Fire Fire Everywhere and Not a Drop of Rain

The air is full of smoke today.  I went outside to wash clothes and realized my clothes are likely to smell like smoke too when I hang them out to dry.  But they can't compare to how I smelled last night. I reeked.

On the way to the church yesterday we stopped at a photo studio.  Jairo needed a small photo of me because the lawyer has been asking for a photo for my residency card.  I have to think that means they are actually making the card if they need a photo.  I am really excited to have my residency.  Without a residency card people can only stay in Honduras for 90 days.  My residency card will be for lifetime.  I could stay forever if I wished.

We had the yummiest lunch yesterday for the kids at the Breakfast Program!  It was Honduran style chicken salad sandwiches.  We got many, many cans of chicken parts as a donation from the Mennonite Church.  In the past we have put the chicken into spaghetti sauce or made chicken and rice, but this was the best.  Lourdes was able to get some yummy sort of hamburger shaped buns inexpensively.  Each kid left really full and it didn't cost very much at all.

We have been trying to make food last longer because food prices have gone up and we are struggling to pay to feed the kids.  It seems that just when we think we don't have enough food for the next day, we get an unexpected donation.  We made two weeks worth of food last three weeks from the last shopping trip.

After the kids left for the day, we went grocery shopping.  First we went to Price Mart (Costco).  We got cereal, pancake mix, hot dogs to put in a rice/veggie dish, frozen veggies, tomato sauce, and some other things there.  I found Jetty's brand of cat food at the Costco, which was exciting.  Then we went to a dairy store where we got all kinds of cheese and lots of eggs.  Finally we went to a state run store for bulk foods.

On Monday there was a fire on the way up the mountain and down by El Hatillo.  Jairo said they had 300 firemen working on the fire near El Hatillo because it was approaching the houses of the president and the mayor.  The fire on the way up the mountain was put out on Thursday night, but in the meantime more and more fires started.  By yesterday we could see more fires than I could count.  The whole valley is full of smoke.  As we drove through the city we saw plumes of smoke in every direction and large areas where the fires were spreading.  I got a better understanding why my landlords have spent every weekend cleaning up the property.

When we got back to the church Lourdes was napping.  Jairo was at work in his office.  The men all hung out in the kitchen, but it was so hot in there I escaped to the computer office.  A while later I went to check if Jairo was still working.  I could smell smoke more strongly than usual.  As I got to the preschool classroom big pieces of ash fell started to fall on my head.  As I got to the bottom of the stairs to Jairo's office I could hear the loud crackling of fire.  Smoke was pouring out from between the buildings.  At first I thought the fire was on the church property near the rode between the two buildings.  Jairo came out of Eunice's office and I called to him.  He told Danny to climb up and see what was going on.  Then he told Don Juan to start cleaning, which means cutting down anything that will burn.  Danny came down and told me to stand back a few feet and look up.  Across the street from the church there was a fire.  It led right up to the road and up to Luis (a boy from the Breakfast Program)'s house.  Luckily his house is cement.  The wind was blowing the fire right toward us.  Danny went up to the field above the church with a machete and began cutting everything down.

I was scared that the building with the preschool, computers, Jairo's office and the indoor church were going to burn.  The smoke and ashes were coming our way, so surely sparks could come too.  The field above the buildings was yellow grass, chest high.  Jairo told me that field has caught fire before.  We hoped that firetrucks would come, but they don't come to Los Pinos under normal circumstances.  I knew they were not going to come today when there were so many other fires to put out.  Lourdes and I prayed.

I climbed back up to the street and saw that the fire by Luis's house had burned itself out.  His family  was standing outside.  They said everything was fine.  Now the fire was spreading down the mountain away from their house.  It was also moving in a direction that was less dangerous for the church.  There is less at the bottom end of the church that can catch fire.  Don Juan and Danny continued cleaning.

We had to leave to pick up Aaron and Joss.  We ran some errands.  The smoke clung to my hair and clothes.  We stopped and saw a newborn baby who had just come home from the hospital a few hours before.  Lourdes received clothes in a donation yesterday that were perfect for the baby, so we dropped them off.  The family asked if I wanted to hold the baby.  Of course I did, but it was an awkward moment.  In Honduras sometimes you eat things you don't want to eat and you do things you don't want to do, in order to avoid offending people.  I reeked of smoke from the fire, which Lourdes said bothered her asthma.  I couldn't remember the last time I had washed my hands with soap.  I finally just said, "I am too gringa.  I am too dirty and I haven't washed my hands.  I do want to hold your baby, but I don't feel comfortable."  It was a hard decision, but the Mom invited me back another day, just to hold the baby.  I think she understood that I was trying to be respectful, not disrespectful.  Lourdes and I talked about the different points of view - exposing kids to things early or not.  I can see the benefits of both.  But to me, his first day home is awfully early to expose him to heavy smoke and dirt.  When I got home and washed my hands that night, the sink was black with dirt from my hands.  I was glad I hadn't held that baby for my own mental peace.

On our way back up the mountain it was dark.  We couldn't see the fires.  But we did see something really cool.  Jairo slowed down the car and pointed out people gathered around a table in front of a house.  They were singing.  All along the street there were tables in front of certain houses with candles, statues, and drapery.  Jairo said that it was Catholic people doing the stations of the cross.  Each home represented a different station.  After the people prayed and sang, they enjoyed coffee and sandwiches or some sort of treat at each house.  It was so cool!  Almost like Christmas caroling with more purpose in Lent.

I came home and called my Mom to tell her about my day.  She couldn't answer her phone because she was enjoying a fish fry at her church and doing the stations of the cross back in Colorado.

This morning I got all of my laundry done early.  I am gaining weight.  My skinny jeans are getting tight.  I am fine with that.  I don't need to be skinny.  I will be healthier with a little extra weight.  I almost gave my bigger jeans away - good thing I didn't!

Lourdes called to ask why I wasn't at Anna and Guillermo Mario's garage sale.  I explained I didn't have a way to get there.  It's only a 20 minute walk.  Normally I would prefer to walk.  Lourdes thinks it would be okay for me to walk alone, but Jairo has told me that I cannot.  Marcela's family doesn't let her walk alone either.

Walter came and got me for the garage sale.  I bought a crock pot so I can make soup and a pork loin I think Jairo would like.  I am going to start inviting people over for dinner.  I also got a bunch of hangers, a whisk, a glass baking pan to make bread, a springform pan, a photograph frame and matching tray which will look nice with a candle, and a pewter heart with a cross, all for $20!  Then I went back to Lourdes' house.  Lourdes, Jairo and I watched Warren Miller skiing films for a while this afternoon.  We enjoyed watching skiing.  I live in their world so much.  It was fun to share one of my passions with them.

Strawberries seem to have come into season overnight.  Today men were selling strawberries in the streets where the women have stands to sell flowers from La Tigra.  They had bags of strawberries.  This is the first time I have seen strawberries this season.  Apparently selling flowers is womens' work and strawberries are mens' work.  It is supposed to be 89-92 degrees for the next ten days.  No rain in sight.

