A Special Surprise!

It's Monday again. I like that I now have a regular schedule for each week. Last week I got a little behind in preparing for the classes and had a small panic attack before the reading/writing/math class.

Fany came over while I was in the midst of panicking and didn't seem to understand that I was really stressed out. I was running around like a maniac and she was asking me to look at her grey hairs... That almost pushed me over the edge!

Lesson learned! This week I have set aside specific hours of the day as prep time for my classes in order to avoid another panic attack. The good news is that I was actually OVER prepared last week when I felt unprepared, so that class won't need much prep time this week. It's the conduct disorder class, the club in Nueva Suyapa (where we are celebrating Father's Day!) and the sex abuse class which will need the most time this week.

My car has been in the shop more than it's been with me since the first week in February. It's back in today for an indefinite amount of time because the mechanic has to take it all apart. It's pulling to the right but the alignment is fine and it has brand new tires. He said this could be a tricky one to fix because he has no idea why it's still pulling to the right.

I told him it seems like my car likes him more than it likes me, because it sure does want to spend a lot of time with him. I asked if I should be thinking about getting another car. I am spending a lot of money and we keep discovering more problems. He said now is the time to sell this one, while it still has some value.

Last week when I went to get my car out of the shop my mechanic asked if I had a half hour to spare. I really didn't, but he said he had something he wanted me to look at. We went to an auto lot to look at used cars. There was nothing there that day, but I need to start this process again. Yuck!

Apparently these people have car lots all over Honduras, so they are going to keep an eye out for a car for me. The owner said that he would like to buy my car if I choose to sell it to him. My mechanic says he'll buy it too, depending on the price. I think I can get more money from a North American Missionary. We'll see. At least I have options, which is good.

I have to come up with $2-3000 to invest in the new car. I've been praying about it for a while. Last week I felt really stressed out about it. But this week I have peace. There is no rush and I am in good hands. God blessed me with a great mechanic who knows a lot about cars and has good connections.

It feels like a big step, and a scary one. But necessary. As a single woman in Honduras, I can't have a car that is not reliable. It is just not safe. God has kept me safe so far, but I have to do my part to and not set myself up for problems.

Speaking of seeing God's hand over me, a really cool thing happened at church yesterday. In the morning I meant to put money for the offering into my purse. As I was driving to church I realized I forgot the money. The first week of every month I also donate money to the church on behalf of a friend who supports us from the US. I felt bad for forgetting my tithe, as well as the money on behalf of the other person. My church operates on a tight budget and every penny matters.

After I got to church I decided to go through my bag and see if I had any money tucked away. I was pretty sure I had only 120 Lempiras ($6) because I have purposely been traveling with very little cash as I am entering dangerous neighborhoods so frequently these days. But I figured it wouldn't hurt to check and see.

I looked through each pocket of my backpack, and twice in the hidden zipper because sometimes in the past I have put money there. But there was nothing.

Then I searched my purse. Suddenly I noticed a zipper in my purse. I didn't remember seeing it before and don't remember using it at all. Before I opened the zipper I prayed, "God, I really need this 1,500 Lempiras for my church today." Then I opened the zipper and guess what was inside!?!!! Pennies, one quarter, some nickles from the US, but not one dollar. AND 1,500 Lempiras!!!!! Exactly! I couldn't believe it!

I've been thinking and thinking about how that money got there and I still have no idea. Obviously I used that zipper when I was in the US because of the loose change that was in there. But I don't think I've used it since I got back to Honduras, or I would have taken out the US coins.

Normally, for safety, I travel with 500 Lempiras or less. I can't imagine having put 1,500 Lemps in my bag without consciously thinking about it. It was the strangest thing! There was exactly the amount I needed for the offering, not one Lempira more and not one Lempira less.

It's so cool how God finds little ways to surprise us and to brighten our day. I had a headache yesterday morning and wasn't feeling very good. But after that nice surprise, I couldn't help but be happy. God looks after every detail for us. He will be looking over the details of my car as well. All I have to do is continue to pray for guidance.

My hope is to buy a CRV, or something similar, that's about 5 years newer than the one I own. A 2010 or 2011 would be great. I'd like something with 50-60,000 miles on it. Last year I only put 5,800 miles on my car. This year will be even less. Work is close to home and frequently I ride with security so the miles don't add up as fast.

I will post some cute photos from church yesterday, then it's time to prepare for my classes.

Oh, and if you didn't get my email last week with the newsletter, let me know. I would love to add you to the list!

My favorite photo of the day
Shoes way too big, and a little beaten up
but so white and clean!

The shoes belong to this cute face

Meet Tony. He gives the best hugs!

Hermano Ricardo praying for Pastora Ruth
before the message

Praising God

CUTENESS!
The big kids recite a verse they learned after church.
The little ones want to be like the big girls

The Treasures of the Mines

Yesterday was the first day of the class for literacy. We decided the class will be called "The Treasures of the Mines" since the place where they live is called "the mines" or "Las Minitas" and they are treasures!

First we had to carry everything up the mountain, then down the other side. We left the chalkboard at the office because we were already loaded down. I was carrying a backpack full of books that weighed over 30 pounds. The chalkboard can wait for next week.

Luis looking back down the mountain
There are a few steps here, funded by my organization,
built by Luis and his community

This is Luis. He is my only male student. He was the first to step up and say that he wanted to participate in the class, which is strange because he is very timid and shy. He seems so excited! We called to ask one of the men to come down and help us carry a table up the mountain. Although we asked for someone else, we were not surprised when Luis showed up. I followed him up the mountain with a backpack full of books. Finally he suggested I walk ahead because I kept asking him to slow down. With a table on his back, he couldn't see that he was leaving me behind!

The view Luis saw as he looked back at the city

Luis going down the back side of the mountain
Here you can see the 2 tubes that pipe water
to the back of the mountain once/month.
When the water from the city comes, they move these tubes from house to house,
filling every container they own with water to last for the month to come.

