Friday, December 01, 2006
December 2006 Report
We have been on the mission field for 4 months now learning Spanish and working with Mission Lazarus and it has been challenging yet rewarding at the same time. We left our comfortable jobs where we knew how everything worked and moved to a country where organization does not exist and started from scratch on learning the ends and outs of Mission Lazarus and the work being done here. It is an honor to be one of God’s servants and help make a difference in Honduras even if it is simply by providing a poor village man a job for a day to provide food for his family that night.
Since this is our first report, we want to start off by thanking each person who is praying for us, giving financially for our support, or writing us an email or personal card. You have allowed us to do this work without wondering what will happen next because we know that God will take care of us. Thank you for supporting us! We want to make sure you are aware of what we are doing since you are investing in us. Even though we cannot put everything in this report, we will make sure to inform you of our specific areas of responsibility.
Shelly has been working closely with Mission Lazarus’ Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) in San Marcos closing the year out and getting prepared for next year. The children are out of school from December until February for “summer break.” There will be a new Director of the school in San Marcos next year which excites Shelly as they both work together on new ideas and strategies to make sure those children are given a quality, Christian education. She has also been sorting through hundreds of boxes of donated school supplies which are desperately needed in all the ECDCs. There has been a resource room established at the Mission Lazarus office in Choluteca and the organization of it has begun to be better utilized next year. Thanks to the cows on Las Palmas Ranch, all the children are receiving at least a glass of milk a day which provides needed protein to their slim diets. What a blessing that has been to those children!
We have given more identification to the Mission Lazarus Children’s Home. We have named it Mission Lazarus Refuge at Las Palmas and I continue to work on our paperwork for IHNFA, the Honduran Child Protective Services, for approval. So far, it is a 22-page packet of information which consists of an overall plan, budget, discipline plan for children and workers, credentials of those who will be working with the children, and much formal information needed for approval. IHNFA is extremely excited about Mission Lazarus Refuge and look forward to allowing us to open the doors as soon as possible. We are in the process of interviewing a lady from San Marcos to be our Honduran Director as she is well qualified for that position. We have put together a list of people within Mission Lazarus who will be working with the children on a regular basis and I am excited about what that holds for each of those children in providing for their spiritual, educational, and medical needs.
As far as the physical home itself, since Honduras has begun the non-rainy season, we have taken off the room of the middle part of the “big house” which existed when Mission Lazarus purchased the land and the roof of the back of the house which allows us to raise the walls to make more headroom for the bunkroom upstairs. We are looking to finish this project in the coming months with a new roof, new bunkroom upstairs, new bathrooms, new staircases, new kitchen and new dining room for the children to move into. What a blessing this house will be for the children! We are eagerly awaiting a group from Berry’s Chapel church of Christ in Franklin, Tennessee to come down in February to build our second home in the location where the rest of the homes will be located. We have an engineer coming the end of December to help us lay out the homes in the field to better utilize our space.
There is so much going on around Southern Honduras that Mission Lazarus is working hard to make a difference in. From building a Children’s Home from scratch, attending the medical needs of Hondurans in Las Pitas, vaccinating cows on Las Palmas Ranch, teaching children the Bible through school to helping Jose, a homeless man on the side of the road near San Marcos, we are thankful to be God’s servants and have an opportunity to be a part of the work of Mission Lazarus. We encourage you to research all the areas of Mission Lazarus by surfing the website at www.missionlazarus.org. Please continue to pray for Mission Lazarus and the team of missionaries (including Ally and Jarrod Brown and Jake Tincher) here as we try to make a difference in Honduras. You are helping us do just that. God bless you!
Chad
Since this is our first report, we want to start off by thanking each person who is praying for us, giving financially for our support, or writing us an email or personal card. You have allowed us to do this work without wondering what will happen next because we know that God will take care of us. Thank you for supporting us! We want to make sure you are aware of what we are doing since you are investing in us. Even though we cannot put everything in this report, we will make sure to inform you of our specific areas of responsibility.
