Las Palmas, the neighborhood

As I said last post, I want to post pictures of the neighborhood where Casa de Luz is located. Of course, this is from my perspective. These are pictures I have taken and what I have seen. Roads are all dirt and hilly. Sometimes Honduras has too little rain, and sometimes it has too much. Right now it is the end of rainy season, so the roads are drying. When it rains you need a high vehicle, preferably with 4 wheel drive. There are many small corner stores called "pulperias." There is one right outside the daycare. It is similar to a small convenient store where you tell the person what you want and they bring it to the window for you. Most of the day people come and go from there. I see kids there often, coming to buy candy, alone. The other day I saw a little kid in a diaper there with what appeared to be a 4 year old.

Another view I see often, actually its the grandmother of one of our kids. The grandmother is walking with a basket of corn or dough on her head, while a little boy (2 years old) wearing a hand towel as his diaper, holding on to her skirt as they try to climb the hill. This is a normal sight for this neighborhood and country. Many times the grandmothers are raising the grandchildren. Its a different family dynamic than we are used to, but at the same time many parents are missing in the picture.

The one story that sticks out in my head is about Genesis. She is 5 years old and lives on the other corner across from the daycare. One day a few weeks ago we were leaving the daycare and she was in the street alone. As we left I saw her through the rear view mirror coming out and turning the corner onto the main street. In front of me, sitting against the wall were 4 guys, 20-30 years old, sitting and loitering (this is normal.) When she rounded the corner, saw the guys, she ran back towards her house. It made me wonder who these men were, why she ran, and what would happen if she crossed their path. I hear stories about how rough the neighborhood is, then I see this little girl wandering in the street with no supervision. The grandmother that cares for the little boy (the story above) is her grandmother.

I think most of the people are starting to recognize me, but I still would not walk around alone. I was told not to be there at night.

In the pictures, you can see the nicer neighborhoods on either side of this neighborhood. There is one area that is where everyone throws, even though 50 feet up the hill is where the trash truck comes. The trash truck comes every Wednesday and rings a bell for you to bring your garbage. It does not come to the houses or close to the daycare, so this is a messy job. Another blessing of a truck.

Water, very few homes have running water. The procedure for using the bathroom is to bring in water from the outside basin and pour it into the toilet. We don't get water every day. When its dry season we will get it even less. All of my kids drink the tap water, that is not clean. We have a purified water jug, but if we run out one day, they drink the tap water. In their homes they drink tap water, if it comes from a tap.

I guess these are a few things that can help you picture it a little better.

Moved In

I have an apartment, transportation, and internet! I guess that means its official.. I have moved in and settled :) I have taken more pictures of the kids to make a collage on the wall at CDL. I've posted each of the kids in a slideshow to the right. I will continue to post stories and pictures. This week was great. I love the kids, they love me, things are great! I am extremely exhausted every night, but ready to wake up every morning! We are currently working on a schedule and routine; including songs, Bible stories, shapes, numbers, colors, and washing hands. My favorite time, yet most difficult time of day, is right before lunch when I usually have them alone. One teacher is out for lunch, the other is cooking. Its usually craziness, but there is usually 30 minutes where I get to share books with them. They love it. Even the ones in English. Usually I just show pictures, sometimes I translate, and sometimes I let them tell the story by looking at the pictures. Then they usually get a book to look at. Books are not always accessible to them because they will destroy them, so when they get the opportunity they enjoy it and ask for books!

These are a few pictures of the kids reading. The little girl is Fernanda, she is 2. The little boy is Diego, he falls asleep all the time, anywhere. The other boy is David, he had me take a picture of him dancing :) Behind him is the street of CDL just to give you an idea of the neighborhood. Next post I will put more pictures of the neighborhood.

Tengo una casita asi, asi, asi

I have lots of pictures to post of my apartment, my truck, the Bible day parade and MY KIDS, but since I don’t have internet, and it takes time I will add them later. I found my apartment after lots of searching. But when I saw it and then heard the price I knew it was where I was supposed to be. I feel safe and secure. It’s a safe little street (compared to other parts of the city) and my landlords are Christians. I still have to get internet, but I have friends close by who are letting me stop in, use internet and do laundry. I don’t have a washer and dryer, but I’m taken care of with my friends and when that doesn’t work out, I live above a laundry mat.

