I don’t even know where to begin to tell this story and even if I can portray it correctly. It may be one of those times where you just had to be there. It is definitely an adventure I won’t soon forget. (Sorry it is so long and if it's hard to follow, it was hard to write. I applaud you if you make it to the end of the adventure!)
A team of ladies came down from the States to hold a Ladies Day for several of the different churches my wonderful friends (the Allen’s) are working with. I was asked to be part of the team. (It was a wonderful blessing to be part of the team and I am so honored they asked me to help.)
The church that we were at on this particular day had a horrible driveway up to the church and only 4WD vehicles could make it up. It was also a difficult walk up and down it for those who are young and in-shape. After each Ladies Day was over, the team would give the ladies a 40lb bag of food, a hygiene kit and a bag of soap to take home. This was a huge blessing to the women and they usually had no problem carrying it all home. Well, this day was different. The older women definitely could not make it down the mountain with this kind of load. We had also bussed in women from the next town over and they needed rides back home.
Since my vehicle was one of the 2 with 4WD, I had to drive the ladies down the mountain. This is where the adventure starts. I thought I was just going down the driveway to drop everyone off so they could get on the bus we had rented and to take two ladies home. When I got to the bottom of the hill, I turned right because I thought the women who were riding the bus would get off there and then I would head to the hardware store that I had to drop off someone was to the right and then come back and drop off the last lady who lived to the left. (this is what I had understood after numerous different people telling me what I was going to do). Well, when I turned right out of the driveway, I had a whole carload of Hondurans yelling at me in Spanish. I told them I had to talk to Matthew to see exactly where I was going, because I wasn’t sure. They didn’t want to wait for me and kept yelling at me. After I got turned around (after much yelling by them), no one got out of the car like I thought they would. Interesting. I dropped off the one lady to the left and contined on since they all seemed to be pointing straight ahead. I thought I would make one more stop and they would all get out.
Well, after the next stop I still had 3 women in the car. I had no clue where to take them or what to do with them. The other two guys (Ken and Matthew) who were driving the other two cars, told me to follow them to the next town – they must live there. I thought it would be a 10 minute drive there, we would drop them off and come back. No big deal.
Oh, did I mention Pedro (a leather worker) who jumped inside my car at the church? I had just met him that day and within 2 minutes of him telling me about his family he told me I had horrible Spanish and that I must work and study harder on it. I told him I had only been in the country for 10 months and I’m doing the best I can. He didn’t care. I spoke terrible Spanish according to him. Oh, and he’s deaf and speaks English. Still haven’t figured that one out. I didn’t really realize he was in the car with me until after the second stop and he jumped into the front passenger seat. Not sure what to do with him, I got in line and followed the other vehicles to the next town.
When we turn off the main road, Matthew gets out of his car to tell me to put my car in 4WD and we’ll go as far as the road will let us. This is when he realizes Pedro is in my car. He also had no idea Pedro came along and has no idea what to do with him at this point since he lives in the town we just came from.
So, we continue on our way. Up and over a muddy, rocky path. Matthew, in a Defender, Ken in a 15 passenger van/bus, and me in my Pathfinder. Matthew and I are able to go farther than Ken and we drop off a group of women. We get turned around and I am now in the lead. This is when drunk man number 1 tries to sell me something while trying to climb in my window. I try to close the window, but he hangs on and becomes more persistent in selling and trying to get into the car. Matthew finally yells at him from his vehicle to leave me alone and we move on.
I come upon Ken who is stuck along the road. This road is mostly large rocks and mud cut through the side of a mountain. We (or the men, I should say. I did absolutely nothing other than stand there and watch) finally get the van turned around. We continue along the way with Matthew honking “friendly country greetings” to the people along the path. Ken thought Matthew was honking at him so he stops. This is when drunk man number 2 enters the story. I had noticed him on when we were going the other way and he just stumbled out of the way when I drove by. He must have remembered me when we stopped because he stumbled his way in front of my vehicle and would not let go of the side mirror while banging on the window. I finally had to drive off and hoped he would let go!
A couple of hills later, Ken decides Matthew should go in front of us with the Defender in case if we needed to be winched out. That was an experience playing musical vehicles on a road that is one lane.
The next big hill Ken gets stuck. Time to use the winch. The guys get it out and ready only to discover the van has nothing to hook the winch to. Ken mentions that he thought he would have more trouble going over the hills with the women in the van – more weight – but is having more trouble now that he has a light load. We look at each other, shrug, and pile into the back of the van. Ken is able to get over the hill without any problems.
Thankfully, we make it back to the church without any more problems. A short little drive to the next town had turned into at least a 1 ½ hour adventure. You never know when the next adventure is right around the corner here!
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