My coworker, Doña Angelica (60 yrs old), and Doña Maria (58)
carrying the chairs and dry erase board down the mountain

I can't get enough of the view from outside our classroom

Doña Angelica is my coworker. She got me all settled in. Then she took off to do home visits. When she first told me that was her plan, I felt a little nervous. I didn't want her to leave me alone. Especially since the people who trained me said that I should have an assistant. But Doña Angelica said the people would loosen up and get more comfortable if she left. She was right. For some reason they were much more relaxed when it was just me with them.

First we prayed. Let me tell you I had no problem finding someone to pray in this group! First one lady prayed. Then another lady, who is the mother of three of my students, said she really needed to pray. She said she has been praying to God for the opportunity for her kids to learn to read and write and she needs to thank Him. She said the most beautiful prayer!

Then she sat down and started to participate in the class! At the end she decided to officially join. She struggles most, but I will make an extra effort to encourage her. I hope she sticks with it. Her name is Doña Francisca. She said she doesn't know how old she is.

We started the class by talking about education and why it is important. I told them the class was initially intended to be for single women. But when Luis said he wanted to join and I saw in his eyes how excited he was, we decided to enroll the people who really want to learn. I told the ladies that one day Luis will be the head of his family. He will need to know this stuff! They all readily agreed.

It seems to be a perfect group. Doña Francisca's oldest daughter didn't come. They said she was washing clothes. Sounds like a crazy reason to miss class for you and I. But these people only get water piped in once each month. Yesterday was the day. So she had to wash while she had water coming in. Otherwise she would have to wash clothes using the water that she needs to store for the month to come.

Normally Fany and I get water from the city every 3 days. Right now it is very dry so it only comes every 2 weeks. We do the same thing as the ladies in the mountains. We drop everything and wash our clothes. Tuesday I was almost late for work because the water came at 5 a.m. and we had to do laundry. We filled the washing machines, the pilas and watered all of the plants while the water was still coming from the city. That way everything that needed water in that moment was covered and our cistern was filled for future needs.

Water day is a beautiful day in these communities. Everything is so colorful with laundry hanging everywhere!

In the morning while I was getting ready to leave, suddenly I became really nervous. I felt completely unprepared. Everything seemed wrong. I was a mess! So I sent an email out to my prayer team.

All of the way to the office and in the ride to Villa Nueva with security I kept getting messages. As Luis and I walked up the mountain he asked why my phone kept making sounds. I told him it was people praying for us. As the ladies prayed to start the class it alerted me again that I had a message. After we finished praying I told the group that I was nervous this morning (I figured they were all nervous too) and I had asked for prayer from my friends. Throughout the class more emails came.

As we did an activity where the class was drawing, I had the opportunity to read the emails to them. They were so encouraged and honored to think that people from another country were praying for them in that very moment! They felt really special. Thank you prayer team! Your prayers helped us in more ways than you ever expected!

We did an activity about what things can stand in the way of our learning. Everyone drew pictures of things that can distract them. One lady said she really likes to care for her garden, one lady said she is busy making tortillas to sell, I drew a picture of the water coming and the laundry that needs to be washed, one drew housework, Luis drew a construction project that he is working on at home.

Meet my class!
Doña Maria Virginia is 58, Maria Rosa is 45 like me, Luis is 15, his Mom Francisca (who doesn't know her age) and his sister Erika is 17. Missing is sister Nohemy (18), who was washing clothes, Olga who everyone was very silent about, and Victoria who got a job!

Our Classroom - Look! We already have a mascot!

Francisca is excited.
The opportunity she has prayed for is here!
She and her children can learn to read and write.

Luis is really shy. 
He had trouble learning in the past
but he did a great job today!

Erika got sleepy at the end.
Probably from all of the housework she does.

Doña Maria is a pillar of the community.
She sells tortillas for a living.
These are her tortillas.

Maria Rosa is a quick learner.
Her goal is to be able to read the bible.
Her job could stand in the way of attending the class.
She sweeps the streets for a living.

They had so much fun coloring in their drawings! I am going to have them draw more often. It was relaxing and enjoyable to them. Remember, most of these people never really had a childhood. They didn't go to school and began working just to survive at an early age.

After we finished the drawings we put them on the floor as landmines and had each person walk through the "field of mines" blindfolded. Then we talked more about what could keep them from being successful in class. Francisca insisted that nothing can keep any of them from success because this is God's plan. But it is good to be aware of possible obstacles in any case.

After the game we settled in for some serious studying. This program is based on phonetics, which is perfect for Spanish. The class has already learned to "read" the words 'education', 'eye' and 'one' (in Spanish). When my coworker, Doña Angelica, came back at the end of the class, she was happily surprised to see all of the progress they have made.

At the end of class we have to leave the space empty. There is no door or windows, so things could get stolen. Everyone helped pack up. Then they all gave me huge, loving hugs. They prayed blessings over me and thanked me for coming. I thanked each of them just as much. They blessed me in a way they will probably never understand.

I never take selfies, but here is one.
I wanted to remember this moment!

When it came time to meet security, Doña Angelica and I headed back down the mountain. Although I was carrying 30 pounds of books, I floated. The joy God gave me this day filled my heart to overflowing. I am so grateful for this opportunity!

I wish the class could be more than one day per week. I worry that once/week is not enough to keep them motivated and keep the information fresh in their mind.

I think this day is one I will remember for the rest of my life.

Fourth Anniversary of Serving in Honduras - Look at me now!

Just finished celebrating my 4th year of living in Honduras. Although the past year was difficult, it was totally worth every bit of struggle to arrive where I am now.

My coworkers celebrated with me. Here we are:

Abel, Jorge, me, Sandra (who runs the club with me), and Keyrin

Our friend Yesica wasn't able to come because her daughter is sick. Abel and Keyrin brought chicken wings. I cut up a bunch of fruit and we covered it in Nutella. We hung out in the garden. It's nice to have new friends who can go out and do things with me. We are planning a trip to Roatan in August!

Tomorrow I am skipping the weekly meeting and going with the psychologists to Las Minitas in Villa Nueva. We are starting a new group there for the prevention of sexual abuse. It's going to be so cool! It teaches prevention of sex abuse through song, art and games. A coworker is going to lead this group while Yesica and I observe. We believe we will be able to identify children who have been sexually abused by the way they respond to the activities. Then we can step in and begin treatment as needed.

