Today Karla and I went shopping downtown "Al Centro". It was a fun day out. As we sat and ate lunch I thought about how little our language barrier affects us. I am learning a lot from her because until yesterday I thought she really didn't know English, and also because she talks really fast - so fast that everyone here jokes with me about it. Yesterday I asked her in Spanish, "What is the difference between 'esquina' and 'calle'?" and she answered me in english - Esquina is "corner' and calle is "street". I was freaked out - she says she doesn't know English, but she knows the word for corner????? Now she admits she does know some English, but she didn't do as well in her English classes as some other students so she lacks confidence.
Before we left to go shopping I closed my bedroom door because the rest of the house was full of mosquitoes - one of the first new words I learned was zancudos (mosquitoes). Anyway, now my room is locked from the inside. We can't figure out how to open it. We tried jimmying a credit card, but it didn't work. The good news is that we sprayed the rest of the house so we are temporarily almost free of mosquitoes. But we might die of the fumes.
Today I bought some cool new shoes. We went to a store that had Izaac Mizrahi and Steve Madden and a bunch of other name brand shoes for about $15. The ladies here wear high heels all of the time and I brought flip flops, sneakers and Crocs. So I bought sandals that tie around the ankle with a wedged cork heel. Karla bought really cute little flats. Then we got matching shirts to wear for the soccer game tomorrow - El Salvador vs Honduras. I got shampoo here because I didn't want to have the weight in my suitcase. Karla had to help me with conditioner. I almost bought the kind that you leave in your hair by accident.
We looked for a birthday present for Jose - can't say what it is in case he reads this, but we didn't buy it yet anyway. And we went to a panaderia for homemade bread and sweet rolls. It was fun to spend the day together. Reminded me that I don't spend enough time playing with my girlfriends when I'm at home.
Nothing profound to write today. I didn't save the world or feed hungry children and I didn't take any pictures, although al centro is cool - tons of stores that all sell the same things basically. We are both still looking for new bibles. We went to 2 stores, but no luck. I need a bilingual one and Karla needs a special one for herself with a zipper since one of her daughters ripped some pages out of hers. I am thinking I will continue to look and get one for her as a gift if I can find a nice one. I know her taste well enough - what a perfect gift!
Time to eat dinner - tortillas with eggs, queso fresco, avocados, beans and mantequilla (which literally translated means butter, but in this case it is salty sour cream - I love it!). Last night I wanted to take a picture of our dinner, but Karla had one of her college friends here and I was embarrassed. It was like artwork. A plate of lettuce with plum tomatoes hollowed out and filled with tuna salad. There were radishes and all colors of peppers placed carefully around the plate. It was beautiful and tasty. We also had part of the broccoli from the market and they teased me that we were eating part of my head. The broccoli was steamed, then tossed in a mixture of spicy vinegar and mayonaise and lime juice. Our starch was rice cooked with peppers and pieces of tomato. My contribution to the meal was the refresca (drink). Karla showed me how to make homemade lemonde with raw sugar, water and lemon juice that comes in the squeezable lemon like we have in the states, only it tastes fresh. Mmmmmm... my mouth is watering thinking of it! We had horchata for lunch and Karla said she will teach to make horchata too.
Time to go help with dinner. Tomorrow, back to the church for the breakfast program. Oh! I forgot to say that last night we went to a very Americanized mall. We stopped for ice cream at Baskin Robbins and they only had 12 flavors!!!!!! I was so surprised. I tried to explain that Baskin Robbins always has 32 flavors. I think they thought I was crazy. First time I ever went to Baskin Robbins and didn't get Rocky Road in my whole life! And the earth quake 2 nights ago was a 5.7 but Karla and Jose didn't even feel it. They were dressing for bed. I was in my bed reading. It felt like the bed turned into a water bed for a few seconds. But it didn't make the news at all. The epicenter was North of my city.
I also thought I should clarify - I do not live in Los Pinos. Los Pinos is across the street from the church. More and more families from Los Pinos are attending church each Sunday and many kids are coming for the breakfast program on weekdays. Los Pinos is a very poor community. It is cool to see everyone blending together so nicely from different communities.
Where I live is very nice and it is much more safe. I think the people are beginning to recognize the gringa who is walking around. (People here use the word "gringo/gringa" with no intention of being insulting - it just means that it is a person from the states. It's even on the tv and the radio - Honduras lost to the "gringos" Saturday in futbol.)
Aunt Cath - thank you for passing along the address. It is great to hear everyone's comments and insight. Thank you for reading!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday, Monday...
I met Tony early today. We went up to Los Pinos before the breakfast program to look at homes and assess what needs to be done there. There is a church coming to visit in a few weeks and they asked Tony how he thinks their time here can be most wisely spent.
At first we had grand ideas of them helping to repair three homes. But in the end we decided that it would be best to focus on only one home. That way they can really get to know the family and see how the family lives. We are hoping that they will agree to not only to do physical labor on the home, but also sit down and spend quality time with the family. Overall, we are envisioning them talking and playing games as much as they work. Maybe if they see that the boys get breakfast here at the breakfast program and then 5 tortillas and 1 egg at home every day for their total intake of daily food they will want to sponsor this family after they leave! Only $5/week here can make a huge difference for these people. I am starting to see how sometimes we get so caught up in doing things for people that we don't actually take the time to get to know the people - who they are and what they REALLY need. There is a church down here (not ours) that got painted 5 times in 8 months because different groups kept coming and saying "let us paint your church" rather than asking what is really needed. The people from the church didn't want to insult anyone, so they kept getting fresh paint. But think about what that money and that amount of time from those people could have done for the people here.
Okay - so there's my little rant. I think it can apply locally too, where ever you are.
The kids have a week off from school so the breakfast program should be busy this week!
I took some good photos of one of the better parts of Los Pinos today.
