Holy Week in pictures

 Emily and Yensi (Niece and Aunt) enjoying trying on Brynia's sunglasses before living stations.

Waiting for stations to start.

Roman soldiers, the thieves and Jesus 

walking to calvery.

The women mourning along the way.

 One of my 2nd graders, Saul, simply looking cute.

 Jesus blessing the women.

 Jesus is crucified.

 Jesus is taken down from the cross.

Traditional sawdust rugs.

 Jesus is laid in the tomb.

 Yadira in her adorable Easter dress.

Family photo everyone minus Kiddissa and Harrison.

 Waiting to light our candles at the Easter Vigil.

Singing at the Easter Vigil.

Sunset before Easter. Easter pics to come...

Pics from my time on Roaton

 Snorkeling with Brynia and Rachel

 

Video clips from Palm Sunday celebrations and snorkeling.

A simple yes

In my year-and-a-half here at The Farm I have pondered our pillar of simplicity many a time. I have written out thoughts and reflections on this pillar before and every time it leads me somewhere else. However, while sitting here in holy hour turning to Christ for inspiration, I am reminded of the best example of simplicity... Christ giving his “Yes”. Simple, straightforward and certain. Christ did not make saving our souls complicated. Christ simply allowed for his father's will to be done.

I don't mean for that to sound as if Christ's agony and death is just any small thing. No, it's huge! We get to live forever and in glory because God sent his only son to die for us. God could have given up and washed his hands of us, but instead he opened his hands on the cross to be pounded with the pain of our sins.

Christ simply offered up his yes so that our father's will would be done. I think how many times in my life I have given anything but a simple answer. I'm sure we have all given those complicated responses to Christ's call such as:

“I'm exhausted Lord.” “I don't understand.” “You're asking me to do what?” “Maybe, but only if no one else will,” and the list goes on.

Then I think, what if Christ had given such wishy-washy complex responses; where would we be today? What future could there possibly be? It is for that reason that Christ is our perfect example of living out simplicity. He calls us to simply follow. He calls us to simply trust. He calls us to simply do his will.

Be not fooled though... God never said even an uncomplicated wholehearted certain “Yes” would come without pain. That is clear through Christ's example to us on the cross. I look at the daily “Yes” given by each of the missionaries and our kids' caregivers and I see the certain but difficult “Yes” Christ gave.

I see Christ accepting one more lashing in the faces of the house parents who offer up the harsh words thrown at them from an angry child. I see Christ carrying his cross in the exhausted steps of the missionary who without hesitation responds to the seventh emergency in as many days or even hours. I see Christ with his arms spread wide to embrace us and with his last breath I see each member of this mission embrace our children with complete abandon of self.

Just as Christ died and rose again to give us a future I pray that we may always no matter the pain give our simple straightforward and certain “Yes”, die to self and rise each day for our children's futures.

List of needed donations:

Boys and young men's clothing:

~ Pants - Sizes: I don't really know, but think small. None of our boys are probably taller than 5' 8" and are all thin.
   * Nice jeans, dress pants, and work pants

~ Dress shirts - Long Sleeve, Sizes: Adult Small and smaller

~ T-shirts (adult small and smaller)

~Small gifts for birthdays (ages 7-18)

Girls and Young Women's clothing
~ Training bras, Sports bras and bras (32-36 A, & 36 B)
~ Fancy Ball gown(s) for quinceañeras (Again think small both short and thin)
~Small birthday gifts (age 3 and ages 7-18)

Recreation Department:

Paint (Acrylic, tempera, watercolor, face etc... for art projects)
Art kits
Craft Supplies
Scrapbook supplies
Liquid Glue
Glue Sticks (acid free)
Double sided tape
Big rolls of clear packaging tape
Scotch Tape
Masking Tape
Duct Tape
Markers
Crayons
Colored Pencils
Beads
String
Twine
Yarn
Decks of Cards
Construction Paper
Hula Hoops
Soccer Balls
Kites
Trinkety toys for prizes (think dollar store)
Truly anything art, craft or fun game type things you can think of