Shelly has been working closely with Mission Lazarus’ Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) in San Marcos closing the year out and getting prepared for next year. The children are out of school from December until February for “summer break.” There will be a new Director of the school in San Marcos next year which excites Shelly as they both work together on new ideas and strategies to make sure those children are given a quality, Christian education. She has also been sorting through hundreds of boxes of donated school supplies which are desperately needed in all the ECDCs. There has been a resource room established at the Mission Lazarus office in Choluteca and the organization of it has begun to be better utilized next year. Thanks to the cows on Las Palmas Ranch, all the children are receiving at least a glass of milk a day which provides needed protein to their slim diets. What a blessing that has been to those children!
We have given more identification to the Mission Lazarus Children’s Home. We have named it Mission Lazarus Refuge at Las Palmas and I continue to work on our paperwork for IHNFA, the Honduran Child Protective Services, for approval. So far, it is a 22-page packet of information which consists of an overall plan, budget, discipline plan for children and workers, credentials of those who will be working with the children, and much formal information needed for approval. IHNFA is extremely excited about Mission Lazarus Refuge and look forward to allowing us to open the doors as soon as possible. We are in the process of interviewing a lady from San Marcos to be our Honduran Director as she is well qualified for that position. We have put together a list of people within Mission Lazarus who will be working with the children on a regular basis and I am excited about what that holds for each of those children in providing for their spiritual, educational, and medical needs.
As far as the physical home itself, since Honduras has begun the non-rainy season, we have taken off the room of the middle part of the “big house” which existed when Mission Lazarus purchased the land and the roof of the back of the house which allows us to raise the walls to make more headroom for the bunkroom upstairs. We are looking to finish this project in the coming months with a new roof, new bunkroom upstairs, new bathrooms, new staircases, new kitchen and new dining room for the children to move into. What a blessing this house will be for the children! We are eagerly awaiting a group from Berry’s Chapel church of Christ in Franklin, Tennessee to come down in February to build our second home in the location where the rest of the homes will be located. We have an engineer coming the end of December to help us lay out the homes in the field to better utilize our space.
There is so much going on around Southern Honduras that Mission Lazarus is working hard to make a difference in. From building a Children’s Home from scratch, attending the medical needs of Hondurans in Las Pitas, vaccinating cows on Las Palmas Ranch, teaching children the Bible through school to helping Jose, a homeless man on the side of the road near San Marcos, we are thankful to be God’s servants and have an opportunity to be a part of the work of Mission Lazarus. We encourage you to research all the areas of Mission Lazarus by surfing the website at www.missionlazarus.org. Please continue to pray for Mission Lazarus and the team of missionaries (including Ally and Jarrod Brown and Jake Tincher) here as we try to make a difference in Honduras. You are helping us do just that. God bless you!
Chad
Monday, November 27, 2006
They are great when they work...
Computers are great...when they work! Landon Roeder and Jonathan Smith traveled down on Thanksgiving Day from Nashville, Tennessee to spend 5 days working on our computers at our office. They have thrown around words and numbers that I have no idea what they mean but have produced a much better internet and network system for us at Mission Lazarus. They even wired and helped us get ready to make three additional computers available for our preachers and others who need to stop by to use a computer. Landon and Jonathan have put together those 3 additional computers which are on the shipment from Nashville which should leave very soon. I have enjoyed having them stay with me at the apartment. We have been to all the local restaurants which are safe to eat at and they have enjoyed some authentic Honduran food. Shelly left for the States last Wednesday to be with her family for Thanksgiving and I will join her later for Christmas. If you get a chance, stop by Bath and Body Works at Cool Springs Mall in Franklin, Tennessee to say hello to her while she works. She is working there as holiday help to earn a few extra dollars for Christmas gifts. She was reunited with her baby, Tristan, on Wednesday also and sounds much happier now. Tristan has been in the States for 5 weeks without her.
Thank you Landon and Jonathan for repairing our computers! You have helped us more than imaginable. I think we have the best network in all of Honduras now!
Chad
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Pictures of the past 2 weeks
1) Picture of the stage area at our annual area-wide church service where 800 people were in attendance.2) Shelly made me a birthday cake for my birthday on November 12th. We had a party with our Mission Lazarus Team.
3) New school building built by the men from Indiana for a community near Mission Lazarus Refuge at Las Palmas Ranch.
4) Water heater for the house on our new coffee plantation, Finca San Lazaro, in the mountains.
