Simplicity and Gratitude

I wondered yesterday, if maybe I might get a "case of the Fridays" like others get a case of the Mondays.  We pulled away from the church and I missed the kids already.  We hadn't even left the gates.

Lourdes is concerned because Marlin is talking about looking for a job.  We really need Marlin at the breakfast program.  She runs the kitchen.  I want what is best for Marlin, but I would really miss her if I didn't see her every day.  We are very close friends.  She loves me and I love her.  I love her kids too.  I hope there is a way that she can provide for her family and still be at the breakfast program every day.  Or at least most days.  Or some days?

Lourdes told me yesterday that I am a good teacher.  A week and a half ago we learned about circles in preschool.  Yesterday someone handed Violet a ball and she said very clearly "Circulo!"  A ball was one of the things we had used as an example of circles in the classroom, but Lourdes didn't know that.  Violet is only 2 years old.  Lourdes said, "See, the kids are learning.  You are a good teacher!"

Lately I have been really, really happy.  And very content.  Contentment is a feeling I have not felt much in my life.  I think that is mostly because of my biological make-up.  Since I was young I have times of happiness, but never this much consistent joy and contentment.  I do miss my family and I miss friends in the US.  But there is nowhere I would rather be right now than here, in Honduras.

Jetty is struggling a little.  She has suddenly begun to have hairballs.  Probably from the heat here.  I read about hairballs on the internet and gave her some pumpkin to help loosen her stool, as well as some vasoline to help the hairballs pass through.  She was lethargic for a few hours after taking the "meds", but she vomited a hairball and now she seems to be back to normal.  I'll give her some more tomorrow and for a few more days until her tummy is cleared out.

Lourdes and I went back to Los Pinos on Friday to visit Clara.  She is not feeling well at all.  We prayed for her.  We did some of her physical therapy exercises with her, which we all agreed felt great.  She may have to go to the hospital Monday.  We noticed there was no food in her house, so we packed up a garbage bag full of food and sent it up to her house.  Lourdes is also hoping to find a new mattress for Clara.  The one she is currently using is soft and so lumpy it might be harming her back more than helping when she rests.

I decided yesterday that from now on I will not think so much about "if I have to leave".  I have been focusing on that too much and it is keeping me from being fully present here.  So I am working on adjusting my mindset to fully comprehend that this is my home.  This is where I will live until God calls me to be somewhere else.

I am so grateful to be here.  I am grateful to be happy.  I am grateful to be serving these incredible people.  Clara brought me conservas, my favorite candy, months ago on Mother's Day.  She wasn't sure if I was a mother and wanted to be sure to honor me in case I was.  Now is my time to serve Clara.  To pray for her and her family.  I know I keep saying this, but it is such an honor to be here.  I feel blessed every day.

Today I did laundry in the morning, which was good because it has rained all afternoon and night.  I was supposed to tutor Daniel this afternoon, but he is very sick with asthma.  He has been sick since Wednesday.  A lot of people have been fighting asthma this week.  I guess it's the weather.  I am blessed with strong lungs.      Even though I had nothing to do today, I still had a great day with some visits from Fany and her baby Laura, as well as some quality time with Jetty.  The simplest of days are wonderful here.

Beautiful people in a beautiful place!

Wow!  I can't believe it is Thursday already!  Now do you see why I don't get a case of the Mondays?  My week is almost over and it feels like it's barely begun.

When I brushed my teeth last night I brought my bottle of water into the bathroom, set it down, and proceeded to brush my teeth with tap water.  Realized it as I was tapping my toothbrush on the side of the sink at the end.  Probably should have boiled the toothbrush last  night, but I was too tired and annoyed with myself.  I've been clenching my teeth lately.  A friend from the Peace Corp said she and all of her fellow PC volunteers did the same thing.  Wonder why?  I don't feel stressed or anything.  Anyway, I am not sick so far.  I have a good feeling that I'll be fine.  But normally I am very careful not to ingest any water here.  I've seen little things that look like miniature seahorses in glasses of tap water before.

After the tooth brushing incident I was lying in bed and realized it was Wednesday night already, which meant I should have taken the garbage out.  I got it out in time this morning, which was a good thing now that I have the kitty litter.  We don't have garbage cans. We just put our bags of garbage by the side of the road on Thursdays and Mondays.  I was very grateful to get the garbage out in time this morning.  I remember thinking, "If the rest of my day goes this well, I am going to have a great day."

When we got to the church, once again Marlin had outdone herself.  She had made over 200 huge pupusas as well as the "salad" that goes with them, one sweet and one spicy.  Most of the kids like the spicy salad with jalapeños and onion.  The other is sweet with carrot and cabbage.  There were 79 kids in the first group today.  That means 79 kids had full bellies this morning!

After the first group left, Lourdes asked me to go for a walk with her in Los Pinos.  I had thought we would drive, and I assumed we would bring a man with us for safety, but we didn't.  Lourdes had chosen specific kids to walk with us instead.  As we crossed the street and left the gated safety of the church I was excited.  I have walked through Los Pinos several times before, but only once, briefly, since 2009.  Some of my friends have lived in Los Pinos, but they moved out about a year ago because it became too dangerous.  I wasn't sure what to expect this time.

We drive to the church with the doors locked and the windows up.  I never leave the gates of the church except in a locked car.  From inside the gates I watch the kids come over, we serve them, and watch them walk back home.  I often sit and gaze at the homes on the mountains and think about what life is like there.  I know, from talking to the kids, that life is hard.  But it is so far beyond anything I have ever experienced that it's just hard to comprehend.  And yet, at this time in my life, some of the people I love most live in Los Pinos.

First we went to visit Karlita and her Mom, Clara.  Clara has been very sick for a while and was not feeling well today.  The doctor gave her some new medicine yesterday.  She didn't have money to buy all of the things that were prescribed, so she bought two of three.  What she didn't realize was that the third prescription was to counter the negative side effects of the first.  Lourdes explained that and told her the church will help her to get the third prescription.

Here are photos of Karlita, her mother, and their home:

Karlita washing clothes in her pila.

