Easter celebration!

Yesterday was the last day of school before Easter Vacation! I had each child in my 3 classes bring 6 hard-boiled eggs and a small box. We painted the eggs and made baskets out of the boxes. Then the boys took the girls'eggs and hid them, then the girls went to find them, and vice versa with the boys. It was a lot of fun! The first picture is of some first graders painting their eggs, and then my second grade boys, crazy, fun, and challenging, the third, the second graders running to find their eggs, and a second grade girl who obviously forgot to bring her little box! It was a great day! They all had a ton of fun.

Happy Easter everybody!

Rehabilitation visit

These are some men at the alcoholic rehabilitation center. We went last Monday, the same night our small youth Bible study group meets. It was March 19, Father's Day here in Honduras, and one of the ladies in our group had the idea to go since many of them couldn't celebrate with their own families. She cooked a big dinner and others brought dessert. We had a wonderful time with them. Beto and I talked with one man in particular for awhile. He showed us their little garden where they've planted different foods. So many of them are farmers. Some of them have jobs that they go to each day but have to be back to the center at a certain time. The facilities are very primitive since it is new. You may see how they hang their clothes inside. They made their own beds. They all live together in this one large one room shack, basically, with a police guard always on duty. The man we talked to told us his story about how he'd been drinking for so many years. He's save up his money for a few months and then take it all on a trip to the city where he'd spend it mostly on alcohol. One time he woke up on the side of the road having been beaten up on his head, losing most of his eyesight as a result. Earlier this month an eye doctor brigade came down and he was able to get some real thick glasses for free, so he's so happy to see anything clearly now. He's been at the center for about 3 months since it opened in January.

The men arrive at the center after having been taken there by the police off the streets where they pass out.

Please continue to pray for these men. The center has a lot of needs, like psychologists, for instance, and counselors to help them once they leave the center. And of course, spiritual direction. It was really neat to worship with them. God is really moving among them.

P.s. Here in Honduras when one takes a picture, instead of saying, "Say Cheese!", we say "Say Whiskey!". Of course, I forgot when i took the above pictures and had another embarrassing moment!

God's work

In town there's a new rehabilitation center for alcoholics. It's much needed in this town where the only downside is seeing many men of all ages lying in the streets on the weekends, passed out and drunk. Sometimes people steal things off of them while they are passed out.
A few months ago some leaders from different organizations got together to start the non profit center, not religiously based or run by any one church, but a collective effort on behalf of the community.
Our church is probably the closest the the center and on a voluntary basis about 20 men come each sunday morning. It is so encouraging to see these men who have been recovering for about 3 months now lifting their hands and vigorously searching scripture.
So far we've donated food every once in a while, but tomorrow our small home Bible study group is going to take dinner (and dessert...yumm) and share a meal with them. I'm so excited.
Please keep this center, the men, and all who volunteer there, in your prayers. It is really uplifting to see how God is moving and working in this town, His love for the people, His desire to reach them, have relationship with them, and caring for them. Pray that this will be just the beginning of a great recovery of men and families in this town, which is called "Hope", that the "not-yet"believers will see that Jesus is their only hope.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody!

This is what I saw out my window shortly after I woke up this morning. Usually March is the hottest month, but it's been rainy off and on lately. How perfect for today. I didn't see any Leprechans though. whew!

God is good and His mercy and goodness endure forever.

I ate my homework, not my dog!

A student ate her assignment today. No lie. I thought I´d seen it all after leaving Watts, but apparently not.
In class this morning she said she didn´t want to work(nothing new for her..aarrghh!) and asked if she could do it at recess. I said no and she sullenly sat down like she was going to die. At recess I gave her a friends notebook to copy the notes from since i´d already erased the board. this other girl has nice writing so i thought it wouldnt be a problem. boy am i stupid! I took her to the 10th grade room thinking it would motivate her. She said she didn´t want to work because she didn´t bring a snack and she was very hungry. Her mom, now a teacher at our school, decided she ¨couldn´t¨send a snack since her daughter forgot to take her lunchbox home yesterday. I think there´s another way of teaching her to remember her lunchbox, but hey, i´m not a mom.
so after recess she comes back to my room and NOTHING! hadn´t written a word! she said it´s because she couldn´t read the writing of the other student. well, hello, you couldn´t come ask me 25 minutes ago? EXCUSES! all the time with this girl!
so at lunch, right after she finished eating, she came to me a little more chipper and told me she was going to copy the notes from another student whose writing she could read. Fine, great, thanks, i said to her. One minute later she comes back to where I´m trying to peacefully eat my ramen noodles and says she doesnt have her original paper from the morning. ¨Why not?¨, I ask, thinking she´d say she lost it or she stepped on it, etc. Ï ate it¨, she said. ¨You what???!!!¨