5) Early Christmas at our Mission Lazarus school in San Marcos de Colon.
The MAGI BOXES have arrived!
A large truck full of Magi boxes pulled up to our warehouse late yesterday afternoon to be unloaded for children who have no idea that a gift is awaiting them. For the many of you who put together a box for these Honduran children, simply saying "Thank You" is not enough but you can know that you will make an impact on them that they will never forget. We are talking about thousands of children who will receive a gift this Christmas because of the caring hearts of so many individuals. Our warehouse is full! Thanks to you.Christmas time in the States is a time for family for many and a time to give a gift or two to those you care about. Navidad in Honduras can be a day just like any other day, nothing special, but for those children who receive a gift, a simple box, it is not just a normal day. It is a day where those who pass out the boxes get to see the biggest smiles on children's faces because of someone in the States who took time to make a difference in their life. This opportunity for Mission Lazarus is one where relationships are built and the opportunity to share Jesus with others is started.
Thank you for investing in the children of Honduras. Thank you for caring about Mission Lazarus and our outreach. Thank you for sharing Jesus through a simple box!
Chad
Friday, November 17, 2006
It's not just milk. It's not just a cow.
We had a group of 11 men here this week from Indianapolis, Indiana building a school building in a nearby village from Las Palmas Ranch. They did a great job and have really helped us begin to build a relationship with those people. We have not been in the office all week so that is why we have not updated our blog until now. I did want to share the below quote from one of our school directors about the importance of milk for our school children. Our cows on Las Palmas Ranch are producing the milk for the children which many of you have helped purchase. You won't look at milk the same if you read the below.
I do have to say, "GO VANDERBILT. BEAT TENNESSEE!"
"Milk is a powerful nutrient. And it becomes so much more powerful when it comes with all the love with which you have sent it to us.
The way in which you have decided this day to help us, is a blessing that we do not have in our homes. But this blessing is now present in our school!
Each and every day we drink a glass of fresh warm milk. Some days we have extra milk to make caramel, cheese, or cottage cheese, all foods that we could not make before at our school, and are absent in our homes.
You should know that we never want to wake from this dream of always drinking a glass of warm milk each day and sharing homemade caramel with classmates during recess! At the same time, we know there are many children in our community that have the same need for milk as we have.
The Mission Lazarus Refuge at Las Palmas does a great work and we are very thankful to God for these projects and for you for seeing using the eyes of Christ and sending us this cow, knowing as you do that this cow is not just a cow."
Karla Moncada
Director Early Childhood Development Center
San Marcos de Colon
I do have to say, "GO VANDERBILT. BEAT TENNESSEE!"
"Milk is a powerful nutrient. And it becomes so much more powerful when it comes with all the love with which you have sent it to us.
The way in which you have decided this day to help us, is a blessing that we do not have in our homes. But this blessing is now present in our school!
Each and every day we drink a glass of fresh warm milk. Some days we have extra milk to make caramel, cheese, or cottage cheese, all foods that we could not make before at our school, and are absent in our homes.
You should know that we never want to wake from this dream of always drinking a glass of warm milk each day and sharing homemade caramel with classmates during recess! At the same time, we know there are many children in our community that have the same need for milk as we have.
The Mission Lazarus Refuge at Las Palmas does a great work and we are very thankful to God for these projects and for you for seeing using the eyes of Christ and sending us this cow, knowing as you do that this cow is not just a cow."
Karla Moncada
Director Early Childhood Development Center
San Marcos de Colon
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
The New Barn
This past weekend we had a group of 10 guys from Lebanon, TN and Houston, TX come down to build the barn that we need for hay, tools and tractor storage. They put the roof on the barn and laid the concrete floor in the storage area. They also laid concrete flooring in the storage shed where all the horse supplies are kept. Here are some pictures of the work they did. Thanks guys for all your hard work!
...Priceless
(Written by Jarrod Brown, our missionary partner.)
Can I get two tickets to Heaven please, oh, first class, window seat please...
Three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred dollars. $362,400.00
In Honduras...
Average family lives on $1.17 per day.
Day laborers average $3.17 per day.
A banana costs $0.01.
Medical consultation with medicine costs $0.53 at the Lazarus Clinic.
