It was another sunny day and the team started iy out with a special morning worship outside by the beach with the background choir of birds and surf.

A few of us had an emotional and inspiring opportunity to visit the village of El Sauce'. This is the village the team has worked and shared with the community for the last two years. (typical house 2nd from top) The Saint Michael's team built the classroom, painted the mural, and installed the playground. We had a chance to return to a joyful reunion and welcome back from the children.

The children are truly benefiting from the earlier mission work and we could see it in their eyes, hear it in their voices, and feel it in their hugs. It is a moment we will never forget, and is a success story to be shared and felt by all who support the Saint Michael's Mission.

The bottom picture is a common scene in Tela with horses and donkeys pulling work carts.

Church Services at Espiritu Santo

The sun was shining and it was the perfect way to begin this beautiful day as we worshiped together in the Spanish language at Espiritu Santo, Episcopal Church. It was like coming home for the team as everyone enjoyed sharing Communion with our Honduran Family.

Geoff read the Epistle Lesson, David Loomis presented the church with a candle-lighter, David Martin presented a beautiful handmade hanger for the candle-lighter, made by Randy, and Becky presented a magnificent photo book with a collection of last years mission trip photos. The entire team got into the act, when they went to the front of the church and sang two hymns, one in Spanish and one in English. It was a great morning or sharing together, before the team took a day to relax, reflect, and enjoy Honduras, before more hard but rewarding work begins tomorrow at Campo Elvir, and back at the playground project at the Episcopal School!!

San Martin Village Playground Dedication and Blessing 3-01-08

No words can express the emotions felt by us all when thanked by the smiles on the children's faces on the last day.

They were not only on the faces every child but every adult as well, when the playground was blessed and dedicated by Elvia (Honduran Episcopal Priest) and the Mission Team.

Girls from the school (5-6grades) dressed in traditional Honduran dancing dresses and performed a special dance for the Mission team in appreciation. It was a beautiful expression of gratitude!

More gifts of appreciation are shared by Katherine, sharing a shirt with a local woman who graciously assisted in the clinic and Bob and Mike with surprised by several beautiful and personal gifts from Anna (left), and Luticia (right) a member of Espiritu Santo and a civic leader in San Martin (see full Mission Photo Album for close-ups).

More from San Martin Mission

Sally's guitar playing is the highlight of the musical scene on the mission! She had the children singing with joy and keeps the team spiritually charged with her uplifting collection of hymns for our daily worship meetings.

Mike offers a hat to a local San Martin friend who worked hard helping the team in any way he could. This fellowship with the community was truly appreciated by all of the missionaries and will not be forgotten. Many were even joyfully revisiting relationships from last year's trip!

The children formed a parade for a wonderful event to dedicate the playground and thanksgiving for what we have shared together.

San Martin Village Mission - Day 2

The team continued to offer services to the community on the second day of the mission to San Martin Village. Becky had all of the children laughing and playing with Christian arts and crafts (top). Stewart, Mike and many many others, painted the exterior of the building. Doctora Elvia(first name), a Honduran Doctor and Episcopal Priest, who gratiously joined our team for the week, offered services to patients, and Sheryl and Rosemond greeted all visitors to the mission with a smile in the clinic and pharmacy!!

Episcopoal School Playground Update Saturday 3-1-08

The construction team was hard at work this morning, digging and installing a french drain to help control the water at the new playground being build at the Episcopal School and Church.

They left this sight at noon to help with and attend the dedication of the playground in the small village of San Martin, where other team members where continuing with another meaningful day of sharing God's love with community by offering medical assistance, and Christian crafts, play and music.

Making a Difference with Micro Enterprise!!

The third FUN ED client we visited was Bernardner (in turquois top). She and her sister (left) both took loans to each open a Pulperia (neighborhood convenience store). This store is in the front room of her home. Pictured are four of her eight children. With the loan, she purchased a freezer, refrigerator, shelving and inventory. The third picture is the one bedroom with mattresses for she and her children. The

fourth picture is of the wood burning stove in her kitchen where she makes tortillas for sale in the store. She is renting her current home. The last picture is the larger home across the street. She has an option to purchase it and has applied to FUN ED for a loan which the loan officer later told us is likely to be approved based on her success with her business and repayment of the first loan. Like the other women, her husband lives and works in the US. He returns to Honduras periodically although she has not
seen him in nearly a year making her essentially a single parent to eight children.

With the ability to purchase her new home, FUN ED will have made Benardner's dreams a reality!!

The purpose of our visit to FUN ED is to determine how St. Michael might participate in making microenterprise loans available in areas of Honduras where it is active in its mission work. Saint Michael was introduced to FUN ED by Bill Bancroft, a parishioner and mission leader from The Church of The Incarnation who accompanied our mission team and drove us to Morazon, about 2 ½ hours from Tela, to meet with the FUN ED officials at the local office there.

On behalf of Incarnation, Bill did an exhaustive search of various microenterprise organizations serving Honduras before selecting FUN ED. Over a year ago, Incarnation made a $50,000 loan to FUN ED which in turn has resulted in 89 business loans to FUN ED clients in areas served by Incarnation’s Honduras mission program.