I had the strangest start to my day! Right as I was ready to leave the house I looked at the cable box and it said it was an hour later than my alarm clock read. The cable is often screwy so I dismissed it. When I got out to the car and saw the time on the clock there I was shocked! How could I be an hour late and not even notice? I must have slept a whole extra hour!
I was a little late for class, but they were making homemade tortillas in the kitchen so the food was running late. The class is supposed to be a half hour, but we got in a full hour as usual. Then the kids ate.
I had my first real power struggle today with one of the kids. I have worked with teens long enough to recognize a power struggle a mile away. Normally I make an effort not to engage, but this time I really felt I had to. Ugh. This week the kids all picked their favorite bible verse to share with the class. We talked about each verse afterward. I told each student when they were going to present their verse since we could not do them all in one day because there are about 25 kids each day!!!
One boy said he was not ready and would do it tomorrow. I reminded him there is not class tomorrow because it is their free day. So he insisted he was going to present his verse next week. I told him no, he is going to do it today, just like everyone else.
The other kids all presented their verses. Some were not quite ready. But when they realized we were going to wait until they found a verse, they searched and found one. This boy sat with the bible closed on his lap. He refused to even open it!
Finally we moved into the English part of the class. I told him he could participate in English or search for his verse. I said I was free all day and all night I could wait until he found a verse. I asked if it was because he didn't have one in mind, or because he couldn't find the one he had in mind. He didn't really answer.
He fully participated in English. I complimented him when he did well. We prayed before lunch and he stayed put in his chair when everyone else left. I was surprised he didn't try to leave. I couldn't have made him stay.
We ended up having a really nice talk. About the bible. About his faith. About why I felt like I had to be strict with him and not let him slide by without doing the homework. He found a verse and we talked about it. Then I felt really strongly that I was supposed to share Psalm 139 with him. We took turns reading it verse by verse and then discussed it together. He seemed to appreciate it.
He said he does believe in Christ as his savior. He does believe the bible is the word of God. I felt like he was being honest. (Many of the kids of Buen Provecho come for the physcial nutrition, but are not Christ followers.) He said that he doesn't read the bible because he finds it intimidating and unapproachable. That was when I came up with the idea of getting him a daily devotional that has a bible verse for each day. He said that he would indeed study those verses and it would make the bible more approachable for him. Then I thanked him because it was also a great idea to use a devotional in the classroom too - a devotion each morning after our prayer would be really cool. I am still going to get him his own devotional for home.
We ended up closer than we ever were before. He is a tough kid. He got kicked out of school and has a history of drugs, according to Belinda. But today when it was just him and me he was soft and kind.
When we left the classroom everyone was looking at us. I could see they were all wondering what happened. They could see that both of us were calm and happy and talking. One kid asked if he had read his verse and I told them yes, he had. I think things will be easier for the two of us now. I believe so.
The afternoon class was big again. There are about 25 kids every day! That is a huge deal to me. The afternoon class went smoothly. We started early so I told them they could leave a half hour later. But they said no! It's not 1:30 yet! I explained we started early so they could leave early. They said, "No! Teach us more English!" How could I say no? They stayed and we worked until 1:30 which is the time they are supposed to normally leave. I was surprised that they wanted to do more work. And really happy! Apparently they like our class as much as I do.
I stopped by the vet and as I got out of the car, the shoulder strap to my dress snapped and broke. I was headed to the Christian bookstore to buy the devotionals. I couldn't go there with my dress hanging off. So that will be an errand for tomorrow.
At the veterinarians office I needed advice about what food I should be giving my cat. Thank God the girl at the front desk of the vet's office checked with a Dr for advice. I learned that I am giving my cat medicine 2x/day and she is supposed to get it 2x/week! No wonder she is not well.
Yesterday I was invited to lunch with a lady from the church. I enjoy her company. She has lived in the US and understands me better than many people in Honduras can. We tend to see things in similar ways. It was nice to have a lady's afternoon together. We talked and ate and then looked at expensive shoes. It was fun pretending which we would buy.
Tomorrow is Friday. It is free day at Buen Provecho, but guess what? The kids asked me for more English classes on their free day! That is so awesome!! Of course I told them yes. I am so blessed that God gave them such a strong desire to learn. I pray I will be a good teacher to them.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
I ♥ Teens
I love preschoolers. I really, really do. However, as I have been saying for over 2 years, teaching preschool is not my thing. I am not crafty. I can only crawl around on the floor or pretend to drink coffee from a tiny pink plastic cup for so long. I love the hugs and the hilarious things that come out of a four year old's mouth. Watching the kids learn and grow is an invaluable gift. But teaching preschool was not for me.
All my adult life I have been working with teens. It is my gift. Until this week I have not been able to exercise my gift in Honduras. In fact, I had almost forgotten I had a gift. In the past two years I started to doubt myself and my abilities.
Well, I'm BAAAAaaack!! Working with the teenagers is awesome! I absolutely love it. I am shocked by how attentive they are and how quickly they learn. It is so much fun, both for me and for them. I find myself constantly smiling and laughing. The best part is that they are laughing and smiling too! Teaching the teens is better than I ever expected or even hoped.
Granted, today is only the second day. But we have big plans and great ideas. The kids are almost as enthusiastic as I am. Except for one. He is older and comes to Buen Provecho every day. But he has grown accustomed to doing his own thing. He isolates himself and is never really part of the group. I wrote about him yesterday when I asked him to pray and everyone gasped because he had never prayed before.
Today when class started Kike tried to hide in the kitchen. When he was told he had to attend class he left the church. I wasn't surprised, but I was disappointed. He did well in class yesterday. I hope he comes back tomorrow. He has never been expected to follow the rules that the rest of the kids have to follow. He isolates and does what he wants to do. Kike could benefit as much from the social aspects of being in the class as he will from what he learns there.
Today one of the girls who tends to be the most disagreeable outside of the classroom and who struggles hardest to learn in the classroom told me that she really enjoys the class! That was awesome to hear.
I think that after more than 2 years of struggling to teach preschool I had forgotten how it feels to be naturally good at something. Let me tell you - it feels great! I am excited to see where God will lead us in this class. I think He has lots of good things in store for us. The kids are excited too, which makes me even more motivated and happy.
I called my Mom to tell her about this new phase and how happy I am. Then I remembered what happened this morning. "Yes Mom! It was one of my greatest days ever! But I almost died."
You can imagine my Mom's response. She was able to laugh since I was obviously still alive and talking with her on the phone. I told her about how I was taking my vitamins in Eunice's office this morning when one of the pills got stuck in my throat. I literally choked. I could not breathe. I motioned to Eunice and another boy who was there. Eunice jumped up from behind her desk, said, "Get your hands up!" and started whacking me repeatedly on the back. I kept trying to punch myself in the solar plexus and motioning for them to do the Heimlich maneuver. But they just kept lifting up my arms.
Finally, after more than 30 seconds the vitamin flew out of my throat and across the parking lot. It was like a jet propelled vitamin. I caught my breath, but I was sweating all over and trembling so much I could barely stand. Eunice brought me a glass of water and I sat down for a few minutes to recover.
So, I am still alive and I am really happy. Everything seems to be falling into place with my role at the church and my living situation. I can't wait to see what tomorrow, next week, next month and the next year will bring. I have a huge sense of peace coupled with hopeful excitement. Yay!
All my adult life I have been working with teens. It is my gift. Until this week I have not been able to exercise my gift in Honduras. In fact, I had almost forgotten I had a gift. In the past two years I started to doubt myself and my abilities.
Well, I'm BAAAAaaack!! Working with the teenagers is awesome! I absolutely love it. I am shocked by how attentive they are and how quickly they learn. It is so much fun, both for me and for them. I find myself constantly smiling and laughing. The best part is that they are laughing and smiling too! Teaching the teens is better than I ever expected or even hoped.
Granted, today is only the second day. But we have big plans and great ideas. The kids are almost as enthusiastic as I am. Except for one. He is older and comes to Buen Provecho every day. But he has grown accustomed to doing his own thing. He isolates himself and is never really part of the group. I wrote about him yesterday when I asked him to pray and everyone gasped because he had never prayed before.
Today when class started Kike tried to hide in the kitchen. When he was told he had to attend class he left the church. I wasn't surprised, but I was disappointed. He did well in class yesterday. I hope he comes back tomorrow. He has never been expected to follow the rules that the rest of the kids have to follow. He isolates and does what he wants to do. Kike could benefit as much from the social aspects of being in the class as he will from what he learns there.
Today one of the girls who tends to be the most disagreeable outside of the classroom and who struggles hardest to learn in the classroom told me that she really enjoys the class! That was awesome to hear.
I think that after more than 2 years of struggling to teach preschool I had forgotten how it feels to be naturally good at something. Let me tell you - it feels great! I am excited to see where God will lead us in this class. I think He has lots of good things in store for us. The kids are excited too, which makes me even more motivated and happy.
I called my Mom to tell her about this new phase and how happy I am. Then I remembered what happened this morning. "Yes Mom! It was one of my greatest days ever! But I almost died."
You can imagine my Mom's response. She was able to laugh since I was obviously still alive and talking with her on the phone. I told her about how I was taking my vitamins in Eunice's office this morning when one of the pills got stuck in my throat. I literally choked. I could not breathe. I motioned to Eunice and another boy who was there. Eunice jumped up from behind her desk, said, "Get your hands up!" and started whacking me repeatedly on the back. I kept trying to punch myself in the solar plexus and motioning for them to do the Heimlich maneuver. But they just kept lifting up my arms.
Finally, after more than 30 seconds the vitamin flew out of my throat and across the parking lot. It was like a jet propelled vitamin. I caught my breath, but I was sweating all over and trembling so much I could barely stand. Eunice brought me a glass of water and I sat down for a few minutes to recover.
So, I am still alive and I am really happy. Everything seems to be falling into place with my role at the church and my living situation. I can't wait to see what tomorrow, next week, next month and the next year will bring. I have a huge sense of peace coupled with hopeful excitement. Yay!
