why is everyone so happy?

this was one of my first questions back.
everyone on commercials seemed like they were overly happy about life and family. it seemed forced or unreal. people just didn't ooze over each other like that in helene. more often than that they were calling each other names, playing tricks, and laughing at each other's mistakes. parents were not so gaga over their kids. it seemed wierd. did i know people who acted like those on the commercial? which was real?

then there were several instances where i felt people were pushing me to be more happy.
i went to fill out an application to sub. i explained i would wait until I was called about the opportunity before i filled out the direct deposit information. she reassured me i would definately be called and i needed to have more hope and be more positive. i think she was offended i hadn't been more cheery. i didn't understand. i didn't feel i was being unpositive, just real. i wasn't crossing my fingers and wishing on a star about it but i was open. why did i have to put on a display? if i don't pour my hopes into it, i won't be disappointed if it doesn't happen. what's wrong with that? i wasn't mad but it bothered me she was looking for a particular response and mine was not acceptable.
in helene, no one would ever get excited or show a passionate response about a promise until they saw it or got it.

Cheerios

Friday night.
Worked all day. it's 9:30 pm. need to eat but i'm too tired to fix food.
cereal is always a good option but alas no cereal.
so its off to the closest seller of cereal - CVS.
it's always an adventure. even going for a box of cheerios.
whoever says life is boring doesn't get out in real life enough!

so there's quite a selection. every box is $4.49 each.
and then there's the bargain! honey nut cheerios 2 for $4.00.
i really want trix or lucky charms or apple jacks but i need to save money and make food stretch besides i can add fruit and make it healthy. so i go for the bargain.
i get to the counter and even use my CVS Extra Care card for more savings, right?
the total comes to $6-something. what? the girl was real great she checked and checked again and went down the aisle to check out the price. she comes back with a long and detailed explanation that my simple brain just can't comprehend. whatever. i'm buying it so i can get out of here. there are already 2 characters behind me waiting.
apparently, you get $2 back on your next visit with a barcode on the receipt. and that makes it originally $4. yet, i paid $6 for cheerios tonight.
but i got my bowl of cereal and it was good.

time to blog again...

So I decided I've been having way too many interesting happenings to go without blogging for so long. Here we go again.

scorpion queens!

actually Deirdre is the scorpion queen because she had the guts to kill it but me and Brandy were the ones to look cute in the picture...life in Helene is full of surprises.

he was a lot bigger but you can only see parts of him left here.  we wanted to put down the coffee can so we could go all CSI and be able to vouch for his size.

Jan 20

That's the return date for Honduras!

Right now, I am in the midst of packing and putting together all the last-minute things. Seeing people for the last time and thinking towards what awaits me in preparing for YEAR FIVE of Helene Christian Bilingual School. We will be in Memphis the last week finally putting my alzheimered grandmother in a home where she will be safe, sound, and taken care of appropriately. Pray for all those emotions and better understanding of the disease.

Continue to pray for teachers...

and for us who are persevering.

i am switching to a mac after 20 years of pc...
it's always good to challenge yourself to new beginnings and new technology and just something different...
i'll let you know how it goes!

Missionary Travels 2: San Francisco

My second week, we were blessed with some special family time in the quaint and charming city of San Francisco. I can't wait to go back some day! We visited the foreboding Alcatraz Island and rode the classic Rice-A-Roni red trolley cars down blocks and blocks of city streets showcasing some of the best shopping in the world. We stopped at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Restaurant on Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, for dinner. What a beautiful bay of which they can boast: on a clear day you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Angel Island, several sailboats of all different colors, and even Mt. Diablo in the distance. Thanks Terry for giving us a ride to Muir Woods where we witnessed the power of creation in the giant redwood and sequoia trees. I can't forget my week before tour as Matthew had me experience San Francisco's Presidio, Fort Mason, Boudin Bread Company, the old Ghiradelli Chocolate factory, and an amazing skyline view of the whole city. Of course, a visit to the Pleasanton Pres Church family is always a joy as we sat around for several hours sharing our stories and pictures of time and change in Helene.