Oh, and for the ladies of K2 - I just realized that I have been here for a week now and have not eatten one single peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
At first we had grand ideas of them helping to repair three homes. But in the end we decided that it would be best to focus on only one home. That way they can really get to know the family and see how the family lives. We are hoping that they will agree to not only to do physical labor on the home, but also sit down and spend quality time with the family. Overall, we are envisioning them talking and playing games as much as they work. Maybe if they see that the boys get breakfast here at the breakfast program and then 5 tortillas and 1 egg at home every day for their total intake of daily food they will want to sponsor this family after they leave! Only $5/week here can make a huge difference for these people. I am starting to see how sometimes we get so caught up in doing things for people that we don't actually take the time to get to know the people - who they are and what they REALLY need. There is a church down here (not ours) that got painted 5 times in 8 months because different groups kept coming and saying "let us paint your church" rather than asking what is really needed. The people from the church didn't want to insult anyone, so they kept getting fresh paint. But think about what that money and that amount of time from those people could have done for the people here.
Okay - so there's my little rant. I think it can apply locally too, where ever you are.
The kids have a week off from school so the breakfast program should be busy this week!
I took some good photos of one of the better parts of Los Pinos today.
Oh, and for the ladies of K2 - I just realized that I have been here for a week now and have not eatten one single peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Bievenidos a church
After our long night last night I slept so hard that I think I woke up in the same position as when I went to sleep. We got ready for church. I was not worried when we left the house late, then stopped to chat with the cab driver who will be delivering me to church this week, because in Honduras almost nothing happens on time. Even though we were late, we were some of the first people there. I think it started about a half hour late - nobody seems to worry about time here.
I was looking around at the familiar faces from last year when Jose said to me in Spanish, "Stand up!" and he stood up. But nobody else was standing. He said it again, so I finally listened to what was going on and they were introducing me and welcoming me to this country and to the church. They even welcomed me in the buletin, which was nice - my 15 minutes of fame. It was great to be back at church and to see the people we spent time with a year ago. One girl, Helga, was leaving for college a year ago. On our first full day in Honduras last year we went to her going away party. Today was her first day back at church after a successful year at college in Texas. She adjusted very well to college and won some art shows with her amazing paintings.
After church Jose, Karla and I went to a fancy Mongolian restaurant for lunch. It was beautiful. We sat outside on a patio which overlooked plush gardens. For some reason there was a huge pile of baby turtles around one specific plant. Some kids were playing with the turtles. I asked why the turtles were there and the little boy said simply "Because they like it!". DUH! Karla and I had fun taking pictures of me wearing a new shirt that my mom just gave me. Then I took pictures of Karla and Jose because they are a beautiful couple and so far none of my photos have shown this.
Now we are all at home. Once again Karla is studying. Jose and I are resting. Karla is a very busy woman! But she and Jose are a lot of fun too. The kids will come home next weekend. I have one more week to sleep late and have my own room. When they return they get up at 6:30 every morning and Karla's sister, Karina will be my roommate.
I was looking around at the familiar faces from last year when Jose said to me in Spanish, "Stand up!" and he stood up. But nobody else was standing. He said it again, so I finally listened to what was going on and they were introducing me and welcoming me to this country and to the church. They even welcomed me in the buletin, which was nice - my 15 minutes of fame. It was great to be back at church and to see the people we spent time with a year ago. One girl, Helga, was leaving for college a year ago. On our first full day in Honduras last year we went to her going away party. Today was her first day back at church after a successful year at college in Texas. She adjusted very well to college and won some art shows with her amazing paintings.
After church Jose, Karla and I went to a fancy Mongolian restaurant for lunch. It was beautiful. We sat outside on a patio which overlooked plush gardens. For some reason there was a huge pile of baby turtles around one specific plant. Some kids were playing with the turtles. I asked why the turtles were there and the little boy said simply "Because they like it!". DUH! Karla and I had fun taking pictures of me wearing a new shirt that my mom just gave me. Then I took pictures of Karla and Jose because they are a beautiful couple and so far none of my photos have shown this.
Now we are all at home. Once again Karla is studying. Jose and I are resting. Karla is a very busy woman! But she and Jose are a lot of fun too. The kids will come home next weekend. I have one more week to sleep late and have my own room. When they return they get up at 6:30 every morning and Karla's sister, Karina will be my roommate.
The Big Game! EUA vs Honduras
The guys all piled into Walter's truck
Jose making popcorn
Jose making popcorn
This day started off slowly. I had a hard time getting out of bed. I didn't feel like putting all of the thought and effort into speaking spanish. So I laid around for a while and started to get a little down. But then I remembered that
the big game started at 6:30 pm and it would be a fun night at the church. So I showered and put on my favorite jeans to make sure they still fit. (They did.)When I went downstairs Walter, one of the people who helped us when I came down with my church group last year, was in the living room preparing to lead the church service tomorrow. Karla was working with her study group, but she had homemade chicken soup on the stove. Everyone took a break and we had a nice lunch.
Then Jose and I went to the church to prepare for the big game. I've been hearing about it since I got here. Honduras was playing the US at Soldier Field in Chicago. Jose set up the auditorium and we popped enough popcorn to feed 40 people. Then it began to rain. We were very worried that the lights would go out - really it was amazing that they didn't. (Well, actually they did, but not until after the game.) The rain filled the bucket of water in this picture at least 5 times that I saw - we empty it and save the water.
People had a hard time getting to the church because the streets were flooded. What would normally take 15 minute took over an hour because under all of the water there are horrible potholes that people here normally take for granted. But hidden by the flood of rain, the potholes made the streets very dangerous - more on that later. In the end we had a nice crowd despite the weather. We charged money to get in and sold popcorn, nachos and soda to benefit the church.
Three girls from Denver were visting for the weekend so there were some others to cheer for the US. I really wanted Honduras to win, because it means so much to the people here, but I pretended that I cared about the US so we had a fun rivalry. When Honduras made the first goal all of the guys lept around like a mosh-pit. The jumped up and banged their chests together. It was fun to see them so excited. But that was their only excitement of the game. The US (or EUA as it said on the screen) did well in the second half and won 2-1.
