Weekend wrap-up

I've been too busy to write! Working Monday through Saturday, with longs days on Sunday too. I haven't known what day it is for about a week and I'm wondering how long I could keep up this pace, but for now I'm still loving every minute!

We are trying to get everything done before the end of this week. We thought we would be on vacation from Friday until the middle of January. But today we got word that our boss can no longer dictate how vacation long Christmas vacation lasts. We have a human resources guy who is in charge of vacation time now. Our organization is growing in leaps and bounds.

Last year my boss and I were the only ones who went back to work after New Year's Day. My boss saw the office was empty, so she sent the rest of my coworkers home to rest for an extra week. I had the whole month of December off, since I had gone to the US, so I didn't mind the extra one on one time with my boss. It was a great opportunity for her to get to know me better.

I thought maybe it would be the same this year, but since she is no longer in charge of our hours, we will be back to work on the second of January. I was thinking it could get boring to have a month off. I don't mind it only being two weeks.

For a while now, my coworkers have been describing me as a person who laughs a lot and is happy. I never thought of myself that way, so it's been strange to hear. Yesterday we had a retreat for all of the volunteers. Looking over the photos, I realize I was smiling more than anyone else and really enjoying myself. I think it's true! I'm happy and I laugh a lot.

Here's the what I saw:

Teamwork with the leader of my new community

She's supposed to be piggy back on me. Ooops!

Singing Christmas songs with choreography

A certificate of recognition from my boss's assistant and my boss
When they presented it, they said the nicest stuff ever!

Sunday Ana and her family came to church with me. Afterward we decided to have a spontaneous trip to Valle de Angeles. It was a fun day. Samuel is already asking if we can do it again next week.

Saturday I spent the day with the families we serve in Los Pinos. Erika wasn't there, but the rest of her family was. Ana and her family were there. It is so cool that the organization where I serve is reaching out to people I've loved for so long! Even though I am not the actual person serving them, I am thrilled to see them receiving the help and support they need through our clubs, the Strong Family program, the psychologists, lawyers and vocational classes we are offering.

I was surprised how many parents remember me. I have to admit, I didn't remember all of them. They are grateful for the programs too.

Junior and Lorenzo learning about what makes them special

Samuel has taken to slicking back his hair
to be like the psychologist who serves with me

Learning effective communication in a follow up class for those who already graduated from Familias Fuertes

Familias Fuertes gives women a moment to laugh and bond

Tania and her mom

 Tania's mother (above) and Lorenzo and Erika's mother (below) have never been part of community activities before. Now they are graduates of the Strong Families Program and are about to start their second year of beauty school through Impacto Juvenil. Tania and Lorenzo are both official members of the program. Junior is allowed to tag along.

Mom with Junior and Lorenzo

Learning to express love verbally

Learning to express love physically - getting used to giving and receiving hugs
(Yes, there are fathers in our Strong Families program, too!)

Lorenzo and his Mom ♥

In Honduras many people say "Whiskey" instead of cheese.
Some parents were on their best behavior
and did not approve of Tania saying whiskey in this instance.
That didn't slow her down. Go Tania!

My boss's assistant with Ana and her family. Everyone got a "canasta" of basic supplies.

Graduates of Familias Fuertes wrapping up the year together

After the Strong Families Program the kids had an art exhibit.

A lot of parents attended but I seem to have erased the photos

EYES

Don Juan now has chickens!
But they are not laying eggs because
the rooster is a jerk, he says.

Don Juan's gardens have secret paths now!

Learning more about Villa Nueva

Today I was invited to a luncheon with all of the movers and shakers of Villa Nueva. About 50 people piled into a tiny room. It was really interesting to learn more about the area. It was also nice to see that I already know many of the people there. I am accomplishing one of my goals - to develop a deeper relationship with the people of the community.

I've written about our Strong Families or "Familias Fuertes" program and Strong Mothers, "Madres Fuertes", within Impacto Juvenil. The organization where I serve also has a program called Strong Communities ("Comunidades Fuertes").

I have never served with Comunidades Fuertes. They go into the communities and assess schools, health care systems and the area's resources. Then they give an evaluation to the community leaders with suggestions as to how the community could be better.

I learned a lot about Villa Nueva today.

Villa Nueva is made of 8 sectors. Some sectors are so big they are subdivided into two or three parts. There are more than 75,000 people in Villa Nueva. It is one of the most densely populated parts of Tegucigalpa. It was founded in 1980.

Through the years more families from rural areas have moved into Villa Nueva in hopes of finding work. The majority of people who live here work as housekeepers, masons, carpenters, gardeners, fixing shoes, making tortillas, selling small meals (like fried chicken), or washing clothes for wealthier people.

Because VN is so large, the people who live there are not always aware of the resources they have within their community. It is the largest colonia in Tegucigalpa and listed as the largest colonia in all of Central America!

It has a market on Fridays and Saturdays where people from all over the country come to buy and sell. (The market is only a mile from my house, but the area is dangerous so I've never been although I drive by it all of the time.)

