We are IN!

Just a quick update...we have been officially accepted by World Gospel Mission to serve as full time missionaries for the next year. We are so happy and soon will begin working more with the church and community here in La Esperanza. More on this later. Thank you for your prayers.

Unbelievably blessed

It's not often that I feel this way...overwhelmingly blessed, undeservedly really, and humbled as a result, really humbled.
When Beto and I finally did make it home on Tuesday afternoon, I noticed something that was not visible when we moved in...mold, and tons of it. Everywhere, in all the bedrooms, on all the walls and ceilings. It ruined one pillow and the bed was damp, and many of our clothes, backpacks, and shoes were very moldy. That on top of the mental strain of knowing that we are breathing all of that all the time, sleeping with it, was too much. I did not even know where to begin, so I just did not do anything. I was too tired.

That night Beto and I prayed, not knowing how God would answer our prayers or even if He would bring people to help us clean. God is always on time, never makes mistakes, and has all the control.He is amazing and shows us Himself everyday, but it times like this when I really feel Him and see Him answering prayers so quickly.

The next day I was telling the other missionary about the situations and she talked to the group that is here from Ohio right now. The next day, yesterday, the women came over (the men put a new roof on Bob and Kathy's house) and got right to work. Kathy sprayed every inch with bleach water while the others scrubbed and swept. I believe our house will never be so clean again! They stayed all morning and even helped me take down the dry clothes from the line! And one dedicated herself to cleaning all the windows. It was a lot of fun and I cannot even put into words how overwhelmingly blessed we felt...are.

Before they left they prayed over us. I have been on their end a lot in the past, building houses in San Felipe and going on different mission trips. Now I know how much of a blessing the groups really are and how God works in all our lives to change us. Praise Him!

Finally made it home...almost!

My trip went a little bit (a lot like) this...

I left Tampa at 10:50 am and got to ft. Lauderdale at about 12noon. I didn't want to take the 9:30pm flight again and risk missing my connecting flight again. So I got to hang out in the Spirit air terminal for about 12 hours, which I can tell you is not great. there's two no name restaurants, if you can call them that. I read for a long time and got sleepy enough to actually take about a 2.5 hour nap on some chairs that didn't have an armrest in between, thank goodness! I didn't want to leave the terminal because there was a large yellow sign warning people they were at the point of no return. But after being there for about 5 hours I went to ask the guard if I could go to the ticket counter to change my seat number. I asked him,"So what's out there?" "The world", he said. Then he added, "there's a Chili's in terminal 3, or you could take a 15 min. taxi to the beach." So after learning that the taxi's run $20 each way I decided to stand in the long ticketing line. I had time to waste. As I was in the long line with all 15 agents busy, one lady decides to make a scene complaining about why they hadn't been helped yet. There was anohter line off at the end where there weren't any agents. I don't know why people even started a line there, but anyways, one agent tried not to strangle her, I'm sure, but did say he was going to have to call security. Then some other scary looking guys (remember, I am in Florida!) jump on the bandwagon and start yelling at the ticketing agents. I just had these images of having to get down on the floor covering my head with my hands.
Eventually the manager came out and evryone calmed down, I got my seat changed and took the airport shuttle to terminal three. I hung out there for a long while. I have read every news magazine that came out this week and feel more knowledgeable than ever about current (esp. celebrity) events.

Finally after more reading and trying to sleep with no luck, the plane took off about 45 minutes late. I could've taken the 9:30pm flight after all from Tampa!

When I got into the airport in Honduras at 1am beto was there waiting for me. I got to see him after they dragged my bag in from outside and it was all open. I think the only thing I lost was a little bag of toiletries and nearly my dignity when I saw a pair of my underwear (clean, thank goodness!) sitting nicely on top of someone else's suitcase on the carousel. The guy in front of me was laughing about it so I decided I could live without them and let them pass by.

My bag was ripped and broken which has never happened on any other airline before!

Beto and I were going to wait in the airport till about 5am (what's another 4 hours in an airport when you've already spent 12?) but beto decided we should get a hotel. The taxi driver who charged us way too much took us to a hotel he insisted was good and in a safe neighborhood, but his idea of "safe" were definately different than ours. we only stayed one night and this morning we went to the bus station to catch a bus back home.

