FARMINGTON – The Maine-Honduras Partnership is a covenantal relationship between the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ and the Evangelical and Reformed Church of Honduras.

It has been in existence since Hurricane Mitch laid waste to Honduras in 1998. Teams have gone from the Maine UCC churches to partner with members of the churches of Honduras to rebuild and repair churches, parsonages, homes, schools and bridges and to provide medical care and treatment – at the same time, building relationships.

The seven churches of the Franklin Association of the United Church of Christ (New Sharon Congregational, Old South in Farmington, Phillips Shared Ministry, Rangeley Congregational, Shorey Chapel in Industry, Weld Congregational and Wilton Congregational) have been sending teams to Honduras since 2004.

In 2007, two teams helped build a kitchen for the women who are attempting to provide a noon meal for the children. They made major repairs to the school building and brought school supplies.

In addition to construction teams, they have brought medical teams to address the void of medical care and treatment to the rural communities. They are helping to finance the community’s project to bring electricity to their side of the mountain.

The Franklin Association will have two trips returning to El Junco – Jan. 7 to 14 and 16 to 23 – to begin a project that includes the building of 22 “pilas.” They are water-holding tanks (about the size of a bathtub) that incorporate a wash basin with built-in scrub board.

The “pilas” will allow 22 families to improve their available water supply by catching water when it is available. They will also build a “bodega,” a storage closet, outside the school kitchen and make repairs to the “bano,” the girls and boys bathroom.

The medical teams will work out of the clinic in Pinalejo, as well as go into the mountain villages where medical care is a rare service. They will deliver more school supplies and clothing, and bring cloth and sewing supplies to introduce the diaper/blanket project.

While in Pinalejo, they expect to have a conversation with the community leadership about Heifer Project International’s bee project.

Those interested in participating in a project in January should contact the Rev. Marcia Charles at [email protected] or 474-7383.

The Franklin Association Honduras Partnership Committee is Sherry Jenckes, Sueli Gaewsky, Wendy Huish and Debbie Davis-Robinson (Old South); Carl Wegner (Wilton); Janice Thorpe (Rangeley); and Marcia Charles, chairwoman (New Sharon/Shorey Chapel).