I was so irate, i saw her mom standing outside. Her mom didn´t have much to say to her, only that she shouldn´t do that. Ah! what do you do in a situation like that? The students pointed to her belly when her mom asked where was her paper. All I could think to say was that next time she wanted to eat paper she should choose that wasn´t an English assignment.

March already?!

This past month we celebrated International Day of Prayer at the school. Each class sang a song, did a little dance, or read scripture. I wasn't familiar with this day until this year, but it's been around for quite awhile, each year focusing on a different country. This year the focus was on Paraguay, bordered by Argentina and Brazil in South America. I never knew much about this country but considered it one of the more rich countries, but it is not. Now I know why it was chosen as the country this year. you can google it if you're interested. The program went very well after school on Friday, with a pretty good turnout.

God is good and always working for our good, even when we may not see it or can't imagine that what's happening is for our good. We've gotten lot's of encouragement lately about the wedding and will start marriage counseling with our pastors (they're married) this month. Please pray that Beto's family in Guatemala will be able to get his paperwork needed to be married here in Honduras so that he doesn't have to make a special trip just for them.

Today our small Bible study group that meets on WEdnesdays was chosen to lead service in church. I led the morning prayer and Lindsey, 2 students, and I sang a song. We got the two gringo's involved that don't speak Spanish. They collected the offering and then said the prayer for it in English, which is good for them to be involved. I can't imagine going to church every Sunday for over a year and not being able to understand a word. They are great people though. Sometimes we have a bilingual service. Today Beto preached about Human dignity, how Satan stole it in the beginning and continues to do so today, but that our worth and dignity is in Christ because of His blood. There is a new center in town that opened up in January for alcoholics to go to recover and they all, a group of about 30 men, come every Sunday. It's encouraging.

An update on the kidnapped girl. She has been back with her family for awhile and I was told that they payed to get her back. Here the papers aren't allowed to print anything so any info is rumored, hearsay, aka unreliable, but about a weeek or two after she was kidnapped the chatter died down and I've only heard since that she's back safe with her family.

Some misc. items...

We're in the dry, hot season now, which means dusty. Not too unbearably hot, like in the 70-80's.
A new teacher from Arizona arrived last week to stay for about 2 months. Her college Spanish professor is good friends with our principal, so she's here for the experience. It's good to have her as she can relieve some stress from the English teacher of 3rd-6th grade.

I ran out of gas for my stove yesterday, so Beto and i put it on a dolley and walked the 3 blocks to exchange it for a new tank. It didn't quite fit my hose that connects to the stove so Beto used lots of strong masking tape and it works fine.

It's possible to live well on about $100 dollars a month here, of course i'm not paying rent or utilities, nor do i have a vehicle, but in my mind i'm still living well.


Psalm 103.1

Venting

Hope everyone had....ooo, wait, the song Ïn the city, city of Compton, keep it rockin', is playing at the internet. And the guy next to me is singing along, a WASP(my guess). Never know how it's going to be here in La Esperanza.
aNywho, as I was saying, hope everyone had a Happy Valentines Day. It was Wed. and Beto had already returned to La Esperanza becasue he teaches a class Wednesday that's only one day a week.
Amber and I left her house(my former, sniff,sniff) at 10 and picked up my document, and now remembering I already wrote this, I arrived later that day to La Esperanza, so half the day was spent on a hot bus playing spanish preachers most the time, after having to listen to a traveling bus preacher for about an hour. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against preachers, but I don't appreciate the one's that get on the bus and have to yell so that those in back can hear, and i sat in front, and take advantage of the travelers because they have no where else to go, and at the end ask for money, but at least this one did it by selling pens with an attached calendar. Don't ask me how that happens, I had my head out the window trying to fight the motion sickness.
The two days at school were sort of hectic, mostly becasue I got a little upset at being told to relax. One parent actually complained to Dr. Troy that his son/daughter is learning TOO MUCH! I lost sleep the last 3 nights mulling over a plan to get back at these parents, like not teaching anything, or actually giving MORE work to those in tutoring which their parents won't help them with but making more problems for them in the future. I know, maybe I shouldn't be admitting this, but I won't go through with any of my plans against the parents because only the students would suffer. And I know Dr. Troy doesnt want any problems with the parents, but it also seems like he'd not mind if i did give 80% or higher to each student, because after all, that's why they pay the big bucks.

