Literacy Class #4

Today we brought a dry erase board up the mountain to the literacy class. Doña Angelica, my coworker who turned 60 a few weeks ago, insisted on carrying the box up the mountain.

When we got to the other side we noticed they had cleaned up and burned the garbage and the dry brush/grass. I was surprised! I thought for sure they would wait for Doña Angelica to do it. It looked great. And someone hung a "Congratulations" sign in the tree, which I thought was really funny.

Usually we take things at a comfortable pace in the class. But today I wanted to finish with the first lesson. It's supposed to be done in about 8 hours so if we had finished today, we would have been right on schedule.

We didn't finish. I think it's because we also spend extra time in the bible and in prayer. But that's what feels right to me. The students seem to love it, so I don't plan to start rushing things. The person who showed me how to teach told me that we need to customize everything to fit our needs. She said there is no wrong way as long as they are learning. I feel great about how things are going so far.

Erika was really well behaved this week! Every time she got bored she walked over and helped her mother. It was perfect. She didn't disrupt the class at all and her mother can use the extra help. At the end of the class I hugged her and told her she did very well.

Even Doña Angelica could see the difference. Doña Angelica has known Erika since Erika was little. She said she has never seen Erika so well behaved. I was expecting Doña Angelica to disapprove because I didn't give a big lecture and crack down on the whole class. Instead she told me I did a great job by pulling  Erika aside and talking to her privately.

I have a feeling that Erika's mother talked to her too. I respect the way these ladies parent. They are more "old school" like me, and work hard to teach their kids to respect others. I rarely see parents like them. They may not know how to read and write, but they know how to raise respectful kids. 

We did have two little incidences in class today. There is always one dog that comes and lies on the floor in front of the door. Today two dogs came. First they were fighting. Then one kept having bad gas. He has so thin. Half of his hair was falling out. You could see every bone in his body. It was sad. And on top of that he smelled bad. The students complained about the smell so the owner tried to shoo him out. But the other dog was lying in front of the door so he didn't dare to leave. The owner picked up a stool and started trying to push him with the stool, but he wouldn't go so she became a little more forceful. She never really hit him with the stool, but he began to yelp, at which point I stepped in and said the dog can stay but lets have him go to the other side of the room. So he went and laid down away from the people and we were fine.

Beating, stoning, kicking animals is extremely common in Honduras. Kids learn to do it at a young age from watching adults. It's sad, and it won't happen on my watch. If we can teach people to clean up their land, we can also teach them to treat their animals better.

The other incident was a little more heavy. We heard quite a bit of gunfire today. I had never heard gunfire in that area before. It wasn't close. It was on the other side of the mountain. Some of the ladies were clearly concerned. I pretended not to notice. I didn't want them to think that I am not comfortable being there with them.

One of the ladies had to miss class today. I figured out what each of them are good at and assigned them to go work with the woman who missed class on the thing that they are best at. They love the idea of teaching each other. I told them this is part of being a community - supporting one another and working as a team. This class is so much more than literacy!

At the end of the class Doña Angelica and I stood at the top of the mountain. We looked down and could see that security had not come yet to pick us up. Usually we always wait for security at our pick up spot. But today we waited at the top of the mountain until we saw the truck coming. Then we ran down to meet them.

Things at the office are different too. It's been this way for about two weeks. There are military police hanging around. They are kind of hidden, but they are there. Personally, I don't like that we need them there. But I do think it's a good thing.

Here's a cute photo I took today. She was really eyeballing the stickers I gave to her mom, so I stuck one on her forehead. She looked at me like I was nuts, so I took this photo so she could see it. Everyone loved looking at the photo. Moments like that remind you that sometimes the simplest things are the best.

More Homework

I have some exciting news to report! Yesterday on FB I saw on a page for missionaries that a lady was selling a desk. For the past four years, I've been sitting on my bed writing to you. The person who prepares my taxes each year asks about my office space and I have to tell them that my bed is my office. Not anymore! I now have a desk! In fact I am sitting at it right now. It's perfect, perfect, perfect. I couldn't be more pleased.

Everything is on fire here. First I thought a neighbor had taken up smoking and it was coming straight into my bedroom window. Then I realized it's everywhere. Poor Jetty is struggling with her asthma.

Lots of stuff has been going on here that I don't feel comfortable writing about. You can read about it in the Wall Street Journal if you'd like. Corruption and more corruption.

Because of that I spent yesterday in a training about safety measures. By the end of the day I wanted to hide under my bed and never come out. We talked about different situations and the likelihood of them happening, as well as prevention and what to do if they should ever occur.

The trainer was brought in from France. I've spent all of this time feeling really safe and well protected. He showed us that in reality we aren't as secure as we all thought we were.

