Teamwork

The fires across the street have been burning for a week now.  Yesterday they burned down an old forsaken barn.  I think otherwise the buildings have been safe.  Every day we pass and see more little patches of fire.
Today there were more fires in the valley as well.  It rained for about five minutes.  I was hoping it would rain more.  Yesterday was 98 degrees so the rain and chilly air felt nice.

Today I got a ticket to go back to the US in June.  I have been checking daily and today ticket prices started to skyrocket so I talked to my Mom about it and decided to buy one.  After I bought the ticket I was more excited than I expected to be. It will be awesome to see friends and family!

At the Breakfast Program instead of asking for prayer requests, today we had a day of thanks.  It was cool to think about all of the ways that God has answered our prayer.

I might be able to go to Nicaragua with a team of translators.  That would be super cool.  I've heard that Nicaragua is the most beautiful country in Central America in some people's opinion.  Also, it could be a paying job!  I'm not sure about that part.

It seems that I will get my car on Monday.  There are still some papers to fill out.  The people have to inspect the car before they give me insurance.  Also the IRS has to fill out forms.  But that should all be done by tomorrow!  I am excited to have some freedom, to be able to go grocery shopping without asking someone to take me.  It will be nice to come and go from the church on my own time.  I am even excited to park in my driveway, as silly as that sounds.  I am really, really grateful that Jairo drove me around for more than a year.  He has been wonderful to me.  But I am ready to be independent now.  Joss asked if I am nervous about driving here.  I am a little nervous, but less than I used to be.  I know the streets better now and with the AAA coverage I feel more comfortable too.  The drivers here are crazier than any I have ever seen in any other place in the world, but I am as ready as I'll ever be.

An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them to run they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. When he asked them why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for himself they said: ''UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?'' 'UBUNTU' in the Xhosa culture means: "I am because we are"

I would love to figure out a way to get the kids at the Breakfast Program thinking in this manner.  Right now they are so used to fighting for everything they have.  They are not used to working as a team.  I talked to Lourdes about it and I am going to look into more teamwork games and projects.  The idea of fighting to survive is so deeply ingrained in them, it will be a hard mindset to change.  But imagine if they worked together!

They already do in some ways.  We need to complement them more about the ways they DO work together now.  Yesterday Daniel came to the office upset.  He said that he had yanked one of the girls away from a man who was trying to lure her with candy and cell phones.  We need to emphasize that kind of positive behavior more, instead of standing there aghast when the kids tell us stories like that, which is my natural reaction.

If anyone knows team building activities that would work for all ages, I would love some ideas.

My Car Found Me!

 I am finally buying a car!!!  The whole story is so incredible.  There is NO DOUBT this is the car God wanted for me.  AND it's a car I love!

Car shopping has been going on for so long I can't even remember all of the details, but basically Jairo has been searching for a car for me since July 2012.  His friends bring cars to the church for me to look at.  We all agree there is one problem or another with each car and decide it is not the car for me.  Samuel Wood was helping me to look over the cars because he knows about that stuff.  Finally he said let's go to an agency (dealership).

On the day he took me shopping he had gone earlier in the morning and scouted out 3 cars he thought I would like.  We went to the first place and he started walking over to the corner where 2 cars that he liked were, but I saw a different car.

The week before I noticed the same car everywhere I went.  It was a coffee colored Honda CRV.  On the Wednesday before I said to Lourdes' sister, Belinda, "I like that car.  It's a nice color."  On Thursday I told Josselyn, "Isn't that a nice car?  Do you like it?"  On Good Friday that same car followed Hermida and me everywhere.  In tiny little El Hatillo we saw it four times!   (Probably not the same exact car, but the same color.)  I told Hermida I think that car is following me!  I never noticed it before and now it has been everywhere I look for three days.  I did wish I could buy that car, but I thought it only came in new models and would be too expensive for me.

So Sammy and I are at the dealership and there is the car!  He had two different cars in mind for me to look at but I told him I have to  go look at this car because everywhere I go I see the same car.  I explained that I've been asking God for a sign when I find the right car, and this could be it.  He said okay.  We looked inside and I loved it, but I didn't test drive it because I didn't want to get attached to it.  He still had more places to take me.

We went to the next place where he showed me a Montero Sport, which I liked and it was cheap, but it uses too much gas and gas here is EXPENSIVE!  I told Sammy if I buy this car Jairo will kill me.  Then we went back to the office and Jairo said his friend had another car for me to look at.  His friend pulled into the church with the same car that was following me!  I couldn't believe it!  Turns out that car was a piece of junk.  It had been in a few bad accidents and the repairs were poorly done.  I could see the ground through the floor and the drivers' door didn't shut right so it made a whistling noise.  The whole car was out of alignment so much that the rear end was no longer square.  That was not my car.

Walter said he would take me back to test drive the first car I saw when I was with Sammy.  We got too busy that day and there wasn't time so he said on Monday we will test drive the car.  That was fine with me.  I thought if they sold the car over the weekend then it wasn't meant for me.

On Monday I decided I wasn't going to mention the car but Walter went straight to the dealership on the way to the church.  As we drove up we could see that the car was gone.  If I had been driving, I would have just kept on going, but Walter pulled into the dealership and parked.  We looked around and I confirmed it was definitely gone.  Then Walter went and asked one of the workers where the car had gone.  I thought to myself what a silly question!  They sold it!  This is a car dealership!  But no, they didn't sell it.  They used it as a loaner for someone because the gas mileage is so economical.  It wasn't sold!!!  So Jorge took my name and phone number and said he would call me in about a week when it came back from being loaned.  He was the same man who showed me the inside of the car the week before.

