How great is the love...

2012 is here!! Well actually it is like 1/12th of the way over!

2012-01-28T19:58:00.000-08:00

So since I haven't posted since early December I'm just going to do a few quick photos and then hopefully I'll be more consistent with updates in the Spring...hopefully. Maybe.

The Colbath's are a wonderful family that live here in Sigua. Some of their kids go to our school (Cindy in the picture) and their son John helps out with PE. Right before we left for Christmas they invited a whole bunch of people over for a Saturday get-together. The Colbath's literally have the best food ever! They are such a blessing.

The last day of school in December was amazing! We had a wonderful morning program where the kids sang and did skits in English and Spanish. Then, we had a day of fun. Lots of soccer.

Marvin. He stole my heart two years ago. And he still has it!

Humberto, one of my 6th graders, with some glitter all over his face. Adorable.

Fast forward to Christmas in Kentucky.

I got to see my Hank! Oh, and my family and friends!

I got to visit one of my BEST friends. We went to a delicious Mexican-Chic restaurant and went to the zoo! I am so thankful for meeting her my first year at Destino. Her and Nathaniel truly inspire me in so many ways.

Now--- back to Honduras! I am so glad that this transition has been wonderful. I was a little nervous because my first year here, January was the only month where I really felt homesick. Luckily this time everything has went great.

I was extremely excited to get back to see the kids. School started off busy with review, exams, and a pastoral conference. And in the middle of all that one of our American Teachers, Sheena, fell and was hurt really bad. Thankfully she is doing much better know, but she had to have pins put in her wrist and stitches a few places on her face.

Today we went to Taulabe to explore the caves. Okay, explore is probably too strong of a word. We walked through them.

Then we headed to the lake where we picked out our own fish to eat.

Stared at the gorgeous view for a while.

And spent some good time with friends.

I am so blessed to be here.

Smacked in the face...

2011-12-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

...with the reminder that God is in control.

My first year here I was told by some ladies that we had angels protecting our house. I like to think of it from time to time and often wondered if we have them as our protectors especially while here. Tonight, I can't help but to be sure of it.

Bowen and I were outside of her gate at about 8:40. Dark, but by no means late. When a scrawny man on a bike kind of veered over toward us. Honestly the first second or two didn't take me by surprise. I figured he would ask for some lempiras... we would say no and ask him if he wants some food. But, that isn't what went down.

Instead with his unsteady hand he began shaking a small black hand gun at us. The situation I'm sure lasted 10 seconds tops... but time seemed to stand still. Bowen threw her baleada at him (which was interesting... she wanted one and we accidentally ended up buying two... in my head I thought a drunk man on the street would end up with it before we got home... but it was still in her hand when we got to her gate). I yelled a probably extremely gringa-sounding "Que necesita" and a look of terror came over his face. Back on his bike he got. And quickly pedaled away.

After banging on the door to get Jenna to open it... saying some faint, but explicative words... we were inside and talking about how incredibly scary and enormous the angel(s) around us had to have been.

Shew, sometimes this country is exhausting on the heart, soul, and mind.

On a much brighter note... I had a great Thanksgiving (lots of food, games, and fellowship). My students did some performances at church and were extremely cute. And I am heading home in two weeks for Christmas!!

God,

Help me to be an expression of your love and grace. My heart aches for the statistics of this country. I pray for change.

I am thankful and humble for all that You are teaching me and doing inside of me ("it feels like chaos...but some how there's peace"). I feel like I screw up all the time... thankful for grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Amen

A little trip to Ceiba...

2011-11-12T20:12:00.000-08:00

Wow! October is gone! And November is drifting away too.

Quick recap over the past few weeks:

October 20th in the Middle of 6th Grade (reviewing for Exams) we found out that school would be cancelled for the next 7 school days. Talk about crazy! Honduran "snow days." The kids went crazy "NO SCHOOL NO EXAM." It was cancelled because our water pump was broke and it was too difficult to haul water everyday and then the pastors truck broke down etc.. So, they needed time and money to get things working. And... because of God's wonderful grace within those days of the money came in and the parts were fixed!

So... what to do with that time off eh? Well, our passports are with a lawyer so we couldn't leave the country and travel.... but we could go to the beach! So, we (Jenna, Amanda and myself) headed to Ceiba to take a week of language class! Fue excelente! I really did feel like I learned a lot. Plus, we got to visit a Garifuna village (Sambo Creek), swim in the ocean, go on a river hike (swim at the freezing waterfall), and live with a host family. I really fell in love with a little guy that was living with the host family. Faris, 15, and from La Mosquita. He even taught me some words in the La Mosquit-ian?? language! We even took a baleada/tortilla making class AND went to AppleBee's!

No Central American trip is EVER finished without something crazy happening. On our last bus home (after being on a bus for like 4 hours to San Pedro and then 2 more hours towards Sigua... our bus broke down). So, we stood on the side of the road for a bit and it was somewhat late in the day so there weren't many busses passing. Finally a van came... and all 15 of us shoved in with the other passengers in a van to take a very tight, cozy, snug trip to Sigua. As you can see... the creepy man in the photo thought things were very interesting too.

School resumed this week. Exams are finished. My grades are done. And the parents will be at school Friday to pick up report cards!

It is almost Christmas and I am starting to get excited!!

Feeling Alive...

2011-10-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever just really felt alive? A feeling that is hard to describe... but just from deep within you can feel your heart beating for what is right. There is something about being here that makes me alive. I assume it is just the ability to serve these kids and just the idea that His will is being carried out. But, even in the littlest things I just feel like things are so right.

This past week (as with all weeks) God has revealed some things to me. So the week started normal... and then Tuesday something bad happened to my computer. It got a little wet... and I was just sure that EVERYTHING I had on it was gone. So I prayed and cried and went to bed. I got up early to call my Mom and she just reminded me that it is just property. It can be replaced. Life will go on. How foolish I feel when things sink in and I realize I reacted like my world was going to crash down. So, I prayed about it and then just realized oh well, it happens. Life went on. And then there was a miracle. My computer worked. But, then it didn't work. Then I took it to a repair shop and it worked. Then I brought it home and it didn't work. So currently... it is sitting beside me dead. All of that is not the point of my story... then I read a facebook status about the well pump at our school being broken. And I thought, oh how terrible. And I said a prayer like 'God you know our needs. Help us.' And I moved right along with my daily routine. And then a few hours later God smacked me in the face with the revelation of being so incredibly selfish! And I could just hear him be like... 'umm excuse me Amanda, but when your little computer stopped working and you prayed so earnestly about how you need it and I listened. And that little computer well it really only affects you. This pump... it not only affects all of the children living at Destino, but think about the 250 kids that will be at school on Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday with no running water... oh and on top of that the electricity needs paid. I am needed... and all you said was a one sentence wimpy little prayer.' This is usually how my conversations with God goes... sometimes it is a still small voice and other times it is him saying 'HELLO AMANDA. Wake up.'

So, wow... with all of that said. God is teaching me daily about the right way to live. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and then I realize once again... this is not a feeling from God. God is love. Yes, I am challenged here. But, it is a good challenge.

I feel like I have so much to say today. Not so much for you or whoever reads this, but for me. To serve as a reminder when I read back through these ramblings and think 'Oh yea, God is so good.'

Wednesday nights we go to an English Bible study and then on Sunday mornings we go to the same place for Spanish church. So, I want to share one more cool thing that God is teaching me through the church here.

On Wednesday we talked about CRAZY things God has said. It was fun to sit back and laugh about some of the things that can be taken out of context (hate your mother and father, if your arm causes you to sin cut it off, eat my flesh and drink my blood, sell all of your possesions and give to the poor, have a banquet and invite the poor, etc..,) and then when we talked about the actual meanings of those things. And we discussed maybe how God and Jesus wanted us to understand those things and OBEY those things I listen and nod and think wow... that is some crazy stuff. And then, with one simple verse I can be so challenged. 'If you love me. Obey me.' John 14 5. Shew. I'm pretty sure he meant everything too.

So, I am learning to obey. Everyday. And boy do I fail.

They teach me about God's love everyday.

El Rey Leon. Nostalgia.

2011-10-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

Another week completed. And another about to begin. I am thankful that I don't have the Sunday Night Blues (yet... I know at some point they may come... but for now, Sundays are about preparing for the week, but not an overwhelming feeling of bleh like I use to have).

One day "the kids" came over (I can't remember which day... it all kind of blurrs together). Kelly and Roleyn watched TV while Glenish, Joselyn, and I painted our nails.

Friday the 7th graders had their "Celebration of the New Year" at church. It is always awesome to watch them. My students inspire me in so many ways. Their ability to memorize scriputre is amazing. They challenge me to work on this skill that I have somewhat lost since the days of VBS (I was all about memorizing those verses to get stickers or whatever at the end of the week). But, as an adult I really kind of stink at "hiding your word in my heart" at least in the idea of memorization and not just "general themes." So, as they memorize so will I.