Thursday, Part 2

As we drove to the church, Jairo told me to get my camera out.  Then two motorcycles like this passed us.  I didn't catch them as they passed, so Jairo passed them again to give me another chance at a photo.  You can't see it as well as I wished, but the guy in back is holding a machine gun.  These are regular police.  Normally they don't patrol on motorcycle.  This is the first time I've seen this.

Yesterday in the newspaper was a photo of my friend's uncle, dead in a ditch.  He was the one who was working on cable wires and was shot to death.  The whole page was full of photos of city workers who are being killed.  I felt horrible thinking that maybe my friend might have seen her uncle's photo in the newspaper like that.  Newspapers and television are much more graphic in here than in the US.

When we got to the church, Walter had already prayed with the kids and was washing their hands.  I figured the best way I could help was to wash the dishes that were piled up in the sink so I got to work.  Then Lourdes and Walter went to buy a new bed for Clara.  The mattress that Clara has been sleeping on is lumpy and bumpy with no support.  Lourdes has been wanting to find a new mattress for Clara for months and months.  We have been praying about it with the kids from the Breakfast Program as well as the discipleship group.  With help from people at the church, she was able to buy a new bed today!

When they came back we tied the bed onto the top of Jairo's van, everyone who could fit piled inside - even Don Juan, and we headed into Los Pinos.  Don Juan was excited to help us deliver the bed.  We also had sheets for the bed because someone donated sheets to the church this week.  What perfect timing!  We pulled the old mattress into a different bedroom, took the new box spring and mattress inside, and set it up.  Clara was so happy she fell face down onto her new mattress.  She and her husband were thrilled.  Everyone was smiling and feeling great.  We prayed together, led by Lourdes.  Clara shed tears of joy.  I took lots of photos.  It is so cool to think of Clara sleeping on her new bed tonight!

When we got back to the church Lourdes announced that she was going to give me a Spanish class.  She had three books with her.  We sat down and had a very professional class.  Most of it was review.  However, it feels good to start with some basics.  She said I don't have to do the section about pronunciation because my pronunciation is good.  Otherwise we are starting at the beginning.  She was very serious that I need to do the homework she assigned.  I am excited to do the homework.  I have learned a lot of Spanish over the past year.  I can understand most things.  I can get my point across when I speak, but there is still a lot that I don't know how to say in the most effective/efficient way.  I am really excited to learn more Spanish.

Afterward we spent a few hours answering emails to Lourdes' English speaking friends.  She speaks excellent English and writes well, but she really dislikes writing emails in English.  So I help her out with emails in English.  Today, Lourdes learned that a friend of hers is considering marriage.  Lourdes has been praying for a husband for her friend.  She was so excited to hear that her prayers appear to have been answered.  Lourdes prays for a husband for me too.  I think I still have some things to work on before I am ready to be married.  But she is helping me with those things, as well as my Spanish.

New Bed for Clara!

The kids at the Breakfast Program and members of the church have been praying for money to buy a new bed for Clara.  She is fighting Leukemia with intense chemotherapy.  The bed she was sleeping on was lumpy and bumpy.  Clara's body aches almost every day.  She really needed a bed that could provide support.  On Sunday Lourdes received the final amount she needed for the bed.  Today we all packed into the van and delivered the bed!

Luis, Pierre, Kevin, Justin,
 Jacky, Violet,
 Me, Don Juan,
 Blanca Flor in the van, plus more that aren't in the photo (or are hiding)

Don Juan unloaded the bed and supervised

Don Juan and Luis carrying the mattress

When we arrived Clara was napping.
Her sister was cooking beans.
This is their stove.

Clara was very surprised to get a new bed today!
As soon as we set it up, she laid down on it.

Clara and her husband could not stop smiling.
They were so happy!

We prayed and gave thanks that Clara will now have a comfortable place to sleep.

Clara prayed with tears of joy and gratitude.

Clara really wanted a picture of her newly bald head.
She had four days of chemotherapy this week.
Nidia (Clara's sister), Elizabeth, and Violet in front
Blanca Flor, Clara, Veronica and Camila, Lourdes, Me, Jacky

Clara's new bed!
They even gave us pillows to go with it.
We also received sheets in a donation this week.
See how God works!

After prayer, we all piled out.
Don Juan and Walter watched over us in Los Pinos.

Clara, still with a smile, as we said good bye.
She will sleep well tonight.

Police Tape

Today as we drove to the church there were more police and more army men stationed on various corners, holding their machine guns.  In the past the army men were always in groups of 3, but today the military men were in groups of five.  There were even five stationed outside of Josselyn's school.  Joss did not really like that.  Jairo thought maybe one of the children of a military officer was in classes.   We have never seen the military stationed there before, but over the past few weeks we have seen more and more military presence.  Jairo believes that something is about to happen, but we don't know what.

A few days ago the 17 year old son of an army colonel was killed.  He had 3 Cobra (special opps) men protecting him at the time, but 10 men came, killed the security men, and killed the boy.  The photos in the newspaper show that the boy bears a striking resemblance to Lourdes and Jairo's son, Aaron.

When we got to the church Christian and his best buddy Ever had finished their morning chores with Don Juan and were playing soccer in the parking lot.  They stopped to wave to us as we passed by on our way up to the church.  This is what Christian (formerly known as Conejo - rabbit) was wearing on his feet:

Shoes held together with police tape

I asked if he had other shoes at home.  He said he does have black shoes for school, but nothing to play in.  Christian is one of my favorite little guys.  I went to Lourdes.  Unfortunately the church doesn't have any sneakers to give him right now.  Looks like he will be wearing the police tape for a while.  Sadly, police tape is available in great abundance in Los Pinos.

Lourdes is Back!

Today at 8 a.m. I was ready and waiting at the bottom of the driveway.  Last week on Friday I didn't realize my phone was turned off so Jairo was at the bottom of the driveway honking his horn and I didn't know he was there to pick me up.  There is no way for him to reach me without my phone, but I recognized his honk because he does the same thing in the morning for Don Juan to open the gate at the church.

The entrance to the property
To get to my house is still quite a hike from here

This morning I wanted to be ready, so I waited and waited outside the gate.  Jairo called and told me to go back inside because Walter and Lourdes would pick me up later.  He was running late and needed to get Joss to college.

I went back up and waited.  Got a little extra exercise hiking back up the side of the mountain.  I was excited and surprised to hear that Lourdes would be joining us today.  She could hardly walk yesterday at church and I am not exaggerating.  A group prayed over her at church and she said she felt better.  She said she claimed that she was healed in God's name and has felt better ever since!  Now we just have to pray that she will take it easy and not wear herself out.

Today it was great to have her back at the Breakfast Program!  We got a lot done.  We prayed a lot for K2, the church, and its leaders.  Also we prayed that a container they are sending will get here, that it will be intact with nothing missing, and that we will have all of the paperwork complete so we don't have to pay for it when it comes.