The bus station was pretty empty and there weren't any busses outside which was kind of weird but it was still pretty early and there were a lot of people in the waiting area. After waiting about an hour Beto decided he better ask. Turns out there's a bus strike because of rising gas prices (same here as in the States) and there would be no busses today! So we got to spnd the day here in San Pedro Sula, foudn a better hotel near the mall! Woo hoo! And got to relax and enjoy a movie tonight.

Hopefully the busses will be running tomorrow, but we've heard that they are even blocking the main thorofairs so that no civilians can pass at all.

This is the vacation that just won't end! Being a home body I can't wait to get home.

Vacation in FL

Here's a few highlights from my trip to Tampa. These are from a Victorian Teahouse we visited. Even the boys liked it...a little bit. They wouldn't dare put on the big hats or feathery boa, but I guess I can't blame 'em. I don't have many pictures actually of anything else but I guess I didn't think that pictures of Target or the mexican restaurant or the coffee shop would be all that interesting for anyone else.

We also went to the beach, a few of us, for an hour or so one day. I loved that! The beaches here are really different than in CA. The sand is so soft and white like we were on a Caribbean island.

A surprise extended visit!

Well, we should've called. We knew we should've called but we were running late and we thought, for sure they'll still take off. They are used to all this rain!
I was supposed to fly back to Honduras last night from Tampa. My route has a layover of only one hour in Ft. Lauderdale. The plane did take off from Tampa but too late for me to catch my connecting flight in Ft. lauderdale. I didn't want to spend the night and all day today there alone waiting for the 11pm flight so I got the refund and came back to Dave and Amy's.

I couldn't fly out today becuase everything was already booked. So I can fly out Friday but with thunderstorms here every afternoon I'm bound to have the same problem if I try to fly out at night again, missing my connecting flight. So the only thing they could suggest, if I fly with them (Spirit air, who has great prices but not so great time choices) is to fly out of Tampa at 11am, arrive in Ft.Lauderdale at noon and then wait until 11pm in the airport to catch the flight down to Honduras! So what would be 3.5 hours of total travel time turns into about 15 hours! And anyone who's been in the Ft. Lauderdale airport knows that I'll run out of things to do in about 5 minutes. Now, getting stuck 12 hours in the Houston airport wouldn't be so bad. It'd be bad for my wallet,though, for sure!

So I get to spend a few more days with my family. Beto was disappointed, as am I, but he just said that God always has a reason for what happens and we can rest in that.

Stateside

This week I'm in the States visiting family, primarily to surprise one for his bday, and also to renew my VISA. It's been a great visit and my mom also came to surprise the family!
The trip here was interesting. Beto went with me and we left our house at about 2:30pm and took the 3:00pm bus up to the airport, which took 3 hours. Good thing we both slept a little because when we got to the airport at about 6:30 we were then sitting there until 12 midnight when I had to walk up to the gate for boarding for my 1am flight.
Beto was left all alone until the first bus back home left at 5am and he got home around 8. My first flight was only 2hours 20 minutes and I slept 2 hours of it.

I had an hour layover but you know by the time you get off the plane, go through customs, go through security again, there's hardly any wait time.

The first thing I noticed was that there was carpet in the airport, everywhere! And becuase of the location I noticed a little kiosk selling some type of Jamaican bread or something. And using the ATM machine prooved a little stressful. I saw way more interesting people than I ever do in La Esperanza. There isn't a lot of variety down there, except during tourist season.

I took my second flight which was only an hour and sat by an eccentric older couple that had matching outfits. When I told them how much I paid for my Spirit air flight I thought they were going to have a heartattack. They said that was too much becuase usually they get them for $9! Well, I did see a good deal a day or two after I already booked my flight, of course. That's how it goes. But in my opinion, I got a deal too good to pass up.

Yesterday we had fun running around, going to my nephew's place of work...a coffee shop! Yes! THen WalMart (today we must hit Target or I will feel a traitor to my own people), a few grocery stores, Blockbuster, Hallmark, well, I won't bore you but it was really exciting for me!

Don't have a cow!

Well, we don't, but we did borrow one from a brother at church. It came very hungry and ate/cut up a lot of our grass. Mateo was very curious and either was terrorizing the cow, or staring at it in awe, or trying to egg it on getting it to play with him. It was way better than television!

Happy 4th!

