On Saturday, we woke up and got all our stuff packed up and downstairs, ready to load onto the vans. We had a quick breakfast at 7:30 and then had a time of debriefing from 8-9. We then loaded up the flatbed truck and waited for the other van to arrive. We made the very quick drive to the airport and began the process of checking 26 people through all the different checkpoints. Chu, Addi, John, Hannah, and Caleb had already left while Gina, Meredith, and Mackenzie were on a different flight. So, from 34, we were down to 26. Anyhow, we got people's bags checked, everyone paid their airport tax and we went upstairs to eat lunch in the food court. I think most everyone had McDonald's for lunch as it was that or some other restaurant that no one had heard of before. Then, we got everyone through security and my counting skills were tested (and failed as I only got to 25). Then, once at our gate, we had to go through yet more security and I counted (and found!) 26. Yay! We waited a bit and then loaded up the plane. Once in Miami, we all had to go through U.S. customs and had a bit of trouble with Lynn A's bag, but Beverly, Nathan, and Lynn handled it and we got them through it all and they even had time to eat. We all ate dinner during our layover and then headed back to Dallas on our last flight. We arrived in Dallas at 10:00pm and all headed to our homes. It was great time with the Lord and watching Him move in the hearts and lives of the Honduran people. Praise Him for all He did in Honduras this week through us. It was my great privilege to be part of His work.

~Allison James

Everyone woke up and had breakfast at 8, followed by a devo at 8:30 and leaving at 9 (or so). Everything really was on Honduran time, which means, it's always a bit later than one intended for it to be. They went to visit the Elliot Dover Christian School and attended an assembly. They broke up into three groups working with - Preschool, 1st-4th, and 5th-11th. Then, they met with the faculty and staff of the school and got to know one another. They came back for lunch and then went to the slides and shopping at Valle de Angeles. I know that everyone had a really great time. That evening, I went with them - FINALLY, to dinner. We went to a place called El Gordo, which means the fat one. We had a good time there and it was nice to eat some more yummy Honduran food. We got home pretty late and everyone packed up and prepped for the morning.

On this day, we had a little bit later start. We had breakfast at 7:30, devotional time at 8 and left at 9 for the nursing home. We were able to sing some songs, in English and Spanish, to 20 or so men and women in the home. Many of them suffered from dementia and it was confusing to speak to them when we weren't sure if it was a language barrier or dementia that prohibited communication. We greatly enjoyed spending time here and we were able to also paint the fingernails of the women there. Another big highlight was hearing a sweet man play his guitar and sing to us in Spanish. He played beautifully and what was more wonderful was that he was able to share his music with someone. I really enjoyed it. Brittney W also sweetly walked around with an elderly lady who was greatly suffering from dementia. Brittney was so patient and kind with her and I was reminded how the Lord is ten times as patient with us as Brittney that day. Brittney impressed me greatly and I know it was the Lord's kindness that enabled her to be patient. After our time in the nursing home, we went back to Dona Lydia's for lunch. Then, at 1:30 or so, we headed out to the hospital. We were taken around to many different parts of the hospital, but they were all children who we saw as patients. They didn't take us to the adult wing of the hospital. We went to the burn unit, the broken bone unit, the neurological unit, the newborn baby section, the cancer unit, and I believe that is it. It was a hard day, but I hope that in some small way our small gifts and our words of prayer encouraged the hearts of the children and their parents. Ask that the Lord would continue to work miracles for those we prayed for specifically. The Lord is capable, we just have to ask. I am excited to see how He will use those prayers for His glory. Though we may not know on this side of heaven, one day we will see it all clearly. This evening, we got home early and ate dinner at Dona Lydia's at 6 - much earlier than the 8:30 and 8:45 dinner times for Monday through Wednesday. We played silent football again and I again was a spectator. My favorite parts of this evening's game were when Jeff W had to say 'Yo Adrian' every time someone 'Vamushka-ed' and when Mikey R had a whole conversation with his right hand. Particularly when Mikey said, 'I know you want to write, but you just don't do it as well as the left hand.' Ba ha ha! Mikey, you're hilarious! Then, they played the word game but didn't finish it because it got completely chaotic. During the evening, my feet swelled to bizarre and enormous proportions. As a result, I did not get to go out with the group on Friday. But praise the Lord, they're looking normal today! :)

This was our last day in Cataluna. It's always hard to tell people goodbye. They've worked their way into our hearts and it's hard to say goodbye, not knowing when you'll see them again. This day looked pretty much like the other days. We woke up and had breakfast at 7, devo at 7:30, left at 8 and split into groups. This day, the groups were 1)construction on the bathroom (still) 2)construction on the fence 3)Door-to-door evangelism 4)VBS meeting which turned into prayer walking. Then, we had lunch at 11:30, VBS at 1, Women's ministry at 2, and down time at 3:30. During women's ministry on this day, we washed the women's feet and painted their toenails. They really enjoyed the pampering. One of the women on our team said to me, you know, women all the world over are the same, no matter what culture they come from and what language they speak - they all like to be pampered. We had a great time and in the evening service, we had Helen N share her testimony and Nathan H preach. The presence of the Lord was there and Nathan was used. The kids got to watch a children's bible DVD. I believe they watched Hermie the worm. Apparently, that is some sort of Christian Kids video series. It was hard to tell the kids goodbye and to tell the women who we'd come to love the same, but our prayers are that the people of Cataluna will not remember our faces or our names, but that they will remember the Lord and His goodness this week. I pray that they will be able to look back on their spiritual journey and point to this time as a time when there was a change in the way they follow the Lord. I ask that you pray this, too - that the commitments they make won't be for a moment but for a lifetime of learning to love Him more.

