Yellow eyes

Today did not go as expected.  The lawyer we are working with is not the best communicator.  He told me to come to his office with 400 Lempiras ($15) because he had my residency card there.  We got there and he had no residency card.  Then he wanted $350 for his final payment.  He took us to the Dept of Immigration where he talked to a couple people so we got to cut the line, which was short, and I got my passport back.  I filled out the paperwork for my residency.  They charged me another chunk of money which was not 400 Lempiras, and told me I will get my residency card in a month.  He also didn't tell me to bring a copy of my passport, so poor Walter had to run all over looking for a photocopy machine to make a copy of my passport.  I have copies in the church, at my house, and at the lawyer's office that we could have brought.

He kept telling Walter to tell me to calm down.  He said I was too nervous.  I told him I am not nervous, I am excited!  Then he kept talking to Walter instead of to me.  Walter told the lawyer that he is only riding with me, he has no idea what is going on.  Even when I gave the guy $350 he said thank you to Walter.  He never acted this way when I visited him with Jairo.  If you ever want a recommendation for who NOT to get as a lawyer in Honduras, call me.

The lady at the Department of Immigration was really sweet.  I was glad I have a year of living here under my belt because I had to fill out a lot of paperwork and she had to ask me a bunch of questions.  I would have struggled a year ago, but today went smooth until we got to the information about me.  She asked my height.  I said, "Uh oh, I only know in feet."
She said that's fine - she had a conversion chart.  Then she said, "And your eyes are...  yellow???"
I said, "Well sometimes they are green, depending on what I wear, but you should put brown."  She seemed very confused.  It takes little things like that, or this photo, to remind me that I am not the same as everyone else in Honduras.  It is a new, strange experience to be a minority.

In the states people think I have dark skin.
But I look pretty white in Honduras.

The computers were really slow so the lady and I talked while she did my finger prints and inputted some stuff.  She asked if I like it here and I told her I really do.  She asked what I am doing and I explained the Breakfast Program.  She said she was sad to say this, but she is glad that missionaries are here because she has seen too many local people sell food that is supposed to be used for kids.  She loved hearing about the Breakfast Program and said that she wanted me to tell my story to her boss because he could speed up the process of getting my residency card.  I said sure!  He didn't seem as impressed as she was, but he stamped my paper and told me to come back in 12 days, my card will be ready.

Last night Karla invited me to come to her house Saturday night and spend the night.  Adults spending the night at other people's homes is more common here.  I was excited and told her we could celebrate my residency, since I expected it to be official today.  I am still excited to spend time with Karla and Jose.  It is important that I reach out and broaden my support system since Jairo and Lourdes plan to move to the US.

On Sunday I told Ethel, the leader of the church elders, that I thought Jairo had probably already told her, but I wanted her to hear from my mouth that I am staying in Honduras.  She asked how long I plan to say.  I told her I can't really say.  She asked if it would be indefinitely.  I said yes, indefinitely.  She said until God tells me I should be somewhere else.  I think she was pleased.

It is pouring outside.  Better go make dinner before the power goes out.  Monday night it went out about 9 pm and was still out when I went to the church the next morning.  Men were everywhere working on the lines as I drove down into the city.  Seemed like every third pole had downed lines.  Welcome to the rainy season in Honduras!