Team Azacualpa 2013 : Honduras Home-Makeover

A group of 10 people will be in Azacualpa, Honduras on January 11 - January 19. They will be working through and staying at an orphanage Ministies of Faith & New Life. The mission of this trip is to build a house for Victoria,an elderly woman with poor health conditions, that is living in even worse housing conditions. The team will work to build her a new home in a week. Besides that, the team will also be doing activities with the children of the orphanage in the evenings.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Closing Thoughts From Dave O'Byrne

Closing Thoughts from Dave

As I’ve had a week to reflect on our time in Honduras, I wanted to share with you some things about our experience:

1. The group worked incredibly hard on our project of building a house for Victoria. We also ended the week as better friends then we began.

2. We did not get the house completed. . .BUT God provided enough funds for us to pay a local Honduran crew to work with Dago and a few volunteers to finish it. They should be done in 2-3 weeks.

3. We were all blessed by Victoria’s humble, thankful heart.

4. We were blessed by meeting people in the neighborhood where we were working. We took 15 families from Victoria’s neighborhood groceries.

5. We continue to pray for little Jefferson, a couple week old baby who was born with physical defects, including a severe cleft palette. He is scheduled for surgery in a couple weeks, when a volunteer team of surgeons comes. He is not able to get nutrition, so we ask you to pry that he can get the nutrition he needs to make it to mid-February. And also pray for his 17 year old mother, Rosie.

6. We’re thankful for the kids at the Home, who we’ve seen grow up and that they continue to grow in their faith.

7. We’re thankful that the Bilingual School, which has been a dream, is coming to fruition and is hopefully opening next month

8. We’re thankful for our hosts, Dago and Dilia, and for their kingdom investment in their community, the kids at the Home, and in each of us as we are there for the week.

9. Each year we are blessed by Marianna’s taking care of our physical needs(food). And Alex (her husband) not only doing anything that needs to be done, but making us laugh while he does it.

10. Finally, we’re thankful for each of you. We’re blessed by your prayers as we prepared to go, while we were in Honduras, and as we returned to our regular lives. Actually, I hope our regular lives aren’t regular any more. I hope our experience helps us be more aware of the needs of people around us each day. I also hope our experience draws us closer in our relationship with our Savior, who desires intimacy with each of us, every day.

Thank you all for following our blog this year and for your support.

God Bless, Dave O’Byrne

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Jessie Olson's Final Thoughts...

The perfect word to describe my trip to Honduras is “eye-opening.” From the time I stepped out of the airport, I was gazing around me, drinking in with my eyes as much as I could possibly see. I wasn’t exactly shocked by how different Honduras was. I had been warned and expected some things, but it’s so much more different and amazing to see it with my own eyes, instead of a description from someone else. I was warned about the insane driving in Honduras. And I mean insane. On a two lane highway heading one direction, our bus passed a vehicle on the right, and I didn’t notice until a few moments later that we were then in between that vehicle and a motorcycle. For a few moments on a two lane highway, three vehicles were driving side-by-side together. That doesn’t happen in America. I can’t even describe how strange the driving is there. All I can say is I was advised not to wear a seatbelt, because it’s better to jump if anything happens. It’s insane. The craziest driving I’ve ever seen, and never once did I wear a seatbelt after I initially buckled it. Don’t worry, we’re safe enough. Dago is a good driver.

I guess I can say I was shocked by the things lining the sides of the road. Tiny little houses, about as big as my bedroom, sat clustered together as tightly as possible, with only about three feet of buffer-zone between the side of the house and the road. The houses, mostly made of sticks, mud and bits of plastic, lined both sides of the road. Of course I was thinking, “How could anyone live like this?” Apparently many can. On the way to the Children’s Home in Azacualpa, I saw hundreds of those tiny little shacks that hold an entire family. I am so blessed that I actually have my own room, a yard, and room to move around in my house. When I got home, the first thing I thought was that my house is so big, ten families could fit in it. And it’s true. I feel like I have just a bunch of useless space, while a lot of people in Honduras struggle through the elements with plastic and dried mud, trying to keep healthy when the whole family is squished together. I just can’t believe how much I have and much I take it for granted.

In the neighborhood where we built the home for Victoria, the houses weren’t much better, though they were a bit bigger. In that neighborhood, a nice house is one made with cement blocks and has a tin roof. That is a nice house in Honduras. Before I went to Honduras, I would think of that as more like a shed or something, but nope. It’s actually a very nice house, and anyone who has one like that is more “well-to-do” than other families. Victoria’s house was made of these materials. It’s much better in comparison to the sticks and stuff she had for her old house. We even built her a kitchen and a bathroom with plumbing! Here, that stuff for a house is a no-brainer, and we don’t even think about it, but there. . . Wow, you’re lucky if you have those things.

I guess the way people live in Honduras, and their environment, was the most eye-opening thing was for me. Like I wrote earlier, I have so much, but I take it all for granted. I don’t feel blessed for all the things I have. Or I used to be like that. Now I understand that I don’t need all these things to be happy. The people in Honduras have next to nothing, and they are so happy, so joyful. When I got home, I wanted to toss everything out of my room. I don’t need it. But I am so blessed to have everything I do, like my own room, my own bed, a TV, computer, etc. I hope what changed my viewpoint in Honduras will stick with me. To be grateful for all that I have and don’t complain. I have it so much better than many people in the world.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

The Team Is Coming Home!

