Hola!

Hola de la escuela agricola!
I am here with a bunch of chicos watching me write this. We are spending time this evening in the commisar and I thought I would say hello to all of our friends back home.

We've learned quite a bit while here. Things like passing on the outside of a hairpin turn in the mountains is really the best and most entertaining way to do the maneuver because, with any luck, when you go flying off the road, you will land on the road below going in the right direction! Or you are lucky enough to have Yoni driving and you arrive home perfectly safe. Thank goodness!

So, we went to Valle de Angeles to do some shopping and eating today. It's been humid but fairly pleasant. No rain today but we've had some each afternoon since arriving. Last night, we sat in the dark after prayers and watched a lightning storm off in the distance. It was better than fireworks!

Yesterday, four of us ventured out on a home visit which also turned out to be an agriculture lesson for all of us. David Uno y David Dos (will explain later) went with us and we met both of their families. They live in the mountains south of here. The drive there and back required a 4 X 4 vehicle, a working horn, and lots of prayers. We met several families along the way and were treated to fresh pineapple from the farm and bananas right off the tree! Quite a treat to say the least!

(an update on Tuesday's adventure from Bill). The main purpose of the outing was that Wilman needed to make the rounds to the community development project in the area near San Juan de Flores. The Escuela (with the assistance of ERD) is teaching about 9 farmers in this very rural area how to cultivate maracuya (passion fruit). This is a citrus-like fruit, that grows on a vines (thus easily managed and picked), with seeds in pulpy sacks (think about pomegranates and you get the idea); they have a sweet flowery flavor when ripe. Really delightful!

Farmers in the deep countryside can grow corn and beans for their own consumption - but not as a market crop because of limited acreage and their inability to buy quality seeds. Maracuya, however, can be a market crop that generates enough cash to purchase corn and beans for consumption and have money left over. Currently the project of the Escuela is designed to demonstrate - to the participants - that this will indeed work. Wilman said that they are rather distrustful of past "help" as government or nonprofit projects swoop in then leave - in this case they spent a year assessing the needs of the community through many meetings.

We stopped at about 6 farms and collected, something close to 5000 fruits total. Each individual crop was carefully counted and recorded, bagged and loaded in the truck. Wilman and the boys would later sort the ripe and less fruits - then he would take them to Tegucigalpa and sell in the market. All farmers would share in the sales as per their portion.

At each rancho we were greeted warmly.  We were given small tour of the house and nearby fields at one, slices of pineapple fresh cut from the field at another, and fresh-off-the-tree bananas at a third. Several of the families have boys in the School - and are enormously proud of their sons' achievements (and those of their daughters' at other schools). We went to the homes of the two boys working with Wilman on this trip (both named David - hence the "one" and "two", and cousins as it turned out)  - and of course they were very proud.

(-BV)

There is so much more to tell you all but we have tons of pictures to share when we return, plus some short video clips of the boys and of the work that we've done in between the hanging out and getting to know our new friends. We also have picked up and recorded a new song entitled "Dame la mano" to sing during the Peace. We all fell in love with the words and music. We look forward to sharing it with you all when we return.

As for our projects, we've painted the classrooms and the library, hung new doors, installed lights in the new dormitory, and help build a new hen house. Alan also weeded one of the small gardens. It's been a busy, but productive week. We are headed to the technical school and the elementary school tomorrow. When we return, we will have pizza for the despedida (going away party). We are looking forward to seeing you all when we return. Some of us will be preaching about our experience on August 1st!
Abrazos a todos,
Cathy and her helpers