Day of the Student at INFOP

We continued to be blessed and honored by the wonderful staff and students at INFOP the agricultural school and this time it was their invitation to join them for a recreation day - the Day of the Student!

I think it's one thing for us to go and teach a lesson but uniquely different to be asked to join them for fun!  We have been there for three years and never knew that they had a Day of the Student, so this was quite touching to be invited in as part of their fun time or down time.  We really praise the Lord for this, as it is wonderful to be so fully accepted by the staff and students!!

We asked them how they celebrate Day of the Student and they said they had games like tug-of-war and relays and the students had the whole day off.  I asked if we could bring some games and they gave us permission to do whatever we wanted!

It was time for the three newly appointed "game masters" to put on their thinking caps (which looked amazingly similar to their everyday hats) and get to work!

Matt finally figured how to make a hole in one... one golfball at a time!  But what type of game is this?

Next Matt was cutting up some PVC tubing... this is supposed to be a game?

Kelly was busy tying up loose ends, but how is this going to be fun?

Finally, the day of the student came and true to their word they had games... to be precise they had two; tug-of-war and a relay.  So, our odd collection of stuff was a welcomed addition!

We had made four sets of lawn goals or bola toss!!  The students LOVED it!!  Each team gets three bolas and each bola has two golf balls, so that's 48 golf balls!!  Each bola ladder (the PVC thingy) is made from 24 feet of PVC tubing, so the four sets used 96' of tubing!!

 We also brought some empty pizza boxes!

 We had pizza box relays in which they runners needed to hold the boxes with just one hand over their head!

Some of these guys should consider changing from agriculture to pizza delivery!!  In the next round, we notched it up by making it five boxes instead of three... sooooo much fun to watch!!

The officials were always on hand, overseeing the games, and ensuring fair play was maintained... or, maybe they were talking about what's for lunch?

 Matt is explaining the next game to a group of rather unsure contestants.  The game is simple: dunk the huge sponge in the barrel of water, pass it back over your head and the last person squeezes out the water to fill a bucket.

We explained to the director that the games would include this water game and he said fine.  Then he told us that the water pump for the institute was broken and they had almost no water, but they would give us water for the game.

The day of the games came and in met the other Equip missionary, Greg Brewster, at the entrance of the road that leads down to INFOP.  Right there on the corner is a water pump station that was currently pumping water to the city and there was a hose just pouring water out like a fountain.  So, Matt explained to the attendant about the games for that day, that INFOP's pump was broken, and asked if we could have water.  He said that was fine but that the pump would only be running for 15 more minutes.  We filled the two barrels in just over 10 minutes and left the attendant with a big handful of some of the candy to be used for the games... he was pretty happy!

We had already been to INFOP that morning and had not noticed the pump station, the hose or attendant, but when we came out to meet Greg we couldn't help but notice it all.  Just a coincidence?  I don't think so.  God is truly a loving Father who loves us all as His own dear children.  He provided what INFOP really could not have provided themselves.  He can provide what we need and can not provide for ourselves, the living water - Jesus!

 When the action started, only some of the water actually made it back to the bucket.  It was really fun... to watch!!

Matt stayed in the middle cheering them on to wetness and glory!

After all the wetness of passing the sponge back, the last man really worked to get every drop possible into the bucket!!  They liked this relay so much that we ran it until there just wasn't enough water to have another!!

We also introduced our own version of tug-of-war, one-on-one, and on top of crates.  The first person to let go or step off looses.

Greg had previously worked at a children's home in Comayagua and was excited when this young man came up to him... he was one of the boys at the home who is preparing himself at INFOP for a career in agriculture.

After the games we moved on to a craft - the FPG-9!  What is the FPG-9 you might ask?  It is the Foam Plate Glider - 9" and you can look it up on the internet to find out how to make this at home!

These are young guys anywhere from 15 to 21 years old and they all loved making the foam plate gliders!! 

We did grease the competitive spirit by bringing a HUGE bag of candy.  While we did give the candy to the winners of the relays, in the end, everyone received candy!!

This is what I have observed to be good: 

that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction 

in their toilsome labor under the sun 

during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.  

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, 

to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. 

They seldom reflect on the days of their life, 

because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

Mother's Day Celebration

Today is Father's Day (at least in the states) but I never shared our Mother's Day activities and so I thought this was a good opportunity!!  Not that I want to overshadow any fathers' recognition but it actually brings up an interesting point culturally.  Here in Honduras, Mother's Day is huge, really HUGE, but Father's Day is hardly a blip.  I'm guessing this may come from the fact that some of the men here leave one woman for another, it is normally the woman left to raise the kids, by herself and with no child support.

 It struck us that the kids we work with, who come from economically challenged families (they are poor), would appreciate a little help in celebrating Mother's Day.

 The kids took to coloring the cards with a passion!

