April 29, 2009
Today I saw something that I never wanted to see. I was driving to the bank and as I made a left hand turn onto a road about 3 minutes from my house I noticed yellow tape and police cars and spectators. As I glanced up the road, I saw something in the middle of the road and I hoped that it was not a body. But I had a feeling that there was no such thing as a sheet to cover bodies here since the newspaper displays corpses all the time with no white sheet to cover them. I continued on my way but later called my friend who lives half a block from the crime scene because I wanted to talk to her about something else.
Much to my display it was a person that I saw laying on the road. I had been hoping it was a dog hit by a car but of course that would not have warrented police involvement. As it turns out thieves were trying to get into a house where a man was painting outside on a ladder. They shot him and drove off. Just a few days ago thieves broke into the house beside my friends' house. Evidently they are patrolling their street looking for easy access. And this is one of the reasons why so many Honduras live in fear. I can see why they say to never walk anywhere, run, or anything of the sort because at any time you could be at the wrong place at the wrong time. How to decide when and where to go? I cannot live my life cooped up inside because of constant fear. At the same time I try to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and there have been days when I have decided not to run because it just did not seem the right thing to do.
I spent some time praying for the man's family this afternoon and the grief and pain that they are sure to be experiencing. I am sure that they are asking why since it was probably not even his house. He was just doing his job. I pray that God can bring about good in their lives in spite of the pain.
On another note regarding fear, I noticed several people wearing masks today -- the type that the news shows the people of Mexico wearing. There are several suspected (but not confirmed cases) of the swine flu here in Honduras and fears seem to be mounting. At first as I read the news I was quite concerned with the prospect of this flu spreading around the world. I still hope that it does not, but I sense that the news perspective that I have been getting is a little too saturated with fear and hype. Because of less access to medication and poor living conditions perhaps such a flu here in Honduras could cause lots of sickness and death. I feel as if I was living in the United States right now, I would not be thinking much about the disease at all. I may end up experiencing the effects of living in a developing nation if this flu does prove to be an epidemic and serious problem. As I scanned an article this afternoon I noted that there is discussion about closing schools in San Pedro Sula. I just realized that if that happens it could mean no Outdoor Education program next week at camp. I was just getting excited too about this group coming and trained a girl to teach one of the classes this past Monday. I hope that the situation is not blown out of proportion and that wise and sensible measures will be taken to ensure good health for all.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Days to Run and Days to Walk
April 29, 2009
Today was a day for running. I had extra time this morning and decided to run longer than normal (usually half an hour), but I did not expect to be out for over an hour. I started up the Coca Cola Mountain (named that because it has a big Coca Cola sign at the top which overlooks the city) which I have done other days. Usually I turn around mid-way because I do not like running uphill forever and then downhill (because of the impact on the knees). But today I kept going and eventually was so close to the top that I could not turn around. I have been to the top before, but always walking. As I was coming down the mountain I realized that when running, I do not take the time to enjoy the views or the intricacies of creation. For this reason there are days to run and days to walk. If I was always running, I would miss out on the details of creation (and life) and conversations and many other things. The next time I travel up to the sign, it will probably be with friends so that I can more fully enjoy the experience. I was quite excited when I got to catch a falling leaf. A touch of autumn even though I am dreaming of spring right now.
Today was a day for running. I had extra time this morning and decided to run longer than normal (usually half an hour), but I did not expect to be out for over an hour. I started up the Coca Cola Mountain (named that because it has a big Coca Cola sign at the top which overlooks the city) which I have done other days. Usually I turn around mid-way because I do not like running uphill forever and then downhill (because of the impact on the knees). But today I kept going and eventually was so close to the top that I could not turn around. I have been to the top before, but always walking. As I was coming down the mountain I realized that when running, I do not take the time to enjoy the views or the intricacies of creation. For this reason there are days to run and days to walk. If I was always running, I would miss out on the details of creation (and life) and conversations and many other things. The next time I travel up to the sign, it will probably be with friends so that I can more fully enjoy the experience. I was quite excited when I got to catch a falling leaf. A touch of autumn even though I am dreaming of spring right now.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
A Birthday Review
April 21, 2009
I knew that this would be a different sort of birthday since it is the first that I was not with family or close friends (the college years). I knew it would be a rather ordinary day, especially since I was in the city and unless I planned an event with friends, nothing would happen. Yesterday I had a birthday meal with the Williamsons and brownies with all of the staff so that was good.