$10,000.00 builds a nice church building.
$2500.00 builds a nice wood house.
Three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred dollars. That’s how much money was spent by Americans this year that came with mission teams for short term mission trips to Honduras.
I was born and raised in the church of Christ. I was baptized on July 12, 1987 at the age of 12. I was given a King James Version Bible with my name on it in gold. I read scripture, passed the Lord’s Supper, missed camping trips and ball games to be at church.
I had all of that but I had never let the Holy Spirit touch my heart. Change my life.
On a whelm I went on a mission trip to Honduras in July of 1998. My first mission trip. This was the first trip of the rest of my life. It’s hard to explain what happens, but a change takes place when you go to a third world country on a mission trip. In my case, I was helped much more than I was able to help the people we came to serve.
Now as a missionary living full time in Honduras for almost six years I get to see both sides of the short term mission trip. Let me see if I can explain it.
First from the point of view of the local peasant in Honduras.
The vast majority of the peasants in Honduras proclaim to be Catholics. Not because they go to church, know the creeds, or read their Bibles, but because it’s their culture to be Catholic. To pray to plastic figurines in their houses, and to have a brainwashed concept of what evangelical preachers stand for. But, the one thing that all of these peasants have in common is that America, the Great United, is the Promised Land. On any day in any village I, a Spanish speaking white guy with a four wheel drive truck, can draw a crowd to hear me preach because of their curiosity about Americans and their longing for the Promised Land. So when a group of Christians follows the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the Bible’s teachings, and their heart and they are baptized for forgiveness of their sins there is much persecution. Family members quit talking to them, neighbors criticize them. However when a group of Americans comes to a village to provide medical treatment, perform VBS activities with the children, or builds a house for a widow, the church is encouraged. That even though they live thousands of miles away, speak a different language, and live a different culture, they are brothers. All having been adopted through the blood of Christ.
Where evangelical Christians are not found on every corner but where everyone admires Americans, a visit of Americans to a young church can leave behind a sense of belonging, a sense of we really are doing what’s right, and the church is encouraged.
If you ever visit the humble jungle village of Las Pitas and you stay for church, you will receive the warmest welcome. Farmers who have a 3rd grade education and live entirely off the land will greet you with a big smile, a firm handshake from their leathery hands, and applause as they welcome you to their service, in the open air heat of southern Honduras. They are happy, honored; they feel privileged to have you with them.
Now from the point of view of the visiting American.
How can people be so excited about walking three hours to church, up and down mountains? How can they sing so loud, off key, and not care? How can flip flops be mended to get more miles out of them? How can 3 hours of church in 115 degree heat be enjoyable? How can barefooted children with busted toe nails love Sunday school so much? How can you live in a dirt house with a dirt floor?
How can you live without cable TV, high speed internet, and telephone in one package? How can you live without a blackberry? How can you live without a washer and dryer? How can you live without shoes? How can you live on rice and beans?
How can you love God so much? The answer is simple; they don’t have all the things in their lives that distract us from God. They can’t get it 90 days same as cash. They can’t super size it. They can’t ask Santa for it. All they have is God.
It’s intangible. It can’t be adequately explained with ink. How can you put a price on what’s its worth to finally understand what it means to be a Christian, to belong to a family that spans language and cultural barriers. To be able to experience Christianity in it’s purest form. Not worried about clothes, hair styles, new buildings, praise teams, politics, time limits, or meetings, just worshiping God. Is that worth Three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred dollars? No, no way, not on your life...It’s priceless.
Our mission is two fold, serve the locals with God’s love and minister to Americans who only have a third person relationship with God...No matter the cost.
Can I get two tickets to Heaven please, oh, first class, window seat please...
Three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred dollars. $362,400.00
In Honduras...
Average family lives on $1.17 per day.
Day laborers average $3.17 per day.
A banana costs $0.01.
Medical consultation with medicine costs $0.53 at the Lazarus Clinic.
$10,000.00 builds a nice church building.
$2500.00 builds a nice wood house.
Three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred dollars. That’s how much money was spent by Americans this year that came with mission teams for short term mission trips to Honduras.