Thursday is my first day to teach the reading, writing and math class (also in Las Minitas).

Wednesday morning is the class for kids with conduct disorder/Aspergers in the private Christian school.

Wednesday afternoon I go to the club for kids in Nueva Suyapa with Sandra. This week the club is focusing on self esteem - how we handle criticism and how our words affect others, both positively or negatively.

A year ago I never imagined I would be doing all of these cool things! I really love the way I am serving now. Not only am I able to bless others, I feel fulfilled and blessed as well.

Project with Karla

Every night I stay awake late and get up early, waiting for the water to come. It used to come every Sunday and Wednesday. Last week it came Monday and Thursday and then it never came back. Just now I had to turn off the pumps because they were pumping air. I'm guessing from the sound it's not good for them.

Hopefully tonight will be the end of my wait. I'll stay up tonight and wash everything I can wash, water all of the plants and trees, and mop the floor. This time of year we never know when or if we'll have water.

Yesterday I picked up Karla and we spent the day together. It was really nice! First we cooked lunch together. Then we sat and ate. We talked and talked about all kinds of things. She likes to talk about her Mom. We looked at photos I have of her Mom. She seems happy, not sad. She was carrying around a couple of heavy burdens, but she said God told her to share them with me. I think she felt better afterward.

I learned that she is getting paid to work with me!!!!! I'm so happy for her! I never knew. In fact, neither did she until they gave her the money! She is really happy. This money will pay her sister's college tuition each month, plus she will have a little extra to set aside.

We also talked about safety. Things seem to be getting worse everywhere. She said that the corner where I drop off and pick up Ana is now a dangerous spot. Even the most protected houses with tall, thick walls are getting broken into. She said nobody is safe in Los Pinos. But she feels God protecting her.

(Later last night, around 7:30, there was a big shoot out behind my house. I used to hear a lot of gunfire back there, but not so much lately. Before it was always at 10 p.m. or later. Last night I was messaging with my friend on Facebook. She said my area was on the news because the gangs from El Hato, the little community next door where Fany and I buy groceries, are overflowing into Villa Nueva. My little colonia sits in between El Hato and Villa Nueva. My house is on the edge of my colonia, which means the other side of the wall behind my house is El Hato. That's why I can hear the gunshots so close by.

My colonia has armed guards at every gate. It is well known in the general public that you can't get into my colonia if you don't live here. I noticed today my neighbors electrified the barbed wire fence on top of their wall. I could hear it buzzing. That was new. Anyway, I am being extra careful. I shopped in El Hato yesterday morning, but talked to a woman who works with the gangs last night and was advised not to go back there until things have calmed down. I am thankful for my tall, thick brick wall topped in barbed wire. It keeps all of the craziness out.)

Okay, so back to Karla - After talking for a few hours, we got to work on her English project. She had to interview an English speaking person and video tape it for her teacher. We've been working on it over the phone for a while, but it still needed some fine tuning.

In the end, it turned out great! We pretended that she was sitting in the park, reading a book, and she was interviewing people who walked by. So I walked by and she called me over to sit down. Jetty even had a role. She tried to send me a copy of the video, but it didn't all copy for some reason and it's too big to download.

Here's a funny outtake from while we were practicing. She was supposed to stop me as I walked around the corner, but she was too busy pretending to read and she let me walk right by. We think it's hilarious. It may not be as funny to you. At least it will give you an idea of what we were doing.

I sent Karla home with a bunch of clothes I never wear and some food left over from the party on Tuesday.

My coworkers want to celebrate my four year anniversary with me! It is this Monday, and since we don't have to work they suggested last night that we should get together. I wanted to celebrate, but I am very low on money due to all of my car issues. If I invited most of my friends (outside of work friends) I would have to pay for them and their family. So I thought a party was not within my budget this year. I was content with the celebration for Abel and Keyrin on Tuesday. It will be an extra bonus if we can get together again Monday.

Today I have to get in some bible study. Then I am going over to Molly's house. Molly cares for two Honduran kids. Since I used to work with her last year, they got used to having me around. When we shared a room at a retreat last month I realized they actually missed me. I thought about the fact that I shouldn't just disappear from their lives now that I have another job. They have had enough people disappear - like their mother and father and siblings. The least I can do is show up and let them know they are important to me.

We are having lunch and then playing some games. Anderson is sick with a cold, so we can't go to the park as we'd planned. But that is fine. I may even get lucky and be able to wash a load of clothes there. We'll see...

My Pastor invited me to go to an island down South with him on Friday. It is supposed to be beautiful, but I feel very unsettled about the idea. I've been praying about it, asking God why I feel so ill at ease. I don't get opportunities like this often, so I really want to go. But unless things change I think I shouldn't. I'll keep praying about it.

My First Real Party

Against all odds, my party was a great success!

I was a little nervous. It's the first time that I've hosted people on my own. In the past I've invited Ana and her family or Erika and her siblings to my house. But really nobody else has been here and Fany always helped. So this was a first.

It's been raining since I woke up yesterday. We planned the party for late afternoon because it's been unbearably hot every day. Today everyone came in jackets and sweaters.

I got up early to clean the yard. In Honduras, the outside of your car is supposed to be kept perfectly clean at all times. Same with the outside of your house. So I was cleaning the yard, scrubbing the oil stains out of the driveway, pulling weeds, scrubbing the patio and sweeping the sidewalk at 8:30 a.m. Of course by the time my guests came in the afternoon, it was full of leaves and fallen flower petals again. Luckily, my guests didn't seem to notice or care.

Every single person who was invited showed up. I was surprised. One girl is new to our team and another has family in the hospital. But they still came.

First there was no water, then I realized that all of the chairs which usually are in the yard had disappeared, then the power went out. It fluctuated between sprinkles and rain the whole time. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but we had a great time!

Everyone made themselves at home, which was nice. I played host, but it was because I wanted to. Not because I had to run around waiting on everyone.

