Humility... sometimes you have it, and sometimes it is given to you!

Today was a blast! We spent today almost exclusively involved in sports of some kind or another. After breakfast we played a game (complete with referee) against students of our own age in... get this... SOCCER!

Let's just say that on the way to the field our leaders were reviewing the items we had for first aide... gause, ace bandages, band aids, etc... I asked them if they packed any "pride aide" because that was going to be the most damaged part of our players.

Let's just say that no matter how hard the Honduran team tried to be gentle with us, it is hard to pretend that you haven't been playing this sport every day since you were a child. They - both as a team and individually - were incredible. As if it goes without saying, we lost 8 to 1. Kyle was able to nail a penalty kick to keep us from walking away completely empty handed.

Our students did incredible! I was so proud... I did not see one hint of attitude or competitive edge in the eyes, voices or demenor of our students - I could not have seen them act more Christlike!

After a quick nap and lunch, we met on a much more even playing field (both figuratively and literally)... BASKETBALL! The competition was well matched, but we did come out on top! We even got to see Scott dunk!

Now for the fun part... right now, our students are back at the compound getting a quick bite for dinner and then they will head to the Soccer stadium that we have been staying across the street from... to see a professional soccer game! Many of the students have already purchased the jerseys of thier new favorite team - the La Ceba Victoria!

Here are a few pics from the day... I have a game to get to!!! Btw - I think we have about 6 or 7 students on Cipro (including me) and 1 with a really bad sunburn (also me)... bald heads and big sun... bad combination!

From start to finish

The Day...

We started with a well formulated plan to make sure that all of our students were safely transported to the community of La Boomba (there were suggestions of having students ride in the back of pickup trucks... oh the joy of bridging the gap between 2 cultures!). Our leaders and I were up until nearly 1 AM trying to orchestrate a creative plan of who would stay to work on bunk beds and who would go in (INSIDE) of what vehicle so that we could all get to where we needed to be (there was a mixup on the end of those in charge in Honduras regarding who would have the bus... us or the award winning marching band...)

Well, this morning we got up (tired) to find out that our driver Julio picked up on my discomfort at his suggestions and spent part of his night finding a bus and a driver for our group today.

We quickly adapted our lists to allow a few extra students to go the community leaving about 9 students back to work on beds. The other group was expecting to head to a VBS for about 60 kids... when they got there, that was the case... until a few more heard about it... then a few more... then a few more... they eventually stopped counting when they had seen about 200 kids!

I was one of the unfortunate souls who stayed back, but from what I hear it was INCREDIBLE. Here is a link to a youtube video that I posted of some of the children singing "Jesus Loves Me" (get the Klenex handy, moms)

The students who remained at the compound to build beds had a big day of their own... at the end of the day, they were able to build 7 more beds!!!! WOW!!!!!

Here is a qucik image of what I had planned for this bed back in April...

And here is a pic of the finished product... you should be proud of these students - they are doing work they should be proud of!!!!! I know that I am!!!!

What a great day! VBS... from start to finish. Beds from start to finish... the whole day... from start to finish!

Welcome to Honduras!

Today was a sharp lesson in the culture of Central America. Last night, I made the annoucnement that we would allow everyone to sleep in today (until 8 AM). After everyone was up, dressed and ate breakfast we were getting settled in for a solid day's work on the bunkbeds... when the power went out.

Without drills and saws, it is difficult at best to cut and assemble beds. So, we adapted to the reality that there would not be any power until 4 PM. After our devotional time (on James 2), we headed to a downtown area where there is a great deal of shopping. Returning for a late lunch and then waiting for the lights to come back on (they were replacing a transformer... it's a wonder how they finish it in a day - this is what the wires look like on the poles...

The downtown area was crowded (and a bit difficult to keep up with everyone, but thanks to the best leaders I could immagine on a trip, we were able to return with most of our students... just kidding, lighten up). Btw - this picture doesn't do justice to the crowd...

You would all be so proud of these guys - the attitudes were great as we waited the problems out and once it came back on, every one of our students worked incredibly hard and got a lot done in a short amount of time!

During their "down time" a few children from the school/community were around and some of our struggled trying to comunicate, until they found common ground... digital cameras! They had a blast with our students taking their pictures and then showing them to the children... then it switched... the cameras were now in the hands of these beautiful children and were taking pictures of our students....

After they worked so hard, I just knew that they would love to get some great Honduran food. We headed down to where Vilma has been preparing our food for us to enjoy another great meal... there was pasta with a tomato based sauce, rice (a staple food here), bread, shreaded chicken... and a traditional soup. Even right now, while I am reading this to them, they are agreeing how good it was...

I wonder how many of them would have opted out of it if I would have told them that it had snails in it before we ate? (I read this to them as we unpack the day's events after I write this... I will let you know how it goes)

Ok... we need to get back to the campus... here are a few more pictures just for kicks... btw - we learned today that we are 18 pieces of plywood short to finish the bunk bed project... anyone have another $750 laying around? We're still deciding what we should do... pray for wisdom.

Are those new glasses?

Before I left for the trip, my eye doctor (who is also one of my closest friends) helped me find a pair of sunglasses that he could have put together with my prescription lenses in them. What a huge help it is to be able to read things (and see small things) quickly even when I am in the blazing hot sun!

