We Move to "La Casa Grande"

My dream home.

You cannot convince me that God does not have a sense of humor. When we moved here to Honduras I was ready and willing to live in a small mountain village in an adobe house. I still am. Anybody who knows me knows that one of my pet peeves is that almost every American when they move to another country will end up with the nicest, the biggest, the best house in town. Why? Because we can.

So where did we end up? Nope, not in the mountain village. Not in the adobe house. Yep, you got it. In the nicest, the biggest, the best house in town. Some people call it "the mansion". We just call it "la casa grande".

La Casa Grande

We are here because this is the new home of the Honduras Spanish Institute.

This past September I was asked by the founder of HSI to take on the position of project manager for the school. Barbe and I love the teachers and the students who come here to study and felt that with our experience and gifting that it would be a good match for both us and the school, especially as the school and the students were already such a large part of our lives. The language school, which has been growing steadily since it was started three years ago, had been experiencing growing pains as it began to be a legitimate and recognized alternative to the language schools in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Several missions organizations had begun sending their people to us and as the number of students grew it became very clear that the school, which had been sharing classroom space with a local seminary, needed it's own space in order to continue growing.

Although growth and success cannot be guaranteed, there are a few things we can do to help insure them. A commitment to excellence in all areas, quality staff, a true focus on customer care and ambiance.

Ambiance is an often overlooked, but very important factor in the success of an institution. People want to come to a place that is conducive to studying. Part of the ambiance may include natural beauty, a landscaped lawn, a well maintained, secure facility and an atmosphere of quiet comfort. This place has all that.

Four months ago, when I first came across "la casa grande", I knew as soon as I saw it that it would make an excellent headquarters for the school. As the house was then currently occupied, we waited until it became available a few weeks ago and... here we are.




My family and I will be living in the house, mainly on the second floor and sharing expenses with the school. During the day, the school will use the house with it's many nooks, alcoves, porches and gazebo for classes. The kitchen will be available for breaks, lunches and the occasional party we throw, which usually includes making baleadas and pupusas. From time to time, we may also have one of the single students staying with us.

It is our hope that one day, should the school continue to grow, we can move on and let the school take over the entire building. Until then, we are enjoying the spacious rooms, the lawn and the view from the second story porch. I love my porch and it is going to be a challenge for me to do anything more than just sit, look at the mountains and drink coffee all day.


The view from the second story porch.

On a personal note, I have finally come to terms with living in this mansion when so many here in Honduras live in poverty. Many of you will find this odd, but for me it really was a moral struggle. After many arguments with God about this move, I can now see this place as a gift from Him and receive it with joy and thanksgiving. As with all things, I am convinced that we should hold on to this place loosely and not become too attached or comfortable here. The time may very well come when we will be asked to live in much humbler circumstances. It is my hope that when that time comes that we will be just as willing to live in a 2 bedroom adobe house in a mountain village as we are to live in an 8 bedroom mansion in Siguatepeque.