Besides memorization the students as sang and did an interpretive movement. I love seeing all 30 of them! The new students from Jardin de Gracias mesh so well with the Destino kids. At the beginning of the year I thought they would be separated (Jardin kids with Jardin friends and Destino with Destino friends), but Monday morning as the 7th graders got off the bus and I watched them walk into their classroom, they were integrated like they had all grown-up going to school together.

Dani left on Saturday. I am sad to see him go. We had the same strange-sense-of-humor.

But, him leaving gave us a reason to head to San Pedro Sula! So Saturday we got up early. Caught a bus (where Amanda and I insisted on sitting up front with the driver... where I awkwardly slid around on my seat for the two hour bus ride). Saw a dog get ran over. Grew more found of our driver when he got out of the bus to move the dog so it didn't keep getting hit. Said our goodbyes to Dani. Hopped in a taxi for City Mall. Shopped. Ate Quiznos. WATCHED EL REY LEON (The Lion King) IN THREE-D, IN SPANISH!!! Shopped some more. Ate Churros (my connection to the woolfest this weekend since they kind of tasted like funnel cake topped with Nutella). And then caught another taxi.

We got back to the bus station and realized we had missed the last bus to Sigua... but luckily caught the last one towards Comayagua. Where Bowen then sat next to a woman with a puppy (circle of life eh?) and I sat next to an interesting man named Allan. Got to Sigua. Caught another taxi. And finally made it home for the evening.

It is always amusing to me how God gives me themes or messages. And he makes me hear it over and over again until it really sinks in! My first year I was here my theme seemed to be "living a good story." I heard sermons on it read books about it and it was everywhere. Then it was the "love" them theme. Galatians 5:6 was always on my mind. The desire to just LOVE others like Jesus does. And so now I'm excited about what God will place as his next theme in my life! What will my next "life-verse" be? I know one thing he is challenging me to is encouragement. I feel like it isn't my love language, but it is so many people's that I really need to get better about it.

What is God teaching you?

October, Rain, and a little bit of Insanity

2011-10-02T20:16:00.000-07:00

Beautiful 2nd grade girls

The weeks are going by and God's presence is strong. October is here and so is the rain! Here is just a quick recap of the past few weeks:

I met (err well not really met... listened to I suppose) Jim Elliot's brother-in-law at a Missionary conference this weekend. If you don't know who Jim Elliot is-- he was the missionary who was killed in Ecuador in the 1950's by a tribe of Indians. His wife later ministered to the same tribe. Very inspiring story!
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." -- Jim Elliot

The speaker had been a missionary in Costa Rica for years and had a lot of interesting stories. The conference was in Sigua, but for missionaries all over Honduras. Because of school and Destino church I didn't get to attend a lot of it, but the two "talks" that I heard were quite interesting. There were about 130 people there mostly families with children (lots of children).

I've done some "nesting" I guess you could call it... like buying glasses and a salt and pepper shaker. Making home. Really home.

Bowen, Jenna, and I started Insanity. It is supposed to be 60 days... but because of our schedules it is looking like it might take us... a little bit longer.

I feel a little behind and my to do list keeps growing... but in the end I know that I am here to shower God's love and mercy on these kids.

Also:: We are looking for a PE teacher if you or anyone you know is interested!

------------------Hmm.... and a knock at the window---------

A boy and his mother just showed up at my house with a small question about English. 2 hours later and reinforcement from Bowen, Osman is now a little bit more ready for his exam tomorrow. I guess.

Life is so interesting here. The unexpected because the norm.

Last Saturday (I think) Bowen and I had Malerie over for a FEAST. We have a delicious coconut shrimp tradition. But, it was enhanced by well: running out of coconut so also having garlic shrimp, and the addition of coconut rice, red lobster biscuits, salad, homemade dressing and tortillas, steak, oh yea... all of it. Oh, and of course Dani and Jenna.

"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls."
-- Mother Teresa

Lord, give me an abundance of joy as I minister to these kids and these people.

If home is where the heart is, then my home is where you are.

2011-09-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

I'm home! Or well sort of. Sigua. Home.
I arrived in sweaty, sticky San Pedro on August 20th. And the last few weeks have been nothing short of amazing.
We kicked off with two weeks of prep time. It is weird. The prep weeks start slow... not knowing what to do and then the last few days are so hectic. This year was extremely humbling though when we took two days to visit the homes of the children. It always gives a teacher a new perspective when he or she sees the home that the child comes from. So, as hard as it was to see some of the homes it makes me cherish the kids even more. And it gives me more reasons to give thanks that these kids get to go to Destino.

First day of school!

So the two weeks went by and then on Monday we started school! My day started with Prepa and I was pleasantly surprised at their behavior and attention. They were extremely sweet and some of their little faces... well just look for yourself THEY ARE ADORABLE!

Besides Prepa I also have 6th and 7th grades. I have never taught kids older than 3rd grade... so I was nervous. But, once again I am overwhelmed with LOVE for these kids. It is really nice to have a class that I can teach in English (Prepa... is Spanglish/Songlish/kinda crazy language haha). Here is a picture of some of the girls in 7th grade. I'll have to get some photos of them, but they aren't as eager to have pictures taken as the little ones!

I'm excited for tomorrow. No Sunday night blues here!

I am returning!

2011-06-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly excited for the next chapter of life. I will be back at Destino in the fall and I can't wait. I am currently visiting Sigua and my heart SWELLS with love.

The love of the Father, the love from the kids, the love that I can share, love, love, love.

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him."
1 John 3:1

6 months later...

2010-11-26T22:30:00.000-08:00

I miss it...

My students

The street men

Victor

Kelley

German

The ministries

The passion

The people

Barrio San Miguel

Our people in our barrio-- the baleada lady, laundry guy, even the little old lady at the pulperia with the son who always asked us if we were married.

The pool

The cheapness

Mountains

Clunkity busses

Walking (not the walking and carrying heavy groceries though...)

Gomez

Carlos

And a little bit of tubthumper

Isydro (yeah-- that's right Mallori)

I miss the challenges and the growth that I had over the year...

--well I don't miss the widow makers-- man those things were TERRIBLE.

I'm still having a difficult time adjusting to teaching here in America. So much of my heart has been left in Sigua. People can tell-- but I can't change it.

I am blessed with a job this year. I will complete KTIP and having my teaching certificate. But-- I need guidance on where to go from here. I had a crazy distant cousin go off on a little tangent (actually a rather large tangent) about how he hoped my wild hair was gone and that I needed to stay in America. I couldn't put together the right words to make him understand how amazing of an experience I had. How-- I knew what I was doing was beneficial. That is was impacting the world. Here-- yeah hopefully I'm making a difference, but I am reminded of what Pastor John said in one of his sermons toward the end of our year--- "Could you be doing what you are doing right now without God in your life?" And it almost haunts me. Because it calls me to do MORE.

2 months in the life of...

2010-05-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

I am going to chitchat about life in the next post... it will be soon. But, for now this is what I've been up to since the last post (which was late February... sorry). I have... been to the waterfall at Pulhapanzak, Belize, Roatan, found kittens, had Missions Day at school, swam a lo (at the pool... and just today at the Sigua water park. Yeah that is right Sigua has a waterpark)

After the vigourous hike under the waterfall.

Pulhapanzak

Placencia, Belize (Passport extension trip with Mallori)

Dad, Aby, and Josue reading at Destino (Semana Santa)

Sawdust Carpets in Comaygua for Good Friday celebrations-- there were 100 (or more) of these intricut carpets. People worked all night on them and then a parade walked over all of them.

The beach at Roatan.

Roatan-- Semana Santa with the family.

Leslie and I went snorkeling with this guy... Ronnie. Loved him.

At a Mexican restaurant in Roatan.

1 of the 4 original kitties... one died...

4 of our amazing soccer boys... we play in the semi-finals on Tuesday. Wup wup!

Alexandra Michelle and me on the playground.

Ana, 1st grader, on the playground during Missions Day.

February... and time is flying.

2010-02-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

As February is finishing up I find myself pondering about next year more than thinking about the now. Casa Gringa has struggled with this "being present" situation for months now. I have to stay focused on my kids now... while trying to plan for the future. Thankfully some very helpful verses pop into my mind when I feel myself getting anxious.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

So-- I'm searching schools agian and trying to figure out a possible future... but we will see where God leads. I'm sure it will be even better than what I can imagine or plan for.

This past weekend Bowen, Mallori, Nathaniel, and I went to Balfate! It is a beach of nothing. The best part was probably getting there. We boworrowed a car and drove to San Pedro. We stayed in a beautiful hotel... with air conditioning, a great shower, and a TV (it was so exciting). We went to the mall and ate at APPLEBEE'S!! Umm and then got up early Saturday to travel to Balfate. We made it to La Ceiba pretty easily and then headed in the direction of Balfate (with about an hr of travel left). Little did we know that we would be driving on a dirt road for 40 minutes and crossing through a river... but thats what made it more exciting. We got to the beach to be the only one's there except for three locals working at a little pulperia thing. The mountains surrounded us and it was beautiful. I will live on the beach. Someday.