We have had some really good times of prayer between yesterday at church and today with the kids at the Breakfast Program.  Yesterday Jairo spoke about how God says in the bible that he will heal us - that NOTHING is difficult for God.  He asked everyone who needs healing - pyhsical, emotional, any kind of prayer to come to the front of the church.  We prayed over each person.  I like that we are able to do that in church.  Some of the people who received prayer do not have any support at home and need the prayer at church.

Lourdes noticed today that my hair is growing back.  I had noticed it too, because it is a curly mess, standing up on top of my head.  It is only about 2 inches long, so it won't lie down yet.  It is like I have long hair and an afro at the same time!  But I am just happy that it is growing back!  That was really a stressful experience, watching my hair fall out by the handful, so I am not complaining that it looks a little crazy while it grows back.

I am teaching Jetty to go up the stairs.  So far she will do the bottom few and if I carry her to the top, she will do the top four.  But she has a hard time because it is a spiral staircase and she doesn't realize that she has to stay toward the outside where the step is wider.

We had rain all day yesterday.  I rested and relaxed all afternoon, without feeling guilty about letting a beautiful day pass by.  I love rainy days for that.

Perspectives

We are finally getting some rain tonight!  Yay!  So far it's nothing heavy, just a little patter on my tin roof, but enough to settle all of the yellow pollen that covers everything lately.

When I was back in the US for Christmas, watching the news really annoyed me.  A few days ago I was heard about the cruise ship that had problems and the same feeling came over me.  Today I finally identified why I felt annoyed.

North Americans are going nuts talking about this cruise ship and yes, I imagine it was not the fun experience those people hoped for when they paid for the cruise.  But gosh!  There are so many worse things in life.  And yet the news makes the stupidest things seem so important.  Was anyone's life endangered?  No.  They had to eat COLD food.  (Excuse my sarcasm for a moment.)  HORRORS!!  COLD FOOD!

I really don't think I will be able to watch North American news again.  At least not for a while.  I know too many people who go with no food at all.  At the Breakfast Program, I eat alone in my classroom almost every day.  Why?  Because if I pull out my bologna and cheese sandwiches in front of others, they all think I am eating something really extravagant.  And I feel horrible.  Eating bologna and cheese.  Especially if it has lettuce.

I don't think anyone in Los Pinos has a bathroom or running water in their homes.

Some of my other friends here are blessed to live in nice homes, but they can't afford to pay for basic medical necesities - meds, surgeries, physical therapy.  And they go without food sometimes too, although I never hear about it until afterward.  I am thinking now of people with whom I serve - not people in Los Pinos.  So, once I knew they made it home safely, hearing stories about people who had bad luck on a cruise ship just doesn't seem important to me anymore.

Little Update

Today I did something I have never done before.  I was riding home with Erik and Gerald.  They decided it would be best to stop and get a new tire.  I have never seen a tire like the one that was on Walter's truck.  It had lots of metal threads showing and no tread.

The llanteria (tire shop) was 3 doors from Mas x Menos.  I love the mantequilla there.  Mantequilla is a Honduran condiment.  It is in the dairy category, somewhere between sour cream and yogurt, but with no sourness.  I use it on everything.

I asked Erik if there was time for me to run 3 doors down and get mantequilla.  He said sure, you can go.  But you know everything is so expensive there.  I told him that's why I'm only getting mantequilla, nothing more.  I'll admit.  I was unsure about going by myself.  Erik asked if I needed help.  No, I didn't need help.  But I have never walked down the street in the city by myself before.  So I was very alert.  I brought only enough money for the mantequilla.  Nothing more.  The only eventful thing that happened was I got whistled at as I walked back to the truck.  Erik commented that I was very quick.  That's because I hurried the whole time.  I'm sure it was fine for me to walk that far alone, but I just never have.

I forgot to write about a conversation I had with Jairo yesterday.  He told me that the summer has come in strong.  I told him about our saying in the US, "In like a lion, out like a lamb."  He said when summer comes in strong it means that the summer is going to be very hot and dry.  This is especially bad because there is a horrible lack of water in the mountains.  The city gets all of it's water from the mountains near my house.  Jairo said the city took more than they were supposed to and now there is barely any water left for us.  Jairo said the water doesn't normally get this low until April.  This is only February!  The rainy season doesn't start until June.  He has never seen this happen before.  But he has experienced times when they only release water in the mountains every five days.  It could be even worse than that!  I hope we get some rain soon.  It rained all of December and most of January, but then it stopped.  It's been hot and dry ever since.  Normally it rains at night.  We haven't had a drop of rain in weeks.  If we only get water every 5 days I may get pretty stinky!

The Burning Bed

Today as we were coming down the mountain, Jairo and I told Joss the story about the man who found a bed for his wife.  Jairo pointed out the neighborhood where they lived, where the man had gotten up early in the morning to search on the side of the roads for tin cans, and finally the huge dumpster where he found the bed and box spring for his wife on Wednesday morning.  We told Joss how the wife had cried tears of joy and how the photos of them in the newspaper were awesome because you could see how thrilled they were about their "new" bed.

A few blocks past the dumpster where the man in the story found the bed is where Jairo buys his newspaper every day. As he approaches, he always beeps his horn.  The newspaper man crosses into the middle of the street, hands Jairo a newspaper, and Jairo pays the man with exact change which he folds in the console at the beginning of the week to pay for a newspaper each day.  (Everyone knows not to touch the little stacks of money for Jairo's newspaper.)

Today the headlines of that newspaper read that robbers broke into the house yesterday and burned the bed!  At 2 pm yesterday the couple returned to their home to find it had been ransacked and their bed was burning.  I was so sad for them!  We were literally just telling Joss this sweet story and now their bed and some of their belongings were ruined.  The lady was interviewed.  She said each day her husband leaves early in the morning to search for things he can sell and for food from the garbage.  She waits at home, hopeful that he will come back with food.  Some days they don't eat.

The good news is that with all of this media attention, people have been reaching out to support them.  The last line of the article said that they would really like to have their own piece of land where they could build a proper home.  It gave their phone number in case anyone could help.  This is the home where they currently live.

Lourdes is still not able to come back to the Breakfast Program.  She is still very sore.  She needs to go to the doctor, but she thinks he will tell her to go to physical therapy and she doesn't want to do that.

The Breakfast Program has gone smoothly all week.  Walter has been around and the the local ladies help out in the kitchen as much as they can.  Yesterday the kids had a LOT of homework.  Some of it was over my head - science in Spanish - but we figured it out.  Good thing Wikipedia is in Spanish  too!  Blanca Flor and I wrote a biography of some guy I never heard of before.  I asked if she had read about him in class.  She said no, she didn't have any book about him.  I asked how she was supposed to write about him.  She said she had to look him up on the internet.  I am sure she is one of very few kids from Los Pinos who have access to internet.  They don't have electricity, never mind computers or internet.  How can her teacher expect the class to do this assignment?  But Blanca did the assignment.

Every day there are more and more men in army uniforms on the street.  Jairo says it's because there is  "a situation", but he is not sure what the situation is yet.  Whenever he tells me about something political he always say, "The situation is..."  When we know what is going on with all of the army in the streets I will update you on "the situation".