I was born and raised in the church of Christ. I was baptized on July 12, 1987 at the age of 12. I was given a King James Version Bible with my name on it in gold. I read scripture, passed the Lord’s Supper, missed camping trips and ball games to be at church.
I had all of that but I had never let the Holy Spirit touch my heart. Change my life.
On a whelm I went on a mission trip to Honduras in July of 1998. My first mission trip. This was the first trip of the rest of my life. It’s hard to explain what happens, but a change takes place when you go to a third world country on a mission trip. In my case, I was helped much more than I was able to help the people we came to serve.
Now as a missionary living full time in Honduras for almost six years I get to see both sides of the short term mission trip. Let me see if I can explain it.
First from the point of view of the local peasant in Honduras.
The vast majority of the peasants in Honduras proclaim to be Catholics. Not because they go to church, know the creeds, or read their Bibles, but because it’s their culture to be Catholic. To pray to plastic figurines in their houses, and to have a brainwashed concept of what evangelical preachers stand for. But, the one thing that all of these peasants have in common is that America, the Great United, is the Promised Land. On any day in any village I, a Spanish speaking white guy with a four wheel drive truck, can draw a crowd to hear me preach because of their curiosity about Americans and their longing for the Promised Land. So when a group of Christians follows the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the Bible’s teachings, and their heart and they are baptized for forgiveness of their sins there is much persecution. Family members quit talking to them, neighbors criticize them. However when a group of Americans comes to a village to provide medical treatment, perform VBS activities with the children, or builds a house for a widow, the church is encouraged. That even though they live thousands of miles away, speak a different language, and live a different culture, they are brothers. All having been adopted through the blood of Christ.
Where evangelical Christians are not found on every corner but where everyone admires Americans, a visit of Americans to a young church can leave behind a sense of belonging, a sense of we really are doing what’s right, and the church is encouraged.
If you ever visit the humble jungle village of Las Pitas and you stay for church, you will receive the warmest welcome. Farmers who have a 3rd grade education and live entirely off the land will greet you with a big smile, a firm handshake from their leathery hands, and applause as they welcome you to their service, in the open air heat of southern Honduras. They are happy, honored; they feel privileged to have you with them.
Now from the point of view of the visiting American.
How can people be so excited about walking three hours to church, up and down mountains? How can they sing so loud, off key, and not care? How can flip flops be mended to get more miles out of them? How can 3 hours of church in 115 degree heat be enjoyable? How can barefooted children with busted toe nails love Sunday school so much? How can you live in a dirt house with a dirt floor?
How can you live without cable TV, high speed internet, and telephone in one package? How can you live without a blackberry? How can you live without a washer and dryer? How can you live without shoes? How can you live on rice and beans?
How can you love God so much? The answer is simple; they don’t have all the things in their lives that distract us from God. They can’t get it 90 days same as cash. They can’t super size it. They can’t ask Santa for it. All they have is God.
It’s intangible. It can’t be adequately explained with ink. How can you put a price on what’s its worth to finally understand what it means to be a Christian, to belong to a family that spans language and cultural barriers. To be able to experience Christianity in it’s purest form. Not worried about clothes, hair styles, new buildings, praise teams, politics, time limits, or meetings, just worshiping God. Is that worth Three hundred sixty two thousand four hundred dollars? No, no way, not on your life...It’s priceless.
Our mission is two fold, serve the locals with God’s love and minister to Americans who only have a third person relationship with God...No matter the cost.
