Calimesa medical mission

This week Paya Bay is again hosting the medical mission from Calimesa, California. This morning I took these photos of people from the surrounding communities who come and receive free dental, vision, and general medical care from the American health professionals and their support crew. The dentists and doctors help many people during their hectic, four-day service schedule. Paya Bay proudly supports this kind and generous gift to the island community.

policemen's day off at Paya

This afternoon, in a gesture of gratitude to the policemen and policewomen who help our island community safe, Paya Bay hosted a group of young Policia Nacional personnel for their day off.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

annual camporee

A local church's youth program is having its anual camporee on the property's Big Beach this weekend.

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

Helping protect Roatan's marine park

On Tuesdays we provide lunch for Reneel Solorzano, the East End park ranger, and the two Honduran soldiers from the naval base that accompany him on his patrol boat. This is one of the ways Paya Bay helps protect the island's natural resources, practicing good corporate citizenship.

the flambo project 2.0

Continuing the Flambo Project, we currently have another 120 young flamboyant (also known as royal poinciana) trees to plant along the main island road here in Roatan's East End communities. This year we want to get the children from the local primary school involved in the project. I'll post reports as the project progresses during the next couple of weeks.

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

community meeting

This evening Paya Bay hosted a meeting of community leaders and activists from the two largest villages of Roatan's East End: Diamond Rock and Camp Bay. Laura Bodden, our senior community leader/activist, chaired the meeting. In mid-2016, the Honduran central government approved funding for the paving of the East End road (a mere 12 kilometers, the only remaining unpaved section of the island's main road). The road work is supposed to commence any moment now as the rainy season winds down. Funding for this key infrastructure project had already been approved a few years ago, only to later be redirected by corrupt politicians in Tegucigalpa looking out for their own personal interests, instead of the interests of the Bay Islanders. We Roatan East Enders are determined to not let such a travesty happen again. The consensus is that we must pressure our local government authorities and politicians to ensure the road paving project becomes a reality this time around. It was awesome to see many new, young community activists attend and participate. We're fired up! Ready to go!

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

Map: Google Earth

yoga messiah

Tania Rozsypalova, the East End's amazing new "yoga messiah," continues to do beautiful work with the local Diamond Rock kids, introducing them to yoga and finding ways to enrich their life experiences. Great work, Tania!

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

Photos: Tania Rozsypalova

let there be art!

Ruthlen has started to deliver the island art we commissioned her to create. It's beautiful! I'm loving it!

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

thank you, calimesa!

The group of volunteer doctors, dentists, nurses, hygienists, and support staff from Calimesa, California are back once again this year with their beautiful mission of kindness. During their very busy week, they set up a field clinic in the lower floor of the beach house, and provide hundreds of less fortunate people of eastern Roatan communities with free medical and dental care. It is such a generous and beautiful gesture on the part of these outstanding Americans. Thank you, Calimesa!

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

the flambo project

My attempt to help create some hope in a world gone mad. (Click on the image above to see the full flyer; if it loads in a size (too large or too small) that's difficult to read on your screen, click on the new image once or twice and it will resize to properly fit your screen). This project has been in the works for the last eight months. Tomorrow, 19 November (which happens to be my birthday), it will be launched.

The young, ready-to-transplant Flamboyant trees.

calimesa 2015 - the fifth year!

This week Paya Bay once again hosts a medical mission. A mission that's the admirable, herculean effort of a group of kind, generous people from Calimesa, California. This is the Calimesa group's fifth! year providing free medical and dental services to less fortunate residents of island communities near the resort. For many islanders, this yearly mission represents a rare opportunity to access quality health and dental care. The dentists stay particularly busy, assisting hundreds of patients over four working days. The American professionals perform extractions, fillings, and even root canals! This mission of altruism and love is generously supported by the Calimesa Seventh Day Adventist Church. I think I speak for all Roatanians in expressing heart-felt gratitude for the solidarity, kindness, and goodwill that are the essence of this international outreach program. Muchisimas gracias, Calimesa SDA!

Paya Bay Resort, Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.