Still, My Soul, Be Still

Some things have gone on in the community recently.  Hard things.  Things that haven't affected me personally except to remind me that we are indeed in the midst of spiritual war and to draw me to my knees.  I have at the same time sensed very real spiritual attack and known closeness with our Savior.  

Two nights ago, I had dinner with a family who lives up the hill from me.  They're really great, and I love spending time with them.  Afterwards, as I walked down the hill in the dark, I felt afraid.  Normally, all I think about is the beautiful stars and the sounds of the waves lapping the shore and the cool mountain breezes.  And this night, I wasn't scared of snakes and dogs.  And I guess I wouldn't call it "scared."  But the whole way down the hill, I felt it necessary to say verses to myself.  Verses like, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" and "He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" and "The Lord your God, the Lord is One."  

I just wanted to write another post about Thanksgiving to again thank the Lord, specifically.  I want to thank him for giving peace that guards our hearts and our minds, joy that strengthens and encourages, for loving us with an everlasting love, for gathering his people from all over the world to himself.  And I want to praise him, because He is worthy.

"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called." ~Isaiah 54:5

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I think it's such a great idea.  You get to eat delicious food -- turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, apple pie, and pecan pie.  And you spend the day with people you love, family or friends.  And you relax and remember all that God has given you and give him thanks for it.  I realize that even all of that is another blessing from God...family and friends and a feast.

I can't let Thanksgiving pass without posting my own little list.

Number One.
I am so thankful that God gave me the chance to come to Honduras.  I love being here, I love the people I've met, I love the landscape, I love the weather, I love the language, I love my jobs.  I know I've learned much, and gained so many friends, and have been able to experience so many special things.

Number Two.
I'm thankful that I live in the middle of a hospital community.  It makes being sick so much easier.  Nothing quite compares to having your own personal nurse come check on you in your room.  Miss Penny, who should probably get her own number on here, is a nurse at the hospital and the grandmother of the two kids I teach.  When she found out I was sick, she came to my room and made sure I had everything I needed.  She even took me to the hospital the next day to get checked out.  That was cool, because I can now say that I've actually been to Hospital Loma de Luz.  I even got my blood drawn and didn't feel faint (or at least not more than I already did).  Success, I'd say!

Number Three.
I think technology must be my third.  Being able to Skype with my family and Facebook my friends in the States and take pictures of my home here is so amazing.  I keep thinking about how hard it must have been to travel years ago, when communication meant letters and maybe a rare and expensive phone call.  So thank you, God, for giving some people the brains to come up with all of this crazy stuff!

Number Four.
This past week, all the kids finished up at W-RAGAR (the bilingual school).  They took their exams... Ok. Interrupt: I'm thankful for geckos.  They might leave droppings everywhere (I do mean everywhere), but they're handy insect killers.  One little fella just caught a giant fly, which is now buzzing madly.  Betcha can't guess who I'm cheering for!  Anyways, exams are over, and some teachers are filling out paperwork, and I'm glad that they let me be a part of their school this year and still want me to come back next year.

Number Five.
Getting to spend time with Delmy, a teacher from W-RAGAR and a leader in her church, is such a treat.  Delmy always warmly welcomes, and makes me laugh, and helps me learn Spanish, and cares about deep things.  Thursday afternoon, after we finished up some exams and worked on a little paperwork, Delmy stopped a truck and we rode in the back of it into town to her house.  Her aunt made us lunch.  It was chop suey (who would guess that the first time I would try this would be in Honduras?), coleslaw (a typical food), and white bread.  Delicious.  We talked about school and our families and things we like and don't like in our lives, and we taught each other Spanish and English, and laughed at ourselves.

I'm sure this list could go on forever, but I don't have time to write everything down and I'm sure no one has time to read everything, either.  So I'll leave it with this: "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord...I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord." ~Psalm 116:12-13, 17

Seasons

This is final exam week for the bilingual school.  I'm a little sad, because that means that school's ending and I probably won't see some of the kids until February when school starts again.  

Next school year, I'm teaching English to 7th graders, specifically "language" and "writing."  I'm not sure what that means, and I don't know if I have a curriculum or if I'm writing it myself, but hopefully I'll find out soon.  The kids who are 6th graders now are awesome, though, so I'm looking forward to next year.  