Today I went up to Las Minitas to see how everyone was doing in the literacy class. My biggest concern is Doña Francisca and her son Luis. I am afraid they could fall behind and get discouraged, so I am going to do all I can to prevent that from happening. They need to experience success!

God is doing so much in Doña Francisca's life through this class. She said that the class is bringing her close to God in ways she never imagined.

Her kids say they see a difference in her. They admire her new confidence and enjoy watching her realize how intelligent she is. Last week Doña Francisca was convinced that she knows nothing. Not anymore!

I looked over her homework. She and her whole family had their homework done for Thursday's class. I asked if they would like more homework. They all said yes, if I wouldn't mind giving them more. So I gave them each four pages of different types of writing. Francisca has a hard time with circles. Her son has difficulty with curves - he wants everything to be in straight lines. Erika is writing her name! She and her sister, Nohemi, are bright.

I also had a talk with Erika. Last week Doña Angelica told me that I need to come down hard on the whole class. I was hesitant, because it is really only Erika who has any sort of problems.

Today Francisca told me that she thanked God for giving them a teacher who loves them and never makes them feel dumb or inadequate. That was the highlight of my day!

That was also when I decided for sure that I would pull Erika aside and talk to her alone. The rest of the class doesn't need me to lay down the law. They come early. They set everything up and put everything away. They pay attention and respect what I say. They take good care of their materials and make sure everything that is mine ends up in my bag. They bathe, fix their hair and wear their best clothes. They even decided that you are not allowed to eat in class. These are not people who need me to implement rules for them.

Erika and I sat on a rock to talk. She is so shy she couldn't look at me. I told her I see that sometimes she is not paying attention in class and I wondered why. I said I didn't want to assume anything, but I was concerned that maybe she is bored, or she doesn't want to be there. In the end, through nods, she said that yes she wants to be there, but she is also bored.

I am not really sure what to do about that. She is really not much ahead of the rest of the class. Especially if I can continue giving her mother and brother "reinforcement" (tutoring) on Tuesdays. If she's not careful, she will miss out on some important stuff and they will pass her by.

It was nice to just sit and chat with Francisca today about stuff other than the class. She made tortillas to sell as we talked. The land where she lives is all free, she said. You can build a house there and it's yours. I don't know how true that is, but it's worked for her for 20 years. She said I should come and live there. As she pointed out, they do have electricity now. (No running water, but she seems to think I'll be fine without that.)

Doña Francisca kept telling me that she thanks God because she has a teacher who loves the students. She said she couldn't believe that I went up there today to see how they were doing and give them more homework. I told Francisca I thank God because I have students who are eager to learn and really want to be in the class. They are so easy to love!

Leadership

Today at church I had a chance to talk with Pastora Ruth and Pastor Paysen about dreams I had last week. Two nights in a row I had almost the same dream.

The first night a group of people were lost in the forest. I told them I would get them out. I didn't know the way out, but I was sure I could lead them to safety.

The second night a huge ship, like the Titanic, was sinking. I was aboard the ship, organizing and helping the people get to safety. Once again I was alone in the sense that nobody else was helping. Everyone followed my direction, no questions asked. I didn't really know how to evacuate a sinking ship. But that didn't matter. I felt calm and confident.

Both nights after the dream God woke me wide awake and left me to think about the dream. I thought about the fact that although I was in scary situations, but I never felt scared, anxious, or unsure of myself. I just took charge and did what needed to be done.

I also noticed that I was alone with a group of strangers. They followed my lead without question.

Pastora Ruth's immediate response was, "God is putting you in a position of leadership. In the second dream He is confirming it. The confidence you felt means He has already prepared you. You are ready."

I said, "Yes, but I am all alone."

Pastor Paysen said, "Leaders are most often alone."

Not a Bank

Last week, after the big talk with Erika, I was sure things would go on as normal. My friend who is also a missionary warned me. She had to have the same conversation with girls she discipled and most of them faded out of her life after that.

I remember she threw a birthday party for a girl she was discipling. The girl wanted a cell phone for her 16th birthday, and not just any cell phone. She wanted a specific, expensive one. My friend invited the girl, her friends and her family for a birthday party. The girl was insulted because my friend made a homemade cake and served pizza. The girl thought my friend should have paid for a cake and made something other than pizza. She was even more angry when she didn't get the cell phone she wanted. That was the end of their relationship.

I believed Erika would be different. But, today marks one week that I have not talked with Erika. Normally we talk several times each week, usually initiated by Erika. I am disappointed.

In the end I have to be okay with letting go if that's what she wants. It wasn't healthy for us to only talk when she or her family wanted things.

Last Saturday I ran into some kids in Los Pinos who haven't joined the Impacto Juvenil Club yet. I know that Karla still had two spaces left, so I called Karla to ask if she had room for these two kids. I had been telling her about them for a while, so I was really excited to see them that day. Karla said it would be great to have them in her club. I called one of the mothers and told her that her daughter is invited to be in Karla's Club.

