It's a Beautiful Day

Jairo was asked to pray over a new school in a very remote location up North.  He and Lourdes left at five a.m. and won't be back until tomorrow night so Erik picked me up for the Breakfast Program today.  Everything went nicely there.

Nino/Alejandro/Elvin (a lot of the kids are known by several names) came with his Dad.  He calls Alejandro my alumni since Alejandro was in my preschool class last year.  Alejandro's father and I love to talk about how awesome Alejandro is.  As Alejandro was eating, his father invited me to sit with them.  He showed me all of the homework Alejandro has done so far in school this year.  What a proud Daddy!  He said he loves how Alejandro is so comfortable with me.  Alejandro and I have some good talks.  Alejandro told me that this new teacher this year is angry.  I asked if she is angry with him.  (He can be very active.)  Alejandro said no, she is angry with everyone.  Oh no!  I love that little guy  :)

As we headed home from the Breakfast Program Walter asked if I wanted to look for a new ropero.  A ropero is what you use instead of a dresser when you live in a humid climate.  It is metal stand with space to hang clothes and shoes as well as shelving space.  In the city, men find vacant corners to set up furniture for sale.  A week ago Lourdes and I had worked out a deal to buy a ropero, but they guy seems to have disappeared so Walter stopped at a different corner.  I'm glad the first guy disappeared because the second guy was much cheaper.

We picked Joss up from college.  She was wearing a new shirt.  On the front was a picture she drew.  Someone printed it and gave it to her.  It is really cool.  Joss and I made up crazy stories and laughed our heads off all of the way up the mountain.  We were being really silly.  It felt really good to laugh and be goofy.  I realized I don't do that enough.

As we passed by the vendors in El Hatillo, Erik asked if I wanted to buy strawberries from La Tigra.  He remembered that I had been asking about the strawberries a few days before.  We stopped and bought a bag of strawberries.  I've already eaten half of them.  They are delicious!  Erik wants me to try them with condensed milk over the top.  Lourdes recommended them with condensed milk too.  I may have none left by the time we buy condensed milk.

When I got home there were still a few hours of sunlight so I was starting a load of laundry when there was a horrible crash on the roof over my head.  In this area it is against the law to trim or cut down a tree as an attempt to protect the forest.  Therefore, branches fall all of the time.  Dead trees are also a big problem.  I have been told stories of people sneaking out in the darkness of night to saw down trees that are about to fall on their house.  They asked permission to cut down the dead tree but were told no!  The huge branch that fell on my roof brought down electrical.  I am worried because I can hear a zapping noise coming from the wires by the road.  I don't see any sparks, but with the way everything is catching on fire lately, it makes me nervous.  Marcela's family will check it out when they get home from work.

It is sunny and hot again.  Beautiful weather to match a really nice day.

Fire on the Mountain

This morning the newspaper headlines said the people of the capital city (Tegucigalpa) are being asphyxiated by the smoke from fires around the city.  (Exaggeration)  I love the view of the city and surrounding mountains as we drive back and forth from El Hatillo, my new mountain home.  However, these days the mountains are not even visible due to the haze of smoke from the fires.  As we drove up the mountain tonight to go home I saw not just smoke, but a huge fire spreading across the mountain on the other side of the city.  It was far away, but the fire easy to see.  Scary.

My favorite thing that happened today was thought provoking and funny.  All of the kids had finished their homework so I gave them the option to play outside or to play a memory game in the classroom.  Everyone chose to play the memory game.  One of the boys, Anderson, was very hyper.  He kept doing handstands and jumped around, knocking the cards out of place.  I asked him repeatedly to be calm or "tranquilo".  Finally he looked at me and said, "Ando feliz!" (I came here happy).  So simple.  It was funny and at the same time made me realize it was time to play.  Why should I take Anderson's happiness?  How awesome that he felt so happy that he couldn't hold still!  After I stopped asking Anderson to calm down, Belkis, who is normally very calm and serious, started dancing between her turns in the game.  Belkis danced, Anderson did handstands, and we all played a memory game.  It was fun!  I did encourage them to go outside to run and jump so they could get their energy out, but they chose to stay inside.   :)

Marlin was much happier today.  She said she went home and prayed, which made her feel better.  Marlin admitted to us that her initial instinct yesterday was to never come back to the church if the doctor told her she was pregnant.  I told her if she didn't come to the church we would have gone to her house to find her.  How awesome that she was able to see past her fears - the first place she came after finding out she was pregnant was the church.