Today we had an arm wrestling contest after all of the kids left.  I was wishing it were a year ago when I was in the best shape I've been in years from going to the gym in the US and running every day.  Now I'm extra weak, especially after fighting this cold for 7 weeks.  Don Juan won all of the arm wrestling contests, although he is older by far than all of his competition.  Yesterday was the first day I didn't cough once all day.  Today I can feel congestion in my chest but I can't move it with a cough.

Tomorrow all of the jovenes are going hiking in La Tigra National Park.  They are really excited!  I may go too.

Blanca Flor gave me a Valentines Day card today.

The front of my card

Inside of my card from Blanca Flor
She will turn 13 tomorrow

It says Happy Valentines Day
You are unique
You are the best
You are super
You are my best friend
I appreciate you
I love you
You are special
I love you very much
You are a very good friend

♥  So sweet ♥  And so typical 13.  As you can see, she can also write in English.  She often asks me about songs she hears on the radio in English.  Yesterday she sang one I could not interpret through her accent.  She sings she sounds that she hears, but it is not necessarily English words.  A few weeks ago she was singing very clearly, "WHO, WHO, WHO WHO, WHO LET THE DOGS OUT!"  Even her barking had a Spanish accent.  Did you know that barks and meows are completely different in Spanish?  You'd think animals sound the same in every language, but they don't.  Wednesday Blanca and Lolita asked me, "What does it mean, 'Boys will be boys?'"  That's a fun one to explain to two almost teenaged girls.

Today's Headlines - The Bed of Love

For once, the front page of the newspaper today was not about how many more people have been murdered in this country.  Today, for Valentines Day, the front page of the Tribune was a story about a couple getting their first bed.

The headlines in red read:  THE BED OF LOVE
On the right, it says:  In the garbage he found the best gift for the day of love
Marvin and Maricela cry from happiness because now they have a place to sleep

"Young couple happy with a bed they found in the street"

This is their house.

The story tells of Marvin, worried yesterday because he had no money to buy a Valentines gift.  He works, but has no money to spare.  Then he finds a bed and torn up box spring in the garbage.  The pictures show him with a huge smile.  He is absolutely thrilled as he puts his "new" bed into the house.  The couple used to sleep on damp dirt floors, covered in rat feces and bugs.  They were cold at night.  But now they have a bed.  They don't mind a bit that it is torn and dirty.  I wonder if they have sheets.


At the Breakfast Program today I was greeted with lots of hugs and word of appreciation for my friendship.  Today is Valentines Day, known here as The Day of La Amor (Love) and Amistad (friendship).  I need to learn how to express sentiments better in Spanish because I didn't say the things I wish I could say to my friends.

However, yesterday I impressed myself with my Spanish skills.  My favorite cable channel went black a few days ago.  I called the cable company and we spent about half an hour trying to fix the problem over the phone.  Finally he said he would have to send someone to the house.  It was not for my lack of Spanish skills.  There is a problem with the cable that they need to fix in person.  I was quite proud because I really don't like talking on the phone in Spanish, but it went just fine.

Yesterday I received an email that was an answer to prayer.  A few months ago I noticed that one of my monthly sponsers was no longer on my monthly financial statement.  The person had been donating a significant amount.  I prayed that maybe it was a computer glitch and would be resolved.  Eventually I just let it go and prayed that I would get the support another way.

My prayer was answered when I received an email from a couple whom I've met only once, saying they would like to support me with a monthly donation in exactly the same amount as the other person had stopped giving.  It never ceases to amaze me when people I don't even know are so generous.

Happy day of love and friendship!

Preparing for Valentines Day

Allan (new!) , Jose Daniel, Misael and Cindy

Today the kids made valentines for their families.  Chantal, the teacher from Canada, told me that it is good for their fine motor skills to make little balls out of tissue paper, so this was our first tissue paper project.  They loved it!

Half of them are sick right now, so I am washing my hands like crazy and we are talking a lot about covering your mouth when you cough.  They are getting much better at that.  I am blowing a lot of noses.  I hope I don't get sick again.  I still have remnants of the cold I caught on December 22nd in the states.

Since they don't call it Valentines Day here (it is called El Dia de la amor y la amistad - the day of love and friendship) I wonder if Valentines are still called Valentines.

Tuesday

Jairo gave me another update today on the way to the church.  He said that he was saving yesterday's newspaper to show me because it has all of the most dangerous neighborhoods highlighted on a map and the murder rates there.  Guess what?  Los Pinos and the neighborhood where I love to shop at the bottom of the hill from the church are on the list.  We have noticed the army has a lot of people on the streets between those two neighborhoods lately.  We are not sure why.

Also, the narco traffickers have implemented their own curfew in certain neighborhoods.  That was in the newspaper as well.  Basically if you go outside in those neighborhoods after a certain hour you are guaranteed to be shot.  I asked Jairo if the narcos are making their own curfews so they can move around freely at night without being seen.  He said he thinks it's more about exercising and demonstrating control.  He said they want to show the people who is the boss.

Some of the boys from Pinares went shopping with Walter today to buy Valentines Day presents for their girlfriends.  One of the boys has been saving for months and spent a lot of money on gifts. He has the night planned out in stages, with a gifts at a movie, gifts in the car when his sister picks him up after the movie, gifts at dinner, gifts in the car when his brother picks him up after dinner.  I sure hope the girl appreciates him!  The boys are young teens, so they are funny about the whole thing, embarrassed to talk to their parents about it.  So cute!

Jairo said he thought a man was supposed to bring a Honda CRV to the church today for us to look at for me, but once again nobody showed up.  Jairo said maybe he was mistaken and the man is supposed to come tomorrow.  I am hoping to see my "new" (used) car tomorrow!  But I am not counting on it.

I told Jairo I would like to celebrate my one year anniversary in Honduras.  He asked what the date of the anniversary will be.  Then we talked about the day I got here when we left the airport and went straight to dig groceries out of the garbage for the church.  Yuck.  That was so disgusting.  I admitted for the first time that I never knew what we were doing, where we were going, or how long we'd be gone for the first few months.  I told him I was embarrassed to ask, but they would make plans in Spanish and I didn't understand.  I told him it is nice to know what's going on now.  We talked about how my luggage was lost for the first 8 days and we thought it was permanently lost.  Looking back, I can't believe that didn't freak me out.  I was so calm about it.  I think I could use more of that tranquility and peace now.  I think I used to be better about rolling with the punches.  Something to work on.

Spring has sprung

Things are so beautiful around here lately!  There are new flowers blooming every day outside my house.  The trees are full of flowers too.  I think my favorite tree flower is bright fushia.  It is so bright it seems to almost glow.  The sun has been shining for about 2 weeks now and people went from complaining about the cold to complaining about the heat literally overnight.  It is hot down in the city.  It's nice up in the mountains at my house.

Last week we had a movie night on Thursday.  The whole Sarmiento family, Marcela, Walter and I watched Les Miserables.  Afterward we were singing everything rather than speaking.  Jairo was hilarious.  He rarely watches movies with us, but he seemed to like this one.  We laughed and laughed.  I wished we had a movie camera.  Joss said if we had a video of that night it would be perfect for the second episode of "Keeping up with Los Sarmiento".  We have been making cookies and watching movies afterward at the Sarmientos about once per week. Joss loves to bake and I like to have a family sort of night.  It's nice.