However, that was far from the end of our night. While we cleaned up, Jose rode with Tony to Los Pinos to take the little boy, Carlos, home. Tony had debated doing this as it is unsafe for him to drive there at night and also unsafe for Carlos to walk from where the car drops him off on the street, up the mountain to his house. Tony had already gotten a flat tire on his way to the game and ripped the side of his truck by falling into a hidden pothole. But they headed out. They didn't get very far when they hit another hidden pothole and got another flat tire. But this time Tony didn't have a spare and he was in Los Pinos. They called Walter, who took the tire to an auto repair shop (at 9:30 pm on Saturday) and they were able to fix it. Tony said the whole experience was surreal. The rain was just dumping the whole time.
Karla and I were stuck at the church because Jose had ridden with Tony for security. And that was when the lights went out. So although we were warm and fairly dry, we were in the dark, wondering when the men would return. We had some good talks and shared some secrets. Karla also told me about her daughter Valerie, who was not supposed to live when she was born. Numerous specialists said that she had heart problems and to make a long story short, after a LOT of prayer, the final Dr could find nothing wrong with her heart at all. The Dr told Karla and Jose that he personally did not believe in God, but there is no other explaination for how Valerie's heart was made perfect. Really cool story and only one of the ways God has worked miracles in Karla's life.
Finally everyone returned to the church safely and we all headed home. I took a photo of all of the guys piled into Walter's truck at the end of the long night. They had the hour drive up to La Tigra - with some in the back covered in a tarp, but there were no complaints. Except that Honduras lost the big game.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
The Coolest Thing So Far!
I can't wait until morning to download my pictures. Can't do it tonight, I'm running on limited battery power. The rain finally came with thunder and lightening and the power, which goes off randomly in normal weather, has been off and on all night.
Tony did get to talk to Carlos' mom. It went well and he was happy. Now Tony has her permission to enroll Carlos in school which is another long story, but it will happen in about 3 weeks. Carlos' brother, who is 14, said he wants to come to church and go to school as well. We are hoping he will follow through and come with Carlos tomorrow to watch the US vs. Honduras futbol game. Only time will tell.
But here is why tonight was the best night ever. Jairo invited me to sit in on a marriage seminar that he was giving for the people of the church. It was about finances. Marraige and finances in spanish until 10 pm was difficult and I was exhausted, but Jose and Karla asked did I want to go with them after the seminar to the mercado to buy fresh vegetables. I said yes and it was sooooo awesome.
Most of it was closed b/c of the rain and it was 10:15 at night when we got there, but I have never seen so many vegetables in my life. Once again it is little makeshift shacks or posts with roofs all gathered behind the soccer stadium in a huge area. During the day there are butchers and tons of plants and flowers - some of the flower vendors were still open, but most of them were covered with tarps. Jose pointed out that the people sleep there with their goods, but the mercado is only there on Fridays and Saturdays. Usually it is packed shoulder to shoulder with people but it was empty because of the rain. Lucky for us it rained on the ride there, and it POURED on the way home, but we were dry while we were there.
I saw the hugest head of broccoli I have ever seen. Now I know why it's called a "head" of broccoli - it was bigger than my head! I tried a bunch of fruit - the vendors let you taste everything so you just walk around tasting who has the sweetest fruit to buy. I tried this one thing which looked like a cactus from the outside but it was more round like a mango in shape. I think it was called guanavana. Inside it was white and had the strangest texture, kind of like a mixture of watermelon and mango - I know it makes no sense, it was really wierd - with big black seeds that sometimes stayed attached to the stringy texture of the fruit and sometimes popped free in my mouth. Karla broke one open and we ate it in the middle of the market. In the end we were laughing like little kids. Our hands and faces were covered in the juice. It was really fun. When we got home we took pictures of everything we bought - except the guanavana because we ate it. All of it together cost 300 limpiras, which is about $15. At the supermercado it would have cost much more and would not have been as fresh (or as fun!). We are going to go back when there are lots of people and the stands are all open. Jose pointed out that one cool thing about this mercado is that the people who go there come from all walks of life, from the richest to the poorest in Tegucigalpa. I can't wait to go back!
Tony did get to talk to Carlos' mom. It went well and he was happy. Now Tony has her permission to enroll Carlos in school which is another long story, but it will happen in about 3 weeks. Carlos' brother, who is 14, said he wants to come to church and go to school as well. We are hoping he will follow through and come with Carlos tomorrow to watch the US vs. Honduras futbol game. Only time will tell.
But here is why tonight was the best night ever. Jairo invited me to sit in on a marriage seminar that he was giving for the people of the church. It was about finances. Marraige and finances in spanish until 10 pm was difficult and I was exhausted, but Jose and Karla asked did I want to go with them after the seminar to the mercado to buy fresh vegetables. I said yes and it was sooooo awesome.
Most of it was closed b/c of the rain and it was 10:15 at night when we got there, but I have never seen so many vegetables in my life. Once again it is little makeshift shacks or posts with roofs all gathered behind the soccer stadium in a huge area. During the day there are butchers and tons of plants and flowers - some of the flower vendors were still open, but most of them were covered with tarps. Jose pointed out that the people sleep there with their goods, but the mercado is only there on Fridays and Saturdays. Usually it is packed shoulder to shoulder with people but it was empty because of the rain. Lucky for us it rained on the ride there, and it POURED on the way home, but we were dry while we were there.