Karlita and her mother, Clara

The front house is their home

The first flight of steps

The second flight of steps - look how steep and narrow!

Their view of Los Pinos

Their view of  downtown Tegucigalpa in the distance

Christian (Conejo) taking advantage of the view

When we left Karlita and Clara we went a few houses down to visit the family of a Kiki, who is away at a Christian school.  We took more pictures and talked.  His family misses him a lot, but they realize that this is an important opportunity.  Kiki lives at the school, which is in another state within Honduras.  Gas is too expensive and the roads are too dangerous with kidnappings and drug trafficking to allow visits.  But he will be home in October for vacation.  The church helps find sponsors for the 6 boys who go to school in Olancho.  The photos and discussion from this visit will be forwarded to the families in the US who are helping to sponsor Kiki's education.

During our walk, we passed by one of the students from my preschool class.  He was proud to show me house he is building for his Incredible Hulk.

Esteban Josue and his Incredible Hulk

The view from Esteban's house

Next we went to Christian's house.  He has had the nickname "Conejo" which means rabbit, for a long time. Lourdes would prefer that we don't use the nickname, but it is so fitting that somehow it sticks.  Even Lourdes uses it sometimes.  Christian's family lives in 4 homes.  His Aunt lives in one, Grandmother in another, an Aunt and Uncle in the third, and Christian lives in the fourth with his mother and three sisters.  Here is the first.  His Aunt was inside making tamales.

First we went to Christian's house where his mother was making tortillas.  She gave Lourdes tortillas, salt and cheese.  I knew I was next.  I was full after having eaten pupusas at the breakfast program.  I wasn't sure how to handle the situation because I really had no room in my stomach and I knew that this would be taking food from the family.  But I also knew it could be very insulting if I didn't accept the food.  Finally I explained that I was really, really full so she only gave me one tortilla instead of two, with no salt or cheese.  Looking back, I think I should have just eaten whatever she chose to give me, even if I did feel too full.  I also think I will ask Christian if I can buy tortillas from his mother.  I really liked her tortillas.  She doesn't normally sell them, but it might give them a little extra money and I'd only ask for a few at a time.

Christian's mother asked when I would leave to go back to the states.  Lourdes explained that I live here now and that I have a home here.  It felt so good to hear that!  Sometimes I can't believe this is my life.  Hearing someone else say it makes it feel more real.  I guess it's still sinking in.

At Christian's Aunt's house we had a good time of prayer.  His family is dealing with a lot of difficult situations.  They really opened up and were very appreciative of Lourdes' advice.  We prayed for an Uncle who is unable not able to get out of Mexico and return to Honduras, a great aunt who is in very poor health, and an aunt who is having trouble starting a family of her own.  I could feel God's presence strongly in that home, even when we were not in prayer.  Christian lives in difficult circumstances, but God is with him and his family.

Christian and his family

Christian's baby sister, Cindi, is in my preschool class

Christian asked for his photo with his dog

We climbed more steps/tires.

Then we visited Samir and Yareli's house.

Our guards took a break and hung out in the tree

We talked with Samir and Yareli's mother.  Her oldest son is one of the boys in Olancho at the private school.  Just as we were about to leave she sent one of the boys to buy a juice for Lourdes and me.  He returned with two cans of pulpy apple juice and two packages of chocolate, chocolate chip cookies.  I asked Lourdes in English, so nobody would know what I said, if I could share the pack of cookies with the boys.  She considered, but said no.  So we sat and ate and drank.  We took photos of her house to share with the sponsors in the US.  Her son, Jarvin, who is the most advance boy in the preschool class, is covered in a rash that looks like a lot of bug bites.  Lourdes encouraged them to hurry down the mountain to meet the doctor who sees the kids at the breakfast program.  We looked over the meds they had in the house and found an anti-histamine.  We told her to use that until she is able to get other meds.  Poor little guy was so itchy!

Jarvin!

Samir in red, with his Mom and brothers

I wondered who wrote this in English

I thought this was a cool house.

We climbed more steps to our final stop at Bismar's house.  I really care about Bismar a lot, but I don't get to see him much because he, too, has earned the opportunity to attend the private Christian school.  When we got there his mother was making tortillas.  She provides the sole income for his household, since his step father has cancer.  He is very, very thin.  We talked and prayed with them.  Like every other family who has a boy away at school, they talked about how much they miss their son.  They appreciate the opportunity, but it is hard for then to have their son so far away.

More steps

Bismar's step father and mother

The oven where Bismar's Mom makes tortillas

View from Bismar's house

As we walked home Lourdes reminded me to hide my camera.  She started talking to me in English about what we would do when we got back to the church.  I reminded her it is probably best that she speak to me in Spanish while we are in Los Pinos.  She quickly agreed.  We made plans for a man we are tutoring.  He is very eager to learn English because he needs it for his work.

Our "guards" walked us safely back to the church.  Lourdes gave them each a bag of potato chips and thanked them for keeping us safe and showing us all of the fastest trails to get around in Los Pinos.  They seemed proud.

God is everywhere in Los Pinos.  Every home I entered was full of crosses and religious pictures or sayings.  But it wasn't just decoration.  These people seem to be really walking with God.  I wish my friends could experience how beautiful these people are.  They don't have running water.  Most don't have an indoor bathroom.  They are struggling to provide for their families and facing horrible health problems.  However, they have love and hope in God.  That seems to be more than enough for the people of Los Pinos.  It was an incredible, amazing day.  I am so grateful the God chose this path for me.

Today was also Don Juan's birthday!  We surprised him with a birthday cake - more food, but it was delicious!  It was a fun ending to an incredible day.

Happy Birthday Don Juan!

Trying my hand at plumbing

Got the faucet off the pila this morning and took it to Don Juan.  He bought me a new one and let me borrow his wrenches again.  I attached the new faucet as soon as I got home tonight, but in order for it to be on tight, it turns to far.  Basically the water comes out facing 9 o'clock.  I think if I buy some of that white, skinny, sticky tape it will fill in the gap and I can put it on straight so the water comes out at the bottom.  Never tried my hand at plumbing before, but I have running water in my house and the faucet on the pila is functioning.  Yay!