Friday night I went and watched the men from the church play fútbol against the boys from La Tigra.  Karla was there watching Jose play so it was nice to catch up with her.

Jairo got in a weekend of fishing with his brother and Aaron.  He said they caught lots of fish and Aaron caught one too.

Sunday was Marcela's 21sr birthday.  I was invited to a birthday party at her house.  It was really nice.  Almost everyone was family, so I was honored to be invited.  Her family is really fun.  Her Aunt and Uncle invited me to dinner at their house soon.  They are awesome.  Almost everyone at the party spoke English.  I thought that was interesting.  Many of them have studied in the US.  At birthday parties in Honduras most people don't bring presents.  Your presence is the present.

Today Lourdes tried to come back to the Breakfast Program.  She was on bed rest by Dr's orders since she fell last week.  I saw that she could barely walk when she got out of the car.  She realizes now that she needs to take another week of rest.  I wonder if her Fibromyalgia made the effects of the fall worse.

We got home early today!  Jairo and I did some grocery shopping.  I found a perfect laundry basket for 58 lempiras (less than $3.00).  That was quite exciting,  I got home about 4:30, which has to be a record within the past month.  We are still going full speed.  I thought after the boys from El Sembrador went to school things would slow down, but not yet.  Reports are that the boys are all doing very well and are happy at school.

The preschool class has been exceptionally small lately.  I'm not sure why.  It's kind of nice though.  I can really give the kids a lot of specialized attention.  We work on their individual needs each day.  For example Misael is four years old.  If you ask him how old he is he holds up 4 fingers, but he cannot say with words that he is four.  He can recognize numbers 1-3, but not number 4.  So we are working on that.  Today a new boy was there when we got out the puzzles.  He had never seen a puzzle before. Misael is actually pretty good at puzzles, but the new boy was trying to put pieces together with the cardboard back showing instead of the picture.  He just didn't seem to get it.

Last week one of the Moms from Los Pinos cooked something on the stove, then she didn't know how to turn off the burner.  I always think of her as just like me.  I never considered that she probably cooks over a fire at home.  I also noticed that the ladies don't know how to set things to dry in a dish rack,  They must not have running water with a sink and dish rack.  I certainly take a lot of things for granted.  I never thought about a person not knowing to put a cup upside down so it will dry in a dish rack.

Life on the Monkey Farm

Last night I dreamed that I owned a monkey farm.  (I don't really know what a monkey farm is, but in the dream I had farm land with a barn and lots of monkeys - a monkey farm.)  I kept buying more and more monkeys for my farm.  It was a pleasant dream.  I woke up happy.  Then I recognized the similarity between my dream and real life.  I told Jairo about the dream.  He said Memo is like a monkey and Los Pinos is the jungle.  We got a good laugh out of that.

Today I had 8 monkeys in the preschool class.  They are all between 4-6 years old.  Three of the 4 yr olds don't know their colors or numbers yet, but 3 of the four year olds do know their colors and numbers up to five.  Pretty good for kids who normally don't have a lot of structure or teaching at home!

We all laid down on the carpet and I used UNO cards to practice naming colors and numbers.  Most of them don't have carpet at home, so lying on the carpet is a big deal.  They enjoyed it.  It is so much easier to teach without the tiny ones in the class.  The kids can actually learn!  And I know which kids need extra help now.  I am sending homework home with some of them.  It is nothing mandatory, but to work on if they like.  When there were more kids of various ages between 1-7 it was much less productive.

I woke up with pink eye this morning.  Finally kicked the cold, and then I got pink eye.  UGH!  But here you don't need a prescription for the medicine, so Jairo went and picked it up for me.  I already have a dose in my eyes.  Some things here are much easier than in the US.

On the ride to the church this morning it was just Jairo and me in the car.  Those are the times I get the most information.  This morning Jairo told me that he had been sick earlier.  I said Oh No!  Then he explained that he had been watching the news.  In Tegucigalpa they installed cameras on the traffic lights and street lights of high crime areas, just like they had in Chicago.  But here there is nobody to monitor the cameras or to respond when they see something bad happening.  Yesterday alone, the cameras caught 2 cars pulling up to 4 boys who were minding their own business, walking home from school.  Men got out of the cars with machine guns and one with a pistol.  Two of the boys stopped and put their hands in the air, two ran.  The men shot them all dead.  Even after they hit the ground the men kept shooting.  Jairo said it made him sick to see four innocent boys walking along with their backpacks, shot dead for no reason.  Then the news showed a group of young men sitting outside a house playing cards and drinking soda.  They weren't causing any trouble.  Once more, 2 cars pulled up and opened fire, leaving everyone dead.  The cameras caught a person being killed by a person who was impersonating a police officer, it caught assaults and more murders, but nothing is being done.  Jairo said he is accustomed to seeing death.  Since he was a kid, this has been a part of his life.  But he has never seen anything like this.

The people are raising a stink.  It is on the news and in the newspapers, but the police say they don't have money or manpower to do anything.  Jairo said he cannot believe how dangerous this country has become.  None of the deaths seemed to have rhyme or reason.

Last weekend my friend Nicolle's Uncle was shot and killed for no reason.  He was working at his job fixing cable wires in Tegucigalpa.  We believe that he was killed by people who thought he was installing more surveillance cameras.  Nicolle and her family are an integral part of the church.  Nicolle is in my English class here.  She and I are good friends.  We text and email a few times a week.  She got me the cutest bathing suit for Christmas.  I have been checking in with her regularly.  She is trying to keep her head up, but she told me that her family is very, very sad.

Maybe this is part of the reason Jairo has not found a car for me yet.  I am safest when I travel in the van with him or with Walter.  Otherwise I am usually at home, or at the church - both safe places.  I'm not in a rush to get my own car.

Here is the photo of Lourdes and me with Chantal, the lady from Canada who helped me organize the preschool and taught me how to be a teacher.  Thank God for Chantal!

Changes

I rested all weekend.  On Friday I felt worse - like I was coming down with a new cold on top of the cold I already had.  Saturday morning my landlord called and asked if she could come over.  She had woken up and made homemade chicken soup for me.  She came over with the homemade chicken soup and an orange, fresh from the tree.  I told her I felt better already, just from seeing the blessings she brought.

Monday I did feel better, but today I feel great.  I still have a runny nose and little cough occasionally, but I think I have FINALLY gotten rid of the cold.  I have been sick since December 22.  You can imagine I was sick of being sick!

Yesterday we were at the church until really late again.  I got home at 8 pm.  Part of that was because it took us forever to get up the mountain.  At 7:30 the road was FULL of cars coming down from El Hatillo and we were in a traffic jam on our way up.  I was scared there was a horrible accident until I realized that traffic would not be pouring down the mountain if there were an accident.  Finally we came upon cars parked on both sides of the road and lots of people walking up and down the streets.  Apparently the mayor, who lives on a side street  was having quite a party on a Monday night.  I asked Lourdes how all of those people could possibly fit in a house.  Lourdes said the mayor's house is enormous and could fit all of those people.  Today we found out that Jairo's brother was at the party.  I wonder what it was like.  I think half of half of the city was there.