The highlight of November so far has been going and spending the day with one of the teachers from the bilingual school, Deslinn, who's 21.  I took the bus on Saturday to Rio Esteban, where she lives with her family.  I didn't know where her house was, but I knew Francesca, a little girl who lives in Rio Esteban.  When I saw Frances sitting in front of her house, I stopped to talk to her.  She's probably four or five, and the cutest kid, but she wasn't super helpful.  When I asked her if she knew where Deslinn lived, her friend who was with her pointed one direction.  And then Frances grinned and said, "Mentira!" ("Lie"), but she wouldn't say where Deslinn's house really was.  It all worked out, though, because I had Deslinn's number and I eventually found her.  

I love Deslinn's family.  She lives with her Dad and Mom and her two younger sisters, her younger brother, and her two-year-old nephew, Deybinson.  They're all so funny.  Particularly Deybinson.  We were watching TV and eating lunch, and every time music came on the TV, he'd stop eating and stand up and start dancing.  He was so cool.  Once he learned my name, he followed Deslinn and I around and if we weren't paying attention to him, he let us know. "Hannah, Haaannah.  Haaaaaannah."  Yes?  Then he'd grin.

I went to their Saturday night church service with them.  Apparently, they go to the same church as Bictelia, the director of the school, and her daughter, Delmy, who is a teacher.  Doris, Deyni, Marta, and Angel, some students at school, also were there.  I love seeing the kids outside of school.  Then I feel like I don't just teach them, but I'm getting to know them.  

Deslinn's dad isn't the pastor there, but he preached that night.  He talked about Revelation chapter 17, about the vision John had of the Great Beast and the Prostitute.  He talked about being wary, and paying attention, and the hope we have in the promises made.  "They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful" (Revelation 17:14).  I didn't understand everything, but I got most of it.

When people speak slowly and not super slurred, I can generally understand what they say.  Deslinn kept telling people we'd meet, "She knows Spanish."  But they'd still ask her, "Who is she?  Who is la gringa?" as if I couldn't understand.  Deslinn's younger siblings didn't know I knew what they were saying at first, but they figured it out.  And then they started talking to me, quickly.  Woah, woah.   Repeat that?  I did learn new words, though.  It's so exciting to me!

When I left Sunday morning, Deslinn's mom said that she hoped my first visit wouldn't also be my last.  I hope so, too. 

One thing I've been missing recently is the aromas and sights and tastes of fall in Virginia.  My desktop background is a rainy street lined with trees that are losing their bright orange leaves, and I made applesauce last night to add a little bit of the taste and scent of autumn.  Hot cinnamon and apples...yes, that is what November should smell like.

Also, as I'm reading through Isaiah, I'm enjoying celebrating Christmas.  I'm sorry if you hate all the Christmas music that gets played over and over and if you dislike seeing Santa Claus and holly stems in Walmart before Thanksgiving.  I can understand that.  A little bit.  I actually really enjoy all of the "holiday cheer" stuff.  But anyways, whatever your celebratory preferences, I don't think these "Christmas" verses will be annoying.  They're too beautiful.  

The people who walked in darkness 

have seen a great light; 

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, 

on them has light shined...

For to us a child is born, 

to us a son is given; 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder, 

and his name shall be called 

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  

Of the increase of his government and of peace 

there will be no end, 

on the throne of David and over his kingdom, 

to establish it and to uphold it 

with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

~Isaiah 9:2, 6-7

Eryn, Jenni (a nurse who came here for three weeks), and I at the beach

 This is Amy.  She's in kindergarten at W. Ragar bilingual school, and sometimes I get to teach her.  She is so cute and bossy and smart.   She just makes me laugh.  

Gloriously Inadequate

"Okay, Hannah.  We've looked at your application for a position to serve food in the cafeteria at this hospital, and we've decided to hire you on as a nurse.  We know you have absolutely no training, but that's where we want you."

What?  That's ridiculous.  I'm not qualified to do that.  I'm going to fail, and someone's going to get hurt.  I can't.  

That's a little how I've been feeling, like God has asked me to go somewhere and serve Him in ways that I simply can't.   I just can't.  I feel inadequate.  And it's not just that I feel inadequate, it's that I know I am.  I'm not wise enough, loving enough, patient enough, strong enough, selfless enough, humble enough...I'm not enough.   I'm too ignorant and proud and selfish and weak. 

