August 21, 2025 • 18 mins
A Christmas promise made in desperation. A small Midwestern town demonstration of compassion. A struggling Honduran village where families go days without food. These seemingly unrelated elements converge in an extraordinary story of connection that demonstrates how compassion can bridge any divide. We explore the remarkable story of how the communities of Greensburg, Indiana and Cucuyagua, Honduras formed an unlikely but powerful connection through compassionate community action.
When Tom Ricke's wife Susan faced a life-threatening medical emergency on Christmas Day 1990, he made a vow to God—if she survived, he would do anything asked of him. Years later, Father Carlton Beever visited their church in Greensburg, Indiana, sharing heartbreaking stories of children and families struggling to survive in Honduras.
What followed defied all expectations. The parishioners of St Mary’s Church and community of Greensburg mobilized in unprecedented ways. Even Mayor Joshua Marsh joined the mission, traveling to Honduras and forming meaningful connections. What resulted was not just building houses, but comprehensive support systems including community centers, feeding programs, education facilities, and job training.
This powerful story reminds us that when hearts break open for others, churches, families and even local students can create extraordinary change. Join us to discover how two communities separated by distance, language, and circumstances found common ground in compassion and created a miracle that continues to grow.
To learn more about Food for the Poor's integral community development work in Honduras, visit foodforthepoor.org/adoptavillage
Beyond The Plate is a podcast by international charity, Food For The Poor
Sign-up for our Best Bite and get exclusive access to our podcast, including food recipes from the 15 countries Food For The Poor serves, giveaways, e-books, and more. Click to join our Best Bite: https://bit.ly/BTP-bestbite
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Today's episode takes us on a journey between two
places that couldn't seem moredifferent Greensburg.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Indiana Food for the Poor came to visit when they
were in Greensburg and reachedout about just sharing what the
St Mary's community was workingon.
St Mary's is our largest church.
We're about 13,000 people insoutheastern Indiana and they
have a real passion for helpinglocal and internationally and
Cucuyagua, Honduras.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
First saw that the people in Honduras.
They had absolutely nothing.
They didn't eat for three days,but their hearts were just full
of gladness and joy and sinceregratitude for what they had.
Their faith was absolutelyunbelievable.
I just knew that we had to helpthese people.
(00:51):
It just jumped out at me.
It just had to be done.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
One, a small American town known for a tree growing
out of its courthouse tower, theother a rural farming community
in the heart of Honduras' drycorridor.
But what connects them isnothing short of miraculous.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
That's where the connections really help.
Blossom is that we can bereally proud of the work that
fellow Greensburg natives aredoing to help people around the
world, because it's really ahumankind kind of piece and not
just the down the street kind ofpiece.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
This is Food for the Poor, but we're not just food.
We go beyond the plate todiscuss a full range of
development programs, alldesigned to break the cycle of
poverty by empowering peoplewith the tools and training they
need to transform their livesfor generations to come.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
These stories will inspire you and, best of all,
you can be part of the changethat takes place.
Join us as we go Beyond thePlate.
All right Food for the Poorworks in 15 countries across
Latin America and the Caribbean,and one of those six priority
(02:05):
countries is Honduras, and theneed there is urgent, and nearly
half of the population lives inpoverty that's more than one in
10, who survive on what'sequivalent of $2 a day.
And in Cucuyagua, wheredroughts devastate crops, even
farming families struggle tosurvive.
But hope has a way of findingits way in.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I'm glad you said Cucujagua, because I had to
actually write it down so Idon't mispronounce it.
It's a big part of what we'retalking about today and that's
why we have such passionateclergy speakers that basically
they, like Father Carlton Beaver, regularly speak in churches
like St Mary's Church in thebeautiful city of Greensburg,
(02:46):
indiana, where he shares theexperiences of what he has seen
in places like Cucujagua, aswell as become the voice for the
voiceless in places likeCucujagua, honduras.
Now, father Carlton, welcome toBeyond the Plate and just kind
of get us right into what youtalked to that group of
(03:07):
parishioners that beautiful dayin St Mary's Church in
Greensburg, indiana.
What was it that you sharedwith them about this beautiful
country and this beautifulcommunity?