Yesterday my phone rang and it was that mother. She told me a long, crazy story about someone being assaulted. She said they are okay, but they were scared and needed to go to the doctor for their nerves.

Fany was standing right next to me listening to the whole thing. She said, "Tell her you don't give out money!"

I asked the lady if she could go to her local clinic where it only costs 50 cents to be seen by a doctor. She said she didn't have the money. I told her I don't give out money to anyone.

As soon as she heard that I wasn't going to give her money, the chatty lady hung up the phone. She didn't even say goodbye. I felt bad. Fany pointed out if she had money to make that phone call, she had money to go to the doctor. She wasn't looking for help, she was looking for money.

Today my mechanic called me. He tried to steal from me a couple of weeks ago. It was a real bummer because I always trusted him. Lately I caught him in a few lies and his work has been slacking. When I talked to him about it, he got mad. He finally talked to me today and said he will give me back what he owes me, but that I suddenly owe him money for work he did weeks ago.

I figure my best bet is to give him the money and cut my losses. I found a new mechanic last week. It's the person who works on all of the cars that the security men drive for work, so I don't think he'll rip me off. Finding a good, reliable mechanic here is really hard.

Lately I feel like a bank. It's not fun feeling like a bank.

Nobody Knows Nothing

I've was sick from Sunday until yesterday with a strange and horrible virus. My coworkers all got it too. Today I finally feel normal again. The idea or smell of food no longer makes me want to vomit. But I still have no appetite.

Since my boss saw how everyone else was sick, she immediately told me to stay home until I felt better. That was nice because in the past I felt like a wimp if I stayed home, even with something contagious. This time I was able to relax at home without feeling guilty or like I should rush back to work ASAP. I missed church on Sunday and work Monday through Wednesday. I would tell you the details of this virus, but believe me, you'd rather not know.

Laura got it at the same exact time I did. She woke up vomiting Sunday morning. The doctor gave her antibiotics (as always) for a sore throat. Doctors here give antibiotics for everything. Fany and I figured out that Laura is on antibiotics every two months. I worry a lot about the way antibiotics are used here.

Yesterday I left the house for the first time in days. I went to teach the literacy class.

As I summited the top of the mountain, I saw the table being carried down the back side toward the classroom. By the time I got down the other side, Luis had the whole room set up with the table, chairs and dry erase board. He has taken his role as my assistant very seriously. I love it!

Before I got to the building a lady approached me. She handed me a copy of her ID and asked if she could be in the class. I had textbooks for one more person, but was hesitant to allow another person to join because we are a tight knit group. However, more students arrived and told me this is the lady they've hoped could join. She said she could make a weekly commitment to attend each class. So, how could I say no?

She was so excited! Luis told her the class starts at two. She asked if she had to leave. I said if she had stuff to do at home, she could leave. But if she wanted to stay, we would review what she missed in the first two weeks of class. Without hesitation she said she would love to stay.

As I reviewed with her, the rest of the class showed up. By 1:18 all of the students but one were seated around the table. (One of the students works and gets home at 2 p.m. on the dot. She throws her stuff into her house and runs straight down to the classroom.) The two hour class has turned into a three hour class for the rest of the students.

We also had another new visitor. He is the husband of Nohemi. I thought it was so cool that he would come! He completed 7th grade, so he can write his name and some other words. He was a nice addition to the class. He was supportive to his classmates, without being a know-it-all. I love that he was there to support his wife.

Everyone looked so nice. They always do. They dress in their best clothes and come freshly bathed with their hair all fixed up.

First we reviewed vowels. Some are still really struggling to hear the vowel sounds.

Then, once class officially started, we went over homework. Each page got a smiley face sticker and "Excelente" or something similar in red ink. Some people did extra pages of homework. Poor Doña Francisca is having a hard time. I am going to sit down with her on Tuesday and help, if she is at home when I go up there.

We talked about goals - what each student would like to get out of the class. The three older ladies all said they are desperate to read the bible. Reyna, the newest addition to our class, said she has a bible. She picks it up and looks at all of the words. She wonders what they mean. She wishes she could read them so she could be closer to God.

I am SOOOO glad she is able to join the class!

Luis, who is 15, shy, and struggles to learn, said that he really wants to teach others how to read. I asked who, like his neighbors? He said no, everyone! Whoever! Anyone who can't read and would like to learn. Those are the people he would like to teach. I thought that was awesome coming from a boy who normally has a hard time speaking up in class.