Monday, October 30, 2006
The Betanco Family
This weekend we were able to help a family of six get out of terrible living conditions and go to a place where they are much safer. A sinlge mother of 23 years old and her 5 children were living in a house that barely had walls, was out in the middle of no where and they were barely surviving. Juancito, the preacher at the church in San Marcos, and I went to her house on Thursday to check out the living conditions and to give them some food. I was completely shocked when we drove up. I have seen pictures of these kinds of living conditions here, but I have never actually been there to see it with my own 2 eyes. It was unbelievable. On Friday night Ally called Chad and I and told us that they were planning to move the family to a house of one of the older brothers from the church in San Marcos. He is having a hard time getting food to eat for himself, so we figured out a way to help him and this family. The mother of the children is going to cook all the meals for this man, Juaquin, and he will give the family a room in his house to live. What a dea, huhl! Saturday night while it was pouring down rain in San Marcos, Chad and Juancito moved some mattresses over to the house for the children to all sleep on. Sunday morning we all went over there and cleaned up the place, moved things around to help them get situated in the house and fed them breakfast. After breakfast Chad and I went to the market to buy some of the basic things that they would need, pots and pans, laundry soap, dish soap, toilet paper, a broom, a mop, and some other things. They were all at worship last night with smiles on. I think they are a lot happier in their new place.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Friday, October 20, 2006
Pictures of the Last Few Days
The first picture is of our stuff from our shipment. It arrived Friday morning very early. The second and third pictures are Chad feeding a calf and me milking his momma at Las Palmas Refuge. On Thursday we handed out chickens to the families that are part of our nutrition program. Chad got to tie their feet together and then handed them to me to give to the people taking them home.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Christmas is Tomorrow!
You might think I am crazy, but tomorrow is Christmas for the Hedgepath's. Our shipment is to arrive at our warehouse tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. We will be there ready and waiting with bells on. I am eager to see what it looks like. We have not seen our belongings since May. It will be great to dig through all the boxes and remember what we packed. I am sure we will be surprised with each box. It is going to be a great day!
We had a rewarding and frustrating day in Honduras today. We got in the truck this morning to go to the church to help pass out chickens to the children who are in the food program, but the truck would not start. I believe it was Shelly's driving yesterday but we won't go into that right now. Just kidding. The battery was dead. So what do you do in Honduras when that happens...start walking. And that is what we did. It was good exercise!
What a great experience we had at the church building. Each family got 4 chickens so that they can get more protein in their diets with the eggs. I was in charge of tying their feet together so the families could carry all of them home upsidedown. What an adventure!
Since we did not have a truck to drive, we stayed at home and waited for Jarrod to bring his toolbox so we could fix the battery. The battery cables were corroded and needed to be tightened but since all my tools are on the shipment and not here yet, we sat and waited. Honduras tries your patience.
We cut a deal with Jarrod and Ally and offered to provide the spaghetti and sauce if they would provide the meat and we would have supper together and give us a chance to check all our emails at their house since we were not able to go to the office today. It is nice to sit with another family and talk new and interesting things.
I forgot to tell something historic about today...Shelly milked one of our cows! ON THE FIRST TRY! She was so excited. We have pictures of everything today and will try to get them on the blog the next couple of days.
Adios.
Chad
We had a rewarding and frustrating day in Honduras today. We got in the truck this morning to go to the church to help pass out chickens to the children who are in the food program, but the truck would not start. I believe it was Shelly's driving yesterday but we won't go into that right now. Just kidding. The battery was dead. So what do you do in Honduras when that happens...start walking. And that is what we did. It was good exercise!
What a great experience we had at the church building. Each family got 4 chickens so that they can get more protein in their diets with the eggs. I was in charge of tying their feet together so the families could carry all of them home upsidedown. What an adventure!
Since we did not have a truck to drive, we stayed at home and waited for Jarrod to bring his toolbox so we could fix the battery. The battery cables were corroded and needed to be tightened but since all my tools are on the shipment and not here yet, we sat and waited. Honduras tries your patience.
We cut a deal with Jarrod and Ally and offered to provide the spaghetti and sauce if they would provide the meat and we would have supper together and give us a chance to check all our emails at their house since we were not able to go to the office today. It is nice to sit with another family and talk new and interesting things.
I forgot to tell something historic about today...Shelly milked one of our cows! ON THE FIRST TRY! She was so excited. We have pictures of everything today and will try to get them on the blog the next couple of days.
Adios.
Chad
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Well, we reached a milestone this morning. I drove in Honduras for the very first time ever. I was a little nervous, but I did very well. The guard at the office laughed at me as I spun into the parking space. Chad says I get to do this every day now until I am comfortable. I hope it doesn't take too long. We are searching for a car to buy. Right now we are driving a rental truck. Hopefully we will find one before the end of the week.
I tried to include some pictures today, but it just is not working for me. I will try again tomorrow. I think it is because I am trying to download my Norton Anti-Virus from the web at the same time.