Monday, July 21, 2014
First day of class
I was nervous to start teaching the teens class at Buen Provecho today. Last week the kids were on vacation so we had a ton of kids - 29 teens were in the class last week. But this week has started off much differently.
Today Eunice was the only person at the church when I arrived. My friend Ana arrived a few minutes later to start cooking the meal so her kids were running around. But otherwise the church was still empty.
Ethel, the president of the church, came to drop off her son. He is helping me teach English today and Friday. No other teacher came. Belinda had another commitment and Delia was sick. We decided to have Clara play with the little ones and Jackie was supposed to be with the 7-11 year olds.
We had a nice class. There were only 6 kids. It was kids I know well. I was a little nervous to have the president's son with me on my very first day, but I think everything went well. We worked on English, we translated the words of one of their favorite songs from English to Spanish so they can know what they are singing about. I told them that the class is for them and we will work on things that they want to learn. I said I hope it will be fun for them, not just an obligation. They seemed content.
At the end I asked a boy who is at least 18 to pray before we eat. Everyone gasped and he said, "Me???"
I said, "Yes, you. Why do you guys act so surprised when I ask you to pray?"
Someone said, "Kike can't pray."
I said, "Yes he can. We are just blessing the food. Kike can pray."
Kike said in rushed words, "God bless the food."
We had a nice conversation about prayer, what it is, how to pray, and why we pray. Afterward Kike said a really nice prayer. I can't believe he spends every single day at the church and has never, ever, been asked to pray before. But I am really happy that he was open to learn today.
I think I will really like this class. It is the age I am used to working with. The small class was very manageable. In the afternoon we had 8 more kids. That will be a nice size too. I didn't realize I was going to look forward to teaching them. I feel excited to see the changes in the kids.
At least for today, Kike learned to pray.
Another journalist was kidnapped today. This afternoon they found his car and there was blood there. Now they have found him dead. It is not clear if he was killed for something he said as a journalist, or for another reason. It is sad that journalists have to live in fear for their lives in Honduras.
It is official that I will be moving to the city. I love living in the mountains for many reasons. It is safe, it is beautiful, and my landlords are great. But I simply cannot afford to be here anymore. If I live in the city I will save money in rent and a ton in gas too. I will drive 40 kilometers less every day.
Even though it makes sense for me to move to the city, I was looking for God to show me that it is what He wants for me. Guess what we are talking about this month at church? Stewardship and how to be a good steward of our resources. That was the answer I needed. It is not good stewardship to live in a more expensive place and use more gas than is necessary.
My friends Ana and Fany have offered to help paint the house. It is in good shape, but I have permission to choose colors for the walls. That will be fun! Once it is pained I will move in gradually. I can take smaller stuff down in my car day by day as I commute to the church. Right now I have a commitment to take my current landlord's son to swimming classes for 2 more weeks. I am allowed to use the church's pick up truck and ask some older kids to move my bigger things but they will be busy every Saturday for the next 3 weekends. So it seems I will probably officially move in 4 weeks.
I will miss the mountains but there are things I am looking forward to about living in the city.
Today Eunice was the only person at the church when I arrived. My friend Ana arrived a few minutes later to start cooking the meal so her kids were running around. But otherwise the church was still empty.
Ethel, the president of the church, came to drop off her son. He is helping me teach English today and Friday. No other teacher came. Belinda had another commitment and Delia was sick. We decided to have Clara play with the little ones and Jackie was supposed to be with the 7-11 year olds.
We had a nice class. There were only 6 kids. It was kids I know well. I was a little nervous to have the president's son with me on my very first day, but I think everything went well. We worked on English, we translated the words of one of their favorite songs from English to Spanish so they can know what they are singing about. I told them that the class is for them and we will work on things that they want to learn. I said I hope it will be fun for them, not just an obligation. They seemed content.
At the end I asked a boy who is at least 18 to pray before we eat. Everyone gasped and he said, "Me???"
I said, "Yes, you. Why do you guys act so surprised when I ask you to pray?"
Someone said, "Kike can't pray."
I said, "Yes he can. We are just blessing the food. Kike can pray."
Kike said in rushed words, "God bless the food."
We had a nice conversation about prayer, what it is, how to pray, and why we pray. Afterward Kike said a really nice prayer. I can't believe he spends every single day at the church and has never, ever, been asked to pray before. But I am really happy that he was open to learn today.
I think I will really like this class. It is the age I am used to working with. The small class was very manageable. In the afternoon we had 8 more kids. That will be a nice size too. I didn't realize I was going to look forward to teaching them. I feel excited to see the changes in the kids.
At least for today, Kike learned to pray.
Another journalist was kidnapped today. This afternoon they found his car and there was blood there. Now they have found him dead. It is not clear if he was killed for something he said as a journalist, or for another reason. It is sad that journalists have to live in fear for their lives in Honduras.
It is official that I will be moving to the city. I love living in the mountains for many reasons. It is safe, it is beautiful, and my landlords are great. But I simply cannot afford to be here anymore. If I live in the city I will save money in rent and a ton in gas too. I will drive 40 kilometers less every day.
Even though it makes sense for me to move to the city, I was looking for God to show me that it is what He wants for me. Guess what we are talking about this month at church? Stewardship and how to be a good steward of our resources. That was the answer I needed. It is not good stewardship to live in a more expensive place and use more gas than is necessary.
My friends Ana and Fany have offered to help paint the house. It is in good shape, but I have permission to choose colors for the walls. That will be fun! Once it is pained I will move in gradually. I can take smaller stuff down in my car day by day as I commute to the church. Right now I have a commitment to take my current landlord's son to swimming classes for 2 more weeks. I am allowed to use the church's pick up truck and ask some older kids to move my bigger things but they will be busy every Saturday for the next 3 weekends. So it seems I will probably officially move in 4 weeks.
I will miss the mountains but there are things I am looking forward to about living in the city.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
New class, new babies and first hair cuts
It is really nice to be back at Buen Provecho. I have had an easy week because I am starting new work - teaching the kids ages 12 - 20. Before I left for the US we decided I would no longer be with the preschool class. There is a lady who started with them last week who is excellent. Even though I will miss them, the preschoolers are in good hands. Her hands are going to be full though. She has babies up to 6 year olds. Samuel is not adjusting to the transition very well. He has been acting out in class. He says he is acting out because he wants me to be his teacher. I am doing my best to support his new teacher in the transition.
Belinda is working with the 7-11 year olds. I have 12-20 year olds. Every person who is not an adult is in class at 10:30 a.m. So ALL of the youth now have a class. Some are still trying to escape into the kitchen - boys who never cooked before were peeling vegetables today after classes started and girls tried to become assistants in the preschool class with the young ones. But we keep rounding them up and sending them back to class.
Because this was a new plan, I have a week to observe. Boris Vermont, who is the soccer coach and has always worked with the "tweens", has the whole week off from his job and is spending his days at Buen Provecho. He is giving the class that I will be in charge of starting next week. I have this week to come up with ideas and make plans. It is exciting to work with older kids again. When I was a social worker in Chicago I was intimidated by the idea of working with teens, but in the end they were my favorite. I am hoping this will be the same.
The most difficult thing I foresee is the fact that I am not as articulate in Spanish as I am in English. I hope the older kids will be patient with me. I am praying that God help us overcome any language difficulties that may occur.
My personal goal is to let each of the kids know that I care about them, teach them about God and why they should want a relationship with Him, help them feel special as individuals, and give them hope that they can have a successful and happy future.
Ericka, a girl who used to be a regular part of the Breakfast Program, got pregnant 9 months ago. She disappeared for a long time, but came back and was at Buen Provecho for the last two months before she gave birth. Yesterday she came to the church with her baby girl, Marjorie Stephanie Calix. (That's how I would spell it, I am not sure how she did.) The baby is 14 days old today. Both Erika and the baby are doing really well. Erika had told me she was going to leave after she gave birth and go live in a different town with the father of the baby. But yesterday she said she will be staying in Los Pinos.
Erika comes from one of the 2 most unstable home environments I am aware of. I told her yesterday that I hoped to see her every day at the church. Erika was noncommittal. She didn't come today. Everyone is doing everything they can to make her feel welcome and supported. I hope she knows she can always come to us.
Carlos showed up yesterday too. He came with Erika. He didn't need any hugs, although I did offer. After our initial greeting embrace he was content to play with the kids. His eyes still look dull. I asked him to please come to Buen Provecho more regularly, but he didn't come today.
Belinda is working with the 7-11 year olds. I have 12-20 year olds. Every person who is not an adult is in class at 10:30 a.m. So ALL of the youth now have a class. Some are still trying to escape into the kitchen - boys who never cooked before were peeling vegetables today after classes started and girls tried to become assistants in the preschool class with the young ones. But we keep rounding them up and sending them back to class.
Because this was a new plan, I have a week to observe. Boris Vermont, who is the soccer coach and has always worked with the "tweens", has the whole week off from his job and is spending his days at Buen Provecho. He is giving the class that I will be in charge of starting next week. I have this week to come up with ideas and make plans. It is exciting to work with older kids again. When I was a social worker in Chicago I was intimidated by the idea of working with teens, but in the end they were my favorite. I am hoping this will be the same.
The most difficult thing I foresee is the fact that I am not as articulate in Spanish as I am in English. I hope the older kids will be patient with me. I am praying that God help us overcome any language difficulties that may occur.
My personal goal is to let each of the kids know that I care about them, teach them about God and why they should want a relationship with Him, help them feel special as individuals, and give them hope that they can have a successful and happy future.
Ericka, a girl who used to be a regular part of the Breakfast Program, got pregnant 9 months ago. She disappeared for a long time, but came back and was at Buen Provecho for the last two months before she gave birth. Yesterday she came to the church with her baby girl, Marjorie Stephanie Calix. (That's how I would spell it, I am not sure how she did.) The baby is 14 days old today. Both Erika and the baby are doing really well. Erika had told me she was going to leave after she gave birth and go live in a different town with the father of the baby. But yesterday she said she will be staying in Los Pinos.
