Mon., 2 Mar. - Sunday we had Bob, Hugh, and Anna Maria, (the Peace Corps worker who will be translating), to our place for breakfast. We had had trouble finding a restaurant that we knew would be open for Sun. breakfast. We served a ‘plato tipico’ consisting of scrambled eggs, refried beans, queso fresco, (fresh cheese), avocado, tortillas and coffee. We had planned on fresh cantalope but when I cut it open, it was green inside even though it appeared ripe from the outside. Fortunately we had some pineapple juice in the refrigerator. We visited, got acquainted, then went to Cristo Rey for the morning service.


One of the children in Jacaleapa sitting at one of the tables in one of the chairs donated from western Canada through SAMS

After a picnic lunch with Dean Alejandro and discussions re the deanery, we went to Jacaleapa for an afternoon service. Following the service, one of the congregation made an excellent presentation to the congregation and us re proposed projects that they felt they could accomplish. These projects were to provide income for both the church and those working on them. The proposals will now be submitted to ‘Anglidesh’, (Anglican Agency For The Development Of Honduras), for approval and seed money. Eva then presented to the congregation the Sunday School chairs and tables that had been bought with part of a donation from western Canada. We will also be making presentations in Oropoli and Talanga later in the week.

Today we met at 8:30 and headed for Juteapa. This town to the west of Danli is one of the central locations selected to open a preaching point this year. Unfortunately, the local church leader, Yenia Banegas, the public school principal, had to be in Danli today so we didn’t get to meet her. However, we were able to tour the school and talk extensively with the vice principal, learning a lot about the town, the school, and the children. For instance, she mentioned that 90% of the students leaving primary school go on to high school, quite a high percentage here. Juteapa was very hard hit by the rains in Oct. with extensive crop loss and flooding of homes.

We then went back through Danli and south to San Matias, another location planned for opening a preaching point this year. The local leader here, Alicia Valerio has been a member of the church for several years and has just completed the pre seminary training. We visited her in her home and learned about her the community and their plans for starting a congregation.

From San Matias we went to El Paraiso city to visit Rev. Deacon Hilda Lagos and her church ‘La Resurrection’. Hilda, a long time friend of us all, had a delicious chicken and rice dinner waiting for us. Following dinner we talked about the parish and their plans. We then did a quick tour of the area she covers, visiting the community of El Rodeo, (1 ½ km away), and the area surrounding the site for a proposed second area church, San Alerio, (2 ½ km in another direction). The church already has the land and will need about $5000 US to put up a building.

Arriving back in Danli we split up agreeing to meet 1 ½ hours later for supper. When we got back together we discovered that there is a problem with the SUV we rented. Bob has had 2 pair of new pants disintegrate in the seat, and Anna Maria had a pair of jeans begin to rot in the seat. Both of them had been sitting in the back seat. We compared notes and checked the car to find there has apparently been something like battery acid spilled on the seat and it was affecting the cotton pants but not the material of the seat which is probably polypropylene. I notified National and will straighten it out when we turn the car in. In the meantime I bought large heavy duty plastic bags to cover the seat and will put a blanket over them.

Wed.,4 Mar. - Tuesday morning I woke up with diaorrhea. I took some medication but continued frequent visits and took more. Things finally settled down and we headed downtown to pick up Bob and Hugh. Then off to Yuscaran where we checked into the Colonial Hotel. This is a rather large colonial building facing the main square and was renovated 2 years ago. It is in excelent condition. Not as luxurious as the Kyros Hotel in Danli, the 4 rooms are rather plain but in good repais and very clean. The biggest drawback is the bathroom door, actually the lack thereof. Not even a curtain. But the showers are hot, which we don’t have at the apt. in Danli.

After checking in we drove to Oropoli. There were several others gong to so Dean Dagoberto drove as well. We met Rev. Deacon Lourdes and her husband Heriberto, (pastor of Oropoli), at the house they use to hold services. Over the next half hour other members of the congregation drifted in and they finally decided to get started with the meeting. I was beginning to feel quite ill and went to lie down in the SUV. At the meeting the needs, dreams, and plans for the church were discussed. These included renting a location to set up as a church or, preferably, buying land and building. Another plan is to conduct a training course in electricity. The government will supply an instructor if the church can provide a location and about $500 for supplies. They can train about 30 students. Following the meeting, lunch was served. This was a typical meal of rice, potato salad and a little beef with, of course, tortillas and soft drinks.


