Another Busy Week In Honduras

With Thanksgiving and the group here, last week was extremely busy. This week will be also.

There are several Teleton appointments for the kids. Kindergarten graduation is Saturday and we have been on the hunt for white sandals and pink bows. Dresses are being made. Folks from Baxter are visiting on Friday afternoon. Pamela has been working with the kids on songs and drama for the kids to do for our guests.

The Tupelo container was unloaded on Friday afternoon. We could do Thanksgiving again now. Marc is busy distributing beans and other items. Beans have been distributed to a community out in the boonies that has no electricity and another community on the other side of Tegucigalpa. A washer, dryer and one baby bed has been delivered to the daycare center at the dump. Let me tell you, they were happy to receive those items. Lots of soap, shampoo, laundry soap and other items have been brought to Casa de Esperanza. We appreciate all the help we receive.

We are also running around getting ready for the Jesus banquet next week and for all those coming to help with that.

We are busy and scrambling, but good things are happening. May God be praised and may we always give God the glory.

Terri

Monkey In The Park

Our out-of-school schedule started Monday. On Saturday morning we get to go to the park for two hours. This was our first trip to the park. It was a beautiful day. Not too hot, not too cold. We walked to the park and we were really spread out. Some of the kids are fast and some are just too little to be fast.

They climbed and played. Little Josue was walking all the way up the big slide. He has no fear, reminding me of my Nathan at about the same age.

Everyone had tons of fun in the park today. Everyone took good naps today after playing so hard. I know some boys that did not want to get up at 3:00. There might have been one big person that did not want to get up at 3:00 also.

Terri

Why Me Lord?

Why me Lord?

What have I ever done?

To deserve even one

of the blessings I've known

Why me Lord?

What did I ever do?

That was worth love from you

And the kindness you've shown

Words by Kris Kristofferson

If you are anywhere near my age (a decade or so either way), you probably remember this song. I have been thinking about this song a lot lately.

Marc and I have lived in Honduras over three years now and been working here on short term missions for almost a decade. It doesn't take long to realize how blessed I am. And I don't mean financial and material things.

I was, as most of you were, given every opportunity for all the education I desired, with a minimum of twelve years of grade school and high school.

I was given and taught about proper nutrition. Yes, we had cake for breakfast sometimes, but not all the time.

My parents made sure I had good medical and dental care. Nothing ever happened that did not get seen about.

I was taught good hygiene habits and the importance of practicing those habits.

I don't know why I was born in the USA and someone else wasn't. I don't know why I had all those opportunites and someone else didn't. It is not because I am a better person or that my parents were better people.

People in third world countries love their children as much as my parents loved me. They desire a better live and better opportunites for their children than they had themselves. They usually do not have the means to provide the opportunites.

The government imposes rules that keep children out of school instead of encouraging them to be there, thus perpetuating the cycle of uneducation and poverty. Uneducated people cannot find jobs and thus cannot buy adequate food for their families. Medical care is pay before you are seen. With no money, a person cannot get the medical care or vaccinations a child needs. Without running water or a creek or lake nearby, it is impossible to maintain good hygiene. And when one generation cannot provide these things to the next generation, the knowledge is lost and the cycle continues.

The poverty and lack of education and horrible hygiene hit me hard today. I pray that it never stops hitting me as hard as it did today.

Terri

Post Thanksgiving

As it is with most that cook Thanksgiving dinner, we began early yesterday. The first turkey was on by 5:00. Dressing, sweet potatoes, and macaroni and cheese were done at my house. Mashed potatoes, salad, guacamole, corn, beans and I am not sure what else was done at Casa. I know they were scurrying up there until the last minute, just as we were in my house.

Fitto(Antonio) came down to help me. We started with the dressing. We added ingredients and stirred. Added ingredients and stirred. We were finally ready to make the first taste test. It had to have more sage. When we got it just right, it took both of us to carry that big dressing pan to the oven.

Pamela showed up to price some necklaces for the store. With that task completed, she gladly stayed and helped with the cooking. I started her on the macaroni. My thought was she would do one thing and Fitto another. They wanted to work together. If it was stirring, she stirred for 60 seconds and then he stirred for 60 seconds. With both of them helping, I was able to do dishes as we went and keep things fairly done up.

After we added the brown sugar and butter and syrup to the sweet potatoes, we all three taste-tested. They thought it was perfect. I knew it needed more brown sugar and syrup. We added, stirred and tasted again. Both Pamela and Fitto agreed, it was much better the second time.

As these huge pans of food were done, Dennis would come down to the house and carry them up to Casa for us.