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Well, I shared with them stories of my experience
doing mission trips, especiallyin Honduras, and about the
poverty I saw and about thechildren and how people struggle
just to have enough food to eat, clothes to wear, basically
surviving day to day, and Ithink those stories are what
(03:39):
touched people's hearts.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
You set the stage there, father Carlton.
You do this all the time as oneof our clergy speakers in our
Church Alliances division, butit's not even the need is so
clear.
You obviously arrestedeveryone's hearts with
compassion.
Now, two people that were inthat parishion, that
congregation, that particularday were our other guests, tom
(04:03):
and Susan Rickey.
Now, susan, I have to hear yourtake on.
You know, what did you feel,what did you experience when you
heard the cries of people thatyou've never met before, through
the voice of Father Carlton?
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Well, I first have such an advantage of being a
woman.
I think we hear the thingsabout the children the most.
If you hear that a child isdying of starvation, it was
incomprehensible to me and thatyou know it's already going over
(04:41):
your head and on yours and thatis what struck me so much and I
felt that Tom was reallymarching in to the one you just
said and I saw Tom lookingaround the church and things.
But other than that, I have tosay it's a normal.
You know Sunday belief where wehave this new fantasy, or you
know true solutions fromdifferent portions of the saints
(05:02):
, and I've known as a father forall of them for years because
he was our associate pastorwhere we have his new fantasy.
Or you know, it's recently justfrom different organizations,
and I've known as a father forall of them for years because he
was our associate pastor beforeand nothing dropped.
So I think that's basicallywhat it is about the children.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So you brought Tom into this, because I've been
waiting to ask Tom about this.
You're sitting in the churchnext to your beautiful wife.
You're hearing thisimpassionate plea by Father
Carlton, someone you've knownfor years, but now you know this
side of the work that he doesthrough Food for the Poor.
But it was something thathappened a little earlier in
(05:40):
life that really kicked all ofthis off.
So, Tom, can you take us backto Christmas Day 1990, and that
promise that you made to God?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yes, absolutely, I sure will.
My wife, susan, woke me up atabout 1130 that night, christmas
Eve night, and she told me shesays, tom, she says I cannot
move my arm or leg, arm or lay,and then I said, okay, we better
(06:18):
get to the hospital so thehospital could be the terminal
hospital.
It was only two blocks from myhouse, so we got in the car,
went over there really quick andthe first thing that they said
the doctor, come in right away.
And he said we believe the wiseis dying, and so we took her to
(06:40):
more tests.
And then first thing I did wasgo to the chapel, which is right
there, and I cried like a babeand I told I asked the good Lord
if you would spare her lifethat I would do anything and
everything if she asked of me.
(07:02):
From here on out, no matterwhat it is, I will do it, no
question asked.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Well, you know spoiler alert for our audience
Susan made it through.
Here she is Okay, Look at howbeautiful she looks.
I mean you wouldn't know, butit was the community of prayers
that really brought a lot ofcomfort and brought you through
a very difficult and dark time.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And we're talking here with Susan and Tom Ricky,
father Carlton as well on thecall and soon to join us right
here in the next segment.
Mayor of Greensburg Indiana.
I want to jump back to you, tom, and Susan as well, on the call
and soon to join us right herein the next segment.
Mayor of Greensburg Indiana.
I wanna jump back to you, tomand Susan, so eventually, 30
years in the future, you guysjumped on a plane and traveled
to Honduras, where you actuallysaw the need firsthand.
(07:46):
What story jumped on board yourheart and made its way back
home to Greensburg Indiana.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
The first saw that the people in in honduras, um,
they had absolutely nothing, um,they didn't eat for three days,
but their hearts were just fullof, uh, gladness and joy and
sincere gratitude for what theyhad.
Their faith was absolutelyunbelievable and I just knew
(08:19):
that we, we had to help thesepeople.
It just, it just jumped out atme, it just, it just had to be
done you went to honduras, yousaw a person in need first.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Right, you saw you probably small, you saw one
house, one family and you didn'tdecide just to just kind of
help out that one family.
You said, let's take on thecommunity itself.
I want to take this wholecommunity back to Greensburg,
indiana.
And then something incrediblehappened which you kind of
lightly spoke up on that.
So you said, everybodyresponded.
The community respondedchurches, schools, businesses,
(08:50):
even the mayor of Greensburg,joshua Marsh, joined in the
mission.