I was supposed to tutor my individual student today but he has horrible asthma and had to cancel.  Misael is also sick again.  His has a cough, which got worse throughout the day.  Last time he got this type of cough he was really, really sick for over a week.  It was bad.  Since his mother has Lupus we worry that she might get sick too.

Today was the day that Walter and some boys from La Tigra got called to get the stuff the grocery store is throwing away.  It happens at the beginning of every month.  This was one of the times when everything stunk like a dirty dumpster.  We got Ensure and lots of little pudding cup sized baby food.  There was some sun block, body wash, and lotion which will come in handy at the breakfast program for the kids who shower there.  There were also bags and bags of mini Reece's Peanut Butter Cups.  Everyone held their noses and scrubbed the packages, then we opened the bags and dumped out.  Some people tasted them.  I couldn't get past the smell today.  I mostly worked on making a meal for the boys.  It felt nice that everyone trusted me to cook for them.

Preschool was good today.  We counted up to three, talked about colors, made music, drew shapes and practiced good manners.  Some of the kids can count to 100, but others can't count at all.  I thought it would be hard to teach such a variety of kids, but really it makes everything easier because the kids who already know how to do things help the others.  We have a nice balance.

Lourdes and I worked more on the special project I've been talking about every day.  We are about 2/3rds done.  It was raining today so we couldn't go to Los Pinos to take photos.

Lourdes and Jairo are celebrating Jairo's mother's 80th birthday tonight.  Lourdes was a little worried because we stayed so late at the church that she didn't have time to prepare.  I love how people here go with the flow.  She will do her best to get everything ready and everyone will be happy with the party exactly as it happens.  That's we we roll in Honduras!

Jarvin, Merlin, and Misael  - Some of the preschoolers

Merlin

Merlin's leather shoes which are very typical here

Earth Day at Iglesia en Transformación

So far two people have given me ideas about things they'd like to see in the blog.  Both asked for more pictures of the surroundings here.  Perfect timing because Lourdes and I plan to go to Los Pinos tomorrow to take pictures of the homes and families of the 6 kids who are away at El Sembrador, a Christian school in Olancho.  I will try to get a lot of photos tomorrow of the homes of families we serve.  If you haven't been here before, you will be surprised.  I am quite sure most people have never seen anything like the way that people in Los Pinos live.  But as I have said before, somehow it is beautiful to me.

Today Lourdes did come to the breakfast program.  She said she has not slept well or very much in 5 nights.  This is worrisome to me because sleep used to be a big problem for Lourdes.  She has slept better for the past few months.  I hope it will not become a problem again.  The good news is she said she is not lacking for energy this time.  She said she never gets tired, that's why she can't sleep.  Last time she was exhausted all of the time.  Fibromyalgia is such a difficult disease!

When I got into the car Lourdes handed me the most beautiful necklace!  It it totally my style.  I love it.  It didn't match anything that I was wearing but I put it on and got many compliments on it.  Tomorrow I'll find an outfit that matches so I can wear it right!

Vanessa's collection of garbage

Marlin had the pancakes all made by the time we got there.  Lourdes had the kids each take a small garbage bag and search for garbage all over the church property.  The 3 teams who got the most garbage won a prize.  Then everyone else got a toy from a box of donations.  Lourdes had set some aside that she thought would be useful in my classroom too!

The whole group and their "basura" (garbage).

We got a lot of microwave popcorn from the "garbage" that the supermarket was throwing away, so Lourdes had all of the kids take home a bag of freshly popped popcorn.  They left feeling like they won the lottery with a new toy and a bag of popcorn!

As the second group came heavy clouds blew in and we could hear thunder in the distance.  Some of the kids walk a long way to get to the church, so we fed them quickly and told them to be careful in the street, but hurry home fast.  They didn't seem to care about the impending downpour.  No matter how much we encouraged them to rush they moved with no urgency.  Lourdes even told Marlin to go home early to avoid the storm.  I didn't mind cleaning the kitchen alone because along with the storm came cool air, so it was much easier to work in there.  Usually that kitchen is absurdly hot.

Lately it has been so hot, this is Jetty's new sleeping position.  (I know, she is a strange cat.)

Later we all sat down for lunch.  Lourdes made rice in a rice cooker that belongs to the church.  She said she would love one for her home.  It looked like a crockpot to me.  She also made a spaghetti with meat sauce.  She said she knew I was not going to eat something with all of that meat so she set aside some beans and cheese and eggs for me from earlier.  I am well taken care of!

We sliced up some cucumber and tomatoes, our daily staple for lunch, and had a feast.  Then Jairo had a meeting with a journalist.  I think it may have been one of the journalists he has been counseling fir post traumatic stress since the kidnapping of journalists has been popular.  But I'm not sure.

Lourdes and I worked some more on our project.  It is going to be so great!  It is for a family of 3 kids whose mother died recently, and for their father as well.  Every single one of the kids in the breakfast program contributed.  Now Lourdes and I are working to put it all together.  For me, the coolest part is seeing how well the kids in the program know God.  Even the little ones!  The things that they say and the advice they are giving to this family shows their deep faith and their knowledge of who God is.  I am proud of them and honored to be able to work with them.  It is hard to know what to say to someone when they lose a loved one.  But God has put His hand on this project and is working through these kids.  I believe their words will be healing to this family who lost their mother.

Another really cool thing that happened today is that Jairo asked me if I would like to attend a seminar about how to preach!  I was surprised.  My immediate response was, "I don't want to be a preacher."  Jairo said, "You never know when God might call you."  My mind went to the kids in the preschool class.  This seminar might help me to be a better teacher.  Although I don't want to be a preacher, and (at least so far) do not feel called to be a preacher, I am very excited and honored to be invited to a seminar about how to preach.  I realized later that this also means that Jairo has confidence that I will be able to understand the seminar, and maybe preach, in Spanish.  I can't wait!

