Dear Friends of the Farm,

I was, to say the least, very apprehensive about traveling to Honduras and of Trujillo to visit the Finca. To me, staying in a Holiday Inn is about as “roughing it” as I tolerate. To say I am spoiled is an understatement. The trip was because I love my daughter and she so wanted to share her work and her love for the children and for the other volunteers with whom she serves.

The plan was for us to be there in time for the 10th anniversary celebration of the Finca and then time our return so our daughter could join us for the return trip so she could take some vacation in the states during the school break down there. We had been asked to bring a few items down with us for the celebration like 2,000 balloons, in very specific color quantities (each house on the Finca has a color), and we were asked if it was ok if some of the t-shirts that were made for the occasion were sent to us to cart down.

At 7 pm the night before our departure, UPS showed up with 4 very large cartons containing all 200 t-shirts. The funny thing was our daughter asked specifically that we bring the balloons as carryon because so many things don’t make it down to the Finca and these were important decorations for the fiesta. We had to repack and some items had to be deferred until another trip. We knew that our daughter could cart some of the additional items upon her return after her visit home.

I knew the trip was going to be a hajj, flying from Orlando to Miami to San Pedro and finally to La Ceiba, but upon landing in La Ceiba God sent me a message letting me know that is where I was supposed to be. Right over the puddle jumper we had flown in on, there was a beautiful rainbow. There would be a few tests but I knew we would be fine. Erin was at baggage when we landed so I breathed a sigh of relief because I no habla espanol. The exchange rate is about 18 Lempira to the dollar, which to me was like playing with Monopoly money. I hit the ATM at the airport for 200 Lempira, thinking I was asking for $200 worth of Lempira only to realize that I paid a $10 transaction fee to get about $10 in Lempira.

We made our way from Ceiba to Trujillo and stayed at Campamento, which is right on the beach and the Finca is just a walk down the beach a few hundred yards. We got to know which driftwood trees on the beach marked the entrance in the fence to the Finca and to Campamento. We quickly dumped our bags and made the walk down to the Finca. We wanted the nickel tour and to meet all the volunteers that Erin had told us so much about, the families that take care of the children, and the children, the classrooms, the chapel and in particular the stained glass window, that we had seen in the newsletter. Because of the anniversary there were also other visitors and benefactors of the Finca. In addition there was Dr. Ed and his assistant from Ohio and Dr John and his wife Barb from Minnesota who are dentists who come down to volunteer their services, their equipment, and their supplies, to the children and to the volunteers.

After the tour we stayed at the volunteer house for dinner prepared by Michael John, which was a gourmet spaghetti and meat sauce (not sure what meats were in there but snake and lizard were possibilities). And a very nice Lemon (or are they limes?) bread. There were fresh carrots as well. There seemed to be scores of people that ate and everyone had their fill. It was kind of like the miracle of the loaves and fishes.

The next day we got up and went to the liturgy of the hours with the volunteers and some of the residents and nuns. Although we don’t speak the language you could sense the presence of the Holy Spirit and it was gratifying to see all who start their day in prayer and praise. They all, young and old, know the songs without song books.

On the day of the anniversary there were lots of chores and decorating and food preparation that had to be done, so in an effort to stay out of the way, I went back to Campamento and went in the pool. That afternoon was marked with a visit from Zulena Pescatore the foundress and widow of Vincent who died in a plane crash on his way to build the Finca with helpers including his brother-in-law. Also in tow were her 5 children. There were talks in the chapel by Zulena and she shared the story of how she came to meet Vincent, their courtship, his commitment to be a missionary, their effort to get started in her home country of Guatemala and how the Finca came to be in Honduras. The story is truly one of a modern day saint who gave up everything in the states to live in a third world country with the poorest of the poor to spread the love of Jesus.

After the talks and the sharing, Zulena\'s children carried the small casket containing their dad\'s remains outside and placed them before the altar for Mass, said by the bishop of Trujillo. This is when I lost it and gave in to my tears. I am often amazed how God “connects the dots‚” in our lives. Vincent Pescatore, the founder of the Finca also graduated from Villanova, although a decade after I did. After Mass they broke out the food and the fiesta began. I am not a late night person but I understand there was music and dancing until the wee hours.

One of the highlights of the visit for me, besides being a part of the anniversary celebration, was witnessing “community night” on Monday evening. The volunteers take turns deciding what the team building event will be, but they let me stay and what most impressed me was that they started the team building with the Joyful mysteries of the rosary. Each Hail Mary was said specifically for one of each of the 50 orphans at the Finca. Appropriately they let me lead “The Visitation.”

I was moved, because here I was in the midst of young people 22 to 29 years old, all of whom, in my estimation, are the best of the best and brightest. I suspect that all were in the top 20f their high school graduating class, all were college graduates from great institutions, all are very positive and motivated people, some with a lot of college loan debt awaiting them, and here they were in a third world country, not only working for free, but they had to go out and beg for sponsors to support them at the Finca before the Finca would have them. This, quite frankly was not where my head was at when I graduated from Villanova. The life of Vincent and the lives of your children truly inspired me.

But alas, it was time to leave the Finca and my wife, my brother and I set out for Roatan to stay in a nice resort and went on excursions, after which we visited the Tropical Rain Forest at Pico Bonito. While those side trips were nice, I realized that that’s not why I went to Honduras. I got to see perhaps the nicest places in Honduras, but they really were the dichotomy of why I went and what our children are doing at the Finca. The next time I go I will just stay at Campamento and stroll down the beach to see the kids at the Finca and hang out in St Teresa’s room which is the hub of activity for the volunteers. That was the blessing for me in Honduras.

Know that your children are safe and are doing an amazing job. Thank you for sharing them with me for a few days.

Sincerely,
Jerry Hempstead