Luis' sister, Erika, is intelligent. She is the only student who doesn't really seem to enjoy the class. I think it's only because of her age. She is 17 years old. She'd rather sit with her head down and not pay attention. She huffs and puffs when called upon to answer. She seems bored sometimes. I want them to enjoy the class and have fun learning. She is the only one who doesn't.

I don't think there is much I can do to change that. It seems like being strict doesn't work well with her. I think I have to let her be and she will learn what she wants to. Anything she picks up will be helpful as long as she is not distracting her classmates.

Luis' other sister, Nohemi, also said she would like to teach others.

Everyone drew a picture of their goal. One day, when they achieve their goal, they will be able write in words what their goal was. But for now they have a drawing of what they would like to accomplish through this class.

It is so interesting to watch them draw! They absolutely love it. We drew for a half an hour. Finally I said we only had 10 minutes left. Then they all grabbed markers and colored in their pencil drawings. They are perfectionists. But I guess I would be too, if I were in their shoes.

Nohemi and her husband drew a school with themselves as the teachers and kids outside on a beautiful playground. What an awesome goal to have together!

Luis had a cool drawing too. It was of himself, standing in front of a chalkboard, with students sitting in front of him. GO LUIS!

The ladies drew their bibles. All of them wrote "Santiago 1:5" on their paper in one form or another. They say they can't write their names, but they each wrote the bible verse which has become our motto.

James 1:5(NIV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

I chose this verse after I did the initial enrollment. As I went house to house, I had to assess where to start. Over and over I heard them say, "I know nothing." The first time I heard someone say that I was shocked. I tried to tell them it wasn't true, but they couldn't hear me.

We are now in the third week of class. Yesterday after finishing up our goals, we did some math. We came to zero. They understand that zero is nothing. In fact they came up with other words that all mean nothing in order to describe zero.

That moment was my big chance. They've now had three weeks of class. I wondered if maybe some of them felt differently now. So I asked, "Who in this room believes they know nothing?"

Sadly, every hand went up. So I asked again, "Nothing? You know absolutely nothing???"

They all kept their hands raised and shook their heads. Yes. they said, We know nothing.

A little two year old was standing in front of me. I put my hands on her shoulders and smoothed down her dirty hair. "And her?" I asked. "Does she know anything?"

My heart hurt as they all looked the little girl in the face and said she knows nothing.

There was a dog sprawled out on the floor in the middle of the room. "And this dog? He knows nothing?"

I think they started to get my point right then.

"This little girl. If I ask her who is her Mommy, does she know? Does she know who is her mother?"

Yes they all said.

"So does she know something?"

Yes. She knows who her mother is.

"And the dog. Does he know where to find food? Does he know who to avoid because they are mean to him?"

Oh yes! The dog knows who is mean and who is nice.

"When a baby is first born, does it know to nurse when it is hungry?"

Yes, a baby goes straight for the breast.

"So do you think that you don't know anything?"

Well, we know a few things. But not a lot.

I told them, "Listen. You know more about some things than I know. And I know about some things that you don't. But I don't ever want to hear any of you say that you know nothing. Is it true that you know nothing?"

No, they said. It is not true. We do know some things.

"Great! I said, "We all know some things. Nobody knows nothing."

Today we worked on vowels, our bible verse, recognizing and putting significance to numbers, personal goals, and writing. We also worked a lot on self esteem, which I believe is equally important in this literacy class.

The class, minus Luis who prefers to draw outside

This is Rosa
She is my age
Although we were born only days apart,
our lives are very different

Virginia's goal it to read the bible
Specifically Santiago 1:5
And there's a turkey
I didn't ask its significance

Luis working on his goals

Francisca (Mom of Luis, Erika & Nohemi)
is eager to read the bible one day

Doña Virginia

Erika

The newest student, Reyna
She said she was too happy in this photo
so we took a more serious one

Rosa's goal is to read the bible

I give thanks to God for this class. It is my favorite part of the week.

The Talk

I started writing this on Saturday:

Today was tough, but very, very good.

I haven't shared this here. I've only talked to Fany and Ana and Karla about this. I needed a Honduran opinion.

Last week Erika called me. The call was for two purposes. Her boyfriend has owed me money since January. So she was calling me to say that he couldn't pay. At the same time she was asking for more money.

I thought about it. I prayed about it. I talked to my Pastor and Pastora about it.

Pastor Paysen asked me, "Do you want to maintain this family?"

My answer came quickly. No. I do not want to maintain this family. I want to support them, but I do not want to maintain them. I cannot maintain them.

My Pastora and I talked about the difference between supporting and maintaining. Erika and her boyfriend and her (now) two kids are constantly in this same position. Erika is blessed by a boyfriend who does his best to work hard. But they still can't make ends meet.

My church offered me a bag of supplemented rice. I pulled out of the driveway to go get the rice and drop it off with Erika. But something didn't feel right. So I parked the car in front of the house and went back inside to talk to Fany.