Nathaniel driving through the river!

Other Photos:

Kinder with their turles from Oakland Christian Church in Pendleton.

Ana (primero) with her coloring book from Knoxville Christian Church of Williamstown.

Katherin (primero) with her coloring book.

Amanda with the (in)famous flower children.

Writings from Zoe

2010-01-25T17:30:00.000-08:00

My roommate Zoe from Georgia is a great writer... and usually sees daily happenings very uniquely. Luckily for me she writes everything down. Here are some of her things that I hope to always remember. So, mainly this is for me. But, if you are bored you can enjoy too.

Gate Beggars Undo Me, September 2009
I was reading in Luke 6 the other day, and I stumbled over this uncompromising verse:Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. (v. 30, ESV)I remember this verse often, as beggars are as frequent as rainstorms here. Because of the propensity toward substance abuse (huffing glue, alcoholism, and other such maladies), it's better not to give money. But one can give food. Clothing. Water. Pineapple tarts. Today, a woman came to our gate and asked to swap beans for some of our clothes, for her to use for herself. As often happens with the people who come to our gate hawking lawn services and maid services and who-knows-what-next services, I felt more confused than anything else. Told her we'd come down with mostly just the essentials, and there was nothing to give. Not true, now that I think of it. There are two shirts I will rarely if ever wear down here. And even if I hadn't those to give, maybe it doesn't matter. Will He not clothe me?To my chagrin, I can't read hearts. Can't know who needs and who deceives (perhaps they need love all the more). And maybe that is why the imperative from my Lord is strict. I don't know the heart, but he does. He will direct what I am able to give.Give us wisdom, but moreso joy. The joy coming from not being slave to stuff in this world.

I am Terrible at Cost Negotiatons, September 2009
Yet, apparently they are my current lot because in this household I speak the most Spanish.It was a picky problem. A sketch looking guy was just standing smack in front of our house, looking around, when we came back from getting bananas (our own tree has kamikazily uprooted itself).I did not like it.Fortunately, he had a reason: that is, he wanted to cut our (badly-in-need-of-it) lawn. As if I knew the going rate for such things. $10 bucks he wanted. I looked warily at our measly front patch, thinking You're loopy.Bruin, who is way better negotiator, suggested $7.50. He appeared amenable to this, though he then started going on about having to buy what we think was a sharpener. We do not own one. We also realized he had meant to cut the front AND the yard. While he was sharpener buying, I dialed Chuck, our on-call American missionary and general Honduras information source. He informed me that a reasonable rate for our area was in the neighborhood of 40 to 80 lemps, or $2-4. He also advised against (and I agreed) letting Sketch Yard Man into our actual yard (beyond the gate).This required re-negotiation. Wince.I told him $2.50 was more our style for the front patch. He looked fairly bummed about not getting the actual yard job and asked for $5, and he'd pick up all the trash the dogs had strewn about. Making sure he wouldn't ask for anything beyond that for the sharpener (we were confused about all that - shouldn't he own one?), we settled. I'm sure this experience will profit me greatly one day. Maybe even here.

Cake Deception, Early October
Approximately a month ago, an event transpired in Casa Gringa that is now popularly known as the “cake orgy.” Indiscreet vocabulary aside, it was the thrilling devouring by the three teachers of three different kinds of cake. No one was, in fact, naked.On October 22nd, 2009, in honor of the 24th birthday of Zac Hanson, this—that is, a cake orgy—was again to take place. While Bowen was at a Spanish lesson, Bruin and Tolson were to acquire said cake, to be consumed at a later hour. And they tried, it appears. They did visit to the bakery, witnesses report, there deciding to have a pre-cake snack of pastry. While Tolson is alleged to have expressed concern that pastries might spoil their appetite for cake, Bruin is said to have remarked that sugar can never spoil sugar. Only vegetables. What evidence this assertion rests on is unknown; only this is clear: on the occasion of the scheduled cake orgy, sugar did spoil the happy event (as did, reportedly, the unstellar cake selection), and paved the way for the absurd yarn that was spun to Bowen anytime she tried to discuss the expected cake. The spiral of deception has been reconstructed as much as possible here, in all its treachery, though the ATM and funeral stories have actually been substantiated.Enter Bowen, with a package, at a crossroads; Tolson and Bruin come from the opposite way.Bowen: Is there cake?Tolson: Something ridonkulous happened!Bowen: Ridonkulous? Oh no. What?Tolson: That random ATM that I NEVER use? It ate my card AGAIN!Bowen: You’re kidding.Tolson: Oh, no. I had to go in there to Dilma again and be like, “Here’s my number again. Give me a call, kthanks.” Bowen: Crazy. But is there cake? I was going to yell “Cake Orgy!” when I walked in the door.Zoe: …Bowen: Did something happen?Bruin: Our house smells like weed!Bowen: Our house smells like weed? Bruin: Yeah, I think they were smoking some wacky weed when they came in to fix the showers.Tolson: Yes, come look. Oh, start with mine. Hey, see? Brand new widow-maker, and the water even runs!Bowen: Very nice.Tolson: And there’s Bruin’s. Again, brand spanking new, but the water won’t come out. Bowen: So we only have one working shower again?Tolson: It’s better than no working showers.Bowen: But there’s no cake?Tolson: There was a funeral!Bowen: What? Where? Tolson: In the street! You know how a Honduran funeral is different from an American funeral? Every vehicle in the procession is a pick-up truck, bed full of sad-looking people. And flowers. Lots of flowers.Bowen: But the cake?Bruin: You can’t eat cake when there’s a funeral! And you’re home early. You skip out of your lesson?Bowen: I told her my roommates were making dinner!Bruin: You could have gotten mugged on the way home for that lie!Bowen: It was a stretch, but there was supposed to be cake! Cake for dinner! That’s not a lie.Bruin: We weren’t making it!Tolson: We’re gonna make a giant cookie instead.
Variety Show-- Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 12:06amNothing to See Here, FolksSo, I queried "illegal immigrant honduras" because that's what I'll become Tuesday because of a logistics mishap. And you know what? No one cares. I mean, officials will probably fine me, but if people aren't illegals in the States it's just not Google-worthy. Nobody's desperate enough to grab the Honduran dream (if there is one) that they'd do something life-risking to live here. Except Rhonda, I suppose. Poor dame can't even get her residency started, after 10 years.Bruin Isn't My Girlfriend, She Just Plays Her on TVOn the 20th of November, Bruin and I attended a piano concert impromptu. Too impromptu. Here are my notes from the field:"[Bowen] declined the concert, saying she felt like crap. [Bruin and I] went blithely upstairs, with the sudden crashing realization that this was a dressy event. We were both in sneakers, dirty jeans, blue Destino T-shirts, and hoodies of various levels of inappropriateness. (My green plaid one isn't good for much more than a rave.)The ticket takers assured us we were fine. But we didn't believe them. I went to see if any boutiques were open, and found the one on the corner closest to the dollar store. They were clearly trying to close but humored me kindly in my breathy, rushed Spanish explanation. The dueña began shoving boxes at me, which I pawed desperately through. Everything formal was too big or bra-incompatible, as our convertibles ones were sleeping in their drawers at home. I finally dropped L240 on matching (as if we weren't already awkward enough together at a romantic piano concert), long sparkly print Ts with cap sleeves. I remain unconvinced that this was enough of an improvement to actually be called an improvement. Maybe if I'd snagged us some slutty stilettos to go with it. I tried to sound reassuring: "These would be perfectly excellent over a black skirt." Bruin mocked, "You just keep telling yourself that."Being in this room with this crowd so dressed makes me feel like I'm in the States. Just with a bunch of tanned people. Our biggest disappointment - aside from the fact that we walk around in a perpetual state of embarrassment - was that the assorted cake plate was actually an assorted hors d'oeuvres plate. I could almost hear Regina telling me to take a vinegar shot."