On another topic, the weather has been frightfully cold the last 2-3 days, unusually cold for this time of year. It's overcast and drizzly which keeps the amount of dust down, thankfully. yesterday the school had it's first anual "Tarde Alegre", or Happy Afternoon. We actaully had a pretty good turnout considering the weather. Since I was gone most last week and unable to plan, (it was a fundraiser and each class sold some type of food), two mothers, one happens to be the owner of the school, the other a teacher, took over and had about 60 chocolate popsicles made, which Beto and I sold every one of. We make a good team. Good trial for our future bookstore (hopefully!).

May God bless you with His peace and Spirit...Romans 15:13

Back from the capital

Last Sat. Beto and I left for Teguc., staying with Amber. We had to get documentation saying we´re single from our respective embassies, for the wedding, and then get them authenticated in two different offices. We had been told numerous times what we had to do and where we had to go, but until you actually go through the process, you´re clueless.
Monday morning we get up at 6, leave the house at 7, get to the embassy at 7.30, but they won´t let us in till 8. We go down to the corner for coffee, come back, enter at 8. See someone in the office at 8.40(it´s the US embassy, but still in Honduras. Like being in two cultures at once. very strange). After the lady finally decided it was time to get to work, I got the document in 5 minutes, after paying $30 of course, for 2 sentences saying I´m single. I couldn´ve told you that! Then I go into a little interview room with the vice consulate, hold up my right hand, and swear I´ll tell him the truth about why I´m in Honduras. After leaving there we walked up to the Honduras Migration office which had relocated. We pay 70 limpira to go to the new location on the opposite side of town. We walk into the zoo where there´s no signs of anything. We find someone not busy and she tells us we want the office by the courthouse, on the other side of town(we could walk to it from Amber´s house). We get there and literally this is how it goes...yes, we need to get this authenticated...they point, over there...thanks
in the next office....yes, we need to get this authenticated...they point down, down there....
we walk down there...yes, we need to get this authenticated...they point up, up there....
we go up there...locked! and I had just joked to beto that they would say they´re unopened on Mondays...out of the blue a nonofficial looking man comes walking by and tells us to follow the path around back. Thank God for him. It would´ve been too hard to put a permanent sign up. We walk around, up some stairs, ask a passerby with a badge...yes, we need to get this authenticated...she points out and down and across...we walk down, out, and across...
yes, we need to get this authenticated....they point up and around...we walk up and around...FINALLY!!! they throw a paper at me(not literally) ¨Take this to the bank, pay 150 lempira, and come back. It´s going to be ready Wed. morning¨ We walk to get a taxi, it´s like 100 degrees out. We pay the fee and return the paper. For the day we´re done! So I had to stay till WEdnesday. At this point we had taken5 taxi´s at an average of about 50 lempira each. Oh! How could I forget our trip to the Guatemalan embassy??? It´s literally in a house! The lady at one of the two front desks says first off, ÖH, we don´t do that here. You have to go to Guatemala to have that done.¨ I´ve never seen Beto mad, but this was rediculous. ¨What? Excuse me? Go to Guatemala? Look, it´s two sentences!¨ She has the consulate rep come up from the basement and she tells us they can´t because they don´t keep any records. HELLO??? We asked her what good her embassy was and left. Beto was more frustrated than me, which was maybe a first! And the thing is, the latin american countries are now supposedly united, CA.4, but apparently it´s just on paper and political but doesn´t make any difference, except that the foreigners have to go even further every three months to renew their visa´s, to a country that isn´t in the ca.4.

