We recently hosted our third mission’s team of 2009, which happened to be our first “full week work tour”.  All tours include some site work of some kind or another, but this was the first time a missions team set out to work the entire week with the intention of seeing significant progress at the Newman School in Danli.  It was also the first time we had a free dental clinic, which was open to the children in Colonia San Cristobal and any other person in need.  In addition to these firsts, we completed a lot of events that were done on previous tours that are equally important however we are going to tell the story of our successful, new endeavors. 

The place was Danli, Honduras, and the mission was to see a large portion of the second level of the school completed.  We had several local workers waiting for our group of 13 on Monday morning, to get started on the work filled week.  After Dr. Newman explained the history of the project and introduced the locals to the visitors, it was time to go straight to work.  For four, six hour days straight, part of the group lifted hundreds of concrete block, buckets of sand, buckets of water, and bags of concrete, one at a time to the second floor of the school.  Getting the supplies up there was done in many different creative ways, none of which were easy.  Although the work was laborious and the sky was drizzly, there was not a single person that complained or hesitated to help in any way possible.  As a result, many were blessed and the walls went up for all five classrooms on the second floor.  

Simultaneously, there was a dental clinic operating smoothly and steadily in the finished classrooms down below.  The other half of the volunteers were involved in educating the children on the importance of dental hygiene. Additionally, while getting their teeth cleaned, they were given an examination by Sister Betty Knight (who was our volunteer dental hygienist). The examination included: a fluoride treatment, have their picture taken for records, and then finally given a toy for all of their cooperation.  This system was so well executed, that despite this being their first time doing such an involved project, they were still able to provide assistance to 266 children and adults.  There were records kept of each patient’s dental condition in hopes to get further assistance for severe or preventable cases and also to possibly follow up with the same children in following years. I believe this project may have been slightly overwhelming at times, but again there were no complaints.

Pastor Larry Starr preached at the Iglesia Comunidad de Amor in Bellavista. This was the church that he was able to donate money towards the land.  A couple of days later he preached again at the Iglesia Comunidad de Amor in Col. San Cristobal.  During both services, the entire group got up in front to sing We Are One in His Spirit in both English and Spanish.  Those of us who could muster up a few more ounces of energy played tag and catch with the children in the schoolyard.  Dr. Newman visited with some of our Danli pastors while giving out clothes that were brought by the mission’s team. What we felt was a particularly perfect ending was a 40-minute walk to one of our churches in Colonia Los Robles, followed by another anticipated river walk for local kids to go swimming.  During these remaining moments with the children, everyone relaxed and laughed and more special memories were created.