Mayor Marsh, welcome to Beyondthe Plate.
What did you see in Cucujagua?
What stood out to you about thepeople and your counterpart,
the local mayor, who donatedthat land for this project and
something about a key to thecity.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
If you can elaborate on that, yeah, well, thanks for
having me, and this program isreally a fascinating one.
Food for the Poor came to visitwhen they were in Greensburg
and reached out about justsharing what the St Mary's
community was working on.
St Mary's is our largest church.
We're about 13,000 people insoutheastern Indiana and they
have a real passion for helpinglocal and internationally.
(09:30):
So it was great to see theprogram, but what really stood
out to me and what got meinterested in attending the
first trip to Honduras was thisidea that the wraparound
services create a much morestable community.
It's not simply a basket ofsomething, it's an education,
it's a community, it's agovernment style system that
(09:53):
maybe here in the States wewould care, you know, consider
it to be like an HOA, but it's acommunity driven leadership
organization that, as somebodywho's in local government and
really appreciates andunderstands, you know the law
behind how do we createcivilizations in society?
The concept was really reallyfascinating to me.
(10:13):
So we jumped on a plane withthe group, went to Honduras, met
with two mayors actually SanPedro Sula and Cucuyagua had an
opportunity.
They presented us with a key tothe city and we were able to
leave them a few gifts ofourselves.
But their mayor in Cucuyagua isa young guy too, so it is a
great opportunity to connectwith what they are struggling
(10:35):
with, with what they're workingon, and his support and donation
of the land from the city tothis village really helps bring
the whole, the whole idea, tolife, and can't wait to get back
later this year and reconnectwith them.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
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You know you talk about the.
You use the word compassion andI, I, I and this, this.
This really was more than that.
It was literally hearts werelet just rent for this community
(12:11):
, for what you all saw and whatyou brought back.
And I mean, if we saw I mean wesaw from your community of what
30,000 in Greensburg plus allof the neighboring communities,
it's just a testament to what acommunity rallies around, the
vision God has given for thosewhose heart are bent towards
(12:31):
this.
But I just have to say you knowyou were kind of modest in.
Tom was a little bit modest whenhe just talked about the
million dollars.
Let's kind of break that down alittle bit.
First of all, tom, your numbersare off.
It's $1,145,000.
Okay, and counting.
I'm sure You're talking aboutmedical equipment that went down
(12:52):
.
They were talking aboutbicycles that were donated
through another organization,penny Wars, as you mentioned,
the 13,000 from the students.
And then what was reallyfascinating to me was the
trailer, the trailer that wetried to pack all of this stuff
in.
You couldn't even get the doorclosed.
It was like literally you hadto take everything out and
(13:14):
reshuffle it and repack it.
That's a great problem to have.
That's a great problem to have.
But what I love about this wasit's the community center, where
now communities can cometogether with that harmony and
this integral communitydevelopment.
It's a feeding center, wherechildren and families can get
the nutrition and the healththat they need.
(13:34):
St Vincent de Paul with theirbicycles so that communities can
get around, different ones canget around.
A pallet of bicycle parts andclothing.
Decatur County MemorialHospital with physical therapy
equipment Everything was thoughtof.
Everything in this communitythat they needed in Cucuyagua
(13:55):
was thought of, and we justagain reemphasize this word
miracle, miracle that we gotfrom you all.
Now, mayor Marsh, I want to goback to you for just one moment,
because here you are, the mayorof this community.
You're accountable for how thiscommunity responds to someplace
so far away, so different fromyour own community in southern
(14:18):
Indiana.
But you saw sewing andseamstress training.
You saw welding schools, yousaw culinary training.
You saw the water purificationunits that were to be built in
the community that they'resupporting, helping bring extra
income in addition to deliveringsafe water.
How did it make you feel, asyou came back to your
(14:40):
constituents, to your community,to your family, saying we're
going to get behind this and, asyou said your own words, we're
looking forward to going back.
What did it make you feel?
What did it make you feel likeinside, as the leader of and the
head of the mayor of thiscommunity you know, and how it
represents Greensburg toHonduras?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Well, I think it's really important first to put
really more emphasis on that.
St Mary's is leading the chargeon this right.
The city of Greensburg is, andI've been personally a big
supporter of it and the ideathat we help share what the idea
and the vision is.