I tried to include some pictures today, but it just is not working for me. I will try again tomorrow. I think it is because I am trying to download my Norton Anti-Virus from the web at the same time.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Getting Settled
Shelly and I arrived safely in Honduras yesterday but something happened which has never happened in my 12 years of traveling here. We flew into the runway backwards. Usually there is only one direction down a runway, but not in Honduras. Many are accustomed to the hairpin turn around the mountains in order to land in Honduras. This time we fly in over the cliff at the end of the runway and landed going the wrong way. It was much easier. It was a straight shot from the air so that made the landing a little less stressful. Those who have been here will appreciate that.
We have spent the day organizing our office. Shelly and I share an office which makes for a lot of adjustment. It is also about half the size of my old office at BC so you can imagine how close we are. It is just another adjustment amongst so many others. We cleaned our apartment last night and went to bed at 8:45 pm. It was so good to get to bed early. We loved being home but sleep was not one of our priorities while there. When the sun goes down here, it is bedtime. We seem to be adjusting to that well. We will be back at it tomorrow, organizing and planning. There is so much to do it is difficult to know where to start. By the way, out container with all our personal items has not arrived here yet. It is in Honduras but stuck in customs. They take their time here. We hope to get it on Monday. This is going on 11 weeks living out of suitcases. We will live though.
Adios.
Chad
We have spent the day organizing our office. Shelly and I share an office which makes for a lot of adjustment. It is also about half the size of my old office at BC so you can imagine how close we are. It is just another adjustment amongst so many others. We cleaned our apartment last night and went to bed at 8:45 pm. It was so good to get to bed early. We loved being home but sleep was not one of our priorities while there. When the sun goes down here, it is bedtime. We seem to be adjusting to that well. We will be back at it tomorrow, organizing and planning. There is so much to do it is difficult to know where to start. By the way, out container with all our personal items has not arrived here yet. It is in Honduras but stuck in customs. They take their time here. We hope to get it on Monday. This is going on 11 weeks living out of suitcases. We will live though.
Adios.
Chad
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Heading Home
We have enjoyed being in the States for a few days visiting family and friends. It is nice to have some of the "luxuries of life" but we are ready to head back to Honduras and get busy working. Please pray for our safe travel tomorrow as we leave Nashville at 6:00 am and arrive in Tegucigalpa, Honduras at 11:40 am. Tristan, our dog, is staying in the States for the next 5 weeks until he is reunited with Shelly on the 22nd of November. That will be an adjustment for Shelly. We will talk to you in a few days.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Update on Shelly
Nothing showed up on Shelly's x-ray yesterday so the doctor told her to just keep a watch on it and get back in contact with him if the pain returns. She was relieved to hear the news.
Our money total for Tuesday night is up to $96,110. Isn't that exciting!
The next blog you get from us will be from Honduras next week. Hopefully our internet problems will be fixed. Talk to you then!
Chad
Our money total for Tuesday night is up to $96,110. Isn't that exciting!
The next blog you get from us will be from Honduras next week. Hopefully our internet problems will be fixed. Talk to you then!
Chad
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Getting Everything Done
We are in the process of getting all our last minute errands run and making sure we stock up on supplies to take back to Honduras. We leave Monday morning at 6:00 am. I want to give you an update on Shelly's stomach problems she had while in Guatemala. She visited a stomach doctor on Wednesday and had to go back on Thursday for another x-ray to see if she has gall stones. If so, she will need to have surgery over the Christmas holiday to remove her gall bladder. We are still waiting word on it so we will keep you informed. Please pray about that.
I am going with my Dad tonight to see a high school football game. I am excited about it since it will be the first football game I have seen since last year. Let us hear from you. Let us know what is going on in your lives. Adios.
Chad
I am going with my Dad tonight to see a high school football game. I am excited about it since it will be the first football game I have seen since last year. Let us hear from you. Let us know what is going on in your lives. Adios.
Chad
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
$90,100
As I sit in front of the computer now, that is the amount raised last night at our 2nd Annual Fundraiser Dinner for Las Palmas Refuge. We had a great evening with at least 250 people in attendance (doubled from last year). The food was great and the atmosphere was spectacular. We could not have asked for a better evening. Our goal of $100,000 will be accomplished by the end of the year. This amount will take care of all expenses with the children's home for the entire 2007 year. What a blessing!