Tuesday Afternoon, January 12
This afternoon just happened:Bowen left her phone in a cab yesterday, but it had been calling me, so we had reason to believe it could be recovered. We got off in town, paid to re-up the post office box (unexpected expense #905, but it was 500, not 550).Luigi, the pizza man (where Bowen was before she lost the phone) said HIS taxi driver was the one who had it, but as Bowen picked up the cab down a block we have no idea how this connection was made. But it was. Luigi speaks English. Even better. The phone will be retrieved tomorrow.So, we leave, making for home. We get about halfway when we run into Carlos Emmanuel, our goofy, skinny, witchesque long-fingernailed 22 year old shoeshine boy with a sick mama somewhere (we try to give him food for her, but he always eats it because he's as skinny as my grandma). He's about the only beggar we give money to, because he has a legitimate trade, not that I ever have a legitimate need for shoe shines. I made Bowen get it this time. Anyway, he said his kit was really close, we're thinking a block or two. No, the man walks us all the way back to where we started. I sighed. Went to buy us cappuccino and a small pizza for him while Bowen got shined. His cousin had gathered by the time I got back.We begin our trek again. Run briefly into Stephen the gringo who is looking very tall and pale in his black turtleneck sweater. Probably off to eat his 5th meal for the day, that hobbity man.I buy a mantuka, which is like a tamale, which probably doesn't help you at all. It's this doughy stuff with chicken and rice in the middle, all wrapped up and steamed in a banana leaf, which is rather gross looking. I made it about three blocks before I saw a pleasant but bothered looking man, sitting in a doorway. We locked eyes. I smiled. "How are you?" He said nothing, demanded nothing, just reached out two empty hands. I gave him the mantucka.We almost made it past the bakery, but decided to celebrate the recover of Bowen's phone by buying three cupcakes, at about 50 cents each. Crossing the main road to head down our street, a flashing light bulb reminding me that I needed to ...buy a lightbulb ...appeared over my head as we passed the hardstore.Owner and employee are cowards about gringa Spanish. Fetch son from house to speak English to me. Fail. I speak both, to heal my pride.We finally head for home. And are stopped for 10 minutes, 2 blocks away, by a random old man, 60, named Noé, who lived in NJ for ten years and is going back in February to Georgia to work construction. And he son speaks English or something and blah blah lots of factories in Japan and friends and God and you have such sweet hearts, you call my number, practice, and various other irrelevancies.This is how God amuses himself when I pray that I will learn to look for him in all the people I encounter.

The Flower Children- Thursday Afternoon, January 21

When Bruin and I arrived home, there was a shabbily-garbed man sitting on a potato sack a stone's throw from our gate. He was consuming a clear liquid that, if it was not alcohol, was at least in something like a vodka bottle. I said, "Are you hungry?" He muttered a lot of interested incomprehensible gibberish that ended in "Mami," a catch-all term applied to females of both American and Honduran persuasion, and must often heard uttered by taxi drivers, bus bouncers, and the occasional beggar. I said "just a minute" in Spanish, and Bruin handed him an apple. We went outside, fixed a bottle of cold water (for it has decided to be roaring hot again), a packet of cookies, a peanut butter and pineapple jelly sandwich, an improvised bean dip with refried beans, Honduran sour cream (not the same as ours), and goat cheese, and a peppermint for later. This took perhaps five minutes. We returned outside.He was gone. Fie. We walked a block in all four cardinal directions. Nothing. "Maybe it was water," Bruin muttered."Maybe we're having a joint hallucination," I countered. "That joint hallucination has my apple," she replied.Touche.We ate the bean dip and sandwich. They were good.

Sunday Morning, January 24th

At 8 am, I was happily layered under bedsheets. Awake, but with no intention of rising for a good while. The doorbell rang. I rolled my eyes you've-gotta-be-kidding style and turned over. It rang 5 more times. I peeked out my bedroom window incredulously and saw a boy who looked 10ish. I jerked off my bedcovers and hoped he had good health insurance, because he was about to be pummeled by my sleepy fists. Clad in a T-shirt and wild-looking blue-striped pajama pants, I looked quickly around for something decenter and said screw it after a few anxious seconds.Threw open the door and shot them (it was the boy and his 11 year old sister) a ferocious look.See, we know them. They have tried to sell us a mountain of roses in the last few weeks (1 for 10 lemps, or a dozen for 50). We bought two last night, in fact. "What's up?" I said, squaffling my rage as best I could.The boy bleated out something in his typical Road Runner speed Spanish, of which I get about 10%. Something about my other roommates. You know, the nicer ones."We. Are. Sleeping," I pleaded.More run-together Spanish. I caught the word "ratito," which means "a little while." I nodded vaguely. If saying come back in a while would make then go away, I was all about it.I journaled about this incident. I prayed for compassion (especially when I caught myself trying to manufacture compassionate feelings, which must be good for about nothing, since C. S. Lewis' Screwtape is so keen on it). I started to read about Paul's ridiculous plight in Acts. A paragraph in, the doorbell rang. Sigh.I padded out, still just as absurdly dressed. Their offer was still the same offer. Though I give the kid points for style: when I reminded him that we had bought 20 lemps worth of roses from them last night, he pointed out that I could buy one as a gift for someone else.I can't win. So I said, "¿Hay algo más que puedo hacer para Uds? ¿Tienen hambre?" (Is there anything more I can do for you? Are you hungry?)No one ever says no to that. I sent them packing for 10 minutes and charged into the kitchen. An apple was halved, milk was poured, crunchy peanut butter was slathered on bagel slices, and egg was basically everywhere."You weren't lying," Bruin commented.Somewhere in there the rage dissipated. We sat with them and had a good time. They'd never had peanut butter before (or bagels probably, as Bowen observed).They're from a family of 6. One sister goes to a private school. Maybe they're helping pay for it. They walk to town every day.And they gave me two roses as a thank you gift. <3

Zoe has an ability to hear quotes... here are some that she has written or status quoted. We should get us some milk like that. Straight out of the cow. Five minutes ago.-Bruin You can pray for my classroom because it rains in there.-Marino And they never get to pray together as guys because the country's full of women!-Morrow The broccoli had a butt!-Bowen, on the veggie porn guy at a cell repair place Is that RAIN? My SHOES!-Bruin, on the futility of laundry in the rainy season I feel like I'm going to have a baby tomorrow.-Bruin, the night before school started Did anyone actually do the spiritual exercise this week?-Dave I have no idea what you're talking about. Have a cookie.-Morrow I don't even know how much I would charge to carry someone's child.-Bowen The only thing about getting a load of teachers together is it turns to school talk. School talk. I'm against it.-Morrow My egg was a parasite to your boiling water.-Bruin to Bowen Status QuotesMaybe we're having a joint hallucination.' 'Well, that joint hallucination has my apple!' (Tolson, Amanda Bruin) The famous afternoon'I cut off my chicken's head! Crap! That ain't good!' (Bruin).'Nobody killed the spiders, ladies, really?' 'They're scary.' 'They're gonna get us in our beds!' 'We'll eat 'em as we sleep.' (Bruin, Tolson, Bruin, Bowen).Zoe Tolson : 'What's D4?' 'Don't worry, just do D' (Stephen and Luis, on guitars). 'I'm pretty sure I majored in procrastination in college. With an emphasis on disorganization' (M. Diener).Zoe Tolson took two taxis last night and bought a drink and a meal out on the town. All for $3. Bet you can't do that in your country.Zoe Tolson sees the unwanted cleaning fairies have been here! Silly landlord.Zoe Tolson : 'They need robots to do that job' (Bruin on gynecology).Zoe Tolson : 'And Zoe does her autistic hands!' (spiteful Bruin).Zoe Tolson eats breakfast with Straight Gringa and Late Gringa.Zoe Tolson : 'It's so inconvenient. You have to get all naked and all wet' (M. Deiner on showering).Zoe Tolson thinks the yard looks pretty silly with its buzz cut...and that one never knows who the Sunday morning walk will bring...'Zoe, I would love you even if you were the love child of a Kinder kid and a 3rd grader. That's unconditional!' (Amanda Bowen, who just bought a pair of shorts that fit perfectly off a random young passerby with only a couple clothing items for sale in his grubby backpack).Zoe Tolson heard Bruin humming the funeral march as she went to take a shower.Zoe Tolson : 'Zoe, your toilet sounds like a man's peeing in it' (Bruin).Zoe Tolson : 'Do YOU wanna cuddle with a barn?' (Bruin to Tolson).'I should have said pop music that won't get me pregnant.' 'There's not such a thing' (Tolson, Amanda Bruin). 'America's a rip-off, I'm telling you' (Bruin to her mother on our absurdly low water and power bills).DOESN'T HAVE TO WORK ON HER BIRTHDAY! Oh, politics.
Zoe Tolson bent down to care for for the man in the gutter, and she knew then that her roommates had already passed by, because of the food parcel lying next to his barely conscious mass. ♥

Zoe Tolson had the meagerest (no, Spellcheck, I don't retract that word) Destino lunch she's ever eaten today; then, they got $10,000. So it goes.

Zoe Tolson wonders how that alarming crustacean got in the pila. Maybe he fell from the sky, like the cat.

Zoe Tolson and Bruin are grossly under-dressed at a romantic piano concert. So many wrong signals.

Zoe Tolson : 'Run to Jesus, Baby. He loves you so...' (M. Tolson).

Zoe Tolson : 'The hamburger phone? We need a baleada phone!' (Bruin).

Zoe Tolson : 'If I owned a gas station, a monkey would make my life a lot better' (Bruin).

Zoe Tolson will relish every U.S. shower she takes wherein she utilizes technology that has never, ever shocked her and likely never will. Forget cell phones, Honduras. Back up to water heater technology. I mean, water heaters that are across the house, and not right over one's head.

Zoe Tolson proposes a Bruin Drinking Game: Every time she says "floppin' around"...

