4.20.09
We are in Nabaj, after a wonderful drive up and down and around many corners. Our accommodations are wonderful in a new hotel (hotel Boxbolandia), complete with outdoor pool and slides. The weather has been wonderful with clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70´s. Team members are doing very well with many good laughs and great interactions with the local people. Today we are excited about our signing ceremony with the village. It will be our first visit to the village and anticipation is high. We will report to you this evening of the various events.We are surrounded by beautiful wooded hills, a lady is herding her two cows down a hillside in back of our hotel, she has to pull hard on the neck of one, they are white with black spots. The air is clear, fresh, and cool, temps. in the day have been in 70´s at night in low 50´s. We now have clear blue skies, better than the smoke filled valleys from our drive, caused by farmers burning corn stalks. Many farmers are now planting because spring rains will come in May. We have been blessed so far with only one minor delay by an overheated transmission which was cured by a short rest stop after many miles on an uphill climb. God is good.
Peace / blessings,
Dave / Team
4.21.09
WOW, triple wow is how to describe our first meeting with the village of Hortencia Uno (Hortencia means hydrangia, the same flowers growing on the edges of the village). We began the day with devotions and singing, a great breakfast, then on to the village, a 1 and 1/2 hour drive over the roughest road you can imagine. When we arrived at the village many were there to meet us show us the way to the community hall and in a short time we were surrounded by many children. We spent the rest of the morning going to individual houses to meet families, pray with them, and take a photo so that we may know who´s who. Some families are as large as 10. Most have a kitchen building with a smoldering fire, a bed room house, and a sweat house. Except for the sweat house made of adobe brick, the other two buildings are made of flat boards nailed to a rough framework, covered by a corrugated tin roof. There are many slits for air to pass through the walls, which make it a cool evening at this elevation of 7050 feet.All the families were so gracious to us, sharing the names of their children who were often smiling and giggling. We will visit more homes this morning and do some work on the water supply this afternoon. Our team ladies will receive a lesson in weaving. Both men and women weave in this village. The textiles are absolutely beautiful. Some homes have looms in them for the weaving.In the afternoon we experienced a 3 hour ceremony for the signing of the agreement between the village and Chapel Hill that commits us to a five year sponsorship. The ceremony began with a singing of the national anthem (all five or more verses were sung) and a pledge of allegiance to the flag held by two beautiful young girls. About 170 were in attendance many sitting on the grass of the soccer field next to the school. Many speeches were given by various committee leaders, after a welcoming by the mayor and the president of the Agros committee. We sang several praise songs to them in Spanish, and with Jeremy´s guitar, they wanted more, so we extended our song list to great applause. It took us about 30 minutes to complete the signing of 5 sets of papers, many of the people did not write so they put their inked thumb print on the signature line.After a presentation of the banner from us to the village, all who wished were asked to sign on the 10 foot banner which is written in three languages indicating the partnership between sponsors ¨¨Working & Walking Together¨´ We were then invited to a wonderful dinner of marinated steak, rice, black beans, and sodas, with the village leaders and three school teachers. It was a wonderful moment to remember...great fellowship and sharing of common interests. The village is very hilly, with two churches, and tall hills surrounding the area. We are experiencing a light rain this morning, and will now make our long trek up, up, up to the village.
We are in Nabaj, after a wonderful drive up and down and around many corners. Our accommodations are wonderful in a new hotel (hotel Boxbolandia), complete with outdoor pool and slides. The weather has been wonderful with clear blue skies and temperatures in the 70´s. Team members are doing very well with many good laughs and great interactions with the local people. Today we are excited about our signing ceremony with the village. It will be our first visit to the village and anticipation is high. We will report to you this evening of the various events.We are surrounded by beautiful wooded hills, a lady is herding her two cows down a hillside in back of our hotel, she has to pull hard on the neck of one, they are white with black spots. The air is clear, fresh, and cool, temps. in the day have been in 70´s at night in low 50´s. We now have clear blue skies, better than the smoke filled valleys from our drive, caused by farmers burning corn stalks. Many farmers are now planting because spring rains will come in May. We have been blessed so far with only one minor delay by an overheated transmission which was cured by a short rest stop after many miles on an uphill climb. God is good.
Peace / blessings,
Dave / Team
4.21.09
WOW, triple wow is how to describe our first meeting with the village of Hortencia Uno (Hortencia means hydrangia, the same flowers growing on the edges of the village). We began the day with devotions and singing, a great breakfast, then on to the village, a 1 and 1/2 hour drive over the roughest road you can imagine. When we arrived at the village many were there to meet us show us the way to the community hall and in a short time we were surrounded by many children. We spent the rest of the morning going to individual houses to meet families, pray with them, and take a photo so that we may know who´s who. Some families are as large as 10. Most have a kitchen building with a smoldering fire, a bed room house, and a sweat house. Except for the sweat house made of adobe brick, the other two buildings are made of flat boards nailed to a rough framework, covered by a corrugated tin roof. There are many slits for air to pass through the walls, which make it a cool evening at this elevation of 7050 feet.All the families were so gracious to us, sharing the names of their children who were often smiling and giggling. We will visit more homes this morning and do some work on the water supply this afternoon. Our team ladies will receive a lesson in weaving. Both men and women weave in this village. The textiles are absolutely beautiful. Some homes have looms in them for the weaving.In the afternoon we experienced a 3 hour ceremony for the signing of the agreement between the village and Chapel Hill that commits us to a five year sponsorship. The ceremony began with a singing of the national anthem (all five or more verses were sung) and a pledge of allegiance to the flag held by two beautiful young girls. About 170 were in attendance many sitting on the grass of the soccer field next to the school. Many speeches were given by various committee leaders, after a welcoming by the mayor and the president of the Agros committee. We sang several praise songs to them in Spanish, and with Jeremy´s guitar, they wanted more, so we extended our song list to great applause. It took us about 30 minutes to complete the signing of 5 sets of papers, many of the people did not write so they put their inked thumb print on the signature line.After a presentation of the banner from us to the village, all who wished were asked to sign on the 10 foot banner which is written in three languages indicating the partnership between sponsors ¨¨Working & Walking Together¨´ We were then invited to a wonderful dinner of marinated steak, rice, black beans, and sodas, with the village leaders and three school teachers. It was a wonderful moment to remember...great fellowship and sharing of common interests. The village is very hilly, with two churches, and tall hills surrounding the area. We are experiencing a light rain this morning, and will now make our long trek up, up, up to the village.
Peace and blessings, & thanks for your prayers,
Dave & VH1 Team
