Good weather and smooth roads were a blessing on our journey from Copan to Comayagua today.
During the 6 hour trip we took a few minutes to stretch out our legs at Pulhapanzak, a famous 140 foot tall waterfall. A group from our team ascended to the misty base of the waterfall to gaze up at this natural wonder. Returning to the rest of the group was more of a struggle scaling 100 steps with damp blue jeans in the hot Honduran sun. At least we were happy to return to the top; check out those smiles.
After the waterfall, we paid a visit to the coffee producer who helps support the school our church serves. We loaded 215 pounds of freshly roasted coffee to bring back to the States. Upon our return, this coffee will be available for purchase at the Spring in the narthex of the Leawood Campus.
When you enjoy this coffee, you can thank our new friend Omar:
Omar is the coffee producer and roaster that made the Resurrection coffee project a reality. He is an Agricultural Statistician. Omar shared how his principles of sustainability cost more for production and more for labor, yet pays off by keeping the land fertile and the community economically stable. He cuts costs by importing equipment and finding free programs from the internet for production. He keeps his coffee bean pickers happy by fairly paying by weight and quality of beans picked.
The purchase of this coffee helps sustain the Honduran community economically, helps purchase school materials and supplies for the Juan Wesley Methodist School in Ciudad Espana, and raise awareness of our partnership activities in the country. This coffee is Rainforest Alliance Certified and is carefully produced to be economically sustainable, conserve natural resources, and fairly employ people regardless of gender or age. You can learn more about the program here:
http://www.cor.org/events/church-calendars-service-opportunities/single-views/calendar-item/article/well-drilling-training-copy-1/back/5032/
Tomorrow we arrive in Ciudad Espana where we begin our direct work with the school. We will be moving to the mission house in Tegucigalpa.
Together in service, Joel
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Team Member Spotlight: Todd joins us this week as the parent in a father-son team. I can attest to his adventurousness as he is a lively part of the group.
Todd shared with me that the highlight of the day was listening to Omar talk about the presence of God, “When he said, ‘If you look back on your life and cannot see God, you are blind.’ I can relate. If you can’t see God’s presence in a sunset or a waterfall you are blind… Seeing your son in moments you haven’t experienced before, you realize the person he is: not just your son, but a young man.”