Howdy from Honduras: A Good Start to Service

(Thursday a week ago) I was in the middle of giving a presentation over child illness prevention when the phone rang. The phone number on the caller ID was one that when it comes up... you answer it! It was our Country Director and had she called to inform us that Jacob and I were invited to a formal gathering in our region, which included the US Ambassador to Honduras and the President of Honduras, Pepe Lobo.

So, last Friday, yours truly, Jacob and another couple in the area got the chance to meet Pepe Lobo and talk with the US Ambassador again! We were also lucky enough to meet the Director of USAID in Honduras (who was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Venezuela) and one of his right hand men. We got to chat with them about their food security initiative and hope to be able to help in the future.

As we were riding along in the motorcade (yep, got to ride in our first motorcade), Jacob just had to mention that we were in the first car... and if you've ever seen any action movie ever in your life (Patriot Games to name one), you know that's always the car you don't want to be in. But of course it was fine, and quite fun to zoom through streets that were not meant to be zoomed through, and up into the mountains at a pace that I've never encountered before.

The meeting was in an aldea where USAID, in conjunction with FHIS (Honduran Social Investment Fund) had worked together with the local community to provide electricity (via solar panels) and running water in every home, something they had never had before.

Speeches were given, a tour of several homes was provided, and the people seemed incredibly proud of their homes and the outcome. Part of the deal with USAID and FHIS was that the community itself had to help in providing support and money, and they were truly invested in the idea and the project.

So, here are a few photos from the event... (photos of us with President Lobo and Ambassador Llorens on Facebook!)