Today was the last day for Chantal, the lady from Canada, to be with us.  We had a going away party for her at the Breakfast Program.  We got her a gift and bought her a cake.  The kids all gave her kind words and hugs.  Chantal was really happy, I think.  I told her what a great help she had been to me and to the preschool class.  I feel completely different about teaching preschool now.  I feel competent and prepared.  Before Chantal came, teaching was a struggle for me.  But Chantal has given me a lot of ideas and confidence.  I am more excited about the class now and I believe we are going to make a bigger difference for the kids.  Tomorrow I will miss her, but I don't NEED her to be here anymore.  She has been a great teacher for me.  I have more photos on my phone.  I will post them tomorrow.

Lorenzo is working on writing his name

Anai in her new school uniform!

In the past I have been too passive and agreeable when people approach me in an aggressive or argumentative way.  I think that sometimes North Americans have a reputation for being loud and disrespectful, so it was important to me that I not be seen that way.  Today someone interrupted an important conversation I was having with a parent.  They started speaking to me loudly and aggressively.  I was so proud of myself!  I tried explaining to the person, but they kept repeating themselves.  Finally I told the person that I heard them, I understood them, but they needed to speak to Lourdes.  They kept insisting that I do what they wanted me to do.  I kept repeating that I heard them, I understood them, and they need to speak to Lourdes.  It felt so good not to get pushed around.  I never let myself get pushed around in the US, and I will not let it happen here either.  Later I talked to Lourdes and Jairo.  Lourdes said I did exactly what I should have done.

Today we had a new couple helping us at the Breakfast Program.  They RODE THEIR BIKES FROM CANADA TO HONDURAS!!!!!  When Lourdes introduced them and said they had come here from Canada on their bikes, Memo (age 4), said, "Porque ellos no tienen pisto".  Basically he said they didn't have the cash to travel in another manner, so that's why they road their bikes to Honduras.  He is so darn funny!  He is the same boy who wears a leather coat when it's hot, rubber boots when it's dry, and looks like he is screaming when he sings.  I love that boy.

Lourdes fell down last night when she got up to go to the bathroom.  She hurt her hip and shoulder.  She also banged her head.  Today the Dr came to the Breakfast program.  He said her head is fine, but her shoulder and hip are bruised.  He gave her a prescription for a muscle relaxer and said she needs to rest for a week.  For the next week Walter and I will run the Breakfast Program.  I hope that Lourdes really takes this time to rest.  I told her she is not allowed near an iron.  She exhausts herself with tons of ironing.  Her discipleship group and I offered to clean her house this weekend.  Jairo is taking care of meals.  Now if we can just get Lourdes to sit down and relax!

I am really liking my new house.  It has been sunnier for about a week now, which makes everything better.  I washed my towels and for the first time since I moved here, they dried without smelling musty!  I can feel the seasons changing.

Keeping Up With Los Sarmiento

I had the strangest dream last night.  One of those dreams where you remember every detail and wonder how in the world your brain could think of those things.  But it was a good one - all of my family from all over the US, aunts, uncles, cousins, surprised me with a birthday party at 6:15 a.m. in Massachusetts.  I told you, strange details.  But not a bad way to wake up.

Once again, I was sound asleep when my alarm went off.  I have slept really well this week.  Possibly from the cold medicine.

Things went well at the Breakfast Program.  Javier was back to cut hair for the third day straight.  He cut about 12 heads today.  The boys all waited in line.  He worked for hours.  He always takes his time with each boy, no matter how long the line is.  He is really good at his job and he makes the boys feel good about themselves.  (Javier is a "graduate" of the Breakfast Program who asked to come back and cut the boys' hair for free as his way of giving back.)

I spent most of the afternoon prepping things for the preschool class.  It is important that I get as many ideas as I can from the teacher from Canada while she is here.  Today I told her in detail about how grateful I am for her help.  I was overwhelmed and not sure where to begin.  Now the classroom is cleaned out.  I know how to use the things that we have.  The kids are the appropriate ages and I have techniques I never would have learned if she had not come.  She has made a huge difference for both me and the kids.

YAY!!! The power just turned on!  I didn't eat much today and was looking forward to an egg, bean and cheese sandwich on a fresh baguette but I got home really late to find we had no power.  Had to make due with cereal.  Now it's 11 p.m.  I'm still tempted to at least heat up some beans for a bean and cheese sandwich.

Lourdes spent the day shopping with the kids who leave for El Sembrador tomorrow. She shopped until they ran out of money.  They are still lacking a few things but they have most of the things they need.  They leave tomorrow morning at 5 a.m.  Today we labeled everything in permanent marker and helped them pack their bags.  Most of the mothers came to help.  I could feel the kids' excitement and the mothers trying to hold back their anxiety.  They are excited too, but it hard for them to say good bye to their sons and send them so far away.

After hours of packing and organizing, Lourdes had a time of prayer.  She thanked God for each boy individually and asked God to help them in the specific areas she knows where they struggle.  I am worried about one of the boys.  My concern is that he may not have the self discipline to study like he needs to.  Lourdes prayed that he will focus less on fútbol and more on his studies.  I hope he takes this opportunity seriously because this could be his only chance at a decent life.  His Mom is mentally ill.  I frequently see her in the streets lacking various clothing items.  He needs to get away and build a life for himself, starting with an education.

Tomorrow 3 trucks will take 9 boys, 8 moms, Lourdes and her sister, Belinda, to Olancho.  Two of the three drivers are already physically exhausted and it is a dangerous drive through areas of heavy narco trafficking.  I feel sick every time they do this drive.  I have been praying about it a lot and will continue to pray until everyone is safely where they are supposed to be tomorrow.  Jairo invited me to go with them.  I was excited.  But then Jairo heard my cough.  It is worse again.  I told him I am not feeling very good.  He told me I could choose to go, but he would prefer that I stay home in bed for 2-3 days.  He asked if I had lots of juice, which I do, and told me that resting does not include doing laundry.  But I will have to do laundry if it is sunny.

We were sitting around in the kitchen at church tonight, waiting to go home.  Everyone was anxious to get some sleep because they all have to be at the church at 5 a.m.  I learned that in Honduras you have to take an eye exam, do a blood test, and pay money to get a driver's license here.  A drivers test is not necessary.  That explains a lot.

One of the boys asked if I know how to drive.  I told him I have been driving for longer than he has been alive.  Everyone in the kitchen cracked up laughing.  They said I am really funny in Spanish and they bet I'm even funnier in English.  You may not think so from reading this blog, but I'm pretty sure that I am funnier in English.

I have been appreciating how easily I understand full conversations now.  I don't put together pieces and try to figure out what they are saying, I actually know almost every single word.  It is so nice.