Then Jairo's friend brought a Kia Sorento for me to see on Friday.  I really liked it.  A lot.  I did research on line and read nothing but good things.  They said it was a gas guzzler, but this one was diesel, so it seemed perfect.  There was a noise that worried me and a couple of little things I would have to fix but nothing big.  I decided I would buy the Kia Sorento.   The agency told me I needed 3 years of residency in Honduras to qualify for a loan, so I couldn't get a car there.  This seemed like my best option.  Jairo's friend said he would talk to the owner and call me back in the afternoon, but he never did.  I figured the owner didn't want to sell it for what I could pay.

That night there was a conference at the church.  A church member asked me how the car shopping was going.  I told him I found a good car today, but it seemed like I wasn't going to be able to make a deal with the owner.  The man from church asked if I had tried any agencies (dealerships).  I told him yes, there is a car I really like at an agency, but it is a little more money than I have.   The man from church said he would co-sign for me to get a car and he would take me car shopping on Tuesday.  I was so happy and honored that someone I don't know very well would step forward and do that for me!

Tuesday morning my phone rang.  It was a number I don't know.  I NEVER answer numbers I don't know, but this time I had a feeling, so I did.  It was Jorge - the guy who took my name and number at the agency with the car that I loved.  He said the car was back and available for sale.  I explained I was going shopping with a friend and we may stop at that dealership today.

Jairo dropped me off to shop with the friend from church.  He said he has a friend who owns a dealership and he has been doing business with that man for a long time.  He really trusts the guy and knows the guy will give us a good deal.  He talked to the guy that morning and was told they even have a Honda CRV (which was the car I had loved this whole time).  He said we should go look at his friend's place first and if we don't find anything there are other places nearby.  I told him that Jorge had called me from the dealership and said that the car I loved was back on the lot.  We agreed that would be another option.

Do I need to finish the story?  The person from church and I were talking about the same dealership!  His buddy was Jorge's boss.  Jorge came and shook my hand, then later his boss came and shook my friend's hand.  We were all old buddies!  I test drove the car finally.  It was the ONLY car I drove that didn't have any funny noises.  My friend thought it was a great car too.  So we put money down on the car and got paperwork for a loan.

In Honduras - you know everything is different - the average interest rate is 18%.  That was a punch in the gut.  But everyone told me that it is just how things are here and I wasn't getting ripped off.  We took the paperwork home because other things have to be done here first - so we didn't actually sign the loan.

I called my Mom all excited because I knew God had chosen this car for me.  She was not as thrilled.  She told me I was crazy and almost hung up on me after she heard the interest rate.  Jairo kept asking why I let my Mom make me sad when I had been so happy.  Then I decided to apply for a loan in the US.  I thought I wouldn't qualify because I make so little money.  I don't qualify for a car loan because I'm not buying a car in the US, but I QUALIFIED FOR A PERSONAL LOAN!!!!!  So the money is already in my account.  My Mom isn't mad anymore.  In fact she actually went to the bank and helped with the paperwork!  Now we are just waiting for the IRS people to do some paperwork and then we can write a check for the rest of the money and drive away with my car!!!

Do you know that many loans in Honduras have 40% interest?????  Gosh!

I will get the car Monday or Tuesday.  I was a little concerned because car insurance here is expensive, but I knew I needed it and I knew I was following what God wanted for me.  Today a friend from Iglesia en Transformación told me that he and his wife discussed it and they want to support me.  They want to pay for my car insurance.  They chose really good covereage which also has the equivalent of AAA included - in case I get a flat tire, or lock my keys in the car, etc.  Can you believe that????

It was a long story, but I wanted you to know all of the details!  When you see a picture of me with my new car you will know all of God's work that went into it.  Walter stopping and asking where the car was and Jairo's friend not calling me back on Friday about the Kia Sorento.  (He called Saturday, Sunday Monday and Tuesday, trying to sell me the car but we never came up with a payment plan that would have worked for me. )  If Jairo's friend had called me back Friday, then when the man at the conference asked about my car situation I would have told him I already found one.  I think about the fact that I got the call from Jorge and my friend got a call from the owner of the dealership and we went straight back to the same car that God had been showing me all of those days.  It was all God's hand at work for sure!  And I really can't believe I got approved for a loan in the US.  But I did!  Thank you God!

I am still feeling more and more at home at the church here in Honduras.  Besides having a member agree to sign a loan for me (but he didn't have to in the end) and buy insurance for me, the whole church prayed for my friend who was hit by a drunk driver on Saturday.  She died on Monday.  I received a lot of support from the church members.  They sent emails and texts saying they would continue to pray for her family.  In the past two weeks many of them have asked me to be their friends on Facebook, which is silly, I know, but it feels nice.  I finally feel like I fit in and am really a part of things here.  I've been doing more translation for Lourdes and Jairo.  Lourdes says she doesn't know what she would do without me.  I know Jairo is appreciative too.

Monday, when my friend was killed by a drunk driver and the bombs went off in Boston I saw this.  I thought it was cool.

I want to make light in darkness.

Interesting turn of events

People are up early today.  The retreat center down the road had people playing fútbol until midnight and now someone has been playing electric guitar since 5:30 a.m.  I feel bad for all of the people who have to (try) to sleep there.  It's hard enough from here and I am pretty far away.

