Honduras Day 4

Last night, we went to an upscale Tegucigalpa restaurant, Roja Bajo (Roja something). The food was incredible. It was Italian/Honduran. Both Ben and I got fettuccine alfredo with mushrooms and jamon (ham). We tried some beef sushi or something of that sort. I just ate it. While we were there, some very wealthy Hondurans walked in with their own bodyguards. One guy had two woman around him and 5 bottles of expensive liquor. It was very odd, sad to see the drastic difference of the people at the dump and the people we saw eating. Today, it was a beautiful day here in Tegucigalpa. We first went to a lady's lot in Mona Loa (I write it how it sounds not properly, sorry). We gave Walter, a little boy who many Gringos like, a card from Rachel Fowler. Then we headed to the lot only to discover that the land had collapsed. Mountains around here were not meant for buildings to stand on. Mark told us that unless concrete walls are in front of and behind the houses; erosion will destroy the houses. So, we started digging in mud today to try and level the land to try and get a wall in. After an hour, more erosion, and fire ants, we decided that we needed an expert. So, tomorrow we are meeting with a guy who knows what to do. Hopefully, we can get the Mayor of Tegucigalpa to help us. The lady we are helping has a handicapped boy and the Mayor basically handed the responsibility over to Mark and TORCH. However, Mark might get them back involved. After we left there, we ate at Manuel's house by the river/soccer field at Mona Loa. We had chicken/rice/corn tortillas in this homemade sauce. Beans are usually in every meal, but they are now more expensive than beef. Then we picked up a birthday cake for a Honduran the Connell's know really well. The nino was turning 5 and very appreciative of the cake and truck toy we brought. After that, we left and went to pick up Garrett and one Honduran friend he met. The boy he met wanted a house. So we went up to Zone 5 area; there were over 150 TORCH houses in the community we went in. The lot the boy had actually was not his. He was gonna buy it from the "mayor" of the village. However, this is such a risky investment. The "mayor" can charge him and take his money and either kick him out or once he can't make a payment the "mayor" gets a free TORCH house. It is a corrupted, shady system; however, this is the story of the government/legal matters of Honduras. Mark is letting me, ben, and garrett decide where we are gonna build Saturday. We looked at one possible site where a mom, dad, and little girl were living. It was a shack and barely big enough for one person. The next house was one of the worst I have seen. It held one lady, Elga, the front was supported by a 2x2 post held up by a rock cause of rot. The sight was sad. On the way out, we got stopped 4 or 5 times asking for us to build them a house. I don't see how Mark does this everyday, but he does. Not by his own strength, that is for sure. We ate dinner at home with Jonathan, a Honduran boy who basically the Connell's "adopted", and it was excellent. On the way home, I would look out and see Mormons, not to bash Mormons, walking around with their suits and bibles not talking to anyone. These people do not need slips of paper or to be told about Jesus. We, as Christians, are told by Jesus to meet their physical needs and by that will meet their spiritual needs. Of course the poor will say whatever to get food/money/any betterment of their situation. Frankly, I would say anything to feed my family in their situations. Jesus is all about relationships; that's what Mark is good at and TORCH is all about. That is why we are here in Honduras and that is why we are here on this Earth. Keep praying and working at the warehouse tomorrow and look at more house sites!