We barbequed beef, pork and sausage. There was rice, beans, chismol, cheese and plantanos. Plus a FANTASTIC desert, which I don't know how to describe except it was very Easterish. It was like a layer of flan on top of tres leches cake with raisins. It was very light, juicy and delicious!

We were a diverse group. Some people were young, just finishing their internship from college. Others are close to my age and have been working at the organization for many years.

Everyone brought something. I contributed the beans. We all chipped in on the meat.

We celebrated the end of two internships, one birthday, and my four year anniversary. We laughed a lot and joked around. We are already looking forward to the next opportunity to get together.

The food is ready!

On the left is the lady who directs my club with me

Steps

Last night I talked to Karla. She needs some help with an English project this week, so I got her started on it. We will meet later this week to finish.

Karla has taken the first steps to starting her own business. She was able, on her own, to get the supplies and help she needed to build steps to the room where she will have the photocopier.

New Steps!

Karla is hoping to open her business the second week in April. She doesn't have a photocopier yet, but she is saving money now to buy some basic supplies that the kids here need for school. Things that the kids with no money have to buy all of the time for their school projects. Things we never need in the US, but they are costly and required here. She is going to start out selling those things until she can get a photocopier.

Karla was happy to hear that Erika's sister, Kenya, enjoyed attending Karla's club yesterday. She said Kenya was very attentive and fully participated in everything. Karla and I hope this will be a stepping stone to get Kenya back on track.

I talked to Karla about how impressed I was with our coworkers this week. While I was out with coworkers doing home visits on Friday we had a lot of work to do in limited time. But we went out of our way to go house to house and talk to the kids who haven't shown up for the club.

I think it is amazing that we are actually hunting the kids down, talking with neighbors and family, trying to get the kids to attend. Most of the kids who aren't coming to their clubs are the kids who could easily be considered "a lost cause". They aren't going to school. They don't seem to care about their future. They are not very respectful. They are the toughest to deal with. When they do show up they can be disruptive to the whole club. Yet my coworkers are out searching for the very kids who make their jobs tougher because they know those are the kids who need the club most. To them, NOBODY is a lost cause.

I am older than many of my coworkers, but I want to be like them. I want to think like them. I don't want to ever label a kid as too far gone. I don't want to avoid serving them because they are hard to deal with. I want to seek them out, show them love, make them know they are important, and serve them well. Just like my coworkers.

Car Maintenance

Yesterday I finally had new tires put on my car. I've been driving since at least Sunday with a huge hole in one tire. Praise God it didn't explode, and that I am able to ride most places with security so I don't drive as much anymore.

Yesterday morning I asked Fany if she thought the tire place would be packed after work. This week everyone is on vacation and they all leave the city to go to the beach or visit family in the country.

I said, "Fany, do you think everyone will be at the tire shop buying new tires so they can travel for Semana Santa?"

Fany laughed. She said, "Mary Lynn, you know that we don't think about our tires until they are already flat and we are stuck on the side of the road."

She's right, I thought. But I called the shop just in case. It was empty. I got my new tires with no wait.

Today I took the car to the mechanic because even with the new tires, it was pulling to the right. It was just aligned a couple of weeks ago. He took the car out for a drive and confirmed it was pulling to the right. I told him about my conversation with Fany. We noticed three cars broken down on the side of the road, one with an obviously messed up tire. Two more cars were driving on a big highway with their flashers on, going only about 20 mph.

He said that yesterday at 4 pm a lady called and was obviously trying to butter him up. She told him that her kids had their suitcases packed and her grandkids were already in their bathing suits. He told her, "How nice! Are you inviting me to go on vacation with you?"  She wanted him to take a quick look at her car before they left.

He said, "No, I don't have time. I have cars here that I've been working on all week." She thought he was joking. He assured her he was not joking and told her that he didn't even want to see her car because if anything DID go wrong with it, she had not left time for him to fix it, and he did not want to be responsible if it broke down while they were traveling. She was angry.

He said to me, "She should have checked her car before she packed her bags and let the grandkids put on bathing suits." I told him that's how I was raised.

I took my car to him two Mondays ago because I knew this week would be busy and next week everything will be closed for Semana Santa. He appreciates the way I take care of my car, although he does make fun of me a little, in a joking way, for keeping it so clean.

However, if my car were broken down on the side of the road I know that he would come and take care of it because he knows that I do everything I can to keep my car running right. For people who only call after they are packed and ready to leave on vacation he has much less patience.

Today is the first day of vacation. Since everyone travels, we don't have work again until next Tuesday! Things run a little slower in Honduras. Semana Santa ends Sunday, but people need that extra day to get themselves, and their cars, home.

On a separate note, somehow I have fleas. Thursday they bit me 28 times on one shoulder. Last night they bit my leg and back. The cat doesn't have fleas, but I do. And the diarrhea is lingering. I took a pill that gets rid of parasites. Ana says her whole family has diarrhea so now I think it's a bug. Normally my stomach is strong as iron, but I must admit this has thrown me for a loop.

And one last thing - Erika called this afternoon. The baby is constipated and didn't poop for 4-5 days. The doctor told her this is normal, but Erika is worried. (Good for her!) She also said that her 13 year old sister who dropped out of school did go to Karla's club today. Not only that, she had a good time and plans to go back. That made my day. At least Kenya will be involved in one positive activity. One step at a time...

Preventing Sexual Abuse

Thursday at the retreat one of the psychologists asked if I would like to be involved in a project about prevention of sexual abuse. How could I say no to that? (Although in the retreat when we were talking about each other's strengths and weaknesses, my coworkers said that I need to learn to say no because that is one of my weaknesses.) The psychologist said they are doing group therapy with all of the kids in the project, 10 at a time, so she could use my help. The goal is to teach prevention, but also to evaluate which kids are already victims of sex abuse.

Friday morning I got an earlier ride up to the community where I am now working most of the time. (The only time I am now in the other community is for the reading/writing/math class.) I've been traveling a lot with security which is good because my car has been messed up for seven weeks now. We reviewed the program and talked about how we will start using it. We start immediately after Semana Santa.

It is an extra cool program because it is done through play, art and music. None of it is lectures. I think the kids will love it and should open up in ways they never did before. It is called "Sex Abuse Prevention: Playing Can Strengthen Us For Difficult Situations".