Tuesday was a nice down day relaxing and hanging out with Amber. Beto went back home to teach his class on Wed. that he only teaches that day each week. Wed. morning we picked up the paper and went to the last office to get it authenticated for the 3rd time. I ran into an old friend that I taught with last year. Very cool. We get directions to the last office and long story short it is in an old masonic lodge building that hasn´t changed it´s sign to say government office. They said it wouldn´t be ready till the next day and I said no, you´ll have it done today becasue i have to get home. They had it ready at 1 and i was on the bus to go home at 2.

Today I was called in by the principal...ooo..and told to do him a favor and relax, and give some tutoring, which i´m totally against here because i´m tired after schoo, so are the kids, and it doenst do any good for those who don´t do anything in class anyways. and it´s basically just a buffer for him so that when the parents go to him to complain about me and their kids´grades, he can say, well, we´re doing everything we can, including tutoring, what are you doing? the rest is up to you at home. right. if it´s not happening now...

so at least now i get to relax and tutor..wait,what?...what did i just agree to???

Fun in second grade

No, this wasn´t happening on Jan. 1, 2004. Sorry about that error. I´m working on it.

A few weeks ago I was eating bread in the room with Beto(he took these). It´s shaped like a pin wheel. I broke off the edges and used them as teeth. Can´t resist putting fake ugly teeth in my mouth.

Here are some happier times in second grade, not that times aren´t happy now. Their personalities really come through in these.

Arrival and hair dresser

The picture of the taxi was taken last month when I arrived back after Christmas vacation. Beto went to the airport to meet me and on the bus later that day we ran into our friends from Belgium who teach at the school. Crazy! When we arrived in town we saw a former school bus driver who is now a taxi driver. He insisted that he could take all of us and our stuff in one trip. I thought it was so unbelievable, hence the photo. He´s also the same one that fit 8 of us into his car when Amber came to visit, then put 4 of our boys in the trunk. Good times.

My first hair cut to a human, well, my second, but my first was to L.Heida when she donated her hair and then I wasn´t really paying attn. too much to style, I just chopped it. Beverly wanted it short but not just chopped. I think I went a little too short but she was a good sport about it. She wasnt even scared when I told her that all of my Barbie´s ended up bald when I played beaty salon.

Sunday February 4th

School has been great lately. I am trying not to stress and take one day at a time. Last week some friends and I were talking and they all said what a hard, long week they had, the longest for them yet, and I said it was a super fast week. I'm just enjoying it.
The bookstore is still in the works. IF YOU CAN, I really need lot's of Spanish books, preferably children's paperbacks. My mom already sent my 37 pounds of books, but we'll see when they get here because they had to be sent by boat, or train, I don't know, perhaps by donkey. When I feel I have enough books and we're ready, we'll begin looking for a location. Please keep this in your prayers.
Also please be praying for us as we try to get all the paperwork in order for our wedding here in Honduras, and as we prepare now to apply for Beto's Visa in July/August for him to go to Cali in December. It's difficult and there's a lot of requirements. We're praying that we go with as much as we can to the appointment and that God puts a person with a soft heart prepared by Him there to interview us.

Embarrasing moment

My embarrassing moment will be magnified when I look up "embarrasing" and realize it's spelled wrong.
I never have embarrasing moments. Really, it takes a lot to embarrase me, but leave it to kids to humble you. This was my fault, however. Goes a little like this.

My kids were eating lunch outside and a small group of them were sitting down the steps from the classroom about 50 yards in front of me against the wall, facing me. I sat on the step into the room eating my lunch, watching them, being very conscious of putting my knees together since I was in a skirt. About 5 minutes later though I noticed the group of kids looking at me, snickering and pointing, whispering among themselves. I knew what that was about so I changed positions promptly.

