Previously, we had reported on area man, Doug Middleton, who travelled to Honduras to work with a mission program called World Accord. This year Middleton returned to the location, bringing along his wife, Becky, and Unity doctor, Dr. Linda Bloem.
World Accord is a charitable organization based out of Guelph, Ont., and affiliated with the church the Middletons belong to, the Community of Christ.
Volunteers like the Middletons and Dr. Bloem pay their own costs which come to $2,000 plus airfare. This money represents their room and board in Honduras, as well as expenses for a sightseeing weekend to Copan for a little rest and relaxation between build weeks. Most importantly the money provides the materials for the building projects, which the villages cannot afford on their own. However, what the villagers can provide is hands-on help for construction of the project at hand.
While in Honduras, the volunteers stay in a dormitory-style building in a secure compound. There they have running water, warm showers and bunk beds. Meals were cooked and provided in a family-style setting by one of the local ladies and her daughter. The food was very good. The accommodations were no resort setting, but were adequate and provided plenty of comfort for a good night's rest.
Dr. Bloem and Becky were in Honduras from Feb. 8 - 23. The building project was the construction of the community centre hall. The buildings were made with cinderblocks and concrete reinforced with rebar. Their job was to help in any capacity they could or desired.
The ladies were shown how to fill in between the blocks with mortar as well as clean the grooves for a smooth finished look. They would also lay mortar on the blocks for the bricklayers to then place and square the blocks. This involved plenty of carrying of blocks for placement, in addition to carrying the water needed to mix the mortar, clean the tools and other water-related jobs.
While the trio was in Honduras, the temperature hovered between 25 and 38 degrees. The work parties started around 8 a.m. and worked until lunch, then resumed again after lunch until around 4 p.m. According to Becky, it didn't seem terribly hot as they were in the mountains where the humidity wasn't as bad. Although, the week after Dr. Bloem and Becky left, the temperature shot up to over 40 and that happened to be the same time Doug and the Honduran crew were putting a metal roof on the building. It was rather like being in an oven, he said.
After finishing work for the day, the trio headed to the village and often bought a pilone - more or less a frozen smoothie on a stick - or tajades, which were deep fried plantain chips, something like potato chips. Many villagers have these little snack-type shops in their homes and simply sell the products from a window. The Unity volunteers were always greeted warmly and with enthusiasm.
After supper, card games were played and visiting done with team members. It was always early to bed, between 8 - 9 p.m., as the day proved to be tiring and morning came early. Daylight came around 6 a.m. but the village was always awake and busy by 5 a.m. Being so close to the equator, it was dark by 6 p.m.
The villagers from Horrcancitos and the construction crew were familiar to Doug from last year but there were many new ones the trio met in El Magote - the little village they were working in, which was about a 20 minute drive from where they stayed.
The building projects typically occur three times per year, in the months of January, February and March. They extend for weeks at a time. Doug Middleton stayed between projects, and then participated in the March build as well, in Guatemala where he helped build an adult learning centre. There are quite a few under-educated adults in Guatemala and, as a result of a fairly recent civil war, there are many more women than men, who are trying desperately to care for their families.
In Guatemala the weather was much cooler in the mornings, 2 to 5 degrees to start with, but warming up into the 20s during the day in the three weeks Doug was there. The work site was up in the mountains about 7,000 feet. They had fairly rudimentary equipment, just some square spades and picks and all the cement was mixed by hand. In the Honduras they had better equipment as, beside the hand tools, there was an old welder, a cement mixer and a power saw for cutting the blocks. All the mortar for filling in and laying the blocks was mixed by hand. The mixer was only used for pouring the concrete floor, etc.
Becky said, "Doug and I have supported these types of projects through World Accord for many years but after his experience attending a build last year his enthusiasm was contagious and both Linda and I decided to join him this year. She and I did the same kind of work each day at the job site.
"In the late afternoon when work was done for the day we would often go for a walk in the village. There is a free health clinic on the grounds where we stay and the nurses and locum doctor gave Linda a tour. We took advantage of her services one day when Doug had gotten a piece of metal in his eye and Linda was able to remove it for him. Certainly one advantage of taking your doctor, and friend, on holiday with you!"
Becky added, "I would definitely consider going on another build project as it is quite rewarding to feel you are helping out, but for me the opportunity to get to know some of the local people and try to use a little Spanish, which I'm learning to improve, as well as experiencing a culture different from our own - this was definitely one of the highlights for me."
Dr. Bloem offered her comments on the experience: "To go on a building mission was something God had placed in my heart a long time ago. After talking to Doug when he returned from his trip last year, I knew I had to go. We serve our Lord in our town and country, but sometimes we have to leave our comfort zone and pay the price for faithfulness. So, we left our comfortable homes and jobs we know to live and work with people that have so much less than we have.
"The reward was great! The Honduran people were so appreciative of everything received from us, and the young and old were willing to join us doing hard physical work in the hot sun. One day, more than 30 little children helped us carry a load of sand up a hill, using any kind of container they could find. They did not quit working, or smiling, until the last grain of sand was delivered.
"We travelled to Honduras to give something to these people, but we ended up receiving so much from them and the experience itself. They have very little but are so happy and content - they live simply but they simply live! I hope that I have an opportunity to go again, only next time I will learn some Spanish before I go."
The Middletons could easily see the need was great in Central America for projects like World Accord, thus choosing to return to the area. World Accord gratefully accepts any and all donations and issue charitable receipts. They can be contacted at www.worldaccord.org or 185 Frobisher Dr. Waterloo, Ont. N2V 2E6.