Sometimes I feel scared of misrepresenting Christ, scared of making mistakes in Jesus' name and messing up others' view of Him.  I know that I'm fully capable of making every mistake in the book, and fully incapable of doing anything perfectly.  

There are situations that God has put me in that I have never been in before, problems He's set in front of me that I have never had to solve, places He's taken me that I don't recognize.  Like He plops me in the middle of a jungle and tells me to find my way through, or gives me an edge-less puzzle and tells me to put it together without a reference photo.  

But, this is what I love.  He knows I'm not able.  He knows that on my own, I will fail.  Every time.  BUT.  

Thanks be to God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57).  He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with my weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).  I can be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord my labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).  When I thought, "My foot slips!", His steadfast love held me up (Psalm 94:18).  His word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).  

I think this is absolutely amazing.  God can and will glorify himself through us, even us, the imperfect people that we are.  The Holy Spirit is with us.  He's guiding us, giving us strength.  Everything isn't up to us, it's up to God.  And he's so much bigger than we are.  I am so at peace when I understand this.  I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning (Psalm 59:16).  Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.  So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands (Psalm 63:3-4).  

The Rules

Story:  I was sitting at the table in my room, checking my Facebook, when a HUGE moth went flying by my head.  Its wing span was probably half a foot.  "How in the world did that get into my room?!?!  My door's been closed all day!"  I turned around and started getting up to shoe the moth out of my room when I realized it wasn't a moth.  It was a BAT.  Okay.  Bats aren't annoying or gross or anything when they're just flying around in the dark outside. They're eating mosquitoes and other annoying bugs, anyways, so who cares?  They never bother anyone.  But when one is flying around in circles under the ceiling fan in the middle of your tiny apartment, they aren't so nice.  I tried opening the door wide so maybe it would fly away and be free...or free me, rather...but for some reason it decided that circling my room and getting whopped by the fan blades every few seconds was a better idea.  It eventually got hit one too many times, and thunk it was lying under my chair.  It was actually kind of fuzzy, and maybe a little cute.  Maybe.  Anyways, after being prodded with a towel (I wasn't doing the prodding, another guy from staff housing came and helped me), the little guy flew away.

Apparently, the hole in the corner of the ceiling above my shower is the perfect size for bats from the attic to come visit me.  I stuffed a washcloth in the hole.  That should keep them out, for a little while, at least.  The new rule is that no bats are allowed in my room.

Last week was probably the most stretching week I've had so far teaching.  One of the missionary grandkids I'm teaching, who's 11, and I had a little bit of a difficult time, for different reasons which just seemed to all pile up on both sides at the same time...a new hard family situation at home for him, I was tired, he was getting tired of school, etc.  Mostly it was me saying, "This is the rule, and that's what you have to stick to" or "This is what we're going to do now" and then the lack of desire to follow the rule or do the work on the other side and the ensuing arguing/complaining/yelling.  When it comes to disagreements or power-struggles, it's hard for me to know when to insist and be strict and when to give in and show gentle love.  I tend to ere on the firm side when it comes to rules and obedience.  I know, though, that always smacking down on disrespect or deceit or whatever isn't necessarily the most effective method of teaching and the best way to love...  I could use prayer for wisdom in that area, and patience and humility, as well.  I want to be a good teacher and example to my students.

I went walking on the beach with Sarah and Rebekah Pirkle, two MK's, on Sunday afternoon.  In case anyone is wondering if Honduras is beautiful or not, here are two of some pictures I took.

"I Can't Help Falling in Love..."

I love it here.

I love going out into the town at night, when it's cool and the stars are bright and everyone is relaxing.

On Tuesday evening, I went with the Aldens and their team to eat dinner in Rio Esteban at Rosy's.  Rosy has a restaurant right on the beach, and if you make reservations, she'll get people to help her make all the food and have dinner ready for you.  She serves seafood - shrimp, conch, lobster - as well as chicken, coleslaw, fried plantains, ceviche, and rice and beans.  It's all delicious.  Plus, she makes incredible lemonade.  I heard her secret is adding a little vanilla.