I saw the hugest head of broccoli I have ever seen. Now I know why it's called a "head" of broccoli - it was bigger than my head! I tried a bunch of fruit - the vendors let you taste everything so you just walk around tasting who has the sweetest fruit to buy. I tried this one thing which looked like a cactus from the outside but it was more round like a mango in shape. I think it was called guanavana. Inside it was white and had the strangest texture, kind of like a mixture of watermelon and mango - I know it makes no sense, it was really wierd - with big black seeds that sometimes stayed attached to the stringy texture of the fruit and sometimes popped free in my mouth. Karla broke one open and we ate it in the middle of the market. In the end we were laughing like little kids. Our hands and faces were covered in the juice. It was really fun. When we got home we took pictures of everything we bought - except the guanavana because we ate it. All of it together cost 300 limpiras, which is about $15. At the supermercado it would have cost much more and would not have been as fresh (or as fun!). We are going to go back when there are lots of people and the stands are all open. Jose pointed out that one cool thing about this mercado is that the people who go there come from all walks of life, from the richest to the poorest in Tegucigalpa. I can't wait to go back!
Friday, June 5, 2009
I Need a New Alarm Clock
My new sound today is not a good one. And it's not that new.
When I was little my mom bought me an alarm clock that had the sound of birds instead of a buzzer - she thought that was a nicer way to be woken. So since I was little I've always chosen alarm clocks with tweeting birds. You would not think this could be a problem. However, here in Honduras right outside my bedroom window are the exact birds that were used to make the sound for my alarm. Every morning lately (this morning at 5:04 am) I am woken up by the sound of my alarm clock, which is still in the states. I need to retrain my mind not to wake up to this sound. Especially because these specific birds are in their prime between 5 am and 6 am.
Yesterday Tony and I left church early because Nidia was still sick. We met her at a private clinic where she was given medicine. (ooooooh!!!! Finally I hear thunder! Today may be my first rain storm since I got here. The rainy season is supposed to begin any day. I've been loooking forward to the rain.)
Afterward I went home and read a newspaper in spanish - a habit Tony and I want to continue - then took a nap. In the newspaper I learned that if Honduras beats the US in futbol on Saturday a whole bunch of fast food places are giving away free food. Also I saw that Hilary was in Cuba, I need to be careful eating shrimp because there is no group that moniters the temperature of shrimp until it is sold, and I missed the day that phone minutes are sold 3 minutes for the price of 1. Gotta keep my eye out for that. It changes weekly. Also 8 men posing as police went into a drug house and shot all of the men inside, but did not kill the women. And there are 34 cases of swine flu confirmed here. That's the local news.
Dinner was great once again. It kind of like a tuna casserole only with fresh vegetables. Last night we got into the hot sauce for the first time. And Jose taught me about the different strength of the pepper spices. After dinner I went to bed and read some more, then went to sleep early b/c I had a small headache all day. Today I feel better.
This morning Karla and I took a cab for the first time to the church. It cost 60 limpiras, which is about $3.12. You don't tip the driver. Also it is the same price no matter how many people are in the cab. Otherwise cabs are the same as in the US. Karla is going to introduce me to two drivers who are friends of hers so that when I go alone I can call them and they will be the only cabs I ride in alone.
We had 46 kids from the school walk over this morning. Karla does a really neat interactive program with them - the kids loved it. She had two of the kids from our every day breakfast program who did a puppet show. Everyone sang songs and listened intently to her. Then they got to eat a breakfast of sausage mixed with eggs, a tortilla, a piece of avocado, a piece of apple, and juice. Tony explained to me that at home these children do not get meat, or probably avocado either. They are so tiny, it is hard for me to tell their ages in part because of their size and partly because even the older boys love hugs from adults and are physical with eachother in ways that boys in the US are not. Anyway, everything went very smoothly. About 7 kids were chosen from the daily breakfast program to serve the school kids. They prayed about this opportunity to teach the school kids about God, and talked about how this is not "work", this is an opprtunity to serve. It was very cool to watch. The church here is doing a great job in grooming leaders for the future. The kids are good at leading by example and also moniter eachother's behavior pretty well.
Today at 11 am, Tony was supposed to go visit with Carlos' mother. It is now 12:30 and through no fault of Tony's they are still at the church. I hope she is there when they go to her house. Normally she is on the streets every day because of a drug problem. Tony is praying that his spanish will be effective. I am praying that she is still at the house.
I have the rest of the day on my own. Karla and Jose are have to work this afternoon. Then they have a meeting with Jairo from 7-9 pm. Karla said we will go grocery shopping tonight at 10 pm! She invited me to come and I said I would love to go.
Yesterday Tony and I went to a small market. The small markets are called "mercados", but there are only certain things that are safe to buy there - basically non-perishables and fruit if it looks good and the price is right. For all other items Karla says it's important to go to a "supermercado" which is just like a grocery store only everything is in Spanish. Personally, I like the mercados. They are small wooden shacks in a row with different vendors in each one. Yesterday I bought queso fresco from the mercado for my family. Queso fresco is a little bit like fresh mozzarella, only very flavorful, salty, with tiny holes, and a bit more firm.
Tony just left to go to Carlos' house! I said a strong prayer that Carlos' mother will be there. He will be only 2 hours late, which is not a big deal in Honduras normally. We were supposed to go yesterday, but there is a man who was sitting in the street on Wednesday who yelled at us not to come there. So today Tony is with a local man who works for the church because the area where Carlos lives is not safe. I think he will be fine with Don Juan, but with me there may have been problems. They will drive up the side of a mountain as far as they can go, then walk the rest of the way up and to the other side of the mountain where Carlos' home is one room made of mud. His grandmother lives there with him, but she is having a hard time.
Meeting Tony and choosing to come to church could be Carlos' opportunity for an easier life. Carlos also has other brothers, one who is 8. The mother insists that the 8 year old accompany her on the streets, but at 11 Carlos is old enough to say no. I keep asking Tony, if he has the chance, to pressure the mom into letting the 8 year old come with Carlos. But all things in time. We are also waiting to put Carlos in school. First he needed to be fed, then cleaned up. Now he is building friendships and self esteem that he did not have a "street kid". Soon he will be able to hold his own in a classroom.