This morning I decided that I would get up in time to see the sun in it's pink stage over the city while running. I was up in time (5:34AM) but today it was never pink, only yellow. Quite disappointing. I still ran though. When I returned to the house, I was welcomed with crying which continued for the next hour, making a quiet time rather difficult. It would seem that Lisbet is getting one of her molars and so only being with her mommy brought a temporary stop to the tears.
I soon left to run by the church office, post office, and to find a quiet place to work from. Evelin made a good lunch and by the time I got home Lisbet was feeling better. Later in the afternoon we went for ice cream which made the day feel more like a birthday. And then even later I was able to chat with my family.
This evening I decided to make an appearing at basketball practice again. Evelin was not about to have me watch a crying Lisbet on my birthday so it seemed a good time to get back on the court. I enjoyed the games of 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 but found myself frustrated by what I would call lack of integrity in planning. I think that the standards from having played at Black Rock for so many years have spoiled me a bit.
And now I am back in the apartment, sitting on the patio -- a favorite spot in the evening, thanks to the cooler temperatures, the fun plants, and often starlit sky. Oh, throughout the day I was blessed with notes from friends and family via internet. At one point I even got some tears in my eyes as I realized how much I appreciate the support of everyone in my life. So all lin all it has been a good day, though perhaps not exciting as birthdays go. Of course as my mom said, that is the way of birthdays. The older you get, the less exciting they are. I would concur.
I knew that this would be a different sort of birthday since it is the first that I was not with family or close friends (the college years). I knew it would be a rather ordinary day, especially since I was in the city and unless I planned an event with friends, nothing would happen. Yesterday I had a birthday meal with the Williamsons and brownies with all of the staff so that was good.
This morning I decided that I would get up in time to see the sun in it's pink stage over the city while running. I was up in time (5:34AM) but today it was never pink, only yellow. Quite disappointing. I still ran though. When I returned to the house, I was welcomed with crying which continued for the next hour, making a quiet time rather difficult. It would seem that Lisbet is getting one of her molars and so only being with her mommy brought a temporary stop to the tears.
I soon left to run by the church office, post office, and to find a quiet place to work from. Evelin made a good lunch and by the time I got home Lisbet was feeling better. Later in the afternoon we went for ice cream which made the day feel more like a birthday. And then even later I was able to chat with my family.
This evening I decided to make an appearing at basketball practice again. Evelin was not about to have me watch a crying Lisbet on my birthday so it seemed a good time to get back on the court. I enjoyed the games of 2 on 2 and 3 on 3 but found myself frustrated by what I would call lack of integrity in planning. I think that the standards from having played at Black Rock for so many years have spoiled me a bit.
And now I am back in the apartment, sitting on the patio -- a favorite spot in the evening, thanks to the cooler temperatures, the fun plants, and often starlit sky. Oh, throughout the day I was blessed with notes from friends and family via internet. At one point I even got some tears in my eyes as I realized how much I appreciate the support of everyone in my life. So all lin all it has been a good day, though perhaps not exciting as birthdays go. Of course as my mom said, that is the way of birthdays. The older you get, the less exciting they are. I would concur.