I got home and figured out how to take the faucet off my pila.  I even figured out how to turn the water off first.  I didn't realize that turning off the water to the pila also turned off the water to the whole house, so I went inside and put soap all over my hands then had no way to rinse them.  When I got outside I had a choice, scoop water out of the pila with my soapy hands and contaminate the pila with soap, which is a BIG no-no.  Or try to screw the faucet back on with soapy hands.  I chose the latter.  It worked.  Afterword I felt quite accomplished.  I'll leave the faucet screwed on for tonight, then turn off the water and take it off in the morning before I leave for the day.

A Case of the Mondays? NO WAY!

Mondays are different for me than for most people.  (You are probably saying, "Only Mondays?  Your whole LIFE is different from most people's!"  Okay.  I'll give you that.)  On Mondays I usually wake up and think 'Yay!!!!  I get to see the kids again today!'  For me "A case of the Mondays" means a day to be excited about the week to come.  I am very blessed.  Not enough people can say that.

So I woke up excited this morning.  Turned on some music and sang through my morning rituals.  Jairo called to ask me to meet him at the pulperia.  I'm sure he had no idea what I meant when I responded, "Gotcha Jairo!"  Aaron was in Lourdes' seat today.  Apparently Lourdes has not been sleeping well.  I am not sure if this is the case, but I do know that having trouble sleeping can be part of fibromyalgia.  Lourdes has struggled with sleep in the past, but not in a few months.  I was disappointed to hear she did not sleep at all last night and barely at all the night before.  But the Breakfast Program must go on!  Fortunately, Marlin and I can handle things when Lourdes is not able to be there.

There were 64 kids today at the Breakfast Program.  When they all came together to meet and pray, Karlita organized an activity for all of them using a rope.  She laid it out on a straight line on the ground.  To me, it looked like a long, long, balance beam so while Karla was getting organized I pretended it was a balance beam and did cartwheels on it.  Then the kids tried cartwheels on the rope.  They did really well.  I must admit it's been a few years since I tried a cartwheel.  It was fun.

We had eggs, espaghettis (spaghetti left over from a church meal yesterday), cheese, tortillas, and beans today.  Tomorrow is pancakes and Wednesday is my favorite - pupusas!

There was no school, so everyone came early which meant we were done early.  Today the teachers had a meeting.  At least for today there was a legitimate reason for no classes.  Two weeks ago the kids had no classes for the whole week for no reason!  In my mind, education is the key to overcoming poverty, but these kids are not getting access to education.  It is frustrating.  All I can do is tutor them at the church.

Marlin handled the kitchen and I supervised the kids.  My favorite moment was when one of the kids from preschool came up to the kitchen door and said Thank you for the food!  That made my whole day!  I was so proud of him.  We have been working on please and thank you.  It was so cool that he thought to do that all on his own!

Don Juan is working on various projects for me.  Saturday I broke the faucet for my pila.  The little knob that turns the water on and off snapped right in half.  Apparently you can't buy just the knob, we have to buy a whole new faucet.  But my faucet is so old it may as well be soldered on.  He told me to take it off and bring it to him, but I can't detach it.  We'll get it fixed, but it may take some time.

Don Juan also helped me to keep from loosing my pants.  My belts are too big so I can't keep my pants up.  Last week I was so excited because I weighed myself and I still weighed the same as when I left the US.  My pants have been fitting well and I was thinking maybe for once I could maintain my weight.  (Usually when I come here I drop 10 pounds instantly for no apparent reason.)

This morning my pants were too big.  I put on a belt, but the belt was so big it didn't even hold up my pants!  Frustrating.  I knew Don Juan could punch another hole in it.  He ended up doing even better!  He and Samuel, another man from the church, took apart the belt at the buckle end.  They cut off a few inches, then hooked it back together like new.  So now it looks perfect, without all of the extra slack hanging off the end.

When everything was clean we worked on homework.  Aaron pulled out some games for the younger kids.  He is really great with kids.  He and some of the little ones had super fun time with Hungry Hungry Hippos.  Then he helped them play Bingo until it was time to leave.  Aaron told me that my vocabulary has really grown and asked me how I had learned so much Spanish.  I told him I'm not sure, but thank you for the compliment!  I really enjoy seeing how Aaron and Josselyn have grown and matured since I first met them four years ago.  They are really special people.

Jairo told me today that he is looking for a car, but that it will take time.  He said I can choose to go to a dealership if I would like to.  I will pay more, but I could have a car today.  Or I can choose to be patient and trust him.  He said when we do eventually find a car, it will be a process of checking internationally to be sure the VIN number has not been changed and the car is not stolen or used for crime.  Also we will have it thoroughly inspected because there are no guarantees here.  Even at regular stores you can't take things back.  Once you buy something, if it is defective, that is your problem to deal with.  He said if I want to trust someone else to help me, I can.  But if I want to choose him to help me get a car, then I need to be patient.  I told him I have all of the patience in the world to wait for the right car.  I just feel bad because he has to drive me around all of the time.  He told me don't worry.  He is also working on the paperwork to extend my stay here.  I am supposed to only be here for 90 days at a time, but my flight home is not until Christmas.  He said it will be an easy process.  I just don't want to wait until the last minute.  My time here seems to fly by!

Yesterday I was honored to attend Valery's birthday party.  Valery is the 8, now 9 year old daughter of my close friends, Jose and Karla.  She has Down Syndrome.  When I lived with Karla and Jose 3 years ago, she was physically aggressive.  We all had bruises on our arms where she would pinch us.  She has learned to communicate more, through sign language and a few words.  She can say some things pretty clearly.  She is very talkative, but it usually sounds like jibber jabber.  How frustrating it must feel to be unable to communicate effectively!

