The gift of hearing

Recently I had a medical mission group from California in Concepción del Norte, a little mountain village an hour up a rough, winding, dirt road near Trinidad Honduras. We stayed in a hotel near Santa Barbara. Evidently, most of the folks who work in hotels and restaurants in Honduras often feel as if they are treated like "the help" because the smallest kindness, such as asking what their names are, is often greeted with great appreciation. I believe in treating everyone with dignity as our baptismal covenant calls us to do and as a result I have made some really good friends in the hotels where my groups stay. During that week, one of the young women who works in the restaurant at Hotel Anthony Delux asked me if one of doctors could take a look at her daughter. Dr. Bill Roach kindly agreed to do so. Turned out that this beautiful young 14 year old had hearing problems due to ear infections as a child. The team returned to the States, but last week Dr. Roach wrote that he had the money for hearing aids. Carolina, the young woman's mother said the hearing aids would cost 1500 Limpera (about $700). Tuesday I met with Carolina and Karla and we visited Dr. Flores in San Pedro Sula. Testing revealed that Karla had poor hearing in her left ear and very poor hearing in her right ear. Then we found out that the hearing aids were actually $800 EACH. By the grace of God, the head nurse in the office was bilingual (always a blessing) and after I explained the situation, she talked to Dr. Flores who agreed to provide an aid for $700. Karla will still need another hearing aid, but we are well on our way to providing this bright young woman the wonderful gift of being able to hear. As an area coordinator, I am sometimes completely overwhelmed with emails and questions from the teams who work in Honduras. Most spend countless hours all year long preparing for their trips. Sometimes I question how much they can actually accomplish in one or two weeks. Sometimes I question my own effectiveness. But then there are times like these, when God in his mercy, connects the right people at the right time to provide something as wonderful as the gift of being able to hear to someone in need. This gives meaning to my being here and makes me so thankful. Thanks be to God Dios bendice, Bob

Where two or three are gathered

Today's reading from Matthew, "where two or three are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them." This morning at San Juan's church in Siguatepeque I realized that just because I only understand about 30% of the sermon, and the hymns are all known by heart and hymn books are nonexistent, all the customs are different, it is still the same Spirit. The same bread and wine and the same Spirit. Though I may have difficulty communicating verbally with the people there, we all share one thing in common and that is our faith. The people are so welcoming and loving. I'm am thankful that where two or three are gathered, regardless of race, nationality, experience, past or present, or education, we all share in the presence of the same spirit. Thanks be to God.