Yesterday as I was getting out of the car to go home I asked Jairo how he was doing. He said his liver is enlarged and he has gall stones, but they are not hurting much right now. I was not expecting that reponse. He had to get an EKG this morning. Tomorrow he will go to the doctor to put together all of the results.
When I got to the church today Jairo was already there, finished with his medical appointments. I greeted everyone like normal, but Jairo said, "We are very sad today." I asked, "Why are we sad?" Two Sundays ago at church Jairo introduced me to a woman he said is a journalist here, in Tegucigalpa. When he used the word "journalist" I was curious. I have a degree in journalism, so I wondered what kind of journalist she is. Jairo explained that she is a radio host, but her husband has the most famous morning radio show in all of Honduras. Today Jairo said the co-host of the show was kidnapped at 4 o'clock this morning on his way to work. People are wondering if the man will be killed for voicing his opinions on the radio. Jairo was very concerned and encouraged everyone, including all the kids from the Breakfast Program, to pray hard for this man's life. His name is Alfredo Villatodo. He is not from our church, but the man from our church has been doing a radio show with him for 20 years. I haven't heard any more news about that since about 10 this morning.
Lourdes said she was feeling well today. She said she was tired, but happy to be tired, because that means she will sleep well tonight. She said she did sleep well last night, but went to bed late and had to get up early, so she needed a few more hours of sleep. She is walking with less pain today. She said she is doing yoga at home every night because exercise is as important as her meds for the fibromyalgia.
It was pancake day at the breakfast program. We had about 50 kids in the morning group today. They got out of school early today because they are rehearsing for Mother's Day on Friday. Mother's Day here is a huge deal. The kids have been preparing gifts, dances and other presentations for weeks now. On Friday the mothers are invited to the schools, where the kids say their mothers will be showered with gifts. After the presentation the kids and moms will go home. Can you believe they have a half day of school for Mother's Day? Mothers are appreciated in Honduras!
Lourdes talked to the kids today about what they want to be when they grow up. The most popular choice was fútbolista (professional soccer player). Next were doctors, then police, which surprised me because I thought most people do not respect the police here, as they are known to be very corrupt. There were many who wanted to be teachers, professors, fire fighters, a few lawyers and two want to be president.
I felt a strange contradiction within myself as I listened to the kids' goals and dreams. I have always told kids they can do whatever they set their mind to. When I was working with kids in the US, it usually felt truthful. I would love to say to these kids, "You can do it!" But then I think about where these kids come from. I wonder if it is realistic for these kids to be doctors or lawyers or police officers. I feel ashamed to think that way. It's not right that I should ever doubt what they can be. These amazing kids should be everything they want to be, but it is such a huge leap from their current lives to the lives they dream of. I hope God takes them out of this place and shows them how to reach their goals.
One girl wants to be a pastor. Of them all, I think she is a safe bet. She is a beautiful soul. Her mother has Lupus, so she was born with hair that has a different texture and is very thin. She often wears a hat. I think the purpose of the hat is to protect her skin from the sun, because she seems very comfortable with herself. Her mother helps at the breakfast program often. It is crazy when she, her mother and I are in the same room because our names are so similar. She is Meylin. Her mother is Marlen. It gets very confusing.
Jairo came back from running errands today and told us the craziest story! He has to get Josselyn and Aaron's passports renewed so he went to the bank to set up an appointment. The people at the bank said they don't accept appointments, but they see 30 people per day. They told him to come back and wait in line, but come early because they will only see the first 30 people. As he was leaving, Jairo asked the guards what time he should get there so he is sure to be seen. The guard said to come at 4 a.m. Jairo said this area is not safe. He could not bring his family to stand outside in a line with money and documents. They would be perfect targets for thieves. The guards recommended that they bring guns. Jairo said he can't bring his family to a place where he has to bring a gun for protection. The guards assured him that he could shoot anyone he needed to shoot and they would say they didn't see a thing! Jairo ended up finding a bank in a better part of the city where he will have to be in line at 6am with his family on Friday morning. Wouldn't it make more sense to take appointments?
Last night I was so excited to go to watch the guys play fútbol, but I never made it there. Karla called to say she was done with school and wanted to stop by my house on the way home. I was excited to have a friend come over and visit. It felt so cool! We were sitting and talking when she received a message that she was supposed to be at school in 10 minutes for something - I didn't quite understand why. So she took the car back to the University so Jose and I never made it to the game.
I watched tv and noticed how I have become oblivious to whether the people on the tv are speaking in Spanish or English. What made it obvious was when a show came on that was in German, which was translated in subtitles to Spanish. I am not fluent in German. I don't know the definition of "fluent", but I think I am fluent now in Spanish. I believe I could even pass a fluency test.
Ayyyy! More thunder! Just in time for our usual evening thunderstorm. Now I remember why thunder always reminds me of Honduras. Everyone is so confused with this weather. It's the talk of every casual conversation. This is supposed to be the dry season, but it rains almost every day. People are worried that the world is going crazy. Well, the thunder is setting off car alarms. I'd better turn off my computer. Good thing I already ran down to the pulperia for some fresh cheese and mantequilla and my laundry is drying in the dining room. I have given up on the clothes line. Hopefully it will dry before it starts smelling musty.
My nephew Joey is really walking today! I saw a video of him toddling across the living room. It was the cutest!
As of today I need only $475 in monthly donations to be able to remain in Honduras.
Here's the link in case you need it: (Fager, Mary Lynn)
https://worldoutreach.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=117
Thank you to the Feullings for your support!
