... we were in Honduras!
Our internet service was very inconsistent so we are going to try to share our week with you by looking back every day this week.
A mission trip to remote areas of Honduras begins with travel days.
We are met at the airport by our guide, driver and security personnel.
We put our bags on the bus and head halfway up the mountain to Juticalpa where we spend the first night.
HOI has had this nice and comfy bus for 2 years.
Many remember the painful ride up the mountain in the old school bus.
This is so. much. better.
And to our surprise a great deal of the muddy road had been paved since our trip last year.
The trip was smoother and quicker!
The houses that dot the mountainside can be colorful.
We stop about halfway to the ranch at a bakery run by
a Mennonite who has lived there for years.
They sell delicious baked goods and COLD drinks :)
We attempted to take a group picture.
We spent Saturday night in a hotel and then the next morning we visited the square in Juticulpa.
We visit the beautiful cathedral each year.
If you had a friend or family member on the trip you have probably heard about the wreck that we happened upon as we left Juticalpa and headed for the ranch.
Martha from HOI asked if anyone wanted to stop at restrooms or continue another 35 minutes to the ranch.
We opted to continue and a few minutes later came around a curve to see the scene below.
( Mission Trip Rule: Never pass up the potty because you never know how soon you will have that opportunity again.)
It was a single truck wreck which was fortunate but it was very sobering to watch the rescue of the pinned driver in a country that is not equipped with the Jaws of Life or rescue personnel trained to the level that we are used to.
Both men were severely injured and we will never know if they survived their injuries but they were on our minds and in our prayers all week.
Honduras may lack trained rescue workers but they make up for it in ingenuity and by pulling together to accomplish the rescue on their own. People who were driving the mountain road or lived nearby had chained the truck to a bus and used that to lift the truck enough to try to free the pinned man.
It took a long time and they tried a lot of things but they did free him.
We were traveling with a team from Newnan (whom we have been at the ranch with the last two years) and their " Dr. Don" was able to walk down to the wreck and offer his service. Noe from WC and who was born in Honduras went with him as translator
and ended up helping to direct the rescue.
We learned from this incident that the ambulance did not have an IV start or meds to treat the injuries. They are more of a transport vehicle. Dr. Don pulled out his medical bags and gave the men some medical assistance. The Honduran people helping at the scene used a piece of cardboard and some string to fashion a cervical collar for the passenger in the truck while they tried to save the man who was pinned.
We decided that Dr. Don and Noe were meant to be there to help those men.
We arrived safely at the ranch and had a late lunch.
The Agalta Valley is a beautiful place and Rancho El Paraiso is a wonderful place to stay.
Home Sweet Home for the week.
The hammocks are where we spend most of our "down time" after long, hot work days.
And after lunch we begin sorting out the tools and VBS supplies that we have brought for the work week.
Monday morning starts early on the ranch.
Up at 5ish and off to the village after a quick breakfast.
I posted a quick Monday update last week but I'll share more pictures of our first day in the village tomorrow!
"Greet all God's people. They belong to Christ Jesus."
Phillipians 4:21
Posted by Marcie
