Thank God for Muncho!

It started raining today sometime in the early afternoon. I was doing some work (or maybe writing my last blog entry) when it started. At one point I was ready to go home, but after Tony's experience with two flat tires in three hours during the last heavy rain I figured I would wait it out.

At one point the rain let up temporarily, but Muncho, my taxi driver, didn't answer his phone. And then it started raining again. After 3 hours I finally tried calling again. When he tried to pull into the church driveway I thought his car was going to get swept away by the flood running down the street. He ended up stopping in the middle of the road, where the road was highest and the water was lowest to let me in.

He immediately said he does not usually work when it is raining. I explained that I know how dangerous it is because of Tony's two flat tires from pot holes that were hidden by the rain last week. Meanwhile we're driving down streets that are absolutely flooded with more rain coming down the mountains and pouring out from between the houses like huge waterfalls. I tried to take a picture, but for some reason it didn't work. The picture above is just looking outside from the office to the church.

Anyway, Muncho and I both got home safely - he lives right up the street. I paid him some extra money and told him that I appreciate that he came to get me. He said to call him when I need a ride tomorrow, and I told him it will be a little earlier because we are serving pancakes tomorrow!

An added sidenote: I think the add for Geico insurance is not as crazy as it may seem. Last night I noticed a small little lizard, I assumed it was a geiko, on the living room wall. Now I see a bigger one crawling along the top of the wall in my bedroom and it does talk!!! It makes little clicking/churping sounds like a squirrel. The funny thing is that yesterday I heard the same sound and I asked Jose what it was. He told me it was a bird. Does he think I'd be scared of a geiko or did he not hear the same sound that I was asking about? Anyway geikos can talk in their own geiko lanuage. I'm listening to it right now.

Breakfast Program

Painting white shoes black.
White is not popular here.

SNOPPY???

I started the day yesterday by calling my mom. Really, I had nothing to say, but it was nice to talk to her. Usually we talk almost every day when I am in the states. I know that she can tell from my voice how I am truly feeling - so now she knows that I am truly happy here. It was a good way to start my day.

I've been riding to the church and back home with my taxi driver, Muncho. He understands that I'm working on my Spanish so he talks to me about the days' events and helps me with my words. The problem I am facing now is that I have learned so many words so quickly that I am getting the words confused with each other. The words for rain, to cry, and to wear are all similar. I think I have said that I cried my clothes instead of wearing them.

On the 19th the first church group is coming. They have agreed to the idea that Tony and I came up with about spending their time focused on one specific family. By the time they are done the family will have a water system, a cement floor and real walls for their house with fresh paint. Today we learned that we will need to first fumigate the house and treat the family with a cream to get rid of a bacteria that lives in their dirt floor and on their bodies. To me it sounds like an enormous process which must be done in a meticulous manner or the home and the people will continue to have the bacteria. Tony is confident that we can do it all precisely as needed. I am glad that HE has confidence because to me it seems a little overwhelming. After we are done with this project the church has invited Tony, two boys from our church, the family that they are working with while they are here, and me to Utila for 5 days to relax, snorkel, and spend time at the beach. Utila is a small island off Roatan. Everyone tells me it will be a great time. I am very excited.

Yesterday after the breakfast program I stopped procrastinating and wrote a letter which I have been worrying about since Tony asked me to do it. There is a store here similar to Costco and Tony was hoping that we could work out some sort of deals with them. I am comfortable with the idea of writing a letter, but less comfortable about asking for something. In the end it turned out great and I was proud of it. Instead of being business-like, I think I portrayed the real feelings of the breakfast program and all of the different ways it benefits the children as well as the community. Now I hope that the letter serves its purpose and the store owner is willing to help us in some way with the breakfast program.

I've started to help more with organizing the breakfast program. It's not much work - just delegating to the kids and then supervising. It's nice because then Tony can spend more quality time with the kids. Today I got a picture of them all playing Uno together.

Yesterday was another futbol game. Walter came over and watched it with Karla, Jose, and me. This time Honduras won so everyone was happy, dancing around, firecrackers outside. It is cool to see everyone wearing their Honduras soccer shirts on the day of the game. Where ever you look, people of all ages are wearing their shirts and talking about the game.

I am hoping that it will not rain tonight. I really need to wash my clothes, but there is no water until tonight. (I still don't understand this water system at all, but Muncho says that tonight at 8 pm there will be water.) I am hoping that I can wash everything tonight, then hang it to dry for tomorrow. I wish that I had one more pair of jeans with me. I don't want to buy another pair here when I have more than enough jeans in my closet at home.

Tonight Jose and I will watch the Magic vs the Lakers. I am looking forward to that.

Saturday I am invited to go with a group of kids to a conference from 8 am - 1 pm. Then there will be a concert (I'm not sure if the concert is for them, or by them.) at 7 pm. It will be a full day. Karla wants to ride roller coasters in between. We'll see...

Today was the first day Carlos did not show up for the breakfast program. Although we don't expect him to be at the church every single day, we are wondering how he is spending his time today.