School:

Books in Spanish: Particularily chapter books for grades 4 and up especially high school
Spanish English Dictionaries
Construction Paper
Paint
Glue
Pencils
Erasers
Crayons
Markers
Colored Pencils
Hula Hoops
Any sort of school supply or teaching aid (in Spanish) you can think of

Clinic:

Ibuprofen (children and adult)
Cough Drops
Tylenol (children and adult)
Basic cold meds
Vitamins (children, women, pre-natal, men)
Tums
Pepto
Think over-the-counter things you'd keep at home

Queens of the kitchen

So I invited Kimberly and Brittani (sisters 9 & 8) to cook dinner with Tiffany and I the other night. On the walk over to our house Kimberly was super excited since it was her first time cooking dinner at the missionary house. Brittani then began sharing her insider knowledge of how things operate at our house since she proudly said it was her third time cooking with us. "You should see how they pass things," Brittani said to her older sister. Referring to the fact that during meals our table is more like a air hockey table. Then she sheepishly asks, "Kit, can we eat hot sauce?" "Sure, if you want." EEEEhehehehe came their excited giggles. Brittani then in all her wisdom tells Kimberly... "You can even pour your own water." I just smiled as I imagined that actually being a disaster since our container of water weighs about as much as she does. Kimberly now sort of quite and pensive asked the question that you could tell was really on her mind. "Kit, can we talk (during dinner)." I stifled back my laughter knowing their house parents make them finish eating before they can talk. "Yes, Kimberly you can talk while we eat." That pretty much made me the coolest special friend ever. I love these girls so much. Please keep them and their siblings in your prayers.

Celebrating 26 years!

I don't want this to come out the wrong way, but it seems a stretch to have titled this celebrating 26 years. 25 was a big deal and we did some pretty memorable stuff last year that is hard to top. I can hardly believe it has been a year with how fast life has flown by. It's been a beautiful year filled with challenges, growth, friendships and fun times. Just last night we had a “slumber party” until midnight with the girls to watch movies and celebrate Valentine's Day. Now I am relaxing after a hot shower as I sit in the Cabana I've rented at the nearby resort. Heck, it's pretty incredible to not be spending my birthday in the deathly cold. Life could definitely be a lot more difficult. That said though life isn't always a walk on the beach either.

The reason I say celebrating may be a stretch is simply that life has become too hectic and too restricted mainly from factors outside our control for anyone in the community to feel they can leave the fence to come spend part of the day here at T-Bay. I feel very blessed that I have one “vacation” day to be able to get away from some of the stress of living at work. It's more than a little unhealthy though that to get a day “off” we have to plan a vacation day.

We hear it from people all the time when they first hear about our mission or come to visit. They ask, “So when is your day off?” or “So when do you leave?” As in what time do you go home each day. We stifle back our jaded laughter and simply explain, “Actually that is our house right over there. We live and work here.” No one ever said our mission is easy or without sacrifice, and so each day we lift ourselves out of bed praying that today will be the day when calm returns and that the next storm isn't directly on it's heels.

If that sounds a bit dramatic it might be. However, sometimes it takes a child's wisdom to help us see that life isn't so tough. My special friend 8 year old Caterin and I were talking about a family that had come to visit The Finca with donations. I don't recall exactly how it came up, but if I remember correctly she asked something about why that family didn't speak Spanish. I said something about how they don't live in Honduras, but were just visiting. Then came her response wrapped in wisdom that comes from saying far too many goodbyes. “Pero, ustedes no viven aca.” Translated word for word she said, “But you guys (the missionaries) don't live here.” Translated into reality, “So you think that because you speak Spanish you've got life here figured out.” Talk about a reality check!

I was slightly offended and said to her, “But Cati we do live here. We live at The Finca with you guys.” But I knew she was right. It is so humbling in a way that leaves you empty and searching for more to give only sto realize that even when we've given of ourselves to what feels like the last drop it is not going to change reality.

The reality is that each of our children have lived through and continue to deal with things that my worst dreams cannot conjure.