They did a survey asking the people to identify what they believe is the biggest problem Villa Nueva faces. 28 percent  of the people within the community report that the sale and use of drugs is the worst problem they face. 21% say domestic violence is the worst problem. 17% say robbery is worst. !5% identified extortion, 11% said gangs and 8% identified the disintegration of families as the worst problem within their communities. I was surprised the people don't see gangs as a bigger problem. But they would know better than I.

There were teachers, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and the local people. All said even if they don't live within Villa Nueva, they are invested in bettering the community since they are already spending a lot of time there.

Some of the people from the health clinic were not happy with the evaluation. They have a lot of areas where they need to improve. One thing I found interesting was that if you divide the number of bathrooms in public schools by the number of kids the have to serve, between 80-170 kids have to share one bathroom in the schools in VN. No wonder the bathrooms are always gross!

We watched a short movie about Christ's birth and sang some fun Christmas carols I had never heard before. One was about the fish drinking, drinking, drinking because Jesus was born. I didn't understand the significance of that one, but it had a catchy rhythm.

Then we received a calendar (with one photo that I took!) and a coffee mug full of candy. We were served a huge pork dinner and a tres leches cupcakes for dessert.

Afterward some coworkers and I slipped away to try on dresses that one of them is making and selling to earn extra money. They were so pretty! I don't have any event where I will need to wear a dress. Still, it was fun to have some relaxed time with the girls, playing dress up. We didn't have a mirror so we took photos of each other to see how we looked.

On the way home I was telling my boss's assistant how much I enjoy my new role over the past couple of weeks. I've always loved what I do, but I feel so happy right now. In fact, I think this is the happiest I've ever been in my five years of serving in Honduras. Sure, I wish I could go home for Christmas and I wish I could afford a newer car, but I really love being in Villa Nueva. She was happy to hear that. She said that everyone likes to work with me because it is clear that I like what I do and it's always fun to work with someone who enjoys their work.

She said she was telling my boss that I came to them "undercover". She said, "You were quiet. You never called attention to yourself or made a lot of "noise"." The truth is, when I first started working with them my self esteem had taken a beating. I was really intimidated by them! They do such great things and work so hard, I didn't know if I could keep up with them. But as I've healed and regained my confidence, we are able to see that my gifts match well with the needs of Impacto Juvenil.

She said, "Mary Lynn, in the little time you've been here, you have done more than any volunteer has ever done before. You have affected more lives in this little time than any other volunteer."

I was silent. Those were some powerful words!  I thought about the fact that all of my coworkers started as volunteers. Many spent a 5-10 years as volunteers and they did a lot of great work. Is it possible that I have affected more lives?

At the very least, I know I am appreciated. Praise God for leading me to serve at Impacto Juvenil and now specifically within Villa Nueva. There's nowhere else I'd rather be.

We have a retreat next Monday specifically for the volunteers. I asked if I should bring my camera to take photos, since they are always wanting photos of big events. My boss's assistant laughed and said, "No Mary Lynn. This retreat is for you! It's for you to relax and enjoy. If you would like to take photos for yourself, you can."

Good, good stuff

Some days God blesses us in such a way that it's overwhelming and takes a while to process. That is how I feel today. I am amazed at His love for me and the way He cares for every detail of my life.

This morning I realized it was my nephew Jack's birthday. I've been thinking about it for over a month, but yesterday and today I wasn't thinking about the date so it kind of snuck up on me at the last minute.

I woke up early to the sound of Fany filling her pila. A pila is a tall cement tub for storing water outside. It is where you get water for washing clothes. Those who don't have running water inside use it for all of their water needs, like washing dishes. Many people use buckets of water from the pila if they have flushing toilets with no connection to a water source. Just dump a bucket of water into the toilet and it flushes itself.

I love to take a shower with the water "de la calle" (from the street). The shower pressure is really strong. It only comes every third night. We are lucky to have two tanks which store water for the days between. Still, sometimes we run out.

I was bathed and ready for church two hours early, so I sat back down in my bed to prepare because I had to "dirigir" (open the service with a short message and time of prayer) at church today. That was when I noticed the date. My nephew's birthday!

I waited until 8 a.m. mountain time and called with a free video call. Video calls are the best! Before we were even connected I could see my two nephews smiling at me.

I sang Happy Birthday to Jack. We goofed around on the phone for a while. It's nice to be able to laugh and be silly without worrying about the phone bill. I sang to Jack in Spanish too. Jack and Joe are starting Spanish classes. Jack thought it was really cool that in the Honduran version of Happy Birthday we say that we want a piece of birthday cake and Coca Cola too. His mother would not have been pleased to hear Jack say, "I want Coca Cola!" at 8 a.m. I don't think those kids drink Coke at any hour. Honduras is much different than the US with its Coca Cola habits.

Before the phone call I was feeling a little homesick. But after hearing Jack talk about how excited he is to spend his birthday with friends I felt better. He got up super close to the camera when I told him I was going to send him kisses. I am appreciating these younger years before he gets too old to be happy about a phone call from his Aunt.

After the phone call I realized how much my experience with Jack spoke to the message I was about to share at church. It was about family and loving one another. I don't have my biological family here, but I certainly have a great church family.

When it came my time to share at church I got all choked up and couldn't talk. Finally, when I was able to speak, I talked about my first "mission". After I was baptized I moved to Colorado for six months to take care of Jack for the first six months of his life.

