The Fletcher Grand Tour of Georgia - Stage 1: Atlanta

With my studies at an end, my parents flew out to Atlanta to join me on a tour of the State I have called home for the last 9 months.  We are going to travel around as much of it as we could fit in to 3 weeks, including a brief foray into North Carolina.

Mum and Dad in Decatur

Dad and I at the Decatur First chapel

  The tour began with 4 days in Atlanta.  As my Mum and Dad only landed on Thursday afternoon (9th May), the Friday was a low key day visiting the local area where I live.  We went to the Emory University Campus so they could see where I had studied, and we were all amazed by the amount of chairs set out for the Graduation ceremony which was to be held on the Monday.  From Emory we went over to Decatur so they could see Decatur First United Methodist Church and the downtown area of Decatur.  After a short rest in the afternoon we concluded the first day
with a trip to the Flying Biscuit restaurant for a real taste of the South - sweet tea and all!

 

Military leaders from both sides of the Atlanta Campaign

Mum and Dad at the Jimmy Carter Center

Dinner at Sally's

On the Saturday we went down to Grant Park in south Atlanta to visit the Cyclorama.  This is the world's largest oil painting and is housed in a circular building creating a 360 degree painting depicting the Battle of Atlanta, during the American Civil War.  Not only is the painting on an immense scale but it also gives an idea of the immense scale of the battle, and the high loss of life from both sides that it caused.  After a brief bit of lunch in Grant Park we headed to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.  This was a place I had always intended visiting but had never got round to.  However, I wish I had gone previously as there was too much to see in one visit.  It was interesting to see quite how much Carter has achieved, particularly since he finished as President.  It reminded me how fortunate I was to be able to go and listen to him speak earlier in the year.  In the evening we headed out to have dinner with Sally, an employee at Decatur First UMC, and her family.  It was a lovely evening, despite a heavy downpour putting paid to plans of eating outside, with great food (ribs, cream corn, fried okra; followed by peach cobbler and home-made ice cream) and great company.
 

Presentation of the cross-stitch

Mother's Day Lunch

Sunday was my last day at Decatur First UMC. After attending the early service I taught one final adult Sunday School before Mum and Dad joined me for the 11:00 am Traditional Service.  This meant that they had to navigate the bus system of Atlanta - something they managed with no problems!  At the service Dad presented a cross stitch done by members of Thatcham Methodist Church to the senior minister of Decatur First as a sign of the bond created between Thatcham and Decatur during my time here - a physical sign of Christian unity.  It worked out nicely (and obviously completely planned by me!) that Sunday 12th May was Mother's Day in America, so I was able to take Mum and Dad out for lunch to a nice restaurant in downtown Decatur called Leon's.  We ended the day with a walk around Mason Mill Park which is close to where I live.

Mum and Dad at the MLK Center

Mural at the MLK Center

  The final day of this leg was Monday which began with a bit of time doing necessary domestic duties (washing and shopping!) before heading off to the Martin Luther King Center after lunch.  As with every time I have been there this was a moving experience reminding us all of the cost of fighting prejudice and injustice, but also the necessity of doing so.  In the evening we went to an Atlanta culinary institution known as Mary Mac's Tea Rooms for dinner with my flatmates.  Then, after a piece of birthday cake to celebrate one of my flatmate's birthdays, it was time for bed in order to be ready to hit the road for the next part of the Grand Tour!

Dinner at Mary Mac's Tea Room

An unexpected visitor from Down Under

This is a blog post I meant to write a few weeks ago but, due to studies, I am only just getting round to writing.

  It was on a Friday night that I received a Facebook message from my brother saying that he was meant to be coming to Dallas on business from New Zealand where he lives.  He reckoned that he would have the weekend off and wondered if he could come and visit.  Therefore, despite arriving in Dallas early on Thursday morning and then having to work on Thursday and Friday, Tom got up early on Saturday morning to fly in to Atlanta for a bit of a flying visit.

At the Varsity

  Before I knew he was definitely coming I had made arrangements with the two other Candler students who were doing their church placement at Decatur First UMC and a couple from the church to have lunch at The Varsity restaurant in Atlanta on that same Saturday.  Therefore, Tom landed into Atlanta and we drove straight to The Varsity.  I say straight, however, our GPS took us the wrong direction down the road, so we did take a bit of a detour.  The Varsity was started in 1928 by a man who had been told to leave Georgia Tech College for selling hot dogs on site.  So, he set up across the road from Georgia Tech and it is now supposedly the largest drive in restaurants in the world with space for 600 cars in the car park and seats 800 people inside.  Their emphasis is on fast service and their specialities are burgers and hot dogs.

