Lisa and Mike Beals recently led a team of four Canadians to the northern coast of Honduras, to help rehab some of the playgrounds that have been built in years past. Since the spring of 2003 Anne Marie Vosburgh has led teams here from Canada to build playgrounds (See our website to read the inspired story on these teams.)
Over the years, these playgrounds have gotten a LOT of use by the local kids and were in need of various amounts of work. As we drove around to assess the work, sadly we found some that were in such bad shape that they were irrepairable, and will need to be taken down or replaced. Others though, were just tired and wore down from lots of use. These playgrounds are located in school yards, on church grounds and in orphanages throughout the area. Rarely do we pass by them, when they aren’t covered with
playing children.
The team brought the resources necessary to buy construction supplies, so we picked up lumber and metal, bringing them back to the
mission house in El Porvenir to prepare. After a day of cutting, routing and sanding all of the components, we headed off to the playgrounds to make the necessary repairs. As the team removed broken wood and replaced it with new, they were watched – initially from a distance, but later up-close – by young children, eager to try out the “new” playground. In the end, the
children were left with a safe place to play for years to come. In addition, they were shown the love of Christ, by some North Americans who gave of themselves to be His hands and feet in the world.
Considering that we were hampered by bad weather (which we think may be the work of the Canadians trying to keep it home-like), the team did a great job and we appreciate their hard work and can-do attitude. We know that, as the remaining playgrounds age, we will be in need of more teams to come and continue the work that has been started.
Scott & Susan Ledford and Jim & Ginnie Street
Field Coordinators in Honduras