A Day Bursting with Song

June 17th

We awoke this morning to the sweet sounds of birds just outside our windows. It began a day of song in Honduras. Our first activity of the day (after a spectacular breakfast by Gloria and Sandra) began at the El Povenier kindergarten, where Sra. Umanzor has been training up tiny Honduran ninos and ninas for over 20 years in the way of Christ. The joy of serving 80+ kindergarten children concluded in song when one of her classes proudly serenaded the North Americans with a jubilant kindergarten rendition of the Honduran National Anthem. 

A drive up to Buenos Aires gave us a true panoramic view of the Quimistan Valley, home to thousands of beautiful Honduran people...and now home of Tranquilidad Foundation (TQ). The cool temperatures at 3,000 feet gave us a brief reprieve before our second leg of tree planting. Tough work but so rewarding to know that TQ will have a orchard full of banana, plantain, mango, papaya, lime, fig and orange trees to sustain the children and families that will be calling Tranquilidad home. 

The afternoon thunderstorm exploded in bullets of rain that was a prayer answered (both for the trees AND the workers!). Soaked but happy, we headed down to our compound, ready for a fabulous dinner and out for a night in Quimistan to support TQ's construction manager, Stanley, singing in Quimistan's annual "Festival of Popular Song". We cheered, sang to Brown Eyed Girl (our own Jennifer Edwards entered the contest), and immersed ourselves in the joyful lives of the Honduran people.

Lucky for us, our wonderful missionary sponsors, Roxanne and Sam Turnipseed, and TQ's dedicated translator (and devoted friend), Daniel, created a beautiful day of song for our team. But what is most beautiful is the song of salvation through Jesus Christ which reigns above all.

Top: Sra. Umansor's kindergarten class wearing their crowns...the princes and princesses of King Jesus
Middle photos (left to right): The beauty of Honduras; Charles "Butch" Spalding and granddaughter, Dora,bonding on a mission trip to serve Christ; George Dewhirst, the team veteran, serving on his 17th mission trip to Quimistan.
Bottom: Our new little friends showing honor to their country and love to their North American visitors