First we went to church.  I had an amazing time of worship.  We sang about 10 songs and I knew all but 2, so it was easy to sing along, which I enjoy.  I had a few burdens on my heart, but I lifted them up to God and by the time worship was over, I felt great!  Then Karla and Jose took me home with them, where everyone napped except Dana Sophia and me.  (Dana Sophia is Valery's little sister.)  Dana talks non-stop.  Except when the whole house is sleeping, then she loudly whispers non-stop.  Understanding a child whispering in Spanish is not easy, but we made it.  We baked a cake.  She tried to manipulate me into letting her eat chocolate snacks by calling them Corn Flakes - didn't work.  She did get real Corn Flakes as her snack.  Then we colored in her new Princess coloring book until everyone was awake.  Karla and Jose's house is like a second home to me.  I love being there.  Except once again we had no bug spray when the mosquitoes came out.  Last time we used sunscreen.  It kind of worked.  This time we used baby oil.  Either it worked or the mosquitoes weren't as bad last night.

Dana Sophia and her Princess coloring book

Guillermo Mario, Norman, Walter and his girlfriend, Reyna all came.  We had corn on the cobb, hamburgers, and a special dip that Karla made - kind of like chili.  Valery was in heaven when it was time to blow out her candles.

Valery is enchanted with her cake

Afterward the adults played Pictionary and another game where you have to mime a word so your team can figure it out.  Playing in Spanish was not easy.  I kept yelling guesses in English.  We played and laughed until I was exhausted and had a horrible headache.  We all kept saying we were tired and going to leave, but the game was addicting.  We started to leave at 8pm, but ended up staying until 11pm!  Jose was hilarious.  He acted out being a mayor by mimicking a badge and then doing this strange movement that looked like he was slaying the ground.  He said he was trying to demonstrate that he was fixing the roads.  We were all giddy by the end and Karla walked around slaying everything in front of her, pretending she was Jose.  I hope Valery had as much fun as the adults did!

Valery and Dana dancing

Playing Pictionary - No cheating when you have to wear a hat and blindfold!

Is there anything you would like to know?  Anything you would like me to write about?  I would love to answer questions and get new ideas for my blog.  Just let me know! -  mlfager@hotmail.com

***Also, do you know that there are many posts which I don't put on Facebook?  I write almost every day! You can access my full blog anytime at MLFHonduras.blogspot.com

BOMBAS at 10 a.m.

Lately I feel like I don't have anything new to write about.  God is still at work here every day.  I am still feeling His presence everywhere.  I feel very happy and satisfied each day and know that I am on the right path.  But I have been writing about all of those things since March.

Almost every day is a great day here.  I feel honored that God chose me to serve these here.  Many people never experience the kind of joy and fulfillment that I feel almost every day.  I am so blessed.

Preschool classes are going very well.  We are learning numbers, shapes, rhythm, manners, and lessons about God.  Yesterday each child chose something to pray for and every one of them contributed to our morning prayer.  That was cool.  They range in age from 2-5.

I am working on a huge project for Lourdes.  When she came up with the idea, I didn't realize how involved it would be.  It is going to be awesome and, I believe, life changing for the recipients.

Things here no longer feel new.  After we find a car for me, I think I will officially feel like this is fully home.  Finding a car here is not easy.  We have a lot of people looking for one.  I need something that can get over very rough roads, so it will be some sort of truck.

Right now Honduras is playing Brazil in fútbol.  Honduras scored first, which was really exciting because Brazil is one of the best teams.  Honduras is not.  Currently the score is tied, it's half time, and we're playing one man down.  Ayyyy!!!!

I did finally find the channel that shows the Olympics.  It only shows Olympics at 2 a.m., unless Honduras is playing fútbol.  I've had a couple of late nights, but mostly I have missed this year's Olympic coverage.

Tutoring is going well.  Daniel doesn't have any exams this week, but he still wants me to tutor him today

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOL Honduras!!!!!!!!  WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  Honduras is winning 2-1 right now!  It is 11 a.m. and there are fireworks outside in the street!  Wish us luck - I have to go watch the game.

The Water Man is Taunting Me

I think the "AGUAAAAA" man is taunting me.  He walks through the neighborhood each morning with a dolly specifically made to hold bottles of water.  The bottles are the same as what we use for a big water cooler.  He yells, "AGUAAAAAA!" repeatedly, so the neighborhood can hear.  If you need water, you run out and stop him.

Yesterday I heard him on the block behind my house so I waited and waited for him to come to my block.  I thought I heard him once, so I grabbed my water bottle to exchange and ran through the yard, down the driveway, and out the gate, but no one was there.

Last night I forgot to bring home any water at all from the church, so this morning I knew I would have nothing to use to brush my teeth if I did not find the water man.  When I heard him yelling , "AGUAAAA!" in the block behind my house at 6:44 a.m. I got up and got dressed.  I could not miss him again today if I wanted to brush my teeth or have water for the cat.

I waited and waited.  Thought about watching tv, but decided against it so I could be sure to hear the water man.  Cleaned the house.  Mopped the floor.  Thought about taking a shower.  Too chancey - what if he came while I was in the shower, or not fully dressed?  Waited more.

Finally there it was, "AGUAAAAA!"  This time not so loud - that means he is on the street in front, not behind the house.  I ran out.  "AGUAAAA!  AGUAAAA!"  I could hear him, but he was nowhere in sight.  I looked down the hill, then heard him again, "AGUAAAA!"  He was definitely at the top of the hill.  This could only mean he was on the way down, headed toward me.  And then his voice became fainter...  and fainter... until I couldn't hear him any more.  I stood outside listening.  Finally I could hear him going down the next block over.

Did I miss him?  Did he decide to skip my block today because of the steep hill?  It has to be hard to carry all of that water up the hill.  Maybe he just wasn't up to it.  Guess I could chew some gum and then brush my teeth at the church.

I went inside and got into the shower.  Shampoo.  Conditioner.  Lather up.  And then I hear it.  "AGUAAAA!"  I listen closer to be sure.  "AGUAAAAA!"  Yes.  He is outside.  Ahhh!  What do I do??  Throw on a bathrobe and run out?  No, I'd never make it in time anyway.  I'm covered in soap, head to toe.  I rinse off, towel dry. and start on my hair.

That's when I hear it again.  He must have been on the block behind me while I was in the shower!  That's why it was so loud!  (My house is at the back of the property.)  Hurry!  Get outside!!