Zoe Tolson : 'Can't you WAIT 15 minutes. I guess not if you're holding your-' 'Don't finish that sentence.' (Tolson to student, M. Diener).

Zoe Tolson : 'Dude, you should sniff him!' (Bowen, on my faux-hawked, cologne-wearing Destino brother Maynor).

Zoe Tolson WATER! ::frantically moves mattress::

Zoe Tolson : 'Meat! On a stick! In a cart! In the middle of the road!' (Bruin).

Zoe Tolson : 'Dear Green Beans, you did not satisfy my chocolate craving' (Amanda Bruin).

Zoe Tolson : 'Skarleth? Axel? Merlin? Are you teaching a death metal band?' (Roberson).

Zoe Tolson : 'Skarleth? Axel? Merlin? Are you teaching a death metal band?' (Roberson).

Zoe Tolson wonders why Amanda Bowen and Amanda Bruin speak in sing-song when they discuss hamburger meat.

Zoe Tolson wonders why Amanda Bowen and Amanda Bruin speak in sing-song when they discuss hamburger meat.

Zoe Tolson : 'I would never have to go home if my cat was here!' (Bruin).

Zoe Tolson : 'It's the bathroom! I can't move the place!' (Bruin on why she sprayed a mountain of brain-cell killing bug spray in her bathroom, right next to our bedrooms).

'Will I die if I eat you?' 'It's not a Magic Eight Ball, Zoe. It's just a mushy potato' (Tolson, Bruin).

Zoe Tolson : 'If I die laying in a hammock, tell my mom I said it's a good way to go' (Bruin).

Zoe Tolson : 'I'm the 'straight Amanda'' (Bruin, on how she and Bowen are differentiated by their hair).

Zoe Tolson : 'So once the inmates were playing soccer with another inmate's head.' 'Take your camera!' (Tolson, Bruin to N. Diener on his proposed jail visit).

Zoe Tolson : 'It's just because they produce English and think they're gonna get a reward for it' (Bruin on the 'Englsih vomit' of Kinder students when their maestras produce breakfast cereal).

Zoe Tolson : 'I will never be so careless as to trust you to balance yourself again' (Bowen to the cat).

Zoe Tolson : 'That's what you bought the homeless man? No wonder he ran away' (Bruin to Bowen).

Zoe Tolson : 'They're cute! All married and Bible-y' (Bruin on Dave and Esther).

Zoe Tolson & the Amandas figured out how Marvin Michiletti got in the wash bucket: he fell from the roof. Good thing I fail to dump out my dirty clothes water in a timely manner.

Zoe Tolson : 'Exercise! Walk around! Learn to live!' (Bruin to cat).

Zoe Tolson : 'Come rub your uterus on me!' (Bruin to Bowen).

Zoe Tolson If it poops on my back, you're re-showering me (Bruin to Bowen.)

This is the way I live...

2010-01-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

Wow! So a lot has happened since November 17th!!

Lets see...

We had Thanksgiving here... forever ago. Actually I had 2 Thanksgivings here. They were delicious... and we had turkey at both.

November and December were cold. Very cold.

Then December came... and brought with it news of passport extension rejection. So we had been given 90 days when we entered the country, applied for an extension and got 30 extra days, sent them off again for another 30 days and they had changed the law (or something). So, between being illegal in Honduras, fear of airport junk, and the fee for being illegal and ticket changes- we ended up having an extra week in America.

Christsmas break was great! Busy. But very very good. I got to see a lot of people and do a lot of Americany things. We had a great Christmas Cantata at the Falmouth School Center to help raise money for me to stay down here. It has really been a blessing to live off of faith. Raising money to come live here for a year seemed so scary-- and God provided so quickly.

January....
Started off rough. Very rough. I almost couldn't board the plane because of Visa problems. They wanted me to buy a return ticket within the 90 day visa. I have to leave the country in March... and didn't have proof of it. It was horrible. But, luckily Bowen had already checked in through a kiosk. So-- we finally got me checked in through a kiosk and then the man at the baggage check wouldn't check me in because he knew what was going on. I was like SERIOUSLY. So a manager came and did it. We boarded-- and it sunk in that I was leaving again... for 7 months.

So Saturday, Jan 2 was a very bleh day. I hadn't slept in forever so I slept on both planes and most of the way in the truck (thankfully because the highways in Honduras still scare me). We got to Sigua and things were just weird. Zoe and I walked around while Bowen slept off the awkwardness.
Things quickly got better when the kids came to school Tuesday. And since then things have been pretty amazing. I have loved being back with my kids. Well... kinder is still crazy- but we did manage to have a few really good days this week.

I brought back toothbrushes and toothpaste for our prepa kids... and I have a lot more that needs to be sent down here. When I asked I never imagined how much would be donated! Again... another blessing.

Primero had a pizza with macaroni and cheese party thanks to the children and staff at Small World Daycare!

About 10 neighborhood kids showed up at our gates wanting platernas. They also want to learn English. So-- we will see if they come back!

A few awkward things happened... between then and now. But- we will fast forward to now.

Today we got to visit Destino which was awesome! We played with the kids and it was really fun to hang out with them outside of class. We finished off the day by going to eat at Las Cabanas where I ate Gringas-- pretty tastey.

So that is a very short summary of the past 3 months or so. Keep praying for Destino, the students, and the staff!

Love you all!

No, we don't have Lucaidos

2009-11-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

Today started at a beautiful 7 am as Bowen and I walked to the Plaza to meet Mallori. We didn't know the adventures that would meet us, but we were excited none the less. Bowen had planned a trip to El Parque Nacional Cerro Azul Meambar-- we knew we needed to get a bus to La Guama, then a bus to Santa Elena, and then a Taxi to the parque... hmm yeah we should have known it would be difficult.

We did our normal long hike to the Texaco to await a random bus to stop and pick us up (which we learned almost 12 hrs later that this method is ridiculous seeing that the chicken busses actually have a bus station in town). It took a while to find a bus going all the way to San Pedro Sula-- but finally one arrived... standing room only obviously. We climb aboard to go down the road about 2 minutes and to stop for another 20 minutes so the passengers that had been riding for an hour could get food and use the bathroom. We climb back on the overly crowded bus.... and stand... and stand... until 45 minutes later we reach La Guama. This is where life got interesting.

So-- off the bus we go. To stand and look around awkwardly not knowing what to do. We grunted some Spanish at a random bus driver who told us that someone would be by at some point to pick up people to go to Santa Elena. But, we didn't have to wait long for three nice police officers to offer us a ride up the hill (interesting event #1 please see pictures). They drive us about 3 of the 7 km up the hill and then tell us to walk the rest of the way. But, we were thankful none the less because they didn't charge us so we started our long walk up a huge hill toward the place where we were planning to hike. IT TOOK FOREVER. It was hard. Very hard. We stopped at one point to have our peanut butter sandwhiches and then on we went. During the long hike not one vehicle passed us... it was strange. Finally we arrived at Panacam. The hiking was wonderful. And the views where beautiful. But, none of this compared to what was about to happen. We hiked to the highest point 1200 km or something like that... saw a beautiful view of the lake. Hiked back down expecting to meet Erick the manager who said he would take us back to La Guama. Erick was there when we got down the hill and pointed out a trail that with just a short easy 15 minute walk we would be able to see a beautiful waterfall. And well he didn't lie about that. The walk was pretty easy and the waterfall was beautiful (see picture), however he did lie about taking us down the hill. We got back to the lodge area... rested our tired legs only to notice the Panacam truck was gone. When we grunted our Spanish to the workers they told us yes, he was gone (interesting event # 2). However, they were quite sure that the random Honduran couple with the nice silver truck would take us to La Guama. Runnig through my head was pases like "seriously" "they have got to be kidding" "how do we even ask for that?" While contemplating this the couple get up... walk to their truck... and go to leave. NOOOOO... so we pitter patter after them like puppy dogs saying "permiso, permiso, lo siento." They were really nice though offered for us to ride inside the truck, but after hiking for 5 hours we figured the back of the truck would be better. So, off we go in the back of a really nice truck to the town of La Guama (interesting event # 3 see picture).

We had hopes of eating dinner by the lake-- but we couldn't get a taxi to take us 5 minutes down the road. So, we settled for a chicken bus. On this overcrowded chicken bus we were overcharged AND given the wrong change back. A very nice young man tried to argue for us, but the man would have nothing to do with it. But, once again the situation was saved! Once some people got off I was offered a seat at the front of the bus. I awkwardly sat down, but a few stops later I met a new best friend! His name is Rigo. Rigo-- is an older man, married, 2 kids... well I could tell you his whole story actually. But, I won't. His English was great from living in Austraila for 5 years. So-- I met him and we talked the rest of the way and I hope to see his piano concert in town on Friday!