At MLK Center

50th Anniversary of "I have a dream"

  After lunch we attempted to go and see the Atlanta Cyclorama (read an earlier post for information about that) but unfortunately there was an event on that weekend so the car park was full and so we had to abandon that plan.  Therefore, we went straight to the Martin Luther King Center.  I had been once before, but it is the kind of place that rewards more than one visit.  It is important to be reminded of the injustices people have faced, and continue to face; and also the cost people have paid in order to fight that injustice.  It was also good as there was a special feature for the 50th Anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" speech.  We also had the opportunity to visit MLK's birth home.  Unfortunately, people are not allowed to take photos inside.

At The Flying Biscuit

Shrimp 'n' Grits

  In the evening we went out for dinner to one of the Flying Biscuit restaurants.  This is another Atlanta institution serving good Southern food.  We went out with my flatmates and all had a good dinner.  On the way back we went via 'The White House' a residential home in Atlanta which is possibly slightly over the top - but impressive none the less.  I'm just glad that I don't have to live opposite them!!!
                                      

 The White House

At the World of Coke

Tom at World of Coke

  Sunday morning we went to The World of Coco-Cola which for most of its history has been based in Atlanta.  We had pre-booked our tickets which meant reserving an entrance time as their website recommends this.  Their website also said people must arrive within 15 minutes of their reserved time.  However, due to various reasons, we were a bit late arriving, meaning that we had to run down the street to get there on time.  We just made it, only to be told that we didn't have to worry about what time we arrived!  It was interesting reading about the history of the company, especially as Candler School of Theology and Emory University owe so much to Coca Cola.  It was slightly sad to see them celebrating its global appeal by showing a film which included a person rowing crates of Coke deep into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.  However, it was a good fun morning.

  We had hoped to get to the Cyclorama in the afternoon before Tom had to get back to the airport to return to Dallas.  However, it was once again crammed full.  So it meant that our final Atlanta culinary experience was lunch at Waffle House - not necessarily the best final memory for Tom of Atlanta, but hopefully he had enough good memories to replace it!

Celebrating the end of my studies

Atlanta Braves logo

So yesterday (Friday May 3) was my final day of studying at Candler School of Theology.  I had one final paper to submit and one exam to sit.  To celebrate Janet and Will (a lady and her son from church) offered to take me to my first ever baseball game.  It was the Atlanta Braves vs. the NY Mets which I was told was always a good match and a close rivalry.  As Will is studying to be a sports broadcaster and works for a local sports radio station we had access to the media parking behind the stadium and great seats behind the batter.  The weather wasn't predicted to be great which would have been a problem as we weren't under cover, but thankfully apart from a few spells of misty, it was generally ok, and not too cold.

  We arrived early enough for us to be able to walk around the stadium and also go to their museum which gave a lot of information on the Braves, including how the franchise started in Boston, before moving to Milwaukee and finally Atlanta in 1966.  We then returned to our seats and ordered what I am told is traditional baseball fare - a foot long hot dog, fries and Coke in a souvenir cup.  What is even better is that you don't have to leave your seats as people will take your order and then deliver where you are sitting!

Braves Pitcher Mike Minor

  I've never been a fan of football and rugby games in the UK being played on a Friday night as I've always liked Saturday afternoon sports.  However, there was a special atmosphere there with everyone coming at the end of the week, especially as I knew I had no studying to do the following day!  I can only imagine what it would have been like if the sun had been shining and the ground full.

The Braves in the field

  The Braves did not get off to a good start, after the first two innings they were 3-0 down.  For those who don't know (and to be honest, I didn't know until last night!) a team's innings lasts until 3 of their players are out; and the teams each get 9 innings.  However, as the game progressed the Braves started picking up runs and prevented the Mets from getting any more.  One interesting tradition is the "Seventh Innings Stretch" where, between the two teams 7th innings there is a break and the crowd all stand and join in singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" as a break for all people.  There are a number of stories about where the tradition began, but one suggests that a US President was at a game and was needed to stretch his legs so stood up, and all the crowd felt they should do likewise!

