For the past 14 years, Pilgrim Congregational Church, U.C.C. (Lexington, MA) has been involved with  our mission work in Honduras. Our minister, Rev. Loren Lorincz, and many members from our congregation have volunteered their efforts in our  “adopted” community of Flores. Countless members of Pilgrim have contributed their time by raising funds for projects, donating school supplies and clothing, offering their hospitality to visiting patients and so much more.

This past Sunday, we were presented with a hand made quilt created with welcoming messages from the church community. I can’t think of a more heart warming, comforting gift to offer Ostin upon his arrival, and something to snuggle with  during his many operations and recoveries.

Due to all the snowstorms, Ostin and his mom’s flights have been delayed two days. Cancelled flights are a real inconvenience for us, but it doesn’t compare to what it entails on the Honduran end. Ostin and his family live in the mountains and it is a challenge to reach their house because of the incredibly rough terrain. It’s a very time consuming endeavor for them to travel from their home to the airport in Tegucigalpa. This entails their family of four to travel on a single motorcycle, a bus and a taxi…any/all of which can break down at any given moment. Then they must face all the uncertainties and challenges of taking their first flight, which happens to be internationally. Not only is it juggling your tickets, passports/visas, going through security and finding your gate. It is making sure you have enough money to pay the taxes on the tickets, having the documentation for immigration, and paying the exit fees.

Karla is 20 years old, and tomorrow will say goodbye to her husband, older son and extended family. She leaves the familiarity and comforts of home to travel to the United States seeking more medical treatment for Ostin. We so admire her faith, resiliency, and deep sense of gratitude. We’re anxiously awaiting Ostin and Karla’s arrival and their reaction to seeing huge amounts of snow and the bright lights of NYC! Wednesday, we will meet with Ostin’s doctors and look forward to learning more about his operation on Thursday and what’s expected to follow…we’ve all been waiting for this day for a long time.