First of all, a personal shout out to Doug and Cynthia! Email me your email!
Well, about the picture from the previous blog, that is a water tank which we are super excited about because we will have water all the time in the house, and hot water in the shower, all the time! This morning we didn´t have water outside in the hose to wash clothes but we think that´s connected to the city line and doesn´t have to do with the tank, so we just wait till it comes, whenever that may be. Another picture shows our clothes sprawled all over the place. That is because most houses here DON´T COME WITH CLOSETS! NOR SHELVES OR CABINETS IN THE KITCHEN. I will have to get used to that and we (Beto and friends) will be building a lot of shelves, etc. Notice in the kitchen there are cabinets underneath which when you open smell like old moldy adobe...oh wait, that´s what it is!

Another interesting note, yesterday when i came to the internet cafe, I noticed something really strange on the ground by the door...one cow´s hoof. Thats´it, just a hoof. I told the girl at the front desk and she went out to see. I thought she´d call animal services(non'existenet) to come clean it up, or the police,or her boss. But no. She just calmly stated, ¨Oh, someone must have just killed a cow.¨ mmmmmm...

On that note, have a wonderful Fourth of July and know that I will be thinking about all of you there in the USA. Watch out for Cow´s hooves at the picnic!

Another happy afternoon

While back we had a Tarde Alegre in the school. This past sunday we had one after services at church. It was like a picknik outside. A lot of different families made different foods to donate and then sell to make money for the different groups that have recently sprung up in the church, very excitingly! The men are getting a lot more involved and the women too, more than before. Some men from the weekly men´s group led singing last Sunday. We had a lot of visitors and the church was more full than I´ve ever seen it, which is very exciting to see that more people from the community are now coming. It wasn´t your typical church potluck...there were pupusas and beef pinchos (kabobs) with rice, beans, tortillas. And of course for dessert there was coffee with fried sweet banana tacos. MMMMMMMMM...

Please keep the ministries and the church in your prayers. The women have formed different groups and each Sunday a different group is in charge of decorating the alter and greeting people at the door.
God is doing such great, amazing things and it is a really exciting time, as always!

Great Adventures

It´s true, I´ve learned, that you don´t have to go very far from home to have a great adventure. After about 5 trips, including Beto carrying a LOT of stuff on his moto, we are fully moved into the house. Now, to organize. We are very blessed with many great friends that helped us with their pickups. The house is only about a 8 min.drive from where we were before but it feels like we moved farther away. It feels more out in the country. Most houses here are surrounded by cementblock walls but in front of our house there is a very large piece of empty property where the cows graze. we are thinking about inviting them (cows) over to eat (the grass) which would also provide a free lawnmowing service. It´s a win'win situation. Yesterday Beto and I were in the old apt. cleaning and painting all morning, so of course when we were ready to leave at about 3pm it started to pour. We waited about an hour but it just wouldn´t let up so finally we had to go. We were so soaked, Beto on his moto and I on his bicycle. At first I was really annoyed and then i decided not to fight it and embrace the rain and mud and then it wasn´t so bad. We decided to do some shopping since we were already wet and dirty so we´d have some food in the house and when we finally arrived it was like we´d been on some famous water ride the likes of which I can´t remember any names right now for the life of me.

Concerning the house, I didn´t like it when we first saw it but loved it when we first moved in, then didn´t like it again when the roof leaked really bad in one room. The landlady and her family are great though! They live close and when the lights wouldn´t work the first night she came and just had us flip the breakers a few times, and voila! The house hadn´t been rented in awhile so the breakers were just a little sleepy. She came with her husband, daughter, and grandson last night and he, (Armando the husband and the little boy) crawled up into the rafters and found the leaky roof problem and fixed it. Today he came to fix another light that had one of those long tubular lights and put in a bulb. They are great people and last night we got to share with them what God has done in our lives, how we met and how He brought us here to La Esperanza and what we´re doing now. We had a great time laughing and talking.

At first mateo didn´t like the new house. He cried alot for his old place, butnow he loves it and has a lot of fun running around in the big yard getting really dirty.

Those are ¨Before¨pictures...before we organize. We have the kitchen, dining room, living room, our bedroom, the soon to be office, the soon to be TV-game room, the ¨bodega¨(storage), and bathroom. this morning when i walked into the bathroom we had another flood, from the leaking toilet, but beto fixed it! The bathroom reminds me of my late great'aunt´s house in Oregon, her little cabin in the woods.