I am really excited to be part of this project and honored that my coworkers thought of me for this. It is a program that originated in Argentina. We are the first to use it in Honduras!

At 10:30 we all gathered and went out into the community. One of the younger mentors is starting his own club. He needed help getting the information from each of the families he will serve. So the psychologist and I divided our coworkers into two groups and went house to house doing interviews with the parents. Part of the survey is supposed to only be done by a psychologist, so they were happy to have me along.

In the end I got back just in time to meet up with security for my ride home. It was a productive and fun day. I love being out in the community and am eager to put to use my experience in psychology. This is all stuff that leaves my heart full at the end of the day.

Crossing the Sea

Thursday we all met at the office and were transported to a tourist resort where we enjoyed a day of workshops.

In the morning we learned how to assess the communities in order to evaluate if our program can be effective there. It was interesting.

In the afternoon the social workers set up a bunch of activities for us to show us how we should approach the families and emphasize that everyone has something important to contribute, no matter who they are or where they come from. We did some team building activities and games to demonstrate that each person plays an important role.

Afterward we had a little celebration for the social workers and the psychology student who are now completing their internship with us. They have been with my organization for a year, so I only know my workplace with them in it. I can't imagine us without them. They have organized some really amazing things which I have had the honor to take place in this year. They will be missed!

Next week we are on vacation all week for Semana Santa, so I offered to throw a little going away party for them at my house. I rarely invite people over, so this will be a big deal for me. There are only nine of us. but I am already preparing.

Crossing a shark and alligator infested sea

Impacto Juvenil (Youth Impact)

Such Bravery

Wednesday was a super fun day. In the morning I did home visits with one of my coworkers. We had to visit the family of each kid in his club. We sat down with each parent and filled out a form about how the child is doing physically, emotionally and educationally. I had to be there because part of it needed to be completed by someone with a degree in psychology.

It was interesting to spend the day in the neighborhood where my club is, getting to know the people and my coworkers better. The person I did visits with that morning is someone who is very active in the community. I have always admired him, but never really talked with him personally. Even in his free time he is out on the streets making sure things are going as they should.

Last week, after five years of volunteering, he was officially given a part time paid position with the organization where I volunteer. I watched him fill out his schedule in the past. I thought he was paid full time, when in fact he was a volunteer. I remember the week that I was being nosey his schedule said that he worked seven days per week and was only free on Tuesday morning.

Last week I observed the same with another coworker. She is paid for part time work, but according to her schedule and what I observe, she works more than full time hours.

My coworkers are dedicated to our organization and to bettering their communities. I have a lot of respect for them. There is no such thing as 9-5 for them. They serve 7 days/week and are available to the people they serve almost every waking minute. Literally. Most of their houses are open as gathering places for the kids and graduates of their clubs. Sometimes they complain about it. But mostly they don't.

We only made 4 home visits on Wednesday morning because they were spread all over. We spent hours climbing up and down steep mountain paths. It's been hotter than ever lately. Even at night it doesn't cool down. I put on sunblock, put on a baseball cap (that's what people do here when it's sunny) and enjoyed my day but I was extra grateful for a shower that night. I drank two liters of water before noon and never urinated once all day. Sorry if that was TMI, but that's how hot it is!

I was a little nervous because since Sunday I had been suffering from diarrhea. I couldn't eat, but somehow the diarrhea still came. Thankfully, it didn't strike while I was out doing home visits.

It was interesting to see the different kinds of parents. Some parents have a lot of kids and remember every detail about every one. Other parents seem to have no clue how their kids feel or what they are up to.

The home that struck me most was a single mother. She lives in a tiny shack made of tin roofing with barbed wire strung around most of it. When we approached she came out of her house cleaning her hands. She had been making tortillas.

A little girl with a pretty braid in her hair was clinging to her mother's leg. Her face was covered in something red, maybe tomato sauce. She was sucking on an ear of corn. She was just learning how to talk. It's interesting to see when people take the time, in the midst of such deep poverty, to put braids in their little girls' hair.

My coworker told me he had been trying to get the son of this lady to come to the club for years. Finally he is coming. He is in extremely high risk of falling into dangerous activities. According to the interview, the mother said that as of yet, he is still just playing soccer. She believes he is not yet involved with gang members or people who use/sell drugs.

The mother explained that he never finished first grade although she put him in classes, his father's family enrolled him in classes and his grandparents have enrolled him. She said her son is very rebellious and has never been successful in school. It is not clear if it is a learning or behavioral problem.

The mother is 43 years old, almost my age, and pregnant with her 7th child. Very pregnant. She has never had medical care because she can't leave her home unattended or it will be robbed. Also she can't afford to go to the doctor.

There is no income in the home. We never did figure out how they live. That was the only time she didn't answer us directly. I figured the father of the baby who is not yet born was providing for them. But my coworker asked the right questions and we learned that my assumption was wrong. I admire the way my coworker asked tough questions in a direct, but kind way. He asked if the father of the baby is providing for the family. No, she said. He is in jail. He was abusive to me and I pressed charges.

I almost fainted. Here is a woman, 8 months pregnant with no way to provide for her family, and she has the guts to press charges against the father of the unborn child. What a strong lady. Most Honduran women don't even know that they have a right to press charges. Even if they know their rights, most will never assert them. They know too often the police don't do their job, and may even protect the offender.

My coworker and I both told her how brave she is and how much we respect what she did. But in the end our admiration doesn't put food in their bellies.

I will never forget that lady. Still, today, I find myself thinking of her often.

After we left my coworker told me that he has been wanting to talk with her for a long time because all of the neighbors have talked to him about her. They said she was being physically abused and threatened.

Seeing how tiny their home is made it more real. Her son who is now in the club told my coworker a man came every night and raped his mother. Now we know that the boy must have had to see and hear everything. How horrible. The boy said he couldn't take it any more, and one night he got up and punched the man. The man always threatened to kill the family. We are hoping it is not to late to find a better path for this young man and his family.