All went to go play and all was well, until they all came back to class after lunch was over. All of a sudden Ceci, a girl from "the group", busted out in tears. This is totally not like her. She's a very stable, well-behaved girl. So I took her outside to talk. Since the office is next door, Dr. Troy, the director, came out as well to see what this was all about. Ceci was crying too hard to talk and I couldn't understand her. Two of her friends, who were also in "the group", came out to tell me. Seems some kids had told her that they were going to tell me that she was the one talking about me showing off my "bloomers" (direct quote, i have no idea where he got that word!) and she was scared to death. I told her I knew what they were laughing at but that that happens sometimes in life and I wasn't mad at here, that it had passed, and sent her inside. She was fine. The most embarassing part was that Dr. Troy was there, who understood because he speaks English, knowing that he knew what had happened. Later, at the end of the day, she gave me two pictures she had made for me. She must've been super relieved that I was going to punish her for talking about my "bloomers".

"Our" crazy beautiful dog!

Nosa 1. waiting for the cookies to get done!

2. posing

3. "what? you mean you already cleaned the beaters?"

Just wanted to share

The Table

Here's Beto in the process of making a table for my apt. The finished product is below. Ray S., if you're reading this, the Japanese Choir is on the compu at the time of filming! Thanks!

The table is a much needed thing I've been needing for awhile and I love it! It's so helpful!
Thanks to all who have sent well-wishes. I will get some pics up soon of the ring. Pray for Beto as he's sick with cold and didn't go to school today. We've already had a lot of offers of help. We'll get to print simple invitations for free, a brother from church will provide music and some friends are helping with food. I'm just bumbed we can't dance at the church. Maybe if we just take a few steps outside, technically we wouldn't be IN the church!

It's official!

We're engaged! I'm sorry I can't tell so many of you in person, but this seems to be the best way.

Beto found a nice restaurant in town we'd not been to yet but it was really good. He went ahead of time and told them what he was going to do and ordered 2 nice plates of food and appetizers. Living the high life! He asked me if I wanted to be his wife! Wow, I don't think anyone had ever asked me that before! Then made a nice little speach and the ring is gorgeous. We'll wear them on our right hands because of Beto's accident he can't wear his on his left.

The wedding will be here July 21st and depending on his VISA, we'll have another in Cali in December, TBA.

Blessings to all and thanks for the prayers!

Bookstore and prayer requests

This bookstore idea I've had since August when I first moved to La Esperanza. I've been talking a lot lately to my school principal who is a business man and knows a lot of people. I just see a need for it because there isn't one right now and I would like for school parents to be able to buy quality books they need without having to drive 4 hours to the big cities. Today Dr. Troy mentioned to me that he was going to have a meeting with the man who owns the new bus station tonight to see if I can get a new store spot there. He doesnt know if he'll be too excited about putting a bookstore there. There will only be food stores as of now he thinks, but I think it would be perfect, with all the out of towners and out of countryers passing through, they could sit for a spell and enjoy a cup of coffee, read a book/magazine, hopefully buy one to read on their journey. I really hope to see this happen by the end of the year at the latest. It will be a lot of work and money, so pray for this effort and for us and that God will lead us, give us wisdome, and that we'll be in His will.
Another prayer request is for a little girl that was kidnapped last Friday from a school bus here in twon from another school (the other big private school). 2 guys wanted this new car that a rich family here had just got, so they got on the bus, put a gun to the driver's head, and said who they wanted. They ended up taking the wrong girl. The girl they really were looking for wasn't on the bus that day but they have the same name. They are asking for a lot of money still from the rich family and keeping the poor(er) girl in hiding somewhere. Apparently it happened in front of another one of our own school busses and of course scared a lot of kids and parents. Pray for safety of the little girl, emotional stability, for the family's comfort and peace and for wisdom for the police and those who are searching for a healthy solution to all of this, for all people involved.
Finally, in the surrounding mountains there is a big fire that some helicopters went to today to put out with giant water buckets. Keep that situation in your prayers.
thanks and God bless you this week!

Pictures of stuff

Me in green: "Is it Christmas Vacaation yet???!!!" The four ladies (L-R): Josefina, teacher's aide and our "bus nanny", Angelina, preschool teacher, Dona Juana, school cleaner extroidinaire, and Nora, teacher's aide. Great fun ladies that I love and who are all really sweet friends.

Here we have a scary looking yet yummy tasting fruit called a leechee (here). You break open that prickly skin and eat the inside that tastes like a great.