Monday, April 20, 2009
I am Blessed
April 19, 2009
One evening last week I was sitting in my living room talking with Evelin and through the course of the conversation I was struck with how blessed I am to have the family that I do. I have a family that loves and supports me. Until this past year, sickness and death had hardly even touched my extended family. This last year has brought more pain because of various happenings, but even so my family has stood together. Evelin, on the other hand, is very alone in the world. Her mother died while she was a teenager and her father is out of the picture. Some of her siblings are supportive of her but they do not understand her story or where she is today. And because of their own problems and struggles financially in a poor country, they cannot give much aid. And so as I sat with her that day I felt one of those twinges of sadness and even a little guilt as to why I was chosen to have such a wonderful family and easy life. My own choices and decisions have much to do with my family relationships, but there is a part too that is out of my control. I did nothing to deserve my family, but God placed me where He did. And so I am very thankful but realize that I want to be able to share my family and what I have learned from them with others. I am humbled too realizing that when much is given, much is required. What am I doing to share the family God has given me? I cannot take for granted what God has done for me.
One evening last week I was sitting in my living room talking with Evelin and through the course of the conversation I was struck with how blessed I am to have the family that I do. I have a family that loves and supports me. Until this past year, sickness and death had hardly even touched my extended family. This last year has brought more pain because of various happenings, but even so my family has stood together. Evelin, on the other hand, is very alone in the world. Her mother died while she was a teenager and her father is out of the picture. Some of her siblings are supportive of her but they do not understand her story or where she is today. And because of their own problems and struggles financially in a poor country, they cannot give much aid. And so as I sat with her that day I felt one of those twinges of sadness and even a little guilt as to why I was chosen to have such a wonderful family and easy life. My own choices and decisions have much to do with my family relationships, but there is a part too that is out of my control. I did nothing to deserve my family, but God placed me where He did. And so I am very thankful but realize that I want to be able to share my family and what I have learned from them with others. I am humbled too realizing that when much is given, much is required. What am I doing to share the family God has given me? I cannot take for granted what God has done for me.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Road Sightings and Spring
April 16, 2009
On Tuesday I spent a lot of time on the road, whether it was my drive to camp or around the city. I had a dentist appointment after 2 plus years of not setting foot in a dentist office. Thankfully I only had one small cavity. But during my drives, I noticed a few interesting sights that I had to think, “Only in Honduras.” The first was in downtown San Pedro Sula where I was driving along and noticed that one intersection did not have an ordinary stop sign. Because it was a street and not an avenue, I knew that I was due to stop. And then I saw pegged to a tree, what looked to be white poster board with glittery red letters pasted on that said, “ALTO”, which in Spanish means stop. It looked a bit like a child’s work and I wondered if it was an official sign with legal backing.
The next sighting was on the highway. I noticed a large truck in front of me filled with gas canisters (the kind used for the stoves here). Perched on top of the canisters were two armed guards – not unusual. What was unusual was that they were masked, giving them the appearance of being the bad guys, not the guards.
The more favorable vistas during my drive were those of the tree, Carao (Cassia grandis) that makes me think of spring and cherry blossoms. The tree is really quite beautiful and it’s pink flowers rival that of the cherry blossoms of Lancaster, but it’s drawback is that it is so big. Even though it is not a canopy tree, a cherry tree would be a dwarf in comparison and when it comes to trees and flowers, I tend to like the small, non-showy type – the Dogwoods, Bleeding Hearts, Forget-me-Nots, Spring Beauties, and just to name a few. These trees are much more dominating and their large legume like seed pod, detracts a bit from the beauty of the blossoms. All of the thoughts of cherry blossoms have made me miss seeing the beauty of spring, yet again. Here in Honduras there is no official spring. There are flowers throughout the year and new leaves on one tree while another tree is losing its leaves. Sometimes I see examples of three seasons all in a day’s drive. I have yet to fully capture a glimpse of winter here though.
On Easter Sunday the songs and message for some reason made me think of spring – perhaps because on many an Easter morning I could sit in my church in Lancaster and look out over Cherry Hill’s Orchards which was a beautiful sight to behold. Easter is about new life as Christ rose from the grave as is spring so I suppose that there are various connections between the two. On Saturday I began to watch “Anne of Green Gables” in Spanish and the scenery in that movie is enough to make one miss spring and the seasons.