When I was little my mom bought me an alarm clock that had the sound of birds instead of a buzzer - she thought that was a nicer way to be woken. So since I was little I've always chosen alarm clocks with tweeting birds. You would not think this could be a problem. However, here in Honduras right outside my bedroom window are the exact birds that were used to make the sound for my alarm. Every morning lately (this morning at 5:04 am) I am woken up by the sound of my alarm clock, which is still in the states. I need to retrain my mind not to wake up to this sound. Especially because these specific birds are in their prime between 5 am and 6 am.
Yesterday Tony and I left church early because Nidia was still sick. We met her at a private clinic where she was given medicine. (ooooooh!!!! Finally I hear thunder! Today may be my first rain storm since I got here. The rainy season is supposed to begin any day. I've been loooking forward to the rain.)
Afterward I went home and read a newspaper in spanish - a habit Tony and I want to continue - then took a nap. In the newspaper I learned that if Honduras beats the US in futbol on Saturday a whole bunch of fast food places are giving away free food. Also I saw that Hilary was in Cuba, I need to be careful eating shrimp because there is no group that moniters the temperature of shrimp until it is sold, and I missed the day that phone minutes are sold 3 minutes for the price of 1. Gotta keep my eye out for that. It changes weekly. Also 8 men posing as police went into a drug house and shot all of the men inside, but did not kill the women. And there are 34 cases of swine flu confirmed here. That's the local news.
Dinner was great once again. It kind of like a tuna casserole only with fresh vegetables. Last night we got into the hot sauce for the first time. And Jose taught me about the different strength of the pepper spices. After dinner I went to bed and read some more, then went to sleep early b/c I had a small headache all day. Today I feel better.
This morning Karla and I took a cab for the first time to the church. It cost 60 limpiras, which is about $3.12. You don't tip the driver. Also it is the same price no matter how many people are in the cab. Otherwise cabs are the same as in the US. Karla is going to introduce me to two drivers who are friends of hers so that when I go alone I can call them and they will be the only cabs I ride in alone.
We had 46 kids from the school walk over this morning. Karla does a really neat interactive program with them - the kids loved it. She had two of the kids from our every day breakfast program who did a puppet show. Everyone sang songs and listened intently to her. Then they got to eat a breakfast of sausage mixed with eggs, a tortilla, a piece of avocado, a piece of apple, and juice. Tony explained to me that at home these children do not get meat, or probably avocado either. They are so tiny, it is hard for me to tell their ages in part because of their size and partly because even the older boys love hugs from adults and are physical with eachother in ways that boys in the US are not. Anyway, everything went very smoothly. About 7 kids were chosen from the daily breakfast program to serve the school kids. They prayed about this opportunity to teach the school kids about God, and talked about how this is not "work", this is an opprtunity to serve. It was very cool to watch. The church here is doing a great job in grooming leaders for the future. The kids are good at leading by example and also moniter eachother's behavior pretty well.
Today at 11 am, Tony was supposed to go visit with Carlos' mother. It is now 12:30 and through no fault of Tony's they are still at the church. I hope she is there when they go to her house. Normally she is on the streets every day because of a drug problem. Tony is praying that his spanish will be effective. I am praying that she is still at the house.
I have the rest of the day on my own. Karla and Jose are have to work this afternoon. Then they have a meeting with Jairo from 7-9 pm. Karla said we will go grocery shopping tonight at 10 pm! She invited me to come and I said I would love to go.
Yesterday Tony and I went to a small market. The small markets are called "mercados", but there are only certain things that are safe to buy there - basically non-perishables and fruit if it looks good and the price is right. For all other items Karla says it's important to go to a "supermercado" which is just like a grocery store only everything is in Spanish. Personally, I like the mercados. They are small wooden shacks in a row with different vendors in each one. Yesterday I bought queso fresco from the mercado for my family. Queso fresco is a little bit like fresh mozzarella, only very flavorful, salty, with tiny holes, and a bit more firm.
Tony just left to go to Carlos' house! I said a strong prayer that Carlos' mother will be there. He will be only 2 hours late, which is not a big deal in Honduras normally. We were supposed to go yesterday, but there is a man who was sitting in the street on Wednesday who yelled at us not to come there. So today Tony is with a local man who works for the church because the area where Carlos lives is not safe. I think he will be fine with Don Juan, but with me there may have been problems. They will drive up the side of a mountain as far as they can go, then walk the rest of the way up and to the other side of the mountain where Carlos' home is one room made of mud. His grandmother lives there with him, but she is having a hard time.
Meeting Tony and choosing to come to church could be Carlos' opportunity for an easier life. Carlos also has other brothers, one who is 8. The mother insists that the 8 year old accompany her on the streets, but at 11 Carlos is old enough to say no. I keep asking Tony, if he has the chance, to pressure the mom into letting the 8 year old come with Carlos. But all things in time. We are also waiting to put Carlos in school. First he needed to be fed, then cleaned up. Now he is building friendships and self esteem that he did not have a "street kid". Soon he will be able to hold his own in a classroom.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
New Sounds
My new sound for today is one of boys laughing and playing.
This morning Tony picked me up for the breakfast program. Then he went upstairs to talk to Jairo so I got to establish myself with the boys as they all began to gather for breakfast. Tony had told me that the boys can do most of it themselves, and also little things to look out for, so we had everything set up by the time Tony was done. In the end a few girls showed up too, 28 kids total. We prayed in a big circle, with one of the boys leading the prayer. Then everyone had a bowl of cereal and 2 pieces of fruit.
It is interesting to see the boys interact. I noticed one that is a bully and was mean to the others. We will talk to him about this as it is not consistant with what we expect from behavior of children at the church.
Carlos, who is a boy that Tony has been working with closely, came later than usual and Tony was wondering if today might be the day that Carlos decided to turn right at the bottom of the hill and go back to his life on the streets. But no, Carlos did come to breakfast. He chose to turn left at the bottom of the hill and come to the church.
