I Never Cease To Be Amazed

For three and a half years I have written about life in Honduras.  About getting our driver's licenses.  About spending days getting vehicles registered (makes the DMV look pretty good).  About the bank being out of money.  About living in a cash society and having to stand in line at the bank to pay the electricity bill and the phone bill.  We could do a quick review of this blog and come up with all sorts of stories.  I have lived here long enough that I think I can't be amazed at it anymore.  WRONG!

When we first got a land line, we had to go once a month to the Hondutel office in Santa Ana and pick up the bill.  And then go to a bank to pay in cash.  That office closed.  So we had to get the bills in Loarque for one month.  That is about 30 minutes in the car from here.  That was not too bad for us because we pass there all the time.  Then we were told we could get the bill from the Hondutel office in Ojojona.  That didn't last too long either.  The office in Ojojona said they are not our bills and we do not want to deal with this.  So, we went to the mayor's office here in Santa Ana to get the bill.  The mayor's office did not like dealing with it either.

This is not just us.  Everyone in Santa Ana that has a telephone was going here, there and everywhere for their phone bill.

Now we must go to the bank to pay the bill.  Well, we have always done that, correct.  Only we don't have a printed bill.  We just go pay the bill.  We have no way to see the bill, to see if the charges are correct,  or to dispute the bill if we think it is too high.  We pay whatever the banks says we owe. 

At least after we pay the bill, we get a printed receipt showing what we paid.

Terri

No Snow In Honduras

I love seeing all the snow pictures from everywhere in the States.  I love the snow when I can stay inside by the fireplace and watch it.  Not so much, when I have to be out in it.  For all you folks that are cold and tired of the snow, come on down.  A nice queen-sized bed is waiting on you.

The sun is shining today complete with blue skies.  As you can see my flowers are blooming.  As I sit in the office today, I can hear birds singing and the children laughing and playing outside.  It is about 76 degrees and will get slightly warmer.  I have the windows open so that I can enjoy the pleasant temperature.  No heater, no air-conditioner needed.

The offer is good to anyone.  We are outside in the sun waiting on you.

Terri

A House For Pamela

Remember our employee, Pamela, whose husband was killed last year.  She and her little boy are getting a new house.  A house made of adobe.  She is so excited.  Pamela talks about the progress of the house everyday.  And as she talks about it, she has a huge smile on her face. 

The house has been under construction for a couple of weeks already and should take two more. 

Tis The Season For Many Trips To Town

There is always errands that need to be done in town.  Always.  With the price of gasoline at $3.91 a gallon, we try to save as many of those to do in one day as we can.  Each year in February, the need for trips to town and errands rises to a level not felt at other times of the year.

February means it is almost time for school to start.  Karen pulled out the trunks with the uniforms and tried them on everyone.   She made a list of who needed what.  School supply lists aren't out yet, but there are certain things everyone needs. 

Today, I was armed with the uniform list and the first round of school supplies.  I had other errands to do as well.  It was definitely a welcome to Honduras day.  The stores were already quite crowded with back-to-school shoppers.  The pharmacy only had part of the medicines the kids need now and said the rest would be in tomorrow and I could get them then.  I did pretty well on round one of school supplies, but we have thought of some more things already.  I went three places to get only four school shirts.  And shoes.  Forget it.  I lost count how many places I went. 

After a long, hot, several hours in Tegucigalpa, at 2:45 I said enough.  There is always one more trip to town for school supplies and school shoes. 

Terri

Sunday School Material

I taught Sunday school for twenty years or more.  Every church we were in had a nice education budget and plenty of Sunday school material was ordered.  I could add to it, or not.  There was always handouts and color sheets for all the children.  That is not the case in Honduras.

The churches in Honduras do not even know what an education budget is.  And the people that teach the children don't have preprinted material with handouts and color sheets.  Of course, the Bible makes a great curriculum, but it must be hard to create everything. 

We have been offered some material from the States that was excess or old, but that is always in english and no one has time to translate it all.  We usually decline.

While I was in a bookstore in the States, I found some Sunday school material in spanish.  It was one large book.  I purchased it.  When I gave it to Kelin, she hugged it.  She and her sister, Karol, looked at it and looked at it and looked at it.  They were so happy to have something like that.  I showed them there were color sheets that could be copied and I would make copies for her anytime she wanted me to.

Yesterday she needed copies made so the children would have them this morning.

Oh, the things we take for granted in the United States.

Terri

Revive

A couple of weeks ago Karen told me about a ladies' retreat for American missionary women.  She was hoping that she, Stacey, and I could all go.  We all need to be encouraged and uplifted, but I was a little hesitant.  I had just returned from the States and had been encouraged and uplifted by family and friends.  But after, I thought about it a short while, I decided I would go. 

With each passing day, I was more glad I had made that decision.  The days and the weeks here sometimes are long and it was exciting to think about all of us leaving for a retreat.  Along with Jen Arnold, we left here at 3:00 yesterday afternoon.  Just the ride to town was fun.

The theme for this retreat was Revive.  Revive - bring back to life.

I fellowshipped with other ladies that are living on foreign soil, often struggle with the language, and know the challenges of being here.  The fellowship alone would have been worth it, but there were many other benefits and blessings to be received.  The lessons were good, the praise and worship was awesome.  My prayer gorup went deep and the times of reflection and soul-searching were much needed.  I got to spend some special time of prayer and sharing with a dear friend.

This time of retreat and fellowship was much more needed than I realized.  And a great big thank-you to Marc who worked kid shifts today.

Terri

A Giveaway At Casa

People nearly always arrive in Honduras with giving hearts and sometimes leave with only the clothes on their backs.  Sometimes, the stuff they are leaving to be given away, finds its way to my house.  I load it in the car and take these things to the warehouse where it can be incorporated with the things that arrive on containers and can be given to people who really need it.

Last summer, I was out of commission most of the summer.  I never got to around to hauling all of that stuff to the warehouse.  And it was overtaking me. 

I proclaimed I was loading it up and getting it all to the warehouse before any more time elapsed.  Marc had a better idea.  He suggested we give our employees first chance at it.  Our employees are obviously employed, but by the time they buy food, bus fare, and send their kids to school, there is not much left.

The kids and I hauled bags and boxes up to the dorm.  Even little Josue carried a few things.  Stacey organized it all.  And then took care of the giveaway.  There clothes, shoes, and toys, among other things.

Yesterday morning at 9:00, all of our employees were here.  The ones that were not on duty were dressed as if they had gone to town to shop.  Each person went shopping one at a time and were allowed to select 10 items.  Everyone was so excited about this opportunity.  The last one did not finish until shortly afternoon.

Each of our employees were most grateful for this opportunity.  Your stuff blessed them.

Now, I still get to haul the rest of it to the warehouse.

Terri