I want to share two stories I shared with the group last night of some dedicated individuals. The first is Guilford McKay. He has a large farm in Franklin, TN which he has used in the past to milk cows professionally. He has donated all his milking equipment to Las Palmas Refuge for us to use to milk our dairy cows on the ranch. This will provide the most milk out of each cow which will provide not only for our children at Las Palmas but our schools also (300 children). This will allow us to sell the milk also to reach the goal of one day Las Palmas Refuge being self-supportive from the ranch itself. That will be a great day and Guilford McKay has helped start that goal.
The other is Kim Parker. She is a family member of mine and took orders at her work for hot plate lunches one day. She got up at midnight to cook all morning the hot lunches she was going to deliver that day. At $5 a plate (what a bargain) she brought me a check last night for $500. She even said that she was amazed at the donations in excess of $5 that many people from her work gave including several Honduran women out of their poverty and hardship. Kim and Frankie can not necessarily sit down and write a check for that amount but they found a way to provide for the children of Honduras. What a difference they are making!
God is good and He always provides. The people present last night are making a difference in Honduras that they will never fully understand. We are going to change the world one child at a time with the guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for being a part of this great ministry in Mission Lazarus!
A huge thank you goes to my mom, Debbie Hedgepath, and Pat and Mac Hughes for putting many hours into the planning of this evening. What a blessing they have been to me! Also, thank you to the Hayes', Lawson's, Anderson's, Lankford's, Will Baxter, Lacey Hughes, Andrea Hobbs and the Berry's Chapel church for their continued support and participation.
Save the date of Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 as the next time to gather and help the children of Southern Honduras.
Chad
I want to share two stories I shared with the group last night of some dedicated individuals. The first is Guilford McKay. He has a large farm in Franklin, TN which he has used in the past to milk cows professionally. He has donated all his milking equipment to Las Palmas Refuge for us to use to milk our dairy cows on the ranch. This will provide the most milk out of each cow which will provide not only for our children at Las Palmas but our schools also (300 children). This will allow us to sell the milk also to reach the goal of one day Las Palmas Refuge being self-supportive from the ranch itself. That will be a great day and Guilford McKay has helped start that goal.
The other is Kim Parker. She is a family member of mine and took orders at her work for hot plate lunches one day. She got up at midnight to cook all morning the hot lunches she was going to deliver that day. At $5 a plate (what a bargain) she brought me a check last night for $500. She even said that she was amazed at the donations in excess of $5 that many people from her work gave including several Honduran women out of their poverty and hardship. Kim and Frankie can not necessarily sit down and write a check for that amount but they found a way to provide for the children of Honduras. What a difference they are making!
God is good and He always provides. The people present last night are making a difference in Honduras that they will never fully understand. We are going to change the world one child at a time with the guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for being a part of this great ministry in Mission Lazarus!
A huge thank you goes to my mom, Debbie Hedgepath, and Pat and Mac Hughes for putting many hours into the planning of this evening. What a blessing they have been to me! Also, thank you to the Hayes', Lawson's, Anderson's, Lankford's, Will Baxter, Lacey Hughes, Andrea Hobbs and the Berry's Chapel church for their continued support and participation.
Save the date of Tuesday, October 9th, 2007 as the next time to gather and help the children of Southern Honduras.
Chad
Monday, October 09, 2006
Home Sweet Home
We arrived in the States on Friday night, October 6th. It is so nice to have a hot shower with pressure and clean water coming out of the faucet to brush your teeth. We had a very difficult time last week in Honduras with our internet so that is the reason for this being the first blog in a while. We have a huge fundraiser dinner tomorrow night for Las Palmas Refuge which we are excited about. You can imagine that things are busy right now getting ready for that so we will blog more later this week. Talk to you then.
Sunday, October 01, 2006
We are finally in San Marcos, Honduras. We arrived last night around 9:15. It was a long ride from the airport, but we made it safetly and are ready to get to work. We stayed at Jarrod and Ally Brown's home last night and today we are going to get settled in the apartment where we will live for the next few months. Please pray for us that we adjust well to our new life here. We will write more later!
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