Welcome to the first edition of the El Hogar eNewsletter! We will send this periodically throughout the year to give some quick updates and news from El Hogar. We will still send the print newsletter three times a year, as usual. We are able to send the eNewsletter to those who have provided their email address to us. If you do not wish to receive these eNewsletters, you can unsubscribe a the bottom.

We hope you will enjoy these updates from El Hogar.

The construction of the new dormitory at El Hogar de Amor y Esperanza has finally begun!  The old Eagles' house is now torn down, which means that the boys are crammed into the remaining three dormitories.  Since the Tiger House is the only place that had any additional space, we now have 46 boys sharing that house.  We have plans to temporarily expand this space until the new building is available.

The foundations have been dug, and the first few work groups have added their labor toward this project.  We are hoping to have it completed by December.  In the meantime, however, there are lots of challenges.  The government has raised the price of re-bar and concrete significantly.  We are also caught up in the inflation of food prices that many of you have read about in your papers.  The cost of the basic food basket has risen very rapidly, making it even more difficult for the poor to buy even basics like corn and beans.  This, of course, has also added a financial challenge to us as we continue to feed over 240 children and teenagers every day.

At the Agricultural School, our ERD project is progressing.  We have three sites at which people in isolated areas are being helped to grow new crops.  To matoes, peppers, maracuya, and cucumbers are the chief things being grown, in places where, in the past, they only grew corn and beans.  The goal is to provide a cash crop, while also adding veggies to the diet.   The folks volunteering to take part in these projects are working hard, but they also face challenges.  There has been theft from their fields, and the market for tomatoes was much weaker than anyone anticipated.  Yet, they are excited and proud and hopeful about what they are accomplishing.  I asked one group if they were all from one extended family.  They cheerfully answered, Yes, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ!  One of the projects is composed entirely of women.  They told me, The men in this community don't want to admit they don't know everything, so they will not take part.  But when they see us selling these crops, and having money, then they will want to participate next year! 

Balbino also lost his father very recently.  His father was a farmer who lived in the mountains, much respected and loved in his community.  The viewing was at Balbino's house, and from there the casket was put into the pick up, and people walked behind the truck first to the church, and then to the cemetery.   It was a sad occasion, but also heartening to see the way the community offered such support to the family.

You may have heard in the news that a TACA airplane crashed upon landing at the Tegucigalpa airport on May 30. The plane was unable to stop at the end of the runway due to bad weather conditions, and went onto the nearby road and trapped cars. There were several fatalities and many injuries. This airport has been closed for international flights; however currently it remains open for small planes arriving domestically. The Honduran government is actively working on various scenarios for reinstating international flights. We offer our prayers for all the victims and their families.

Our twins, Jose and Luis, have had their second surgery at the Cleveland Clinic, and are recuperating quickly. They had significant scar tissue on their scalps, and this has now been removed. Besides the cosmetic benefits (which make both brothers very happy!), this is important because while their skulls were growing, the scar tissue was not.  Now they can have a normal growth curve without any problems. They are immensely happy and thankful for this wonderful gift to their lives.