In the end, Fany and I decided that it was not best for Erika or for me, if I went to get the rice for her family.

I know this can sound cruel. Or selfish. But there is more to the story that I have not shared here. Today I talked to Ana and she said, without knowing what Fany and I decided, "You need to stop! You need to stop!"

Last night, when I asked Karla to pray for my conversation with Erika. Karla said, "You need to put up boundaries."

Understand that my relationship with Erika was founded on the clear premise that I can not provide for material or financial needs. For the first nine months, everything was fine. But in January Erika's boyfriend asked for money. It was the first time Erika ever asked me for anything. It was for uniforms and utensils for the two kids he has with his ex. I admired the fact that he cared about providing for the two kids he has with his ex, and that he was honest with me that the money was not for Erika or her kids. So I said I would not give the money, but I could agree to a loan. We worked out detailed terms for repayment.

Then one of his kids was in the hospital, so he had her ask for another loan the next time I saw them. I knew when I gave the money I should expect to never see it again. I don't often loan money. But if I agree to a loan, I come to an understanding within myself that it could end up being a gift. And it could not get in the way of my relationship with Erika. But it did.

Because then she started asking for things. First it was school books for her brothers. I found a Honduran teacher friend who helped with those. Then it was toothbrushes. Then a birthday cake, then a fan because their bedroom was too hot, then money for an ID card so her boyfriend could find work, work for her sister, work for Erika, a phone, banana bread...

It was always something. And although I am not going hungry, money is really tight because of all the car problems I had for months. Now I need to come up with $3000 for a new(er) car.

So today we had a talk. I reminded her where we began. How our relationship started, that we both agreed this would not be based on financial or material things. I told her I would love to still be part of her life, but as we used to be - spending TIME together.

I gave her a way out. I told her maybe, now that she has a family of her own, and her "mother in law" is a great influence in her spiritual life, Erika does not need me like she did before.

Erika seemed pleased when I recognized the family support she now has. We agreed that she will think it over and come up with ideas about how she would like to move forward. I told her I love her and want to be part of her life, but it is not healthy for either of us to continue in this way. I can't afford to maintain her family, or her parents family, or her in laws family, or her boyfriend's ex girlfriend's family.

As  we talked the words came out even better than I hoped. God gave me words I hadn't thought of saying. They were gentle, yet direct. After our conversation I had peace. Now we will see what Erika decides.

My friend Molly, who has disciple numerous teens, said that every time she had this talk the kids disappeared from her life. Molly said I need to be prepared for that. I hope and pray that Erika will be different.

At first I was feeling guilty, thinking I had done something wrong in our relationship. But in the afternoon I realized that I really hadn't set a bad example. I didn't go and buy any of the things she wanted. I didn't set a bad example by giving and giving. I gave a loan and I found someone else to give them the books. Other than that, I haven't set an example of buying things. So I was able to get past the feeling that I had set a bad example for Erika.

I spent Sunday in bed. Laura woke up vomiting and my stomach was all messed up too. We both had a bunch of odd symptoms that didn't seem to make any sense. But Fany had it a few weeks ago. She said it lasted 10 days!

I was supposed to go to a birthday party for my coworker. But my explosive burps were not very party worthy, so I stayed home. I learned that some of my coworkers and their families have been sick with these strange symptoms since last week. They sent me nice messages throughout the party. I have great coworkers. It was disappointing that I couldn't attend, but awesome that I was invited!

Today Laura is headed for the doctor. I am going to see what the doctor recommends for her. I may go to the doctor too.

Week 2 of Reading, Writing and Arithmetic

Last week I was so nervous before the literacy class! This week I was nothing but excited. What a change.

Fany snapped this as I was leaving the house yesterday
This is the "porton" or front gate for the property

As we climbed up the mountain I got even more excited! I couldn't wait to be there and to see everyone. Before we even got to the top of the mountain a lady was waiting for us. She said she was told to talk to us because her son is having a really hard time in first grade and his teacher doesn't know what to do with him. He can't sit still, he bothers other kids and he doesn't get any work done all day. She was hoping to get him psychological counseling. Doña Angelica, my coworker who accompanies me to class, said she will see what we can do.

(Doña Angelica has to go with me each week because our security guys can only drive part way up the mountain. From there we have to walk. It is a community where only people who belong there are allowed to enter. Since Doña Angelica started serving there before the gangs took control, and they like the things she does, the gangs allow her to come in. I am safe as long as I am with her.)

Our psychologists serve kids in Impacto Juvenil as well as their families. Impacto Juvenil kids have to be at least nine years old. It will be hard to help the six year old boy. As an NGO, we use our donors' money exactly as they request with complete transparency. Unfortunately, this boy wouldn't be covered because he doesn't have any older siblings in our Impacto Juvenil program. He won't be old enough for our program for three more years. I hope he can stick it out in school that long. Most don't.