Erika comes from one of the 2 most unstable home environments I am aware of. I told her yesterday that I hoped to see her every day at the church. Erika was noncommittal. She didn't come today. Everyone is doing everything they can to make her feel welcome and supported. I hope she knows she can always come to us.
Carlos showed up yesterday too. He came with Erika. He didn't need any hugs, although I did offer. After our initial greeting embrace he was content to play with the kids. His eyes still look dull. I asked him to please come to Buen Provecho more regularly, but he didn't come today.
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| Junior and Carlos |
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| This will be my class starting next week |
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| Beautiful Kebelin and Yarely |
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| Veronica cut my hair today. Isabela was next. She was not happy. |
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| Isa's first haircut
Beans have gotten so expensive here, the ladies who serve at Buen Provecho say they cannot afford to buy them. I am concerned. Families who until now have been surviving on beans and rice can no longer afford beans. They say prices are going to get higher because of drought. I am going to buy beans tomorrow for some of the ladies so they will have food over the weekend.
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Monday, July 14, 2014
Daphne
So what was the coolest thing that happened on my vacation. I could list a top 5:
1) Spending time with my nephews and feeling like they really know me for the first time. That was super cool.
2) Spending time with my Mom doing fun things like the Chihuly exhibit, eating Ethiopian food three times, and babysitting my nephews. We had a blast.
3) Seeing friends in SLC and friends from SLC who now live in Denver and my violin teacher who is 88 years old and not doing so well... That was good.
4) Driving with windows down and doors unlocked, using 2 ply toilet paper, drinking beer in public, camping and hearing good music in Telluride, seeing snow in the mountains, leaving things in the car without worrying the windows would be smashed and everything stolen, flushing two ply toilet paper, brushing my teeth with and drinking tap water, pizza...
5) Feeling acknowledged by my North American church.
But the coolest thing of all happened so quickly I didn't even remember it happening until the next day.
After I spoke at church I was leaving the last service to go meet with anyone who wanted to learn more about Honduras. I was headed for the lobby in a rush when someone called my name. My first reaction was a little bit of frustration. I knew if I didn't get out to the lobby I might miss the opportunity to meet with people who were leaving.
The voice behind me said, "Mary Lynn, you probably don't remember me but we used to work together. My name is Daphne." I certainly did remember Daphne. We worked with 18-21 year old sex offenders. They rested every afternoon from 2-4:30 so Daphne and I had plenty of time to talk.
At that time in my life I had already been called to serve in Honduras and was waiting for things to fall into place so I could move here. I'm sure I talked about that a lot.
Daphne was a mother, working 16 hour days every Saturday and Sunday. I remember sometimes it was hard for her to find a sitter. I also remember she described herself as Wiccan. That never bothered me. I don't think religion ever caused any tension between us. We were just two women doing the best we could and working at a really tough job.
So when the voice behind me at K2 was Daphne I was shocked! Our whole conversation lasted only about 2 minutes. I really regretted that later. I tried to get her contact information from former co-workers but nobody had it.
Daphne explained as we walked together to the lobby that 7 months ago she decided her family needed a church. She remembered me talking about K2 and decided to check it out. She said, "So now we have been here for 7 months." She said sometimes she wonders how I am doing in Honduras. I am sure she was shocked to see me speaking up on stage! Then she said she had to go pick up her kids from child care and we went our separate ways.
I collected donations from people. I explained more about what we are doing at my Honduran church and what life is like in Honduras. I went to a meeting for people who were interested in coming to Honduras on a mission trip. We expected 12 people to be interested in the trip. There were over 30. All of these things were so overwhelming, I forgot about Daphne until the next day.
Now I can't stop thinking about her. I talked to some friends about her and even told the story to a K2 pastor. I was afraid she could get lost in the crowd at a church the size of K2. It happens sometimes. People come and like the church but find it hard to make personal connections. So I had people on the lookout for someone named Daphne.
Then I sent an email to the woman in charge of outreach. The email was about something else, but I also shared my story about running into Daphne. Danielle, the woman in charge of outreach, wrote back within minutes and asked if Daphne's last name was ......... and if she had long brown hair. She said if so, she has been connecting with Daphne.
WOW!!!!! I was soooooo happy! Actually happy is not the right word. I was also amazed. Amazed that in a large community Daphne had found a connection. Amazed that of the three people from my church whom I reached out to, it was one of them who had connected with Daphne. Amazed by our God and how He has everything under control. Amazing.
1) Spending time with my nephews and feeling like they really know me for the first time. That was super cool.
2) Spending time with my Mom doing fun things like the Chihuly exhibit, eating Ethiopian food three times, and babysitting my nephews. We had a blast.
3) Seeing friends in SLC and friends from SLC who now live in Denver and my violin teacher who is 88 years old and not doing so well... That was good.
4) Driving with windows down and doors unlocked, using 2 ply toilet paper, drinking beer in public, camping and hearing good music in Telluride, seeing snow in the mountains, leaving things in the car without worrying the windows would be smashed and everything stolen, flushing two ply toilet paper, brushing my teeth with and drinking tap water, pizza...
5) Feeling acknowledged by my North American church.
But the coolest thing of all happened so quickly I didn't even remember it happening until the next day.
After I spoke at church I was leaving the last service to go meet with anyone who wanted to learn more about Honduras. I was headed for the lobby in a rush when someone called my name. My first reaction was a little bit of frustration. I knew if I didn't get out to the lobby I might miss the opportunity to meet with people who were leaving.
The voice behind me said, "Mary Lynn, you probably don't remember me but we used to work together. My name is Daphne." I certainly did remember Daphne. We worked with 18-21 year old sex offenders. They rested every afternoon from 2-4:30 so Daphne and I had plenty of time to talk.
At that time in my life I had already been called to serve in Honduras and was waiting for things to fall into place so I could move here. I'm sure I talked about that a lot.
Daphne was a mother, working 16 hour days every Saturday and Sunday. I remember sometimes it was hard for her to find a sitter. I also remember she described herself as Wiccan. That never bothered me. I don't think religion ever caused any tension between us. We were just two women doing the best we could and working at a really tough job.
So when the voice behind me at K2 was Daphne I was shocked! Our whole conversation lasted only about 2 minutes. I really regretted that later. I tried to get her contact information from former co-workers but nobody had it.
Daphne explained as we walked together to the lobby that 7 months ago she decided her family needed a church. She remembered me talking about K2 and decided to check it out. She said, "So now we have been here for 7 months." She said sometimes she wonders how I am doing in Honduras. I am sure she was shocked to see me speaking up on stage! Then she said she had to go pick up her kids from child care and we went our separate ways.
I collected donations from people. I explained more about what we are doing at my Honduran church and what life is like in Honduras. I went to a meeting for people who were interested in coming to Honduras on a mission trip. We expected 12 people to be interested in the trip. There were over 30. All of these things were so overwhelming, I forgot about Daphne until the next day.
Now I can't stop thinking about her. I talked to some friends about her and even told the story to a K2 pastor. I was afraid she could get lost in the crowd at a church the size of K2. It happens sometimes. People come and like the church but find it hard to make personal connections. So I had people on the lookout for someone named Daphne.
Then I sent an email to the woman in charge of outreach. The email was about something else, but I also shared my story about running into Daphne. Danielle, the woman in charge of outreach, wrote back within minutes and asked if Daphne's last name was ......... and if she had long brown hair. She said if so, she has been connecting with Daphne.
WOW!!!!! I was soooooo happy! Actually happy is not the right word. I was also amazed. Amazed that in a large community Daphne had found a connection. Amazed that of the three people from my church whom I reached out to, it was one of them who had connected with Daphne. Amazed by our God and how He has everything under control. Amazing.
Hey it's good to be back home again. Yes it is.
Hooray! I am back in Honduras!!!! My time in the US was incredible. I always feel so rushed, like I can barely catch my breath the whole time I am there. But having the flight cancelled was a blessing in disguise. I got to spend three days doing nothing. In reality I did a few things, but only what I wanted. I napped and chatted with my Mom and ate. And ate. And ate.
Don Juan told me today that I look too skinny and I need to get back to my diet of Honduran food. I didn't bother to tell him otherwise. I loved pigging out on my favorite North American food. I ate chicken wings FOUR times!!! (Normally I am a healthy eater but something got into me.) I am happy to get back to Honduran food. Don Juan brought black beans still in the pod and Ana made a black bean soup with rice, a chunk of fresh cheese and Don Juan's famous chili (hot sauce). It hit the spot!
The kids were extra happy to see me. I got lots of special hugs that were extra tight and extra long. Everyone wanted to know all about my vacation and how is my family (especially my Mom and nephews) and if I went to K2 to see my home church.
I learned I will now be teaching the kids ages 12 and above. This week a church leader will help me and as of next week I will be on my own. It will be a challenge. Some of them are a handful in a far different way from crazy Samuel who refused to eat his vegetables. Some are tough kids with a tough home life. I am eager to see what we can do together. I am a little nervous about my language being a barrier. It is not normally, but working with teens can be touchy.
If I want to focus on English I am encouraged to, and bible study too of course. I would like to integrate the two if I can figure out how. I want to work a lot on self esteem and finding their personal strengths. I am thinking of talking to them about the immigration problem the US has with kids their age. The majority of the immigrants are from Honduras. It would kill me to think of one of them attempting that trip. So when the time feels right I will discourage them from trying to seek refuge in the US right now, no matter how desperate their home situations are.
After the Breakfast Program I went to the DMV to get my license renewed. It was about to expire on the 16th so I wanted to get that out of the way. It felt great to be able to navigate that process by myself. You have to go from one building to another and wait in line for this and then for that.
I didn't have to get blood drawn this time because it already says my blood type on my license in case I were hurt in a car accident. But I had to give a medical history, have them check my blood pressure, heart and vision. Then I had to take a psychological exam. The only question I missed was the date. Haha! That's what happens when you take a test immediately after a vacation.
The psychological exam was basically to assess if you are aggressive or not, and assertive or not. That's what I got out of it. It asked if you like to watch Lucha Libre or dancing. If you like to read a book or do exercise. It said if two kids were fighting would you stop them and try to fix the situation or would you try to pretend you didn't notice.
