Montenita bonita

Hola,
It was another blessed day in Honduras as our group ventured to the beautiful village of Montenita.  

The village was very well maintained and it was easily discerned that the people of Montenita take great pride in what they have, a serene spot on the hill, and do not dwell on what they are lacking, electricity and material goods. Upon arrival, the children were at recess and our bubbles and beach balls undoubtedly added to the bedlam.

While some members of our group prepared fluoride and de-worming treatments, others played amongst the highly energized students. After recess, we distributed the banana flavored de-worming medication to the children who were neatly divided into three classrooms. The children of Montenita very co-operative and took the de-worming medication and fluoride treatment without resistance.

After a brief review of dental hygiene, the children went back into the classroom and we, alongside Maynor, Pablo, and Vilma, toured Montenita assessing the latrines, observing the justas, and sampling water. The four HAF funded latrines were in excellent condition and the recipients were both grateful and gracious in welcoming gringo visitors. 
Compared to the traditional Honduran hornia, the justa stove is safer (external exhaust) and more practical (even heating).

We obtained water samples from the villages main water tank, and from two homes in remote locations of Montenita in order to asses the level of contamination in this picturesque mountain village.

Lastly, we visited with the women of Montenita who craft impressive hand-stitched tortilla cloths. In partnership with HAF, the cloths and bags are sold to consumers in the United States.

We wrapped up the evening with a short tour of the hospital for a few in our group and much fellowship at the ranch. Corey gave Maynor his first guitar lesson and he was very quick to pick it up. We sang lots of songs and had a delicious dinner of fried chicken and papas fritas. Gloria is a gift from God!

 
Hasta Manana!