Members of the congregation in Oropoli with the Hymn books donated through SAMS

Before we left we had the pleasure of preseting to Lay Pastor Eriberto 20 hymn books. They are a collection of 749 songs in this collection published by the Dioces of Honduras. This was the second part of the donation from western Canada.

After lunch we returned to Yuscaran, arriving about 4. We then took it easy until the meeting we had with some of the people of the Yuscaran church to hear about their needs, plans and dreams. Following this we went to the restaurant next door for Honduran Tacos, m m good.

Tuesday night was unseasonably cold. We had only 1 blanket and were barely able to keep warm. The 4 of us went to ‘Comodor Lilas’ for breakfast where we ran into Bruce and Jane Ergood from the US. We have worked with them for several years. They have been conducting workshops for the health care workers in the deanery and Bruce has been teaching at the university in El Zamarano.

After breakfast we went to the towns of Moroceli, Cacao, and Ojo de Agua were we met the priest or pastor and learned of their plans and dreams. In Morocoli we also inspected the property they are purchasing, probably Friday. It already has a large concrete block building on it which will make an excellent church, a smaller building which will house the computer lab they plan to establish, and is surrounded by a 10 ft wall for security, (a big thing here). All this is costing only $25,000 US and the money has just arrived at the deanery office in Tegucigalpa. The son of the Priest, Carlos, Alvarada is a computer technician and they have made arrangements of 15 computers. At Ojo we had lunch before the meeting.


Bob Burns joins Rev. Dean Dagaberto and Rev. Raphael in an impromptu sing-along at Corral Quemado

Leaving Ojo we went to Corral Quemado, a favorite community of many former visitors to this area. Corral now has electricity so no more generator at night if a group is staying there. Rev. Rafael, Dean Dagoberto’s brother is still in charge there. Before and after the meeting Dago and Rafael treated us to short concerts of music and song, first with the 3 string base and guitar and after with Rafael on the violin and Dago on the guitar. We had planned to visit Rancho Obispo, another of Rafael’s churches, but we were all getting weary and there was little to be gained so we returned to Yuscaran.

We got back early enough that Eva and I were able to get to the Credit Union where we have had an account for 3 years, and close the account which we no longer need. We could also feel it cooling rapidly as the day ended and obtained extra blankets for the night.

At 6:30 we met again with Dean Daboberto and translator Anna Mariea for dinner and a final wrapup and disussion of the deanery’s priorites.

Thurs., 5 Mar. - We are now in Tegucigalpa, staying at the beautiful Humuya Inn. We left Yuscaran at about 8 am and headed for Ojo de Agua were we were to meet Dean Maria Conduelo and Maria del Carmen who will translate. We first went to Villa Sanfrancisco and met Rev. Gladys Valasquez, a long time friend who we had the honour of sponsoring at her ordination as priest last year. Gladys showed us the new ‘Coporativa’, (Credit Union) opened in Feb. by the church. They are a new branch of the church’s Credit Union which accepting deposits and in future assisting members with loans for small businesses and buying homes. We then received a tour of the lovely church.


Pilgrimage member Bob Burns in at the church in El Pedrigal with Rev. Dean Maria Consuelo, Rev. Gladys Velasquez and 3 of the local children

Next we went to El Pedregal. SAMS Canada has been assisting with the support of whichever pastor is serving El Pedrigal ever since the team from Knowlton Quebec arrived there as an evangalistic brigade and the congregation began. We visited the church building and learned of their hopes and dreams.

It was then on to Telanga, some 50 km north where Canadian missionary Kara Thompson Mejia and her Hondran husband Nelson Mejia first served. (Both are now ordained and working on the Bay Island of Roatan.) The current pastor is Hector Salgado who also serves in Guiamaca, a further 40 km away, where we also visited. Before we left Talanga we made the final presentation from the gift, 10 bibles, 5 to each of the churches under his leadership.

After Guiamaca we returned to Ojo de Agua where Rev. Dean Maria and Maria del Cammen transferred to their own vehicle and we both headed to Teguc.