All of the pilates ladies are eager to start pilates again. That was nice to hear. Sometimes if I take a month off from exercise it is hard to get started again. But we are starting tomorrow!
Marlin is not working in the kitchen as much anymore. Ana said some days she has been by herself. But she is happy to be there, not complaining. Ana kept saying all day that she was extra happy today because I am back. Her 16 month old daughter did not want to let go of me. I was a little surprised because I expected that being away more than a month a that age she could have forgotten about me. Definitely not.
At church yesterday they announced that I am back and everyone cheered. That felt wonderful. In the US people are never so interested in how your family is doing and how your vacation went if you go somewhere. Here even people I am not very close to all wanted to know.
I had the opportunity to go to San Pedro Sula next weekend with friends to visit their family, but I had to say no because I have already missed four weeks of swimming and there are only 3 more. I want to be there for every minute. Plus I don't want to give my Mom a heart attack because San Pedro is the city with the highest murder rate in the world. But actually I hear it is a beautiful place.
Did you know that you cannot wear shorts to the DMV in Honduras? Neither did I. But the guy behind me in line today got pulled out of line and was told, "You can't be here like that." I looked for a pistol in his sock or something until the people around me explained shorts are not appropriate attire for the DMV.
Then at another part where they look up your criminal history I handed over my residency card. The police man said, "You are not Honduran?!?" I said no. He said, "Wow. I really thought you were Honduran. How long have you lived here?" I told him 2 and 1/2 years. He asked if I like it and where I live. I told him I love it and I live in the mountains. At that point he asked if I seen much of the city. (Some visitors who live in the mountains do not go into the city and do not ever really learn very much about the culture.) I told him I am a missionary in Los Pinos. At that point he stopped talking and looked at me in an analyzing sort of way. I could see him summing me up in his head. Then looked me in the eye, shook my hand and said very sincerely, "Thank you." THAT was cool.
Don Juan told me today that I look too skinny and I need to get back to my diet of Honduran food. I didn't bother to tell him otherwise. I loved pigging out on my favorite North American food. I ate chicken wings FOUR times!!! (Normally I am a healthy eater but something got into me.) I am happy to get back to Honduran food. Don Juan brought black beans still in the pod and Ana made a black bean soup with rice, a chunk of fresh cheese and Don Juan's famous chili (hot sauce). It hit the spot!
The kids were extra happy to see me. I got lots of special hugs that were extra tight and extra long. Everyone wanted to know all about my vacation and how is my family (especially my Mom and nephews) and if I went to K2 to see my home church.
I learned I will now be teaching the kids ages 12 and above. This week a church leader will help me and as of next week I will be on my own. It will be a challenge. Some of them are a handful in a far different way from crazy Samuel who refused to eat his vegetables. Some are tough kids with a tough home life. I am eager to see what we can do together. I am a little nervous about my language being a barrier. It is not normally, but working with teens can be touchy.
If I want to focus on English I am encouraged to, and bible study too of course. I would like to integrate the two if I can figure out how. I want to work a lot on self esteem and finding their personal strengths. I am thinking of talking to them about the immigration problem the US has with kids their age. The majority of the immigrants are from Honduras. It would kill me to think of one of them attempting that trip. So when the time feels right I will discourage them from trying to seek refuge in the US right now, no matter how desperate their home situations are.
After the Breakfast Program I went to the DMV to get my license renewed. It was about to expire on the 16th so I wanted to get that out of the way. It felt great to be able to navigate that process by myself. You have to go from one building to another and wait in line for this and then for that.
I didn't have to get blood drawn this time because it already says my blood type on my license in case I were hurt in a car accident. But I had to give a medical history, have them check my blood pressure, heart and vision. Then I had to take a psychological exam. The only question I missed was the date. Haha! That's what happens when you take a test immediately after a vacation.
The psychological exam was basically to assess if you are aggressive or not, and assertive or not. That's what I got out of it. It asked if you like to watch Lucha Libre or dancing. If you like to read a book or do exercise. It said if two kids were fighting would you stop them and try to fix the situation or would you try to pretend you didn't notice.
All of the pilates ladies are eager to start pilates again. That was nice to hear. Sometimes if I take a month off from exercise it is hard to get started again. But we are starting tomorrow!
Marlin is not working in the kitchen as much anymore. Ana said some days she has been by herself. But she is happy to be there, not complaining. Ana kept saying all day that she was extra happy today because I am back. Her 16 month old daughter did not want to let go of me. I was a little surprised because I expected that being away more than a month a that age she could have forgotten about me. Definitely not.
At church yesterday they announced that I am back and everyone cheered. That felt wonderful. In the US people are never so interested in how your family is doing and how your vacation went if you go somewhere. Here even people I am not very close to all wanted to know.
I had the opportunity to go to San Pedro Sula next weekend with friends to visit their family, but I had to say no because I have already missed four weeks of swimming and there are only 3 more. I want to be there for every minute. Plus I don't want to give my Mom a heart attack because San Pedro is the city with the highest murder rate in the world. But actually I hear it is a beautiful place.
Did you know that you cannot wear shorts to the DMV in Honduras? Neither did I. But the guy behind me in line today got pulled out of line and was told, "You can't be here like that." I looked for a pistol in his sock or something until the people around me explained shorts are not appropriate attire for the DMV.
Then at another part where they look up your criminal history I handed over my residency card. The police man said, "You are not Honduran?!?" I said no. He said, "Wow. I really thought you were Honduran. How long have you lived here?" I told him 2 and 1/2 years. He asked if I like it and where I live. I told him I love it and I live in the mountains. At that point he asked if I seen much of the city. (Some visitors who live in the mountains do not go into the city and do not ever really learn very much about the culture.) I told him I am a missionary in Los Pinos. At that point he stopped talking and looked at me in an analyzing sort of way. I could see him summing me up in his head. Then looked me in the eye, shook my hand and said very sincerely, "Thank you." THAT was cool.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Day 30 of a 28 day trip
I was supposed to be back in Honduras by now. Unfortunately, I went to the airport on Monday night through a crazy storm. When I got there the line at customer service was already insanely long and people were settled in for the long-haul, stretched out along the walls of the concourse. My flight was set to leave at 10 pm, take me to Houston by 1:16 a.m., and leave for Honduras at 9 a.m.
The cable went out at about 9 p.m. Then the flight to St Louis that was leaving out of the same gate as mine got pushed back from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Then my flight got pushed back to 11:17. I knew I was going to be waiting in that customer service line too. It was getting later and later. One friend offered to come and get me, but his voice sounded exhausted on the phone and it would be a long drive for him.
I purposely left the phone I use in North America at my Mother's house so I had no phone. Several people were nice and let me borrow theirs. One by one their flights were cancelled. Finally mine was too.
The lady at customer service convinced me that the forecast was the same for the next three days. My Mom had been talking about it too, I recalled. I was advised to get to Houston ASAP or wait out the storm. The problem was if I went to Houston on the flight she suggested the next morning, I would get there one minute before the last flight to Honduras. Obviously I would not make the connection for the Honduras flight and I would be stuck in Houston with no luggage for 24 hours.
When I originally moved to Honduras my luggage was lost for 8 days. Not taking a chance on that happening again. If I didn't re-claim my baggage immediately it would go to Honduras and sit there until I arrived. Which meant if I did ever see my luggage, it could be empty suitcases.
The weather report on the customer service lady's phone looked consistently bad for 2 more days, so I decided rather than trying to find another ride to the airport just to have another flight cancelled, I claim my luggage and stay until the storm passed.
So here I am. Day 30 in the US. When I made plans to be in the US for 28 days, it felt like too much. But those first 28 went by quickly. Now I am anxious to get back to my home and my cat and my day to day life. The good thing about these extra three days is that I finally have time to relax. I was running around literally until I left to get on the plane. Yesterday I napped and watched soccer on tv. Today I may go to the pool and nap some more. Tonight I get to babysit my nephews again - fun! Tomorrow night at 10 p.m. I hope to get on the plane for Houston and head back to Honduras.
The cable went out at about 9 p.m. Then the flight to St Louis that was leaving out of the same gate as mine got pushed back from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Then my flight got pushed back to 11:17. I knew I was going to be waiting in that customer service line too. It was getting later and later. One friend offered to come and get me, but his voice sounded exhausted on the phone and it would be a long drive for him.
I purposely left the phone I use in North America at my Mother's house so I had no phone. Several people were nice and let me borrow theirs. One by one their flights were cancelled. Finally mine was too.
The lady at customer service convinced me that the forecast was the same for the next three days. My Mom had been talking about it too, I recalled. I was advised to get to Houston ASAP or wait out the storm. The problem was if I went to Houston on the flight she suggested the next morning, I would get there one minute before the last flight to Honduras. Obviously I would not make the connection for the Honduras flight and I would be stuck in Houston with no luggage for 24 hours.
When I originally moved to Honduras my luggage was lost for 8 days. Not taking a chance on that happening again. If I didn't re-claim my baggage immediately it would go to Honduras and sit there until I arrived. Which meant if I did ever see my luggage, it could be empty suitcases.
The weather report on the customer service lady's phone looked consistently bad for 2 more days, so I decided rather than trying to find another ride to the airport just to have another flight cancelled, I claim my luggage and stay until the storm passed.
So here I am. Day 30 in the US. When I made plans to be in the US for 28 days, it felt like too much. But those first 28 went by quickly. Now I am anxious to get back to my home and my cat and my day to day life. The good thing about these extra three days is that I finally have time to relax. I was running around literally until I left to get on the plane. Yesterday I napped and watched soccer on tv. Today I may go to the pool and nap some more. Tonight I get to babysit my nephews again - fun! Tomorrow night at 10 p.m. I hope to get on the plane for Houston and head back to Honduras.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Wow!
Wow! Speaking at church went even better than I ever hoped!!
Some people said they were crying as I talked about the kids. People were handing out tissues in the audience. In the end the 4 minutes and 30 seconds wasn't so difficult to stick to. We only went over in the last service.
