian t-shirts are encouraged. Rain jackets are highly recommended because it is rainy season and it will probably rain every day that we are there. Closed toe shoes are required at any work site or work project. Sandals and flip flops are restricted to the Mission House / hotel property.

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Everyone will have the opportunity to swim near the end of the trip. Whether you do or not is totally up to you. If you choose to swim, the following guidelines must be applied: Girls must wear a modest 1 piece swim suit. If you bring a 2 piece suit, you must wear a dark t-shirt over it. If you wear a t-shirt (guy or girl), it CANNOT be made of cotton. All suits (guys and girls) and t-shirts must be synthetic material (An Under Armor type fabric). The pool filtration systems in Honduras must be sensitive because we are told every year not to wear cotton in the pools. So, no jean cut offs, cotton shorts, cotton t-shirts (even 50-50 material). Guys, no Speedo suits. (I just threw that in so that the girls wouldn't think that I was singling them out on the modesty issue).

Much more to come. Please do not hesitate if you have a question, especially if it is something you need clarified or something I have not covered. I am so looking forward to seeing you all in just a few days.

Terry

Things to know when you are flying the friendly skies

This week you will receive by mail. or group leader, your Torch t-shirt and journal. Also, if you ordered a Torch water bottle you will receive that as well. You should also receive plastic tape that we will be using as identification bands for our luggage. Every piece of checked luggage should have an orange band of plastic tape which will identify the bag as a Torch missions bag. When we arrive in Tegucigalpa it will help find our baggage quickly among all of the other luggage that arrived with other passengers. It is VERY IMPORTANT that every bag have orange tape on the handle. Also, you will have another band of tape on your suitcase handle. If you fly American you will also have a RED band, YELLOW for Continental, and blue for Delta. This will help us sort the bags once we get to the Mission House. If you did not receive tape in your package don't worry, there will be people at the airport the day you depart to help you out. Just make sure your bags are color coded before you check the bags in. If you have any questions about checked luggage, weight limits, extra charges, etc, refer back to the March 1st article.

Just a kindly reminder that everyone going on the trip needs to go shopping for some things that we need for the trip. 1 box of gallon size zip lock storage bags; 1 box quart size zip lock storage bags; 1 bottle of baby shampoo; 1 bottle of de-tangler / cream rise; 8-12 bars of soap; 2 hard plastic soup bowls; 3 metal forks and 3 metal spoons. By farming this out to 150 people we can collect the needed supplies, spread out the wright of the items into 150 separate bags, and save save enough money from the work fund to do an extra food distribution or build an extra house. The June 14th blog has the recommended packing list in case you missed it.

I found a very good article the other day called "The 10 Commandments of Flying." I think all of us need to read it over, it has some great tips and advise. I could not have said it better myself!

1. Look like a pro at the security check-point: For goodness sakes, be ready for the X-Ray scanner before you get there! Have keys, loose change, cell phone, etc. stored in your backpack BEFORE you get to the table where the bins are located. Have your shoes off and your belt off.... they will make you take them off so go ahead and do it before you reach the table! Keep your passport and boarding pass in hand as you go through the scanner. Once your bag passes through the X-Ray machine, grab your bag, shoes, belt, and move away from the rollers and redress. The faster you go through the faster the rest of us get through.

2. Hurry up and wait? When the announcement is made that the plane is about to board, don't jump up and rush to the line to get on the plane. There is no prize for getting on the plane first. You will still be sitting in the same assigned seat whether you are the first or last to board the plane. Wait till your group is called, it makes boarding much smoother and less stressful. Besides, you look pretty stupid standing in the line when you could still be seating in the lounge chair finishing up your Dr. Pepper.

3. Learn to count! You are allowed ONE carry on baggage and ONE personal item, usually a purse, briefcase, etc. This does not mean 1 carry on, 1 personal item, 1 hoodie, 1 pillow, 1 shopping bag, 1 water bottle, 1 blanket, a sandwich and Diet Coke. Be courteous, especially if you are wearing one of those nifty mission t-shirts... people tend to notice you.