This time I sprint out the door, through the yard, down the driveway.  Forget the keys.  Oh well, I'll hold the door myself.  And there he is.  The water man!  "Hola!"  I say.  He has probably never met someone so happy to see him.  He carries the heavy bottle of water back to the house while I hold open the outside gate.  As I pay him I tell him I have been waiting for him since 6:45 and heard him on every street but my own.  He laughs and tells me to have a good day.  I tell him to have a good day too.

I go back inside.  It is 8:24 a.m.  I brush my teeth, give the cat some water, and relax, knowing I am set for the next couple of weeks.  And then I hear it again.  "AGUAAAAA!"   Hmmmm...

TWO DAYS of FUN!

The past 2 days have been so fun!  Yesterday we had 19 baptisms at church, then we watched Honduras beat Spain in fútbol and had a birthday party for Jose at Jose and Karla's house.  I spent the night there.

This morning I woke up at dawn, waited for Karla to get ready for work and together we took the little mini bus which dropped me off at the church.  Today was a huge, famous annual event at the breakfast program.  It was swimming day!  Need I say more?

At church Jairo explained the reasons and process of baptism.  Then he and Walter baptized 19 people!  I asked Jairo how many members there are in Iglesia en Transformación.  He said he is not sure, but would guess between 250-300.  There have never been this many baptisms before.  Saturday they filled a big pool with water.  They needed a big water truck to fill the pool.  Because water is so expensive here, they've started a tradition.  The day after baptisms, all kids who attend the Breakfast Program regularly get to swim in the pool.  They even bring in a smaller pool for the younger kids.  The church was packed.  Everyone seemed to have a good time.  Afterward they had a special dinner to earn money for summer camp.  People hung out at church from 9:30 a.m. until 2pm!

Daniel being baptized - with his mother Belinda, Walter, and Jairo
You can see  Los Pinos in the background

After church I went to Jose and Karla's house to celebrate Jose's birthday.  Karla had already prepped most of the food, but I helped her get things set up.  Jose grilled sausage and beef.  Walter's sister, Carolina, and her boyfriend were the first to arrive.  We settled in to watch the game.  Then Walter's brother, Norman, came.  He paced around anxiously while the rest of us watched the game.  Norman was so nervous about the outcome, he could barely watch.  Lourdes, Jairo, Joss, Belinda, Andres and Daniel all came a little later.  (Daniel and Andres had both been baptized earlier!)  Walter and his girlfriend came and then we had birthday cheesecake.  It was yummy!  I need to learn how to sing the Spanish version of Happy Birthday.  It feels strange not to be able to sing along while everyone else is singing.  After cheesecake we had coffee and talked about vasectomies.  Don't ask me how that came up.  It was not a scientific discussion, there was a lot of laughter.  In the middle of the conversation I commented that it was an odd topic for a birthday party.  Lourdes said people are very open and talk about these things openly here.  : /

As the Sarmientos were ready to leave, Lourdes asked  me to go to the church early the next day.  She said with the pools there, she wanted to make sure there was supervision.  I said I wished I had thought ahead and brought my stuff to spend the night with Karla and Jose.  They live in the mountains behind the church and they leave the house early in the morning, so it would be easy to get to the church with them.  Lourdes made it happen.  The Sarmientos dropped me off at my house long enough to feed the cat and grab some clothes for the next day.  Then Jose came, picked me up, and took me back to his house.  On the way we made plans for me to get a bed and to search for a car.  Lourdes said I should ask for help with these things since Jairo is really busy right now.

When I got back to Jose's house another couple had arrived.  We watched game shows and joked.  We laughed a lot.  After everyone left we watched a movie in Spanish.  I noticed that my Spanish has improved enough that I can almost always keep up with conversation, and the movie was easy to follow.  It used to be really difficult to follow conversations in large groups.  But now, most of the time I didn't even notice that the movie was in Spanish.

We all went to bed early.  I have my own bed at Karla and Jose's house.  It is supposed to belong to their nanny, but she never sleeps in it.  So I have declared it is mine, since I am the only one who sleeps in it.

I woke up literally with the sun.  The roosters are so loud there!  They were loud before the sun even came up.  And the dogs...  Any of you who have visited Honduras have probably experienced the dogs at night.  Usually I don't notice, but this morning I was anxious about how to keep things safe with 100 kids and a swimming pool.

Karla told me to be ready by 7 a.m.  Last time I was a little late, so this time I made sure I was ready early.  But Karla decided to sleep in, so I went out on the porch and enjoyed the morning.  Their nanny, Paula, is really sweet.  She grew up in La Tigra.  Living with Karla and Jose helps them and gets her away from La Tigra, where the girls grow up, meet boys and get married.  Soon Paula will go to college!  It's helpful to everyone involved.  She is good at making people feel comfortable.  She asked a lot of questions about what it is like to grow up in the U.S.

Eventually Karla came out of her room, looking gorgeous after only a few minutes of preparation.  We headed out, taking a different route to the road this time.  Usually we walk down a road full of huge ruts.  This time we walked down what my family would call a goat trail.  It was straight downhill with loose dirt.  I slid and slipped my way down until Karla yelled that the bus was coming and we had to run!  I said I can't run - I'm wearing flip flops, and we were only half way down the mountain, winding our ways around barbed wire fences and across people's front doors.  It was crazy.  She yelled and waved her arms at the bus as it went by.  I thought we had no chance of catching it, but apparently some people who were working on the road saw us and flagged down the bus because it stopped a little further down the road and Karla thanked them as we passed by.

As is normal bus etiquette, we said good morning to all of the passengers as we got on the bus.  This time I knew to stand up as we approached the church.  Karla yelled to the driver and he stopped right across the street.  I yelled to Don Juan.  Since it was early, all of the gates were locked.

Don Juan brought out the scratching post.  He attached the fleece bed to the top.  I thought it was complete, but then he started sketching all of these things that he wants to add the the basic scratching post.  This is going to be a mansion!