I was shocked at how many people asked for my link to support me as a missionary. We will see what comes of that. I feel very hopeful. The opposite of the way I was feeling a week ago when I thought I might have to pack up my belongings and move to the US. I knew that was not God's plan for me, but it is hard to imagine so many strangers being so supportive. Well, I guess they are really not strangers. They are my church family. I have just never met them before.
Another really cool thing is that a lot of people are now interested in a mission trip to Honduras. They want to come and meet the kids in person and see for themselves what is going on. I love that God moved their hearts that way!
Mary Goldring was exhausted after a really tough week, but she did a great job interviewing me. And the band even played my absolute favorite song, plus another one that I really love, so worshiping in all four services was nice.
I wish everyone could feel God's love the way I do today. It is still hard to digest, but I am doing a better job receiving than I ever did before.
Some people said they were crying as I talked about the kids. People were handing out tissues in the audience. In the end the 4 minutes and 30 seconds wasn't so difficult to stick to. We only went over in the last service.
I was shocked at how many people asked for my link to support me as a missionary. We will see what comes of that. I feel very hopeful. The opposite of the way I was feeling a week ago when I thought I might have to pack up my belongings and move to the US. I knew that was not God's plan for me, but it is hard to imagine so many strangers being so supportive. Well, I guess they are really not strangers. They are my church family. I have just never met them before.
Another really cool thing is that a lot of people are now interested in a mission trip to Honduras. They want to come and meet the kids in person and see for themselves what is going on. I love that God moved their hearts that way!
Mary Goldring was exhausted after a really tough week, but she did a great job interviewing me. And the band even played my absolute favorite song, plus another one that I really love, so worshiping in all four services was nice.
I wish everyone could feel God's love the way I do today. It is still hard to digest, but I am doing a better job receiving than I ever did before.
 |
| Mary Goldring interviewing me at K2 |
 |
| Praying |
 |
| Worshiping in the red box |
 |
| Worship in the white box |
 |
| Feels great to come back home |
4:30
Today I speak at church. I am not nervous about speaking in front of all of the people as much as I am nervous about getting my point across in four minutes and 30 seconds. But God will help me say what I am supposed to.
Four minutes and 30 seconds is so funny to me, coming from Honduras where if you have anything to say all you have to do is stand up and say it. Sometimes people randomly talk for 10-20 minutes at my church in Honduras, sharing what God did in their life that week or something that is on their heart.
I have four minutes and 30 seconds. I will be grateful for every second and even more grateful when I am done.
Four minutes and 30 seconds is so funny to me, coming from Honduras where if you have anything to say all you have to do is stand up and say it. Sometimes people randomly talk for 10-20 minutes at my church in Honduras, sharing what God did in their life that week or something that is on their heart.
I have four minutes and 30 seconds. I will be grateful for every second and even more grateful when I am done.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Mid-trip check in
My flight back to the US was uneventful (good!).
I spent my first two days in the US gathering up all my camping gear, then piled it all into my friend's truck and headed out to Telluride. We set up camp at 1 a.m., but at least it wasn't snowing. It has snowed as we set up camp in the past. There was a gorgeous full moon that night. I tried to take pictures of the moon over the snow capped mountains, but for some reason moon shots never turn out for me.
The music festival was good. I discovered 2 new bands I really liked. My favorite was called Lone Bellow, as in the bellow of an elk. I got to see them twice, which was cool, and got my picture taken with them.
All of my photos are on my Mom's computer so I can't post them right now. My computer was stolen on the Saturday before I left. Thus the long blog silence. It was a situation which I don't want to discuss. Suffice it to say that my safety was never at risk.
After Telluride I had a day to wash and air out all of my camping gear, then headed for Salt Lake. My friend Jody and I took care of some banking, which has still not been resolved. Then she and her husband grilled sliders with tons of different toppings. She said she had tried to think of an all American dinner for me :)
The next morning we watched the US lose to Germany in World Cup fútbol. Honduras is already eliminated, so it's nice to have one team still in the running. Although even the US coach admits, we really don't have much of a chance to win it all.
Yesterday I attended a "Huddle" (meeting of the core members) for K2. They welcomed me back and I spoke for a couple minutes there. It was good to see everyone. I also had a meeting with the woman who is now in charge of outreach (missions) for K2. Two friends who are strong advocates for our church's relationship with Honduras were there. I think it was a good meeting and will be helpful moving forward as we try to rebuild a K2/Iglesia en Transformación connection.
Tomorrow I will speak at the services - all four. I am a little nervous, but will be interviewed by a good friend who has known me longer than anyone else at K2. I believe we will be effective at conveying whatever message God wants the people to hear.
I have been getting FB messages from friends in Honduras, which is nice. Yesterday at the huddle a picture of one of the girls from my swim classes kept flashing up on the screen with a notice about a meeting to organize a team to visit us in Honduras. Seeing Kenia's pretty face made me homesick. I miss the kids.
On the other hand I have had the opportunity to catch up with friends which has been wonderful. Yesterday I had coffee with a friend. When it was time for her to go pick up her kids we decided we still weren't finished talking so we went to a bookstore and set the kids free to read while we finished catching up about all of the good things going on in both of our lives. That was really nice.
Right now I am staying with another friend because Jody had to head out of town. I basically have a whole basement apartment to myself. We have done a lot of catching up too. It is so much better talking in person than emails and short phone calls!
Being in Salt Lake always confirms that if I were to ever live in the US, this is my home. I love this place almost as much as I love Honduras. It is great to be here and super to see all of the people I love and miss.
Tuesday I head back to Denver where I will finish off my visit in the US with my mother and my brother and his family. My nephews and I had a great time together in Telluride so I am looking forward to building more memories with them over the 4th of July before I head back to Honduras.
I spent my first two days in the US gathering up all my camping gear, then piled it all into my friend's truck and headed out to Telluride. We set up camp at 1 a.m., but at least it wasn't snowing. It has snowed as we set up camp in the past. There was a gorgeous full moon that night. I tried to take pictures of the moon over the snow capped mountains, but for some reason moon shots never turn out for me.
The music festival was good. I discovered 2 new bands I really liked. My favorite was called Lone Bellow, as in the bellow of an elk. I got to see them twice, which was cool, and got my picture taken with them.
All of my photos are on my Mom's computer so I can't post them right now. My computer was stolen on the Saturday before I left. Thus the long blog silence. It was a situation which I don't want to discuss. Suffice it to say that my safety was never at risk.
After Telluride I had a day to wash and air out all of my camping gear, then headed for Salt Lake. My friend Jody and I took care of some banking, which has still not been resolved. Then she and her husband grilled sliders with tons of different toppings. She said she had tried to think of an all American dinner for me :)
The next morning we watched the US lose to Germany in World Cup fútbol. Honduras is already eliminated, so it's nice to have one team still in the running. Although even the US coach admits, we really don't have much of a chance to win it all.
Yesterday I attended a "Huddle" (meeting of the core members) for K2. They welcomed me back and I spoke for a couple minutes there. It was good to see everyone. I also had a meeting with the woman who is now in charge of outreach (missions) for K2. Two friends who are strong advocates for our church's relationship with Honduras were there. I think it was a good meeting and will be helpful moving forward as we try to rebuild a K2/Iglesia en Transformación connection.
Tomorrow I will speak at the services - all four. I am a little nervous, but will be interviewed by a good friend who has known me longer than anyone else at K2. I believe we will be effective at conveying whatever message God wants the people to hear.
I have been getting FB messages from friends in Honduras, which is nice. Yesterday at the huddle a picture of one of the girls from my swim classes kept flashing up on the screen with a notice about a meeting to organize a team to visit us in Honduras. Seeing Kenia's pretty face made me homesick. I miss the kids.
On the other hand I have had the opportunity to catch up with friends which has been wonderful. Yesterday I had coffee with a friend. When it was time for her to go pick up her kids we decided we still weren't finished talking so we went to a bookstore and set the kids free to read while we finished catching up about all of the good things going on in both of our lives. That was really nice.
Right now I am staying with another friend because Jody had to head out of town. I basically have a whole basement apartment to myself. We have done a lot of catching up too. It is so much better talking in person than emails and short phone calls!
Being in Salt Lake always confirms that if I were to ever live in the US, this is my home. I love this place almost as much as I love Honduras. It is great to be here and super to see all of the people I love and miss.
Tuesday I head back to Denver where I will finish off my visit in the US with my mother and my brother and his family. My nephews and I had a great time together in Telluride so I am looking forward to building more memories with them over the 4th of July before I head back to Honduras.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Standing up
I had a Wonder Woman sort of day. Not that I did anything spectacular - it was more about what I stopped doing.
This morning someone asked me to do something that I really couldn't do. They tried to push me into it, but I didn't give in. I had prior commitments and it was not something I could cancel or change. I know the person thought I should have backed out of my prior commitment to do what they wanted me to do, but I also know that I was right to stand my ground.
This afternoon we had Pilates class. One of the ladies kept talking and talking when we were ready to start class. I invited her twice to begin with us and finally started class without her. I think she was a little surprised, but we have to leave the church by 3 p.m. and it is not fair to the others if everyone had a shorter class because one person was standing and talking.
Tonight I got home and was disappointed. The lady who cleans my house didn't even do the basics. Again.
In Honduras if you have enough money to feed yourself (and in many cases even if you don't) you help someone else by hiring them to clean your house. When I first moved here I was shocked to see that everyone had cleaning ladies. Some even had live in help, when they could barely pay their own rent and put food on the table. It's kind of a "hand me down" system. I have a little, so I can give a little to you is the mentality.
I was shocked when I moved into my house in the mountains. Part of the lease said I would pay for my own cleaning lady. Did my landlords think I was rich? In my North American mind if a person hired someone else to clean for them that meant they had at least a little extra money.
Soon after I learned that a young girl from the church just had a baby and needed a job. She lives nearby and is trustworthy, so I hired her to clean my house for $5 per day - the going rate. I really liked her. We made Christmas cookies together and did other little things together to give her an occasional break from cleaning. She worked with me for almost a year, but then her schedule got too busy. That was fine. I can clean my own house.