4. It is what it is! A "carry on" is just that... a bag that can be carried onto the plane. It should not be so big that you smash the passengers seated on the isle seat as you struggle down the isle to get to your seat. It also should not be so heavy that you have to enlist the help of body builders nearby to get the bag into the overhead compartment. If it is too heavy for YOU to lift, it is too heavy. Also, if your carry on bag has to be slammed, jammed, and shoved into the overhead bin, it is too big. Don't be "that person" that breaks these rules. People notice.

5. De-leverage. When you have to get up from your seat during the flight, don't grab the seat in front of you to pull yourself up. No one wants to suddenly get pulled backwards in their seat so use your hand rests to stand up! Yes, you can do it.

6. Look back Jack! If you get the urge to recline your seat, look back! No one likes to get a laptop shoved into their chest or a hot cup of coffee dumped into their lap because you reclined your seat into their personal space without any notice. Unexpected courtesy is always appreciated. Besides, it is only 3 or 4 inches for you... so take a peak before going back.

7. Not so loud. If you are traveling in a group, please remember you are not the only ones on the plane. People enjoy their space and they enjoy their peace and quiet. Keep your stories, jokes, and talking down so that everyone will enjoy the flight, and not be aggravated at you.

8. Be polite. Chances are there will be people sitting all around you. Stay seated as much as possible. Please ask to be excused if you have to ask someone to move for you to get out into the isle. Say please and thank you to the stewards or stewardesses when the serve you. It is the least you can do. Leave your grumpy pants at home... they are unbecoming on you.

9. Clean up after yourself! Flight attendants constantly walk by collecting trash during the flight. Throw your stuff away! Nobody wants to see trash stuffed into the pocket of the seat in front of you.

10. Get ready... get set.... wait. Just like there is no prize for being the first on the plane, there is not a prize for the first person to stand up once the plane is parked. The etiquette is quite simple: exit by rows. If you are on row 23, take a chill pill and wait your turn. If you want to be one of the first to get off a plane, cough up the extra money ahead of time and buy a first class ticket so that you can sit in the first 3 rows. After all, you still have to wait, and wait some more, for your luggage at the luggage carousel!

By doing these 10 things, you will not only fly like a pro you will not be remembered as the one that..... well, you fill in the blank. If you are going to make an impression, make a good one.

I will be posting emergency phone contact information, how to fill out the forms to enter Honduras, along with other important information in the next few days. For the advance team, 8 days and counting! For the main team, 10 days and counting. My check off list for Monday has 18 things on it... and Monday will be considered a slow day for me! This week will fly by and I just hope I have enough time, energy, strength, patience, and will power to make it though without a melt down. But the adrenaline is pumping and the excitement is building! And I need the U.S. to win their World Cup qualifier match on Wednesday!!!! Can I get an amen out there? It is going to be a great week. Talk to you again soon.

Terry

I can't wait

Thursday, June 17th, 10:00 pm. Life is good.

* Meds ordered for the medical clinic came in Monday. Check.
* I got a phone call from Tim Hines from Honduras yesterday, our container is in Tegucigalpa and should be unloaded into the warehouse this weekend. Check.
* T-shirts arrived from Indiana today. Look GREAT. Check.
* Torch water bottles arrived. Look GREAT. Check.
* Picked up journals and song books from the printer in Jackson. Looks GREAT. Check.
* Tim ordered 2,000 Spanish Bibles. Check.
* Got a phone call from the other printer, Barnabas notes and Spanish songbooks are ready to pick up tomorrow. check.
* Send checks to Healing Hands International to pay for container; check to Barlow sports Jersey for t-shirts; check to Mid-South Solutions for water bottles; already paid for journals and songbooks; already paid for meds; already paid for dental clinic supplies. Check.
* Katie Wells, Katie Gooch, Brandon McKay (student here at Freed), Margaret and I sorted and boxed up all of the t-shirts, water bottles, and journals that are going to be mailed out Friday. Everyone should get their stuff early next week. Check. In other words, my "stressed out over my head" list is shrinking rapidly! I might even get a good night's sleep tonight.