I came up with an idea for a new tv series.  It is called "Keeping up with Los Sarmiento".  It is a based on the true story of a missionary who moves to Honduras with her cat and tries to keep pace with Lourdes and Jairo.  I really don't know how they work as hard as they do.  I am younger and in better physical shape than each of them (Jairo has diabetes and Lourdes has fibromyalgia), but I cannot keep up with them!  Maybe one day I will tell them that they are on bed rest.  But I doubt they would listen.

Buying Machetes

The past two days have been incredible.  Incredibly good.  Yesterday I thought Jairo was going to pick me up at 8, but he never came.  I have learned not to call.  They are always on their way eventually so I find something productive to do with my morning waiting times.  Usually I do some extra bible study while I wait.  Yesterday I started cleaning.

Since I got back from Christmas in the US, my clock radio has been making crazy noises when I plug my iPod into it.  I have tried and tried to fix it, but nothing worked.  Yesterday I sat down and prayed about it.  I said to myself, this is the silliest thing I have ever prayed about - that God would make my iPod work - but I miss listening to music and I don't have money for another speaker system.  So I told God, I know this is really silly.  I am sorry to come to you with such a minuscule thing, but I cannot get this thing to work so I would appreciate it if you could.  I plugged in the iPod and waited for the noise.  It always takes a few seconds before it starts making the noise so I have been fooled before, thinking it was fixed when it wasn't.  I waited, but no noise came.  Then I turned on the iPod and MUSIC PLAYED!

I was so happy I ran around my house saying, "Thank you God!  Thank you!"  Then I had a very clear realization.  God said to me, "If I care about silly little things like this, imagine how much I care about the big things.  Stop worrying so much!  I am taking care of everything."

I have been really concerned/worried/upset because I thought I was going to receive my washer and dryer when my church in the US sends a big delivery in March.  They told me they could do it.  But recently I was told there is not much space.  I have been praying and asking others to pray that there will be room for my washer and dryer.  It is hard to live in the mountains without those things.  My washer is broken and I have never had a dryer since I moved to Honduras.  In El Hatillo (since it is rain forest environment) there is seldom sun and it is cold.  The climate is not conducive to having dry clothes.  When I moved to El Hatillo in December I thought I would just have to hold out until March and I'd have dry clothes to wear.  Then I got the bad news about lack of space.  I started getting kind of freaked out.  But now God has told me very clearly to calm myself down and trust in Him.  If he cares about my iPod, he certainly cares more about my bigger worries.

Having my iPod come to life was a wonderful way to start my day.  I was cheerful when I got to the Breakfast Program.  However, due to a series of events which you wouldn't care to hear about, I was very late.  When I walked into the preschool room the class was over and they were already lined up to wash their hands for lunch.  I told them their line looked great and I loved how they were all being quiet.  They were so excited to see me!  It was as if I had been gone for weeks, not just an hour late.  They all called my name, wanting my attention, anxious to tell me about their day and smothered me in hugs.  I was at least four kids deep in hugs for a while.  As they ate dinner, they told me how good they were that morning.  Hearing all of the older kids tell me about his positive behavior one of the younger boys said, "And tomorrow I washed my dishes all by myself and I didn't even cry!"  His sister pointed out that he meant to say yesterday, not tomorrow.  He agreed he wouldn't cry today when it was time to wash his dishes too.  Kids are so funny!  This was the first time I really understood how much they care about me.  I'm not just the Gringa who  teaches their class.  They really care about me.

With my heart full of love from the kids and full of gratitude to the lady from Canada who ran the class on her own, I went outside to help Lourdes prepare the 9 boys to leave for El Sembrador.  I met a couple who are from the states, but were visiting the Breakfast Program for the day.  They asked how I got here.  I ended up telling them the whole, entire story.  I don't think I've ever done that before.  Usually I summarize.  But they really enjoyed it.  They would say, "Wow.  That is amazing."  And I would say, "Wait - It gets better!"

They loved the Breakfast Program and their excitement reminded me even more about how blessed I am to be here.  Sometimes I get carried away with worrying about things like money, or my washer and dryer, and I forget how I waited to be here for so many years.  I forget that there are others who would love to be in my shoes.  I forget that I have an amazing life and I need to appreciate every second of it!  But this couple helped me to remember.

They asked for the information as to how they can make financial donations and said they will pray about it.  I was honored.  We only met for about 2 hours.

Jairo dropped them off near my house and turned around, headed the other way.  I wondered why he didn't drop me off, but I try not to ask too many questions.  He always has a plan.  Lourdes ended up asking him for me and he said he was taking us all out to dinner.  I'm not sure why.  It was no occasion that I am aware of.  We picked up Lourdes' sister and her boys, Joss and Aaron each brought a cousin, and the 10 of us went out for pizza.  It was good, but not as good as the place where we went for my birthday.  Afterward I was so sleepy.  They dropped me off at home with a full belly and I went to sleep quickly, after a few minutes of coughing.  My cough is not as deep as it was and I am coughing less.  But I still have a nasty cough.

Today I got to wake up music from my iPod on the clock radio!  That was nice.  I've never been a buzzer person.  It was warm early in the morning.  Down in the city it got pretty hot.  It was at least 80 degrees when we all packed into the car after the Breakfast Program to go shopping.  We had to get things for the boys who are leaving in 2 days for El Sembrador.  Can you believe machetes are on their Back to School list?  I had fun in the machete aisle with Jairo.  I've never been in a store that had a machete aisle.  Here machetes are used instead of lawn mowers.  They actually do a much nicer job.  Every day there are people on the sides of the road and in the medians cutting grass with machetes.  My landlords pay someone to trim their whole property, even up the side of the mountain, with a machete.  It is very common to pay someone else to clean your house or to do yard work here.  People who are not wealthy have a nanny because there is always someone who needs a job or a meal.  Most of my adult friends have someone who cleans their house 1-3 times per week.  They assumed I would do the same.  It is written in the rental agreement that I will pay for my own housekeeper.

Oh, but I got off topic.  So Jairo and I picked out machetes.  I told him it was my first time carrying a machete.  He leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I think everyone is looking at you.  And they are saying, 'Oh no!  Look at the Gringa with the machete.  Watch out!  She looks dangerous!' "  It was funny.  I liked carrying the machete.

Tonight we are staying late at the church.  I didn't know it until about 4 pm.  Jairo made a big dinner and then went upstairs for a meeting with all of the committees.  I guess they are each discussing their plan for the next three months.  I hope I will get a car soon so I don't always have to keep up with the Lourdes and Jairo's schedule.  They are hard to keep up with!

Tomorrow Lourdes is spending the day shopping.  Among other things, the boys still each need 3 pairs of shoes and a pair of work boots.  That's 36 items of footwear in total.  I wonder where the money will come from.  They need brown shoes for a new school uniform, black shoes for church, tennis shoes, and work boots.  She also has to buy socks, tee shirts and underpants for them.  Two of the boys have almost nothing of their own to bring.  The rest don't have much.