I talked about family and unity and love. I thanked my church for all of the love they show me and for the way they accept me as part of their family while my biological family is so far. Almost every adult was crying. After the service they told me that my words were simple, but they felt so much love from me - God's love - the kind that really touches one's heart.

It was a super special time. I think it's the first time I have ever been used by God to bring such emotion from a large group of people. Pastora Ruth said she has been waiting for the church to long for this sense of unity. She said if we are not a family, we are not a church. She has been wanting to bring this emotion out of the congregation and is glad God used me for the people to see the necessity of loving one another as a family. I'm glad too!

One of the leaders in my church said that without me, the church would not be all it is today. He said I came and immediately fit in perfectly, just like a ring. He said that my personality and my respect for the leadership complement and complete the church. It's nice to know he feels that way. I know that I would not be the person I am now without my church and the people there.

Afterward I had arranged to go pick up a bike with training wheels for Laura. I posted on a missionary group in Facebook and a woman answered saying she had one that had been ridden hard but if I wasn't looking for a special gift it would be fine. I said if it works, it will be fine.

Turned out it's perfect! I was expecting something beat up and ugly. It's pink with brand new mountain bike tires, a little basket, and an old fashioned bell! I am dying to give it to Laura, but she doesn't have space to ride it here. We are going to wait and give it to her when she goes to her Grandparents' house. There she can ride down the middle of the road.

Her Dad said she is not strong enough (at five years old) to pedal a bike. I assured him that she is. Although her gross and fine motor skills are not what they should be. Her mother still opens twist off caps for her and she just recently got the arm strength to boost herself into my car. This bike is going to be great for her developmentally and emotionally too, if her parents are able to give her a little bit of independence eventually.

When I got home from church I was dying to show Fany and Santos the bike, but they were hosting a Christmas party with some members of my old church. In the past I might have felt uncomfortable and hid out or not come home while they were here. But I don't feel that way anymore and I shouldn't have felt like that before. I saw that as another big step.

So, today was a good day. My nephew knew I was thinking of him with love on his birthday, God used me to promote unity, love and a sense of family within the church, and I was given the perfect bike for Laura. On top of all of that, my Pastor said he will have room in his luggage for an Instant Pot when he comes back from the US after Christmas! Good, good stuff!

At church today

Yesterday on the last day of our club for 2016:

Chinese fried rice, a Honduran staple for any celebration

I really like this mom.
She sells tortillas while her oldest daughter
is left at home with the baby

The kids on their last day of the club, writing about the problems they face

According to my coworker, the girl on the right normally never likes North Americans.
Thankfully, she has been nothing but sweet to me since the first time we met.

\I am really impressed with this young man.
I think he will grow up to be a leader, once he learns not to punch people

Musical chairs is big here

It came down to this brother and sister. The brother won.

School problems

This week has been a whopper. Lots of good with some things that were hard to see sprinkled in.

Wednesday and Thursday I did home visits in my new community. I am really loving it! It's actually really close to my house, but I do still go with a driver and a guard. They drive us up to a community center at the top of the mountain and drop us off. We are allowed to use their kitchen and bathrooms, which is nice. We drop off our lunches in the fridge each morning, hide our cell phones in the kitchen, and head out.

Some of the families are already getting used to having me around. For the past two weeks I've been doing a survey with the kids we currently serve.

As we work on the surveys we see that some of the kids we are serving are not as needy as some of the other families in the community who are not receiving our support. It appears that in this community kids were allowed to enter the club just because their older siblings attended. Parents are going to be mad, but we are making it known that from now on the kids will be assessed according to seven risk factors which were established by our social workers. Only kids who demonstrate the risk factors can be invited to join Impacto Juvenil, even if their siblings were once part. We have to serve the kids who need us most.

Next year 21 of our 25 kids will graduate from my new club. My coworker and I have to find new kids to replace the 21 who will graduate. It is mandatory that we complete at least 63 surveys in order to choose the 21 kids. We need three surveys for every child we accept.

My coworker is fairly new to her position. She started as an intern with us last year and really stood out. She has a degree in psychology, but she was hired as a mentor and is now the leader of everything in Villa Nueva. She hopes to be hired as a psychologist one day.

One of the biggest things we have noticed is that the person before us was doing things FOR the people instead of with them. Families were not encouraged to be independent and have come to believe that they can't function independently. My coworker and I are already working to put the power back into the families' hands.

On Wednesday the psychologist rode home with us. She said she was unable to give the lesson that day at the Strong Family program because the mothers were so upset. They had gone to pick up their kids' grades. Six mothers had children who didn't pass their classes. For each class a child doesn't pass, the parents have to pay $50 for "recuperation", which is basically summer school. The other hitch is that they have to pay it this week. Nobody has that kind of money, especially within two days of being notified of the situation.

Thursday my coworker and I made it a priority to visit the homes of the mothers who were upset. It was very interesting.

When we arrived at our second visit we were surprised to find the father at home. Normally he works. It was great to talk to him in person. I probably wouldn't have understood his point of view if he hadn't been there to explain.