We ate dinner on the second story of the building.  The roof was thatched, and the walls were just railing and posts.  There was a great view of Rio Esteban and the ocean.

Afterwards, as I was standing in the back of one of the trucks on the way home, I realized that I have finally completely fallen in love.  Hearing Laila, one of the little students from the bilingual school, shout, "Hannah, Hannah!" as we passed her house warmed my heart like a cup of hot chocolate does on a winter day.  The breeze in my face and the stars in the sky, the lonely horse on the side of the road and the snake that slithers away as we drive by - I love all these things.  

Thursday afternoon, the bilingual school marched through Balfate along with all the other schools in our area.  When the school bus, which was 40 minutes late, finally stopped by the hospital, it was completely full.  Normally, non-school people can get a ride on the school bus too, they just have to pay.  But today, the driver told the other people waiting with me, "Solo la gringa."  All the kids had their marching costumes on, and were holding their batons or pompoms or umbrellas or drumsticks.  

It took almost an hour to get everyone from all the schools organized and ready to march.  That day, many people were holding umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun while we waited and then, when we finally got going, while we marched.  We walked all around the town and at the end of the route each school did a little final presentation for the school directors.  After my school finished marching, Delmy and Deslinn, two teachers at the bilingual school, and I stood with the crowd and watched the other schools go by.  

When I finally got home that night, it was dark outside.  I thought I might miss my bus stop because I don't normally come from that direction and out here in the country, there aren't exactly signs and noticeable landmarks.  But I didn't.  

Thursday morning I left with the Younts to drive to Siguatepeque, a city which is about seven hours away in the mountains, for a missionary conference.  We bought two bags of lichas to eat along the way (I love those things) and stopped at a gas station to have lunch at the restaurant there.  

A licha seed, the meat part, and the whole fruit

The conference was great.  There were probably 20 missionary couples/families as well as about 10 or 15 single people there.  The speaker for the adult sessions was David Howard, and he and his wife came from the States to speak.  He is Elizabeth Elliot's brother and was Jim Elliot's best friend.  He and his wife were missionaries for 30-some years in Colombia, I think, and he had a lot of stories to tell and wisdom to share, besides the fact that he was a great speaker.  

He talked about Peter - his calling, his failures, his restoration, his growth, and his triumphs.  I know a lot of people say that Peter is their favorite Bible character because he messed up and so he is more relate-able, but I think he really is one of my favorites after this weekend.  His life is such a perfect example of God's grace, his love, his power.  I think now one of my favorite Bible stories is in John 21, when Peter sees Jesus waiting on the shore for him after he's just fished all night and caught nothing.  I had never thought before about the fact that this was the first time that Peter had really talked with Jesus after his death.  After having betrayed Jesus, he probably had given up hope of ever having the same relationship with Jesus again, of being close to him again.  But here, Jesus sort of starts all over with him and says, "Follow me."  He lets him know that he's forgiven, that he loves him.    

One highlight of the conference for almost everyone was the temperature.  It was cool enough in the mountains (75 degrees in the morning, maybe?) that I wore a sweatshirt every morning and evening, and at night you couldn't just sleep with a sheet.  You had to have a blanket or you would freeze.  This was SO wonderful.  Even though I'm used to the heat here in Balfate now, it was so cozy to be able to wear long sleeves and wrap up in a blanket.  We all had fun with that. 

I had such a great time hanging out with all the girls and meeting new people.  It was so nice to have a free weekend to just spend time with each other and get to know one another and make memories.  

Sarah, Jenna, me, and Rebekah

Sticky Notes

The Aldens have a team here for a few weeks who are staying downstairs in staff housing.  My first reaction when I heard they were coming was, "They're going to stay in my house?  Wait.  It's not my house..."

I'm sitting in a hammock upstairs.  Unusually, the lights are on downstairs and I hear muffled conversation and dishes being washed.  This is kind of nice.  It's comforting to know that there are people nearby.  For my first two weeks here, it was sometimes really difficult for me to be content living by myself.  Not that I was alone all of the time. I wasn't.  But there's a big difference between just being around people and living with people.  I miss the living with part.  I miss eating meals and sharing a bathroom and doing laundry and singing while you clean with people.  I miss getting in each other's way.  I miss everything that comes with living in the same place as other people.