So I think it's important tosay you know, this is a St
Mary's-led project and I'm soproud that they get to call
Greensburg home first of all.
(15:20):
So the connection really isrooted in.
We talk about job training,child care, education and
betterment all the time forpeople, and in this case, we are
helping people start on a veryfundamental level, a level that
is required for them to advanceand better their lives.
(15:41):
So when we talk about peoplehelping people, this is the way
to do it, and the programmingthat is on the ground is really
what was, I guess, being truthtested right.
Is it actually working?
We went to a completed village.
We saw the community centers,we saw the schools, we saw kids,
you know, learning in airconditioned environments which
create a more conduciveeducational environment for them
(16:05):
, and I think that that is whatwe can talk about when we come
home and showcase our community.
They struggle with access tohealthcare, making sure the
infrastructure is in place tosupport industry and agriculture
and jobs that support people attheir level.
And I think that that's wherethe connections really help.
Blossom is that we can bereally proud of the work that
(16:28):
fellow Greensburg natives aredoing to help people around the
world, because it's really ahumankind kind of piece and not
just the down the street kind ofpiece.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
I want to share a quick fact nugget from
Greensburg, indiana.
The Decatur County Courthousein Greensburg, indiana, is known
for a tree which grows from thetop of the courthouse tower
right, and that's what givesGreensburg its nickname Tree
City.
That's correct, all right Froma tree growing out of a
courthouse tower to a tree oflife growing in between two
(17:01):
communities.
You see what I did there.
This is what happens whenpeople listen and when they act
and when they believe.
Mayor Marsh, you were againpresented with the key to the
city of Cucuyagua.
What has this experience shownyou about your own community
here?
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, I think it's a great opportunity.
You know people value whenothers care.
It doesn't matter where you arein the world, and I really
appreciate the mayor'shospitality of our entire
delegation while we were there.
I really appreciate the mayor'shospitality of our entire
delegation while we were there.
Obviously, this investment bythese folks at St Mary's is
helping his community, but itreally means a lot when they
(17:38):
take the time.
He wants.
He wanted to learn about theTree City.
He shared a key to the citywith us as a community and you
know I invited him to come visitus sometimes, just as we have
come to visit him, and you knowI look forward to that
opportunity to welcome him tothe Tree City sometime in the
future.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
That'd be amazing and hopefully we can revisit that
moment so we can take it backall the way to December of 1990,
where it all started, wherethis miracle started and it's
still happening today.
Thank you, tom, today.
Thank you, tom Susan, thank youFather Carlton, thank you once
again Mayor of Greensburg,indiana, joshua Marsh, and
everyone who's tuned in today toBeyond the Plate.
Thank you all.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Thanks for listening.
We hope you felt the connection.
One plate, one story, one actof love can change everything.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Discover more stories and join our community at
foodforthepoororg slash podcastand follow us, too, at
beyondtheplatepodcast.
Together we can make adifference.
This is beyond the plate.
Today's episode takes us on a journey between two
places that couldn't seem moredifferent Greensburg.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Indiana Food for the Poor came to visit when they
were in Greensburg and reachedout about just sharing what the
St Mary's community was workingon.
St Mary's is our largest church.
We're about 13,000 people insoutheastern Indiana and they
have a real passion for helpinglocal and internationally and
Cucuyagua, Honduras.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
First saw that the people in Honduras.
They had absolutely nothing.
They didn't eat for three days,but their hearts were just full
of gladness and joy and sinceregratitude for what they had.
Their faith was absolutelyunbelievable.
I just knew that we had to helpthese people.
(00:51):
It just jumped out at me.
It just had to be done.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
One, a small American town known for a tree growing
out of its courthouse tower, theother a rural farming community
in the heart of Honduras' drycorridor.
But what connects them isnothing short of miraculous.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
That's where the connections really help.
Blossom is that we can bereally proud of the work that
fellow Greensburg natives aredoing to help people around the
world, because it's really ahumankind kind of piece and not
just the down the street kind ofpiece.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
This is Food for the Poor, but we're not just food.
We go beyond the plate todiscuss a full range of
development programs, alldesigned to break the cycle of
poverty by empowering peoplewith the tools and training they
need to transform their livesfor generations to come.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
These stories will inspire you and, best of all,
you can be part of the changethat takes place.