Margaret is still collecting last minute paper work and confirming last payments. Her list is getting shorter but some of you are making life difficult for her. You just can't imagine what it is like trying to round up applications, rules sheets, Spanish release forms, photocopies of passports, photos, letters of recommendation, essays, and payments foe 160 people. And to make rooming assignments. You really don't know. If you did, you would have done all of this a long time ago and you would have made her life so much easier. Between the two of us... we are spent. Our batteries are low and the candle has been burned at both ends. But we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and unless it is a freight train coming at us at 100 miles per hour, we are about to see the end. And at the end is where the trip begins. and for that we are very excited.

Katie Wells and Katie Gooch gave us a burst of energy that we needed! Once we get everything mailed out we have a week to just get ready for the trip. I am truly getting excited and Tim shared a lot of new ideas that our team might be able to do. New places and new faces that will make the trip refreshing and new, even for some of our long standing veterans. That makes me even more excited. I think we have a great trip planned and it will be such a joy and blessing to work in Honduras again.

I can't wait to see old friends and meet new ones. I Can't wait to see our buses and bus drivers. I can't wait to see the city; smell the diesel fumes; hearing the honking of car horns. I can't wait to look down from the Jesus statue and walk around the streets of the Valley of the Angels. I can't wait to sort beans and crank up the chainsaws and smell fresh cut wood. I can't wait to sing at evening devos with my eyes closed. I can't wait to take a shower with Honduran "hot water." I can't wait to eat beans and rice and eat fresh fruit for breakfast. I can't wait to wake up and be in the middle of a cloud passing by while we are up at the Mission House. I can't wait to stay up late talking to friends and waking up with the roosters crowing and the dogs barking. I can't wait to drink water from a bag and eat Gorditos. I can't wait to see the children with those big brown eyes. These are the things I am looking forward to. I can't wait!

13 days my friends. 13 days till we land in a very special place. If you are a first time rookie, you have to use your imagination to see what I am talking about right now. If you are a returning veteran, you have to use your imagination to SEE what I am talking about right now. It is all about perspective. Open my heart to what You know. So that I might stretch, so that I can grow. My feelings toss me to and fro. Open my heart to what You know. Open my eyes to what You see. To understand what I should be. My feelings get the best of me. Open my eyes to what You see. Open my ears to what You hear. So I can keep You very near. My feelings make it so unclear. Open my ears to what You hear.

Terry

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Has anyone out there noticed how fast the days are passing by, or is it just me? I keep getting e-mails from people saying that they can't wait for the trip and it can't get here fast enough, while I am sitting here trying to slow things down and squeezing every second out of the day! Margaret and I are averaging about 7 hours a day on Honduras stuff right now, not to mention all of the other stuff we do. Steve Kemp and I were talking the other day and have decided that we can't wait to get to Honduras to enjoy the slower pace down there! And anyone who has been down there can attest, the pace is not slow in Honduras!

As far as updates are concerned, I am happy, grateful, thrilled, pumped, and jubilant to tell you that the container is in Honduras! It arrived in port late last week and hopefully Mark Connell and Tim Hines are in the process of getting it to Tegucigalpa. Unless something goes terribly wrong, which it should not, our supplies will be in the warehouse waiting on us when we get there. I have pretty much marked it off of the "stressed out of my head" list. T-shirts are done and will be shipped to me Tuesday and should be in my hands Thursday. I spoke with the printers and everything is still on track to be done Thursday for me to pick up. Water bottles are supposed to arrive Thursday also. I ordered $6,000.00 of medicines for our clinic this year and the medicines have already arrived. This will be the best stocked pharmacy we will have ever had on a trip! I have talked with Mark Connell and all of our buses, vans, trucks, drivers, etc are set and ready to go.

