Scholarship Trip 2023 through the Eyes of a Rookie
The scholarship “team”.
(L-R) Dr. Dennis Tweedy, Cindy Smith, Armando Aguilar, Margaret Cathey, Selvin Davila, Brian and Noah McDonough
It was the first time I had to go through the process of obtaining permission to enter Honduras… boy was it challenging! Pre-registration was a nightmare online with the Honduras website; half of it was in English and half of it was in Spanish! I kept Google Translate very close by. Pre-check for the airlines was also problematic; they needed my passport and COVID vaccination information three times!!! I got up at 3:15 so I could be at the airport at 5:30AM. Our flight from Austin to Miami was delayed one hour. Our flight from Miami to Honduras was delayed two hours. We finally all arrived in Honduras, but the Honduras Customs insisted on opening all NINE duffle bags with 360 bottles of vitamins in them; they checked every one of those bottles; that only took 2½ hours in the airport… alas, it’s nightfall ☹ The luggage master (at least that’s what I called him) helped us the entire time and instead of a tip, he wanted a bottle of vitamins for his kids; we gladly tipped him with a bottle! It was a three-hour trip to Yuscaran where our home base was. We arrived at the Yuscaran Hotel (everyone calls it Junior’s) at 9:00 and had a plato tipico for our only meal of the day at 10:00pm.
Enough of the long, boring stuff… Now for the fun stuff!
Early Friday morning, we had a traditional breakfast. We were then joined by Selvin, Armando, Dagoberto and Alberto to facilitate our journey. Selvin has been a part of HGW since he was seven years old; he received a scholarship from us for high school and is now receiving support from us for University. Armando came to us through Selvin and has been with us for several years as well. Dagoberto is the regional Episcopal Priest and his assistant, Alberto accompanies him. We traveled to Agua Viva to learn more about the students that we sponsor and also hear from their parents on their studies. Nine students attended this meeting. Dago first talked with the audience and told them about the importance of the education that they were receiving; also about the importance of submitting their forms on time. Brian then introduced the team (in Spanish) and spoke about the difficulties of learning through COVID. Selvin and Armando motivated the students and parents. Selvin then took the students outside and they made their own What’s App video; hopefully we’ll get those up on the HGW website soon (there are many to review)! While the students were outside, the parents spoke about the difficulties of educating their children during the pandemic. They were very thankful of the support from HGW; one older daughter is in the program and is motivating her younger sister as well; this is the only way that their children could go to school; one parent also talked about not having support when she was growing up, so now she can help her children with the support they need, with our help; all students should take advantage of this opportunity. Once the meeting was over the women treated us to catracha, which is a traditional Honduran lunch… YUM!
Agua Viva Scholarship students
Friday afternoon we traveled to Tablones. We were met by 61 students/graduates at this meeting… overwhelming to say the least! The students actually start school the next day, which is Saturday. Dago, Brian, Selvin and Armando gave their talks again and then the students separated into ten different groups and talked about the good and bad during the pandemic. They then selected (reluctantly) a student to share with the audience. Luckily, we had Selvin and Armando to interpret for us English speaking peeps! Selvin motivated the students to make their own What’s App video and submit it to us. We were served limon tea… all of us had at least two servings… YUM! On our way home, we stopped at Selvin’s home and met his family. That evening we ate Honduran Chinese food… interesting. Saturday morning brought another traditional breakfast and we were off to Rancho del Obisbo. We met with 18 students/graduates and went through the same program as before. Selvin introduced “Simon Says” and everyone LOVED the entertainment! We were able to meet with the parents while the students were making What’s App videos. Comments from them included: during the pandemic, the students had a lack of a schedule - could be that they studied longer or shorter on certain days; they were only allowed to go out on certain days as well; accessing lessons via cell phone; the community well dried up; the parents were proud that they taught their kids about how to spend their money and financial responsibility; be an example; a father spoke about two of his children went through the program and he has one that is still in; blessings to Cindy for 20 years. We were treated to punch and cookies as a treat!