I have been getting used to alone-ness, though, and I'm learning to appreciate certain things about it.  It is sometimes easier to think, and it helps me to focus when I'm spending time with God.  Still, I'm glad God gives me days like yesterday to recharge.

After church, I sort of invited myself over to hang out with Sydney, an MK here who's around my age...16, 17, I'm not sure.  But she's cool, and I'm glad I did.  We watched a few episodes of Psych and did mod podge (gluing random scraps from magazines or newspaper or anything together into a collage) and talked.  And then she came over to my room and we cooked zucchini, carrots, onions, and garlic to put over noodles with a little soy sauce on top.  She split a clove of raw garlic and made me eat half.  Supposedly eating garlic helps repel mosquitoes.  I can see why.  I'm going to have garlic breath for the next week.  And, since she thought my wall looked empty, which it did, she drew pictures of cartoon animals and the two of us swinging and other such things on sticky notes and decorated my wall with them.  We just had a generally relaxing afternoon, chilling.

Sydney left to go to Honduran church in the evening, and I had a date with Emily, a medical student intern who has been here for six weeks and leaves today.  We had planned to hike up the hill to the water tower, climb the water tower, and watch the sun set.   It was pretty cloudy, so we had a nice and cool walk but there wasn't really any sunset of which to speak.  Instead, we talked and laughed and looked at the ocean.

The view was incredible from the top of the water tower.  Sitting up there, with the breeze gently lifting my hair and the hot sun finally resting for the day, I felt so relaxed.  Looking out over the ocean all the way to the little islands and across the green flat land, with a few scattered twinkling villages, and at the steep, high mountains that rise up right at the edge of the shore made me feel so small, and reminded me how big God is.  I think it's good to feel small in that way.  It's good to look at vastness and beauty and see a part of who God is in what he's made.  It's good to see something that shows you God and remember that he's near.

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

No Fear But Fear Itself...Not Even Spiders

Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think, "Let's write today."  And sometimes I read what someone else has written and realize that I have something I want to remember as well.  This morning was both.

Being burnt, electrocuted, and bitten or crawled upon by giant spiders (the spiders aren't doing the burning or electrocuting, though, in case anyone was wondering) are four things I am not particularly keen on.  Call me a wimp, but hey, I'm only human and it's not so ridiculous to dislike pain or gross things.  It's natural, actually.  Anyways, I mention these three things because I've been facing them, bravely, every day.  I might be a little proud of myself. ;)

The first thing: burning.  Probably at least half of the world does not have the luxury of owning either an electric or self-lighting gas stove, and if they have a gas stove at all, it would be the kind that is easily lit by hand with a match.  Well.  "Easily lit," for someone who generally doesn't use stoves like that, is a hilarious little phrase.  I have two little burners in my room, and each time I decide to cook, I go through a nice little process.  You see, timing is key.  You can't have the gas running for too long, or you could very well have an itty-bitty explosion that attempts to singe finger hair.  At the same time, lighting matches can take a while since the combined efforts of the breeze (which, most of the time hopefully, for coolness' sake, is finding its way into my room through the two windows or the open door) and slightly moist matches keeps a flame from sticking around for more than three seconds in many cases.  Here's what I figured out: you light a match (after turning off all fans and closing the door), wait to see if the flame will last, quickly turn the gas on low, and attempt to light the burner.  If the first attempt doesn't work, turn off the gas and try again.  Once, after I was sufficiently frustrated by repeated failed attempts, I said to God, "All I want is to get this stove lit so I can cook my dinner."  And then I tried again.  One.  Last.  Time.  I struck the match, turned on the gas, brought the match close, the flame lit perfectly, and I promptly turned off the gas.  I'm pretty sure God was saying, "Beautifully done.  Now let's try once more for practice."  Ha.  Ha.  VERY funny, God.  Very funny.  But I did get to successfully practice once more.  I did end up eating a good, cooked dinner that night and I still have arm hair.

Then there's being electrocuted.  This one's not nearly as dramatic in my mind, but still good to be aware of.  In my shower, there are three temperature settings: hot, cold, and half-and-half.  The temperature is controlled by a plastic unit at the shower head.  I've heard people tell stories about not being able to touch their shower head or they'll be electrocuted, but for me it's different.  I can touch the head, but I can only change the temperature when the water's off or I'll be electrocuted with 220 V.  Yay.  But anyways, I just never change the temperature after the water's been turned on.  For obvious reasons.