They live in a tiny rented house. It's one small room with a cement floor and wooden walls. Inside is a bed, a table, and one chair. They invited me to sit on the bed. My coworker sat on the floor. The bed was old and wobbly. I was afraid I was going to break it or fall off. Everything in the home was clean. There was not a stitch of food. Under the table were plastic jugs of water. On top of the table was a huge boom box with lights that glowed different colors and some clean dishes. Clothes were folded in a corner with a sheet placed over top. Seven people sleep in tiny room. I'm not sure how.

My coworker and I talked with the family for about an hour. The father said that he has made it clear to his daughter. If she did not do her part and pass all of her classes, he would not continue to pay for her education. That sounds really harsh, but as I talked to them I began to understand.

The father said that he was not going to go back on his word. His daughter knew expectations and she knew the consequences. She failed two classes with grades in the 30's. The mom tried to blame the teacher, and the daughter blamed the mother.

What seemed apparent to me was that the daughter is involved in too many extracurricular activities. She comes home, drops off her backpack, and leaves. She returns in the evening tired and ready for bed. She doesn't do her homework. School was not her priority.

Meanwhile, they don't have food to eat. They are going without basic necessities because the money goes toward education. But the daughter is not studying. In the father's mind, harsh reality dictates that he can no longer choose to continue to pay for school for his daughter. The money could be better used to feed his family.

I tried really hard not to put my North American ideals on them. I asked what the father hopes his daughter will be doing five years from now. He answered honestly, "I think she will be selling tortillas."

Everyone knows, selling tortillas sucks. It is an extremely difficult job with very little profit. The ladies wake up at 2 a.m. to make the tortillas. They leave the house early in the morning and come home after dark, spending all day selling tortillas. It is hard, physical labor. Many ladies only make enough profit to buy more ingredients for the dough the next day. No father wants his daughter to sell tortillas when she grows up.

By the end of our visit the father seemed to have softened his stance a little bit. He is not a rigid or angry or stubborn man. He is simply a father, trying to do what he thinks is best for his family. I respect him. There are not many fathers who care enough to set rules for their children and then follow through with them.

My coworker and I were not about to undermine what this man was trying to do in his home. We told the parents we will support them in whatever they decide. The mother really wanted us to pay for everything and make the problem disappear. The father wanted his daughter to learn a lesson the hard way. The really, really hard way. We told them we would be back next week to see what they decide.

The second house we visited was not as calm as the first. That mom was in the middle of a breakdown. She cried through most of the visit. She says she has fallen into a depression because her daughter failed five classes, doesn't want to study any more and refuses to work at anything. In fact the daughter is embarrassed that her mother works.

This house was super big. It was all cement with three huge rooms. But there was almost nothing inside. One room had a used tire. One room had a bench, three chairs and a round plastic table. There was also a shelf with a set of burners on top. The third room had beds. The windows were holes in the cement with no shutters, screens or glass. There was no door in the entrance. The mom lives there alone with her three young kids. That was terrifying to me. Anyone, at any time, could walk into that house and steal from them or worse.

While the mother sobbed the daughter looked at her fingernail polish. I asked her what she would like to do. She said she wants to stay at home and do nothing. We asked how she will eat or get new clothes. She said she will rob people.

This is not a hard-edged street kid. She's a spoiled girl who wouldn't even know how to rob anyone. At least not at this point. But she's going to have to figure out some direction for her life.

The mother explained that because of her own difficult childhood she tried to provide a better life for her own kids. They have never lifted a finger around the house. They get new clothes when they ask for them. The mother works hard so her kids have everything they need. But they are not grateful. The 15 year old says she is "too little" to work and she refuses to study. The future looks grim and all her mother can do is cry.

Today we did another follow up for the Strong Families program. There were over 50 parents there! They wrote down the things are now implementing in their homes from what they learned in the class. Many, many of them talked about learning patience and communication. Lots of them said they used to be annoyed all of the time, but now they listen to and respect their children. Over and over I see that parents here have never considered the idea of communicating with their children until they attend our Strong Families program.

When we finished the class nobody wanted to leave. It was hot and crowded but everyone sat around and talked. I love seeing the women sitting together, laughing and chatting. Months ago, on the first day of class, they were strangers. They barely spoke. Today they are leaving not only with the knowledge that was imparted, but also with a stronger support system around them. Familia Fuerte is a great program.

Each parent got a diploma from the Strong Family program

The graduates with diplomas and a basket of food

Previous graduates of Familia Fuerte attending a follow up class 

Baskets of food as a Christmas blessing

Carrying the food basket home

A quick note -

Just a quick note -

It's been about seven weeks since I was robbed at gunpoint. I keep meaning to tell you that I think I am back to normal. Or maybe I should say I'm back to feeling like myself, for those who would argue that I've never been "normal". Right after I went to the doctor I stopped feeling so anxious and jumpy. I haven't had any nightmares lately and my sleep patterns are like they used to be.

Also, you may remember that my Chikungunya flared up in the beginning of November. Last week I started feeling better. Since Sunday I am feeling really good with only few aches throughout the day and none of the severe pain. The eye twitch hasn't gone away yet, but that is just an annoyance and a reminder that I need rest during our upcoming vacation. It will go away once my body is stronger.