  Back to the game and by the end of the 8th innings the Braves were 5-4 up.  It meant that, as the Mets were batting first, if they could just get the 3 Mets batters out without conceding they would win the game without having to bat again.  The momentum seemed to be with the Braves.  They had just hit a home run to get the 5-4 advantage and the crowd were pumped up.  However, afte
r getting the first man out David Wright came in to bat.  Apparently he was the Mets' best player and had been getting abuse from some lads sitting along from us all night.  He hit a home run which levelled the scores.  So, after getting the next two men out, the Braves had to bat again; but they failed to get any runs, meaning an extra innings.  In that innings, the Mets ran away with it by getting two runs and not conceding any.  It was a disappointing end to the game as far as we were concerned, but it was an exciting game to watch and a great atmosphere of which to be a part.  It did also have a positive end as they had Friday Night Fireworks which were pretty impressive.  All in all, a great way to celebrate finishing my academic studies, and a brilliant start to my Georgia holiday!

In the concourse area of Turner Field

Easter in Decatur

Front Cover to the Traditional Order of Service

 Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Hand Bell Choir practising

Front of Decatur First UMC

  It was wonderful that I may be the other side of the Atlantic, and yet the celebration of Easter includes familiar elements reminding me that it is the same risen Saviour whom we all worship.  I had intended to start the day with the sunrise service on the Square in Decatur.  However, I didn't make it (not to do with the fact that I couldn't get up in the morning!) as the weather was awful the night before, and the forecast was not good for Easter Sunday morning.  So, instead, my Easter Sunday celebrations began with the 8.45am traditional service.  This is usually a quieter service with not too many people present.  However, the church was fairly full, even though there was a repeat at 11.  Everybody turned up in their Sunday best, which is something I think happens less of in churches in the UK these days, and was lovely to see.  Even the children were in suits, or shirts and bow ties.  It gave the impression that this was something important to which people were coming.  

Choir and others singing Handel's Messiah

The full church choir were present as were one of the hand bell choirs and a brass ensemble with timpani!  So the service began with a resounding fanfare sounding Voluntary on brass and organ which set the tone for an fantastic service.  The opening hymn was Christ the Lord is Risen Today which with the choir, brass and organ lifted the whole congregation.  Also in the service, and most importantly for me, we sang Low in the grave he lay (Up from the grave he arose).  My judgement on an Easter Sunday worship service is based solely on whether we sang that hymn!  What made this even better was that our organist, despite apparently not liking the hymn (as we found out during the sermon) re-wrote the music so that there were organ, brass, choral and timpani parts to make the chorus even more uplifting than it usually is.  Any members of the congregation who wished to were invited to join the choir in the choir loft at the close of the final hymn because, after the Benediction, the choir and those who responded all sang Hallelujah from Handel's Messiah which gave a fitting end to the worship.

The empty cross

The completed cross

 

 

Dressing the cross

After the service was over many went downstairs to join with those for the 11am service who had arrived early for something called 'Easter Eats' (so was definitely going to appeal to me!).  It was a time of fellowship over cakes and other finger foods instead of the usual Sunday School classes that many attend.  However, I didn't have long to enjoy these as I had to make my way over to the chapel for the Come As You Are (CAYA) service.  This was definitely different in tone to the first service, yet it was still evident that many people had put on their Easter finery for the service.  CAYA is the more contemporary service at Decatur First and so gone was Handel's Messiah replaced by a praise band playing more contemporary worship songs.  The atmosphere was more relaxed and the celebration more informal.  One of the great things they did was to dress the cross.  During the first couple of songs people were invited up to place flowers in the cross.  Some had brought flowers from their own gardens, others used those provided by the church.  It was powerful to see this cross transformed in just a few minutes.  The sermon was entitled 'Water Flowing Uphill' about how ridiculous the whole resurrection story really is.  Yet it continues to be believed because people experience it, rather than because they can ever be convinced of it rationally.  

  After the service I had time to go home and get changed into something more casual before going out for lunch.  The Mobley family who had kindly invited me round for Christmas Day dinner, repeated the offer - so I obviously can't be too bad a guest.  It was so nice to be part of a family at Easter and share in a traditional Southern dinner.  We had smoked meats, spinach casserole, pineapple casserole, corn casserole, potato salad, green beans - and then they brought out various chocolate pies and cakes for dessert!  I'm fairly sure we all finished the day feeling fairly full!

The day certainly was a celebratory way to start the 50 day Easter Festival!  

He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

Mi semana en Honduras

 I'm hoping this says 'My week in Honduras' because that is what I typed into Google Translate!  I would make yourself comfortable - because this may be a long one!

