A Final Look - For now.... Our Super Season!

I'm just getting a chance to look back on our winter season in Roatan as I click through our pictures. We have had times when we have had an okay-season. We have had times when it was a great-season. But this time I would call it a super-season. Take a look - in super-latives!

1. Most Irresistible Babies

Yes, I have the most wonderful job because I get to greet, pray for, and share Bibles with babies in our circle of contacts. 

2. Classiest Students

around from top left:  Jessie and Josian (first year, university), Antoni, (grade 5), Meri (grade 7), Jacee (grade 10), Alison (grade 11), Carlos and Jorge (technical - nautical electricity)

3. The Best and the Worst Operation Christmas Child Gifts 

Can you guess which are best and which are worst?

If you are wondering what to pack? For our group, a soccer ball was the most coveted gift for boys and girls. If you can find a small ball pump that would be helpful too. Other items that were a hit included: hot wheels, pencil cases filled with school supplies, crayola markers, calculators, sunglasses, small notebooks, jeweled bracelets and necklaces, washcloth and soap(!), small games like Uno, or dominos, a small stuffie, and for a young girl - a soft baby. Actually, everying in the box brought squeals of delight! Fill your box! Stuff it with lots and lots of special treasures. Try to avoid really cheap items - at least for us, we have lots of cheap stuff. (maybe fill fewer boxes well?) And, if you want - those plastic boxes instead of the cardboard box are actually a hit too! This is just what I observed. Maybe others have other opinions.

4. Busiest Every-day People

No one can get more done in a day than Larry. But, taking a walk down the street in the Colonia, I see many people who are intent on making a living for their families. 

Elba is at her post, pat-pat-patting baleadas in front of a favourite baleada hotspot; this woman has a thriving fresh fruit and veggie (and women's unmentionables) stand; Julie has opened a pop-up coconut bun, rice pudding stand just around the corner from the grocery store.

5. Most generous smiles

Top - Antoni's smile has grown as his permanent teeth fill in; (Antoni's shirt says "Bet you can't make me smile!" and on the back "Can tu!") Bottom - Julisa, Elias, and Maria - these three have the most beautiful faces and a smile that is brighter than the Roatan sun!

6. Cutest Cute Kids

I have cute kid pictures.  Lots of them.  Here are a few pictures of Jasmine, Pastor Saul and Dunia's little two-year old. She is cute. And she knows it!  Also, little boys praying at the Operation Christmas Child event. 

7. And it's over - much too soon.

The last day of class with the kids was filled with homework, English lessons for all, and some time with computer games. Adios a todas! 

March 2020 Update

March, 2020

Hello family and friends near and not so near,

It seems so long ago since we last sent an update, and in reality, it has been only a month and a half. Our world has changed so much in that time. We are even hesitant about what to write since what we want to share happened BC (before COVID 19) and now? – it’s hard to focus on those things. But, for us as well as maybe some of you, when we share how it is/was in Roatan there is encouragement for what will be again.

Firstly, as of March 16, we are back in Chatham Kent. We are very thankful that the Canadian government made it a priority to get planes to evacuate Canadians from Roatan as well as other countries. Roatan has no cases of the virus, and the Honduran government is not allowing anyone to come into the country from …. out there. So, empty planes were sent to bring citizens home. Our American friends are still juggling for seats on planes. A little flag waving here…. The result of it all, is that we came home early.

Excited and content are how we feel about our final weeks in Roatan. Most special to us was when we had a chance to witness how richly God blesses those who respond in obedience to His call. A week after the back-to-school rush ended and all were getting into routine, we met a family who had answered God’s call to serve at Son Rise mission. Mason, his wife Jeanie, and their three daughters, Alison, Grace and Hannah, arrived from the Mainland knowing they needed to have the girls enrolled in school immediately. The family explored options and were discouraged that school options were limited for them. Private schools were too expensive and public schools did not compare to the school opportunities the girls had experienced on the Mainland. 

We could feel God’s guidance in our decision to pick up these three new students to enroll in private schools. It took only a short time to know that the girls were confident, extremely intelligent, and just really nice girls.  They would be unhappy and unprepared to handle the social experiences they would confront in the local public school.

Jeanie and Mason with Grace, Alison and Hanna

When we talked with Mason and Jeanie to ask if we could provide help, Mason was overcome. They had prayed but had felt very discouraged. We said that this is what we could do, and we wanted to do, and felt we were being led to do. He was still in disbelief. We reminded him that he was serving God and His Father was blessing his obedience. God is just like that! For us, it was such a joy to witness how this family was blessed, knowing that we too have received such blessings and sometimes feel disbelief too. Maybe you’ve been like this? Is it easier to recognize blessings in others? I know we were tingling as we watched this happening. God loves us so much!

While he isn’t in the room with me as I write this, I know Larry would be urging me to put out our need. We responded to God’s urging to support Mason and Jeanie’s girls. At the time, we had no money coming in for this. We have seen this before – when we know it is our time to step up, we step up.  The money comes. Within two days, we received news of a donation that will cover a bit more than half of Alison’s tuition. This is not a good time to be asking for money, but if you feel convicted to help with some of the tuition for two and a half girls let us know.

We were thrilled to participate in the distribution of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes at Son Rise.  Wow!  How excited the kids were for days and days. (see roatancampbells.blogspot.ca  Feb. 2020 for pictures and info) That was one of OUR blessings! Much time was spent just doing normal things – visits, joining at Son Rise for worship, teaching English and homework help.  Larry built shelves for Mason and Jeanie. He shopped for deals to purchase two water tanks. Mostly, we just lived and tried to shine our light.