On Tuesday I spent a lot of time on the road, whether it was my drive to camp or around the city. I had a dentist appointment after 2 plus years of not setting foot in a dentist office. Thankfully I only had one small cavity. But during my drives, I noticed a few interesting sights that I had to think, “Only in Honduras.” The first was in downtown San Pedro Sula where I was driving along and noticed that one intersection did not have an ordinary stop sign. Because it was a street and not an avenue, I knew that I was due to stop. And then I saw pegged to a tree, what looked to be white poster board with glittery red letters pasted on that said, “ALTO”, which in Spanish means stop. It looked a bit like a child’s work and I wondered if it was an official sign with legal backing.
The next sighting was on the highway. I noticed a large truck in front of me filled with gas canisters (the kind used for the stoves here). Perched on top of the canisters were two armed guards – not unusual. What was unusual was that they were masked, giving them the appearance of being the bad guys, not the guards.
The more favorable vistas during my drive were those of the tree, Carao (Cassia grandis) that makes me think of spring and cherry blossoms. The tree is really quite beautiful and it’s pink flowers rival that of the cherry blossoms of Lancaster, but it’s drawback is that it is so big. Even though it is not a canopy tree, a cherry tree would be a dwarf in comparison and when it comes to trees and flowers, I tend to like the small, non-showy type – the Dogwoods, Bleeding Hearts, Forget-me-Nots, Spring Beauties, and just to name a few. These trees are much more dominating and their large legume like seed pod, detracts a bit from the beauty of the blossoms. All of the thoughts of cherry blossoms have made me miss seeing the beauty of spring, yet again. Here in Honduras there is no official spring. There are flowers throughout the year and new leaves on one tree while another tree is losing its leaves. Sometimes I see examples of three seasons all in a day’s drive. I have yet to fully capture a glimpse of winter here though.
On Easter Sunday the songs and message for some reason made me think of spring – perhaps because on many an Easter morning I could sit in my church in Lancaster and look out over Cherry Hill’s Orchards which was a beautiful sight to behold. Easter is about new life as Christ rose from the grave as is spring so I suppose that there are various connections between the two. On Saturday I began to watch “Anne of Green Gables” in Spanish and the scenery in that movie is enough to make one miss spring and the seasons.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Someday
April 15, 2009
Someday I will write all of the blog entries that are floating around in my head. I had high hopes that tonight would be the night, but it is not. I am still preparing for a meeting with a school administrator tomorrow. I am hoping that they will bring 6th grade students for a Science trip to camp on May 8. So, I will finish my preparations and then try to get some sleep and leave the blog entries for tomorrow.
Someday I will write all of the blog entries that are floating around in my head. I had high hopes that tonight would be the night, but it is not. I am still preparing for a meeting with a school administrator tomorrow. I am hoping that they will bring 6th grade students for a Science trip to camp on May 8. So, I will finish my preparations and then try to get some sleep and leave the blog entries for tomorrow.
Monday, April 13, 2009
After the Crowds
April 13, 2009
And so the excitement of Semana Santa has passed. I spent the week out at camp with preparations in the first few days for the crowds that would arrive on Wednesday. Then during the retreat I participated in what I could and connected with people, but I spent much of my time watching Lisbet while Evelin cleaned at camp. It was amazing to watch Lisbet's progress as she even let Cindy hold her during the one worship service without crying. Right now she is sick, having caught whatever her cousin has, and so that makes life a little more miserable for her (and us).
It had not rained for weeks and the temperatures have been over 100F most days. But it seems inevitable that during Semana Santa it will rain. This time the rain came on Monday evening and then all day Tuesday. Those who had set their tents up on Sunday were going to arrive at camp on Wednesday to find some big puddles inside of them. I tried to help by rearranging the rain flies or tucking plastics under the tent but the chore was really too big. People are more concerned with having a place to wipe their feet than they are with not letting that same plastic carry the water under their tent and create lakes. When it comes down to it, there is a lack of knowledge on the matter too. On Tuesday I went
around and tried to help various people with their tents, giving pointers on how to make them more "waterproof." Thankfully for everyone, there was no more rain the rest of the week so the mud was the biggest challenge for the majority of the campers.
