Shoup Airlines

August 8th, 2000

Today was probably one of the most strenuous days I’ve had. The same bus ride to Santa Elena and then immediately started moving cinder blocks up the hill to the homes we’re building. The hill isn’t that steep, maybe a 6-7% grade with a rise of 75-100 feet, but lugging cinder for an hour will kill just about anyone. Exhausted, we went up another hill to help a truck move some more blocks after getting stuck in the mud.

By noon I’m pretty much dead but we proceed to help lay some sand, dirt and rock out on the main road to help the trucks get in easier. The first load was a thick wet sand that had huge rocks in it. Everytime you started to shovel it, you’d get another rock in the load. After maybe 15 minutesof this I had to sit down, my back aching and head throbbing. Luckily, it was lunch time. Amazing what a little food with some advil will do.

After lunch, it was back to the road repair. We started layering the road with a sand that was much drier and finer. Made life a lot easier. Finishing up, we headed back down to the village and began helping with the cement laying process for the foundations. They literally mix the cement and water right there on the ground, quite efficiently, and then everyone starts shoveling cement off to a foundation. Two huge thunderstorms came rolling in and let loose with some gigantic bolts of lightning right on top of us. Trying to beat the rain, we quickly went about laying some of the cement before the flood gates really opened up again.

Once it started to pour we all stopped working and moved into the “community center,” a corrugated metal roof supported simply by five metal poles with benches throughout. We tried to wait the rain out for an hour, but the roads were starting to get dangerous again so we headed back home.

Tonight, we kind of had the night to ourselves. Never have a cigar and a glass of red wine tasted so good.

Blessed is the man who perserveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

August 7th, 2000

Today was the first day of real work. Waking up around 6am, we got ready for an hour and a half bus ride to Santa Elena, a very small community up in the mountains. These families looked straight out of the Sally Struthers commercials. Small children running around half clothed, flies and trash everywhere and little shacks made of whatever they could find: tarps, corrugated aluminum, and plywood. This community was moved here after Hurricane Mitch destroyed their previous dwellings. We are helping build small cinder block houses about 15′ by 15′.

Because we are up in the mountains there aren’t any paved roads and things were kind of muddy today. As soon as we got there were helping push a huge truck out of the mud. Once we freed the truck, he drove down a hill and got stuck again! In all, I think we helped push him out of the mud five times.

Eating a quick lunch, we headed back to the houses and continued building. The weather was a little cooler today. We a nearly overcast sky for the most part. Then early in the afternoon the rains came and our bus driver wanted to go before it became impossible to get out of there. The rains kept coming and coming. By the time we got back into town, streets were flooded, gutters were flowing with water and the drains were clogged. I’m talking at least three feet deep minimum, everywhere! Unbelievable.

Cleaning up and eating a wonderful lasagna dinner, we headed down to the mall. Not too many differences there. They had a Radio Shack, an Applebee’s, an arcade (I swept the group in air hockey), an ACE hardware store and a Colors of Benetton shop. It’s amazing how around one corner everyone is living pretty well, but turn the corner and poverty is everywhere. Everyone is talking about staying another week. I’m not sure I’ll do yet. Judd is visiting next weekend, so I can’t stay an entire week. We’ll see what the Lord unfolds.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:25-27

August 6th, 2000

As tired as I thought were last night, we were all up by 6:30am and eating breakfast. As usual, it wasn’t long before I was getting grief for mixing the cereals. A beautiful morning it was, we watched a paraglider skimming the morning thermals while we ate.

It took an hour bus ride into the moutains for our first worksite, Chinda. I swear our driver took driving lessongs from NY cabbies, but then it seems like everyone else here drives the same way. We’ve seen only one stoplight in this whole town and it’s a pretty busy city. Not a lot of stop signs either.

Once in Chinda, we found a small (maybe 40 people) community with cinder block, one bedroom houses and small “shack” like laundry facilities with running water. We had a church service, shared some testimonies, and sang songs. God Bless the translators! Even with four years of Spanish, I’m having difficulties carrying a conversation. If only they knew about hockey.

After the service, we had lunch down by a beautiful little river with sandy shores. the food here is awesome and the people are even better. While eating lunch, I noticed some huge butterflies with magnificent colors and six inch wingspans. This one in particular had the deepest blue wings I have ever seen that turned to a deep purple on its undersides. Pure beauty!

After lunch, we returned to Chinda and helped dig about a trench about four feet deep by three feet wide and a sweat drenching 15 feet long. Even with nine guys working, it took us a couple hours. It being Central America and not quite acclimated, several of us petered out with heat exhaustion quickly. We played with the kids a little longer and handed out suckers, which gave them the biggest smiles I’ve ever seen.

Once home, we cleaned up and ate dinner with our hosts. A lovely meal of tortillas, beans, shredded beef, diced peppers, tomatoes, onions, and fried plantains.

Tom Zeidlik (a fellow flight instructor) and I are already getting the itch to fly here. We’ll see if that idea takes off or not.

How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Psalm 104:24