👀 About the Campbells, 2023 - Reinvented Again

   

Dinner out with Chris and Laura.

A few weeks ago, we were asked to provide a short introduction to ourselves and the work we do. I realized that what we had provided 4 years ago in this blog needed a bit of an update. So now, here we are - 2023. 

We are delighted to be able to share with you a bit of how we serve in Roatan, Honduras. We call our blog Roatan Campbells’ Connection, and that’s what we do – we connect our resources with people who are needing assistance whether monetary, physical, or spiritual and try to lovingly help. We return to Roatan two or three times per year to check in on the people we serve. When we are home here in Canada, we can communicate through social media and provide messages of encouragement and even send funds if an emergency arises.

We are most proud of the students we have watched from preteen years through to adulthood. We have helped them enroll in private bilingual schools so that they have been able to make choices when they graduate. Where parents may have only had grade 5 education, these students have graduated from high school and are fluently bilingual. We are involved with a school in our community. Last year we provided funds to remodel a room for a computer lab and provided 10 computers for the students. Now we are in the process of helping grow the school so that grade 10 – 12 students can receive education in their community.

This past year, Susan worked at the school reading stories in English with the goal of improving pronunciation. Larry makes connections. He uses the various skills he has as a farmer to solve problems. He bargains for deals and installs wiring, doors, or toilets. He also connects people who need work with jobs.

How can you help?  We continuously check in with single-mom-families for needs. There is no food bank – we try to fill the gap. We provide monthly support for three moms at a cost of $200 per family. We also anticipate needing support for 7 students next school year. (beginning February 2024). See the main body of the blog for how to donate. 

Roatan is a tropical, tourist island. We are retired people. There are times we just kick back and are in awe of all that we have been blessed with. It isn't hard to be thankful that we have been given this gift to be able to serve and live in Roatan.

😎 About Roatan - Facts and Thoughts

🌞Roatan is an island about 65 km off the east coast of Honduras, Central America. We travel from Toronto via direct flights (5 hours, winter months) or international through connections in the US the remainder of the year. The island can also be accessed from the Mainland by air or a 90 minute ferry jaunt.

🌞A surprising fact for Canadians is that it is 3,110 km from Toronto to Roatan. It is 4,200 km from Toronto to Vancouver, BC.

🌞Roatan is approximately 80 km long and less than 8 km across at its widest. You can see water to the North and South at the same time along some stretches of the road. About roads - there is one main paved-mostly road that runs East-West across the island. The road makes a loop from North to South in the western end, but when you go East? You drive to the end and turn around and come back. There are many little roads branching off the main road. Most little roads go up, up then down, down and require careful driving in rainy season.

🌞 Roatan is a tropical Caribbean island running along the edge of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. At the highest point it is 270 meters above sea level. And lowest?  That beautiful, blue sea. When you are on the land you are either going up or down. Most of our friends live up. Because the island is made up of dead coral, for the most part it is not fit for growing crops or vegetables. (there are small pockets of exceptions.) Most food is transported by ship from the mainland. However, various bananas/plantains, coconuts, and avacados and mangos in season are enjoyed.

Larry tried growing small gardens while we lived at our house. He had marginal success. However, one year a watermelon grew in our driveway. We had to leave before it was ripe, so Franklin and family enjoyed the treat.

🌞Roatan has 2 seasons: 1. rainy season (varies year by year - usually late October to the end of January.) Some days you could get 100 mm (4+ inches) of rain and some days no rain. The total amount of rain varies year to year with the average being about 1400 mm (55 inches) in the four months. 2. The other season is hot season -with hot-hot in May and mid-August to mid-September when the sun’s rays are directly overhead. (Another delightful fact - this September record high temps are being experienced! I guess we can be happy to not be there?) February and March are really delightful tropical months. Come visit! 

🌞The population of Roatan has increased dramatically in recent years with estimates of over 100,000 people. Local people are native Caribbeans and also Spanish from Mainland Honduras. Many expats from North America and Europe also call Roatan home either permanently or seasonally. On Cruise Ship Day, the population can swell by thousands depending on how many cruise ships - sometimes 4 or 5! - come in. Most local people speak Spanish or Carib-English. Most tourists speak English. Local people who work with tourists learn English.

🌞Tourism is the major source of employment. People work directly with tourists, or indirectly in construction, transportation or the food service industry. Many tourists come as divers to enjoy the coral reef and the spectacular sea life. Others come to enjoy the beautiful view of the blue, tropical waters. Sometimes we are in the blue, tropical waters!