We finish working on December 16th and start again on January 9th.

Unfortunately, I am not able to go home for Christmas this year. I'm still saving money toward a newer car. My car has been in the shop twice this month alone. I am frustrated and a little bummed out about the whole situation. I feel like my car is a ticking time bomb. Every time I get into it, something else falls apart.

Yesterday I sat down with my boss to ask if there is any possibility that I could be paid, even just a little, by the organization where I serve. I explained the car situation. She said she understands because her car was "bleeding money" last year.

She would like to be able to pay me. She and her assistant have discussed this and looked over the budget to try to find some money for me. But it's not possible right now.  I told her I understand. I do. At least half of my coworkers are Honduran volunteers. I felt strange even asking for money. It was nice to know they were already thinking of me before I asked. Maybe in the future...

Hoping for a Christmas Miracle

As an end of the year event, the four communities we serve were broken into three groups. Each group got to go on an outing as their final activity of the year. They also got a chance to meet new kids from another community.

We spent the morning at a local museum and the afternoon in a park where we played organized games and the kids performed in their own talent show. Here are some photos and a special story:

Meeting Santa

The children's museum had a special Christmas exhibit just inside the entrance. I was eyeing it all week. It looked gorgeous from the outside, but it cost the equivalent of $2.50 to enter. With 350 kids, that was out of our budget.

However, on the last day we were suddenly whisked upstairs and ushered inside "Santa's Villa". It was even more beautiful than I imagined. There was a manger scene with tremendous detail just inside the doors. Then we entered Santa's house.

The museum staff quickly separated the tiniest kids from the group and before they knew what happened they were seated in front of a huge television. Santa and Mrs. Claus came and sat down behind them. The screen was showing The Grinch, but there was no sound.

Notice, one boy can't take his eyes off Santa...

All of the kids kept wanting to turn around and see Santa and Mrs. Claus, but they were told sternly to watch the movie and not turn around. I felt bad for them. None of us really understood what was going on.

Then a man started filming them. My coworker and I were very uncomfortable. We called my boss. Turned out they are going to be on a commercial for the museum and the men had permission to film. But all the kids knew at that point was that they had to stare at that dumb tv screen without moving.

Just as suddenly they were taken out of Santa's house and asked to sit down at a table outside. They were given a piece of paper and told they had five minutes to write a letter to Santa. It was so rushed. I helped a few, but one boy didn't get to finish. He was busy decorating the borders of the page and hadn't written anything when the five minutes was up.

As the rest of the kids lined up to put their letters into Santa's mailbox I could see the panic in his eyes. They shuffled him into line and told him to fold his letter in half. He tried to tell them it was empty, but nobody listened. They made him fold the paper and stick it into the mail slot.

He turned around and looked at me. I could see he was close to tears. I assured him that words didn't matter. Santa knows every little boy and girl. (I was also very surprised because I haven't met any Honduran kids who really know about or believe in Santa Claus.)

He wouldn't move. An elf came along and lined everyone up but this little boy was frozen in place. The man who had been filming walked by. He stopped and told the boy to get in line. The boy explained his card to Santa was empty. The man said, "You didn't write anything, but you drew a picture for Santa, right?"

"No," the little boy explained. "I only colored the decorations!" He was so distraught.

I noticed we were waiting on the older kids who were still inside Santa's house so I asked if we could go back inside. The elf said no, the kids were already lined up to leave.

I explained they hadn't even had a chance to look around, they were just whisked in, filmed, and then taken out. They hadn't seen anything but the tv! The elf stood firm.

Normally I would never get the kids involved, but this called for desperate measures, so I asked the kids, "If we are allowed to go inside of Santa's house, will you all leave as soon as it is time to go?"

They all said "YES!" so I pushed through the door and told them to follow me. (Really this is not my normal personality!) The elf led them in and showed them Santa's kitchen and Santa's bedroom and Santa's reindeer. Finally, there was Santa himself.

Santa's Bedroom

Santa's Living Room

Santa's Kitchen

Santa's Sleigh

Santa and the little boy

The little boy ran up to Santa. At first Santa didn't see him, so he reached up and yanked on Santa's belt. I got a photo of that.

He told Santa he hadn't finished his letter, but he would really like a ball for Christmas. My heart broke. Gifts aren't big in Honduras, even among wealthier folks. He didn't ask for anything extravagant. He asked for a ball. But judging from his appearance, even a ball is out of his family's reach.

On the way home that evening the little boy was still on my mind. The assistant director of Impacto Juvenil happened to be sitting next to me in the car. I told her the story. She asked if I have a photo of the boy. I told her I do. She said if I send her a photo of the boy she will find out which community he lives in and she will help me make sure he gets a ball for Christmas.

My heart stopped aching. I told her he will be the only boy in his neighborhood who believes in Santa. We both laughed.

Enjoying Santa's Sleigh

This silly girl play police officer

I can't believe this guy turned 10 years old today!

Climbing the molecule

Traditional Honduran clothes

Teaching kids who don't have flushing toilets or running water
about water conservation...