Afterward Carlos and 3 of his new friends piled into Tony's truck with Tony and me. We all went to a special store in Teguc that sells shoes really cheap. It was so fun watching him pick out his first pair of new shoes. We took our time and looked everything over. Finally he chose a nice pair that won't show dirt very much - kind of like little hiking boots. The other boys were so good. They helped him choose shoes that were his size and showed no jealousy at all. While Tony took Carlos aside and talked to Carlos about these being CARLOS' shoes, (not to sell for food, or for his brother, or anyone else,) I talked to the other three boys about how proud I felt that they had been so helpful and not shown jealousy. I don't think any of them has ever had new shoes before.
Afterward, to reward their behavior, Tony and I took all of the boys to Burger King. Unprompted, Carlos went up to Tony in the parking lot, hugged him around the legs, and said, "Thank you Tony for my new shoes." Then they all proceeded to have a blast chasing eachother throught the playland and eating Happy Meals with TONS of salsa (Ketchup). Carlos put on his new shoes to wear into Burger King, then took them off in the car. He put them back on to wear at the church. He showered and was given socks to wear with his new shoes. Carlos has been given 3 sets of clothes and so far has taken good care of everything. Some people are wondering if he will be able to keep his mother from selling the shoes for drugs. We are praying for the best.
I took pictures of this whole day, but I still can't get them to link onto the blog. The internet here, at church, is slow and cuts out a lot - so does the power - so I'll try to do that from my new home.
One of the churches which is visiting this month has invited me to visit an island off Roatan for up to 10 days to snorkle and relax. It is supposed to be an amazing place so I can't wait to go and feel honored that they are willing to sponsor me for this opportunity.
Also when Jose came home last night he had a fit that Karla and I had left my phone at the store so we ran down there and got it back, safe and sound. Then he realized that he has an extra chip at his office, so my phone should be up and running soon. And my favorite quote from him yesterday: "Every time I drink water, I think about how God created water and I KNOW God is good." It was a really hot day and we were commenting on how much we both love water. :)
It's been hotter here today so I am not looking forward to bedtime tonight. My bedroom is so hot. But the strange thing is that by morning the room is almost chilly. This morning I almost used a blanket instead of just my sheet. I hope I'm getting used to the heat because each night I go to bed worried that I won't be able to sleep. And then I'm asleep before I know it.
This morning Tony picked me up for the breakfast program. Then he went upstairs to talk to Jairo so I got to establish myself with the boys as they all began to gather for breakfast. Tony had told me that the boys can do most of it themselves, and also little things to look out for, so we had everything set up by the time Tony was done. In the end a few girls showed up too, 28 kids total. We prayed in a big circle, with one of the boys leading the prayer. Then everyone had a bowl of cereal and 2 pieces of fruit.
It is interesting to see the boys interact. I noticed one that is a bully and was mean to the others. We will talk to him about this as it is not consistant with what we expect from behavior of children at the church.
Carlos, who is a boy that Tony has been working with closely, came later than usual and Tony was wondering if today might be the day that Carlos decided to turn right at the bottom of the hill and go back to his life on the streets. But no, Carlos did come to breakfast. He chose to turn left at the bottom of the hill and come to the church.
Afterward Carlos and 3 of his new friends piled into Tony's truck with Tony and me. We all went to a special store in Teguc that sells shoes really cheap. It was so fun watching him pick out his first pair of new shoes. We took our time and looked everything over. Finally he chose a nice pair that won't show dirt very much - kind of like little hiking boots. The other boys were so good. They helped him choose shoes that were his size and showed no jealousy at all. While Tony took Carlos aside and talked to Carlos about these being CARLOS' shoes, (not to sell for food, or for his brother, or anyone else,) I talked to the other three boys about how proud I felt that they had been so helpful and not shown jealousy. I don't think any of them has ever had new shoes before.
Afterward, to reward their behavior, Tony and I took all of the boys to Burger King. Unprompted, Carlos went up to Tony in the parking lot, hugged him around the legs, and said, "Thank you Tony for my new shoes." Then they all proceeded to have a blast chasing eachother throught the playland and eating Happy Meals with TONS of salsa (Ketchup). Carlos put on his new shoes to wear into Burger King, then took them off in the car. He put them back on to wear at the church. He showered and was given socks to wear with his new shoes. Carlos has been given 3 sets of clothes and so far has taken good care of everything. Some people are wondering if he will be able to keep his mother from selling the shoes for drugs. We are praying for the best.
I took pictures of this whole day, but I still can't get them to link onto the blog. The internet here, at church, is slow and cuts out a lot - so does the power - so I'll try to do that from my new home.
One of the churches which is visiting this month has invited me to visit an island off Roatan for up to 10 days to snorkle and relax. It is supposed to be an amazing place so I can't wait to go and feel honored that they are willing to sponsor me for this opportunity.
Also when Jose came home last night he had a fit that Karla and I had left my phone at the store so we ran down there and got it back, safe and sound. Then he realized that he has an extra chip at his office, so my phone should be up and running soon. And my favorite quote from him yesterday: "Every time I drink water, I think about how God created water and I KNOW God is good." It was a really hot day and we were commenting on how much we both love water. :)
It's been hotter here today so I am not looking forward to bedtime tonight. My bedroom is so hot. But the strange thing is that by morning the room is almost chilly. This morning I almost used a blanket instead of just my sheet. I hope I'm getting used to the heat because each night I go to bed worried that I won't be able to sleep. And then I'm asleep before I know it.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
I´m back to billy baths!
It´s only 5 pm and my brain is FRIED. But it´s been an interesting day, so I want to write about it. As I wrote the last entry I smelled something yummy cooking. (All right all of you who have been her before... get ready to be jealous!!!) Karla was making pupusas of spinach and cheese for lunch for us. She made a ton of them, I asked it Jose was coming home for lunch but she said no, there were 5 for each of us. We each ended up having 2,with the sliced cabbage and another mixture of onions, jalapenos and broccoli on top. They were soooo good. She has promised to teach me to cook and let me help from now on.
