It's April here in Siguatepeque, Honduras. Of course it's April around the world, but it means different things depending on where you are. In Boston for instance, spring has arrived and flowers and trees are beginning to bloom. It's a beautiful thing. But here in Sigua, a normally perfect place weather wise, it's awful. It's the warmest month of the year, averaging mid 90s. This morning, and for several weeks prior, the air has been so full of smoke I haven't been able to see my beloved mountains from my second story porch. The smoke hangs thick and heavy in the hot air as farmers all over Honduras burn their fields in preparation for the May corn planting. Clouds of dust billow up from the cars traversing the dirt streets of the town. The wind lifts the dust and transports it through the open windows and doors and covers everything in a fine layer of beige. Our normally lush lawn looks like a desert wasteland. My head hurts and my sinuses are a wreck and for these three or four weeks each year I wish I were somewhere else.
I can't wait for the rainy season to begin, for the air to clear, for life to reenter the vegetation and the dirt to stay on the roads where it belongs. Historically, or perhaps wishfully superstitious, the rains are supposed to begin on May 3rd. Hmmm, we'll see. Last year, if memory serves correct, the rain came on May 17th. Either way, it is near. Thank God.
Whew, it's been awhile since I've written. I can't believe how busy life has been. Mom and Mark flew down on March 17th to visit. Mom has since returned home, but Mark is here for awhile or until he leaves for Europe in July. He has been a huge help to me, running errands and going to the airport, etc.
Mom is 82 years old, and for her this trip was a bit long, but she did great...even returning to Boston by herself. It was so good to spend time with her. We didn't do much besides sit on the porch visiting. The weather was perfect for us, and especially for her because when she left Maine there were still 2 feet of snow on the ground. She spent a lot of time with Carlitos and even visited with Alfredo.
Carlos is growing so fast. He'll be 8 months old soon. He's is personality plus with a capital P. He might even be a bit spoiled. He certainly is used to being held all the time, so he isn't real happy when he has to entertain himself. He is crawling, enormously engaged with people, loves food, has big ears... he kind of reminds me of myself actually. Even has a bald spot, although mine is considerably larger.
It is unlikely that we will be able to adopt him (we would if the opportunity was given us) and with each passing day we are more attached to him and he to us. We are beginning to see the heart dangers of foster care. When I think of giving him up, it tears my heart out. He is our baby, We are the ones who went through the sleep deprived nights, the ones who cared for him when he came to us at 19 days old, small, skinny and quiet. Well, I keep telling myself, we went into this knowing what the game was...or at least we thought we did.
The Spanish Institute of Honduras is growing rapidly and we are quickly becoming a recognized name in the missions world as a quality language school. Almost monthly we add a new missions agency to our growing list of clients. A big welcome to BMDMI and World Gospel Mission who recently sent us their first students. Keeping houses rented and furnished for our incoming families and finding Honduran host families for our single students has kept me occupied...never thought I'd end up being a landlord here. We are currently looking to hire another 2 teachers bringing us to a total of 13. I love seeing what is happening here and just want to say this. We have great teachers and great students, all of this adding up to a really great school. Our slogan is, "Come as friends, leave as family" and that's what we are. ( Check out this video of the Institute one of our talented young students made for us)
Another event that kept me busy was the arrival of Pastor Steve in February. Together we visited villages far, far up into the mountains on barely passable roads and he also helped me baptize three people at our bi-weekly Bible study in Cerro Azul.
Continuing our Clean Water for Schools Project, drilling another well and working on presentations for two huge, new manufacturing projects, hosting Living Hope Adoptions Agency's very first adoptive family here in Honduras as well as helping to create from the ground up the all new Honduran Childrens Alliance, something I am hugely excited and passionate about, are keeping me more than busy.
And there's this new idea I have......
I can't wait for the rainy season to begin, for the air to clear, for life to reenter the vegetation and the dirt to stay on the roads where it belongs. Historically, or perhaps wishfully superstitious, the rains are supposed to begin on May 3rd. Hmmm, we'll see. Last year, if memory serves correct, the rain came on May 17th. Either way, it is near. Thank God.
 |
| Mom and Alfredo |
Mom is 82 years old, and for her this trip was a bit long, but she did great...even returning to Boston by herself. It was so good to spend time with her. We didn't do much besides sit on the porch visiting. The weather was perfect for us, and especially for her because when she left Maine there were still 2 feet of snow on the ground. She spent a lot of time with Carlitos and even visited with Alfredo.
 |
| Mom spending quality time with Carlitos |
Carlos is growing so fast. He'll be 8 months old soon. He's is personality plus with a capital P. He might even be a bit spoiled. He certainly is used to being held all the time, so he isn't real happy when he has to entertain himself. He is crawling, enormously engaged with people, loves food, has big ears... he kind of reminds me of myself actually. Even has a bald spot, although mine is considerably larger.
It is unlikely that we will be able to adopt him (we would if the opportunity was given us) and with each passing day we are more attached to him and he to us. We are beginning to see the heart dangers of foster care. When I think of giving him up, it tears my heart out. He is our baby, We are the ones who went through the sleep deprived nights, the ones who cared for him when he came to us at 19 days old, small, skinny and quiet. Well, I keep telling myself, we went into this knowing what the game was...or at least we thought we did.
 |
| Carlitos and Thomas, playing |
The Spanish Institute of Honduras is growing rapidly and we are quickly becoming a recognized name in the missions world as a quality language school. Almost monthly we add a new missions agency to our growing list of clients. A big welcome to BMDMI and World Gospel Mission who recently sent us their first students. Keeping houses rented and furnished for our incoming families and finding Honduran host families for our single students has kept me occupied...never thought I'd end up being a landlord here. We are currently looking to hire another 2 teachers bringing us to a total of 13. I love seeing what is happening here and just want to say this. We have great teachers and great students, all of this adding up to a really great school. Our slogan is, "Come as friends, leave as family" and that's what we are. ( Check out this video of the Institute one of our talented young students made for us)
Another event that kept me busy was the arrival of Pastor Steve in February. Together we visited villages far, far up into the mountains on barely passable roads and he also helped me baptize three people at our bi-weekly Bible study in Cerro Azul.
Continuing our Clean Water for Schools Project, drilling another well and working on presentations for two huge, new manufacturing projects, hosting Living Hope Adoptions Agency's very first adoptive family here in Honduras as well as helping to create from the ground up the all new Honduran Childrens Alliance, something I am hugely excited and passionate about, are keeping me more than busy.
And there's this new idea I have......