As soon as my neighbors heard that Cindy was not coming anymore they said they knew someone who needed work and was reliable. This lady's husband left her and their 2 kids because the lady decided to go to school. Her husband did not want her to get an education. That story tugged on my heartstrings, so I said sure. I will hire her and help her afford to go to school. (We are talking high school here, not university.)
Well, this lady did not work out as well. I wrote notes, I left lists, I talked to her and even tried once to fire her but she asked for one more chance. Today was the end of "one more chance". I had to let her go. It was not fun. I did not like a second of it. She tried to argue. But afterward it felt empowering.
So today I stood up for myself. Three times. And it felt good.
Oscar Daniel's bruised belly is all better and Milagro didn't mention anything about her tooth hurting. Kebelin is studying for an English test. She said, "What will I do while you are gone?????!!!" That made me feel really good. She seems to understand her English homework for the first time. She says she is the only one in her class who understands. I hope she won't fall behind while I am gone.
All of the ladies continue to improve at Pilates. Ana can do a sit up now. Veronica learned how to roll like a ball today. Delia can do jackknife without me propping up her butt anymore. And Ada is a power house. She is the athlete of the group. I am proud of Ana for sticking with it. She is the only one who has come to every class. I know it is really hard for her. She can't do a lot of what the others do. But she doesn't give up. She stays positive. She says it is getting easier and I can see the improvement. They are sad that I will be gone and they will miss out on their class over the next few weeks. They even jokingly suggested that we try a class over Skype. Instead I will write down a workout plan for them to do at home while I am gone. I will be curious to see if they follow through without the classes. It's a lot harder to work out on your own.
This morning someone asked me to do something that I really couldn't do. They tried to push me into it, but I didn't give in. I had prior commitments and it was not something I could cancel or change. I know the person thought I should have backed out of my prior commitment to do what they wanted me to do, but I also know that I was right to stand my ground.
This afternoon we had Pilates class. One of the ladies kept talking and talking when we were ready to start class. I invited her twice to begin with us and finally started class without her. I think she was a little surprised, but we have to leave the church by 3 p.m. and it is not fair to the others if everyone had a shorter class because one person was standing and talking.
Tonight I got home and was disappointed. The lady who cleans my house didn't even do the basics. Again.
In Honduras if you have enough money to feed yourself (and in many cases even if you don't) you help someone else by hiring them to clean your house. When I first moved here I was shocked to see that everyone had cleaning ladies. Some even had live in help, when they could barely pay their own rent and put food on the table. It's kind of a "hand me down" system. I have a little, so I can give a little to you is the mentality.
I was shocked when I moved into my house in the mountains. Part of the lease said I would pay for my own cleaning lady. Did my landlords think I was rich? In my North American mind if a person hired someone else to clean for them that meant they had at least a little extra money.
Soon after I learned that a young girl from the church just had a baby and needed a job. She lives nearby and is trustworthy, so I hired her to clean my house for $5 per day - the going rate. I really liked her. We made Christmas cookies together and did other little things together to give her an occasional break from cleaning. She worked with me for almost a year, but then her schedule got too busy. That was fine. I can clean my own house.
As soon as my neighbors heard that Cindy was not coming anymore they said they knew someone who needed work and was reliable. This lady's husband left her and their 2 kids because the lady decided to go to school. Her husband did not want her to get an education. That story tugged on my heartstrings, so I said sure. I will hire her and help her afford to go to school. (We are talking high school here, not university.)
Well, this lady did not work out as well. I wrote notes, I left lists, I talked to her and even tried once to fire her but she asked for one more chance. Today was the end of "one more chance". I had to let her go. It was not fun. I did not like a second of it. She tried to argue. But afterward it felt empowering.
So today I stood up for myself. Three times. And it felt good.
Oscar Daniel's bruised belly is all better and Milagro didn't mention anything about her tooth hurting. Kebelin is studying for an English test. She said, "What will I do while you are gone?????!!!" That made me feel really good. She seems to understand her English homework for the first time. She says she is the only one in her class who understands. I hope she won't fall behind while I am gone.
All of the ladies continue to improve at Pilates. Ana can do a sit up now. Veronica learned how to roll like a ball today. Delia can do jackknife without me propping up her butt anymore. And Ada is a power house. She is the athlete of the group. I am proud of Ana for sticking with it. She is the only one who has come to every class. I know it is really hard for her. She can't do a lot of what the others do. But she doesn't give up. She stays positive. She says it is getting easier and I can see the improvement. They are sad that I will be gone and they will miss out on their class over the next few weeks. They even jokingly suggested that we try a class over Skype. Instead I will write down a workout plan for them to do at home while I am gone. I will be curious to see if they follow through without the classes. It's a lot harder to work out on your own.
Picnics in La Tigra and Pizza
I have been thinking about a lot of things lately, but it rains every night so I rarely have internet which means I can't share my thoughts here.
One week from today I will wake up in the US. To be honest I have mixed feelings. I will be gone for 28 days and that feels like too long. But it is the only way I could fit everything in and still afford the flight. Tickets around the 4th of July were pricey so I had to come back later than I would have chosen.
Last week I taught Samuel (age 4) how to use a seat belt. He has a hard time getting it on and off, but he loves to use it, which is a plus for me since he is not used to sitting down in a car.
I also learned that Maria Angelica has never been to McDonalds. Actually I bet many of the kids have not been to McDonalds because I only know of 2 McDonalds here (Burger King and Wendy's are a lot more common). I have a plan to get permission from her mother and take Angelica to McDonalds on her birthday.
I officially learned that I will be speaking for 5 minutes at my church in the US. Then last night it turned into, "could you talk to ....... and work together to give the message". I am actually hoping to have a longer amount of time because it feels like there is too much to say in only 5 minutes. The only problem is that I will be in the woods in Colorado starting next week so we won't have much time to prepare.
Yesterday Belinda announced to the kids that they no longer have to do homework when they come in the morning. We are back to the old way, where we play every day and they ask for help if they need it. I am willing to bet grades will go down. But the number of kids we serve will go up. They don't like coming to the church and having to sit and do school work. As Walter explained to me this morning, the church is their sanctuary. Their only safe place. And if they are not going to come because we require them to do homework then our good intentions are backfiring. Their safety and happiness needs to come first and from there we can work on grades the best we can.
I am disappointed that the homework way didn't work, but I agree with Walter. If having to do homework is keeping kids out of the church, then we need to change our approach. The good news is, today a lot of kids were still asking for help to do their homework!
On June 7th the meeting with the leadership will be held to see how I can best serve. I am excited to see what they decide for me. Several people from the church have approached me about English classes and I know they did not hear that from me, so word is spreading fast and a lot of people are interested. Even my car mechanic wants to sign up!
Last weekend was a little dreary outside. Hardly any of the adults went to swim. Even the bus driver cancelled, so I drove everyone in my car. I am becoming a real Honduran in the sense that I have learned to squeeze a million people into my car. After swimming one of the girls from the restaurant asked if she could ride with us to church. I said sure! I was very excited - this was the whole point of including people from outside the church. She seemed to really like the service. I think she will come back next week with her Aunt and her Aunt's friend!
Pilates classes are also going great. So far we have had 4 classes. The two ladies who have come to every class are improving tremendously! It is so fulfilling to me to watch them do things that only a few days before they couldn't. They are now able to walk and hardly have any sore muscles so I think I need to push them a little harder. But easy does it with this group.
I have gotten myself into pretty good shape over the past 3 weeks. It's amazing what you can do with weights that you can't do in other ways. I was running for months, but nothing changed my form like 3 weeks lifting weights.
My landlords gave me a going away dinner last weekend because they are busy this weekend. Then they explained all the work they will do on my house while I am gone. I will get a new coat of paint and one wall will be tiled with pretty tiles. That will be nice to come home to!
Today at Buen Provecho I was part nurse. One boy had hit his stomach so hard that he had a lump and a bruise. He said it really hurt. It took me a while to catch on to the fact that it wasn't his tummy that hurt. He never did explain to anyone how he got the black and blue knot under his ribs. We gave him pain reliever and had him lie down for a while. Now that I think of it, maybe we should have been more concerned about internal bleeding. But he spent most of the day with us and seemed a lot better when he left.
Milagro told me that she was having pain in her mouth. Turned out she had a molar coming in. More pain reliever and a bottle to go home so her mother could give it to her at home too. Then Milagro started telling me this story that today is her birthday but she can't celebrate because her tooth hurts. I think the story stemmed from the fact that I told her she was getting a new molar in her mouth and that is why her mouth hurt - because she is growing up. Anyway, I never did really figure out if it was her birthday today or not because then she said her birthday is very far. Who knows.
The younger kids are going to do a dance on Sunday at church. They will have pom poms and everything. I am trying to figure out how to let go of them since I won't be their teacher any more. It will be hard for me. They have finally learned to come to me with lumps in their armpits and bruises on their ribs, or when they have new teeth coming in. I am the one they count on. It will be a difficult transition for them and for me. Hopefully whoever takes my spot will not be hurt or angry if they still come to me occasionally for things.
Last week in church Samuel and his family sat with me. When we took communion Samuel chose a piece of bread that had the crust on it. I looked down and he was flicking the seeds and grains from the top of the crust. When he saw me watching he said, "Jesus' skin is dirty!" I was not sure how to respond to that. I never thought of the crust as Jesus' skin before. Samuel saw the bewildered look on my face and thought we had a language barrier, so he started pointed to and pulling at his own skin on his arm, saying, "His skin. His skin. It's dirty!" Oh Samuel. I learn something from him almost every day.
On Saturday we had an outing. The whole church was invited to La Tigra. I was so happy to see entire families from Los Pinos having the time of their lives. It was really a fun day. We played all sorts of traditional games like jump rope and potato sack races and Honduran Dodgeball. We even had horseback rides for all ages. It was a super good time. Afterward we walked to a little place on a lake where a lady sells coffee and ended the day there. Everyone loved it. It was a huge success.