A fire started  down the road in the other direction 2 nights ago.  My neighbor told me about it.  We passed it yesterday morning.  She said the firemen were there all night.  They had left but it was still burning in places.  She said it was huge and crazy to watch at night from her house.  Last night as we drove home it was still burning.  Today I hear people shoveling.  I wonder if they are shoveling a sand barrier for the fire.  I can smell the smoke inside my house now.

We went to the church at 10 a.m. yesterday and left at 10 p.m.  Just as we gathered for the breakfast program Jairo's friend came to let me drive his son's car.  His son is out of work and needs to sell the car so it was a really good price.  I really like it and told him I wanted to buy it.  It seemed like the perfect car for me.  He said he would talk to his son and call me in the afternoon but I never heard from him.

Lourdes and I were brainstorming about ways I could pay for the car with the least amount of interest.  I was thinking of asking a friend in the US to either co-sign on a loan for me or loan me the money at a reasonable (for both of us) interest rate.  I was excited about the car and wanted to call my friend, but his phone number was not in my phone and the power went off at the church so I didn't have internet.  I told Lourdes - this is strange.  There is no power.  I have no way to reach my friend right now.  Must be I am not supposed to call him.  She said, "The power here goes out all of the time."  But I disagreed.  At home it goes out frequently.  In the past year it has only gone out once that I can remember while we were in the church.  She agreed it was strange timing for the power to go off.

Then last night at the conference I talked with a member of the church.  He told me that he will take me car shopping next week.  He said he will also sign for a loan for me!  He said I should only put down part of the money I have set aside for a car and save the rest in a special account for emergencies.  I was so surprised that someone I barely know would offer to sign a loan for me!  What a huge blessing.

Jairo wasn't surprised.  He said I should call his friend and tell him that I got a better offer from a member of the church.  So this morning, at an hour when normal people are awake, I will call him, thank him for his time, and tell him that I am going to look at other cars this week.  I don't think the son really wants to sell the car anyway.

Another cool thing happened yesterday.  We have prepared for several conferences and special meals over the past year.  Yesterday Jairo and I went shopping.  Then we came back and got down to business cooking.  I kept thinking about Thanksgiving when we cooked a similar meal.  I told Lourdes how different it felt to be in the kitchen yesterday compared to Thanksgiving.  On Thanksgiving I felt so out of place.  I didn't cut the cucumber the way they wanted it.  I put the tomato on the salad  the wrong way.  I felt like everything I did was wrong.  It was a horrible feeling.  Finally they assigned me to taking pictures.  I felt like that was the only thing I was capable of doing.  I felt like an outsider who was never going to fit in.

Yesterday was the opposite.  I had to ask a few questions, but I was as productive in the kitchen as any other person there.  The only thing I couldn't do was peel the potaste.  But everyone had a hard time with that, so I wasn't alone.  I helped Lourdes set up and decorate the upstairs for 60 people.  We received many compliments about how nice it looked and how great the food was.  Afterward the men cleaned up the chairs and tables.  I cleaned up all of the food.  But I didn't feel angry or frustrated about doing it alone like I might have last Thanksgiving.  I felt like part of the team who worked on the conference and I wanted to finish the job.  It is nice to really feel like a part of things.

We planned to go to the pool today, but Jairo has to go into the city really early before the pool is open, so I think we don't have a way to get there.  Disappointing but I am hoping we will come up with a Plan B.  Someday I will have a car.

A day of writing with Lourdes

My happiness carried over into today.  It was so nice!

Marlin and I were alone at the Breakfast Program.  Marlin's baby belly is starting to show!  The kids were really, really good at our group.  Three of the girls had a giggling fit right before we prayed.  Oh well, I was probably one of those girls more than once in my life.

Lourdes came as they were all leaving.  She made a point to tell me that she is much more relaxed these days because she knows that things go well when I am in charge and that every detail will be taken care of.  It felt great to hear that.  I know that things go well, but it is always nice to be told you do a good job and more importantly,  it makes me really happy to hear that Lourdes is able to relax.

We received a letter regarding the Sarmiento's hope to move to the US.  It required a response, which meant Lourdes and I spent hours at the computer this afternoon.  It is a good bonding time for us.  And we write in the same way, just in different languages, so we enjoy writing together.  We think we could write books or daily devotionals and make millions!

I am looking forward to trying out another car tomorrow.  It belongs to the son of Jairo's good friend.  He bought it brand new.  Knowing the history of a car is a BIG deal in Honduras.  It is also diesel, which is great here.  I think I have been doing a good job at being thoughtful and careful in this process.  In some cases there have been cars that I like and can afford to purchase, but that aren't practical for various reason such as gas mileage or upkeep.  I think Jairo understands that I am trying to be practical, not picky.

I often provide entertainment for people without knowing it.  Yesterday I forgot how to read in English - Jairo was still laughing about that today.  Today we were talking about the marriage conference tomorrow.  Jairo invited a boy who serves in the kitchen most days to attend the conference.  He knew that I would have no partner to bring so he announced that he was going to bring me.  He is really sweet, but I think he is about 21 years old.  He was joking.  So now everyone is teasing me that I have a date tomorrow.  I know he doesn't think of it as a real date, and both of us can learn about love and marriage.

:- )

Today was extra fun.  I was thinking about why it was such a great day and I can't put my finger on it, but that doesn't matter.

Today was Belinda's day at the Breakfast Program.  Things run smoothly with her there and it is calm and relaxed.

It was also Walter's birthday.  Birthdays here are more casual than in the US.  Not so many gifts, but a lot more phone calls and text messages and well wishes.  I asked if he had any special plans for his birthday and he said no, but seemed fine with that.