Lastly, but not leastly, giant spiders.  Now, when I say giant, I really mean ones that are a good 3 inches in diameter.  I know they're not technically all that big, but to me, any spider bigger than a pea is too big.  Anyways, I wash my laundry in a room that is under a row of apartments across from staff housing.  It's usually nice and cool in there, since the room is partially underground and it's made of concrete.  Perfect little spidey home.  I've seen all sizes of arachnids in there.  I just stay away from dark corners, do my laundry business, and skiddadle.  I'll let you know if I ever end up touching one.

Today, there is a birthday party going on up in Las Flores, a town a ways away up in a mountain.  The Aldens and a few other people stopped by staff housing this morning on their way to the party to pick some people up.  I went out to say hello to everyone, and I saw Angie, a little girl who goes to the bilingual school.  Apparently yesterday was her birthday, and she's having a party today.  She just turned eight.

I've noticed Angie at the school.  She's quiet and sweet, and I've seen her making lots of dibujos (drawings) for the other kids.  She's quite the artist.  I always smile at her and say hello, but usually I don't get much of a reaction.  I always wonder why, but I also sort of blow it off.  Today when I came out, I wasn't sure what she'd do or if she'd remember/acknowledge me, but I smiled and said "hola" anyways.  And I said "feliz cumpleanos" since her birthday was yesterday and asked her how she was doing.  When I said happy birthday she smiled (that was a first), and then she came over and hugged me around my waist.  Miss Penny (the missionary whose grandkids I teach) took a picture of the birthday girl with me.  And Angie just stood there, holding my hand and hugging me.  Miss Penny said she was amazed that Angie was clinging like that to anyone.  Me, too.  When they drove away, she was standing in the back of the truck and she smiled and waved.  Most of the other kids at the bilingual school are really talkative and will sit on my lap or hold my hand or whatever.  But not usually Angie.  I always wondered why.  I don't know what was so especially different about today, but it made me so happy.

I just finished hanging my laundry out on the line to dry.  The sky is pretty cloudy, and in some places even dark, so I hope it doesn't decide to rain on my clothes.

Good Times

Warm evening sunlight, cool ocean breezes, gently swaying hammock, and Fernando Ortega piano.  That was an hour of my late Saturday afternoon spent in the common room at staff housing.  For some reason, the first three or four days last week I was so, so tired.  The I-can-barely-keep-my-eyes-open-if-I-sit-down kind.  That made teaching a little difficult, seeing as I do most of that sitting down.  It did help some, though, if the kids were bad or wouldn't focus, because having to correct them or ask them to settle down was a great way of reminding myself of the opposite: "STAY AWAKE."  Anyways, it was nice to have that time to just think and read after a long week.  "He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul." ~Psalm 23:2~

Ten girls, hot tea, fancy dresses, and delicious food.  That describes Sunday afternoon, when some of the girls here put on a goodbye tea party in honor of Amy Rumbaugh, who's leaving for the States and will be gone for a while.  That was so fun and special.  The girls even asked two of the boys here to be waiters.  The poor guys.  They did a great job, though, and didn't die or anything because their reward was getting to play video games whenever we didn't need them.  We all sat at a table outside in the front yard of one of their houses, and afterwards we had a photo shoot.  Flowy and girly and fun.  That describes it pretty well.

Cold Coca-Cola, chocolate no-bake cookies, my Spanish notebook, and the Perspectives manual.  That's been my afternoon today.  Eryn, Benton, and Sammey all finished school early, so now I have some free time to write and do Spanish homework and read some for Missions 21.  Dianna, the lady who tutors a lot of the missionaries in Spanish, is also tutoring me.  I really appreciate this.  It's SO NICE to be able to review what I've learned in the past, and learn completely new things, and it's definitely helping my Spanish improve.  And each Monday night at his house, Dr. Don Rumbaugh teaches a "Missions 21" class (basically a condensed version of Perspectives) for anyone who wants to come.  So I go to that, and I'm learning a lot there, too, and really enjoying it.