Ana and her kids all came to my house for dinner that night. They were my first dinner guests ever, which is strange because I used to entertain a lot when I lived in North America. We made pizza together and then headed back down into the city because I really should not be driving to Los Pinos in the evening. It gets dark here so early, it was after dark when I dropped them off, but I made it back home safely. I was really, really glad I invited them to my house.
Ana is one of my very closest friends. I also love her kids. Her oldest son is 14 and very, very responsible. The next is 10 and he is the sweetest, most caring boy ever. Then there is Samuel. If you haven't caught on yet, he is a handful. And Isabela is almost 16 months. She is a doll. Everyone remarks about how she somehow decided to attach herself to me. I don't mind a bit.
Ana is someone who, when you talk to her often responds, "Well, as the bible says..." I like that. I also like that she does not fall into the common Honduran practice of criticism or gossip. She is very positive and ALWAYS grateful. Her family sometimes goes without food. But she is grateful for everything they do have. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever heard Ana complain. I will miss Ana and her family a lot while I am in the US. I feel blessed to know her and be her friend.
One week from today I will wake up in the US. To be honest I have mixed feelings. I will be gone for 28 days and that feels like too long. But it is the only way I could fit everything in and still afford the flight. Tickets around the 4th of July were pricey so I had to come back later than I would have chosen.
Last week I taught Samuel (age 4) how to use a seat belt. He has a hard time getting it on and off, but he loves to use it, which is a plus for me since he is not used to sitting down in a car.
I also learned that Maria Angelica has never been to McDonalds. Actually I bet many of the kids have not been to McDonalds because I only know of 2 McDonalds here (Burger King and Wendy's are a lot more common). I have a plan to get permission from her mother and take Angelica to McDonalds on her birthday.
I officially learned that I will be speaking for 5 minutes at my church in the US. Then last night it turned into, "could you talk to ....... and work together to give the message". I am actually hoping to have a longer amount of time because it feels like there is too much to say in only 5 minutes. The only problem is that I will be in the woods in Colorado starting next week so we won't have much time to prepare.
Yesterday Belinda announced to the kids that they no longer have to do homework when they come in the morning. We are back to the old way, where we play every day and they ask for help if they need it. I am willing to bet grades will go down. But the number of kids we serve will go up. They don't like coming to the church and having to sit and do school work. As Walter explained to me this morning, the church is their sanctuary. Their only safe place. And if they are not going to come because we require them to do homework then our good intentions are backfiring. Their safety and happiness needs to come first and from there we can work on grades the best we can.
I am disappointed that the homework way didn't work, but I agree with Walter. If having to do homework is keeping kids out of the church, then we need to change our approach. The good news is, today a lot of kids were still asking for help to do their homework!
On June 7th the meeting with the leadership will be held to see how I can best serve. I am excited to see what they decide for me. Several people from the church have approached me about English classes and I know they did not hear that from me, so word is spreading fast and a lot of people are interested. Even my car mechanic wants to sign up!
Last weekend was a little dreary outside. Hardly any of the adults went to swim. Even the bus driver cancelled, so I drove everyone in my car. I am becoming a real Honduran in the sense that I have learned to squeeze a million people into my car. After swimming one of the girls from the restaurant asked if she could ride with us to church. I said sure! I was very excited - this was the whole point of including people from outside the church. She seemed to really like the service. I think she will come back next week with her Aunt and her Aunt's friend!
Pilates classes are also going great. So far we have had 4 classes. The two ladies who have come to every class are improving tremendously! It is so fulfilling to me to watch them do things that only a few days before they couldn't. They are now able to walk and hardly have any sore muscles so I think I need to push them a little harder. But easy does it with this group.
I have gotten myself into pretty good shape over the past 3 weeks. It's amazing what you can do with weights that you can't do in other ways. I was running for months, but nothing changed my form like 3 weeks lifting weights.
My landlords gave me a going away dinner last weekend because they are busy this weekend. Then they explained all the work they will do on my house while I am gone. I will get a new coat of paint and one wall will be tiled with pretty tiles. That will be nice to come home to!
Today at Buen Provecho I was part nurse. One boy had hit his stomach so hard that he had a lump and a bruise. He said it really hurt. It took me a while to catch on to the fact that it wasn't his tummy that hurt. He never did explain to anyone how he got the black and blue knot under his ribs. We gave him pain reliever and had him lie down for a while. Now that I think of it, maybe we should have been more concerned about internal bleeding. But he spent most of the day with us and seemed a lot better when he left.
Milagro told me that she was having pain in her mouth. Turned out she had a molar coming in. More pain reliever and a bottle to go home so her mother could give it to her at home too. Then Milagro started telling me this story that today is her birthday but she can't celebrate because her tooth hurts. I think the story stemmed from the fact that I told her she was getting a new molar in her mouth and that is why her mouth hurt - because she is growing up. Anyway, I never did really figure out if it was her birthday today or not because then she said her birthday is very far. Who knows.
The younger kids are going to do a dance on Sunday at church. They will have pom poms and everything. I am trying to figure out how to let go of them since I won't be their teacher any more. It will be hard for me. They have finally learned to come to me with lumps in their armpits and bruises on their ribs, or when they have new teeth coming in. I am the one they count on. It will be a difficult transition for them and for me. Hopefully whoever takes my spot will not be hurt or angry if they still come to me occasionally for things.
Last week in church Samuel and his family sat with me. When we took communion Samuel chose a piece of bread that had the crust on it. I looked down and he was flicking the seeds and grains from the top of the crust. When he saw me watching he said, "Jesus' skin is dirty!" I was not sure how to respond to that. I never thought of the crust as Jesus' skin before. Samuel saw the bewildered look on my face and thought we had a language barrier, so he started pointed to and pulling at his own skin on his arm, saying, "His skin. His skin. It's dirty!" Oh Samuel. I learn something from him almost every day.
On Saturday we had an outing. The whole church was invited to La Tigra. I was so happy to see entire families from Los Pinos having the time of their lives. It was really a fun day. We played all sorts of traditional games like jump rope and potato sack races and Honduran Dodgeball. We even had horseback rides for all ages. It was a super good time. Afterward we walked to a little place on a lake where a lady sells coffee and ended the day there. Everyone loved it. It was a huge success.
Ana and her kids all came to my house for dinner that night. They were my first dinner guests ever, which is strange because I used to entertain a lot when I lived in North America. We made pizza together and then headed back down into the city because I really should not be driving to Los Pinos in the evening. It gets dark here so early, it was after dark when I dropped them off, but I made it back home safely. I was really, really glad I invited them to my house.
Ana is one of my very closest friends. I also love her kids. Her oldest son is 14 and very, very responsible. The next is 10 and he is the sweetest, most caring boy ever. Then there is Samuel. If you haven't caught on yet, he is a handful. And Isabela is almost 16 months. She is a doll. Everyone remarks about how she somehow decided to attach herself to me. I don't mind a bit.
Ana is someone who, when you talk to her often responds, "Well, as the bible says..." I like that. I also like that she does not fall into the common Honduran practice of criticism or gossip. She is very positive and ALWAYS grateful. Her family sometimes goes without food. But she is grateful for everything they do have. I can honestly say I don't think I have ever heard Ana complain. I will miss Ana and her family a lot while I am in the US. I feel blessed to know her and be her friend.
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| Jose enjoying the afternoon in La Tigra |
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| Anai resting in the sun |
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| A swinging game I had never seen before |
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| Luis swinging Anai and Jose's Mom |
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| Horseback ride |
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| Ethel, president of the church, with my friends Lucy and Hermida |
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| Walter wearing his K2 shirt |
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| Ana, Isabela, Me and Delia Delia also serves at Buen Provecho |
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| The staff of Buen Provecho Ada, Ana, Isabela, Eunice, Samuel, Delia, Me and Don Juan |
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| Don Juan is going to transplant flowers from La Tigra to the churc |
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| Isa |
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| Samuel and David at my house |
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| Homemade Pizza! |
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| Samuel eating pizza |
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| David was exhausted, but hungry |
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| Jired |
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| Ana and Isa enjoying their pizza |
Friday, May 30, 2014
Carlos
Today was one of those days that confirm I am exactly where I need to be.
About 6 months ago one of the boys fell down and was crying. He is about 5 years old. He drops by the Breakfast Program now and then - more often when the teams from North America visit. His name is Carlos and he is famous with the North Americans but in reality, we don't see him too often.
He was crying that day after the fall, so I picked him up. Another time I noticed he was crying and picked him up again, without knowing what happened. Each time he hugged me tightly until I put him down and I remember being surprised that he didn't want to be put down sooner so he could go play with the other kids.
It happened at least once more - Carlos was crying so I picked him up and held him. Finally I caught on to the fact that Carlos was coming to the Breakfast Program and crying so that he could be held. This morning Carlos was there. He came up and silently tugged on my pant leg like a toddler. I bent down and hugged him but didn't let go and I could feel that he wanted me to pick him up. So I picked him up and held him.
He rested his head on my shoulder and put his arms tight around my neck. I told him I love his hugs. We stood like that, with me rotating now and then so he could watch what the other kids were up to, for at least a half hour. I kept waiting for him to get squirmy and want to get down. I asked a few times if he wanted to go play with the kids and felt his head shake "no" on my shoulder. So I kept holding him.
A few adults asked if I was tired, if I needed a chair. I explained he was too long to sit down with and then for Carlos' sake I said, "I never get tired hugging Carlos."
Don Juan walked over and ruffled Carlos' hair, checking him for lice. He had apparently read my mind. I had decided about 20 minutes earlier that if I got lice again, it would be well worth it. Don Juan said Carlos was clean. An added plus.
Finally I really did get tired, and I kept seeing all of these amazing pictures that I wanted to take of the kids while they were playing. So I asked Carlos if he wanted to walk with me to get the camera. He shook his head "yes". We walked hand-in-hand to the car and got the camera. Then I sat down and he climbed into my lap.