Friday night the preaching was interrupted by a silence as the electric went out and so did the sound system and all of the lights. Lisbet started crying but as soon as people began to sing worship songs to fill in the silence, she was content again. They got the sound system connected to a car battery and the preaching continued. The electric remained out though until late Saturday afternoon -- a few minutes before I returned to the city. The theme of the retreat was "Hearing the Voice of God" and was good. With watching Lisbet I got less out of the sermons than I normally would.
Friday night held some other excitement for me as I crawled into my tent shortly before midnight, I suddenly realized that I was being bitten -- by fire ants. Sure enough they were crawling into my tent and swarming right in front of it. To be sure, nearly everyday at camp I step in ants and endure their bites but I had no desire to sleep with them so I made sure my sleeping bag was okay and took it over to the Williamson's large tent where a few of the staff children had been sleeping. There I found a place to sleep for the night free of ants though the next morning there were outside that tent.
So for the moment that is all I will write about Semana Santa. Hopefully I can post some pictures soon and reflect on other parts of the week but right now dinner beckons me (that is after I heat it up or make it).
And so the excitement of Semana Santa has passed. I spent the week out at camp with preparations in the first few days for the crowds that would arrive on Wednesday. Then during the retreat I participated in what I could and connected with people, but I spent much of my time watching Lisbet while Evelin cleaned at camp. It was amazing to watch Lisbet's progress as she even let Cindy hold her during the one worship service without crying. Right now she is sick, having caught whatever her cousin has, and so that makes life a little more miserable for her (and us).
It had not rained for weeks and the temperatures have been over 100F most days. But it seems inevitable that during Semana Santa it will rain. This time the rain came on Monday evening and then all day Tuesday. Those who had set their tents up on Sunday were going to arrive at camp on Wednesday to find some big puddles inside of them. I tried to help by rearranging the rain flies or tucking plastics under the tent but the chore was really too big. People are more concerned with having a place to wipe their feet than they are with not letting that same plastic carry the water under their tent and create lakes. When it comes down to it, there is a lack of knowledge on the matter too. On Tuesday I went
around and tried to help various people with their tents, giving pointers on how to make them more "waterproof." Thankfully for everyone, there was no more rain the rest of the week so the mud was the biggest challenge for the majority of the campers.Friday night the preaching was interrupted by a silence as the electric went out and so did the sound system and all of the lights. Lisbet started crying but as soon as people began to sing worship songs to fill in the silence, she was content again. They got the sound system connected to a car battery and the preaching continued. The electric remained out though until late Saturday afternoon -- a few minutes before I returned to the city. The theme of the retreat was "Hearing the Voice of God" and was good. With watching Lisbet I got less out of the sermons than I normally would.
Friday night held some other excitement for me as I crawled into my tent shortly before midnight, I suddenly realized that I was being bitten -- by fire ants. Sure enough they were crawling into my tent and swarming right in front of it. To be sure, nearly everyday at camp I step in ants and endure their bites but I had no desire to sleep with them so I made sure my sleeping bag was okay and took it over to the Williamson's large tent where a few of the staff children had been sleeping. There I found a place to sleep for the night free of ants though the next morning there were outside that tent.
So for the moment that is all I will write about Semana Santa. Hopefully I can post some pictures soon and reflect on other parts of the week but right now dinner beckons me (that is after I heat it up or make it).
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Return of the Rains
April 7, 2009
The rains have returned – much to my surprise. Apparently it rains every Semana Santa so I should not have been too surprised. With the rain some cooler weather has sailed in which is a great delight. Rain at 2:00AM meant that I had to run out of the house and shut the car windows which I had left open in an attempt to get rid of some unpleasant odors. It also meant no morning run unless I found some extraordinary motivation at 6:00AM (which I did not).