Sometimes I sit here with a full tummy and I think about all of the people I know who are my friends in Honduras who won't eat tonight.  I'm not thinking of only people from Los Pinos.  I really know a lot of people who are scraping by.  Some of them are extremely hard workers too.  But jobs are few and far between, and when they do find work it doesn't pay much.  I am getting better about not letting food spoil before I eat it and only buying what I will eat.  It's hard without a car because my natural instinct is to stock up when someone takes me to a store.  But I have been going without things that I used to think I needed to have in my house out of habit.  I don't have as many choices when it comes time for dinner.  But I have food.  That is what matters.

I spent some time talking with the lady from Canada who is helping me.  Usually we just talk about class related things.  She has been here about 2 weeks.  It is somehow reassuring to me that she is going through some of the same struggles that I did.  She is smart and strong.  She will be fine.  I'm not sure I was very helpful to her.  I remember being really frustrated when I talked to people about things that bothered me and they replied, "That's how it is here."  However, I found myself saying to her, "That's how it is here."

10 Months in Honduras

Ten months ago today I moved to Honduras.  I remember spending so much time wondering if I would raise the finances necessary to stay.  To be honest, I was doubtful.  I kept trying to convince myself that I would feel okay if I had to return to the US because I had given it my best shot.  I tried hard not to get attached to anyone or anything here.

And then, little by little, the finances started coming.  People doubled their monthly donations.  People I had never met before offered enormously generous donations.  Others kept telling me they had complete faith that I would stay.  It took me longer to believe.  I think I was protecting my heart.

I'll save all of the memories for my actual one year anniversary in Honduras, which I plan to CELEBRATE!

I can't lie.  There have been rough times.  But there has also been more joy than I have ever known before.  I love my day to day life here.  I am blessed to have some wonderful friends, both in Honduras and in the US, who are very supportive.

The Breakfast Program, which is the reason I was called to be here, has gone from about 40 kids every day to over 100 kids.  This is especially meaningful to me because the Breakfast Program is not new.  It has been feeding 20-40 kids for more than five years.  But this is the year that is more than doubled in size.  We are doing lots of good things there.  I have no doubt that we are touching many lives.

On Friday we will send 9 boys from Los Pinos to El Sembrador.  El Sembrador is a private Christian school many hours away.  Three of the boys are returning for their second year, one (Bismar) for his third year, and five are going for the first time.  They are being given the opportunity to completely change their future.  They are excited!  Some are even talking about going to college in the US, which is a realistic goal after they complete their education at El Sembrador.  They are learning to dream big and make their dreams come true.  Imagine going from living in a shack with a dirt floor, no running water, no electricity, and an outdoor fire for cooking in one of the poorest areas of the city, to a beautiful prep school in the country.  It is a huge transition, but they understand the importance of what they are being offered.  We are so excited for them!

Bismar and his mother.
He is so handsome in his new suit and she is so proud!

Jairo presented Bismar to the church for prayer before he leaves.

A lady from Canada is here for a few weeks.  She is a kindergarten teacher.  She has been spending every day helping me organize and plan activities for the preschool kids.  With her help, we have completely changed the Breakfast Program.  Now the kids have to be four years old to be in the preschool class with me.  We have a separate classroom for the 0-3 year olds.  The older kids take turns caring for the youngest.  Lourdes is tutoring "los medianos" (the 7-11 year olds).  Walter and Chayito are teaching "los grandes" (12 and up).  I am really excited.  Especially since the program continues to grow.  Now there is room for everyone to learn..  It is nice to have them each in an environment that is age appropriate.  I think this new arrangement is going to make a big difference in the children's education.  I am really grateful to the teacher who is helping us implement everything.  It is a blessing to me because I was feeling overwhelmed and a little discouraged.  But now that I see how productive our class can be, I have a new sense of motivation and excitement.

Veronica, whose Mom (Doña Albertina) died a month ago, has been keeping herself busy helping Marlin in the kitchen.  She seems to be doing very well.  Bismar and his mother are also doing well, as you can see.  Cancer took Bismar's father on New Year's Eve.  Christian (Conejo)'s grandmother is dying.  His mother saw me at church this week and asked me to come to the house and pray with the family.  I was very honored that she asked.  I explained I will need to find someone to go with me into Los Pinos, but I will go as soon as possible.  I am hoping to go Wednesday.  Clara, who has leukemia, is getting chemotherapy every week.  A family from the US was planning to come visit, but were unable so the money they would have used toward the trip will pay for Clara's treatment for a year!  Clara is thin, but still strong emotionally and physically.  Pat Pike, back in the US, still needs prayer.  The Drs have chosen not to close his stomach because each time they tried he got an infection.  He is not able to process food and was diagnosed with pneumonia last week.  He is a strong man with a new wife so we are praying for a quick recovery from pneumonia and that the Drs will choose to close him up soon.  I don't mean to be a downer, but I know some of you are eager to hear these things.

Yesterday Marcela (my landlord's daughter) and I went for a walk.  It was a gorgeous afternoon, for which I was grateful because the sun doesn't come out very much in the mountains lately.  We decided to walk toward La Tigra.  We passed Shalom, turned the corner where all of the signs for La Tigra begin, and headed up the hill.  But we got side tracked by stopping to visit Marcela's grandmother.  She has the most beautiful yard.  Part is a vegetable garden, part fruit trees, beautiful flowers, different kinds of vines, and the biggest jade plant I have ever seen in my life.

We took a tour of the yard, sampling mint, basil, cherry tomatoes, and taking photos.  Then Marcela's uncle invited us to go for a ride with him "up the mountain for just a minute".  We put a garden bench in the back of his pick up truck and headed out.  Four hours later he dropped us off at home.  I was shivering as the sun had gone down and it was cold up there, but I loved every second.  We visted Marcela's grandfather's land. He used to live in La Tigra.  (La Tigra is a rainforest which is protected as a National Park.)  He also used to grow coffee there.  We visited the land where the coffee plants still grow.  I think her Uncle is going to farm the coffee.  It was really interesting.  I had never seen a coffee plant before.

Pictures from Marcela's Grandmother's yard:

Huge jade plant

Pictures from La Tigra:

Coffee plants

I still have a cough, left over from the flu I got in the states.  It is finally getting better.  I don't need the nebeulizer anymore and I haven't vomited from coughing in over a week.  I feel good, but need to get back into shape after resting for more than a month.  Marcela and I are planning to start the Insanity Workout as soon as my cough gets better.  We will also swim in a month or two when the weather is warmer.

I am hoping to get a car soon.  It is hard to run simple errands when my home is so far from everything.  I am loving the new house and being in the mountains, but I think I will love it even more when it warms up and when I have my own transportation.  Everyone is awesome about getting me where I need to be.  I never feel like I am burdening anyone.  Jairo, Walter, and my landlords always seem more than happy to help out.  But sometimes I miss the independence of having a car.

There were a lot of other things I've been meaning to write about, but I needed a little respite from the computer.  I will get back to blogging regularly now.

And in the news - Jairo told me that the murder rate was the highest it's ever been last month.  He also told me that the unemployment rate in Honduras is 48%.  While I was still staggering from that statistic Jairo said it's no wonder people are stealing and turning to illegal activities.  Unfortunately, he's right.  Puts things into perspective, doesn't it?