The reality is that 27 months (or sometimes longer) is a drop in the ocean of what our children need.

Even though as much as I egotistically would like to think that I will always be a part of each of their lives the reality is they know better.

The reality is that although we may try to give them back childhoods once stolen it is not us who can do that.

The reality is that only Christ working through each of us can heal their lives.

Despite the reality as Cati pointed out I am not Honduran or truly living here the one thing I can give is God's love and the reality is that he will never leave.

All I ask for my birthday is please keep our children, staff, neighbors and our mission in your prayers.

Rain Rain go away. Dang it! I'm just kidding Lord!

Alright so it's now definitely the heart of the rainy season. This generally means rain for at least a few minutes each day the sky opens up and everything floods for that moment. However, the reality of this winter has been a lot wetter. Back in November over Thanksgiving we had a massive storm that lasted for 72+ hours straight. Then on Monday night the heavens split open once again.

Around 11:30 that night (for some reason I was still wide awake) the sheets of water pounded deafeningly on the tin roof. It would be my turn the next morning to serve breakfast. I knew if the rain continued I'd not want to get up so I made a simple breakfast of banana bread, jello and setting out corn flakes and oatmeal. It was a semi-restless night as visions of Noah's ark dance in my head. Tuesday morning came and the rain still flooded in. When I finally got up around 8:00 that morning there were moments of calm when we thought the rain was lifting. It was never the case though. The clouds were just taking another deep breath before letting it all out again with the force of fire hoses. “Rain Rain go away come again another day,” became the unstated hope.

It seems though we'd jinxed ourselves even just thinking about it. The saying - “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink” was soon to become our motto. The water quit coming out of the taps around breakfast time. We found out the neighbors had no water either. It turned out the pipe which brings water across the river was knocked down when the river rose too high.

Meanwhile, I told my fellow winter school teachers that if it was still raining by 9:15 we'd call of the day's activities. Of course, 9:00 rolls around and the sun comes out over the bay and over The Farm. “Alright... I guess we'll have classes,” I thought to myself. About an hour into classes Mother Nature decided she wasn't finished. I am now sitting under the tin roof of our outdoor classroom shouting just to be heard by my four 7-9 year olds. Recess rolled in along with the next deep breath of rain.

One by one with the help of my “student teacher” Daniel huddled together they'd scurry from the 1^st grade classroom splashing through the encroaching lake to the library for indoor recess. The decision was made that if there was any break in the rain we'd have the kids drop what they're doing an make a break for their houses. That break cam just before noon until a little after lunch.

The rest of Tuesday would pass with massive down pours of rain followed by periods of tranquility. All the while no water whatsoever was coming out of the tap. We began to fill large buckets with rain water coming off the roof. This was enough to keep us sustained with water to filter for drinking, washing dishes and one or two people could bucket shower. This luck didn't last!

Wednesday morning the sun came out, but the water still was not flowing. We got word that the pipe that had been knocked down was now being fixed. The question still remained just how long that would take. By midday the only sign of re-hydration was the slow trickle of muddy water from our front spicket. At least it'd be enough to run through the filter for drinking a few hours later. The pile of dirty dishes was now growing. Everyone was starting to look like they'd just woken up from a night of camping in the wild... granted that look is a bit more “in style” here anyways during the winter. That night it was decided if water still had not come back by Thursday morning there would be a run to the river to bath.

Again the sun came up... no sign of any rain to bring us much needed water. The spicket had now stopped flowing consistently as well. At this point I began recalling that horrible children's rhyme I'd previously hoped for. This time I could only think... alright God this is definitely that other day; please bring back the rain!

 

Making the most of it a handful of people took to the river. There was plenty of talking themselves into it knowing full well how cold it would be. The run there would help.

  I on the other hand figured I'd wait it out another day. This served me well since the water finally came back full blast and clear that afternoon. After going most of the week without a shower I decided it'd be worth it to wait a little longer as I heated up a few buckets of hot water.

Props to my comrades who braved the chilly waters. I on the other hand am just grateful that over the past year God has taught me that sometimes patience pays off.