Some of you may recognize some of these faces

Video Games

This was supposed to be a six day work week for me. But this morning the woman I work with called to say that a medical brigade took over the site where my new club in my new community meets so our club was cancelled this week. I was disappointed. I was really looking forward to meeting the kids in my new club for the first time!

Monday I was surprised at work with a birthday cake! I've never seen them get a cake for another coworker so it was a total surprise and made me feel super special.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday the kids we serve were divided into groups and everyone had a day at the museum and the park. Friday was my favorite because I got to see kids from Los Pinos I haven't seen in awhile. They have gotten so big!!!

Wednesday afternoon I went up to tell my literacy class that they can continue at the class which is offered nearby, but that I cannot give the class any more. I was dreading it, but I needed closure and I knew they would be wondering what my boss decided.

I talked to two students. One has finished most of her book. She is 60 years old and doesn't leave the house except to wash clothes and haul water from the creek on the other side of the mountain. She is always babysitting the neighborhood kids.

After seeing how little she has left to do, I agreed to come back up and meet alone with her twice more. My coworkers have two more sessions of Familia Fuerte so they will be climbing up there for the next two weeks. We are going to do all we can do to see if she can graduate in two weeks. If not, she understands that I don't have transportation or a safe way to get up and down the mountain once my coworkers finish their last session. She said she feels good now because she knows how to write her name. In reality she knows how to read too, but she is not confident in her own abilities.

This morning I woke up early to edit photos. It's much harder to edit photos of the kids from Los Pinos than it is for the other kids. It's a good thing I wasn't in charge of photos on Wednesday's outing because that was the day Lorenzo and Tania and Karla's club went. I knew a lot of those kids. It is impossible for me to take impartial photos of the rest of the kids. All I wanted to do is spend my day with the Los Pinos kids.

I had the best surprise when I finished work yesterday! Just as I was leaving the office my friend called to say they were about to sit down to Thanksgiving dinner, but they were waiting for me to come. She had talked about saving me leftovers and eating earlier, but apparently her kids decided they really wanted to wait for me.

Her son (not biological or adopted, but she has cared for him for the last three years) gave me a birthday/Christmas card that was so sweet! It said I love you all over it with lots of little drawings. The first little card even opens up to a beautiful message. ♥

So, I ended up getting to celebrate a belated Thanksgiving with turkey and trimmings and even a plate to take home. That was nice.

Thursday I did home visits. That's my favorite part of this job. I love seeing the kids in their home environment and meeting their families. It helps me understand them so much more.

One boy had a dramatic change in his behavior. He is an intelligent, studious, respectful boy. But over the past month he started disappearing for days at a time and is argumentative with his mother when he does come home

While we were at his house his mentor asked if he has gotten involved in "ugly things". The boy was quick to look his mentor in the eye and say no. I was surprised. It seemed like the boy was telling the truth. But then why would he disappear for a week at a time and suddenly be so nasty to his mother?

After digging a little we discovered that he is going to a guy named Carlos' house to play video games. And not just any video games, but World of Warcraft. His mother and his mentor were worried that it was full of blood and guts.

I know a little bit about WOW because when I worked in wilderness therapy people were paying thousands of dollars/month to send their kids to be treated for addiction to this game. It is like a drug and it was always kids like this boy who got sucked in. It's not about blood and guts, it's about strategy. They would play for literally days at a time without eating or sleeping. That is what this boy is doing. His mom said he comes home and sleeps for a long time. He has lost a lot of weight. She kept checking to see if he was high, and it seemed like he had some of the signs. But it was actually video games.

Part of me was really relieved. There are so many horrible things that go on in that neighborhood, video games seemed almost funny. But addiction is never funny. Especially not when it's causing a smart kid to flunk out of school.

We talked about having a healthy balance in your life and putting limits on the time he plays. Right now he is not capable of that. His mom is thinking of how she can sell enough tortillas to buy him a computer so he will stay at home. I think that's a bad idea. He is demonstrating too many obsessive behaviors. If he has a computer in his house, she will never talk to him again. He will play that darn game day and night. He went from being a straight A student to failing three classes this semester. Buying him a computer would be like buying him drugs. But I do understand her desire to keep him at home.

The most troubling fact is that he is going to the home of a 35 year old man to play this game. The mentor is going to find out more about this man. I am afraid the man lured this boy into his home and got him addicted to the game with bad intentions. Why would a 35 year old man want a 16 year old kid hanging around his house for days? The boy swears that the man is not doing anything bad, but something doesn't feel right to me there. I hope I'm wrong.

Anyway, all in all it was a good week. Topped with a surprise Thanksgiving and a surprise day of rest.

Laura's Birthday Party

Laura's birthday was a big success. She had a great time and so did her guests. Fany went nuts with the decorations. Many of her family members sent money and others sent chairs, flowers, even a tent. The party turned out to be extravagant. Especially since the original plan was to just have a homemade cake. I am starting to see a pattern now. Small plans turn into big events with Fany at the helm.

The adults ate Fany's famous tacos. Kids had pizza from Little Caesars. Then we played musical chairs. Most of the kids had never played before. One child who has played before started out by saying that the person who doesn't have a chair when the music stops is a loser. Laura said, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose. What matters is that you participate." That had to come straight from her teacher's mouth. It was funny. In the end, the child who didn't get a chair in the first round walked away crying because she lost. But the rest had fun. I remember that was a stressful game to me as a kid. I didn't necessarily enjoy it.