But that is not the only purpose they have served on this trip! Last night, I explained how these 2 pairs of glasses can help us understand some pretty incredible things about our trip. My everyday pair of glasses help me to see things the way any person with good vision sees them - the way they are physically. The second pair (my prescription sunglasses) help me to see things in focus, but see them through lenses with a different tint. As we unpacked the day, I explained how each student has the opportunity to choose which glasses they will see the day through - the pair that sees things in natural light or the pair that allows them to see the people, places and activities of the day through "supernatural" lenses. As we started our day on the bus this morning, I held up both pairs of glasses and asked everyone "Which pair of glasses are we wearing today?" they responded in unison... "SUNGLASSES!"

Following our 45 minute bus ride through some of the most beautiful countryside many of us have ever seen, we arrived at the community of Nicaragua (not the country - dont worry). We worked in a very small school (thank you Lord! btw - yesterday only turned out to be about 140 kids... calm down, commenters :-)

Student played soccer, made crafts, sang songs and made bracelets. Today was amazing! One of the highlights of the day was the craft that we planned - before we began, we got the entire group together and took a quick snapshot with a digital camera. While our students worked with the children to make and decorate picture frames out of popsicle sticks, I went to the church next door and hooked up a small digital printer to the only electical outlet in the entire community! (the power was supplied by a solar panel that fed a car battery - it was hooked up to a power inverter which powered a small audio amplifier that the church usues for their electic keyboard and microphone... see the picture below). After I printed out the pictures on the printer, I took it over to the group to fill the frames... you should have seen the faces of these children when they saw the pictures!

Ok... now for the top 5 things that I loved about today:

5. Watching some of our students choose selfless wisdom over their own desires and comfort!

4. Watching the amazement on their faces as we drove through miles of dirt roads and one lane bridges to get to Nicaragua

3. Seeing 30+ beautiful Honduran children smile while they play "Red Rover"

2. Watching a 9 year old boy out manuver several of our high school boys (some soccer players) on the soccer field!

1... hearing the voice of my beautiful wife... I love you Sheila!!!!! I can't wait to see you!

Here are some pics... have fun! Btw - they loved hearing the comments!!!!

Jeremy

Our band reception from day 1 - this band is the Central American Champion!

What a first day!

I must say that no matter how much you plan, you can't cover it all!

Let's start with last night. Did you know that cockroaches can be nearly the size of cats? Neither did I, but to hear our girls explain it, that is the case! (don't worry - that was the only one we saw). After everyone was finally settling in and I was just laying down, I heard blood curdling (spelling?) screams from the girls room. I shot up and quickly made my way downstairs to see who had lost a limb (I thought that there might have been some large animal in their room)... one of our girls saw a Geco on the wall in the shower - she screamed - the girls in the showers on either side of her screamed because they didn't know why the first one screamed... mass choas broke out... all was fine in moments.

Today was sinply incredible! It almost brings tears to my eyes to think of how amazing our students are! Each and every one of them has taken each task and idea with the greatest of ease and the best attitude! Did I mention that it is incredibly hot here? (The weather channel was dead wrong - the heat and humidity are nothing like at home!)

After our morning devotion (Is. 1:4-20) our students loved on kids in the community of "Sambo Creek." It was amazing to watch these students play soccer and Simon Says, construct "wordless book bracelets," make "stain-glass" crosses, sing "Father Abraham" in "espanol" and generally just love on kids! I can't say enough about how amazing your students are!

After lunch, several students spent the afternoon playing soccer and other games with some students from the school where we are staying while some other students worked tirelessly at building the first couple of "protoype" bunkbeds that we will be working on tomorrow.

Chris Weaver and I (without Chris and his wife, we would probably have come home already!) are now sitting at Pizza Hut posting this and will head back in moments to work through some time of reflection and worship with students, then it's off to bed... fans a blazin!

Keep praying!

Jeremy

Sleep deprived, but alive and well

Sorry this took so long to get out. We arrived in La Ceiba @ 11:55 AM, left the airport at 1:45 (after a lengthy process involving our luggage)... 5 hours later (after a flat tire on the bus) we arrived in La Ceiba to a full marching band reception! (I will explain more tomorrow)

As I write this, our group is across the street loading the bus while I find a free internet connection!

The last time most of these kids slept was during my sermon on Sunday (It's 11:15 PM on Monday Ohio time)!

I will take time to write much more tomorrow - I just wanted to get the safe arrival news out tonight!

Btw - when we arrived, the heat hit us like a ton of bricks... $140 and 4 fans later, we hope to make the sleeping a success! Also, the VBS we planned for 60 in the morning is anticipated to have over 200! PRAY FOR MIRACULOUS PROVISION OF VBS SUPPLIES!

Jeremy

There is such a thing as over-planning!

Well, it looks like the planning thing was a bit overdone! In 15 years of student ministry, I have always struggled to get groups to leave on time!

When we planned the registration and loading process, we assumed that it would take at least an hour and a half! Well... not so much! I guess when you have parents come to the church when they have yet to go to bed, it encourages everyone to be on time!

As a result, we were registered and loaded up in less than an hour... and now we are waiting for the ticket counters to open! Students are laying all over the floors playing cards and talking.... the are so anxious!

I will write more later... just wanted to let everyone know that we arrived safely... AND EARLY!!!!

Don't forget to read the previous article (below) about comments - it is very important!!!!

Jeremy