And yes... the day keeps going. We get back into Sigua and we are hungry. So, we walk to the pizza place. I never want to visit this pizza place again. For the first time while being in Honduras I felt ugh-- about service... and it was because we were gringas. So, not only were they really short and impatient with us-- they also lied! They told us they didn't have Lucaidos (smoothies)... so Bowen and Mallori walked to get one from somewhere else... and then the next group of Hondurans that came in ordered some! Ya-- so we had to listen to their loud mixer thing crush up their ice and deliciousness... when we were told they didn't have any. Geesh! But, our dinner was tastey and--- Bowen and I got to see and feed Carlos Immanual and Jerson which was exciting. I looked up from the table to see Carlos (a beggar we met one sunday after church) and we had leftover peanut butter and bread from our hiking-- so we made them sandwhiches and talked with them. It pretty much made my day! And then walking home I saw my "Good morning guy." As we wait for the bus in the mornings there is one Honduran who is walking to work or something... with his backpack on and he always really cheerfully says "good morning" in a funny little accent... so this evening he also became my "good evening guy." And that was just really cool because I also saw him at like 7 that mornign as he was on a bus. Ohh yeah and!! Our laundry guy was totally working at a little store next to the pizza place. We went in to get some milk for our friends and I was like woah-- there is our laundry guy! In a big city of people we can't understand I'm finally recognizing people... and somewhat forming weird little relationships! Yay!

Wow-- okay thats all!

He's got the whole world in his hands....

2009-11-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

He's got the whole world in his hands.... My kinder kids are starting to learn this song. Its pretty precious.

A quick update about nothing important! Life at Destino is going really well. The past few weeks have been pretty regular. Life is becoming normal I guess so I don't have as much to update on. I'm getting use to seeing oxen, roosters, and horses in the streets. And-- I'm beginning to to expect the unexpected-- FLEXIBILITY is key.
Tomorrow school lets out at 12:15 and then the parents are coming at 1. It will probably be crazy-- a lot of people on two school busses. I'll have to try to remember to take my camera.
There is a group here from Missouri or somewhere working with John and Yessy and they took us out to eat on Sunday to a place that had pet monkeys, bunnies, turkies, and random birds. That is so funny now that I think about it-- because at first I was like nope nothing new... and then I remember Oh yeah... MONKEYS!
Zoe has been sick so pray for her recovery (just some stomach stuff) and so I've got to work with third grade a little. Its been fun.
That is all for now. Thank you for your continuous prayers. I love it here... but I can't wait to visit for Christmas!

Amanda

And I'll give give give... (thank you Relient K)

2009-10-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

Well-- it is almost November. I've had nice Saturday afternoon. We did our weekly shopping at Del Corral, ate some street food (pupusas and pastallitas or something like that), and visited the other teachers at Destino, Nathaniel and Mallori, as they moved into their new house in town.

Please continue to pray for Destino. Financially God has been blessing Destino (and huge thanks to people in the Pendleton County area). Please pray for Rhonda as she continues following God and his will with Destino. Also remember Carlos (minister, maintenece guru), Wendy (the wife of Carlos and principal), the Honduran teachers, and us Americans. Also, the school is lacking about 50 sponsors for the students. A lot of these are my kids since they are the youngest in the school. Not only do they need the money, but Rhonda is very persistant on the idea that these kids are not being prayed for by name. So please, check out the Destino del Reino website and if you can't sponsor a child every month ($60) you can sign-up to pray for one. $60 might seem like a lot-- but God will bless you. That is what I've learned a lot about being down here. Give, give give. Give time, give money, give love, give food, give forgiveness, give grace, give mercy, etc..,

Here are some of my students that do not have Padrinos (sponsors from the United States). So, if you fell led to be a sponsor for a child in anyway contact the ministry or me.

Eneyda (pic)- Kinder, very timid. Usually silent- which I've heard isn't too uncommon at this age. Hopefully in a few months she will break through and speak English!

Ingrid- New to Destino, but to old for Kinder so she went straight to Prepatoria. She is behind because of this, but she can catch-up. My biggest concern is how often she falls asleep in class- since I can't really communicate with her I can't ask her if she is sleeping at home. I've told the principal. So hopefully things will get better.

Jasmin (pic)- Precious and beautiful! She is a tiny girl in Prepa very smart. Her English is great. If she keeps going like she is she will excel in school and be a great leader.

Javier- He has come a long way in the past few weeks. I enjoy him because he is so loving- he gives us hugs daily. He is also really funny. Everyday at lunch he walks behind me and quietly whispers in Spanish (profe, if anyone doesn't want their food I'll eat it).

Jonathan- A happy Prepa kid who is further behind then the average student. He has a lot of joy and behavior wise has come a long way.

Karen- Like Ingrid she skipped Kinder, but she is doing very well. She is a fast learner, very quiet, and polite. A joy to have in class.

Andrea (pic)- A beautiful Primero student who is an excellent student. She makes me smile when we sing songs (like Amazing Grace) because she really gets into it!

David- An awesome Primero student who has changed a lot over the month. He is really maturing fast and is a lot better behaved then in September. He struggled last yer and they thought I would have to tutor him, but as for now he is doing excellent!

Karina V- Karina misses quite a bit of school because of a family situation. She needs a lot of prayer because she is falling behind in class.

Jafeth (pic)- A great kid who learns quickly and sometimes gets bored in class (oops).

Karina N- Jasmin's older sister- very polite and loving.

Katherin (pic)- A great Primero student- very smart and kind to her classmates. Respects the teachers and a great role model for her peers.

Maryuri- Likes English a lot and is really good at a few phrases. She is loving and sweet.

Rosa- A kind Primero student. She is very sweet. Sometimes easily distracted, but very precious!

Thanks all! See you in December!

Constantly being reminded and amazed of God's love

2009-10-25T15:55:00.001-07:00

Wow! What an incredible journey this has been so far. Mainly I want to take time to say thank you to everyone who continues to support me. Your prayers mean so much to me. My 2 months in Honduras have been wonderful. God has blessed me in so many ways with this transition and I know that each of your prayers helps me every day. I e-mailed this to Bro. Harry to read to FBC, but I also want everyone who supports me to be able to read it. Please know that I will never be able to thank you enough for your love and support over these past few months.

To the congregation at First Baptist Church! ¡Buenas dias! I hope all is going well back in Kentucky. I just wanted to thank you for all of your prayer, love, and financial support over the past 3 months. You have been such a blessing to me, my roommates, and especially the school. I would have never imagined the ripple that Destino del Reino has made on my life, the students lives, the teachers lives, and even the lives of people back home. I want to also thank you for sponsoring one of my kinder students. His name is Osman Eliel and he just turned 5 years old. He is a really great kid that God is preparing to do awesome things with! He is smart and loves English. He brightens my day. The church is sponsoring him for $60 a month which provides him the transportation to the school, his two school uniforms, shoes, underclothes, a warm lunch everyday, the chance to learn Spanish and English, and to learn about God’s love everyday. I have been so inspired by God’s love since I’ve been down here. It has been a life changing experience. I have realized how important it is to focus on other people and just love people in anyway possible. People sometimes give up on themselves, so we as Christians shouldn’t. I encourage you to find ways to genuinely love people that you come into contact with; whether it be an encouraging word, a great big smile or hug, great conversation over a warm meal, or even things like paying for someone’s gas, buying someone’s groceries while shopping at Wyatts, or buying the persons food behind you in line. Random acts of kindness like this can really change people’s lives. First Baptist is the light house—so let each of your lights shine brightly. So, in closing- love random people, love people who need it, love those beside you, love those who have hurt your, and love those who are different from you. The greatest commandment is to love God and love your neighbor. Thank you again for being a blessing to my life. I can’t wait to see everyone in December.

Amanda

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6

Als0-- a huge thank you to Northern Elementary who raised over $1200 for Destino. I am posting a Thank You video--

Southern Elementary is beginning their change drive next week- I have started a blog for them Southern and Destino Unite as we try to incorporate a little bit of Destino into the classes at Southern. I look forward to this partnership and to the direction it may go.

I am also starting a blog for the sponsors of the Prepatoria and Primero students sponsors. Amanda is doing Kinder and I will be doing the older two grades. I hope to update them monthly and add pictures and stories and ways the sponsors can specifically pray for their kids.

Shhhhewww-- that is a lot of blogging! But, God is good!

Since I wrote last time I....

Traveled to Cuevatas. A small mountain villiage 3 1/2 hrs away from Siguatepeque (though the trip there took over 5 hrs) where I saw over 26 baptisms and one Honduran wedding. It was a really fun Sunday afternoon. The baptisms just took my breath away! It was so cool to see all kinds of people pouring over the hill to come to the small spot in the river close to a waterfall where Pastor Jon and Pastor Hector baptized people from both of their congregations.

I also made delicious Chicken and Dumplings-- watch out Mom. Mine could give yours a run for your money.

It got cold. Okay, not cold- but for Hondurans 70* means bundle up in scarves, hats, and gloves ALL DAY. It was so funny the kids were dressed like this throughout the whole day. It was chilly for about 2 days, but it has warmed back up.

The only thing that counts... Galatians 5:6

2009-10-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

I love sand! The beach makes me so extremely happy! So- here is Mallori and me by the Caribbean.