The trucks and buses arriving today with the sound equipment, chairs, food, and cooks from the city ran into some challenges on the muddy roads and drives. I got to help try and push one small truck off of the grassy area where it had tried to turn around. The biggest task I found for the day though was trying to help people set up their tents. I think that tomorrow I will try to walk around and give tips to the people coming in. I have realized that most of the people do not know how to keep the inside of a tent dry. Last year a majority of the tents were flooded and this year is starting out that way. There are two important techniques to teach: 1.) No impact camping (leaving only your footprints when you leave – not your trash and a trench that you dug around your tent) and 2.) how to put up a tent in a way that will keep the rain out. I guess that we will see how tomorrow goes.
The rains have returned – much to my surprise. Apparently it rains every Semana Santa so I should not have been too surprised. With the rain some cooler weather has sailed in which is a great delight. Rain at 2:00AM meant that I had to run out of the house and shut the car windows which I had left open in an attempt to get rid of some unpleasant odors. It also meant no morning run unless I found some extraordinary motivation at 6:00AM (which I did not).
The trucks and buses arriving today with the sound equipment, chairs, food, and cooks from the city ran into some challenges on the muddy roads and drives. I got to help try and push one small truck off of the grassy area where it had tried to turn around. The biggest task I found for the day though was trying to help people set up their tents. I think that tomorrow I will try to walk around and give tips to the people coming in. I have realized that most of the people do not know how to keep the inside of a tent dry. Last year a majority of the tents were flooded and this year is starting out that way. There are two important techniques to teach: 1.) No impact camping (leaving only your footprints when you leave – not your trash and a trench that you dug around your tent) and 2.) how to put up a tent in a way that will keep the rain out. I guess that we will see how tomorrow goes.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Missing the Sunrise
April 5, 2009
I have been noticing that I rise just a little bit too late each morning in that I miss seeing the sunrise over the city in it’s pink ball of glory. I catch a glimpse through my bedroom window, but I have yet to be running by 5:45AM in order to really see it. When I leave the apartment, it has settled down into a ball of yellow flame, without such dazzle or glory. Some morning I will make myself get it in time to really enjoy the view. Yesterday as I was running I was composing all sorts of blog entries but now, 36 hours later, I cannot remember anything I had wanted to write. Oh well, I know that I do want to mention last evening’s activity.
I went with my friend Lourdes to an outlying neighborhood of San Pedro Sula where her church was having an evangelism service. At 5:30PM as we drove to the place, I learned two things. One was that the temperature was 95F and the sun was to set in just half an hour. The second was that Villa Nueva, where we were headed, is a marginal community and just this week there had been 3 deaths. I knew it was good for me to go and I wanted to go, but I began to fear a little more for safety. In the end the evening went well with no threat of personal security in the least. There were puppets and dramas for the children and then another drama for the youth and adults while the children went to another portion of the soccer field for songs and a message. I hung out with a 16 year old girl named Gabriela who I had noticed along with her sisters. I was one of the few North Americans in the group so I stood out and as usual got lots of stares and attention. Gabriela was a part of a church but has not been attending and so it was neat to see her interest in taking advantage of the transportation offered to go to Lourdes’s church. From what I understood though her parents are not supportive of church involvement so I pray that she and her siblings will be permitted to go. Another girl, Cindy, was excited to hear of youth group that is happening in their neighborhood.
For me it was good to get out in a community such as that and interact with various young people. I was encouraged too because there was a missionary couple from the church who did much of the speaking and they are from the mid-west. They have been in Honduras for 30 years and when I heard them speaking in Spanish without stumbling over words, I realized that there is still hope for me. Not that I am really planning to be here for 30 years.
Well, I suppose that it is time to return home to a very hot apartment, but I have enjoyed this brief time in a quiet place with A/C. I am sure that Lisbet will be running around back at the apartment too, wanting some attention. Tomorrow we all head out to camp for the week so I do have packing to do yet. I cannot forget my tent.
I have been noticing that I rise just a little bit too late each morning in that I miss seeing the sunrise over the city in it’s pink ball of glory. I catch a glimpse through my bedroom window, but I have yet to be running by 5:45AM in order to really see it. When I leave the apartment, it has settled down into a ball of yellow flame, without such dazzle or glory. Some morning I will make myself get it in time to really enjoy the view. Yesterday as I was running I was composing all sorts of blog entries but now, 36 hours later, I cannot remember anything I had wanted to write. Oh well, I know that I do want to mention last evening’s activity.