That afternoon another coworker and I led our club of kids for the second time. She found out just before the club started that her husband was one of the 2000 people who lost their jobs that day. He worked for the state doing traffic stuff. My other coworker's uncle as also let go after 30 years of service there. None of them will be paid and there was no advanced warning. It was very sad.

Despite the heavy weight on my coworker's shoulders, we had a great time in the club. This week we talked about dreams. Kids who live in extreme poverty never learn to dream. They believe they have no control over their future and that they will struggle to get by, just as their parents do. On Wednesday we helped them learn to dream. Many want to be teachers, doctors, or police. We talked about Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks as examples of people who dreamed of a better world and took action to make a difference.

We had to explain a lot about racial discrimination because these kids are all the same - brown. At their age I don't think they have much experience with different races. Except me. I am an oddity to them. But in a good way, because they all think it is amazing and good to speak English.

At the end of the day I was supposed to go to intercession at my church. But I got out of work late and there were protests, so I called Pastora Ruth and told her I couldn't make it. The most famous Honduran environmental activist was murdered a few weeks ago and a man related to her was killed right afterward. People were protesting that, as well as the closing of the Transit Authority. I was also driving around with a big hole in the side of my tire. All in all, it was best for me to stay home that night.

Capacitación

Tuesday I started the training to teach reading and writing in Spanish. It was very interesting. They developed a curriculum specifically for the population I will teach. It is based on phonetics, which works perfectly for the Spanish language. I learned that my boss is the person who created the program. I think it's great and can see how it should work really well. It's practical and gets straight into the things they need to know.

I almost didn't receive the training Tuesday because some man, a head honcho I am sure, was in town from Sweden. I think he used to be my boss's boss when she worked developing this curriculum. He came into the room where I was learning and said that he had heard all about me. He said that really it would be best if people from within the community are the ones to give this class because missionaries always burn out and leave the people hanging. He said that happens all of the time in the jail communities they serve, so they started training the inmates instead of sending someone in from the outside. I am sure he is right, but it wasn't too encouraging.

I left the training with all of the materials and resources I need to start the class. If I have any questions the people who taught me are really sweet and will help in any way they can. I feel confident I am set up for success as a teacher of reading and writing in Spanish. I was wishing the class could start right away, instead of waiting until after Semana Santa.

My mechanic and I spent the afternoon looking for tires for my truck. Half of Honduras have the same exact vehicle, but my mechanic spent all day Monday and we spent half of Tuesday looking for tires. They don't seem to exist here.

I ended up buying a different size than the manufacturer's specs. But the mechanic said they would work. They didn't have them in stock, but I got a good price ($300 for all four instead of $500-600 which is what we had seen at all of the other shops). Friday I went back and got them put on the truck.

I asked Fany on Friday morning if she thought the tire shop would be packed with people buying tires for their Semana Santa trips. She laughed and said, "No Mary Lynn. Nobody here thinks about their tires until they are on the side of the road with a flat." She was right. There was no line at the tire shop.

Tuesday afternoon I found the banana bread lady. I asked how her father is doing. She said she missed four days of work, but it was not because of her father. It was because her 16 year old daughter keeps passing out every day at school. She took her daughter to the hospital and they said she needs to see a specialist. There is nothing they can do without the specialist. However, there are no appointments with the specialist until July!

I asked if she considered going to a different hospital. She said yes, she would go on Friday to a different hospital because her daughter is passing out every single day. She believes and was told it is something neurological. I told her I would pray. The girl's name is Gisell.

Monday

My internet has been down and I have not been home for them to come fix it. So I was unable to post from my computer this week.

Monday my coworker and I climbed to the top of Villa Nueva, then went over the back of the mountain to find a tiny spot hidden away from the rest of the world. That is where my boss wants me to teach reading and writing.

My coworker believed there was really only one person interested in the class. She had raised the idea several times but people always had excuses for why they couldn't attend the class. We expected the trip was a formality in order for our boss to realize her idea wasn't going to work.

Here are two photos from the top of the mountain. One is looking backward, toward Los Pinos. The second is a photo of what I saw when I got to the top and looked over the other side. It was quite surprising!

Looking back

Looking ahead

There are only about 8 houses back here. Until very recently they didn't have electricity. They still don't have running water.

The first house we visited started out just as expected. The lady said she could never learn because she banged her head and can't retain anything. I told her there is no pressure. We just wanted to give her the opportunity, but if she didn't want to that's fine. Then her daughter poked her head out. She didn't seem interested either. Nobody in the house (nobody I talked to all day) had finished first grade.

This lady said she bumped her head and can't learn
You can see her house is very humble

The woman said she wished her son would come home because she would like him to study. But he was out running errands and she had no idea when he'd get back. I told her if God wanted her son to be in the class, he would get home before we left. A couple minutes later everyone looked behind me with excitement. Her son walked in the door!

She took him into the house and talked to him. He came out looked at me. He is very timid and a little slow intellectually. I asked if he would like to learn to read and write. He said yes quietly but eagerly, with a gleam of excitement in his eyes. It was clear the desire was there.

That was a pivotal moment for me. That gleam in his eye changed everything. There were people who wanted to learn! He was clearly one. And from that moment on I became eager to teach him.

I thought back to what my boss had said. We needed at least 5 people in order to justify me climbing the mountain and teaching the class. When I first climbed the mountain, if I am honest, I have to say I was hoping we would not get five people to commit. I know another community that is more accessible and has more people who have asked for someone to teach them to read and write. I really wanted to teach them. But after seeing the look in that boy's eye, my attitude changed. Even though he was only one person, I wanted to make sure he had an opportunity to learn.

As we all celebrated the fact that God had brought Luis home in time to sign up, his sisters started to get excited too. By the time we left the house, the two sisters were on the list. My coworker had them make a commitment to God that they would attend 12 classes. The mother made a commitment to God that she would make sure they went.

My first students:

The second house we visited was a 58 year old lady who is one of the founders of the community. She gave the land to our project for our gathering spot.

This is where the classes will be held. It's a very peaceful setting.