Christian (Conejo) and Kevin were setting things up.  They worked hard.  By the time kids arrived, we were all set.  We had eggs, cheese, tortillas, rice, beans and platanos for breakfast, which was extra awesome after all of the swimming.

They swam in groups of 6.  Each group got 3 turns and they had a blast!  Lourdes had left strict orders that each kid had to be clean before they got into the pool.  We scrubbed them each down before they got in.  For the first time ever, every kid was clean today!

The little kids sat in their pool until their teeth were chattering.  The bigger kids lifted them out of the pool and carried the little ones to a rock where they sat in the sun to warm up.  It was so cute!  They went from being little fish to being little turtles, warming themselves on the rocks.

Little Fish

Big Fish

Lourdes came just as it was time to eat.  She had all of the kids get into the pool at once.  We took video and pictures.  Then they got out, dried off, and had a big breakfast.

The afternoon kids came.  After cleaning up, they all swam at the same time.  The pool was FULL of kids.  After the younger ones went home the older kids wanted me to get into the pool and teach them to swim.  I looked at the water.  It was dirty!  But then I started thinking about the dirty rivers I grew up in.  I told the kids I was NOT going to get into that water with a stern face, then with all of my clothes on, I dove into the pool!  They screamed and yelled and splashed with joy and excitement until Lourdes, Jairo, and Joss all came running out of the kitchen.  They took pictures - I'll be able to post those tomorrow.  They turned out great!  The kids said they wanted to make me a star.  I wasn't sure what they meant until they grabbed my arms and legs and, on the count of three, they threw me up in the air!  It was so fun!  We all took turns being stars.

Then they asked me to show them how to do different strokes of swimming.  They were amazed that I can do the back stroke.  Imagine if you never had running water, how foreign a pool would be.  I can't really even comprehend it, since I grew up with both running water and swimming.  But the kids thought my swimming was extraordinary.  We all got along the sides of the pool and practiced kicking and using our arms.  Finally Lourdes said it was for "the whole world" to go home.  We climbed out of the pool.

Everyone was surprised to see sun tan lines on each other.  I got a little burn for the first time this summer.  They all dried off and headed home.  I was on a natural high from having so much fun with the kids.

On the way home I told Lourdes that I am working on being more comfortable outside of my normal routine.  Lourdes made the best point.  She said that if I always stick to a routine, it leaves no room for the Holy Spirit to work.  That is so right!  If I follow my idea of how a day should be, there is less room for God to step in!  Now I have even more reason to live in the present moment, and appreciate it for what it is.  I think this should give me freedom and less worry.  I am excited to see where it leads!

Lourdes reminded me that it would be a good idea to shower after I got home, after being in that dirty water.  I showered, but my hot water is broken.  Fortunately Fany and her husband came over to see if it could be fixed.  It can't be fixed.  So Santos will buy me a new water heater and install it tomorrow.  Here we have heaters attached to the shower head that heat the water instantly.  Mine had a summer and winter setting, which was warm or hot.  But the hot didn't work very well.  I am excited to get a new heater.

Thursday we are going shopping for a new bed and sheets.  I told Lourdes today that I really wish I could come up with the last little bit of money I need to be fully funded.  Until I'm fully funded, I always have in the back of my mind that I may have to leave soon.  I have gotten so attached to the kids and also to the adults here, I would be sad if my time here were over soon.  And God is using me in so many ways, as a teacher, a tutor, today as a lifeguard  =)  I would just feel more secure if I had about $200 more in monthly donations.  But I am trusting that God will provide as long as He wants me to serve here.

I finally found the Olympics on tv.  Fany told me they come on at 2 a.m.  That is why I can never find them.  Apparently she has had some late nights with her daughter being sick.

Between baptisms, birthdays, goat trail, and swimming, it has been a really great 48 hours.  I expect to sleep well tonight, with no barking dogs or roosters.  Good night!

Tutoring and Talking

This morning I woke at 6:44 to the sound of a neighbor's washing machine.  Let's just say it needs some grease!

Last night Belinda, Lourde's sister, called to ask if I could tutor her son today.  He has some tests coming up which he must pass in order to graduate from his class.  Belinda has been working with Daniel, but you know how kids are with their own mother.

When I first got to Honduras, I lived with Belinda, Daniel and Andres until after my suitcases were found.  Daniel and Andres learn English at school, so they practice their English with me.  They also help me with Spanish.  We go to church every week together each week.  I am excited because this week both Daniel and Andres will be baptized!!!!!  They are excited too.

Anyway, Daniel struggles at school and is not very social.  But he and I have gotten along well since the first time we met.  He doesn't bother to talk to many people.  Last week we hung out and he was very talkative.  I enjoy our conversations.  He is thoughtful.  His mother noticed how talkative he is with me.  We both are curious as to why, but aren't questioning it.  I think maybe he feels more grown when he is with me, like a young man instead of a boy.  When I first got here there was so much I didn't know, but Daniel was able to show me how things are done in Honduras.

To be honest I was not looking forward to tutoring.  I keep telling people - I am not a teacher.  I never wanted to be a teacher.  I love working with kids, but I kind of "specialize" in troubled kids and the psychological side, not education.  However, I know that Belinda needs help with Daniel, and Daniel needs help with his school work.  So I'll do it to be helpful.  Belinda mentioned payment.  Even though I am broke, I am NOT comfortable with that.  They already took me in, gave me clothes, a bedroom and yummy food.  They made me feel welcome and at home when I was a complete stranger and had nowhere else to go.  Now is my opportunity to help them.

Before the tutoring session I tried again to find Olympics on TV.  Nobody seems to watch or know how to watch the Olympics in Honduras.  I guess that's a North American thing.  We have 10 channels of soccer, but no Olympics!  Tomorrow I bet they will show the Honduran Olympic team playing fútbol though.

Some friends back in the US are going through really tough situations in their lives, so I spent part of the morning in prayer.  By the time I was done, it was time for Daniel to come for tutoring.  Belinda and Andres dropped Daniel off and said they'd be back in three hours.  At first that seemed like a long time, but as it happened, Daniel stayed an extra hour and we had exactly the right amount of time.

