Carol in Honduras

I had the opportunity to go back to El Malcote today. Saul and I spent the morning there and I did some more hand washing and crafts around the germ topic. We made Henry the Hand hand puppets. I was able to bring individual packages of crayons that Tony Roma’s in Red Deer had donated and the kids were thrilled. The soap that I am using for the handwashing classes was collected by a number of people over the past few months (thank you to the Stantec employees, Steph and Kory and all you others who got that soap to me).

I also met with some of the moms in the community to see if we could find out what they saw as health or medical needs. The women are really timid and I think not “empowered” to speak at these kinds of meetings so they didn’t say much. What we did find out is that there are a lot of skin conditions, diarrhea, asthma and grippe. I think that the best way to handle the things they identified, is to get some actual medical attention there to accurately diagnose the problems. Will talk to Ellen about that at our meeting tonight.

One of the things that I learned today was that the government has a merienda (snack) program at the schools. So, at least once a day when there are classes the kids get a meal. If you watch, there are some children that take the food home to share, and some that share with their little siblings.

This afternoon Dona Delsy and I met to talk about the orphanage. I have t-shirts donated by staff at my office to deliver to the Hogar Angelitos Felices later this week. But, as little Heidi is staying at Dona Delsy’s I was able to give her the sweet little girl clothes today. Heidi plays “pat the tortilla” and loves her walker. She is a year now and continues to be plagued with pneumonia and other health stuff but is certainly better than the sick little girl I saw on my last trip here. I plan on another pizza supper for the kids at the hogar this weekend.

Some of the moms

Heidi - she's gained a lot of strength!

Girls eating their meal

Muchas Gracias “A Better World” ! The classroom is pretty much finished, and the community folk are proud of the building that they built and so very pleased to have the new school room. A coat of Celestial Blue paint will be the finishing touch.

My first visit to El Malcote was with three of the World Vision staff and Ellen from Project School Supplies. The kids and teachers were waiting to welcome us and many of the local moms and little children came also. I was able to pay the albaniel (foreman) his last payment in person and thank him for the good work and comment on how impressed I was at how speedily the job was done. I had time to do some more hand washing and germ theory with the school children before we started back to Copan.

And- that is when the real excitement of the day happened. The news of Zelaya’s return was on the radio as we drove back. I wish I could have captured the excitement of Antonio, Saul and Aracely in the vehicle that day. The airports, ports and borders are closed. Schools closed and banks and many businesses closed. Curfews are in effect and there are no newspapers and the local TV stations aren’t broadcasting. Wonder what will happen next.

Malcote - inside the classroom

Malcote school - Coffee plants in the background

My travel compañero's having a break on the way back to Copán

In the first photo are our key “guys” in the El Malcote classroom project (the third is cut off in the thumbnail, click the photo for all three).   On the left is Saul (the World Vision contact), in the middle is Modesto the Albaniel (which I think means foreman) and Adelmo the assistant is on the right.   The speed at the way this project is moving along has to be related to these folks.   It is unprecedented to have things happen this quickly in Honduras.

The walls are up, and the roof  will soon be in progress.   They plan to be done mid-September.

When Ellen visited today she says the folks there send their complements and gratitude for “us”, for “Dios”, for “her” and for “the key fellows”.

The three guys - click for the third

The walls are up

The walls getting even higher

The work has begun on the new classroom in El Malcote.   The community has shown incredible enthusiasm and commitment to this project.

Ellen has worked wonders!  She has been the person that met with the community, been the liaison with the World Vision folks, convinced the mayor to donate the sand, and was ever so diligent about telling me all the stories day by day over the past months.

When I visit in September, the classroom will be well under way, and I am looking forward to meeting the community, Saul from World Vision, the mayor and actually talking to Ellen in person for awhile………and will introduce them on my blog at that time.

The pictures are of the initial materials arriving and being unloaded in El Malcote.

Community unloading the blocks

Land for the school

Ready for building

I’ve started the day sitting here in the next door restaurant having a coffee and feeling excited to be a part of this community, and to be connected to some of the people who do so much for the “needy” people that live in this wonderful country.   I have been so lucky to have had Robert, Ellen, and of course Telma to help and direct me.   I learn so much and have so much to learn.   If I have been even a bit of a catalyst or a bit of a help the time here has been worthwhile.

I have one last germ/ hand washing class to complete this morning, a meeting with Ellen this afternoon and hopefully can reach Billy and Mary (folks that live here that help bring in brigades).   Then that is it.

Reflecting on my time here, I think that the handwashing activities were a tremendous success and will plan on more health education,   The t-shirt’s for the Hogar Angelitos Felices was so enthusiastically received that I would do that again also.   And, I would like to continue to work with and support Ellen who I believe reaches some of the most needy people of the community.

A Better World has helped provide germ theory/ hand washing education to over 225 students in three communities, continues to sponsor Eduardo to attend the Amigos school, supplies purified water to help the health of over 40 children at the hogar, has supplied needed medications to children at the hogar, supported a local work project (making blocks for toys) and some basic school supplies to a needy rural school.

And, I’ll look forward to my next trip to Copan and what it might bring.

Lots of t-shirts

Thanks for the t-shirts!