Rancho el Paraiso

  I flew out of Atlanta with the Decatur First United Methodist Church mission team on Saturday 9th February.  I had been warned about the landing at Tegucigalpa airport (Tegucigalpa is the capital of Honduras) as it involved a sharp turn and a steep descent.  In reality the turn and descent did not trouble me as much as how close we were to people's houses.  For an idea look at this film (and I suggest start watching it from the 2 minute mark) and look at how close the houses are!  I would not want to live in those when the jets fly over.

View in Tegucigalpa

Our first dinner

  We landed safely and, after a McDonalds lunch (sadly chains such as McDonalds, Burger King and Pizza Hut have made their way to Honduras) we set off in our bus.  Our final destination was to be Rancho el Paraiso which is near the city of San Esteban which is fairly far in land in the northern part of the country and located up in the mountains.  However, on that first day our destination was Juticalpa.  Getting out of Tegucigalpa meant driving past some real slum type housing - the type you see on TV but may never truly believe exist until you see it.  Some were made of corrugated metal, others had to make do with wood and tarpaulin; many were surrounded by piles of rubbish.  This was an instant lesson in the new world I had entered.  I had also been warned about the states of the roads - however we discovered that they had been working to improve them as many were not as potholed as we had feared.  The worst stretches meant us slowing down almost to a stop to navigate around them.  At these points rules about which side of the road to drive on were quickly discarded!  After a number of hours in the bus, and a stop at a Mennonite bakery, we reached Juticalpa where we enjoyed a rest and our first proper meal together.

Part of the clinic

Downtown Juticalpa

  After a short walk around the middle of Juticalpa we set off on the final leg of our journey - this was by far the bumpier part.  But, by lunchtime we had arrived at Rancho el Paraiso.  I had seen pictures of it, but no picture can ever truly show the beauty of the surroundings.  Sunday afternoon included a tour round the ranch - seeing animals, buildings and scenery.  In order to better serve the local villages HOI (Honduras Outreach Inc - the organisation we went with) even built a clinic on the ranch and employ a medical team.

Our welcome at Coronado

Laying a concrete floor

The latrine pit

  Monday morning saw us up at 5.30am ready for devotions at 6.15 so we could have an early breakfast and head off to the village.  The village where we worked was called Coronado (it means 'crowned' in English) and was about 30 minutes away.  The village had about 80 or 90 houses in it and a school of about 125 children.  These children and many of the adult villagers were there to greet us when we arrived.  After introductions and a few songs sung by us and them, we were split into our working groups.  Some of the team were staying behind in the school to run a vacation Bible school with the children, but the rest of us set off walking to our various houses to participate in our various tasks.  Over Monday and Tuesday I worked in two different houses.  In the first house we were laying a concrete floor throughout their house (two rooms and a porch area) in order to minimise the number of bugs that could live in the house and also make it easier to clean than the dirt floor they had.

Relaxing at the ranch

Our leader, Martha

The second house was building a latrine.  This consisted of a large pit (about 10ft deep) which a pipe ran into, and then an outhouse just on the edge of it (thankfully not so close to the edge that anyone might fall in!).  The ethos of HOI is that there should be 'sweat equity'.  Therefore, this was not a group of Americans (and British) travelling down to do all the work for the Hondurans, rather we went down to support and work alongside.  Usually, this is because they know far more about what they are doing than we do (certainly than I did!).  Our roles usually consisted of making concrete (on the ground as there were no cement mixers) and carting buckets of concrete and other materials to the places where they needed to be.  It was hard work but it was great to be able to do these small things to enable the Hondurans to do the important building works so they could really take pride in their latrines and floors when they were completed.

  Wednesday was a different day for me (for which my muscles were greatly appreciative!).  HOI employs a local pastor who travels to all the different villages when HOI mission teams are working there and offers pastoral support.  Therefore, on Wednesday morning, I was able to go with Pastor Wilmer as he went on some pastoral visits around the village.  It was a humbling experience to be welcomed into people's homes, often at difficult times in their lives.  I was reminded of the bonds of humanity because, although the language and culture was very different to home, many of the issues were the same.  There were family breakdowns, issues with addictions, disabilities and ageing.  I learnt a lot watching Wilmer coming into the homes of people he did not know and be able to offer something of the love and hope of Christ.

