“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.”

~ Dr. Mae Jemison, MD.

I thought about this quote from Dr. Mae Jemison, MD., when I woke up in Honduras on June 7, 2021. In her career as an engineer, physician, scientist, and astronaut, Dr. Jemison has broken barriers and created pathways for others to follow. Looking at the breathtaking scene around me, I felt like I was stepping into my imagination and unlimited possibility.

In August 2019, the Environmental Awareness Academy was just a thought, just a tiny spark of imagination. But on June 7th, imagination was being transformed into action. I was surrounded by the incredible, natural environment in and around Canterranas, Honduras with a team of incredibly talented people who were positioning themselves to make a positive, transformational impact in that community of 19,000 people.

We began the first day of our 72 hour trip with a Blessing Service on beautiful Finca San Lucas, the official home of the Environmental Awareness Academy (EAA) Honduras. This special event was hosted by the Canterranas Pastors’ Society and the Maldonado Family. The Maldonado’s grew up on this land and dedicated it that day to service to their community. Our special guests were the incoming EAA students and their parents. Excitement, joy, and a sense of expectation was running high that morning! The EAA students were each encouraged and blessed by the pastors.

Following the Blessing Service, each EAA student received a gift bag our team prepared with lots of treasures, including more school supplies, hygiene products, and chewable children’s vitamins, and lunch. They also met individually with our team nurses for a general health interview and a letter writing session. I carried these letters back with me in my suitcase to distribute to their sponsors. As of today, we have 24 EAA students in Cohort #1.

Following our morning at the farm, our team met to debrief, relax, in downtown Canterranas, known as the City of Murals. We were uncharacteristically quiet, trying to process everything that had occurred.

On June 8th, we were privileged spend an hour and a half speaking to the Mayor of Canterranas about his vision for his community. He listened intently to Roberto Del Cid and I described the vision of EAA. Later that afternoon, we spent time with the team of health professionals at the regional health clinic, listening to their descriptions of community health care needs. They had prepared comprehensive presentations about the clinic from dentistry, mental health, vaccinations, pharmacy, to maternal health. Our team nurses scrambled to take notes on all they presented.

I didn’t sleep much during this 72 hour trip to Honduras, but I left feeling energized, inspired, and ready to keep moving forward by faith. If you would like to learn more about the Environmental Awareness Academy, please click the blue, underlined link below. If you would like to participate financially or with your skills, please read how there:

Environmental Awareness Academy, Inc.

“Do not remember the past events; pay no attention to things of old. Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.”~ Isaiah 43:18-19 CSB