I helped Veronica, one of the moms of the breakfast program, do pages and pages of English homework.  I don't know how much she really understood.  I tried to teach her but there were so many pages and her daughter was crying.  I wouldn't call it a successful learning session.  At least homework is complete and correct.  I will sit down with her and work on it some more with her.  (Changing verbs to past tense and pronunciation.)

The kids were well behaved today.  I was in charge of shooing them off at the end of the day.  It took less effort than usual.

When everything was clean it was time for Belinda to go home.  Joss suggested that we all go with Belinda to watch a fútbol game.  In Honduras, because the Honduran team is not very good, the people here are fans of either Real Madrid or Barcelona in addition to the Honduran team.  Today Barcelona played.  We rounded up a group from the church and went to Belinda's house for the game.

Everyone screamed and cheered.  I was looking at the advertisements on the walls of the field.  They were in Spanish, which is why when I saw "No to racism" I was confused.  I was trying to understand what it meant in Spanish, not realizing that it was written in English.  After a half hour of pondering the word "to" and trying to figure out what Spanish verb it was, I finally asked Belinda.  I said to her in Spanish, "What does (I will write it phonetically) 'No tow..."  When it struck me tow was not pronounced tow, it was "TO" in English.  I started laughing so hard I couldn't finish what I was asking her.  Finally I explained to the whole room that I was laughing so hysterically because I had spent the past half hour trying to decipher a sentence in English!    "No to racism".  Not so simple when you try to read it in Spanish.  Joss and Belinda said, "Oh Mary Lynn" and shook their heads.  Joss laughed about it all night.  She said she will remember that for the rest of her life.

Belinda and I had a good ladies talk.  It was nice.  I always enjoy my time with Belinda.  She has been without a job for a long time.  We are praying that she will get a job she applied for at the private school in Olancho where some of the boys from the Breakfast Program are.  It would be so good for her boys to live in Olancho and it is a job she would enjoy.  We will miss Belinda if she moves, but it would be best for her family.

We got home kind of late tonight because Jairo is working on the marital conference he is giving Friday.  I am so excited to go to the pool Saturday!  Normally I would not be as excited because I am not feeling very fit right now, but instead I am exercising and well aware that I will not appear any more fit by Saturday.  Oh well.

So, as you can see, there is no real reason that I feel so happy.  But it sure feels good!  Can't complain when you are full of joy and laughter for no reason.  Better to be grateful and enjoy every second of it!

Crying, conferences, Canadians, cars and collars

I got up early today and did some laps up and down the driveway.  If you could see how steep my driveway is, you would understand why this is good exercise and why my legs are so sore from the laps I did yesterday.  I do lunges until I can't lunge anymore and then walk the rest of the way to the top.  Feels good to be exercising again.

Today was Lourdes' day back at the Breakfast Program.  She is adjusting to new medicine and expected to lie down for a minute, but she slept for hours.  The doctor told her this was a normal side effect to be expected in the beginning.  I couldn't believe she slept with Misael sobbing at the top of his lungs for 45 minutes.

When she woke up she said she felt comfortable sleeping that long because she knew I was taking care of everything.  Today was very calm.  Except for Misael crying.  His Mom often leaves him while she runs errands and Misael is normally fine.  But not today.  Ugh.

It was a hot one.  Little Camila, who is not two yet, fell asleep on the cement floor under a table - just like Violet used to a year ago when she was the same age.  My arms and face are getting brown.  It's that kind of heat that you can't stand to be in the sun for more than a minute or you feel like you are going to melt.

The lady who helps run Mar y Mundo from Canada came to the church to visit.  We haven't seen her since the day she brought her son Mateo home from the hospital.  I didn't want to hold him that day because I reeked of smoke from the fire at the church and I hadn't washed my hands.  She promised I could hold him another day.

Today I got to hold him and feed him a bottle and burp him.  Mateo is so skinny, but very cute.  And a good burper.  His mother is Canadian.  His Dad is Honduran.  Lourdes gave them a sling that my team made way back in 2008.  They were very excited to use it.  Strollers here are not practical because if there is a sidewalk, it is never smooth enough for a stroller.

We talked about how hot it is here.  Her Mom is visiting from Canada for three months.  It is so strange to think about the heat here when meanwhile friends in Colorado had a snow day today and Utah has the canyons closed.  I have a sun tan and it's not just on my nose and cheeks from skiing.

I was invited to a day at the pool on Saturday!  I am excited to go.  It will be especially nice since Jairo wants me to help out with a conference he is giving Friday night.  Friday will be a long day with the Breakfast Program all morning and the conference at night, so I will enjoy a relaxing day at the pool on Saturday.  I'm not sure why he wants me to take part since it is about marriage, but I'll be happy to go.  I am also invited to attend a big conference at another church with a world famous pastor from Argentina on April 24th.  Jairo said the man (I forgot his name) is one of Jairo's favorite speakers.  Sounds good!

Lourdes asked today how the car shopping is going.  I told her that I am really not sure what to do.  She encouraged me to take my time and not rush into anything.  I am still trying to think of ways to get a loan without a "paycheck".  I wonder what will happen.

I am thinking about putting Jetty in a collar and leash so she can go outside with me when I exercise.  I'm sure that would make some interesting conversation in my neighborhood.  But Jetty could use the exercise too.

Gosh these kids are adorable!

Today started the first week with Lourdes only working 3 days at the Breakfast Program.  Everything was calm and relaxed.  We had a nice day.  Lourdes' sister, Belinda, gave the lesson today.  She is good at teaching a large group and keeping them all focused.