At the table, Lindsey, Mr. Ken, Monique, Nora, Miss Beverly and I at Thanksgiving dinner.
Javier (half the head) with Darel, our Rundolph at the Christmas program. I forgot the red nose at school(the program was at our church building) so we painted red lipstick on it. He's such a good sport! Down bolow we have some of my kids who were "snow".

Sorry for the abundance of fotos on here, and kind of mixed up. Short on time, so let me explain. The one of both beto and I doesnt need too much explanation really, just that we did win the blue ribbon for beautifulest couple of the year. Beto with our new apt. complex puppy, Caramelo, who was birthed by the dog who lives with the school watchman on the property and is the one we take the most food to, Brownie.

the girl's back in town!

Hey everybody...

Back from a long hiatus. For now a brief summary of the last month or so.

the Christmas program at school went really well. Some of us who stayed late to clean up were abandoned by the bus driver thought and eventually made it home in different cars. We heard later that he was seriously reprimanded by the administration.

My trip home to cali was wonderful! It was a lot colder than I expected, esp. coming from a cold climate. I did a lot of relaxing and having a ton of fun with family and friends. It was bitter sweet to come back to honduras but i feel this is more my home now and was very excited to get back. beto and amber met me at the airport and a few hours later beto and i were on the bus to go back home. My plane trip was great becasue i had a window seat and slept most of the 5 hour flight. we stopped in el salvador and went to the gate printed on my ticket, which was wrong. the workers told me to run to the other terminal because the plane was a bout to leave for honduras! i did run as much as i could with all my carry on(a sax for my principal he ordered online and sent to my parents). i made it just in time, i think i was the last one on the plane. it was only a 30 min. flight to tegucigalpa.

the first week back at school was great..i've resolved to not stress out about this job the rest of the school year! i really enjoy being with my students and it's not nearly as cold now! good thing i brought back like 25 pounds of warm clothes!!! i also brought back here dunkin donuts from teguc. and a box of see's candies which my neighbors have loved. i'm not looking forward to washing clothes by hand tomorrow, however.

when we arrived both fridges were covered in mold b/c we'd turned them off and left the doors closed. I'm glad we came back a day early because we spent all last saturday thoroughly cleaning them, the stoves, the apts. (beto's and mine) and trading them from his to mine, and cleaning all the mold from my windows and book case. i hadn't opened the windows and it was rainy season, but it was cold, but all is well now!

in the meantime, i'm opening a bookstore in town sometime this year, it's going to be the first here, and i need any/all used books/magazines in english and spanish! ask me or my mom for my address,. i can't post it here.

Happy New Year and fotos to come. you know how it is!

December 7 was Beto's birthday. We invited our apt. friends, our missionary friends, and our pastor's family. It was a surprise and instead of Beto showing up to his apt. and everyone being there, with the way the apt.s are set up we had to have everyone go to my neighbor's apt. and wait there until everyone arrived, then they all showed up on his porch, knocked, and when he opened the door, we shouted "surprise!" It was great. i made the ever so famous Tres Leches (3 milk) cake, from a box, of course, but it turned out pretty well. The holes are supposed to be there! I promise I followed directions! this was Beto's first pinata and our dog loved it, well actually she was hateful toward it since we were beating it up she thought it was a threat. it was the most hilarious thing to watch her in mid air tearing it up, grabbing it with her front legs and eventually dragging it away and "eating" it for about 30 minutes until she was sure that it was "dead" . it was like watching a lion with its prey.

the beans are just something cool i stumbled upon in the market. they are the shape of lima beans but are so beautiful and colorful I almost didn't want to eat them. they would make a great centerpiece or decoration in a candy dish.

today was the last day of classes. Tomorrow we practice for the Christmas program, the school kids, in the morning, and the program is at 4, so they say. We'll (2nd grade) be singing and dancing to Rudolph, Harry Connick Jr. style. I'm really excited. I've been really stressed lately doing too much and trying to do all the extra stuff, plus teach, that we have to do around the holidays. Pray that the program goes well. I'm so excited to finally be on vacation, I have been waiting so anxiously for so long, counting down the days, and now it's surreal that it's finally here. Saturday morning I leave for Tegucigalpa and will stay in my old house with Amber until Monday when I fly home.