Pin the nose on the clown was much more relaxed. Last year we had parents who kept coaching their kids, trying to get their child to win. But this year the parents stayed out of it and Laura also made a rule that you had to put the nose where your hand first landed - you couldn't feel around. So the game went well.

Then we had a piñata. It was a big purse, which was unique and cute. I am not a fan of piñatas. The combination of a kid swinging a bat while others are diving for candy makes me anxious. But every birthday party has to have a piñata. No injuries were sustained and the kids had a good time.

Then they all changed into princess dresses and came outside to dance. One of the mothers got really uncomfortable. She told her daughter not to dance and told Fany that Fany will have to go to church tomorrow and put herself right with God for allowing the kids to dance.

But the same mother happens to be the sister-in-law of Laura's teacher. Laura's teacher stood up, turned on her phone, and played the music for a choreographed dance she had taught the kids at school. It was super cute and it was a Christian song - although I don't know if anyone else was aware of that because the words were all in English.

The daughter danced and they all had a good time. I don't know if they are repenting in church today. I'm not a big dancer, but I'm glad my church does not discourage dancing. In fact they all dance more than I do at church. I like seeing that side of some of my friends who are normally very serious and restrained.

We cut the cake but nobody ate it. It wasn't very good. There were plates full of cake left on every table. The pieces were small but people only ate a few bites, said how amazing it was, and left the rest. I hope Fany chooses a different option next year. Even Laura, who is literally obsessed with cake, didn't eat her cake.

It drives me nuts that people always want a cake from Pricesmart (Costco). Cakes from Pricesmart a like a status symbol. People think they are good because Pricesmart sells North American products. They think the same way about Walmart. Walmart here has really crappy quality stuff for double the price that you would pay in a Honduran store. But people flock to Walmart because it's a North American chain.

Laura forgot all about her presents until after the guests left. Fany called me over so she could have someone around as she opened them. She got a little cart with cooking utensils, a doll, a pretty shirt, earrings, and a dress. She was grateful for the gifts and hugged the cooking cart that her best friend from school gave her.

Last night as Fany and I took down all of the decorations it was so cold I had on a winter coat, hat and scarf. Today the sun is out, but the wind is still cold. Jetty's asthma is acting up.

Here is a photo of me receiving my certificate from the masters level psychology class I completed last week. The lady on the right was the teacher. She was super cool. She is a psychologist who works with kids in jail but she also does a lot of stuff for the government. She has to use false names and her own kids had to move out of her house for safety. When she is in Honduras she is able to relax, but when she is in her own country (Argentina) she travels with bodyguards all of the time.

Did you know in Argentina you work for six years and every seventh year you get a full year off? If you work in a high stress job like this woman does, you can take up to two years off. Many people use this for family planning.

She said that she is not good at taking a year off. She has never taken the complete year before. But in 2017 she said she is going to do NOTHING. She is going to sleep until noon and read books all day. After getting to know her I wonder how long that will last. I'm guessing a week.

Psychology in Spanish

Finished 128 hours of masters level psychology in Spanish today. I think that's a pretty cool accomplishment. My brain only started to turn to mush today, which is great progress. In previous sessions I was exhausted by the end of each day. This time I made it until Friday before my brain was fried.

Everyone around me had a cold. They were coughing and sniffing all over. It was torture. Only ONE person in the whole class covered their mouth when they coughed. I must say she did try to educate the others about how germs are spread. But they didn't listen. They say they are "allergic" to the air conditioning in the classroom. They refuse to acknowledge that they are infecting everyone around them.

A girl opened a bag of candies and set them in the middle of the table. All of the sick people stuck their hands inside the bag and took a candy. Then they offered the bag to me. I, not so gracefully, declined. I'm not sure if I have become a mean person or a germaphobe. Maybe both. All of those people coughing all over me really stressed me out. They will all come to work on Monday talking about how they took antibiotics over the weekend, because that is what you do in Honduras.

Got a huge certificate for completing the class. Might have it framed.

Got two super nice emails from special people in my life yesterday. They both read this blog. Thank you ladies!! I loved hearing from you!

Today is Laura's 5th birthday. Tomorrow is the birthday party.

She and Fany were still asleep when I left this morning so I set her gift outside the front door and messaged Fany later to tell them it was there. Laura was happy.

I'm glad I left the gift this morning. It was the only gift she got today. Laura is not materialistic at all, but she did comment to her cousin that I am the only person who got her a gift on her birthday.

I didn't buy anything. I had "Happy Birthday" pencils left over from literacy class, a box of 64 crayons and a pink pencil top eraser donated by my friend Kim S., a notebook, markers and blank paper left over from the Conduct Disorder class. Now I have more space on my shelves and Laura has new art supplies. Win-Win! I figure spending nothing for her birthday will increase my budget if I can find a reasonably priced bicycle for Christmas.

My eye is still twitching.

Check back for photos from Laura's party tomorrow.