During lunch we talked and talked (all in espanol with a little help from my spanish dictionary). I think our mothers are very similar in some ways. And I can´t wait to meet Karina. She sounds like she is a lot of fun.
Then I unpacked all of my stuff and was headed out for the store, but it was hot so I decided to take a quick shower. I felt foolish when I asked Karla how to turn on the shower. She came upstairs and explained that the shower head doesn´t work so I use a bucket to scoop water from a barrel of water to wash myself. It´s not a big deal as I was used to billy baths when I worked in the wilderness. At least it´s not snowing, and I have as much water as I want. Seriously, I am not complaining.
Karla and I headed out to do errands. She asked what I like best about Honduras. I told her the food, the people, and the bright colors of the houses. Walking down the streets here is something I will have to get acccustomed to. There are many street vendors. I´m not sure what they´re selling. And although we live at the end of a row of houses, which is at the end of an alley, which is at the end of a street, still people walk up to the door and yell inside trying to sell empanadas, avocados, plastic containers... almost anything you want you can buy from your couch.
Back to the errands. We exchanged my money. Karla warned me never to carry my cell phone in my hand because someone once shoved their keys into her ribs and told her to hand over her cell phone. So I´ll keep mine in the new little bag I bought for this trip (shout out to Heather who helped me find it!). I had to leave my phone overnight for them to set it up to work in Honduras. I can pick it up tomorrow. I was happy to have Karla there with me because I had no clue whether they were trying to rip me off or not, but she said it was fine. Then we went to Valery´s school. Valery has Down Syndrome and was in day care until recently. Valery´s teacher seems wonderful, but she has a whole class to teach and Valery needs individual attention. Valery does not like school at all and does not like to socialize with her peers at all. It is a sad situation. I feel like the teacher and the family expect that I will have answers for these problems, but what do I know?
On the way home Karla stopped at a little store and asked if I want some juice so I ordered what ended up to be a banana milkshake and the best part was they served it in a bag, then you drink it with a straw. I told Karla that if I had my camera I would have asked her to take a picture of me drinking my milkshake because pèople in the states would like it.
Well, it´s time for dinner. Jose just came home and I don´t want to miss out on my cooking lesson. Looks like we´ll spend some time out back first. I really like these people a lot. Sometimes I forget the language barrier and it feels like I´ve known Karla for much longer than less than 24 hours.
There are so many noises here that aren´t familiar - besides the vendors. But soon they will be familiar. And Karla also invited me to see her mother´s house in the country. I hope I have time to do all of these great things! Lots to look forward to!!!!
Anyone have ideas about how I could help Valery, please let me know---
During lunch we talked and talked (all in espanol with a little help from my spanish dictionary). I think our mothers are very similar in some ways. And I can´t wait to meet Karina. She sounds like she is a lot of fun.
Then I unpacked all of my stuff and was headed out for the store, but it was hot so I decided to take a quick shower. I felt foolish when I asked Karla how to turn on the shower. She came upstairs and explained that the shower head doesn´t work so I use a bucket to scoop water from a barrel of water to wash myself. It´s not a big deal as I was used to billy baths when I worked in the wilderness. At least it´s not snowing, and I have as much water as I want. Seriously, I am not complaining.
Karla and I headed out to do errands. She asked what I like best about Honduras. I told her the food, the people, and the bright colors of the houses. Walking down the streets here is something I will have to get acccustomed to. There are many street vendors. I´m not sure what they´re selling. And although we live at the end of a row of houses, which is at the end of an alley, which is at the end of a street, still people walk up to the door and yell inside trying to sell empanadas, avocados, plastic containers... almost anything you want you can buy from your couch.
Back to the errands. We exchanged my money. Karla warned me never to carry my cell phone in my hand because someone once shoved their keys into her ribs and told her to hand over her cell phone. So I´ll keep mine in the new little bag I bought for this trip (shout out to Heather who helped me find it!). I had to leave my phone overnight for them to set it up to work in Honduras. I can pick it up tomorrow. I was happy to have Karla there with me because I had no clue whether they were trying to rip me off or not, but she said it was fine. Then we went to Valery´s school. Valery has Down Syndrome and was in day care until recently. Valery´s teacher seems wonderful, but she has a whole class to teach and Valery needs individual attention. Valery does not like school at all and does not like to socialize with her peers at all. It is a sad situation. I feel like the teacher and the family expect that I will have answers for these problems, but what do I know?
On the way home Karla stopped at a little store and asked if I want some juice so I ordered what ended up to be a banana milkshake and the best part was they served it in a bag, then you drink it with a straw. I told Karla that if I had my camera I would have asked her to take a picture of me drinking my milkshake because pèople in the states would like it.
Well, it´s time for dinner. Jose just came home and I don´t want to miss out on my cooking lesson. Looks like we´ll spend some time out back first. I really like these people a lot. Sometimes I forget the language barrier and it feels like I´ve known Karla for much longer than less than 24 hours.
There are so many noises here that aren´t familiar - besides the vendors. But soon they will be familiar. And Karla also invited me to see her mother´s house in the country. I hope I have time to do all of these great things! Lots to look forward to!!!!
Anyone have ideas about how I could help Valery, please let me know---
My First Night
Last night was my first night back in Honduras. Although I was very tired after traveling the night before, we stayed up until midinight talking and getting to know each other.
I will try to explain where I am living. Tony took a dirt road which seems like an alley because I saw mostly garages. Then we stopped at a basketball court where some men were hanging out. Tony said that because we had two computers between the 2 of us, and so much lugggage it would be best for us to call Jose and ask him to come out to help us. He said that way people would know we were with Jose.