These photos are from last week.  The Front Range Christian School Team brought a bag of crafts for us, but they weren't here to see the finished product.  All of the kids - boys, girls, little, big, loved making the crosses.  They wore them proudly.

Today I went to test drive the car that I have been looking at longingly for a week.  It was gone!  I figured it was sold.  I was okay with that.  It just meant it was not the car for me.  It was a great car at a really good price.  But Walter talked to the salesman who said that someone had bought a new car from the dealership and had a problem with the new car, so they were using the car I like as a loaner because it is economical for gas.

They said I should expect for the car to be gone for this week at least.  (It takes FOREVER for cars to get fixed here.)  But then I learned I can't buy it anyway.  I am a little bit short of money and the only way I can buy a car here is to pay in cash.  I could get a loan for the remainder of the money I need if I had a paycheck AND three years of residency.  Since I have neither, I feel stuck.  I have no idea how I am going to afford a reliable car.  Jairo says now is the time to buy because in June the prices go up, but I can't imagine how I will come up with more money by June.  I am praying about it!

It's hot here.  Today we were all dreaming about going to the beach.  Jairo and Walter said that Honduras has the most beautiful beaches in all of Central America.  I have yet to see any of them.  I was supposed to go once in 2009, but then all of the stuff happened with the president getting taken out of power and the roads were closed, so I couldn't go.  Jairo said we will go soon.

GO ORANGE!

Today is the final four for college basketball.  Syracuse (my alma mater) will play.  I haven't been following them like I used to, but I'm excited to watch the game tonight.  I decided this morning to make myself some special snacks.  So far I've made arroz con leche and cooked some peanuts.  The arroz con leche was the fanciest recipe I have ever used.  It was like making risotto.  I love risotto, but I can't say that in the matter of arroz con leche it was any better than the simple recipes.  I probably won't do it that way again.  I also have soy chips to fry as the time draws closer.  I am going to make nachos with my homemade refried beans.  I wish I knew others who would watch the game with me but it will still be fun.  Especially when SU wins!!!

I am starting to realize how much I missed cooking.  This week I have been cooking up a storm.  I used to cook a lot in the US.  I think when I first got here the food was unfamiliar and I didn't know how to make it. At the same time my friends didn't really like the kind of food that I cook.  So I kind of shut down on cooking.  That was a shame because cooking makes me happy.

Lately I have been cooking for myself.  If others like it, then fine.  But if they don't I am trying to be okay with that.  The fact is, we have different cultures and backgrounds.  We don't have to all like the same things.

Today one of the young ladies from the Denver team said she is looking into spending the summer in Tegucigalpa and helping out at the Breakfast Program.  As long as she understands the dangers of living in "the most dangerous region on earth" and the precautions she will need to keep herself safe, it would be great to have the extra help

Last night at 11 pm, I realized I had not boiled the refried beans yet.  Refried beans have to be boiled every day to keep them from going bad.  I was tired and ready for bed, but at the same time I didn't want the beans to go bad so I boiled the beans.  I should have let them cool longer, but I needed to go to bed.  I don't know how Honduran women cook their beans every single day.

Someday I would like to get a real stove.  One with burners that have temperatures other than "on" and "off".  One that fits a cookie sheet in the oven.  But in the meantime, I am having fun making do with what I have.    There are so many ways that I am extremely blessed and living in luxury.  I have no room to complain.  Sometimes making do it part of life in Honduras.

Have I mentioned that motorcyclists wear snowmobile helmets and ski goggles?  It cracks me up, but that is how they make do.

Please pray for Chema

Jairo just called and asked me to send word to everyone who knows the church that tonight Chema (Jose Maria Centeno) was almost killed in an assault.  Jairo's voice was shaking and breathless as he told me the story.

For anyone who may not know him by name, Chema is the man who wears the church's uniform brown vest every week.  He sets up the chairs, passes out the bulletins, and takes care of the collection.  Chema's son tags along at his father's side in the same brown vest, which comes down to his knees.  They find seats for the late-comers and make sure that everything goes smoothly every Sunday.  During the service Chema stands in the back of the church, with his arms raised high, praying over everyone.

Today Chema was working.  He is a journalist, which means he travels around the city by collectivo to cover stories.  Collectivos are taxis that are cheaper because you share the cab with three other strangers who are going in the same direction.  But there is a danger in collectivos as well.  You don't know who is riding with you.

In this case, two men got into the cab and took the driver, Chema and the other passenger hostage.  They forced the driver to drive around the city while they stole all of the passengers' possessions.  Meanwhile Chema prayed.  When they took Chema's possessions they realized he was a journalist from his camera and his press identification.  They told Chema they were going to kill him because he was a journalist.

Chema continued praying.  Those of you who know him can imagine it.  Nothing deters Chema when he is talking with God.  The two men yelled at him to stop praying but he would not stop.  He prayed and he prayed until the men insisted that the driver stop the cab and they let him out because they could not stand to hear his prayer any more!

Chema is pretty traumatized.  At the same time he is grateful to have been saved from death.  He has asked for our prayer.

He is a man who prays over the entire congregation at Iglesia en Transformación  every Sunday.  Yesterday he brought 90 backpacks full of school supplies to the church.  He is a mover and a shaker in the political arena and Chema also gives all of himself to the church.  His is raising his son to be a man of God too.

