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Honduras

Honduras 2005 was another Great experience!

     Rachel & I, along with Rachel's girlfriend Jenna, had a wonderful experience serving those less fortunate than us. We attained some spiritual enrichment by Rev. Carlson's morning lessons, and were self enriched by our physical labor and spending some time with the children. The warm sunny weather was also enjoyed!

     On this journey, we did a lot of physical labor. We learned to score cinder blocks without cracking them. We were reacquainted with rebaring and making forms. (Rebaring is still not a favorite to Mary!). We mixed cement by hand - 2 wheelbarrows of gravel, 2 wheelbarrows of sand, 4 bags of cement and 6 red buckets of water - then mix and mix and mix using shovels. We learned a greater appreciation for cement mixers! Hauling the cement by buckets was made easier by forming a line and passing the buckets along. Those buckets were heavy! We painted steel beams, this was a job enjoyed by Mary, as it required one to be in the sun!

     The children at the Lamb Institute made a Honduras meal for us and danced & sang wearing their Honduras costumes. It was a lovely evening. We also got to visit the project  we worked on 2 years ago. It was such a delight to see this church and the Sunday school rooms, pharmacy and kitchen it contains.

     I am still most amazed by the smiling happy children. These children are so friendly and their smiles are as warm as the sun. A trip like this truly gives one a greater sense of appreciation for so many things!

     Thanks again to our family and friends at Durham Lutheran Church for their support & prayers for our safe traveling. We took a lot of pictures and look forward to sharing our trip with all of you. It is difficult to share the true value of a trip like this, as one can not put into words nor do the pictures indicate the real value of a mission journey.
Peace to all!
                                                         Love, Mary & Rachel Crouse

Honduras was a Great Experience!

          Hola and greetings from Rachel and Mary Crouse!  Our Honduras Mission was an exciting journey.  It was depressing, and yet hard to believe that people in the year 2003 still live without running water and electricity.  Their basic needs as humans are not being met, and yet the people can still smile and be friendly.  The children are happy, playful, and sneaky! (We lost a few tools and gloves due to some creative children.)

           The materials we brought were well-received and greatly needed.  Pastor Rowland & Barbara Carlson were pleased to receive the cash donation from their wonderful friends at Evangelical Lutheran Church of Durham.  Rachel and I shared our story of collecting items and money from the church, physicians’ offices, friends, and family.  The people in our group were impressed with Rachel’s enthusiasm toward this project.  She really made her mother feel proud!

           We internalized many thoughts and feelings over the week.  We worked hard physically, and we were sometimes challenged emotionally and mentally.  It was an experience that we cannot fully put into words.

           We visited last year’s Mission, which was the construction of an Institute, or school.  The students made us a wonderful Honduras meal and entertained us with some Honduras music and dances.  (After a little hesitation, Rachel even got to try a Honduras dance!)  Their costumes were colorful and delightful!  This was a most enjoyable evening.

           Rachel also got to experience drinking coke out of a plastic bag, “Coke in a bag.”  The people are so poor, they do not wish to give you the glass bottle because they can get the return deposit from it.  Thus they serve Coke in a bag!

           We are looking forward to sharing our journey with our friends and family at Durham, hopefully sometime in March.  We have a lot of pictures and Rachel filmed some of the experience.

                      Prior to leaving Honduras, I was asked to return in February.  The goal would be to set up the pharmacy we helped construct.  After great consideration and soul searching, I will be returning for the week of February 7-15^th.  I greatly feel the Lord works in mysterious ways and I am supposed to do this.  Rachel would love to go also, but it is not feasible at this time.  I am very excited for this opportunity, and I am anxious to see how the project has progressed.

           Rachel and I would like to thank all the wonderful people at Evangelical Lutheran Church of Durham for their generosity, support, and encouragement.  Upon arriving home – the sermon in church was “Following Your Call.”  (I wondered how Pastor Dave did this?)  I must admit, God’s call can be complicated, but I am willing to take the challenge!

           Peace to all, and thanks again for your support.

 Love, Mary and Rachel Crouse

CONTACT US:

Telephone:  610-346-8500

Postal address:  821 Durham Road, PO Box 100, Durham PA 18039

E- mail:  evangel@durhamlutheran.org

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Last modified: 03/12/10