AND here's a tour of where I live in staff housing.  You go up those green stairs, and open the screen door...

...and the common/living/whatever room is right inside the screen door.

 If you take a right after the bookcase on the wall there...

 ...and go down this hall...

 ...until the very end...

 ...you come to my room!

Isn't it nice? :) I am currently sitting at that little table.

Sunday Lovely Sunday

I've always loved Sundays.  I'm so thankful God gave them to us.  Here, Sundays are a little different than Sundays at home, but I love them just as much.

Next Sunday, I'll be taking over the missionary kids' Sunday school because Miss Zina, the lady who is now substituting for the real teacher, is leaving for a while.  This Sunday I got to sit in on class to see what it is like.  It's a class of seven boys, ages 11-14, I think, and they're all very punctual.  Sunday school started at 9am sharp.  We all had Sprite and brownies (For breakfast??? I think yes.) while we listened to Miss Zina talk about valuing salvation and God's Kingdom.  That was fun.

I also got to go with Miss Norma and Christine (who both work at the hospital) to La Ceiba, which is a fairly large city.  Balfate is the little village where the hospital and staff housing are and where many of the missionaries live, and in the general area of Balfate are several little towns. There are pulperias in the towns, which are basically little grocery stores, but they only have some things so most of the missionaries make the hour trip out to La Ceiba every other week or so.

When Christine, Miss Norma, and I went, we ate out at a Chinese restaurant before going grocery shopping.  In case you were wondering, here's what I think about Chinese restaurants: they are ubiquitous and basically all the same.  Granted, the quality of some may be higher, but they all sell the same old fried rice and chicken with vegetables and "Tacos Chinos" (which means Chinese tacos, or spring rolls).  And I'm fairly certain they all have paper lanterns, names containing either "palace," "jade," or "gold," and a fountain in the entrance with a Buddha statue somewhere nearby.  This particular restaurante was the Golden Palace and had a fountain that smoked at the top with little green and red lights shining through the mist.  Anyways, lunch was delicious.  I got fried rice with chicken and shrimp.  I think they probably intend for several people to order one dish and split it, but we all ordered our own food so that now we have leftovers that'll last another four or so meals.

After lunch, we went shopping at Paiz, a pretty big grocery store, and in the mall.  We got everything we need for the next week or two, I found soy sauce for cheap, plus I got a pineapple and orange licuado (smoothie) for the ride home.  SO good.  Thanks, Lord, for the little blessings, as well as the big ones.

AND to top it all off, I got to spend the evening watching a few NCIS episodes with Amy and Dr. Don up at the Rumbaughs' house.  That was fun, too.  

 Here are Katerin and Margarita. They're two seven-year-old girls from the bilingual school.

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" Psalm 8:3-4

These aren't pictures of stars, but I think the verse is still applicable. :)

The Rumbaughs are a missionary family who live just up the hill from me, next to the Aldens (I teach Eryn and Benton Alden 3 days a week).  Amy, who is around my age, and I've gotten to hang out with a lot, always asks me when she sees me, "So what have you been learning about recently?  What has God been teaching you?"  I think she gets that from her dad, because I've heard him ask that many times as well.  But anyways.  I like this question.  I like the idea of sharing with one another what God has been doing in our lives.  It's cool to hear about.  So, the first thing that popped into my headwhen I sat down to write a post was what I've been learning.

Today in church, we listened to a sermon by some guy with a cool accent whose name I forget.  This is the second sermon in a series, which we started last Sunday, on the book of 1 John.  This guy has been explaining that at that time in the church, Gnosticism was the newest idea.  To say that you believed in hard, solid facts about who Jesus is and what he did was beginning to be looked down upon, somewhat like how it is now in American culture.  To tell someone that you know the truth and you firmly believe it seems arrogant and forward.  The whole idea of "to each man, his own" is big.

But John speaks boldly and clearly about the truth.  He doesn't round the corners or leave room for other ideas.  The preacher gave three words to specifically describe John's tone in this book: assurance, confidence, boldness.  John says things like, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.  If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth" and "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" and "By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God."

