We had our regular Sunday meeting of foreigners at the Internet Cafe. This has grown from three to quite an unmanagebale throng!
During the meeting I noticed a young man surfing the Internet just behind me. He was listening to our discussions and appeared anxious to also join in. But he was just a bit too reserved to make the first move.
When we ended our meeting and I was just sitting around talking to the hangers-on, he got up from the computer. As is my habit, I asked him where he came from.
"Honduras", said David.
He explained that he had just been checking if his house was still standing as Hurricane Beta was heading straight for it.
David explained that was a biotechnologist who had become an airline pilot and was flying for the local Honduran Airline. He said that he had come to Finland as his Finnish wife had come here to have their baby, which was now just three weeks ago. David said he would be heading back to Honduras next Sunday and would not be able to join our next week's meeting, but hoped his wife would join us.
He explained that his wife was an Oulu girl, 33 years old, and she had been working for the UN on Aids Eradication in Honduras when they had met.
One thing led to another and I speculated that, just maybe, that his wife knew our younger daughter, Joanna.
He went back to their flat, which is about 50 metres away.
Before I realised it, there was a familiar looking young lady standing in the doorway of the Internet Cafe.
She exclaimed that she had come to see ME!!
I looked at her. Although the face was very familiar, I just could not place her, till she said her name - Mantu Mankila!
Then everything fitted into place.
Mantu had been Joanna's classmate in junior, middle as well as in high school. She had visited our home several times. Her father, Pentti Mankila, had been Joanna's Physics and Chemistry teacher. Mantu's mother, Terttu, is a top reporter in our local newspaper and had come to our home a long long time ago and had interviewed our son, Mika, and written a story in the Kaleva about him!
Joanna thought that Terttu was a great mom!
I was just as excited as Mantu as we shared notes.
Unfortunately, I was not carrying my camera when we met. I hope I can get a few pictures of Mantu and her family for the blog later this week.
Mantu has done many things in her life and she is quite a lady, as I learned from the internet:
Here is just one quote that I picked up:
Mantu Mankila, Finland
Coordinator of the STD/HIV/AIDS Prevention Program - Department of Gracias a Dios
Foro Nacional de SIDA
Casa azul, a donde Digna Salmeron
Puerto Lempira, Olancho
Mantu Mankila works with Foro de SIDA, an organization that operates throughout Honduras. Mantu coordinates the Moskitia chapter of the organization. The Moskitia is the Honduran jungle; boating is the primary means of transportation, education levels are low, and the people live in poverty. Different ethnic groups living in this area include the Miskitos, Tawankas, Pech, GarÃfunas, and Ladinos. In this region, it is costly and time-consuming to get tested for AIDS, people are uninformed about the disease, and HIV/AIDS victims are stigmatized.
Mantu works closely with Dr. Yoel Sanabria and the Departments of Education and Health to implement a three-pronged AIDS prevention strategy. First, they train facilitators who then teach AIDS prevention techniques to local community members. Second, they conduct AIDS prevention workshops with doctors and local medicine men (zukias), who then deliver condoms and educational materials to community members. Third, they work directly with adolescents to teach them about sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, they distribute condoms and air radio spots in both Spanish and Moskito, the local language.
The world, from India, Finland and Honduras, is a very small place. It was truly lovely to meet this lovely couple - Mantu and David, and we are looking forward to seeing their baby. In the meantime we pray that their home in Honduras is kept safe from the elements.
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