Tablones Scholarship students
Saturday afternoon we traveled back to home base and met with the Yuscaran community. They fed us a traditional Honduran lunch; very yummy. We met with 38 students/graduates, which included Dago’s assistant, Alberto, and Selvin played Simon Says with the group. One of the teachers absolutely could not get it right and the whole room was in laughter because of her, which she was having so much fun! Up until this day, we had great weather, but a cold front moved through and we much cooler weather and rain. Dago also led the group in an Episcopalian service. At the end of the service, a community group of young people made a donation of several chairs to the church and Dago led everyone in praise of worship. For dinner we had a fabulous Honduran Mexican meal…. VERY yummy… you will need to ask Brian how many tacos he ate!
Scholarship students at Yuscaran
At both Saturday locations, I noticed HGW Water Filters; one in Rancho Vel Obisbo and one in Yuscaran… YAY!!!
Sunday morning was a beautiful morning and once again we had a traditional breakfast. We traveled to Ojo De Agua for an Episcopalian Church service, led by Dago. Dago preached about transition; it can be slow; it’s a process; can’t just go on emotions. Brian then spoke about the pandemic and encouraged everyone that for academic, social, and emotional values, it’s good to be back in community. Selvin and his Simon Says was a hit, along with “hot potato”… you should have seen the men passing that potato as fast as they could!! Several parents expressed their thanks to HGW. One mom read a letter from her daughter, who couldn’t be in attendance, saying thank you. One dad talked about keeping God in their dreams and fathers must sacrifice for their children. We had 38 students/graduates in attendance.
Scholarship students at Ojo de Agua
After the service and program, we traveled a short distance and ate lunch at Pupusas El Portal… man, were those pupusas good!!!
On our way back to Yuscaran, Dr Dennis had to perform doctor duties. We came upon a man that had just had a wreck on his motorcycle. Dr Dennis looked him over and proclaimed that he was ok, but he was going to hurt for a while!
Once we returned to our home base, we met with Dago and Alberto to discuss what they need from us and to get questions answered.
While we had the afternoon off, Brian, Noah and Cindy climbed the “mountain” behind where we were staying and the others sat in the open porch area and read (and snoozed)!
For dinner that night, we had Honduran Pizza… interesting (again).
Monday morning was another early start at 5:15AM, because we had a three hour trip into Palmerola to the airport in Honduran rush hour!! All the flights were on time and I arrived home at 9:15PM.
This trip was very educational… in so many ways. It showed us what HGW’s support goes toward and meeting those students was extra special. It also made us aware that we need to provide more scholarships to the students. They have so much to offer and they want to stay in their community and help it prosper. I learned that we provide 40% of the support to high school students for school supplies, uniforms and transportation. We provide 15% to University students… we can do better!!
We learned that parents were very worried about students being able to obtain lessons over a cell phone (sometimes there was a signal, sometimes, there wasn’t). During the pandemic, instead of paying for transportation, which they didn’t need, we paid for internet services. Dago confirmed that he receives forms from all of his students. There may be one student who will not continue because of mental health problems, but the other students will continue until graduation (fingers crossed), which is a 99% graduation rate… WOO HOO!!!
The group talked about including trade schools in our giving. The majority of the students pass the entrance exam into college, but some just don’t want to go to University. They want trade training, but they must pay for the tools of the trade in order to enter. We also talked about supporting special needs education. These students must pay to attend a private school; public school will not take them… possibly a roving teacher?? We also talked about contacting University graduates every year to see where they are in their careers.
I want to encourage ALL BOARD MEMBERS to make the trip to Honduras… either on the next educational trip or during the medical brigade. We have so much to offer them and THEY have so much to offer US!
Until my next trip,
Margaret Cathey,
Honduras Good Works - Treasurer