Join us as we go Beyond thePlate.
All right Food for the Poorworks in 15 countries across
Latin America and the Caribbean,and one of those six priority
(02:05):
countries is Honduras, and theneed there is urgent, and nearly
half of the population lives inpoverty that's more than one in
10, who survive on what'sequivalent of $2 a day.
And in Cucuyagua, wheredroughts devastate crops, even
farming families struggle tosurvive.
But hope has a way of findingits way in.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I'm glad you said Cucujagua, because I had to
actually write it down so Idon't mispronounce it.
It's a big part of what we'retalking about today and that's
why we have such passionateclergy speakers that basically
they, like Father Carlton Beaver, regularly speak in churches
like St Mary's Church in thebeautiful city of Greensburg,
(02:46):
indiana, where he shares theexperiences of what he has seen
in places like Cucujagua, aswell as become the voice for the
voiceless in places likeCucujagua, honduras.
Now, father Carlton, welcome toBeyond the Plate and just kind
of get us right into what youtalked to that group of
(03:07):
parishioners that beautiful dayin St Mary's Church in
Greensburg, indiana.
What was it that you sharedwith them about this beautiful
country and this beautifulcommunity?
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Well, I shared with them stories of my experience
doing mission trips, especiallyin Honduras, and about the
poverty I saw and about thechildren and how people struggle
just to have enough food to eat, clothes to wear, basically
surviving day to day, and Ithink those stories are what
(03:39):
touched people's hearts.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
You set the stage there, father Carlton.
You do this all the time as oneof our clergy speakers in our
Church Alliances division, butit's not even the need is so
clear.
You obviously arrestedeveryone's hearts with
compassion.
Now, two people that were inthat parishion, that
congregation, that particularday were our other guests, tom
(04:03):
and Susan Rickey.
Now, susan, I have to hear yourtake on.
You know, what did you feel,what did you experience when you
heard the cries of people thatyou've never met before, through
the voice of Father Carlton?
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Well, I first have such an advantage of being a
woman.
I think we hear the thingsabout the children the most.
If you hear that a child isdying of starvation, it was
incomprehensible to me and thatyou know it's already going over
(04:41):
your head and on yours and thatis what struck me so much and I
felt that Tom was reallymarching in to the one you just
said and I saw Tom lookingaround the church and things.
But other than that, I have tosay it's a normal.
You know Sunday belief where wehave this new fantasy, or you
know true solutions fromdifferent portions of the saints
(05:02):
, and I've known as a father forall of them for years because
he was our associate pastorwhere we have his new fantasy.
Or you know, it's recently justfrom different organizations,
and I've known as a father forall of them for years because he
was our associate pastor beforeand nothing dropped.
So I think that's basicallywhat it is about the children.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
So you brought Tom into this, because I've been
waiting to ask Tom about this.
You're sitting in the churchnext to your beautiful wife.
You're hearing thisimpassionate plea by Father
Carlton, someone you've knownfor years, but now you know this
side of the work that he doesthrough Food for the Poor.
But it was something thathappened a little earlier in
(05:40):
life that really kicked all ofthis off.
So, Tom, can you take us backto Christmas Day 1990, and that
promise that you made to God?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yes, absolutely, I sure will.
My wife, susan, woke me up atabout 1130 that night, christmas
Eve night, and she told me shesays, tom, she says I cannot
move my arm or leg, arm or lay,and then I said, okay, we better
(06:18):
get to the hospital so thehospital could be the terminal
hospital.
It was only two blocks from myhouse, so we got in the car,
went over there really quick andthe first thing that they said
the doctor, come in right away.
And he said we believe the wiseis dying, and so we took her to
(06:40):
more tests.
And then first thing I did wasgo to the chapel, which is right
there, and I cried like a babeand I told I asked the good Lord
if you would spare her lifethat I would do anything and
everything if she asked of me.
(07:02):
From here on out, no matterwhat it is, I will do it, no
question asked.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Well, you know spoiler alert for our audience
Susan made it through.
Here she is Okay, Look at howbeautiful she looks.
I mean you wouldn't know, butit was the community of prayers
that really brought a lot ofcomfort and brought you through
a very difficult and dark time.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And we're talking here with Susan and Tom Ricky,
father Carlton as well on thecall and soon to join us right
here in the next segment.