I went with my friend Lourdes to an outlying neighborhood of San Pedro Sula where her church was having an evangelism service. At 5:30PM as we drove to the place, I learned two things. One was that the temperature was 95F and the sun was to set in just half an hour. The second was that Villa Nueva, where we were headed, is a marginal community and just this week there had been 3 deaths. I knew it was good for me to go and I wanted to go, but I began to fear a little more for safety. In the end the evening went well with no threat of personal security in the least. There were puppets and dramas for the children and then another drama for the youth and adults while the children went to another portion of the soccer field for songs and a message. I hung out with a 16 year old girl named Gabriela who I had noticed along with her sisters. I was one of the few North Americans in the group so I stood out and as usual got lots of stares and attention. Gabriela was a part of a church but has not been attending and so it was neat to see her interest in taking advantage of the transportation offered to go to Lourdes’s church. From what I understood though her parents are not supportive of church involvement so I pray that she and her siblings will be permitted to go. Another girl, Cindy, was excited to hear of youth group that is happening in their neighborhood.
For me it was good to get out in a community such as that and interact with various young people. I was encouraged too because there was a missionary couple from the church who did much of the speaking and they are from the mid-west. They have been in Honduras for 30 years and when I heard them speaking in Spanish without stumbling over words, I realized that there is still hope for me. Not that I am really planning to be here for 30 years.
Well, I suppose that it is time to return home to a very hot apartment, but I have enjoyed this brief time in a quiet place with A/C. I am sure that Lisbet will be running around back at the apartment too, wanting some attention. Tomorrow we all head out to camp for the week so I do have packing to do yet. I cannot forget my tent.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Wildlife Sightings and Life Lessons
April 2, 2009
This morning I managed to get out of bed in time for a run around the camp. During one of my laps I was almost upon a Blue-Crowned Motmot (a bird, see the photo) before it flew off. If only I had had my camera! As I continued running, I encountered more motmots that would take off silently when I approached. What I realized though was that they were not calling to their friends to say, "Watch out Jen is coming by! Quick hide." Instead each one seemed to fend for itself and take off as I approached. I contemplated their actions a bit and realized that is not the best way to live life, at least for humans. For me it is important to have other Christians and friends around me who will hold me accountable and warn me of upcoming dangers. The birds were not so quick as to escape before I saw them.
Later in the day when the sun was full force, I saw an iguana take off across the field and head towards the archery ravine. It did not immediately descend but instead it bobbed it's head in an effort to warn me not to approach. Naturally I did approach because I wanted a better picture and had been so far away. The iguana chose to run well before I ever got anywhere close to where he had been hanging out. The picture never happened -- at least not a close up (you can search for the iguana in the photo below), but I always like to see that there are still iguanas around and that they have not all been converted into a soup.
My other sightings of the day included a small morho butterfly that flittered across the drive, flashing it's brilliant blue color and a small warbler of some sort. I enjoyed the glimpses of God's creation. Oh, and of course I cannot forget the geckos of various sizes that are always running through the house. Those I could do without many a day unless they would make a bigger dent in the mosquito population. :)
In Blows the Heat
April 1, 2009
In just a week’s time, the weather and hence the look of Honduras has changed. Up until the beginning of last week I was somewhat bemoaning the fact that it was still raining. I did like that with the rain the temperatures were cooler, but I was ready to not have to duck for cover so often. Well, starting with last Friday the hot temperatures arrived – just in time for Semana Santa. Semana Santa for me involves about 1200 other people. A week from now the camp will fill with cars, tents, and makeshift kitchens as my church in San Pedro and several other smaller churches join together for three days of workshops and worship services. Last year many of the tents flooded due to the heavy rains. This year I think that persons baking from the heat in their tents is more likely. I am trying to prepare my food for the week ahead of time since I will be doing my own cooking in order to avoid the plethora of grease that will be served.