I have officially finished my first week at Casa de Luz. The kids love me and I love them. I joke with the other teachers that I’m the jungle gym because someone is always in my lap or running through my legs. Today one of the kids brought me a stuffed animal from the stand his mother sells them from. The three siblings that come in first every morning, I can hear calling for us to open the lock, then they say hi to the one teacher, then all run through the door with smiles yelling “Jenny!!!!!”

I will try to post the two videos I have. The little girl that is being tickled is the littlest and one youngest we have. Her name is Raxel and loves my attention. The boy singing is her brother, Javier. He loves to sing. They sing this song and the only parts I hear are “yo tengo una casita asi, asi, asi (I have a little house like this, like this, like this)…. Mumbles ….. then they yell “yo tengo un casote ASI, ASI, ASI!!! (I have a big house like this, like this, like this..) I laugh every time because they get so excited that they mumble the rest of the song. I have it recorded and will try to post it.

We have a new boy who is coming tomorrow. His name is Jose; he will be 2 in November. They did papers today and will bring him tomorrow. I will try to bring my camera. My little boy who is young and doesn’t talk to anyone, started mumbling to me. I didn’t understand, but he was definitely talking to me and smiling at me! His grandma says he talks a lot at home. He usually rolls on the ground eating all the trash, crumbs, dirt, playdough… EVERYTHING! But today he ‘gave me five’ when I asked, starts giving me smiles when I smile at him and started mumbling stuff to me.

This weekend we went up to the director’s house for training, 2 hours away in car (probably 30-40 miles, I don’t know, but the roads are horrible). We took taking my truck! Its rainy season and so the roads to Casa de Luz are horrible. The main streets and neighborhoods are paved (with many potholes.. but paved!). The neighborhoods built into the mountains and hills, mostly poor neighborhoods, don’t have pavement, sometimes they add dirt to the road but that washes away in a day and its back to the ditches. I have already been stuck twice in my big truck! But when I was completely stuck guys came out and helped us push it out.

The Bible day parade was with Aben’s ministry at a church on another mountain. We walked in the rain holding banners and shouting. It was very fun! It consisted of many churches in the community and ended in one church with a big celebration and service.!

I am putting the rest of the pictures on facebook.

Things you don't tell your mother

Its something I shouldn't tell my mother, but its something I don't really even want to tell myself. My second night in my new apartment went calm and peaceful. I felt safe and protected. I woke up to organize more things, drink some coffee, read a little of my book, and listen to music. Around noon I had a knock on my door.. the landlady.

Here’s what she tells me: “Did you see two men walking outside your window (I live on the second floor above their house). My tv cable is not working very well so I called the cable company. When the guys came to the gate, I did not answer and then they went up the wall and looked at the cables (outside my windows… with bars!) and said everything was fine. Then I called the cable company and they said they no one had come yet. I think they were robbers. Did you see them? Did anything happen?

My response: thinking to myself, wow this is where I’m living now. Then I was like, no I had my windows and curtains closed all morning until 20 min ago. And this morning I woke up and remembered an extra set of sheets I had brought and decided to put in my large kitchen window THIS morning (the window where they would have been looking in).

I guess this was just a welcome to the neighborhood and a reassurance that I have angels protecting me, my thoughts (I still don’t feel ‘unsafe’), and my place. For clarification, I’m smart with what I do, but I’m not preoccupied and worried with what could happen.

In other news, I have started at Casa de Luz. I'm starting by just observing and getting used to things. So yesterday, after getting moved in to my new apartment I got to go all day! The road was terrible, and I was grateful to have the truck. I would not have made it without the 4x4. The rain has washed away the roads, and the dirt roads are even worse. I had the opportunity to observe and play with the kids. This little girl Raxel (they thought her name was Jascel for weeks) came to Casa de Luz in June with her 2 brothers. She is 2 years old and had been left in a busy shopping center all day. She came malnourished and not smiling very much. Yesterday I started the day with her looking at me, when I smiled, she would smile back. Within hours she was smiling at me, and sitting next to me doing puzzles. By the end of the day should would not leave my lap, knew my name and kept telling me to tickle her while she giggled. I left completely exhausted and really happy to be here!

