Good evening from Honduras. It looks like it's starting to warm up for many of you. I was following all the snow storms, looked like a mess. We have had sunny days in the 80's & 90's here in Juticalpa, the department of transportation has had no concerns about the budget for road salt.
About 6 years ago, May of 2008, I went on my first mission trip to Honduras with a group from my church in Brentwood, TN. At the time I remember wondering how in the world I was going to take a week off work to participate in a mission trip, it seemed like a crazy idea. We flew into the capital city of Tegucigalpa and drove an hour northwest to a town called Comayagua. It was an amazing experience, one that led me to where I am today. I continued going on mission trips with my church the following 5 years but we never returned to Comayagua. I had always wanted to go back for a visit and this month I got that chance. Carina and I, along with some of our friends had the opportunity to visit the waterfalls at Lake Yojoa as well as spend a day in Comayagua. It was interesting to go back and see some of the places that I had first visited as well as show Carina where my Honduran adventure began.
Here are a couple pictures of the city of Comayagua. It was actually the capital of Honduras until 1880.
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Carina and I in front of the Cathedral and in the center of the town park.
Before arriving in Comayagua we visited the waterfalls at Lake Yojoa.
Here we are a few steps away from the area where we started to navigate behind the actual waterfall, as well as a picture of us standing in the waterfall.
Here is one of the rocks we had to climb before we could get behind the waterfall.
The security guard at our office, Jose Luis, and his wife, Johana, recently had the baptism for their daughter, Samantha Nicole. Carina and I were asked to be the Godparents. Here is a picture of us at the Baptism last Sunday.
Here's Samantha eating her baptism candle during Mass and a photo of her and Carina outside the church.
As I have mentioned before many people here in Honduras don't have cars which means getting to the market to by groceries and household items isn't easy. So it's very common for vendors to walk the streets selling items like brooms, tortillas, soap, vegetables, water, cell phone chargers and even T.V. remote controls. These guys will strap items to their back, carry large bags, even balance boxes full of material on their heads. I hear them outside my house almost every day trying to sell their goods. You can hear them shouting "water, water, you want water" or "brooms, brooms, I have brooms". It is a convenient way to buy, just step outside your door and grab what you need, it's our version of Amazon Prime. Here meet the water sales representative for our neighborhood.
Carlos and Sindy's house is looking great. Here is a picture of the shower and toilet room that has been completed. If you remember from my first description of their original house, they had no bathroom.
They have also moved their kitchen appliances and television out of their bedrooms and into a the new kitchen/living room area. Carlos bought a table and chairs so him and Sindy would have a place to study and eat. This room has 3 large windows and 2 doors which helps create a nice breeze.
Here is the covered patio where they spend most of their time during these hot months when it's just too warm to be inside.
If you are interested in sponsoring a child that attends the schools I'm volunteering with please e-mail me at michael.freesmeier@gmail.com or visit the Olancho Aid website at www.olanchoaid.org We have many poor and special needs students that needs sponsors so they can attend school here in Juticalpa, Honduras.
