A Serendipitous Sunday (with ALL credit to Honduran Hospitality!)

Today turned out to be an absolutely wonderful day, especially because we had no idea what to expect when it began! This morning, Celeste, the director of Unite For Sight's work at the ZOE Clinic, picked up the five of us and brought us to church with her and her family. We attended a very contemporary, lively church service at Vida Abundante (Abundant Life), where we were graciously accepted and invited to worship. There was a lot of music played by a full worship band and the pastor's message was very energetic! 


After church, Celeste invited the five volunteers to her family's home in Tatumbla, an area about 15 minutes outside of Tegucigalpa on one of the nearby mountains, which made for a scenic drive! Their house and neighborhood were beautiful. Celeste's husband, Armando, showed us around their land, pointing out some of the crops they were growing and some of the gorgeous flowers that Armando's father, an avid gardener, helped them to plant. Armando's father also planted eleven trees on the family plot, each one dedicated to one of his grandchildren. After gathering a few things at their house, we were invited to Armando's family's weekly get-together for lunch and fellowship, which they hold each Sunday. Because Armando, his parents, and his three sisters all live in the same neighborhood, they easily rotate who hosts the gathering each week. I was so impressed at how warm and welcoming everyone was! The Hondurans certainly set a new standard for "Southern Hospitality." We spent the afternoon eating, interacting with the kids, playing games, socializing, laughing (a LOT!) and taking a short drive up and down the mountain to see more of Tatumbla's gorgeous panoramic views. 


Back at the hotel, Leah and I were still so full from lunch this afternoon, that we decided to eat fresh mangos for dinner. We made a mess, but it was totally worth it! Bright and early tomorrow morning, we start our first day of work in the clinic. Celeste warned us that Mondays are usually pretty busy, so I know we'll have our work cut out for us!

Celeste and Armando's kids: Fernando, Sara, Joshua, and Samuel

Samuel was quite the ham. He played some guitar for us and even showed off his Michael Jackson dance moves!

A view from Tatumbla