Karen had the other children, sweeping and cleaning and setting up the tables and chairs on the soccer field, a great place to have Thanksgiving dinner. The kids were so excited and out of control, Karen sent them all to bed at 11:30. They could read. They didn't even have to go to sleep, just calm down. I don't think anyone went to sleep, but Karen did succeed in calming them.

At 1:30, they were allowed to get up from their beds. Many of them were running to my house seeing if any thing needed done. They were eager to carry the bread or any little chore that needed done.

We were ready start about five minutes after 2:00. There were 50 people here, including a very special guest, the director of IHFNA. IHFNA is the agency we work with to get our children. The director is the person that gives us our license to operate this home. His daughter was with him. They are delightful people.

All the children lined up and told at least one thing for which they are thankful. Brayan led us in prayer. Then the feeding frenzy began. This is the one day of the year the children can choose what they want and eat as much as they want. Karen had only two rules: that the children not pile their first helping too high before everyone had been through the line one time and that they not eat dessert first. Both reasonable requests. Everyone ate to their heart's desire. Jackson proudly claimed he had six plates. And some of the dessert plates were piled pretty high.

It was a wonderful day enjoyed by the children, our staff and the group that is here.

Terri

The Day Before Thanksgiving

And all through the house everyone was stirring. And chopping and grating and peeling.

I was on duty with the kids from 7:00-12:00. After morning chores, we began the chopping and grating in the kitchen and Karen began the peeling outside. There were eight kids in the kitchen with me. All were just as excited as could be, even the ones chopping the onions. I am not sure why the excitement about chopping onions today, when some of those same kids complain and whine when they have kitchen duty on other days.

I was impressed. Eight kids for a couple of hours and only one argument. One thought he was a celery-chopping expert and no one else could do it right. And what a mess they made. I had most of it cleaned up before Dilcia saw it.

For the afternoon, I still had several batches of cornbread to make and the pumpkin pies. These are things that almost second nature to me, but I decided to bring the kids to my house, one by one and let them do these things. Brayan came and made one patch of cornbread. Rosy came a made a pie. Jose came for more cornbread and Cindy came for another pie. That was all that came. I was surprised at how precise Rosy was at measuring everything and trying to do everything right. Jose had a lot of fun and Cindy was beside herself when we opened the pumpkin. Brayan was impressed by the electric mixer.

After the cornbread or the pie was in the dish, I let each one lick the spoon or the beater. Jose loved raw cornbread batter. Cindy was not going to leave anything in that bowl. She had it all over herself. She thanked me when she left.

Yes, I could have done all of that much faster by myself, but those kids had a wonderful time and it was so worth the extra time it took.

The first turkey goes in at 5:00 in the morning.

Thanksgiving Preparations Begin At Casa De Esperanza

Thanksgiving is an American holiday, not a Honduran one. I think a few years ago, we started fixing it for ourselves. But now the kids and the staff get excited about this American holiday. Most have talking about it for weeks.

I kind of got broadsided by November. It just came at me out of nowhere and slammed right into me. Friday I went to the market and began the Thanksgiving shopping. I got home at 7:00 Friday night. I was exhausted and did not have all I needed. We had ordered some hard-to-find things on the Tupelo container that was suppose to be unloaded today. Cutting it a little close, but I could live with that. Welcome to Honduras. Maybe tomorrow, but if I was a betting person, I would bet the container will be ready to unload on 2:00 Thursday.

I made another list and went back to town today. Since I was looking for some American things, I was shopping in the American stores. And, I was not the only person looking for those things. The stores were so crowded I felt as if I was in the States doing Thanksgiving shopping.

As I left Karen's apartment a couple of hours ago, she was starting her cookies. I came down and started the first batch of bread and some cornbread for dressing. I hope there is enough cornbread left by Thursday to make dressing. My Aunt Jemima cornbread cooking is going to be hard to not eat.

Tomorrow the kids will start chopping the onions and celery and grating cheese. I know my own kids are sad they have to miss the chopping of the onions and celery. Many more preparations will be made tomorrow and Thursday, we will start very early.

I am so thankful for this time of year.

Terri

Third Anual Thanksgiving Build Week

Yesterday 12 people arrived from the Nashville are and one from Salt Lake City. Two arrived today from Atlanta and 2 more people will arrive on Tuesday. They are here to build as many houses as possible in one week. That is what Thanksgiving build week is all about.

I think five wooden houses and 1 block house will be built. After church today, the group was eager to get started and built one of the wooden houses. Other than building houses, the group will get to visit the dump, eat at Carnitas, visit the Jesus statue, eat Thanksgiving with the Casa kids and have some awesome devos every night.

We are thankful for this group and those that receive houses will be grateful also.

Another great week in Honduras.

Terri