We know we are joining you in praying for the global crisis of COVID19. We pray for physical healing. We pray for people who are suffering emotionally and economically. While there are no cases of the virus in Roatan at this time, the people – our friends – are quarantined in their homes and allowed out only if they are involved in providing from the  very limited list of essential services, or if they are out to get food or an essential. When people live pay to pay – day to day – there is no financial cushion, so at this time food, and propane to cook the food, is in short supply. 

We thank God for technology.  We are connected – to you, and to those in Roatan. Let’s pray together that we are able to provide God’s love, peace, hope and even joy when we connect with family and friends – near and far.

Blessings to you all! Be healthy. Send us a note to tell us what is keeping you occupied and how you are. With much  💓 , Larry and Susan.     roatancampbells@gmail.com   

           

~ School Days ~

Some of our contacts may be wondering about what is happening with the kids we have helped get started in school. As part of keeping kids off the streets, the schools are sending out daily assignments via the WhatsApp phone app.  One school even videos the teacher providing instruction and then sends the video. We are pleased because the kids won’t lose their school year.

Before we left, computers from our computer lab were distributed to kids who would have need of them. We are so pleased with the skill that the kids have with computers. Most students make use of smartphones to receive their assignments, research, and snap a picture of their completed work to send back to their teacher.  As part of our support for the students, wifi or data packages for the phones have also been provided.  

We have been able to check in with many kids and are excited to hear that they are in school while they are out of school. 

📚    Jessie and Josian are in their first term of university. During the last evening of courses before the university was closed, the students were given a crash course on taking an exam online. This morning Jessie’s message to me said, “My exams went very good.” (I’m not surprised!) Their courses continue online.

📚   Jacee tells us that he receives his assignments in the morning, and by 5:00 pm he is to have the assignment submitted.  If the assignment is completed in a workbook, he photos his page and sends the photo.  If the assignment is completed on the computer he sends it electronically.

📚    This week, a mom sent me her grade 7 daughter’s math homework.  I’m not sure if she wanted me to mark it, but I just sent an encouraging message back.  (As a reinforcement that teachers matter and electronic teaching has its limitations – I noticed an error that was being made repeatedly.  If a teacher had been looking over the shoulder of this student in class, this error would have been corrected from the start. Hopefully, the next lesson doesn’t build on this one.)

And so, We Returned Home

We are home! As of midnight Monday, we have been here, down on the farm in Chatham Kent. Our stay in Roatan was shortened by a few weeks, and ..... we get to spend those weeks, and likely longer, in isolation. Unfortunately, there are no lush green palms or turquoise seas in our vista as we wait. Our isolation house has no hammock, or perch. But, we are here and all is well.

A week ago, we received messages - many messages - from our daughters urging us to return immediately. Various options were explored. After a 4+ hour wait on hold Thursday, late at night, Colleen connected with Air Transat and made the necessary arrangements to get us on the Monday flight. Friday and Saturday included a frenzy of connections including a final dental appointment for my root canal (how great is that?!) as well as banking, packing and visiting. After a final church gathering Sunday morning at Son Rise (their final service for awhile too), and lunch out on the beach with friends, we did our online check-in and received our boarding pass. Check, check, check.  All was going well.  Our remaining food was distributed except for what we would eat for our final supper and breakfast in Roatan. 

A glitch in all the preparations came along Sunday night at 8:00 pm Honduras time. The President of Honduras announced that effective midnight, all borders for the country were to be closed and all transportation into and out of the country other than for cargo would stop. Larry and I looked at each other and sort of gulped.  "No food!" was our big thought. (are you laughing?) We immediately put on our walking feet and set out for the grocery store to buy some essentials. 

But - no sooner than we had unpacked our groceries than we received a message from a good friend on the Roatan Tourism Board.  Her message said "The Canadian Embassy has confirmed that all Canadian flights tomorrow will arrive only to transport Canadians back to Canada."  If ever you doubt the concern our government has for its people - don't. There are others who are waiting for their government and the Honduran government to co-operate. We are home. Thank you to those who made that happen.

So, instead of simply flying back for spring planting (and to hug family and friends of course!), we were evacuated. Whether we're in a safer place or not is hard to say. We left Roatan where there are still 0 cases of COVID-19, to spend about an hour in the Toronto airport - an hour in an airport! Katee was the designated daughter who swooped us away from the airport. She would be a hero except she did not invite us into her house to freshen up and she tells us as soon as we drove away in our truck, she disinfected her car, and took a shower! Laura had earlier in the day filled our cupboards and refrigerator so we have no need to be about - and we won't be. 

And so, we returned home. We are leaving Roatan where many people are afraid. There is an awareness that medical supplies are not available if needed. There is a fear that cargo will not arrive with food and supplies and when there is food, it will be expensive. The "prosperity" of the island comes from tourism and cruise ships have been cancelled for several months and many tourists are being evacuated. Like many other countries, people are not to leave their homes unless they are out for food or essentials. Taxis are only transporting those in essential service. Many workers have been released from their work, and employers are not required to pay extra wages or even promise to rehire once the crisis ends. At a time when people are most in need, churches can not meet. So, we have the luxury of being evacuated. And our Roatan friends wait.

Today I saw a robin. (He must have been a teenager - when I went to take his picture he hid in the branches!) The calendar tells us it is officially spring. Soon the drab of winter will give way to new growth and new life - hope! This is what we all are needing now. For now? We wait. And for the Roatan Campbells - we are home.

Bye kids! We miss you already. We'll see you when we can.