Peggy Elliott, of Community UMC in Crofton, has launched out in a conference truck to deliver medical
supplies to a remote village in Nicaragua. She writes from the road.
Day 10: Sun., Feb. 24, 2008
on-unpacking and rest
The hospital in in the process of moving to a new facility, about 5 blocks from their current one, so it was decided to unload everything at a store room at the new building. The off load went fine until we saw that the wheelbase of the xray machine was too wide to go down the ramp. After much discussion and gesticulation as is the custom here, I think the decision is on Monday, to get it onto a pallet then use a forklift to lower it down. They will need to do that anyway eventually to move into the hospital, as most things here are constructed with many small steps that the machine is not made to go across. Everything else is secure and I will go over with the hospital people next week what they might want to move to the old building to use immediately, and what things like the xray film will need better climate control storage.
We (especially me) are still way behind on rest, so I am revising our return plans to take it easier, particularly through the Mexico leg, as that is truly draining.
Probably won't be sending out emails for the next few days unless there's something interesting to say- how many times can I say how good a bed feels and still hold my readership!
Thought after leaving customs- I didn't do it, and nobody saw me!!
Love, Peggy
Day 9: Sat., Feb. 23, 2008
We made it!
All of today was spent sitting on hard benches doing the minutia of clearing customs. Stamps, signatures, fees, stand in line, wait, lunch from 1-2 where it all stops dead, inspections, negotiations, yadda, yadda, yadda, then a big sigh of relief as we finally passed through the gate into Guatemala.
Arrived in Xela to a minor problem, the yard they had planned to park the truck for security had a gate that was about 6 inches to low for the truck to pass under. They finally decided to take it out to a farm that one of the church members owns.
Finally got back to Dr. Hugo's home and a warm welcome from hs wife Miriam (he's out of town until Monday). I'm afraid we aren't good company, after 8 days of hard travel, the sight of a soft, quiet, safe bed is too great a lure- Good night to all!
If someone is too tired to give you a smile, leave one of your own, because no one needs a smile as much as those who have none to give.
Love, Peggy
Day 8: Fri., Feb. 22, 2008
Mexico Guatemala border FINALLY!
Not quite as long a day today, we are at the Guatemala border, waiting in a hotel for our friends from Xela to come over and help us process the entry. Don´t know if it will be late tonight or the morning, but I wanted to get this out as well as the last two so you know we have emerged from the depths of Mexico.
It was a fast, fond farewell to our angels, as they were anxious to make it home to El Salvador tonight.
I hadn't been able to make my cell phone work through Mexico, but suddenly I got a text message from the Fire Dept as we pulled into the hotel. I am able to text, but not call. Go figure. At least I can communicate with my kids in their own language, now.
Thinking that having a family is like having a bowling alley installed in your head!!
Love, Peggy
Day 7: Thurs., Feb. 21, 2008
Southern Mexico
Another day of grinding along Mexican back roads, also known as ¨superhighways¨, construction, potholes, crazy drivers, sharp curves, farm animals and tractors. People pass like idiots, and I´m sad to say, Mike has gone native. It is HOT now, we came down the Gulf side until after Vera Cruz, then cut across in the dark to the west, stopping just as we approached the Pacific. The weather has cleared and we had a beautiful view of the lunar eclipse.
Our angels are still keeping us in line, lots of laughing and joking around now at stops, we have a lot of shared misery to bond with!
Tonight´s hotel not a classy as the last, no water, no a-c, but I won´t notice for more than a second before I crash!
For every minute you are angry with someone, you loose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never replace.