Preparing for Laura's Birthday

The psychology class was... well... psychology. In Spanish. I noticed how much my Spanish improved since the first day of class a year ago. Last year I struggled to understand the teacher. I'd love to take Spanish classes and learn at a more accelerated rate, but at least I know I am still progressing.

The director of the private school where I used to teach the class for kids with Conduct Disorder was there. She was so happy to see me! She hugged me really tightly and seemed excited to introduce me to the social worker and psychologist from her school.

She wasn't pushy but really wants me to work with her kids again. I explained that I can't make that commitment until I have a reliable car. (Today the car started making another new noise. Laura asked if it were thunder. I am concerned that by the time I have enough money to buy a newer car, nobody will want to buy this car. It fails more every day.) The director said she is willing to pay my transportation costs. She said I am always welcome at her school. I never realized how much she loved what I did. She was really impressed by the final reports that I wrote for the parents. She said the parents are really grateful for my work.

I also got the chance to talk to my boss. I told her I came home from the visits on Thursday and wrote in my blog that I would like to focus on only one community. I explained that I love what I am doing, but I think I will be most effective serving in only one community. I told her how the teachers asked what I could do for their schools and people in the neighborhoods followed me asking for money. But the people of Los Pinos don't do that because they know me. They know who I am and what I do. My boss said, "Yes. Unfortunately many Hondurans see only dollar signs when they see North Americans. That is a hard stigma to overcome."

I told her I was amazed on Tuesday when she suddenly suggested that I serve in only one community. It was an answer to prayer. I expected to be praying until January or February. I didn't expect that prayer to be answered so quickly and easily!

I also thanked my boss for her patience. I thanked her for letting me start off slowly and take things at my own pace. When I first started serving this organization my self esteem was battered. I had huge walls up to protect myself. But she gave me time to heal and now I am ready to move full steam ahead.

My boss said I came to her as a hidden treasure. She is able to see that I am more valuable and more knowledgeable than many of my coworkers. (Somehow, when she said that it didn't sound as mean.) She also said that she appreciates my approach with people. She said I am gentle and humble. I don't come in like other North Americans, pushing my own ideas. She said I fit in very well with her team. Yay! That was quite a compliment! It's an honor to be part of her team.

When I got home tonight I realized I forgot to order Laura's birthday cake. Since I was already in front of the house when I thought about it, I decided to ask Laura and Fany if they would like to accompany me. Laura has been having a blast helping her mother plan her 5th birthday party. Plus I don't like to go out alone after dark.

Fany was preparing baleadas because she knew I would be tired when I got home. Within minutes I was sitting down to dinner. Fany can be so, so thoughtful.

After a delicious dinner we headed out. I discretely asked Fany if we could stop at Walmart. Laura loves Chutes and Ladders. It's her only board game. She has played it almost every day since I got it for her a year ago. I wanted to see if they had any board games that Laura might like for her birthday.

Experiencing Walmart with Laura was the best!!! She went crazy over all of the Christmas decorations. We spent 45 minutes just looking through all of the overpriced Christmas stuff. She laid down on the doormat. She hugged the enormous stuffed polar bears. She petted the life sized Santa Claus. (He was surprisingly soft.) She tried on every stocking hat and antler headband. She pressed every button to make things dance and sing and she danced along with them.

Fany is freaked out by how much Laura loves to dance. Fany and Santos are both shy. They don't know where Laura got her desire to dance and sing. They just watch her and laugh. It was awesome to experience Walmart with Laura.

She still can't figure out how to pedal a bike. I held her feet against the pedals with my hands and helped her push down, but she just couldn't get it. She kept trying to move the bike forward with her hips.

I have to admit, she is not the most physically coordinated kid. But I understand why. She only began to play with other kids this year, and that was only in the school environment. She's never had the opportunity to do all of the rough and tumble stuff that kids do with other kids. Fany, Santos and I were Laura's playmates until she started school. She's really still learning how to run.

I have to give Fany a lot of credit. Fany realized that she was constantly telling Laura to be careful. Fany's constant warnings hindered Laura's natural curiosity and development. Once Fany was aware of that she stopped. Laura has changed a lot as a result but her physical coordination is just starting to catch up to her age.

I would love to get Laura a bike so she can learn to ride. She has the perfect place to learn, at her Grandparent's house where she spends a lot of time. It's out in the country and all of the kids ride bikes there. But the cheapest bikes we found so far are $75. I am going to see if I can find a cheaper bike. That would make an awesome birthday/Christmas present.

After Walmart we went to Pricesmart (Costco). Thank God we went today and didn't wait until later in the week and thank God I had them with me because we learned the machine to make princess cakes is broken. If I had waited until the last minute we could have had an emergency on our hands.

We talked about the options. Laura thought it over and chose a simpler cake with flowers. She didn't complain once! We decided that the flower cake is appropriate for a princess themed party because princesses like flowers.

I told Laura several times how much I enjoy shopping with her. It was so much fun to see her excitement over the Christmas decorations! She never asked for a single thing. Not once. She said she would like a dollhouse but her Dad doesn't have enough money. That hurt my heart. But she already has a bigger and better dollhouse than the one she was looking at, so I got over that. She sang all of the way home.