Settling In

It's hard to believe we have been here almost a month now. Our first two weeks were pretty much filled with getting settled in our new house. Unpacking, finding places to put everything and adjusting to life in Honduras again. I have built some first class bookshelves using concrete blocks we bought from a local block maker and 1 by 6 pine boards purchased at ESNACIFOR, the government forestry school across the road from us.

The house we have rented is new and very nice. I, personally, am less than thrilled with living behind a wall with razor wire running across the top, but that is the way most houses are built here if the owner can afford it. The thought process here goes something like this; if my house gets broken into it is my fault because I didn't have a wall or a dog or bars on the window to deter the thieves. The property is located very close to SEBCAH where we lived last year, so every evening the boys are able to go and play American football with friends there. We have also been going to MEDA, another seminary just down the street from us, to play volley ball once or twice a week. The new Maxi Dispensa is just across the street and is very convenient for groceries, although the new Del Corral is still our favorite store.

My boys stand out in a crowd down here!

We also go to the farmers market on Thursday's and Sunday's for fresh vegetables and fruits and to the Mennonite farm/boy's home in Villa Alicia for meat, cheese, yogurt and sometimes ice cream. Everything the Mennonite's make is top quality, homemade and very, very good.

A view from our morning walk

Barbe and I walk almost every morning up the dirt road from our house to the top of the hill, turn left on the cow path, left again on the road that runs back through the fields, across the bridge and back through our neighborhood to our house. It's about a two mile walk and is very pleasant. We have begun to meet people along the way and I think they are getting used to seeing these two crazy gringos who walk for exercise, not because they have to. I have lost over twelve pounds since we left Maine.

Spanish class

The boys are on a much more rigid school schedule than before and are doing really well with it. We are a bit behind this year as we were on the road for so long getting down here, but that's okay as most of the Honduran schools run opposite ours in the States and go through the summer months. Along with all their other classes, we study Spanish together as a family everyday and have chapel on Wednesdays. We are also working on a documentary and have already presented an economic project for our BAM ministry which was really fun for us and those who participated. We did all the research for the project and then presented an actual scenario with real time events. It was a blast! (more on that in another post)


I am having a bit of a hard time adjusting to unemployment. So of course my mind is already churning out ideas for the future. As most of you who have followed my blog or have visited our website know, we want to support ourselves while we are here and believe that business, providing jobs, is the best way to alleviate poverty and help others and ourselves at the same time. I will be completing the Economics page on our website soon so you can see what that looks like for us. So far, those we have talked to have been overwhelmingly supportive of our ideas and see the immense value, which if implemented, these concepts will have for them and their communities. I am excited to see what God is going to do through us!

I was convinced before coming here that that this move would be something very good for our family and I remain even more convinced of that now. We are already seeing evidence that this life change that we are making is producing positive results in our lives. I am, at some point, going to devote an entire post to this subject and am looking forward to sharing some of what we are experiencing as a family with you.