She initially said she didn't want to attend the class. Everyone has an excuse. Her's was that her left forearm was injured. When my coworker pointed out that the lady is right handed she still wasn't interested. Once again, I told her we were not there to pressure her. In fact we only want people who are truly motivated on their own. If this class didn't interest her, that is fine.

We were about to leave when suddenly her facial expression changed. I think it had to be God, because she didn't respond to any of our words. She wouldn't even open the gate and let us in. But after her facial expression changed she asked me to sign her up. So I did! She said she will make a commitment to attend 12 classes, and we will reassess at that point.

Then we found a lady with a small child. She said she has to work and can't get home in time for the class. But in the end she too decided that she could get home by the time the class starts. So she asked me to sign her up. She said she will be really happy to sign her name on her checks. She is afraid that someone could steal her pay as long as she is signing with a thumb print. (Remember none of these people can write their full name. A few can write their first name. Most sign with a thumb print.)

Then we climbed up a steep, skinny trail to houses built on top of a huge rock. There we were not well received. We climbed through a barbed wire fence to a house of two ladies and a young girl. One lady said that she would like to attend. She had her hair wrapped in mud or kind of wet muddy mixture. I think it must have been a lice treatment. I'm not sure. The dirty stuff kept falling into her face, but she acted like it wasn't there, so I did too.

On our way out we signed up a 15 year old girl with a baby. She wasn't going to attend because her family was very negative about it. But then she heard that the young boy and his sisters signed up. She is a good buddy of one of the sisters. So she decided she wants to take the class too.

She lives in a place that has mud blocks about chest high. What is finished so far is very nice. It was a new experience for me to see someone living in a house with no roof and only half of the walls.

By the time we left we were surprised. Seven people were on our list! Since then, the lady with the headwrap got a job. So I think we will only have six. Four are teens and two are older ladies.

This week is Semana Santa (Holy Week). In Honduras the whole world travels for Holy Week and everything is closed. Even the hospitals barely have staff. I have put a ton of money into my car and it seems never ending, so I will not be traveling this week.

Next week the reading and writing class will begin. We are all very excited!

Erika's New Relationship

I forgot to share something really important in the earlier post! Like, REALLY important!!

It appears God has done some major work in Erika since the last time I saw her. Erika has suddenly developed a relationship with God!

I noticed it first in her conversation. She referred to God several times more than usual.

(Many Hondurans refer to God, but often it's just a manner of speech without significance. That's what Erika has always done. If you ask how she is she always responds "Good, thanks to God." If you say I'll see you tomorrow people commonly answer, "God willing." It's just what you are supposed to say here.)

Today Erika said she is going to an overnight vigil Friday, and she just went to one last week. Erika never went to vigils before.

As soon as she got me alone, she was really excited to share a story with me. She said the church was teaching about spiritual gifts. Erika said wasn't sure what gifts God has given her. She believed she had none. But the person teaching said that she should pray and ask God what are her gifts. At the time, Erika wasn't hopeful.

Then Saturday, a rim from a car tire (which was inside her parents' house for some reason) fell on Marjory's foot. It was a pretty bad injury.

Erika said that night she put her hand on Marjory's foot and prayed. She said she declared that it would be healed by morning. It was!

That made Erika realize she had also prayed over her boyfriend's ankle, and God healed that as well. The next morning he walked like nothing ever happened.

Erika said when she realized she does have a gift - the gift of healing - it brought her to tears. Her boyfriend came home to find her crying. When he asked why she told him she was very grateful to be blessed with the gift of healing.

He laughed and told her, "So, you're not going to church just to show your face any more?"

Erika admitted that in the past, that's what she did. But now, she believes in God! And she knows He has given her an amazing gift.

I can't tell you how happy this makes me! This is a huge answer to prayer! Erika has a relationship with God. I also love that she is excited to share the news with me. I feel really hopeful for her future. Two babies before she reaches 18 years old is not an ideal situation. It's really tough. But Erika has made big strides. I can't wait to talk to her more about this.

Knowing

At church today the six of us who were chosen, finished a class in "co-pastoring", which basically means that we were trained to step up and help lead the church.

Pastora Ruth said that before we can move forward we need to KNOW that we were called to fulfill this role, so it would be a time of prayer.

First, Pastora Ruth talked to us about the way God called her to be a Pastora. It was insane - her path was SO SO identical to mine. The way the enemy worked against her, the way people were hurtful, the way she felt alone, but sure of God's calling. It was like hearing my own story, only with different characters. I couldn't believe it. Every word she said, I wanted to say, "That happened to me!"

At the very beginning of the class I said to myself, I know in my head that I am called to do this. God has told Pastora Ruth and Pastor Paysen that I am called to pastor people as well. (I don't mean preach, I mean care for people - however that may be.) I knew in my head that I was called. But I asked God to show me in my heart and soul that I was truly called, so I would be sure.

In the end, God spoke to me really clearly. Pastora Ruth saw it happening. She stopped the class and said, "Mary Lynn, receive what God has for you." They prayed over me for a couple of minutes.

As they prayed over me I received a word. I always receive one word and then I have to pray about that word and ask God what he is talking about. Today He gave me the word "KNOW."

So I prayed as they prayed over me and I asked God, "What? Know what? What do you want me to know?"

Turned out, He just wanted me to KNOW. To be sure, that I am called. He was telling me to KNOW it. Not to doubt, or question, or wonder, or think, but to know.

So now I know! I am called to co-pastor with Pastora Ruth and Pastor Paysen! How exciting!!

To me that means to be a support system to them, and to reach out to members of our church as I am called or assigned by them. Obviously always under their authority and with their permission.

I imagined I would be the last of my group to know. I always expect myself to be the weakest and the worst. I never imagined I'd be so confident and sure of my calling! I think I was more sure than almost everyone else. Not that that makes me better than them, it just is unusual. It tells me that I am growing and becoming more confident and relying more on my faith in God.

At noon I picked up Karla from college and we went out to lunch. We've been trying to see each other for a few weeks, but my car is always in the garage. I finally got it back last night, and have to take it back in tomorrow because I ruined a tire in Los Pinos today. But at least I got to see Karla and Erika and Kenya and Lorenzo and the new baby. That was nice!