Today is the day that the team is coming home! They said their good-byes and took off around 8 a.m. this morning for the airport. When they got there, the flight had been delayed an hour. Luckily, that didn't affect them horribly. The plane left at 2 p.m. and arrived in Houston, TX at 4:43 p.m. They are currently waiting in line at customs and will board the next plane around 7 p.m. and get into Minneapolis around 10 p.m.

Thoughts From Kelli O'Byrne

On Thursday we went into town for some ice cream. As we waited for the rest of our group to arrive I was standing around watching the people. I noticed a little boy carrying a large bag and he was watching us as well. He was filthy dirty. He had a big smile for me when our eyes met. He looked to be hoping that we would give him something. He walked towards us but stopped and leaned against the building. Looking around I noticed two other boys about the same age coming towards us from the other direction. As they walked by one boy reached out and pushed the little street boy and laughed, thinking he was so smart and looked around to see my reaction. I was sickened by the gesture.

When we all went into get ice cream we gestured to the street boy to come in a pick out a ice cream treat. He had the biggest smile on his face. He walked away. As we loaded into the truck he came by me and waved. My heart was touched.

The next day as I had my “quiet time” I was praying about that boy and the Lord said to me, “that is how the world treated Me, they spit on me and they hit me. I did this for you Kelli and I would do it again.” Two verses came to me,
Matt. 19:30, “…many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” God looks on people differently than we do. Matthew 25:35, Jesus’ words, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…” I’m challenged to look beyond the poverty and see what lives inside the hearts of these dear Honduran people.

Thoughts From Dave O'Byrne

Today is our last full day here. Yesterday we finished our work on Victorias house. Our bodies are tired and sore, but our hears are full from the blessings we recieved from God through the gratitude of Victoria and many others. The neighborhood where Victorias house is located is called Nazareth. It reminded me of John 1:46 where Nathaniael says, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" That's what the response of many people here would be of that neighborhood. The "Nazareth" in Azacualpa isn't the home of the Savior of the world, but it is the home of many people who love the Savior of the world. In spite of what we see as poverty, they have found treasure worth more then diamonds and gold.

Thoughts From Patty Goldsmith

I find that every time I come here I am reminded of things we have done. After seven years, I have lost some of the wide-eyed wonderment until I see someone new to Honduras have that awed experience and I see things through new eyes.
I think I know what to expect and then God shows me and shares with me something I have seen before but haven’t taken notice of. Like, the mist raising from the ground up towards the mountain tops, the children knelling and praying at the altar after breakfast. The sounds of Honduran, children laughing, singing, people in conversation, music playing, the sounds of people working. Who could forget the sounds of barking dogs, crowing roosters, birds singing, a cacophony of sounds. And, the smells of Honduras-wood fires in the stoves, flowers and a smell that is Honduras.
I am in awe of God who has created all this and continues to create new life here as He does at home. I wonder what God sees as He looks on us. I hope He sees each of us working to become more Christlike. One day, one person, one life at a time-a change that brings Him glory, honor and praise all the days of our lives.

Thoughts From Barb LaCore Olson...

another story for the blog While working at the site on Wednesday afternoon, a local man stopped and commented on what a nice house we were building, and how big it was. I told him that we had added the bathroom and kitchen, so it was much bigger than originally planned. He then told me that he was a Christian and that he gave God the praise for what we were doing in building the house.
He said he so appreciated seeing the bus go around the community to pick up the children for the feeding program at the Children’s Home. He was also glad to see us come down to help the people. He indicated (since I can’t quote him directly) that those who give much will receive.
I told him that I thought Azacualpa had grown since the Children’s Home had been here, and he agreed.
I would have liked to speak with him more, but I had some work to do and when I got back he was gone.
It was an interesting conversation, and it made me realize what an impact the Children’s Home and Dago and Dilia’s ministry have had on the community.

Saturday Afternoon

On Saturday afternoon, the team got the opportunity to deliver bags of groceries to families in need around the area where they had built Victoria's house. This is one of the greatest experiences down there. The joy that the people have from just receiving a bag of groceries is indescribable. You will also see in the pictures that they brought diapers & clothes to a girl that used to attend the feeding program that is expecting a baby in a couple weeks. They also delivered a quilt to Victoria for her new house that Patty had made and brought for her.

The food bags ready to go.

Patty presenting the quilt to Victoria for her new house

Patty made this quilt special for Victoria

Handing out supplies to people in need

Walking the streets to hand out bags

Picking up cakes at the bakery to celebrate their last night here

Packing up the bags to bring to people

Packing up bags

Diapers & clothes for a local girl that's having a baby

Loading up the truck with the grocery bags

This woman lives way at the top of the hill

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Saturday Morning/Afternoon

Saturday is the last full day for the team to be down in Honduras with the kids. Pictures are from this morning. They got to go up into the mountains and visit a coffee plantation farm as a sort of "outing" for the team.