We worked for over an hour, then went for a walk.  When we came back Daniel was much more focused.  He did some great work.  He was more relaxed and less rushed.  He retained everything we did in the first part of the session!  His mother called to say she was going to be an hour later, so I asked if it would be safe for the two of us to walk together to the grocery store.  I told her Jairo does not want me to walk there alone, but it is so close.  She said yes, with Daniel it would be fine.  So we each grabbed our backpacks and walked to the store.  I was so excited.  It felt like a fourth grade field trip for me, walking those 6 blocks.  Daniel is a good shopping partner too.  He finds good deals and he knows which brands are good.

The guy who was bagging the groceries was surprised when Daniel asked him to pack our backpacks, but that is the safest way to travel in Honduras.  Backpacks are harder to steal than bags.  I use a backpack here almost every day.  The hardest part was getting across 4 lanes of traffic, but we made it safely.

Daniel practiced some more math, just to be sure he really knows what he's doing.  We ate some snacks.  I told him that he did a great job and told his mother how awesome he was so that he could also hear the compliment.  We really had a nice afternoon together.

After he left, my neighbor and I spent some time talking outside.  She is a first time mother.  Her daughter has been sick for a few days.  She is exhausted and needed a few minutes break to talk while her husband looked after the baby.  She expressed how hard it is to be a mother.  She can't wash diapers fast enough to keep up with her daughter's diarrhea and is worried about her daughter's lack of appetite, but the doctor has said everything is fine.  I felt honored that she was comfortable sharing her feelings with me.  I really like both her and her husband.  They are very kind to me and their daughter is adorable.

Tomorrow is Jose's birthday.  Karla called to invite me to the party.  Tomorrow will be quite a day, with 19 baptisms and a birthday party!

A day full of gifts!

Today was a great day.  I worked with the preschoolers on my own for the first time.  They were great!  We practiced "Please", Thank you" and "You're Welcome".  Since we had worked on thank you Wednesday, I thought it would be okay to add please.  But then it was hard not to add "you're welcome".  For me it was a good lesson.  It was too much, but some of the kids got it.  We practiced passing things around the classroom, asking for it with please, then saying thank you.  We'll work on it more next week.  We also reviewed the number one by counting things in the room and using a little rattle, shaking it ONE time.  One time up high, one time down low, once with a jump...  You get it.  Then we colored a teddy bear with one sun on his belly, and one heart on his foot.  Afterward we had free play time.  They were amazing!  They took out one toy at a time and shared (with some reminding).  I was so proud of them!  We had a time of prayer, then ate breakfast in the classroom.  With their food sitting in front of them, they sat with their eyes closed and prayed.  I waited for someone to sneak a bite of food, as the prayer time got longer and longer.  But eyes stayed closed and everyone stayed focused.  So awesome for 3-5 year olds!  The older kids all want to be a part of the class, so Lourdes sent some of them in to "help".  Preschool is the cool place to be!

We take off our shoes before we play on the rug,
just don't get your nose too close  - pyew-eee!

Lorenzo was one of the older kids who visited.  He didn't want to play with trucks and bulldozers.  He asked if he could color.  Then he asked if he could use the magnetic letters on the side of the freezer.  He made shapes out of play dough.  I was surprised at his choices, but enjoyed watching him sit and relax and play.

Lorenzo!

All of the anxiety I have had about teaching preschool is gone.  I know some days will be more difficult than others, but I really love the kids.  They are smart and excited for the opportunity to learn.  I am honored to offer them the opportunity to be in the classroom.  I'll probably learn as much as they do!

Mailin and helping her brother, Misael, with a puzzle.

While we were in class Walter brought me a huge, heavy package.  I had to wait until later to open it.  Inside was a beautiful purple and gray yoga mat with a video and the sweetest card from a high school friend.  I haven't seen him since 1985!  He is a soldier.  He and his family are stationed in Germany.  I mentioned on Facebook that my back was sore from doing pilates on a bath mat, so they sent a yoga mat with the sweetest card from Germany!  I am really grateful.  THANK YOU BILL AND CHRISTINA FRAUSTO!

The church received a huge gift today too.  A huge truck pulled in and the older boys unloaded box after box of canned turkey, boxes of blankets, and sacks of towels and hygiene products.  The kids were excited to be a part of receiving the delivery.  We took pictures and videos.

The words on this package hit home.  Sometimes I forget how deep the need is.  Food For Relief.

The kids with the all of the gifts!

The cute ones seated in the front are preschoolers  :)

After we ate, Lourdes spent hours giving out clothes that have been donated to the church.  The clothes were mostly for girls.  The girls left with bags full of full, which is such a blessing to them.  Just last week one of the mothers was in tears, worried about how she will provide for her 4 children.  This should ease the burden a little bit.

After the Breakfast Program was over, Lourdes asked Jairo to take me shopping for my own bed.  All of the things in my house belong to other people.  Nobody is pressuring me, but now that I am here more permanently, it is time to get my own bed and start returning things to their owners.  We went to two second hand stores downtown.  I like going downtown.  You have to be very aware of your surroundings.  It is not safe, but if you are there with others, it is okay.  Jairo found a cool thermometer.  Lourdes and I found a nice bed for me and a recliner for her, but they were too expensive, so the ladies went home empty handed, but we still had fun.

I got home in the evening, hoping to catch the opening ceremony of the Olympics.  However, the only thing I could find on my (free) 92 channels of cable was a recap on ESPN :(  Apparently the Olympics are not as fully covered in Honduras as they are in the US.  I was really disappointed!  I love watching the Olympics.

I did a load of laundry instead and reminded myself how nice it is to have a washing machine.  I have never fully appreciated the spin cycle until now.  My clothes dry so quickly!  They were dry a few hours later.  Now none of my bedding or towels smell musty anymore.  Yay!

Jetty was very playful tonight.  It is good to see her running around and getting into trouble like she always did in the US.  I was afraid she was a little lonely, but I think she is doing okay.

Today was another good day.