Tonight we give thanks for the life of Jose Maria Centeno (Chema).  We almost lost a very special man today, but our glorious God spared Chema from death.  Now Chema has asked us to pray.  We can pray for peace in his heart and to know with confidence that he has a great purpose here on earth.  Please pray as you are led, but please pray!  Chema has shown us today that God hears and answers our prayer.

Crafts, confusion and cookies

This morning I woke up with a headache.  I tried to call Lourdes and let her know I was going to stay home, but she didn't answer her phone.  Joss didn't either, so I got dressed and went to the church.  Sunglasses helped.  I think it was allergies.  Hermida said she had a headache too.

My joy about the tax refund is gone.  Now I feel confused.  I prayed so hard for the money for that flight.  I really thought the tax refund was an answer to my prayer.  But my Mom pointed out that it  could be wiser to use that money toward a more reliable car and not go home in June.  I really wanted to go back to the states in June.  I was planning to get some dental work done and see friends.  Plus it's the 40th Anniversary of Telluride Bluegrass Festival and I got tickets for Christmas.  But I do have to live within my means.

The Canadian group that visited today was friendly and fun.  They helped us do a craft project with the kids.  I took pictures of the kids with the crafts they made, but I can't get the photos off my phone for some reason.  Thank you Denver Group for a really sweet craft project!  The kids loved it!  I'll post the pictures as soon as I can figure out what is wrong with my phone.

Today was the first time that I led a bible study for the whole Breakfast Program.  It went really well!  I don't like to read out loud in Spanish.  It's hard!  But I did just fine.  All of the kids participated in a little game afterward.  The lesson was about not telling lies.  The kids got to tell a short story and everyone had to guess if it was truth or a lie.  Some of the stories were funny.  We had a good time.  My story was that I studied Spanish for four hours and studied the bible for an additional six hours last night.  About half the kids thought I was telling the truth.  I'm glad they have so much faith in me, but it was not true.

I made more cookies last night and gave some to Jairo and the rest to Eunice.  Eunice was grateful because she shared her's from yesterday and only made it home with three.  I told her no sharing today.  Jairo was happy because the cookies remind him of his childhood.  His mother used to make the same cookies so they bring back happy memories for him.

Have a great weekend!

Just a little reminder...

Today God reminded me just how good he is.  It was a wonderful day.

I brought homemade cookies for Eunice.  Yesterday was the anniversary of 20 years that she has worked at the church.  She was really grateful and surprised to get the cookies.  I was glad I brought them for her.

It is kind of funny.  In Honduras everyone buys cakes for birthdays.  It is the opposite of the US, where a homemade cake means you put your time and effort into the cake.  Here a store bought cake means more.  On Sunday we bought a cake for Hermida's sister's birthday.  Yesterday I was watching a North American sitcom on tv.  A woman had to take cupcakes to her son's school.  Her husband suggested that she buy the cupcakes at the store.  The wife said she could not possibly bring store bought cupcakes for her son's party.  People here do not think that way.

Eunice knows that to me making things from scratch is more special so she appreciated the homemade cookies.

Today I also learned that Lourdes will be taking off Mondays and Wednesdays.  Her sister Belinda will take over on those days.  I will be in charge of the lessons on Fridays.  So we will be a team of three to lighten Lourdes' load.  That is fine with me!  I really like Belinda.  She is kind and easy going so it will be nice to have her officially on board with us.

Last week I told Lourdes that I had no idea how I would come up with $500 I was told to expect to pay for taxes on April 15th, plus airfare for a flight back home in June.  At the same time I explained that I had complete peace about it and was not worried at all, even though it seems impossible to come up with $1250 in the next 2 weeks.  Lourdes said she was proud of me because I was truly living in faith.

Today I received notice that I will not have to pay $500 in taxes as I was told to expect.  In fact I will receive a refund!  I felt so well cared for by my Holy Father.

I will use the refund toward a ticket to go back to the US in June.  I am still a little short for airfare, plus I need $300 in dental work, but it is completely attainable.  Now I understand why God did not want me to worry.  He carried that burden for me and took care of the problem Himself.  I never, ever expected this.  It is so awesome to see God at work.  All I needed was faith.  That gave Him space to step in and remind me of His great Power.

If you are able to help out with the rest of the plane fare and dental work I would be so grateful!  Here is the link for donations:

www.WorldOutreach.org/donations

This is the Denver Team I keep talking about.
Tomorrow a team from Canada is coming.

Blind Man

This morning as Jairo and I drove down the mountain from El Hatillo all of the traffic suddenly stopped.  I was peering out ahead trying to figure out what was going on.  Jairo said, "Uh oh."  Then I saw a long stick fly really high into the air.  I had no idea what was going on and why all of the traffic was stopped until I saw a man on his hands and knees in the street.  He was crawling around, not getting out of the way of all the cars.

Then Jairo said it was a blind man.  That made more sense.  He crawled from side to side.  As we got closer I could see he was groping with his hands, searching from side to side for the stick.  I asked why nobody was helping.  I wanted to get out and give the man his stick.  Jairo said he sees the man frequently.  He said the man is mentally ill, but he appears to be more violent today.  He appeared to be in his 50's.  I felt like we should do something, but a police officer got the stick.  All we could do is pray.  It was sad.

Car Shopping

This morning I woke to a text from Jairo at 6:53 a.m. saying that he would pick me up at 9:15, not 8:30 since his first appointment cancelled.  I did fall back asleep and woke up just in time to shower and get ready.

Today Jairo took me to the church to meet Sammy, the man who is helping me to find a car.  Jairo has been trying for almost a year to find a car for me.  That may sound strange, but I today I started to understand why.  Finding a car in Honduras is hard!