God has been so good, as usual, and this season has been awesome. I appreciate all your prayers and thoughts.

Merry Christmas!

California Dreamin'

On such a winter's daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

I had a dream the other night that I was sitting in my mom's car somewhere in SoCal and I looked up and out the windshield and got a little freaked out by the HUGE green street sign and the traffic light. I realized I havn't seen either of those in over 2 months. I mean, imagine, an actual sign to announce the name of the street. Talk about reverse culture shock. (There's also no billboards here).

Then a few nights later I dreamed I was a little girl at a summer camp, for the whole summer! I was hating it, I was bored, and I really just wanted to go home. All of a sudden (you know how dreams are), they told us to pack. I frantically tried to pack my cold-weather clothes as fast as I could but I just didn't have enough time, and I was so upset because I absolutely dread the cold. A fellow teacher from here was in my dream and she was a counselor and hurrying me up to go. Then I found out that we were only going on a little weekend field trip and that we'd have to come back to the camp for another month before going home.

When I woke up I thought, "oh my goodness, that's La Esperanza (where I live now)". THis town is so small, and although I don't hate and am not that bored, I have never lived in a town like this, only in big cities. I feel like I have cabin feaver, except there's no cabin (but there is a cement block apt.) So needlessto say I am really looking forward to leaving this "camp" and visiting LA for a few weeks.

To talk about today, it was a little stressful. The bus was late so I walked in right at 8 when classes are to start. The secretary had opened my classroom door for the kids before I got there which I really didn't like because my kids are little and they only have eyes for other little kids' stuff, and sometimes my stuff on my desk, if you know what I mean. Then to top it all off I found out at my busstop, before the day even started, that I had a new student in 2nd grade and in 1st (brother and sister). They hadn't told me anything or let me test them in english, and the 1st grader didn't even understand me when I asked her her name in English. But the situation was explained to me later and I feel better now. Just a lack of communication. But I sure am ready for that vacation. Can the other teachers give me and Amen!?

Happy HOLI-days!

Happy HOLI-days everyone!

Friendship Day

We had our second Friendship Day at church last Sunday and it went really well. We had some kids' classes perform and Beto helped lead worship. keep praying for our friends and the people of our town, school, and all of Honduras. God is growing our hearts more for missions and we are happy to be serving now in this church.

Coooooooold today!

It's Thanksgiving Day, and I feel like I'm in New York! Of course I've never been in New York during Thanksgiving, but I know it's cold!

This is how we dress now. We had to do necesity shopping this week because I didn't have any warm clothes! This week I've bought 2 beanies, new gloves, 2 jackets, and thick socks. The children are Beto's students during PE today. We had classes in the morning plus Thanksgiving activities. We have tomorrow off and for dinner all the school staff will eat a Thanksgiving meal. Today we performed a program, different classes, for a group of children that came from the local social service program, more or less. they performed a dance and song too, and then we all had lunch together, and a lot of students brought clothes, canned food, and toys to donate to the children. We got to leave at 1pm and beto and i went to rent movies and to a new store that's like a thrift store where i bought more clothes and Beto got a nice jacket. The clothes are nice U..s brands that come mostly from thrift stores in Houston. It was super fun.

all right, my fingers are about frozen. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Saturday with Friends

Here we all are in my apt. last Saturday eating the tacos that Beto made. He's a wonderful cook! I am so lucky! He invited out pastor and his family, and all the apt. mates. We had guacamole, tacos, and a typical Guatemalan food: cauliflower fried in oil and egg. Pretty good! While we were all still hanging out a brother from the church came by with his truck loaded with coolers of shrimp and fish straight from the coast. My neighbor had ordered from him and he came by to drop it off, and ended up selling a little bit to all of us. Later some peace core workers dropped by to visit and they ended up buying from him too. It was really good! Beto used the shrimp in a soup he made last night and we all ate it together, all the apt. mates. It's so fun being here! Praise God!

My apartment in lights!

