NO PROBLEMS ONLY HASSLE FROM TEAM MEMBERS

We made it safe and sound! No problems at all! Well, forgive me for not being total honest! There was one problem! HASSLE! HASSLE! HASSLE! HASSLE! HASSLE! HASSLE!

Yup! That is what it was! And from the team! Led by MY WIFE! Can you believe that? It almost broke my heart!

It all started when we thought we were being taken to Miami with the van that belongs to Iglesia Vida. Because of the type of van, we (that is my Wife and I) decided that we should depart Life Church at 8:00 A.M. We agreed and the team was notified. But their van developed a problem on Sunday so we had to switch plans and take Pastor’s van with a trailer. But since we knew that we would be somewhat slower than two mini vans, there was no problem.

And there wasn’t! Until we reached the airport, unloaded, had our luggage – all fourteen pieces taken into the Taca counter and placed up in front. Then when they looked and saw no service team in place and only one man in line and self-determined that the line would not open for a long time the HASSLE, HASSLE, HASSLE, began in earnest! (Whoever he or she is.)

My wife, grabbed her umbrella, Katie her camera and using that umbrella as a microphone they started interviewing me – loudly – for everyone to hear – about the fact that we were EARLY! And questioned me as to why I had brought them to Miami to wait “an hour” to check in. Can you imagine!

But my wisdom prevailed! When we arrived there were not any cars lined at the curb so our vehicle with the trailer could pull up to it with ease. Because there were not any other unloading we got special attention and in less than 10 minutes we were standing waiting for the line to start. AND when the line did open we were up in front at a couple of minutes after 11:00 AM and in less than six minutes we were being served. Now I call that intelligent planning. Don’t you? And by 11:30 we were walking away with special attention having been given us by the sweet lady from Columbia. AND we were then free to go eat without any rush.

Excitement began when we arrived in San Pedro Sula a few minutes ahead of time. I reached up to get my carry-on luggage and saw that it was missing. In it’s place was a similar piece but smaller. I quickly spoke to the stewardess and having notified her I began to run up the loading ramp and out into the hall and saw my luggage being pulled by a lady who sat across the isle from me. We had spoken briefly, in English, as we were waiting to depart the plane. I ran to her and told her she had my luggage. With a red face she raced back to the airplane to retrieve hers. She had only a few minutes to board her departing plane which was going to the same destination we were. That was close!

Because there were so many of us and the connection she had was too short for us, and because I was not familiar with the procedures and distance we would have had to walk, I had chosen to wait for the later flight. So now we had a five hour and thirty minute layover.

The terminal was nice, small and VERY COLD! Pastor Alfredo McDonald from Iglesia Vida who accompanied us and is to stay one week here helping us called his father-in-law who lives in San Pedro Sula. He asked him if he would come and take us into town, “if” we could find a way to exit through immigration with ease. He made a couple of calls and in one hour we were being processed.

The process: First we had to fill out forms in front of people who were wearing masks – current health information. Then they had to find someone to handle our papers in immigration. Shortly with the help of Pastor Alfredo and two helpful officials, we were whisked through the process and found ourselves outside to wait five minutes for our transportation.

Knowing we had to be back and in the process of clearing security, we set the time of 7:45 PM to be back. A quick ten minute ride placed us on the property of a mega-church - La Cosecha “The Harvest”. Alfredo’s father-in-law is in charge of their media department – radio and TV stations. We were given a tour of their prayer chapel; the Church building with its 15,000 chairs neatly in place, a three level platform area, the main platform, the worship team above that, and an area for 100 intercessors on the third level – all visible. And they are still in the process of finishing the construction which will add 10,000 seats. They currently have four services on Sunday when all the other campuses join together. Several of those campuses have an attendance of 1,000.

The tour did not end there for we saw their school, their college, their bank, their store for selling fruit, their cafeteria, their facility for training ladies, their technical training center for men, their huge soccer field, their children’s church facility where over 3,000 children gather, their orphanage where children who are abandoned on the streets are housed, their “hotel” for ministering guests to their country — well words cannot tell you all that we saw inside and outside this mega-church.

We then sat down at a Honduran fast food restaurant to eat Beleades, a typical Honduran food. It is a large tortilla with, beans, meat, cheese and anything else you want to have added. Tasty? Yes! And after all that we returned to the airport and were one hour ahead of boarding time.

The rest of the story: Re-entry was no problem. We had even been given favor as they waived the airport tax. The flight to La Ceiba is only 25 minutes and we made it in 20 minutes. Another favor then manifested itself. We originally were to have passed through customs and immigration here in La Ceiba. But because we had gone through the process, all except our 14 pieces of luggage, we only had to sign our names and pass through.

Sky Caps gathered our belongings – all 14 pieces of luggage and all our carry-ons, ran them through the scanner and we marched out the door to two pick-up trucks where our luggage was placed and quickly we began the journey to our home for the next two weeks.

Pastor Alfredo, Cody and I were taken to get some water, necessary paper, and something to eat. Now where do you find those things at 11:00 PM? Sure you know! At the sidewalk café! We did and we did! We purchased “pastelitos”, and “tajadas de guineo with con carne” deep fried green Chiquita banana, sliced like french-fires, which were then covered with fresh sliced cabbage, with some bar-b-qued beef and coated with a sauce. Again the question: Tasty? VERY! VERY!

Well, we finally settled down and I turned off my light at 12:00 PM (that’s 2:00 AM Ft. Myers’ time).

So our journey of the first day ended with all asleep! ????????????????