Let me tell you about today.  But first I have to explain that last week on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday I kept noticing a certain car.  I pointed it out to Joss on Wednesday, Belinda on Thursday and Hermida on Friday.  I told them I loved that car, especially the color.  That car was everywhere!

Today the first dealership we visited had used and new cars.  Sammy, my helper, had been there earlier in the day.  He had a car in mind.  It was a Ford Escape.  I was hesitant to get the Ford Escape because I know two people who have Escapes and both had a lot of problems.  In Honduras if you take your car into the shop they NEVER fix it the same day.  It takes weeks.  So I am looking for a car that won't need much maintenance.

Then I turned and saw the car of my dreams.  It was the car I have been seeing everywhere lately!  It had half the mileage of every car I've been looking at, but was also more expensive.  While it was more than I really wanted to spend, it was exactly the Blue Book price.  (Cars in Honduras are usually $2500 more than blue book to cover the fees for importing them.)  Since this was our first stop, I took a quick look at the car but figured we had to search for something cheaper.

At the second place Sammy showed me a Nissan Xterra.  I explained Jairo would kill me if I came back with a 6 cylinder car because it burns too much gas.  The one thing that is really important to him is that I get a 4 cylinder car.  The Xterra was nice.  I drove it just for the heck of it.  It was a decent price.  I could buy that car and have enough left over to afford the flight back to the US in June.  But I knew it was not the right car.  I thought we would go to another sales lot, but we headed back to the church.

I kept thinking about that first car.  My prayer all week was that God would make it clear when I found the car He wanted for me.  It seemed like that was the car.  Jairo came down from his office.  He said his friend just called.  The friend has a car I might be interested in and will stop by the church in the afternoon.

I was so surprised when his friend pulled into the church with the car that I love!  I couldn't believe it!  I was excited.  It was older and not as well kept up, but also cheaper.  My first concern was when the drivers' side window would not open.  Then when I drove it there was the sound of air coming in through the driver's door, but everything was shut tight.  As I looked more closely, I noticed the whole back of the car has been reconstructed under the carpet.  It is so poorly done that in places there are holes where you can see through to the ground.  Then we look at the inner walls, which are cracked.  The whole frame of the car is off kilter.  Sammy said it was hit in the front door and also hit hard from the back.  So that was not the car for me.

But I got my hopes up again when Jairo's friend said his wife was selling a car.  I had never heard of it before, but he said it was a good car and what I am looking for.  He said it is 4 cylinders and doesn't use much gas.  After he left I did some research.  In Central America the Mitsubishi Montero is called the Mitsubishi Nativa.  It is 6 cylinders and he was not offering it at a good price, even for Honduras.  I talked with Jairo and we agreed it would be best not to even see the car.  It is too expensive and not the best car for me.

Sammy and I are going to go shop around more, and even go back to the first car.  If it is still there we are going to take a better look at it and see if we can work out something with the dealership.  I can almost afford the car, but I am lacking a little.  They don't accept credit cards and I don't have the paperwork I would need to get a loan, so I have to pay in cash or certified check.  If I am meant to have that car, I will come up with the money and it will still be available.  If I'm not, it won't.  Simple enough.

I was looking forward to car shopping.  Well, it is not fun.  You have to be so careful to be sure you are not getting a pile of junk.  Thank God for Sammy!  We'll take a day off tomorrow and get back at it on Thursday.

Jairo told me he wants me to stay at home and rest tomorrow.  He said he closed the Breakfast Program so Lourdes and I can rest.  I'm planning on doing some cooking tomorrow.  So far I have beans soaking.  I am going to try my hand at my second batch of refried beans.  I also have a recipe for chocolate peanut butter bars that I'd like to try.  I like to cook, so that will be my way to relax.  It will be nice to have a day of rest, but it will also be great to get back to the Breakfast Program again!

Ceviche and more ceviche

I finally found a holiday that I enjoy more in the US.  Well, of course I love the 4th of July, but that doesn't count because it's not celebrated here.

When I lived in Salt Lake my favorite church service at K2 each year was Good Friday.  Sounds like they had another great one this year.  I was a little homesick for K2 this weekend.  Iglesia in Transformación does not gather for Good Friday at all.  Easter is not a big event either.

Last year I was a little disappointed with the Easter service here.  It was not the big celebration I was used to.  People didn't dress up.  It just didn't feel like Easter the way I know it.  This year I went into it with an open mind.  I wore pink jeans instead of a dress, thinking at least I had Easter colors.  In the end I decided that we all know the story of what happened on Easter.  It could be boring to hear it over and over.  But it's so awesome, it really should be a day of celebration.  Once again, I didn't feel that at church.  The songs we sang didn't speak of it.  It was a good service, but not special and not particularly Easter-ish.

I did have a very enjoyable day, although not related to Easter.  My landlords invited me to celebrate Hermida's sister's birthday.  We went for a nice walk, then ate ceviche (for the second time this week!!!) and had a delicious seafood soup.  I have gotten to know all of Hermida's family pretty well.  They are very kind and welcoming to me.  I enjoy spending time with them and feel at home with them now.  We sang happy birthday, played pool and enjoyed the afternoon and evening together.

Hermida's mother and father are in their 80's but they are so active you would never guess it.  Hermida's father always wears a tie and a knit beanie.  Her mother is beautiful.  I had my first lengthy talk with Hermida's father yesterday.  He told me that he has seen pumas near my house.  He said it was many years ago when he saw the puma, but he believes there are even more now because they are being protected.