Doña Angelica and I both gave the mom our best advice. I told her I respect the fact that she is trying so hard to help her son. She said, "Well, I have to!" I wish there were more parents like this lady! She is going to come Tuesday when we return for the sexual abuse prevention class. Then she can talk with the psychologists.

Me with Doña Angelica
I never realized what a giant I am!
In the US people used to say I was small.

We had one more student in the class this week - Nohemi was washing her laundry last week and couldn't come. This week she showed up with a big smile and hungry to learn. She is the most advanced of all the class. She can write her name. She is also legally married and doesn't have any kids yet. Outside of a lack of education, it seems like she's got a lot going for her so far.

Giving Nohemi her new books

Almost all of the students came a half hour early. When I got there, they were all cleaning up and changing their clothes for class. The ladies get dressed up in skirts, the girls put on makeup, and Luis puts gel in his hair.

Luis brought down the chairs and table and dry erase board. He got everything set up. He's the youngest student and the only male. He's also very timid and struggles with insecurity. This is a great experience for him - to be the man in our group. He seems to enjoy working hard for our class.

We waited for Rosa because she has to work and rushes home just for the class. Last week Rosa said she prayed and prayed she would get out in time. Usually they are a five person team, but only three showed up to work last week. Her boss told her she could leave when she was finished. She worked extra hard to do the work of five people and they finished early last week! This week she walked in right on time.

Since everyone else was there, but we needed to wait for Rosa, I pulled out a deck of UNO cards. I wasn't sure if they could identify numbers or not, so I figured this would be a gentle way to find out. Even if they didn't know the name of the number, they could match the figures on the cards.

Some people in Honduras are very against playing cards for religious reasons. But everyone I know plays cards. This was a first for this group. Everyone played, but I could feel them struggling with the idea. Doña Angelica reassured them that the cards are a learning tool, to identify numbers and colors. Nohemi said she wanted to get her own UNO cards. Doña Angelica told her they are sold in a special store for teacher's supplies. Throughout the whole game, Doña Angelica kept saying they were for learning and they were not a bad thing. I was glad to have Doña Angelica there to smooth things over.

To my left is Nohemi, Erika, Rosa, Luis, Francisca, two kids who hang around quietly and Dona Virginia - They gave me permission to share photos and stories about them.

Once Rosa arrived we got to work. They remembered everything from last week!!!!!! I was amazed! Doña Francisca, who is the mom of the three teens, and probably the lowest functioning except Luis, was the first to "read" the words we learned last week.

Francisca was the first one I invited to the class when we walked around enrolling people. She is the one who prayed and prayed for this opportunity for her kids. But she said she is not capable of retaining information due to a head injury. I encouraged her to come. She said she would not come, but she would make sure that her kids attended. That's why I was so happy and surprised when Francisca showed up last week.

There was actually a longer story behind her attendance, which Francisca didn't share with us until yesterday.

I told Francisca that I am happy to see how well she remembered things from last week, and I am so glad she decided to join the class. Then Doña Virginia shared something. She said that Francisca arrived at her door before the first day of class. She said Francisca was very sad. It was clear she wanted to be part of the class, but she was saying that she doesn't know anything and can't learn. Doña Virginia, who seems to be the leader of the community and someone they all seek for counsel, told Francisca she should try. But at the end of the conversation Francisca left still feeling sad and incapable of learning.

Francisca spoke up. She said when it came time for the class last week, she watched each of us arrive. She said we were all dressed up, with our hair combed nicely. (Note to self: I need to dress up for class!) She sank down to the ground next to her pila and cried.

Francisca said she sat on the ground feeling dirty and ugly and dumb. She said she cried and cried. And then she started to pray. Suddenly, through prayer, she said God lifted her up, took her inside where she dressed and fixed her hair, and propelled her feet until she was standing in the classroom.

It was Francisca who came in after we prayed last week and said, "Wait! I need to say a prayer too. I need to thank God for this class." At that moment, I thought she was only there to pray. But when she sat down and studied, I was so happy!

She said she had to fight to come this week too. A voice in her mind was telling her that she is not capable of doing the things we will do. But she is really doing well! I think I will spend Tuesdays with Francisca and Luis if I see them falling behind. I will already be up there for the sex abuse prevention class, so getting there will not be a problem. I do not want either of them to believe they can't be successful in this class.

PRAISE GOD for lifting Francisca off the ground and carrying her to class last week! She is a precious, precious woman and a great example for her kids.

Part way through the class they started to get restless and someone joked that they needed a snack. I had lollipops, thinking I would give them away as prizes. It's not really a snack, but at least it was something to keep them motivated. So I handed out lollipops.