Mayor of Greensburg Indiana.
I want to jump back to you, tom, and Susan as well, on the call
and soon to join us right herein the next segment.
Mayor of Greensburg Indiana.
I wanna jump back to you, tomand Susan, so eventually, 30
years in the future, you guysjumped on a plane and traveled
to Honduras, where you actuallysaw the need firsthand.
(07:46):
What story jumped on board yourheart and made its way back
home to Greensburg Indiana.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
The first saw that the people in in honduras, um,
they had absolutely nothing, um,they didn't eat for three days,
but their hearts were just fullof, uh, gladness and joy and
sincere gratitude for what theyhad.
Their faith was absolutelyunbelievable and I just knew
(08:19):
that we, we had to help thesepeople.
It just, it just jumped out atme, it just, it just had to be
done you went to honduras, yousaw a person in need first.
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Right, you saw you probably small, you saw one
house, one family and you didn'tdecide just to just kind of
help out that one family.
You said, let's take on thecommunity itself.
I want to take this wholecommunity back to Greensburg,
indiana.
And then something incrediblehappened which you kind of
lightly spoke up on that.
So you said, everybodyresponded.
The community respondedchurches, schools, businesses,
(08:50):
even the mayor of Greensburg,joshua Marsh, joined in the
mission.
Mayor Marsh, welcome to Beyondthe Plate.
What did you see in Cucujagua?
What stood out to you about thepeople and your counterpart,
the local mayor, who donatedthat land for this project and
something about a key to thecity.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
If you can elaborate on that, yeah, well, thanks for
having me, and this program isreally a fascinating one.
Food for the Poor came to visitwhen they were in Greensburg
and reached out about justsharing what the St Mary's
community was working on.
St Mary's is our largest church.
We're about 13,000 people insoutheastern Indiana and they
have a real passion for helpinglocal and internationally.
(09:30):
So it was great to see theprogram, but what really stood
out to me and what got meinterested in attending the
first trip to Honduras was thisidea that the wraparound
services create a much morestable community.
It's not simply a basket ofsomething, it's an education,
it's a community, it's agovernment style system that
(09:53):
maybe here in the States wewould care, you know, consider
it to be like an HOA, but it's acommunity driven leadership
organization that, as somebodywho's in local government and
really appreciates andunderstands, you know the law
behind how do we createcivilizations in society?
The concept was really reallyfascinating to me.
(10:13):
So we jumped on a plane withthe group, went to Honduras, met
with two mayors actually SanPedro Sula and Cucuyagua had an
opportunity.
They presented us with a key tothe city and we were able to
leave them a few gifts ofourselves.
But their mayor in Cucuyagua isa young guy too, so it is a
great opportunity to connectwith what they are struggling
(10:35):
with, with what they're workingon, and his support and donation
of the land from the city tothis village really helps bring
the whole, the whole idea, tolife, and can't wait to get back
later this year and reconnectwith them.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
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You know you talk about the.
You use the word compassion andI, I, I and this, this.
This really was more than that.
It was literally hearts werelet just rent for this community
(12:11):
, for what you all saw and whatyou brought back.
And I mean, if we saw I mean wesaw from your community of what
30,000 in Greensburg plus allof the neighboring communities,
it's just a testament to what acommunity rallies around, the
vision God has given for thosewhose heart are bent towards
(12:31):
this.
But I just have to say you knowyou were kind of modest in.
Tom was a little bit modest whenhe just talked about the
million dollars.
Let's kind of break that down alittle bit.
First of all, tom, your numbersare off.
It's $1,145,000.
Okay, and counting.
I'm sure You're talking aboutmedical equipment that went down
(12:52):
.
They were talking aboutbicycles that were donated
through another organization,penny Wars, as you mentioned,
the 13,000 from the students.
And then what was reallyfascinating to me was the
trailer, the trailer that wetried to pack all of this stuff
in.
You couldn't even get the doorclosed.
It was like literally you hadto take everything out and
(13:14):
reshuffle it and repack it.
That's a great problem to have.
That's a great problem to have.
But what I love about this wasit's the community center, where
now communities can cometogether with that harmony and
this integral communitydevelopment.
It's a feeding center, wherechildren and families can get
the nutrition and the healththat they need.