So, Thursday will be a very busy day for us here. I am hoping to have some volunteers here Thursday afternoon to help sort, count, and box up t-shirts, journals, water bottles, etc. so that we can get them in the mail Friday. If all of that happens as planned, the vast majority of the "stressed out of my head" list will be crossed off and I will be a happy camper. Friday I also go to the bank to order my money. For large withdrawals, you have to order money a week in advance to make sure they have enough on hand to fill our need and to service the regular daily customers. I will then head over to Nashville this weekend for the last fund raiser Western Hills church is doing and attend Erin Mann and Eric Yow's wedding. Yes, this is the same Erin and Eric who will be with us on the trip this year! Talk about dedication!!! Will and Allison West, you might have started a trend.

HERE IS THE PACKING LIST FOR THE TRIP. Anything in BOLD is either required or highly recommended... everything else is just important.

Bible; toilet paper; Pepto Bismol; toothbrush; tooth paste; soap; hand-wipes; hand sanitizer; Imodium; shaving cream / razor; wash cloth; extra towel (towel is provided at the mission house and hotels); deodorant; Q-tips; insect repellent (Cactus Juice brand highly recommended); vitamins; PASSPORT; camera; film / memory cards; deck of cards, rain jacket; watch (water proof); work clothes (disposable); personal medicines; hammer; flip flops (for the shower); work shoes (2 pair of closed toed shoes); work gloves (disposable); laundry bag / large trash bag; flash light; alarm clock; duct tape; spending money ($100 - $150+); Hat; water bottles; sunscreen (psf 20+); paper / pencil / pen; backpack; Spanish / English dictionary; snack foods; Gatorade / Kool-Aid / Crystal Light; pocket knife; sunglasses; Sharpie; Band-aids

Besides the items listed on the packing list, we need everyone to spend a little bit of money and bring the following things with you for the trip. the items listed did not make it onto the container before it was shipped that we need for the different projects we will be doing. You will be able to get all of this stuff easily for under $20. Shop wisely, some of this stuff will be cheapest at the dollar stores instead of Wal-Mart:

1 box of gallon size zip lock storage bags; 1 box of quart size zip lock storage bags; 1 bottle of baby shampoo; 1 bottle of de-tangler / cream rinse for children; 8-12 bars of soap; 2 hard plastic soup bowls (white if possible); 3 metal forks and spoons.

The zip locks are for the food give aways and the hygiene packets that we will make and give away at the medical clinics. The shampoo and cream rinse will be for the girl's "make over" project called Daughters of the King. Our team of volunteers will be going into a village and do a "day spa" for the little girls in the village. We will wash hair, do fingernails, toe nails, give out costume jewelry, and give each girl a t-shirt that will say "I am a daughter of the King!" and a new pair of flip-flops. The soap and shampoo will also be given away in the hygiene packets. The bowls and silverware will be given to a feeding center (The Manna Project) that serves hot meals to 100-200 children a day. In other words, the money you spend for this stuff is going to make a huge difference in someone's life!

Now, that covers what you are supposed to pack. There are several things that you are asked not to bring on this trip. Everything we do is for a purpose, and we ask everyone to adhere to these requests. We are on a media fast during the trip. Things that distract you from the focus of this trip are discouraged. We want you to be focused on the trip and meeting and mixing with the team members while on the trip. Please do not bring the following:

Cell-phones (you can use your cell phone for an alarm clock ONLY); lap top computers; Walkmans; I-Pods; books or magazines; hand held electronic games; etc.

We will have computers set up at the Mission House for people to use from time to time to send e-mails back home. There will be sign-ups to use the computers and a time limit per person. Remember, there will be 160 of us on the trip. You will not be able to use the computer every day and the amount of time you have on the computer will be very limited. For those on the trip that must have access to the computer (college students taking on-line classes, adults who have to access the computer for work purposes, etc) we will have additional computers set up for you to use. In addition, we will have emergency phones that we can use to call the States if needed. Please remember, the blog will be updated daily and people back home will be able to keep up with us and read about the activities, projects, and ministries that take place.

Much more information will be coming as the trip grows ever closer. Please e-mail me if you have any questions or comments. If you are a group leader please make sure this information is passed on to your team. The count down has started. 16 days and counting! Mark Connell / Larry Sawyer's trip just finished up with their trip this past weekend. Tim Hines / Gayle Davidson's team arrived and is on the ground now. Things are rolling and great things are being done in the name of Jesus. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen!