On Tuesday, we again woke up pretty early. It was 7am for breakfast, 7:30 for devotional and we left for Cataluna at 8am. We then broke into three groups again. This time, they were 1)Prayer/door-to-door walking 2)Construction of a bathroom and repairing a fence and 3)Fluoride dental treatment. We did this from the time we arrived in the morning until 12 or so when we ate lunch. Then we had VBS and women's ministry again, followed by our afternoon nap session when everyone pretty much passes out. During this afternoon, though, we also played the word game and laughed a lot. Gina K won with Michelle B in second and myself in third. The funniest part of the game was when I said, I'm out and Michelle looked at me and said You're out? which promptly meant she was out as she had talked to someone who wasn't playing the game. Anyways, it was a lot of fun. Then we had another evening service at 6 and Anthony B shared a great word from the Lord. He and Nelson Montes did a great job bringing God's word to the Honduran people. God's Spirit definitely moved and I was able to see my friend, Susi, rededicate her heart to the Lord. It was a precious time. We came home that night very late and we all quickly went to bed. Thank you Lord for a wonderful time to fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ, the American and Honduran ones. Thank you that you've knit our hearts together in a way that only the body of Christ can be.

Well, we started out day 3 pretty early for most college students - breakfast at 7, devotional time at 7:30 and then we boarded the vans for Cataluna at 8am. Once we arrived in Cataluna, we split into three groups. One group cut boys' hair, one group leveled out a field, and one group walked door to door asking people if they could pray for them. (and the other very small group of Beverly and I went shopping for a few supplies and exchanging our money into Honduran currency - all of which took 3 hours!!!) Then, all three groups got back together and they did a water distribution since there is a water shortage here. People are only allowed to use water in their homes twice a week, so at our Bed and Breakfast, we take fast showers and try not to waste the water since we have it all the time and no one else does. They say it's because it didn't rain enough this year. Then, everyone ate lunch. We then started VBS with the kids and an hour later began a women's ministry with the mothers. I know there were people in both groups who really heard God's word yesterday and won't forget it. Pray that it gets through to them, that God will use us, his workers, to speak to the people of Cataluna. Then, we had a few hours of down time in the sanctuary - some people slept, and others talked. At 6 pm, we began the evening church service. We had a good turn out and Michael M shared an awesome word from God. Many women were weeping with repentance at the end. Pray that it won't be a single day where they repented but that it will be the start of a new life, where they choose to follow. Thank God for Guadalupe who is a church member of Mision Bautista Cataluna. She is helpful in the women's ministry and she also lets all the girls use her bathroom since the church doesn't have one. I'm not sure where the guys use the bathroom, but maybe I'll ask them today so I can tell you tonight. :) After the service, we loaded up the vans and headed back to Dona Lydia's guesthouse where we're staying. We were starving since it was 8:30 when we got back here. Lydia had made Honduran food for us, which was a treat since she normally cooks American food for us. We really enjoyed it - I particularly enjoyed the plaintains. They are yummy! :) I still haven't figured out a solution to the picture situation, but promise I'll add them all once I'm back in the states. After dinner, we played a game of silent football. It is a hilarious game and Pastor John really enjoys being the man in charge during it. He's mean and hysterical. I am sure we'll play this game many times, so feel free to ask your family/friend about it! Pray that we'll have the energy to get through another very long day and that no one will become ill - to my knowledge, no one has yet. Pray that we go to the right houses of people who need to hear the gospel. Thanks so much!

Allison

Today we woke up and had breakfast at 8, followed by a quick time of prayer for those who'd be sharing their testimonies and preaching. We arrived at Comunion Bautista Iglesia and enjoyed lots of Spanish. We hardly understood anything and Ben Lar preached entirely in Spanish. Meredith K shared her testimony which included how the difficult time of her grandparents' martyrdom is something that God is in, even when it seems like He's not there. We ate lunch with the church leaders of Comunion and then we had a quick birthday celebration for Mackenzie K. She turned 9 and the church of Comunion had a pinata for her as well as cake and ice cream. We had a great time watching our kids (we have 5 kids here this year with us) hit the pinata. They had such fun. Then we headed over to a mission church of Comunion, in Cataluna. We will be there Monday through Wednesday, so it was good to go visit and see the people today in their church service. We sang two songs in Spanish for them and then Michael M. shared his testimony. We enjoyed so much meeting the people of Cataluna. After we got back we had chicken salad for dinner with really spicy dressing. Then, we met all together, sang a few songs, went over logistics, and heard the testimony of Gina K, an mk from Honduras whose parents were martyred in Iraq in 2004. It was a great time of sharing and we were all glad to hear about Gina's life as well as her parents. Well, I'm off to bed. Love you guys!

Allison