(13:34):
St Vincent de Paul with theirbicycles so that communities can
get around, different ones canget around.
A pallet of bicycle parts andclothing.
Decatur County MemorialHospital with physical therapy
equipment Everything was thoughtof.
Everything in this communitythat they needed in Cucuyagua
(13:55):
was thought of, and we justagain reemphasize this word
miracle, miracle that we gotfrom you all.
Now, mayor Marsh, I want to goback to you for just one moment,
because here you are, the mayorof this community.
You're accountable for how thiscommunity responds to someplace
so far away, so different fromyour own community in southern
(14:18):
Indiana.
But you saw sewing andseamstress training.
You saw welding schools, yousaw culinary training.
You saw the water purificationunits that were to be built in
the community that they'resupporting, helping bring extra
income in addition to deliveringsafe water.
How did it make you feel, asyou came back to your
(14:40):
constituents, to your community,to your family, saying we're
going to get behind this and, asyou said your own words, we're
looking forward to going back.
What did it make you feel?
What did it make you feel likeinside, as the leader of and the
head of the mayor of thiscommunity you know, and how it
represents Greensburg toHonduras?
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Well, I think it's really important first to put
really more emphasis on that.
St Mary's is leading the chargeon this right.
The city of Greensburg is, andI've been personally a big
supporter of it and the ideathat we help share what the idea
and the vision is.
So I think it's important tosay you know, this is a St
Mary's-led project and I'm soproud that they get to call
Greensburg home first of all.
(15:20):
So the connection really isrooted in.
We talk about job training,child care, education and
betterment all the time forpeople, and in this case, we are
helping people start on a veryfundamental level, a level that
is required for them to advanceand better their lives.
(15:41):
So when we talk about peoplehelping people, this is the way
to do it, and the programmingthat is on the ground is really
what was, I guess, being truthtested right.
Is it actually working?
We went to a completed village.
We saw the community centers,we saw the schools, we saw kids,
you know, learning in airconditioned environments which
create a more conduciveeducational environment for them
(16:05):
, and I think that that is whatwe can talk about when we come
home and showcase our community.
They struggle with access tohealthcare, making sure the
infrastructure is in place tosupport industry and agriculture
and jobs that support people attheir level.
And I think that that's wherethe connections really help.
Blossom is that we can bereally proud of the work that
(16:28):
fellow Greensburg natives aredoing to help people around the
world, because it's really ahumankind kind of piece and not
just the down the street kind ofpiece.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
I want to share a quick fact nugget from
Greensburg, indiana.
The Decatur County Courthousein Greensburg, indiana, is known
for a tree which grows from thetop of the courthouse tower
right, and that's what givesGreensburg its nickname Tree
City.
That's correct, all right Froma tree growing out of a
courthouse tower to a tree oflife growing in between two
(17:01):
communities.
You see what I did there.
This is what happens whenpeople listen and when they act
and when they believe.
Mayor Marsh, you were againpresented with the key to the
city of Cucuyagua.
What has this experience shownyou about your own community
here?
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, I think it's a great opportunity.
You know people value whenothers care.
It doesn't matter where you arein the world, and I really
appreciate the mayor'shospitality of our entire
delegation while we were there.
I really appreciate the mayor'shospitality of our entire
delegation while we were there.
Obviously, this investment bythese folks at St Mary's is
helping his community, but itreally means a lot when they
(17:38):
take the time.
He wants.
He wanted to learn about theTree City.
He shared a key to the citywith us as a community and you
know I invited him to come visitus sometimes, just as we have
come to visit him, and you knowI look forward to that
opportunity to welcome him tothe Tree City sometime in the
future.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
That'd be amazing and hopefully we can revisit that
moment so we can take it backall the way to December of 1990,
where it all started, wherethis miracle started and it's
still happening today.
Thank you, tom, today.
Thank you, tom Susan, thank youFather Carlton, thank you once
again Mayor of Greensburg,indiana, joshua Marsh, and
everyone who's tuned in today toBeyond the Plate.
Thank you all.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Thanks for listening.
We hope you felt the connection.
One plate, one story, one actof love can change everything.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
Discover more stories and join our community at
foodforthepoororg slash podcastand follow us, too, at
beyondtheplatepodcast.
Together we can make adifference.
This is beyond the plate.
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