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.