Anyways, the preacher emphasized the importance of knowing the truth.  Two quotes I wrote down from him are, "Stand solid" and "Beware the subtle seductions."  In Ephesians 6:13-14 it says, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth..."  So I've just been thinking about all of that and what it means to be grounded in my knowledge of God.  I've been reminded of the importance of studying and memorizing, not just reading, scripture.  John says in chapter 2, "Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you.  If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father...As his anointing [the Holy Spirit] teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him."

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy...always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth...these men also oppose the truth...But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."  ~2 Timothy 3:1-2, 7-8, 14-15~

That's what I've been thinking about.

I seem to be unable to write short posts.  Sorry.  If you only skimmed all that, I don't blame you. :)  To make up for so much writing, here's a picture.

 This is Daymond.  She's one of the 2nd graders I teach sometimes. :)

Monkey House

The view of the ocean

Howler monkeys outside my house...mama and baby

Very studious little kid from the bilingual school in Rio Esteban.  He was copying out the letter "D" and saying it over and over again. "D, D,D..."

Roni and I.  He's quite mischievous, and you can't tell from the picture, but FULL of energy.

Staff housing.  My window is the one all the way on the right. 

Beginning

Where to start?  So much has gone on in the first days I've been here, so I'll try not to write too much. :)

It is absolutely gorgeous here.  Mountains, ocean, green everywhere, brilliantly-colored flowers, billowy clouds, beautiful sunset - I don't think it gets better.  While Louie was here, he took me up to the water tower near the top of the little mountain that we're on and from the top of the tower the view is incredible.  You can see the islands out in the sea, the beautiful seashore, the mountains that reach right up to the coastline...it's so cool.  The heat is a tad bit of a downer, but it rains every now and then.  Actually it pours, and the rain cools everything off quite nicely, for a little while at least.

I went to the bilingual school in Rio Esteban this morning to get started working there.  I visited on Thursday, just to see the place and get an idea of what I'll be doing, but today I actually started teaching the kids.  The school bus comes by the hospital at 6:15am and goes back around 1:45pm, so I get a ride there and back.  I'm not positive this is what I'll do every time, but today I was teaching 2nd grade along with Rachel Paul, another intern.  Let me tell you, seven-year-olds are awesome.  So much energy, so much creativity, so able and ready to learn (with a little guideance :) ).  One little guy liked to play air guitar, and he told me that he liked the guitar but he thought the flute was weird.  Good to know.

The other thing I'll be doing while I'm here is tutoring.  I've met the three kids I'll be teaching, and they're all great.  They are Eryn (13), Benton (11), and Sammy (I think she's 13, too?).  Definitely looking forward to this, as well. :)

Speaking Spanish is fun, and sometimes difficult.  I'm starting to remember what I've learned in Spanish class, and I'm picking up new phrases, too, which is awesome.  Did you know that,  in Honduras, "en once" (or "in eleven") means "on foot"?  I didn't...apparently it's because two feet look like the number eleven.  Clever.

I'm loving the fresh fruit.  Avocados, which I've always been in love with, grow in a tree in front of where I stay in staff housing.  And there's a mango tree in my backyard, so I grab those every now and then.  I never used to like mangos because, to me, they have this pine cone-like aftertaste, but I think the combination of the attractiveness of getting free fruit and its freshness make them delicious to me.  There are also Honduran apples, but those basically are spongy, lightly-sweetened foam, so I don't go for those.

I can't tell you about my week without mentioning topos.  They're genious, and the best thing ever on a hot day.  They're basically popsicles in little sandwich bags.  They tie off the top of the bag so nothing leaks out, and you bite a little hole in the bottom corner of the topo and suck out the popsicle.  Like freezer pops (the long, skinny kind in a plastic tube), but without the rough edges of the tube.  My favorite kind so far is tamarind.

All-in-all, I'm looking forward to this year.  I would appreciate prayers, though, and I am so thankful for many of you who I know are already praying for me.  I think probably the toughest thing right now will be adjusting to living by myself.  After being in a family of 10, not having to ask someone to stop talking because I'm trying to sleep or to get up early Sunday morning so I can get in the shower before the hot water is gone is weird.  But other than that, just pray that God would give me strength, joy, and willingness to serve him well.

And here's a verse that I recently found about what Christ did for us and what our lives should be like.  I think it's super cool, so I want to share it with you.  "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" ~Psalm 30:11-12