Valentines Day craft

Wednesday afternoon was different again.  This time I stayed at the school and helped with the children's activities.  I had been told that it was games in the afternoon - but quickly discovered I was also to help with craft!  As the following day was Valentines Day the team working with the children had brought out Valentines cards from the children of Decatur First UMC.  So Wednesday afternoon started with the children of Coronado making two cards, one for their mother and one to send back to a child of Decatur First.  However, the games started after they had finished.  Many of the children enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles as they had never seen them before.  However, for someone with no real Spanish, it was a frustrating experience trying to help them understand what to do.  So I moved on to a game which required no language - football!  There was not enough space for a game, so we stood round in a circle and just passed the ball around.  We played for over an hour and yet, unlike in England, there were no arguments, there was no-one left out, there was no-one laughed at for missing the ball - it was just good fun.  I just wish children in England could witness this and learn.  What is more, these children played in flip-flops or sandals and still demonstrated far greater skill than I could ever hope for!

The middle school library

Aldersgate Elementary School

  Thursday was our final day in the village, but before going there we went to Culuco where HOI had built an elementary and a middle school.  The elementary school was called Aldersgate to recognise its Methodist heritage.  When John Wesley's Aldersgate experience was explained to the Honduran members of HOI they decided to call the school Puerta del Renacimiento (Door of Rebirth) as its Spanish name, and so both names appear.  Both schools are very basic, and yet there were many children who desire to attend.  They said that they have also noticed that children are remaining in school longer than ever before - which can only be a good thing for these children, their families and the villages as a whole.  If anyone is looking for a way to be involved but can't go to Honduras, then HOI are always looking for people to provide scholarships to enable children to get the education they need and deserve - so please do check out their website.  

Saying goodbye

A final look at Coronado

The rest of the morning was work as usual - although as most of the projects were completed, or near completed, there wasn't much work left.  By lunchtime all the projects we set out to do had been done.  As a team we built 8 latrines, laid concrete floors in 8 homes, built 2 chimneys to divert smoke from cooking fires out of the houses and built two room additions.  What is more, our team working with the children taught 125 children throughout the week.  In the afternoon the village gathered to say goodbye.  There were speeches and songs from Hondurans and Americans and both national anthems were sung.  This meant I had to put my hand on my heart and mumble along to the American national anthem - but I pictured the Union Jack and the Queen all the way through!  At the end of the farewell fiesta we handed out a Bible to every family in the village.  It was amazing to see so many people so keen to get a Bible.  For many it will be the only book that they own.  And then the time came to say our farewells, make our way through the crowds, board the Land Cruisers and head back to the Ranch for the final time.

Sunset over Tegucigalpa

Our final dinner together

  Early on Friday morning and, after worship (where Pastor Wilmer asked me to share the reflection - thankfully with a few days notice) we set off on our journey to Tegucigalpa.  Unlike on the way to the ranch, we were not going to stop overnight at Juticalpa.  Therefore, it was going to be a 7 hour bus ride with just a couple of short stops on the way.  Typically, that was the day when I didn't feel particularly well.  Thankfully, I wasn't actually ill on the journey, and the time went fairly quickly.  What is more, in hindsight, I would prefer to not feel so great that day, rather than miss a day in the village through ill health.  We arrived in Tegucigalpa in the early afternoon.  Some people went to visit local souvenir shops - I just lay down and rested until dinner!  Our final meal together felt such a different experience to the meals we had shared through the week.  We were all wearing nice clothes, we were in surroundings which suggested such luxury compared with the reality of the lives of the people in Coronado.  This definitely did feel like the first step back into the world we had left behind just one week previously.

  Before I knew it Saturday morning had arrived, we packed up, left the hotel and headed for the airport.  Just a few short hours later and we were in the air, flying over Honduras and heading back to Atlanta - my Honduran adventure at an end.

New found machete skills

View of Honduras

   So what will I take away?  Firstly, a great love for Honduras, the country and its people.  This is a country I really want to return to.  There is so much work to do, but there is also so much that we, from richer countries, can learn about the way life and community can be.  I will also take away a real appreciation for short term mission.  When done right (at the invitation of, and in partnership with those you go to work with) it can be of benefit to the place you go to and also the church group you go with.  I would love one day to return with a group from the UK.  Finally, I will take away another facet of the image of God that I saw in the faces of those I worked with.  I hope and pray that they experienced something of God's love for them through my actions and limited words, because I certainly experienced something of it from them.  

The Decatur First UMC team