Erika ripped right into hers, as I expected them all too. Then I saw her put it back in it's wrapper and I realized what was going on. Doña Virginia declared, "This is a classroom. We are in class. We do not eat in class." So nobody touched their lollipops. Now I know not to bring any food! I need to pay close attention to the rules of Doña Virginia. If not, I could end up losing the respect of the class.

Nohemi got right to work on her first day

Doña Virginia has beautiful writing
(so far we are drawing lines, but her's look great!)

A horse and two burros blocked the path on the way home

Doña Angelica was already waiting when I got to the spot where I was supposed to meet her. I told her I was late because a horse and two burros were blocking the path. I was afraid they'd kick me if I walked past. Nohemi assured me they don't kick in Honduras. Doña Angelica laughed and said I always have some crazy story to tell her every time she leaves me alone. (I'm not sure what she's referring to exactly, but she is probably right.)

There is a lot going on within the Honduran government right now. We are disappointed with the direction the president is taking. More corruption has come to light and it is not being handled effectively by the president. A few other things have happened as well, so security at work has gotten even tighter.

Yesterday I noticed that the person who usually just opens the door for us, now walks with us and watches us from the moment we arrive until we are safely inside our destination. When we dropped off Doña Angelica he strained to watch her get to her house, which is a ways off the road. That is new. He also circles around the car if we have to wait for people, looking around in all directions. And the drivers don't just take the most direct route any more. Our routes always vary. I admire the way our security does these things subtly, without mentioning the change or making it too obvious. They try to keep our lives as normal as possible.

Everyone at work is concerned about my car. They know it's been in the shop since the first week of February and they think it's time I change mechanics. I was thinking the same thing but I got the car back last night and the mechanic didn't charge me a penny after working on it all week. He even called in two other people to help him figure out why it pulls to the right. Nobody has a clue.

The only thing they can think of is a really expensive fix, and it still may not work. So my mechanic said I just need to get used to having it pull to the right until I can sell it. They even double checked the calibration of the machine that does the alignment. Nothing is wrong with the machine. So the car is aligned right. Something inside is wrong.

He and one of his buddies are keeping their eyes out for another car for me. He assured me the new tires will not be ruined by this, which was my biggest concern.

I dread buying a different car. This car has been so good to me for three years. I pray I'll be able to find one as good as this. It does seem like it's time. The final diagnosis that his friend gave was that my car is "too well maintained". They said most people wouldn't be so concerned about their car pulling to the right. Most people would be happy to have a car as "pretty" on the outside, with no bangs or scrapes. The mechanic explained to his friend that I am not like most Hondurans.

Please join me in prayer for Honduras, the government, the corruption, that we can effectively get rid of the corruption and avoid to martial law. Also please pray for my class. Each of the students is struggling with low self esteem. They say each week it's tough for them to show up. I pray they are able to come to class each week because they want to and that they come joyfully, not with anxiety.

I pray it will be something they look forward to as much as I do! Climbing that mountain and teaching those people is absolutely the highlight of my week.

Celebrating Father's Day at the Impacto Juvenil Club

Wednesday we celebrated Father's Day at the Impacto Juvenil Club where I serve with my coworker Sandra. As we were setting up for the party she looked at me and said, "I really like working with you." That felt so great! I like working with her too.

The party was a complete success. We laughed hard, we shed a few tears over beautiful words the kids shared with their parents. Then we ate and played soccer.

Less than half of the kids had family there. But the people who did come made a real effort. One father got the day off work to come! Other kids brought grandmothers or aunts. We welcomed every adult who is a support system to the kids we serve. 

Balloons were a big hit!

She looks just like her Dad.
They have a beautiful relationship

Father and son

There were about 40 people present

We played games

 

Sitting on balloons to pop them

We laughed hard

Cesar gave thanks for his Aunt
who raised him since his mother was killed in a massacre

This is Cesar's Aunt.
Tears poured down her face as he spoke.

Heartfelt words for Dad

Thanking Moms too,
for those whose father is not around

 

This Mom is a hair stylist.
Today she started a beauty school for our kids!

There was cake (with green frosting)

And what party would be complete without soccer?
Only this time the ball was a balloon

A great time was had by all

Photos

The view from the building where we gave the second class in prevention of sexual abuse today.

This is Doña Maria Virginia.
She is walking back from a stream which is hidden far behind the mountains.
That is where they wash clothes.
I showed her the photos of herself in the class last week.
She was so excited to see herself in photos!
She is looking forward to learning more about reading and writing on Thursday.

Part of the path of Doña Maria

Some of the kids from our group, heading off to their afternoon classes at school.
I'm not allowed to show their faces. Believe me they are so cute!

A Special Surprise!