Other news is the tropical storm that will hit us tonight. Pray for Honduras. Honduras is not structured to handle this much rain. Many people will lose their homes in landslides and flooding. Its hard for someone to understand this without knowing the country, but this much rain is not good. Every downpour brings flooding, now multiply that by days this storm will bring.... not good!

Great News!

"Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done." Psalm 105:1

I think the apartment shopping has come to an end. I am going to sign the papers today. I guess its not finalized, but its available and I love it. After a very long week and a half of looking for an apartment, I found one last night. I had different options along the way and couldn't decide for sure. But the last one we looked at last night had what I needed at a very good price, in a good location.

Last week I found a truck that I will need to get up the dirt roads to get to the preschool. My director sent me a quote from an email that she received from the embassy last week, that western Honduras has received over 287% more rainfall than a normal rainy season. I think I mentioned this before, but the rain hasn't stopped. Yesterday a wall of the National stadium fell crushing taxis, killing one person, and trapping and injuring others. Last night when we were out, I was thankful for God providing the truck, many cars were turning around because the water was too deep to pass some roads. One of the main roads into the city has a huge crack/ hole that makes in impassable. Its good to have rain, but this much is not good for this city, its not constructed to withstand this much. Many people have lost homes.

So I have a truck and apartment, soon to get a driver's license (nothing is 'easy' to get here, so it takes time). I am hoping to start moving in this afternoon after I sign the papers. This is a praise because now I can be at the daycare!

Thanks everyone for your prayers and support.

Here are a few pictures from Children's Day in Los Pinos with the ministry Aben is working at. This neighborhood is similar to the one I will be working in, but a lot bigger. It was funny watching the little girls that didn't have pocket for the candy from the pinata, they would just pull up the dress or shirt to hold the candy. It works.

I have ARRIVED!!!

I have arrived. I have been in Honduras a week now and have been in the process of settling. I have had time to see old friends and meet new ones. I am staying with a friend while I search for an apartment and find transportation.

I met with the director of the preschool and we talked about plans and ideas. It made me excited to get started. Of course, I need to find a place to live before that happens, so I'm praying it will happen this week. Our tentative plan was for me to begin on Monday.

The Saturday after I arrived, we celebrated Children's Day (yes, they have a holiday like Mother's Day and Father's Day for the children). I had the opportunity to visit a ministry in a neighborhood similar to the one I will be working in. It is a larger community built into the mountains. I will try to post pictures as soon as I move in and find the cords to the camera. There were about 100 kids, we sang songs, ate, gave candy, and of course... piñatas!

I had the opportunity to attend the Independence Day parade on one of the main streets yesterday. As my new friend described it, it was a 'cultural experience.' I loved being back and the pride and community of this country. It was super HOT and sunny for most of the parade, we worked our way into the National Stadium with much pushing and congestion. Another experience everyone should have once.

Its still rainy season, so its really hot all morning, then it usually rains all afternoon or evening. Someone sent me an email that western Honduras has had 287% of the average rainfall this rainy season, with 6 weeks to go in the season. The roads are not so good, especially the dirt roads up in the hills and mountains.

Thank you again, everyone who has helped support me in this ministry and journey. I'm blessed to be here with your prayers and support!!!

Missions Benefit Concert

As many of you know, I am still working to raise support to work at Casa de Luz. This past Friday we had an amazing and encouraging Benefit Concert. We raised support and were blessed by it! I am thankful for everyone who participated, from being in it to attending it, thank you for supporting me with your time and presence.

The concert was the last of 'big' events before returning September 8 to Honduras. So now I'm 2 days from leaving and making the final preparations. When I get there, I will be looking for a place to stay, arranging transportation details, and settling in. I would appreciate your prayers in this transition time. I will be planning and settling in for a week or so, then starting at Casa de Luz right after my birthday, on September 20 (my bday is the 18th).

I will keep trying to upload my video from the concert, hasn't worked yet :(