Today I officially had my first day as part of Lourdes' discipleship group.  Marlin, Jacky, Clara and Veronica are in the group with me.  They all have families, so sometimes I feel like I don't really fit in.  But they are very welcoming.  As we sat in the group Jacky started picking at my hair.  I got a little panicked because every day I see Marlin, Jacky and Veronica picking through the kids hair, picking out lice.  I was extra scared because I picked a white round thing out of my hair this morning, but I checked it carefully and it didn't look like a lice egg.  I waited as she picked and pulled.  Then she reached around to show me what she dug up.  I was waiting to see lice.  It was a grey hair.  One more day with no lice.  I figure it's only a matter of time.

Speaking of my hair, mine is growing back so well that the sun no longer burns my scalp.  A few months ago if I were in sunlight my scalp felt like it was burning because I had lost so much hair.  Not any more!  I am growing in other ways too.  Today Jacky told me that I have "nalgas" (a butt).  Don Juan told me that my stomach looks like Jairo's.  I spent so long being sick with that cold.  It feels awesome to be healthy and maybe even a little chubby.  I am purposely not going to get on the scale.  As long as my pants fit I do not need to see a number.  I do need to exercise, but I am comfortable otherwise.  My head is full of hair and my body will not be scrawny if I catch a flu and can't eat for a few days.  After 2 solid months with a cold and four months of my hair falling out I sure do appreciate my health!

Before moving to Honduras I watched some CNN specials about Honduras.  The specials were entitled, "Honduras - the Deadliest Region on Earth".  One of the specials talked about the fact that 'huffing' paint is very common here.  I have seen people who appeared to be high from huffing.  I have smelled people who had been huffing.  But I had never actually seen the huffing.  We stopped on the side of the road today and a man (about 35ish) approached the car babbling.  He appeared to be foaming at the mouth.  As he walked away he held a plastic bag of white paint up to his mouth and huffed.  Now I have seen huffing.

Jairo asked me today if I planned to go to the leadership meeting Saturday.  I told him I would certainly go if I should.  He said yes, I need to go.  So I will spend all day Saturday at a leadership training.   Hmmm...  I am thinking back to a year ago when I used to be a little nervous about being able to understand everything in Spanish.  I haven't felt that way in a while.

I had also forgotten about the days when I came home every night feeling sweaty and needing to jump in the shower.  It is getting so hot outside!  My shoulders and feet are starting to get a little color from the sun.  Today for the first time I was able to appreciate my nice, cool house in the mountains.  Only a few weeks ago I was freezing up here.  I wore a heavy sweater and vest to church and was still chilly.  Those days are long gone.

Overall, things are going very well, except for the fires.  I learned today that I will probably not be able to get my washer and dryer from the US.  That was disappointing, but I have lived for almost a year without them.  I still "ando feliz" and I will not let a little disappointment take my happiness!

Things Are Falling Into Place

Yesterday was a big day.  I learned that the church has officially given their permission for Jairo and Lourdes to go to the US for a one year sabbatical.  Lourdes and Jairo have been hoping and praying for this for a long time.  Lately things have been falling into place quickly and in strange ways, as only God can do.  Joss and Aaron were very excited about the idea of moving, but now that it appears to be coming to fruition they are not as thrilled.  They both have very full lives in Honduras.  It will be hard for them to go.

Jairo gave a really great message yesterday.  He called all of the jovenes (13-29) to the front of the church.  At times he addressed them individually.  He talked to them about their strengths and the challenges they face.  It was very empowering for them.  Everyone loved it.