It's Monday again. I like that I now have a regular schedule for each week. Last week I got a little behind in preparing for the classes and had a small panic attack before the reading/writing/math class.

Fany came over while I was in the midst of panicking and didn't seem to understand that I was really stressed out. I was running around like a maniac and she was asking me to look at her grey hairs... That almost pushed me over the edge!

Lesson learned! This week I have set aside specific hours of the day as prep time for my classes in order to avoid another panic attack. The good news is that I was actually OVER prepared last week when I felt unprepared, so that class won't need much prep time this week. It's the conduct disorder class, the club in Nueva Suyapa (where we are celebrating Father's Day!) and the sex abuse class which will need the most time this week.

My car has been in the shop more than it's been with me since the first week in February. It's back in today for an indefinite amount of time because the mechanic has to take it all apart. It's pulling to the right but the alignment is fine and it has brand new tires. He said this could be a tricky one to fix because he has no idea why it's still pulling to the right.

I told him it seems like my car likes him more than it likes me, because it sure does want to spend a lot of time with him. I asked if I should be thinking about getting another car. I am spending a lot of money and we keep discovering more problems. He said now is the time to sell this one, while it still has some value.

Last week when I went to get my car out of the shop my mechanic asked if I had a half hour to spare. I really didn't, but he said he had something he wanted me to look at. We went to an auto lot to look at used cars. There was nothing there that day, but I need to start this process again. Yuck!

Apparently these people have car lots all over Honduras, so they are going to keep an eye out for a car for me. The owner said that he would like to buy my car if I choose to sell it to him. My mechanic says he'll buy it too, depending on the price. I think I can get more money from a North American Missionary. We'll see. At least I have options, which is good.

I have to come up with $2-3000 to invest in the new car. I've been praying about it for a while. Last week I felt really stressed out about it. But this week I have peace. There is no rush and I am in good hands. God blessed me with a great mechanic who knows a lot about cars and has good connections.

It feels like a big step, and a scary one. But necessary. As a single woman in Honduras, I can't have a car that is not reliable. It is just not safe. God has kept me safe so far, but I have to do my part to and not set myself up for problems.

Speaking of seeing God's hand over me, a really cool thing happened at church yesterday. In the morning I meant to put money for the offering into my purse. As I was driving to church I realized I forgot the money. The first week of every month I also donate money to the church on behalf of a friend who supports us from the US. I felt bad for forgetting my tithe, as well as the money on behalf of the other person. My church operates on a tight budget and every penny matters.

After I got to church I decided to go through my bag and see if I had any money tucked away. I was pretty sure I had only 120 Lempiras ($6) because I have purposely been traveling with very little cash as I am entering dangerous neighborhoods so frequently these days. But I figured it wouldn't hurt to check and see.

I looked through each pocket of my backpack, and twice in the hidden zipper because sometimes in the past I have put money there. But there was nothing.

Then I searched my purse. Suddenly I noticed a zipper in my purse. I didn't remember seeing it before and don't remember using it at all. Before I opened the zipper I prayed, "God, I really need this 1,500 Lempiras for my church today." Then I opened the zipper and guess what was inside!?!!! Pennies, one quarter, some nickles from the US, but not one dollar. AND 1,500 Lempiras!!!!! Exactly! I couldn't believe it!

I've been thinking and thinking about how that money got there and I still have no idea. Obviously I used that zipper when I was in the US because of the loose change that was in there. But I don't think I've used it since I got back to Honduras, or I would have taken out the US coins.

Normally, for safety, I travel with 500 Lempiras or less. I can't imagine having put 1,500 Lemps in my bag without consciously thinking about it. It was the strangest thing! There was exactly the amount I needed for the offering, not one Lempira more and not one Lempira less.

It's so cool how God finds little ways to surprise us and to brighten our day. I had a headache yesterday morning and wasn't feeling very good. But after that nice surprise, I couldn't help but be happy. God looks after every detail for us. He will be looking over the details of my car as well. All I have to do is continue to pray for guidance.

My hope is to buy a CRV, or something similar, that's about 5 years newer than the one I own. A 2010 or 2011 would be great. I'd like something with 50-60,000 miles on it. Last year I only put 5,800 miles on my car. This year will be even less. Work is close to home and frequently I ride with security so the miles don't add up as fast.

I will post some cute photos from church yesterday, then it's time to prepare for my classes.

Oh, and if you didn't get my email last week with the newsletter, let me know. I would love to add you to the list!

My favorite photo of the day
Shoes way too big, and a little beaten up
but so white and clean!

The shoes belong to this cute face

Meet Tony. He gives the best hugs!

Hermano Ricardo praying for Pastora Ruth
before the message

Praising God

CUTENESS!
The big kids recite a verse they learned after church.
The little ones want to be like the big girls