As I walked through the jungle today the leaves crunched under my feet, making it seem like a fall day – except for the extreme heat. The world is taking on a brown look as the leaves begin to dry up and the grass. I noticed that burning has been going on along the highway. In the city I had ashes falling in my upstairs bedroom. Apparently the ceiling is not sealed the best or something like that. Thankfully though the rain has never entered in.
Friday, according to Weather.com (which was rarely accurate in PA) says that it will be 102F which means it should feel like 110F or more. I think I will have to use some A/C. I can survive without it as long as I shower anytime I want to leave the house. But for Lisbet it is difficult to take naps, and for my computer – well, I worry about how hot it gets.
I had a lovely chat with a woman from my church who came to camp today with her husband, the latter of whom was working on the kitchen floor. We talked for a good hour and a half and I was able to ask her lots of questions about who I could connect with in the church for various things. She also offered some good encouragement.
As for other recent events, I continue to watch Lisbet almost daily in the evenings while Evelin goes to some meetings. She was improving and even laughing and enjoying the time we spent together, up until she started getting so tired from not having taken a good nap. Little by little progress is becoming apparent in her life. Over the weekend the Lord showed me how important the body of Christ is and I saw that though I am kind of like hands in the life of Evelin right now, helping her, she needed the help of a mouth – someone with better Spanish than I and when that help came, it helped to take her to a new level. Thank you Jesus!
On Saturday night Evelin and I had several girls from the church over after the youth service. We enjoyed some good foods and then played a little bit of several games. They enjoyed Dutch Blitz and wanted to hear all about the Amish as usually happens when I bring out that game. It was good to open my home again to others and share in food and fellowship.
In just a week’s time, the weather and hence the look of Honduras has changed. Up until the beginning of last week I was somewhat bemoaning the fact that it was still raining. I did like that with the rain the temperatures were cooler, but I was ready to not have to duck for cover so often. Well, starting with last Friday the hot temperatures arrived – just in time for Semana Santa. Semana Santa for me involves about 1200 other people. A week from now the camp will fill with cars, tents, and makeshift kitchens as my church in San Pedro and several other smaller churches join together for three days of workshops and worship services. Last year many of the tents flooded due to the heavy rains. This year I think that persons baking from the heat in their tents is more likely. I am trying to prepare my food for the week ahead of time since I will be doing my own cooking in order to avoid the plethora of grease that will be served.
As I walked through the jungle today the leaves crunched under my feet, making it seem like a fall day – except for the extreme heat. The world is taking on a brown look as the leaves begin to dry up and the grass. I noticed that burning has been going on along the highway. In the city I had ashes falling in my upstairs bedroom. Apparently the ceiling is not sealed the best or something like that. Thankfully though the rain has never entered in.
Friday, according to Weather.com (which was rarely accurate in PA) says that it will be 102F which means it should feel like 110F or more. I think I will have to use some A/C. I can survive without it as long as I shower anytime I want to leave the house. But for Lisbet it is difficult to take naps, and for my computer – well, I worry about how hot it gets.
I had a lovely chat with a woman from my church who came to camp today with her husband, the latter of whom was working on the kitchen floor. We talked for a good hour and a half and I was able to ask her lots of questions about who I could connect with in the church for various things. She also offered some good encouragement.
As for other recent events, I continue to watch Lisbet almost daily in the evenings while Evelin goes to some meetings. She was improving and even laughing and enjoying the time we spent together, up until she started getting so tired from not having taken a good nap. Little by little progress is becoming apparent in her life. Over the weekend the Lord showed me how important the body of Christ is and I saw that though I am kind of like hands in the life of Evelin right now, helping her, she needed the help of a mouth – someone with better Spanish than I and when that help came, it helped to take her to a new level. Thank you Jesus!
On Saturday night Evelin and I had several girls from the church over after the youth service. We enjoyed some good foods and then played a little bit of several games. They enjoyed Dutch Blitz and wanted to hear all about the Amish as usually happens when I bring out that game. It was good to open my home again to others and share in food and fellowship.
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