We also had little faith bracelets and little heart bookmarks as gifts for the moms.

 He was one proud little guy putting together the card and gifts, but we weren't stopping there!

 We had a set of mugs that said, "Have a Safe Day" but it was in English so we didn't think anyone would mind too much!  We used some colored tissue paper and chocolate to fill the mugs!!  Sweet - literally!!

The kids were intent on making this look good!

Sort of surprising, they didn't even try to eat any of the candy!!

 All the leaders were helping each child to set up the gift mug just right!

 The end results were GREAT looking!!

 Super excited kids ready to honor and bless their mom, for some their grandmother, with words of blessings and little gifts!!

Some of our kids on their way home!!

 We also took a stack of the cards and colored pencils to church with us for the kids there.

 As you can see, Mother's Day is a BIG celebration!!  We had a whole service focused on

 Here the kids are just as excited and intent on making a card for their mom!

This little guys mom has special needs!

 The pastor of the church picks up several young moms who have children from abuse.

Some of these moms are as young as 11 when they have their babies, so it's really babies having babies.  Imagine a little four year old coloring a card for her 15 year old mother!!  It's real and it is what you see!  

Here is a very happy Mother!!

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 

“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

Eph 6:2-3

A Plumbing Puzzle

I was recently invited to help out a friend and fellow missionary in Honduras, Paul Hosier, with a water project.  Paul is with Baptist Medical and Dental Missions International, BMDMI, and had recently received three large Sawyer water filters to replace the chlorinating filters he had been using.  Knowing that I use a Sawyer for our drinking water, he thought I could help out.

As we turned off the pavement of the main road to the dirt road, Paul told me that this is the most dangerous community in the area!  I'm left thinking, "Now he tells me!"  Actually, I think I said as much to him.  What does it mean to be in the most dangerous community when you're in a country recognized for having the highest murder rate in the world?  (see my previous post: "What Does That Sign Mean?" which discusses this issue)

Well, both Paul and I already know the facts of Honduras and have decided to stay which may be in part because of the dark realities that exist here.  The filter we would be installing would provide clean water for the school and the larger community.  Adults and kids alike suffer the sicknesses dirty water brings and so this is a real and needed help.

More importantly, we are working as emissaries in the name and for the person of Jesus - who is the living water!

Paul had invited me because he knew I was familiar with the Sawyer filter but there was a little difference between what we use and what he wanted to install.  The photo above is one we were to install - it's a big filter in the center surrounded by five valves to make three different paths with the tubing running about four feet from side to side

There was one more issue Paul shared, because the area was so dangerous and even known for stealing from the school (just a bit unusual), he wanted the $800 filter to be safely packed away in a secure box with all the valves outside.  So, look at the picture above and mentally pull that central filter out and put all the valves on one side but obviously maintaining the flow design.  Tricky - I like it!  That's why I called this post a "Plumbing Puzzle".

Here's the system we use.  Just a little simpler design.  Put the dirty water in the bucket, the water flows through the little black filter into a clean container and that's it!  We have been using this filter a couple times a week for the past three years for all our drinking and cooking water.

Here's the building on the school property housing the water tanks where we need to hook up the filter.  The first day of work we didn't really get much done, as we had to assess the job, do some prep and then go out and buy materials.

Love this shot with the little guy watching on, hands clasps perhaps praying either thanking God for the new clean water to drink, or for me that the silly 'gringo' doesn't cut his hand off and gross everyone out!

Fist things first, building out the box against the wall to house the filter!

Here's a great set of photos showing how the day went with one of us working and... well, one of us was working... I'm sure the call or txt or game was really important!

Here's photographic proof that Paul is a born supervisor.  Look at that poise and he doesn't even need to look down at what I'm doing!  Pure talent!

I'm ribbing Paul a little in this post, but let me tell you what it's like to working a couple days with another missionary from another organization... great!  Being men and working on a hard project, we kidded around - very fun.

We also spent most of our time sharing story after story after story of God's goodness, God's provision, God's blessings, just God, God, God!!  It was great!  Remember, we're in the most dangerous community in the area, we're physically working to share the love of Jesus and we're proclaiming the goodness of the Lord, shining His light right in the middle of the darkness!  What a blessing!

After building the open frame of the box I'm drilling the holes for the tubing to pass in and out.

Ellen and Kelly came on the second day of work and with all those school kids around we had what looked like a spontaneous mini-VBS!  They were teaching them games and fun songs about Jesus!!

The kids really really really had a good time!

ALL the 'kids' were having fun!!!

Job complete!!  It was a very long hard day and it was great!!

This is the final product.  The expensive filter is nicely tucked away and someone would have to rip through pressure treated 2"x6" to get to it.  Also, it's not particularly obvious what is in the box.  Just like the old adage, "Out of sight, out of mind".

"But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; 

but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water 

springing up to eternal life."  John 4:14