Terry

Mas agua por favor!

Last Thursday I decided to do a final fund raiser for the work fund. Jenny Lovell got me in touch with a company out of Memphis that does all kind of promo stuff. I found a nifty 32 oz aluminum water bottle and decided to make a push to sell some before the trip. Minimum order was 96 so I was a bit nervous about it. I sent out an email letting the team know about the bottle and promptly sold over 100 bottles in less than 24 hours! So I decided to order a few more if anyone is interested. I only have about 20 and they are $10 each. I am going to predict that they will go very quickly... so if you would like to get one email me soon.

The past week has been brutal trying to get everything done before deadlines. But, unless something goes terribly wrong, everything should be done on time. The t-shirts are ordered and should be getting inked this week! The journals are in print right now and will be done early next week! The Torch song books are in print and will be done this weekend. The Barnabas note cards are in print and will be done early next week. The Spanish coloring books are in print and will be done early next week. The water bottles have been ordered and will be silk screened this weekend and back to me next Thursday.

Sunday I met with Dr. Schwartz, who lives here in Henderson and teaches at Freed-Hardeman. He has a clinic in town and has been doing medical missions for years. We met after church services Sunday night and discussed medicines that I will need to order for the medical team this summer. This has been a challenge for me for the past several weeks as we have been trying different ways to get prescription meds for the trip. However, Dr. Schwartz not only can write scripts for the meds, he can order them at wholesale prices... saving us a LOT of money. Wednesday I will finalize the med order and it will be in about a week before we leave for Honduras. I am constantly in awe of how God works.

This weekend we had a mini reunion here at school when 2 of my roommates from Freed-Hardeman were here with their wives. We had a great time wandering the campus and talking about all of the changes that have taken place since we were here. Old buildings that are gone and the 8 new buildings that are here now. Since both are businessmen we had lengthy discussions about torch and how we can position ourselves for the "next step" in our vision of growth for the next several years. They shared great ideas and fresh insight to what Torch is doing and the way we can expand our resourcing and networking. Oh, and we ate some Jack's Creek BBQ too! If you have ever been here you know what I mean... if you haven't... so sorry for you!)

Margaret is almost done with the 3 way split assignments mid-way into our trip. About 45 will go to Catacamas July 6-9; 65 will go to Choluteca July 7-9; and about 50 will stay in Tegucigalpa. We are still pounding out details about what the 3 teams will be doing in their respective places, but finalizing rooming lists have to be made this week so that we can send the lists to the hotels that we will be staying at during this part of the trip. Margaret and I met with Tara (Ulmer) and Jerry Yale this evening. We discussed the work we are going to do in Catacamas and got a lot done towards that part of the trip. Tara lived in Catacamas for a year and will be the point person when we get there. I even chatted with Timeteo Estrada (in Spanish!) a few nights ago about plans for Choluteca. (thank the good Lord for Babble fish translator!!!).

So, with just 3 weeks to go, there is still a lot to be done. We are STILL missing paper work! Senor Margarita is not happy and when she is not happy.... well, you probably know the rest of that one, right? And we are waiting on a lot of money to come in. This week is the dead line for checks made out to Western hills Church of Christ. I cannot tell you how important it is to get your money in on time. It takes time for checks to be deposited. It takes more time for checks to clear and be released. It will take time to order the money so that we can withdraw cash from the bank (weird, right? I have to let the bank know a week in advance how much I am going to withdraw so that they will have enough on hand....) So I need to hear from all of you out there to find out what your plans are... we have heard from some but there are many more that we have not heard from as of now.

Next weekend I will be mailing out the t-shirts and journals (and water bottles if you ordered one). Margaret will be getting in touch with you if you are missing any paper work. Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, etc. My next posting will be the packing list and other trip information you will need. Can't wait to see everyone in Honduras, it will be here soon! Are you ready? I am. Make me a servant, Lord make me like You. For You are a servant, make me one too. Make me a servant, do what You must do... to make me a servant, Lord, make me like You.
TR