Hermida's neice went to Bay Island on the North Shore for spring break.  She had funny stories, typical of kids her age on spring break.  Her friend let her stay at a really fancy place on a private beach for free for the week.  Unfortunately, the rains were so heavy that the free place flooded and she had to pay $300/night for a hotel so she spent all of her money on the hotel and had none left for food or transportation.  In the end she slept on the beach with her friends because they didn't have money to get back and forth to the hotel and she barely ate.  It was a funny story.  She was fine and her parents would have stepped in if necessary.  She saw it as an adventure, a life experience, and a reason to eat lots of seafood soup at the party.

Today I learned that I will not have to pay for water because my landlord's water bill has not increased since I moved in.  Yay!  I was worried about the additional bill.  I hope it continues to stay the same.

Tomorrow I am supposed to go look for cars with a man from the church.  We may not buy anything, but I am eager to see what is out there.  If we come across something good...

My landlords got a cute new puppy.  He is part lab and part husky.  He has the markings of a husky, but the build and the fur of a lab.  This is only his second day with us so he is still a little whiny, but his cuteness makes up for it.  He doesn't have a name yet.  They might name him Benny, from "Benny and the Jetts".

Good Friday in Honduras

I have been asking and asking to see if anyone was going to see the "Alfombras" (carpets) for Good Friday. Last year I had just arrived in Honduras, so I didn't know about the alfombras.  This year I was determined to go.

Yesterday Hermida and I were gabbing in the driveway.  She asked what I was doing today.  I told her I wanted to see the alfombras, but nobody was going.  She said that she has always wanted to go, but had never had anyone to go with her!  So this morning we got up early.  Carlos, her husband, told me that the alfombras in Tegucigalpa were on CNN this morning.  The alfombras in El Hatillo are much smaller, but for my first experience it was perfect.  I was able to get up close and hear everything.   

We parked near the church and walked down where the procession would start.  We passed these alfombras along the way.  Some people were still making their alfombras.  Apparently families from the Catholic church get together and make the alfombras.  I forgot to ask exactly what they are made of, but it looked like colored sand.  They made the backdrop and then used cardboard with shapes cut out.  They dropped the colored sand into the cut out spot and made layer over layer.  As the day got hotter they sprayed they with water to keep them from blowing away.

We saw these on the way down to the starting point:

St Francis

The first station.  A dove.

Everyone sang as they walked to the next station

I loved that the priest wore a baseball cap.
It matched his robes and protected him from the sun.

Some people carried crosses

At each station someone read the story of Jesus' crucification
Then they applied Jesus' struggles to our struggles in today's life
and had a time of reflection.

I was really impressed by how they applied each station to real-life problems of today.  I wished I had a pen to write it all down.  They talked about how to avoid the corruption that is rampant in Honduras.  They talked about having hope - getting back up when you are down.  They addressed domestic violence, respecting women, protecting the environment - every day issues that Hondurans face.

Star of David

The Virgin of Suyapa - a famous statue found in the 1700's near my house

I was a little obsessed with the priest's baseball cap.

We also passed a little burro/pony

Someone pointed out how amazing the sky looked

The last supper - this was the biggest one

Branches above left shadows in the picture.

The last station was in front of the church

The last station - "Year of the Faith 2012-2013"

The inside of the Catholic church was gorgeous.
The photo doesn't do it justice.

After the procession Hermida invited me to join her family for a Good Friday tradition.  The ladies made two kinds of soup.  One was with dried fish which was soaked, then cleaned, then breaded in a tempura style and put into the soup with big pieces of breaded cheese.  It was delicious!  Then we had a coconut seafood soup.  It was a little like a Thai dish.  There was a type of crab inside, with the shell still on.  For desert we had a dish of sweet fruit.  One was kind of like a fig/plum with a big seed inside.  You put the whole thing in your mouth and suck on it until all of the fruit comes off the seed.  There were also bananas and mangoes in a sweet syrup.  Yummy!  We sat in Hermida's parents' yard, which is a beautiful garden paradise, and ate course after course.  Then we relaxed, talked, had coffee and talked more until the sun set and it got chilly.

Thank You Denver Team!

This has been a big week for me.  While the rest of the country was taking their week of rest, heading for the beach or traveling to see relatives, we hosted a group of teens from Colorado who served at the Breakfast Program.  They were completely awesome.  I met them at church last Sunday.  They were full of positive energy that was contagious.  They filled the church with even more of God's love and kept up the positive energy all week.

They got to experience the joy of having a lost suitcase.  Luckily, it didn't hold any of their personal belongings, but it did have craft projects they planned to do with the kids.  I don't think the kids even noticed. They kept the kids busy by playing, hugging, braiding hair, painting nails and even bathing the younger ones.  It was a great visit.  I never imagined how much those little ones would love being bathed.  What a fitting time for God's hands to bath the children.

Sometimes I had to remind myself that these guys were in high school.  They were very mature and seemed older.  I wished they could stay longer.  I'm sure the kids did too.

Homni fresh out of the shower, with lotion and new clothes!

Beth with Lorenzo

Leigh with Belkis, Cessia, Jose Manuel and Lorenzo

Scarlet having her face washed

Even Marlin got her hair braided!

In the midst of a lesson about Easter, Isaac accepted Christ!

Jarvin needed some extra hugs today

Memo singing

and dancing

Violet

Samuel

Samuel before he took a bite of cabbage and spit it all over the table

The team and the kids

The kids' first Easter Egg hunt!

Jose found two eggs!