Happy Thanksgiving, and Merry Christmas everyone! Even though I'm coming home for Christmas this year I couldn't wait to put up lights and decorations so that we could all enjoy them at the apt. complex before we go our separate ways during Christmas break. My apt. isn't on fire. those are the lights from the Christmas tree, and that my curtains are yellow. I don't know if any of you had ever had an experience like this, but we got the lights all put up and THEN plugged them in! HELLO??? Where's your sign?! And of course I only have to tell you that because they didn't work! So we had to go back to the store, which was only like a 5 minute walk and got a better pair for .50 more. The thing about the stores here is that the sales people follow you within like 2 inches of you because of fear of theft, and I can't shop like that people! I get frustrated and can't think and feel like I have to pick somthing fast so as not to bother the help, even if it's something i don't really like, and then i get frustrated because I spend more money than I want on stuff I don't want.But i didnt' do too bad this time and i guess it's better to get help then to not find any like in the States, but I have found a few stores here that don't "bother" me too much.

Misc. Life pictures

Beto had never licked a beeter in his life! I got the event on film! The dog is our community dog that was left here by a peace-core worker. Long story. The 2 French women who live above me have taken her in. Her name is Nosa and she is the sweetest cutest thing and we all love taking care of her. She goes from apt. to apt. to talk, catch up, and of course, ask for food,and sometimes a cup of coffee.
The scenery picture was taken from the rooftop patio of a nice restaurant we went to recently in town. It was a perfect day. We live ina really beautiful place. It does have its little silly things though, like the man who grills meat every morning at 7:15 am infront of his auto parts store. i see him everyday on the way to school. Or that it's freezing here and no one sells heaters nor owns one. I'm in the internet cafe right now and didnt take off any layers nor my hat when i came in, and the only reason i don't have my gloves on is because i'm typing. but the people and environment and lifestyle here is wonderful. God is so good! I am super super happy here! I am so thankful to be here and that God has allowed Beto and I to work together. Things are going great in our jobs and at our church which we both love. We have alot more pastoral and friend support here than either of us did in Teguc, except I don't have Amber here with me! I miss her! And I do feel like I'm getting a little cabin fever. I haven't been out of this little town since mid-September and my schedule is always the same, but at least we can rent movies in town!

Talent Show

It's so nice to finally be able to blog. Forgive the tardiness of all of these photos and blogs.

Here are some acts that were presented at the
Talent Show night about a month ago. The photo with the students dancing with cowboy hats are my second graders. I didn't teach them any of that, it's a traditional Honduran Dance, but they did a great job! I love those kids!

Life is a lot different here than it was in Tegu. For one thing, it's freezing here! That may be hard to believe seeing that we're living in a tropical coastal country in latin America, but we're the highest city in the country, about the height of Denver. Also, in my class I have 20 kids instead of only 6, so it's a lot more work, but a lot more pleasant and peaceful. I love this small town and the people that I live and work with. We share everything and have eaten a lot of meals together lately. Well, I didnt say much about the talent show. Beto was one of the master of ceremonies and it went really well. I didn't participate. I was in charge of controling the "publico infantil", which literally translates as "infant public". Fun fun!

Hey Everybody.

Well I'm sorely disappointed. I tried the othernight to post, and the connection in the internet went out. Always happens. Tonight there's a great connection but Blogger doesnt want to let me post pictures. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!! I'm so sorry.

Well, I'm doing great! It's been a wonderful life here since I moved in August. I love my job and my apt., the town, the people, etc. I am so amazed at how God has blessed me by being here and that Beto and I can work at the same school and go to the same church which we love. Our Bible study with the youth is still going on. Last week I gave the lesson and it went really well. Our church started a prayer service this week on Tuesdays which is awesome and that means our youth home group moved to Mondays. On Wednesdays we have our "gringo" Bible study in English, which is refreshing, and starting this Thursday I'll be tutoring two firstgraders after school for an hour. We had parent confererances about grades tonight and even though I was against tutoring, I broke down after talking to some parents. Pray that the students will recieve better grades this period. I don't have anything planned on Friday nights nor on Sundays for the sake of all that is good and holy!

I'll be flying in to LA on Dec. 18th late late and i'll be in socal for about 3 weeks! I am so excited! I can't wait to do nothing but have fun with friends, family, bake cookies, help decorate my parent's house and gorge myself on Christmas movies!

I'll try to post more pictures as soon as possible!