After church we went out for liquados which are kind of like milkshakes.  Mine was strawberry, vanilla, milk and sugar.  We sat and talked for a while.  Lourdes asked us to pray for her family.  Really there is nothing concrete in place.  At this point it is all ideas and following God's lead.  They are hoping to be in the US for the start of the next school year, God willing.

Some people have asked if this will change my plans.  I have talked to Jairo.  He said I can be safe here as long as I stick to the same schedule we have kept for the past year.  As long as I just go to the church and back. He said I cannot go into El Centro (downtown) by myself.  But I wouldn't want to go there my myself anyway.  I talked to Lourdes and she said I still have a lot to do here.  I have some more personal growth and she needs me at the Breakfast Program.  I don't have the slightest feeling that I am supposed to leave.  I feel like I am supposed to be here.  So I will stay.

Today I got more big news.  My friend Marlin is pregnant.  Customs regarding pregnancy are very different here than in the US.  Marlin went to the doctor this morning, then came to the church to work.  We knew she had been at the hospital with an upset stomach so we were praying for her.  When she arrived I went over to ask how she was doing.  She said her health was good.  It was a different thing.  I immediately knew she was going to tell me she was pregnant.  She burst into tears.  I took her into my classroom and called to Lourdes.  I was so afraid to say the wrong thing.
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Marlin has Lupus.  She has been getting stronger and stronger over the past year.  In December the doctor cut her meds in half because she is doing so well.  Her doctor said she will stay on her meds during the pregnancy.  Lourdes and I were excited for Marlin, but she is very, very scared and sad.  The pregnancy was not planned.  She was taking appropriate precautions to avoid pregnancy because the doctor told her she could die if she became pregnant.  I didn't understand that until I heard from my Mom the dangers of pregnancy and Lupus.  Now I understand why Marlin is scared.  But I have a good feeling about this and I think all I can do is listen to her fears and reassure her that everything will be fine.  I don't know what else to do.

On a much lighter note, I bought a broom for outside today.  In Honduras people wash buses constantly and clean outside of their house all of the time too.  When I lived down in the city I borrowed Fany's broom.  Here I need to clean my front steps, my laundry space, and my balcony, which are all covered in pine needles and yellowish/green pollen.  I felt like a real Honduran today with my new broom.  Walter asked me if I was flying it home.  Erik asked me how long I have lived in Honduras without a broom.  I explained I have a broom to clean inside.  He seemed very relieved to hear that.  He must have been imagining me with a filthy home.

Another way I am feeling more at home is that the kids all greet me by name now.  Lourdes has taught them to greet her each day when they come into the church.  They have to pass by the kitchen and say good morning when they arrive.  In the past I was part of "los de la cocina" (the people in the kitchen).  Lately almost all of them say hello and good bye to me by name.  They also make a point to give me a hug.  That used to be reserved only for Lourdes, so I feel very honored and loved.

I also noticed that when we leave the church I recognize kids and adults in the streets almost every day.  That is a really nice.  It's been almost a year now.  I am feeling more and more at home.

Tomorrow I have a women's bible study group.  Later this week I am going out to lunch with my friend Raquel.  Things are falling into place.

Fire Fire Everywhere and Not a Drop of Rain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday, Part 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Bed for Clara!

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

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

Don Juan unloaded the bed and supervised

Don Juan and Luis carrying the mattress

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

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

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

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

Clara prayed with tears of joy and gratitude.

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

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

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

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

Police Tape

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

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

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

Shoes held together with police tape

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

Lourdes is Back!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Perspectives

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

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

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

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

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

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

Little Update

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

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

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

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

The Burning Bed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Blanca Flor gave me a Valentines Day card today.

The front of my card

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

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

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

Today's Headlines - The Bed of Love

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

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

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

This is their house.

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


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

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

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

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

Happy day of love and friendship!

Preparing for Valentines Day

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

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

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

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

Tuesday

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

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

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

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

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

Spring has sprung

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Life on the Monkey Farm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Changes

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

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

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

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

Lorenzo is working on writing his name

Anai in her new school uniform!

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

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

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

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