The suspension bridge to Loma Larga was fun to jump on. Lori captured the Bella Vista crew in mid-air as they jumped.

Jeff and Daniel teach a lesson from the Bible to a public high school class.

This is the group that worked in La Palma the second week of June. Most of them are from Southaven, Mississipi. Their efforts were primarily directed at growing and encouraging the church in San Ignacio.

This cute little girl posed on the step of her adobe home for a photo!

It does not take long for some people to get in trouble and get jailed!

In reality this is Nathan and Thomas posing as they look through the bars on a classroom window in Ocotepeque, Honduras. These two guys got along very well with each other.

The second week group coming home had their flight cancelled at San Salvador. They boarded a later flight, but have challenges to get home tonight.

On Sunday morning the 12th, Reyna got up very early to bake bread. She cut her arm, including a tendon, but continued to work for several hours before going to the clinic for stitches. She is skilled at baking, but has lots of work to do building the fire before she gets dough in the oven.

Danniel and Ruth Erin lead a children's class in the song "Peace Like a River". This scene is "Joy Like a Fountain".

Morris is one of those guys who overcomes--when the going is tough, so is he. He trusts his team members to hold the ladder upright while he works on a new roof.

In a public school classroom, some of the Goodman Oaks team members teach about Jesus calming the storm.

In Central America, anytime there is a break in activity, a soccer game is likely to break out. That happened today and involved some Goodman Oaks people, some local folks, and some students!

Stephen and Carolina have some fun while eating at Chuntrun.

It is reported that they communicate well but neither really understands the others' language!

Sort of rested up but still groggy! It was a great trip and I have lots of photos to post in the next few weeks.

The second week team worked at San Ignacio yesterday and many went to Ocotepeque last night. Today they go to Chuntrun.

Home! It has been a long day. The first week team is home, and the second week team is in La Palma.

First group going home has boarded. Memphis group has arrived! It was good to see Yuvonia!

Two cute little girls we saw in Honduras today!

Our team from the USA as we spend our last evening here. It was a great day again. Some of the team members went to Esquipula, Guatemala to the huge basillica there--an awesome landmark.
Tonight we are celebrating a successful week and have mixed feelings about going home--hate to leave our friends here but have family at home.

Andrea celebrated her 17th birthday yesterday here in La Palma. She had a wonderful time and said it could not have been better! This team is really a sacrificing group, doing what is needed at the moment to spread the love of Jesus.
There were 2 women and one man baptized last night, resulting from a few home visits with Bible studies.

Great day!

We have had a terrific day and it is not over! The photo is from Monday when Kami and Dea fitted Jonathan into his new wheelchair. He has a new outlook on life as he can sit up and be moved around.
Today we conducted VBS classes early and went up on the mountain to 2 schools. The team presented information about health and Jesus as well as entertained them with some singing. Each child at the first school got vitamins and a toy. The other was a high school where the team gave presented thoughts on continuing education, discipline at school and at home, and after Jose talked about Jesus, there was some singing and fun. We rode back down the hill in the back of a truck in the rain. Everyone had fun.
Tonight we have classes again and some ladies are to be baptized.

We had another terrific day in La Palma! Some carpenter work done, great VBS classes, awesome home Bible studies, and super evening classes at church.
We had two people sick this morning but they are better tonight. Probably a virus spread by the kids who hug us so often.
It has rained a lot but at times when it did not bother us.
We are blessed.

Possible captions for this photo include: Youth minister demands youth to bow to him!" or "Megan adores Jeff!" or "In this skit Jeff is playing Jesus and Megan is playing the part of Mary!"

Teaching at Ocotepeque.

Isn't this photo great? These are kids in the class at Ocotepeque, Honduras.

Another great day in Central America mission work! Having trouble posting photos, but can tell you that we have some great ones coming.
We have a really good team teaching some really great kids, and some good fun while we are at it.
We are tired and have another big day tomorrow.

Our team is fantastic! They spent a lot of time, effort, and ingenuity to fit this wheel chair to Jonathan so he can sit up and enjoy his surroundings. Mom was taught how to do physical therapy on him and the smile he gave was huge.

Unable to upload photos tonight so I will just briefly describe our day.

We had terrific Bible classes for the children today and again tonight.

We had some home visits and Bible studies, and we went back to San Jose Sacare to finish adjusting the wheel chair that was delivered yesterday.

There was a good crowd at Bible study tonight and some great singing. This team loves to sing, so we have great evening devos and singing before bedtime.

We are well and healthy and happy and busy.

We had a terrific day yesterday--so good! We began with a great breakfast and then some street shopping enroute to the church building. The Bible classes were fantastic and well attended. The songs of worship and praise were outstanding, and we had some great preaching.
There were 4 ladies baptized and much rejoicing.
We then took a wheel chair to a little boy with CP out at San Jose Sacare. What a great experience that was to see his huge smile!
Then off to Ocotepeque, Honduras for another great service of praise and worship with a group of very loving brothers and sisters.
Back here for a great dinner and some awesome singing.
Today will be as good or better!

Today was a great day for our team. We attended a sponsored child program this morning and did home visits this afternoon. The photo shows some of the young ladies in a home visit which they described as humbling.
We are well and healthy and well-fed after pupusas and a chicken dinner.
Tomorrow promises to be exciting.

We had a really good trip today. The flights were on time and smooth (and full). Our group is terrific! We have a wide variety of ages and skills and experiences. It is amazing to have teenagers excited to do the Lord’s work.
We had a warm welcome at the hotel and a great dinner.
We are settling in for a devo and good night’s sleep hopefully. There is a big thunderstorm in progress and the internet is sporadic, but we are well and healthy.
Tomorrow is a sponsored children’s program and then some home visits. We are excited to be here!

At the la Palma hotel. Great trip and great team!

On the ground San Salvador

On the ground San Salvador

Boarded

Houston!

Leaving for the airport. Will try to blog our progress at Houston and San Salvador--but only if internet allows!

The first team for the June trip met last night and reviewed the details of the trip. This is a great team and excited to go to La Palma. Just two more days until we travel!

This link will take you to a story that Lori wrote about the Joplin tornado.

We actually did receive the tornado warning at the Mt Vernon Church of Christ via a text message from her during the evening sermon -- from El Salvador! I immediately switched my iphone to the weather channel and there was not yet a severe weather warning! I notified the congregation and we spent the evening in the church basement.

http://soylori.blogspot.com/2011/06/tornado-aftermath.html

A backyard game of American football! The two teams huddle and plan their strategy for the next play. What fun!

We are making final preparations for our upcoming trip. It will be mostly VBS and seminar type teaching to the church people and children. Please pray for our success and safety.

One week from today 16 of us will travel to La Palma for a great week of work and fun!

Sorry for the staleness of the blog. I got busy doing other things for a few days. Here are photos of a project I am involved in. The lady who owns this house is a legal immigrant from Honduras. She and her small son huddled in a closet of this house just a block from where there was total devastation. We initiated a project to restore it for her. We have volunteer labor but need money for materials.

As for La Palma--16 of us travel there in just 9 days for a weeklong teaching campaign. Pray for our safety and success. God bless you, Ralph