Love, Peggy
Day 5: Tues., Feb. 19, 2008
Customs Broker paperwork
Yes, it did nearly take the whole day. We had to enter each item on the inventory of 90 boxes and 35 other kinds of items, translate into Spanish and put a value on each thing. Some of the things I had are not allowed to transit Mexico- adult diapers, the stuffed prayer bears for example, so they are buried unlabeled in the piles of boxes and hoping for the best. Then the paperwork was transmitted to Mexico City, approved and returned after about an hour. When we go to the border in the morning, they seal the truck and nothing can come out or in until Guatemala. (Mike thinks they are actually guarding against truckfuls of gringos being smuggled into Mexico work in the fields). I?m a little worried that the spare tire and tool box are put away, but there?s no room for them in the cab.
We met a lot of very nice truckers who were very helpful in offering advice. One in particular is following the same route as us and has offered to include us in his caravan of 3 Freightliners as long as we can meet up with him at the Customs point at 5 in the morning. I think we?ll try for that. Maybe he?ll be able to take care of the bribes!!
Thanks to all for the encouraging emails and prayers-
Love, Peggy
Thinking- If you are walking on thin ice, you might as well dance!
Day 4: Mon., Feb. 18, 2008
Tex-Mex border
Some of those blankets we got from Gautier UMC never even made it to the border. Soon after getting underway this morning we came upon an accident on Interstate 10. A van full of migrant workers had been towing another van packed full of their possessions when it fishtailed on the rainy road and threw them into the trees. They had initially told the police they were ok, were all walking around when we stopped, but as I talked to one lady, her adrenaline rush began to wear off and it was clear she needed to be taken to the hospital. The blankets kept her cozy and dry until the ambulance arrived.
Then we were off again for a REALLY boring 600 miles of south Texas, broken only by a great lunch at Jalisco's Taqueria. There is a whole county you drive through south of Kingsville for 60 miles, that has no towns, stores, gas, side roads or any features at all except a picnic area half-way. I think it is all one very large private ranch.
I was chatting with Katie about noontime, when she suddenly asked me why her house fire alarms had just gone off. I could hear them shrieking in the background. Talk about a helpless feeling. (Everything was ok, eventually) One piece of great news, even as overloaded as the truck is, we've gotten 12.2 mpg overall on the trip.
Think about this- The happiest person is someone who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
Love, Peggy
Day 2: Sat., Feb. 16, 2008
Almost a year of talking about it, now I'm finally on the way!!
Had a totally uneventful and easy (boring, except for the good book-on-tape) trip from Maryland to Cleveland, Ohio, where I'm to pick up the x-ray machine, developing unit, and associated "stuff" in the morning. Hope it fits, the truck already looked full and weighed out at 9600 lbs. when I left today.
I have to say I was incredibly amazed and humbled yesterday when I did the list of people to send this message to. I started out with family and a couple of close friends, then began adding everyone who had contributed somehow, by donation of funds, material, prayers, words of encouragement, admin and insurance help, packing skills, driver training, translation help, and especially the practical soul that researched the internet to provide me the proper amount and method to do "the bribes" - and even made a hefty contribution to do them! How can this mission ever fail with such a host of saints in support of it.
Thanks again to all of you who have made this happen, I hope to be able to convey to you in the next few weeks the tremendous impact your contributions will make to save lives and souls in Guatemala.
Love,
Peggy
Thought for today- You can't tell how deep a puddle is until you step in it.
Day 1: Friday, Feb. 15, 2008
Somewhere in either Tennessee or North Alabama
It was a cold and snowy morning when I pulled up to NCD Corporation to get the x-ray.
When the waehouse manager opened the back, he got this look on his face that told me he was sure it would all never fit in- Additionally, the dock platform was about a foot higher than the back of the small truck, and we couldn't drop it over the ledge- Eventually, he took the equipment off the pallets, put it on a larger truck with a lift gate, took both trucks out in the parking lot backed together at an angle, and transferred it over. Then we stuffed and crammed everything else in around the edges, and it all fit. Of course, Mike will have to ride down now with the spare tire in his lap, but- you have to have a spare tire and it's only 1500 miles. See photos attached.
Then it was off to the south. Midnight, 650 miles later, and still excited.
Love, Peggy
Thought: You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it. Robin Williams
