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Introduction:
One year ago, Hurricane Mitch pumped rainfall for days - as much as four inches an hour - over Honduras. Rivers broke their banks, destroyed crops and dumped sand and rocks for miles. In some places, the debris still lies thick enough to make once-fertile farmland look like desolate beaches. Though the rebuilding has begun, the job is far from complete.
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On the Road to Choluteca:
The Bee Gee's "Staying Alive" played on the radio, setting the stage for our trip as we wound our way through the mountains on the three hour drive, carefully steering around parts of the road that had given way under Mitch's weight and avoiding underfed beasts of burden. Because of the steep up-and-down slopes, there's a lot of gear-shifting and ear-popping driving cross-country in Honduras.
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Building 600 Homes:
On this day in Marcovia, 76-year-old Maria Herrera, stood beside a mud-stained tent, stirring soup over a wood-burning fire. Her face was serious, with a quiet dignity that comes from years of hard work and struggle. I asked her about her house before Mitch. She told me she wasn't sure exactly where it used to be. Nothing looks familiar anymore along the Choluteca River.
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An Example Worth Repeating:
Throughout the 12-hour workday, I watched women carry cement blocks on their heads, toddlers bring water from a nearby well and men carefully build walls from the ground up - smoothing cement between concrete blocks. They didn't use any power tools - there's no electricity. They didn't have any large bucket trucks - they used an oxen-drawn cart to haul loads of dirt.
Bridging the Gap:
Most communities in rural Honduras are not yet connected by roads, but only by walking paths. Without roads, it's difficult for families to bring crops to market or have access to proper health facilities. On this Saturday afternoon, we came upon a group of 20 people in the road pushing wheelbarrows, moving rocks and shoveling dirt.
Saving Lives:
Through the lush carpet of fallen pine needles, Esteban Cabrerra, a local health volunteer, and I walk to visit a community-managed health clinic. The sky was a fading blue and the air cool and crisp under the reaches of pine trees above.
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