Monday, August 17, 2009

A glazing mission

Every Memorial Day for at least eight years, my wife, Linda, and I have traveled to Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras, for a week to be part of a medical and missionary team from our church, Fellowship Bible Church of Little Rock. We go out into the city and set up a site with doctors, dentists, an optometrist, a pharmacy and a children’s area. The peoples’ physical needs are the draw we use to then address their spiritual needs, which are our true focus.

This year is particularly special, as we will travel to Honduras at least three times to help build a new mission home for World Gospel Outreach, our yearly host.

On July 14, Linda and I traveled to Tegucigalpa with two ACE Glass Co. associates, Blake and Isaac; our good friend, Johnny; and our middle son, Chris. Amidst the political turmoil, we set out to install the aluminum, single-glazed windows that had been sent a few weeks before our arrival via an emptied Dole banana container going back to Honduras.

In 3-1/2 work days--with occasional help from two very energetic Honduran men, Antonio and Caesar-- we installed 200 window units. Isaac, being bilingual, instructed four Honduran men, believed to have some caulking proficiency, how we wanted the backerod installed and the bronze GE Silpruf applied. They turned out to be pretty good caulkers and are reported to be doing a fine job in our absence. We’ll find out personally when we return in September.

We have about 40 remaining windows units to install in the basement and two other buildings; the holes weren’t ready in July. We will then install a beautiful executive office entrance provided by Alpha Door & Rail and M3 Glass Technologies with DecoTherm logo and 18 Vistawall Oldcastle aluminum doors, frames and sidelites.

These trips are very rewarding personally, and the Hondurans are vocally appreciative to have us help their country and them. Their smiles and laughter are infectious. You can’t imagine how economically poor they are until you experience it.

By Newton Little, executive vice president and co-founder, ACE Glass Co., Little Rock, Ark.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a refreshing departure from the usual involvements by the glass community.
E Smith

Anonymous said...

What a Wonderful Contribution to LIFE!!!!

Joe and Janet said...

Way to go Newton!

Joe CMA said...

Newton;
It was great to read about the mission trip you , your wife and son went on. I'm sure it was a blessing for the Hondurans as well as for your team!! I am the service manager for a vinyl window manufacturer based in Wilkes Barre, Pa., I would love to go on a working mission trip like that. My wife and I are going on a mission trip to Honduras Nov. 7th - 14th with the Christian Motorcyclists Association to donate dirt bikes to pastors there. The first mission trip we went on was 3 years ago to Guatemala we donated motorcycles to pastors there and we were able to take one day to work on the host family's church 2nd and 3rd floors school, hanging doors, installing bathroom fixtures, painting, ect. It was a very rewarding experience!!
God bless you for using your business to bless others who desperately need it.
In His service;
Joe and Sandy Caignon <><