I was thinking recently about how the kids have learned to smile for the camera. Even one year old Isabela grins when I have the camera aimed at her. They used to make peace signs or bunny ears when they saw a camera two years ago. And some of them had a dull look in their eyes, even just a year ago. But I hardly ever see that dull look any more.
Today I was looking over all of the photos. Carlos and I were in some of them. Carlos' eyes were dead. In all of the photos the look on his face was flat, like he didn't realize he was in a place where 50 other kids were playing and having fun.
I wish that Carlos would come to the Buen Provecho more often because I have seen that look disappear from other kids' faces. Sometimes new kids come with that dead-eyed look for the first couple of weeks, but the it goes away once they feel comfortable.
I am going to pray that Carlos comes to the church more often and that we are able show him the love he so desperately needs.
About 6 months ago one of the boys fell down and was crying. He is about 5 years old. He drops by the Breakfast Program now and then - more often when the teams from North America visit. His name is Carlos and he is famous with the North Americans but in reality, we don't see him too often.
He was crying that day after the fall, so I picked him up. Another time I noticed he was crying and picked him up again, without knowing what happened. Each time he hugged me tightly until I put him down and I remember being surprised that he didn't want to be put down sooner so he could go play with the other kids.
It happened at least once more - Carlos was crying so I picked him up and held him. Finally I caught on to the fact that Carlos was coming to the Breakfast Program and crying so that he could be held. This morning Carlos was there. He came up and silently tugged on my pant leg like a toddler. I bent down and hugged him but didn't let go and I could feel that he wanted me to pick him up. So I picked him up and held him.
He rested his head on my shoulder and put his arms tight around my neck. I told him I love his hugs. We stood like that, with me rotating now and then so he could watch what the other kids were up to, for at least a half hour. I kept waiting for him to get squirmy and want to get down. I asked a few times if he wanted to go play with the kids and felt his head shake "no" on my shoulder. So I kept holding him.
A few adults asked if I was tired, if I needed a chair. I explained he was too long to sit down with and then for Carlos' sake I said, "I never get tired hugging Carlos."
Don Juan walked over and ruffled Carlos' hair, checking him for lice. He had apparently read my mind. I had decided about 20 minutes earlier that if I got lice again, it would be well worth it. Don Juan said Carlos was clean. An added plus.
Finally I really did get tired, and I kept seeing all of these amazing pictures that I wanted to take of the kids while they were playing. So I asked Carlos if he wanted to walk with me to get the camera. He shook his head "yes". We walked hand-in-hand to the car and got the camera. Then I sat down and he climbed into my lap.
I was thinking recently about how the kids have learned to smile for the camera. Even one year old Isabela grins when I have the camera aimed at her. They used to make peace signs or bunny ears when they saw a camera two years ago. And some of them had a dull look in their eyes, even just a year ago. But I hardly ever see that dull look any more.
Today I was looking over all of the photos. Carlos and I were in some of them. Carlos' eyes were dead. In all of the photos the look on his face was flat, like he didn't realize he was in a place where 50 other kids were playing and having fun.
I wish that Carlos would come to the Buen Provecho more often because I have seen that look disappear from other kids' faces. Sometimes new kids come with that dead-eyed look for the first couple of weeks, but the it goes away once they feel comfortable.
I am going to pray that Carlos comes to the church more often and that we are able show him the love he so desperately needs.
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| All smiles. Except one. |
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Phenomenal Woman
My personal goal in writing:
I was sad to hear that Maya Angelou died today. It is normal to feel sad, even when people have lived a full life.
I first became familiar with Maya Angelou in one of her visits to The Oprah Winfrey Show. From there I sought her out. It was only today as I was writing this blog that I learned I wasn't the original author of "I've learned that I still have a lot to learn". Maya Angelou said it first.
Here are more of my favorite words of wisdom from Dr. Maya Angelou:
HOW TO LIVE:
“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style”
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”
“The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
“We need much less than we think we need.”
“You should never make someone a priority who views you as an option.”
“Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”
“My wish for you is that you continue. Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart.”
LIFE TO THE FULLEST:
“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”
“I want all my senses engaged. Let me absorb the world's variety and uniqueness.”
“Some people cannot see a good thing when it is right here, right now. Others can sense a good thing coming when it is days, months, or miles away.”
WITH GOD:
“A woman's heart should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him just to find her.”
“While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation.”
“It is this belief in a power larger than myself and other than myself which allows me to venture into the unknown and even the unknowable.” - (If I had written this the title could be "How I moved to Honduras")
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
“Life is going to give you just what you put in it. Put your whole heart in everything you do, and pray, then you can wait.”
POETRY:
“Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.” SO THERE! (I added that part)
― Maya Angelou
PHENOMENAL WOMAN
“Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.”
“I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
ABOUT WRITING:
“When I am writing, I am trying to find out who I am, who we are, what we're capable of, how we feel, how we lose and stand up, and go on from darkness into darkness. I'm trying for that. But I'm also trying for the language. I'm trying to see how it can really sound. I really love language. I love it for what it does for us, how it allows us to explain the pain and the glory, the nuances and delicacies of our existence. And then it allows us to laugh, allows us to show wit. Real wit is shown in language. We need language.”
“I make writing as much a part of my life as I do eating or listening to music.”
“I don't know how much longer I'll be around. I'll probably be writing when the Lord says, 'Maya, Maya Angelou, it's time.” Today was that day. I hope she was writing?
“I would like to be known as an intelligent woman, a courageous woman, a loving woman, a woman who teaches by being.”
Maya Angelou, you will be known as all of these things and much, much more. I feel blessed to have lived on this earth at the same time you were here. Thank you for sharing your heart with the world.
"Peace, My Brother. Peace, My Sister. Peace, My Soul.”
Monday, May 26, 2014
No buses
Swimming was good with the adults yesterday. I took tons of photos, then part way through church as I was taking more photos I realized the memory card was missing. So no photos from yesterday.
My landlords got a new puppy! We were down to one dog and he was very lonely. I was surprised to be greeted by the barking of a puppy (he thinks he is a big attack dog already) when I left the house at 5 am yesterday. After church I got to meet him. He is cute! His name is Luke. He pees every time you pet him.
Which leads me to my next theme of the night. Jetty is having some sort of urinary problem. Last night I noticed she spent a lot of time going downstairs to her litter box. I noticed because normally she goes to sleep and then I, in turn, can sleep after she uses her litter box. But last night she kept going back and forth. Today when I got home from the church she was spending a lot of time in there. So I called the vet. She has an appointment tomorrow morning. In the meantime I am giving her apple cider vinegar. The internet says it helps with bacterial infections and kidney stones, so if it is not cancer, the apple cider vinegar should help her feel better soon.
I took a lot of photos today. Helped 2 kids with social studies homework. Had a fun class with the preschoolers. For some reason Samuel decided he didn't want to draw. Instead he cried under the desk. Oh Samuel. He is a handful, but I love him dearly.
Everyone is shaken up because none of the buses near the church are running. The main hub is right at the corner by the bottom of the hill. The director of the buses was kidnapped on Friday and found dead yesterday. From what I hear the buses aren't running all week in protest of what happened. All of the kids have to walk to school. Some of the schools are very far. The morning kids are having to leave for school earlier and the afternoon kids are coming to the church a lot later. Some moms are trying to come up with cab fare for their kids. The buses are all parked on the side of the road and cabs are double parked next to them.
I know 2 people who saw the bus coordinator being kidnapped from the bottom of the hill. They people beat him up and pulled him into a car. They also said the police were right there and did nothing.
I am sharing some words at my church in Salt Lake when I go to the US. I am trying to decide if I want to talk a little bit about what life is like in Honduras, as well as what we are doing in the church. I think I might talk about some of the more striking differences to set the scene and let people know why the safety and the outreach the church offers is so essential to the people who live here.
My landlords got a new puppy! We were down to one dog and he was very lonely. I was surprised to be greeted by the barking of a puppy (he thinks he is a big attack dog already) when I left the house at 5 am yesterday. After church I got to meet him. He is cute! His name is Luke. He pees every time you pet him.
Which leads me to my next theme of the night. Jetty is having some sort of urinary problem. Last night I noticed she spent a lot of time going downstairs to her litter box. I noticed because normally she goes to sleep and then I, in turn, can sleep after she uses her litter box. But last night she kept going back and forth. Today when I got home from the church she was spending a lot of time in there. So I called the vet. She has an appointment tomorrow morning. In the meantime I am giving her apple cider vinegar. The internet says it helps with bacterial infections and kidney stones, so if it is not cancer, the apple cider vinegar should help her feel better soon.
I took a lot of photos today. Helped 2 kids with social studies homework. Had a fun class with the preschoolers. For some reason Samuel decided he didn't want to draw. Instead he cried under the desk. Oh Samuel. He is a handful, but I love him dearly.
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| Samuel is mad |
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| So he hid under the desk |
Everyone is shaken up because none of the buses near the church are running. The main hub is right at the corner by the bottom of the hill. The director of the buses was kidnapped on Friday and found dead yesterday. From what I hear the buses aren't running all week in protest of what happened. All of the kids have to walk to school. Some of the schools are very far. The morning kids are having to leave for school earlier and the afternoon kids are coming to the church a lot later. Some moms are trying to come up with cab fare for their kids. The buses are all parked on the side of the road and cabs are double parked next to them.
I know 2 people who saw the bus coordinator being kidnapped from the bottom of the hill. They people beat him up and pulled him into a car. They also said the police were right there and did nothing.
I am sharing some words at my church in Salt Lake when I go to the US. I am trying to decide if I want to talk a little bit about what life is like in Honduras, as well as what we are doing in the church. I think I might talk about some of the more striking differences to set the scene and let people know why the safety and the outreach the church offers is so essential to the people who live here.
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| Misael earned a sticker for memorizing scripture |
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| Violet is concentrating - check out the tongue And Misael's tongue in the background too! |
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| Milagro |
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| There was an animal under the table, touching my knee - Oh wait! It's Misael!! |
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| Violet is proud of her sticker (under her fingers) |
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| We took a break to play outside |
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| Big girls like their picture taken too |
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