So Jose came out to Tony´s truck and seemed very excited to have me here. Later he explained that he really enjoys hosting people, in fact 2 Canadian girls stayed here very recently. Inside I met Jose´s wife, Karla, who at first seemed very quiet. But later, and today when we are alone I see that she is not. Tony and Jose went to pick up Tony´s wife, Nidia, who was visiting her mother in the hospital and left karla and me alone to speak only spanish and we did just fine. I showed her pictures of Jack and we only got hung up on one word, cunada, which means sister in law. I won´t forget that one now.
So we ate a really yummy dinner. It was spaghetti baked in a pan with a sort of alfredo sauce, some diced chicken and lots of spinach. Right up my alley! Karla also served some carrots marinated in vinegar and something that made them spicey. Today we talked about what foods I like and I am in the right house. They don´t like a lot of meat here. In Karla says the children pick the meat out of their food just like I used to when I was a kid!
Speaking of the girls, I haven´t met them yet. They are with Karla´s parents because they have a vacation from school. Karla says we will go and spend a weekend with her parents if I want to, so we will do that while I am here. Also with the girls is Karla´s sister, Karina. I will be sharing a bedroom with her. (I took a picture of it last night but have not had luck uploading pics yet. I´ll figure it out.) Karina stays here and goes to college nearby, but she also is a big help with the girls. Karla not only is a mother, but is also getting her bachelors degree in psychology and working. Busy lady! Karla has been staying up until 3 or 5 a.m. every night lately with school work.
After dinner last night Jose emphasized how he wants me to feel at home here and to help myself to what I need. He also said he hopes I will talk to him or Karla about how I am feeling whenever I need to. He and Karla have been married for 6 years. They are in their late 20´s.
One of my favorite things so far is that they have a big enclosed back yard which is shared with a neighbor. It has a mango tree, but Jose said we will buy mangos at the store, I´m not sure why, as he also said this is the time for the mango to be ripe. His English is perfect, by the way.
I had been wondering where I would find to escape to for private time, but I think the answer is the hammock in the back yard. I´ll take a picture of it soon.
Last night I was worried that I would not sleep well. It was very hot and I brought heavy pj´s as I was used to the cold nights up in the mountains. However, I slept just fine and wasn´t even bothered by the dogs or the kids outside this morning. I was exhausted. After 11pm Jose let me speak just in English, asking me about my jobs and where I lived. By that point I was lucky to follow a conversation in English. Spanish seemed impossible. But starting today the rule is no more English for me. Only Spanish will be spoken to me and by me. I´m doing ok so far, but I can see it will be hard when I am tired. And Karla talks FAST!
Must shower and get dressed. It´s almost noon. I was supposed to meet Tony at the church today to observe the English classes, but he called to say that he has to stay at his house and fix his roof, so I will have a day of rest. Karla will teach me to use certain cabs run by men she knows and she will ride with me the first few times until I am comfortable. I am spoiled here!
More later...
I will try to explain where I am living. Tony took a dirt road which seems like an alley because I saw mostly garages. Then we stopped at a basketball court where some men were hanging out. Tony said that because we had two computers between the 2 of us, and so much lugggage it would be best for us to call Jose and ask him to come out to help us. He said that way people would know we were with Jose.
So Jose came out to Tony´s truck and seemed very excited to have me here. Later he explained that he really enjoys hosting people, in fact 2 Canadian girls stayed here very recently. Inside I met Jose´s wife, Karla, who at first seemed very quiet. But later, and today when we are alone I see that she is not. Tony and Jose went to pick up Tony´s wife, Nidia, who was visiting her mother in the hospital and left karla and me alone to speak only spanish and we did just fine. I showed her pictures of Jack and we only got hung up on one word, cunada, which means sister in law. I won´t forget that one now.
So we ate a really yummy dinner. It was spaghetti baked in a pan with a sort of alfredo sauce, some diced chicken and lots of spinach. Right up my alley! Karla also served some carrots marinated in vinegar and something that made them spicey. Today we talked about what foods I like and I am in the right house. They don´t like a lot of meat here. In Karla says the children pick the meat out of their food just like I used to when I was a kid!
Speaking of the girls, I haven´t met them yet. They are with Karla´s parents because they have a vacation from school. Karla says we will go and spend a weekend with her parents if I want to, so we will do that while I am here. Also with the girls is Karla´s sister, Karina. I will be sharing a bedroom with her. (I took a picture of it last night but have not had luck uploading pics yet. I´ll figure it out.) Karina stays here and goes to college nearby, but she also is a big help with the girls. Karla not only is a mother, but is also getting her bachelors degree in psychology and working. Busy lady! Karla has been staying up until 3 or 5 a.m. every night lately with school work.
After dinner last night Jose emphasized how he wants me to feel at home here and to help myself to what I need. He also said he hopes I will talk to him or Karla about how I am feeling whenever I need to. He and Karla have been married for 6 years. They are in their late 20´s.
One of my favorite things so far is that they have a big enclosed back yard which is shared with a neighbor. It has a mango tree, but Jose said we will buy mangos at the store, I´m not sure why, as he also said this is the time for the mango to be ripe. His English is perfect, by the way.
I had been wondering where I would find to escape to for private time, but I think the answer is the hammock in the back yard. I´ll take a picture of it soon.
Last night I was worried that I would not sleep well. It was very hot and I brought heavy pj´s as I was used to the cold nights up in the mountains. However, I slept just fine and wasn´t even bothered by the dogs or the kids outside this morning. I was exhausted. After 11pm Jose let me speak just in English, asking me about my jobs and where I lived. By that point I was lucky to follow a conversation in English. Spanish seemed impossible. But starting today the rule is no more English for me. Only Spanish will be spoken to me and by me. I´m doing ok so far, but I can see it will be hard when I am tired. And Karla talks FAST!
Must shower and get dressed. It´s almost noon. I was supposed to meet Tony at the church today to observe the English classes, but he called to say that he has to stay at his house and fix his roof, so I will have a day of rest. Karla will teach me to use certain cabs run by men she knows and she will ride with me the first few times until I am comfortable. I am spoiled here!
More later...
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