Tag Archives: Jim Johnston

Honduras 2013 (Part 2) – Everything changes.

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Every year, Rotarians from District 6760 and friends visit the southern region of Honduras with plans to make a difference in the lives of as many Hondurans as possible.

For 2013, seven represented The Rotary Club of Spring Hill & Thompson Station TN for this year’s projects.  Attending were Les Bosarge, Huntly Gordon, Keith Clodfelter, Trey Lewis, Ann Bassett, Sharon Fuller, and Sara Johnson, a member of Brentwood Rotary.

During the seven day visit, one part of our group continually wired homes in remote villages while others participated in activities at local schools, as well as a dental clinic in coordination with the Choluteca Rotary Club.

Every year, there are big changes to the landscape of southern Honduras.  The largest shopping mall in Central America is located just across the street from the Tegucigalpa airport.

 

 

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But the greatest difference and change is the lives of the people.  Upon arriving, we learned some great news from a past project.  Back in 2011, Huntly Gordon presented a workbelt and tools worth over $500 to Douglas, an unemployed local villager of Jayacayan.  We learned that Douglas showed up at a construction jobsite with his tools and was hired to be an electrician, and now has his own home and family.

After getting our assignment, we rolled onward to San Marcos De Colon to check into the Hotel Barcelona which would be our home for the next five nights.  We have stayed there many times, so it was almost like going home!

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My room at the Hotel Barcelona.  Very nice, at $15 per night USDm breakfast included.

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There was even hot water!  Check out this apparatus that is not UL approved!

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And our view from the Hotel Barcelona

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The next day, we hit the ground running to bring electricity to families in remote villages near San Marcos de Colon such as this family.

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Change.  It is everywhere you look.  At home, at work, in southern Honduras.  Over the next week, you’ll see just how much change can be made – one life at a time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Honduras Visit 2013 – The great news first!

Adobe Stove Pila Adobe Casa AdobeStoveCooking Casa and Clothesline Casa Plastic Sheet Roof Chicken Coop Lord's Prayer Espanol Hillside Village Village Road Village Cemetery Wood CasaJust one blog post cannot do justice in summing up everything that happens over a week’s time in a foreign country.   There is so much to tell about this year’s visit, but there is some really great news you need to read about first.

Over a year-and-a-half ago, young Marlon Sanchez fell from a tree and pulled his leg from his hip.  Surgeries at the local hospital were unsuccessful.  Last year, Jim Johnston and others from the Lawrenceburg Rotary Club met young Marlon and his family and decided to do whatever they could to help.  When returning home, Jim Johnston made contact with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and their surgical staff about helping this child.  Just recently, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and their surgical staff volunteered to perform the much needed surgery on Marlon.

Marlon is now six years old.  Yesterday, he and his mother Maria, boarded a plane in Tegucigalpa, Honduras headed to Nashville, accompanied by Jim Johnston and other members of the Lawrenceburg Rotary Club!  The surgery will take one day, followed by a week in the hospital, and then six weeks of rehab before they are able to return to their native Honduras.  There will be many expenses incurred during this procedure and visit, so if you would like to help, please contact the Lawrenceburg Rotary Club at 931.762.7917 or 931.762.4678.

Can you remember the first time you ever saw an airplane?  What about flush toilets and hot/cold running water?  Electric stoves?  Elevators?  The list goes on.  Marlon and his mother, Maria, will be seeing many things for the first time in their lives.  They will have no choice but to be overwhelmed, if not somewhat frightened with the experience that awaits them.  Please keep them in your prayers, and while you’re at it, say a prayer of thanks for Jim Johnston and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital for making this life-changing surgery a reality for Marlon and his family.

Take a look at the above scenes from southern Honduras.  These scenes are not of the actual village where Marlon lives, but scenes we encountered during the 2013 electrical project performed by the Rotary Club of Spring Hill & Thompson Station.

2012 – Back to Honduras – Part 1

Every February, workers representing various Rotary Clubs throughout District 6760 converge on the Choluteca region of southern Honduras.  There have been many projects over the past ten-plus years, most of which have been dedicated to improving life in remote villages through the addition of electrical and fresh water systems to the homes.  All of these projects are organized in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Choluteca, Honduras.

Projects like these require a lot of labor and a tremendous amount of money – money that has to be raised.  Sources of funding range from Rotary Clubs, Rotary International Grants, individual donations, Honduran Municipalities, and the residents themselves.

There is no secret that our country’s economy has been in recession, which has made it very difficult to raise money.  This year’s project was coordinated by Jim Johnston and the Lawrenceburg Rotary Club with a focus on providing electricity to approximately 28 homes, a small school, and a church in the remote village of Limon de Linaca. 

There was not enough funding available this year for a larger electrical or water project, but there was enough left over to build a home for a local family near El Carazal…. which is where our group entered the program this year.  “Extreme Home Makeover – Honduran Style.”

Participating on behalf of Spring Hill Rotary Club this year were Jeremy Bisceglia, International Service Chair, Pastor Ann Bassett, Sharon Elvin, Les Bosarge, David Hartley, Eddie Hartley, Keith Coldfelter, and Trey Lewis.

While we were digging, mixing cement, and laying block, Ann and Sharon spent their days teaching at the local school.  Ann is fluent in Spanish, which helped a LOT!

 

The children were so attentive and well-behaved.  They also learned an amazing amount of English during the week!

We even served as a school bus for several children.  When they reach where they need to stop, they just beat on the roof.

While the children were at school, the dogs kept an eye on the jobsite.

There will be more highlights of this year’s trip forthcoming.  How we got there, where we stayed, what we ate, the work that was involved, the friends we have made over the years, and more will be covered so stay tuned!

Thanks for reading!  If you would like a recap of our 2011 trip to Honduras, CLICK HERE. 

For now, why not take a look at some of the animals we befriended on our visit:

Again, thanks for reading!

Trey Lewis is VP Sales & Marketing for Ole South Properties Inc, Tennessee’s largest independent home builder,  615.896.0019  direct 615.593.6340 or email TLewis@olesouth.com.  Specializing in new homes in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Clarksville, Gallatin, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.