Long time, no update. Sorry! The past few weeks have been amazing! I have now been in Honduras for 2 months- and I love it!

We missed school because of the political unrest in September, but we haven't seen anything different here in Siguatepeque. It sounds like things are still rough in Tegucigalpa, but for now life is back to normal. All of the news is so biased so I have trouble forming an opinion on the situation. I feel safe so pretty much I'm just waiting to see what happens with Zeleya. The election will be held at the end of November and the change in Presidents will happen in January.
Last week we had Friday off. Bowen, Mallori, and I traveled to La Ceiba. It was one of the best experiences of my life. We traveled 5 hours by bus, arrived in La Ceiba, taxi'd to downtown to eat at Pizza Hut. We then walked to the beach, saw the Caribbean Sea, and headed to Jungle River Lodge-- about 25 minutes outside of the city in the Rain Forest of Pico Bonito. All of this was exciting- just working through it on our own. With our little bit of Spanish skills...simple everyday life things are fun because it is a challenge. I like being challenged. It helps me grow as a person.

The Lodge was amazing. The area was beautiful. Saturday morning I got up early and had an amazing quiet time overlooking the Rio Cangrejal. I just remember thinking about all of the bad things that God has to see everyday-- but then wow, he also gets to see things like this everyday.

We then went on an adventurous river hike with two tour guides and four backpackers from Australia. We waded through water, climbed and jumped off of big rocks, and then rafted. The rafting was fun, but because of the time of the year the water was pretty low and thus no class IV or V drops. We headed back to the "chill" lodge, rested in the hammocks, read, ate lunch, and then went zip lining through the Pico Bonito Rain Forest. It was actually a cool learning experience. The two tour guides, Angel and Darwin, taught us about plants in the forest that were good for different remedies and we ate wild bananas (a little different from normal bananas because they had seeds that you couldn't eat in them) other random fruit-- oh yeah and termites. This picture is actually of me eating a termite. They taste like carrots! Dead serious. I would put them on a salad if I had the opportunity.
<-----Eating a termite

<----- Hiking during the zipline tour

This rock was really hard to climb up-- I bloodied my knee and had to tie my shoes to my lifejacket. But it was worth it.

Another really great thing about this trip was the fact that we had a 5 hr bus ride both ways. So, right before leaving I downloaded some sermons from Jon Weece at Southland Christian in Lexington-- and it was one of those things where I was just like WOW! This is exactly what God wanted me to hear. It is funny to think about the way God works. Like, I downloaded the sermons on a Wednesday when I didn't go to the Bible Study with my two roommates (I thought I just needed downtime and alone)... but it was actually so I would finally take time and look for podcasts from Southland so I could hear these amazing sermons. I challenge all of you if you can to either stream the sermons from the internet or download them for free on itunes... God is moving right now in this world. He is doing some crazy things-- and there is going to be amazing revivals in churches, towns, and hopefully even bigger than that! Southland is doing awesome things like really challenging its members to LOVE people. To SERVE people. To do crazy radical things... make people think what are these people up to... and then to point it all towards God. Jon challenged the congregation of 10,000 people to go serve (he let church out 40 minutes early... because sitting in church isn't what its all about-- I liked what he said about God not wanting our faith to be like a comfy couch that we just sit). He then talked about all of the stories he had read the next week of people who were served. Stories of a waitress searching for God who had "it" done to her twice through large tips and inspiring, but simple notes about God's love. He spoke about a man who had been driving around contemplating suicide-- pulled into a gas station and a Southland attendee filled up his car for him. And story after story was read of the people that God led others to help. Literally, changing and saving some of their lives.

http://www.southlandchristian.org/media/series/it/

It has just did crazy things for my faith. My roommates are on board and we have some great ideas about how to serve the people here. Pray that this doesn't fade like some spiritual highs do. Pray that God is really changing people.

I was a little anxious about this week because it was the first 5-day week in about three-weeks. And it was great. God is really working the lives of the students. Kinder is still a little crazy, but it is getting better. Our relationships are growing with our students and that makes it a lot better too.

Life—is good if we can rely on God and strive to be in his will. Some things he has really been teaching me lately about is: to watch out for complaining (which I fall prey to quite frequently—complaining about little things that shouldn’t matter) and instead of complaining find ways to give thanks to God in all situations; and to trust fully in God relying on him solely— I struggle with trying to plan out everything. I still want control of my life—so I continuously have to ask myself—my plan or God’s plan? I was reading in a short devotional that said our lives shouldn’t be divided into things we can do and things that we need Gods help with… EVERYTHING should rely on him. And love people (I think it was in one of Jon’s sermons that he said always LOVE people, believe in them, encourage them, and support them because a lot of times people give up on themselves).
God is good… All the time. Thanks for your continuous prayers. Love you all!

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through LOVE—Galatians 5:6

Prayer requests:
Patience with the children
Financial support for the school
Sponsors for the children at Destino (both financially—but also spiritually—the children at Destino need to be prayed for individually—even if you don’t think you can support them financially through the website you can become a prayer sponsor of a specific child).

For more info on Destino visit: http://destinodelreino.org/ddr/home

Want to sponsor a child for $60 a month check out:

http://destinodelreino.org/ddr/school_sponsor

According to the website about 55 sponsors are still needed.

Ohh I can't leave this part out about my life in the past few weeks without updates...

This is Marvin Micheletti-- He was our cat for about a week. Bowen and Zoe found him crying in our wash bucket in the backyard. We took him in, warmed him, and fed him to discover a few days later how he fell into our lives. One evening we heard another kitten in distress. We searched for him in the back and side yard with candles and flashlights. We found him-- on the roof. Crying. We were going to rescue him (we thought he had been left like Marvin) when we realized that Marvin wasn't dropped by his mother cat into the water bucket- instead he fell from the roof into the bucket. At about that time we saw the mother cat coming for its kitten (she seemed pretty ticked off at us). We tried to give her Marvin back, but she didn't want him. A few days later we had a teary goodbye to Marvin when Ariel (a teacher at school) said he was looking for a cat. So, Marvin has a better home than we could have gave him-- and he still has my surrogate sweater to lay on.

The past few weeks...

2009-09-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Michelle--- from Kinder... my prayer girl : )

I have had an amazing 5 weeks so far in Honduras. Since my last update the Kinder students have gotten better at school in general. They are starting to understand the rules and that they have to listen. The other two classes are going pretty well reviewing and learning new vocabulary.
I talked about this in my last e-mail- but wanted to say it again (mainly for myself). One of the most difficult students the first week of school was a little girl named Michelle. She still misbehaves in class (though she is already a lot better in just three weeks of school- i.e. she doesn’t run away anymore), but she is changing. The Honduran assistant prays with the students before lunch and then Amanda and I walk them to the cafeteria. And the past two days I have sat down next to Michelle and she has said “Profa oraciones en ingles” and so I pray in English and she repeats it. It just gives me one of the best feelings ever.
I still get to love on students on the bus and give about 100 hugs a day. So, though teaching them English is hard, it is easy to love on them even not knowing their language.

I visited San Pedro last weekend. It was good to get out of Sigua for a few hours. Zoe, Amanda, and I caught a nice big coach bus for really cheap to the city. However, once we got on the bus we realized we had to stand the whole time because there were no seats. So- we were in the aisle for a long time trying to keep our balance. It was comical. A lot of things here seem funny just because they are so different from America. For example, Friday on the bus ride home from school we get on to realize the woman in the front seat has a duck in a bag. I’m not sure why or how, but she did. Its head was the only thing out of the bag. But—I like the strangeness. It makes me smile.
Anyway- in San Pedro we taxied to the mall—I ate KFC and bought nail polish. We taxied back to the bus station to get on a small shuttle without air-conditioning, but at least we got to sit down! So we spent four hours on two busses, but it was worth it for the KFC.
The past week or so I’ve also visited the Bilingual school of Sigua to observe another ESL teacher, went to a festival downtown celebrating schools, and ate a lot of starch… haha. That is one thing I’m getting use to is the lunch and food in general… tortillas…beans..rice..spaghetti. Everyone always asks if I’ve eaten anything unique. I haven’t really- baleadas (thin tortilla, beans, cheese thing) are delicious and I’ve never had one in America, but nothing is gross or weird.
We have a local dining place we like to go to. It is called Belly’s Grill. It’s a nice and cheap sit down restaurant good for fellowship. We also have a water guy (a pulperia that we always go to for our water refills), a laundry lady, a baleada lady, a new banana lady, and I think that is all of our connections for now. But, we are establishing connections (well sort of—with the language barrier it is hard) and this place is becoming our home! We even had a guy chop our front gate area that was all overgrown.
Which that in itself is a story. He was standing at our gate when we were walking back from the pulperia. It worried us at first, but then realized that he wanted to chop our yard. He wanted to do it for 200 limps ($10). So we haggled him down to 150 L (which I surprising like to haggle...) and then he needed a lema (a sharpener for his machete I think) and of course we didn’t have one, but we couldn’t understand why he didn’t. So he had to go buy one. Then we realized he wanted to do our whole yard and we didn’t want him in our gated area. We just needed him to do the outside of the gate area. So, Zoe had to do all of this talking with him and then get the price even lower because the space is really small. I wish I knew more Spanish because we have to rely on Zoe a lot for circumstances like this one (and they are obviously frequent). Bowen and I are thinking about trying to find a Spanish tutor.
Sad news: Our banana tree died… it uprooted itself from the ground. I don’t know if it was a storm of if the large bundles of bananas weighed it down.
Zoe and I just finished our first music video ever to “Shake It” by Metro Station. It was fabulous. It is 2 am… but I just have so much energy. I have not seen this hour since I’ve been in Honduras.
Keep praying for the school, the students, the teachers (especially patience) and Ariel’s sister. Thank you all for everything! I can honestly feel everyone’s prayer. The transition to life down here has been so smooth because of all of the prayer warriors at home. God is good- All the time!

