It was a great weekend. On Friday night I kind of went out for the first time. It was the closest I have come to going out on my own. Actually, I went to Belinda's house and watched tv with her and her boys. We got Chinese food and pigged out. It was the best Chinese I have had so far in Honduras. And I have had more Chinese food here than in my whole life put together. (Honduran people eat a TON of Chinese food!) Eating Chinese food and watching tv may not seem exciting to most people, but it was really fun.
Belinda told stories of how each of her boys was born. She said that Andres was tiny and underweight because he hadn't gotten any nutrition for the last month of her pregnancy due to medical problems with caused her to deliver early. Andres said, (in Spanish) "Of course Mom!. THAT is why I am always hungry!" Tiny little Andres is always hungry. The logic of an 8 year old is awesome. Didn't get enough food in the womb - still making up for it now. That boy is something else.
Saturday I helped the jovenes group. This month they have been focused on the environment. Saturday was movie day at the church so we showed a movie about the environment. It was a documentary about cats in Africa. I forgot to eat all day, so I was starving afterward. I started to get grumpy because I wanted to go home and eat but the kids kept hanging out. Then I thought about the fact that many of them were probably hungry too. But they don't have food at home. I had justified my grumpiness because I was hungry, but I only had to be hungry for a few hours. The kids are hungry hour after hour, day after day. After thinking about that I adjusted my attitude. As I drove home I realized that the US has Sunday drivers, Honduras has Saturday drivers. Wow. Do people drive slowly on Saturdays here.
Lourdes asked me to pick up a few things for her family at the store. They have been eating really, really healthy food since Jairo's operation on Monday. I am surprised and happy for them. Jairo is committed to eating well and Lourdes is committed to cooking well.
Sunday I got to take my landlord's family to church! After months of them taking me to church each week, I finally got to take them. Carlos also fixed my stove. I spent 2 days shopping for a new one, but Carlos called and said that he fixed my little one. I was so happy! Part of me was disappointed that I won't have a stove that I can control the temperature on the burners and fit more than 6 cookies in the oven, but I don't have money for a real stove.
As I looked at my budget on Saturday I realized I have a problem. Gasoline is costing about $400 per month but I don't have an extra $400 in income. I love having a car. I love being able to do things for the people who have been doing things for me over the past year. But I will have to find some new sponsors quickly. Hopefully when I go back to the US in June I'll be able to dig up some more sponsors.
Marlin wasn't at the Breakfast Program today because she had a regular doctor appointment for her pregnancy. She is due in less than 5 months. So far she has been feeling pretty good. I called to ask if she remembered that we would need her early tomorrow because we are making pupusas. She said that she was still at the hospital, waiting to see a specialist because the first doctor had been unable to hear the baby's heartbeat. She said after she saw the second doctor she would have to go to the emergency room. It sounded like maybe she had lost the baby. We prayed. Four hours later I called her back. Her voice sounded very different. She was really happy. The second doctor discovered that the instrument to hear the baby's heartbeat was broken! The baby's heart was actually beating loud and strong. I was so grateful that everything turned out fine. Marlin is a good friend.
We had another exciting event today. A girl from the Denver team who visited a few months ago has been saying she would like to come back to Honduras to serve at the Breakfast Program during her summer vacation. Her mother and I worked on the logistics. Everything came together today and she got a plane ticket! The whole experience takes me back to when I came to visit for the second time in 2009. It feels very similar. I am so excited for her! I wonder what God has in store for Grace and her time in Honduras. Can't wait to see.