Karla and I talked to Kenya about getting back into school and about joining Karla's group at Impacto Juvenil, the place where I serve. Kenya said she will do both. But we'll see.

Lorenzo sat playing with the calculator on my phone. I asked him what 6 plus 9 is. He didn't know. He figured out how to type it into the calculator with some help. He doesn't know how to write numbers in the hundreds. He's eleven years old. Poor, sweet, sweet boy. He says he wants to be a police man.

Erika's baby has a ton of hair! Erika is funny. I like being around her in that setting - with her sister and Karla. Erika is more relaxed and I can see more of the real Erika.

As I dropped them off at home with a loaf of homemade banana bread, she said her mother wanted to know if I had any toothbrushes for the boys. A year ago I gave them toothbrushes because Erika saw that I had a couple and told me that nobody in her family had one. I'm guessing those are pretty beaten up by now.

Karla is doing really well, although she says that it is getting harder to live without her mother, not easier. She says she keeps waiting for the day that it doesn't get harder. But she misses talking with her mom about everything. She misses having someone ask where she is going and what time she will be home. She misses her mother's smile and the way her mother drove her nuts teasing her. But she doesn't stay sad long. She says she has a lot of support from her family. Uncles are making sure they have everything they need. There was food in the fridge. (I checked.)

I told her anytime she needs to talk, I am here. She said she appreciates that because she knows I will listen without judging. She gave Erika and Kenya a HUGE, HUGE box of clothes. It was so heavy, they could barely get it down Karla's steep steps. We loaded it into my truck and drove it to their house. Their father had to come and help carry it from the car down the goat path to their house.

I told them now all of Los Pinos will be talking about me giving them clothes, which is not a good thing. But I couldn't deny them a ride home. Now if they only had toothbrushes.

Gabriela Stephany

Check out that hair!

Have you seen the Banana Bread Man?

I was just sitting here chatting with Karla and Erika via messages and watching some garbage on Lifetime when a cool ad caught my eye. It was in Spanish about saying NO to corruption.

I thought, "Wow! That's cool!" It was really well done. At the end the logo for the place where I serve flashed across the screen! It was done by the people I work with!

Last week I was driving on the main highway (El Anillo) when I noticed two huge billboards also against corruption which my organization did. I'll take a photo of the billboards this week.

Today I got my car back again. I hope this will hold up for a while.

I made three loaves of banana bread and tried to deliver one loaf to the lady who gave me all of the free bananas, but she wasn't there. All of the other vendors are as concerned as I am. She and her father work there every day. I am afraid her father may have died. He's been sick a lot, but she still works if he's sick. So, if neither of them are there on a busy Saturday we have reason to be concerned.

I hope they are busy celebrating some positive event.

Lately I've noticed that people I always thought would be part of my life are fading away. I feel like I am doing my best to maintain contact. At one point I thought maybe I was sending too many emails, so I've cut back to when exciting things happen. But it seems like only a couple of people still really care about what and how I'm doing. It's disappointing. But I guess it's a fact of life.

I am trying to focus on being grateful for the people who DO maintain contact despite their busy lives. If you are reading this, then you are certainly one of those people, so thank you. I am grateful for you and thankful that you are in my life!

Free Banana Bread

Yesterday afternoon I learned that today's workshop was cancelled and was able to set up a vet appointment. Since Jetty has been drinking more frequently and longer, eating more, and losing weight, I have been worried about diabetes or kidney failure. When she went to the vet Tuesday, he thought the same and wanted blood tests.

He thought he would have to use anesthesia to draw blood. I asked him to please try without anesthesia. He did it and never even shaved a patch of fur. Not sure how he pulled that one off. Honduran cat owners don't like their cats shaved, so he has figured out a way to find a vein through the fur.

This morning as I dropped Jetty off and was walking out of the vet's office, I had the worst feeling. I thought maybe it was the last time I would see her without the heavy burden of knowing she was seriously ill.

When I got home I walked in the door. It struck me that she wasn't here to meet me. She always runs to the door. I was scared this lonely feeling might be my new reality soon.

A couple of hours later, I got the call that I could pick her up. The doctor didn't need to use anesthesia. He came out into the waiting room to get me. Normally an assistant brings me in, so I assumed something was wrong when I saw him.

He said good morning and I couldn't speak to respond. He looked at my face and said, "Don't be scared. It's good news." I was still nervous. We went into the back and he sat down and showed me the blood work results. Everything is perfect. Jetty is turns nine years old this month. She was very sickly as a kitten. She's got messed up hips and a constant rash on her nose so the fur won't grow there. Her eyes cross in a strange way every now and then. But otherwise, she is super healthy!

I am so happy! And relieved!! I prayed and prayed about this and God answered every prayer. It seems like Jetty still has many years left with us.

My car, on the other hand, is still messed up. There's a new spot where oil has leaked onto the garage floor. The car is going back into the garage tomorrow. At least I got to use it today to get that bloodwork out of the way.

I have seen some funny things on El Anillo lately that I keep meaning to tell you about.

The first was two days ago. A man whose legs ended at his knees was riding downhill full speed in his wheelchair. He was going so fast I was amazed the wheelchair could hold up. Two tractor trailers led the long line of cars who were lined up in two lanes of traffic behind him. I am not sure how a man in a wheelchair got into that position, holding up traffic in the middle of a two lane highway. Only in Honduras.

This morning on the way home from the vet both lanes of traffic came to a stop. I looked around expecting another wheelchair. Instead, there were three horses casually wandering around on the highway. Craziness! I tried to get a photo, but my phone camera didn't work.

Tonight I invited my new North American neighbors to walk over to El Hato with me. They have never been there before. It was HOT out today, so we waited until 5 p.m. There was surprisingly little traffic. I showed them my cheese place, tortilla place, avocado place, banana and pineapple place, and the lady who sells me a garbage cans for my church. The lady at the avocado place had a bunch of overripe bananas. She gave me about 30 bananas for free. I told her I'll bring her some banana bread on Saturday. The other vendors are envious of the deal she has with me. We think it's a great deal for both of us - free bananas in exchange for banana bread!