Write me:
Zoe Tolson
Attn: Amanda Bruin
Apartido Postal 110
Siguatepeque, Comayagua
Honduras, CA

Part Retriever/ Part Beaver

2009-09-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

Picture: Destino Teachers Mallori (4th, 5th, and music), Zoe (2nd and 3rd), Bowen, and me.

Tonight was fantastic! Bowen and I had plans to go to San Pedro for the big Honduras soccer game. However, God had other plans (here lately I have been seeing his other plans more frequently…. it is a blessing). Instead, we ended up going to the church picnic where not only did we have good food and good fellowship, but we met two amazing warm, loving, Godly women that really touched me.
Karen and Shannon are from Missouri and were visiting Sigua to do a seminar for women on personality types. Not only after meeting us did they invest time into understanding why we were in Honduras, but they also ran through the seminar just for us. I learned that I am part Golden Retriever part Beaver. This discussion really meant a lot to me because it helped me learn more about myself, but also about my roommates, and even the students in my classes. The ladies also prayed over our home when they brought us home. It means a lot to meet sisters in Christ and have them immediately whole-heartedly invest in your life.
I am so glad God did not want me to go the soccer game. I would have never learned this stuff standing in a stadium.
Ahh yes… and school has begun. We taught for four days. The first day was crazy! My youngest students were very ape-like. They would run out of the classroom, the lunch room, any where we tried to keep them contained. Some cried the whole time… I don’t know if they missed their parents or if the crazy Gringas were just scary because they were speaking another language. However, as the week went on it got a little better. My two older classes are precious (there are rowdy children… but it is all worth while). And… I enjoy the bus rides where I sit next to students and get to love on them. I might not have a positive impact on all 90 of my students… but I know God will touch some of their lives through me and that is what keeps me going.
I am so thankful to be here. And I thank God for everyone that is praying for me back home and supporting me financially. You all are truly awesome!

Love you all!

Check out Psalm 91

Don't Stress About Your Steps

2009-08-31T05:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday- August 30
Things are still going really well here in Sigua.
School starts Tuesday and I am starting to get a little nervous. I wasn’t until I met some of the students on Friday and realized I could not talk to them at all! However, I fell in love with a second grader named Karen. She was precious. I loved spending time with her. I won’t be teaching her class, but I’m sure the 90 students I have will be just as precious.
I’ve already decided… when in doubt I’m just going to sing and dance. They are little kids… so they need to play and laugh. I think Bowen and I are going to try to teach them “My God is so Big.” In November (I think) they will “perform” at church and they are supposed to do things in both English and Spanish… so this song will hopefully be one of their performances. The children here memorize a lot. My first night at Destino church many of the kids from the home stood up and recited whole Psalms. Way longer pieces of scripture than I’ve ever memorized. It was impressive.
Once again church and Bible study have been great. The pastor, John, is really passionate and I enjoy hearing him. His wife, Jesse, is also really blessed to be able to translate for him like she does. They have a really neat rhythm. And- the Bible study group. They are just really encouraging and once the crazyness of school starts I’m sure they will be a safe haven. We meet on Wednesdays to do our little study… but my favorite part is the worship. A couple guitars and sometimes bongos…it just makes time with God so much more intimate.
Please continue to pray for the school. Financially I’m not sure how well things are going. I’m sure they still need sponsors for children and just help with daily functioning. So- if you want to help out in anyway please contact me (abruin0@gmail.com) or speak with Bro. Harry or my mom. Pray that through the language barrier the American teachers can show Christ’s love to all of the students, teach them English skills to help them with their future, and give them hope for impacting the world.

I love how God works… he will keep showing you something over and over again until you realize what he is doing. And this week I’ve had two things that keep showing up. Both deal with God and his plans for our life.

A piece of scripture that keeps reoccurring…
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

And a reoccurring theme in both devotional time and church…
God sees the problem and weaves his plan into it… he has the answer to the problem before we know there is a problem.
“Even when life throws the unexpected at us, it is never unexpected for God. He always has a plan... We are children of the God who sees ahead and who has already interwoven his good, sovereign plan with the strange presumptuous will of human beings.”

“Seek God’s will and determine to pursue it, but don’t stress about your steps. He always puts them in order.”

How great is it to know that whatever we are going through (or will go through) God has already figured out how we are going to make it through it.

Pictures of life so far

2009-08-24T20:19:00.001-07:00

2 little girls from Detino : )

Eating planternas… yumm. Thanks to the neighbor boys who showed us how to open them.

I hunted that banana with the stick in my other hand… I’m quite good at it actually.

Pythons, Bulls, and Chickens... Oh my?

2009-08-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

So, I have been in Honduras for 9 days now (I think) and it has been fabulous. I am really enjoying this experience. I haven’t got to play with any kids yet and that makes me sad, but school starts next Tuesday (September 1). Today was an amusing day. While at school there was a random huge cow that came through the gates and was just right by the front office. And then there were quite a few on the playground. Then a really large snake was caught in the hen house (I think) and they brought it over to show us. I would honestly estimate it to be about 5 feet long. Hopefully you can see a picture. It was wild. Then, on our way home Amanda and I wanted to stop and try a baleado (a tasty little Honduran thin tortilla, bean, and cheese thing). While waiting for our baleado Bowen noticed two large bulls fighting on the soccer field. Children just kept playing soccer and neither really seemed to notice the other.

The playground and some cows.

I missed the photo of the bulls actually fighting with their horns… and just got them walking away.

Yay for climing trees in our backyard!

2009-08-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 16, 2009
We safely arrived in San Pedro Sula Saturday morning and met up with Rhonda and Carlos. The past two days have been relaxing. We have just settled into our house, went grocery shopping, and are just getting to know each other. We have not seen Destino yet, but we go first thing in the morning.
Church this morning was a blessing. Zoe attended the church when she was here last spring. The American pastor preached in English while his wife translated in Spanish. It was a strong sermon about how as Christians we should be eager to spread the news of Christ (much like we would spread other good news in our life). We shouldn’t hide the news or doubt that God can change people.
The language barrier here makes me feel incompetent, but with time I will pick up more Spanish and hopefully become more comfortable in settings such as the grocery store (man… is that intimidating).
Overall everything is going really well. Continue to pray for Sigua, the school and the orphanage at Destino, Zoe, Amanda, and myself.

Thursday, August 20, 2009
This week has been amazing. We are mainly doing training and preparing at the school and trying to set up our house. School doesn’t start until September 1, so I haven’t met any of my students yet. We did get to meet the Destino children just for a few moments and they were precious.
God has just really shown me a lot this week and I feel really blessed do be here doing his work. Besides the church being wonderful on Sunday we also went to a Bible study last night that was really uplifting. There were about 20 young people, mainly Americans, but also Canadians, Hondurans, and even some Brits. We are supposed to meet every week and go through a study (something about group life). I’m really looking forward to it.
I’m adjusting well to life, but I expect the homesickness to hit me in a few weeks or even months from now. But, even thinking about the “lows” that I know I will run into… I just have this huge amount of peace about the whole year.
So- be praying for the start of school! Thanks for everything.

Friday-- August 14

2009-08-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

I can't sleep so I decided what better to do with my time (eh, who needs to pack anyway) than to start this blog so everyone who wants to can keep track of me! First off thank you to EVERYONE who has supported me on this crazy adventure. From prayer partners, hymn singers, yard sale donators, financial contributors, uplifters, cheerleaders, huggers, and all of the other wonderful roles many of you have played in my life I say thank you and God bless. The grace of God has blessed me to go on this adventure and he did it through each and every one of you.
I will arrive in Honduras early Saturday afternoon (they are 2 hours behind us... just in case you needed to know that). Monday we start a two-week training course and then school begins. I am really excited. Amanda Marie (Bowen) and I will be teaching 4-7 year-olds in the youngest classes (prepa, kinder, and 1st). Yay! So look for updates and check-out the school's website: destinodelreino.org

Love you all!

Amanda