Missionary Travels 4: Huntington, IN

Lastly, I ended up in Huntington, Indiana, with an amazing family of four called the Parks for two days. I have had the opportunity to share about the culture of Helene kids and life to several groups of 6th graders at Riverview Middle School. Along with the preteens, I had the awesome opportunity to present our ministry and need for teachers to some graduating junior and senior elementary education majors at HuntingtonUniversity. The promo cd I have persevered to finish has been completed and I was able to pass out several copies to local college students, teachers, and friends. Keep praying as I have already heard back from one student!

Missionary Travels 3: Chicago

Next, we arrived in Chicago - another new city for me - to visit my aunt and uncle who just moved to the area. Grandparents, cousins Adam, Brian and Melissa, and Susanna came in for Thanksgiving Day. We again shared at their new church and got some folks fired up about getting together a team to visit in the next year. I must say the highlight was eating at The Cheesecake Factory. There is nothing to say about that experience except for WOW! Amazing food and even more amazing deserts with a menu that would never run out on Helene. I think I could order something different every day for the next year and still not get around to it all.

Missionary Travels 1: trolls under bridges? in the city?

I am rounding up my travels from the past three weeks. It was a great joy to start out in Seattle and the catch up with the many different groups of people there who have been to Helene and helped lay the foundations for our ministry there. I was disappointed at not making the SPU contacts I had hoped, but I think we still have a huge opportunity to impact and recruit students from there in the future. The best time, of course, was just hanging out with old friends. Seeing Marjie was my number one highlight. We got to spend some real quality time together - talking, reflecting, and visiting with others. My close second for a highlight had to be spending time with the Spiros! I felt just like I was at home and getting to see Lu and meeting the fam was more than I could have planned for. She took me to visit this nasty character under a Seattle bridge as well as several other classic Seattle spots! Lu...you know who...you!

My Newest Mission Field

Meet Jarina!

Jarina is the younger sister of one of the women who has joined us in teacher training this year. Her mother died early this year in February as one of the three deaths within a month that hit Helene hard. She had been away living with an aunt in La Ceiba for five years. She left Helene when she was about eight and we just celebrated her thirteenth birthday. When I met Jarina at the end of July, she was running circles around her sister and the rest of Helene like a crazy doing whatever she wanted whenever she wanted with no influence or authority over her life. I asked who she was and why we weren't trying to get her in school. She had never learned English in her life at twelve and didn't know the alphabet from a stick. Her sister kind of looked at me like I was crazy for wanting to try and tame her but encouraged my interest as a possible last resort for some discipline and consistency. So, Jarina came to school...and never leaves my side. The staff have had to be downright mean in running her from the property as every minute of every day she comes yelling for me and my attention. The first few months, she was out of control and completely unteachable but now she is coming around, learning boundaries, and even responding with some self-control with other students and becoming dedicated in her studies. She has only been in English school a few months and is picking things up fast.

If you remember, say a little prayer for Jarina. She is a tomboy at heart who loves the adventure of life and people and relationship and playing. She is struggling to figure out how to grow up at thirteen - what that means or is supposed to look like. With no real upbringing or teaching and no loving influences, she is another wild Helene child making it on her own in her own way. I pray that with HCES and the love the Lord has given me for her that she will rise up with a hope and a future.

QUINCE! So named for the Spanish word for fifteen, it is celebrated annually on September 15th as Honduras' independence day. We joined the "march" as a school by dressing neatly in our uniforms and marching our flag about a half mile from one end of the path to the other. In front of us was a group from the Northside school beating a drum with baton girls and boys in soldier outfits. Behind them was the local Spanish school with two sets of baton twirler dancers and a group of soldier young men in striking uniform performing a short exercise with salutes and kneeling and marching. Then, we came marching and carrying flags. Lastly, a new group, Helene College boasted about fifteen teens ages 14-18 marching in formation in brown uniform to bring up the rear. A hot, dreary half mile march but fun none the less. And, by far, the most decorated, organized, and formal annual event on Helene every year.

...still here...

Yes, I am still in Helene...
It's been almost a year since my last post, I see. So much has happened this year and is continuing in the school. We have a new satellite with a new connection and things have been up and down. I have a new hard drive and things are kicking. We are close approaching Children's Day and Quince again. Plans are being made. Within the next month, we hope to be updating the Education part of the Alternative Missions website. Then, also, I hope to be updating my blog here. Thanks for your patience and commitment to this ministry!