MY REDEEMED SOUL REJOICES

Fugata Deluge

Last night we all went to the park that is just a few blocks from our house for a fugata (bonfire). There are 105 steps to the top. I counted them. Last time we did this there was a pretty good size group from the church who came. This time it was an even bigger group. Someone took a pickup out to Yarusin and Crucitas and loaded the front and back with church members from there. The plan was to have a time of prayer, singing, a little preaching, some fun games and to eat something. The first four things went great. We got in line to get our food - tortillas, refried beans, part of a tamale and chorizo (which looked suspiciously like wieners). I don't eat weiners or hot dogs. I can eat most anything but those things kill my stomach, so I gave them away. The problem came when it started sprinkling, then pouring. I got under a tree and continued to eat tortillas and beans mixed with rain. I was hungry and I don't like to waste food. Its a little weird to be eating while you are getting drenched by rain.

We decided it was time to pack up and get out. The lightning was flashing and we were up on top of a mountain. It didn't seem like the smartest place to be. I stayed behind to try to pick up some of the trash. (What is it with people that makes them think they should just throw plates and cups on the ground)? I was doing okay until my eyebrows got soaked and the dam broke and all that rain went into my eyes.

I started heading down the hill with the stragglers. The rain was coming down so hard that there were rivers of water coming down the steps. At the bottom we were helping each other climb over the rocks and through the streams to get to the road. I helped a few folks across, said goodbye and started walking the three blocks to our home. I really felt sorry for the folks from Yarusin and Crucitas because they had to ride on the back of the pickup in the drenching rain for twenty minutes and then walk home once they got to their village.

Just as I got inside the house the lightning hit real close. I don't care much for lightning as I was struck (indirectly) and knocked unconscious when I was a kid. I stripped down to my undies and went to find a towel still thinking of those folks who were in the back of the pickup getting soaked.

Well, such is life here in Honduras. During the rainy season we get wet. There wasn't really any solution to the problem except maybe thinking through the decision better about having an outside gathering during the rainy season. Maybe we learned a lesson.

Moms and Granddads

Last night we had our Friday night small group. One of our regulars is a member of the church we attend. His mother and grandfather came to our study. That doesn't seem so strange or unusual to most of you but here in Honduras, it is. My Spanish still leaves a lot to be desired so I'm not positive that I got everything right but if I did I understood the grandfather to say that he hadn't seen his daughter in eleven years. He said he hadn't seen Selvin since he was six. Selvin is now married, has a son three years old and another child on the way. He and Yulie (pronounced Julie) are legally married and attend our Saturday night group of newlyweds.

The reason this is so strange is because it is common as houseflies here. A man starts a family, stays with them for a few years and then finds someone else and starts another - often trading time between them. One family may or may not know about the other until years later. Most worldly men would probably think this is a pretty good deal except for the expense. It isn't God's way. I know a lot of people don't think God knew what he was talking about when He laid down the rules about one man, one woman until death do us part but after seeing the torn up families here in Honduras it is clear that God knows best. (Not that things are much better in the rest of the world).

Our goal as we work on our project Building Strong Families is to change this culture of thinking. It will be better for the couple, the children, the church and the community. May God help us.

Opening Up - The Blog - Again

I never actually closed this blog. I just haven't written anything here. But I'm thinking maybe I'll use it as an outlet to my ponderings. I fasted for three days a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to pray about our financial situation here, about my good friend, Dave, and his recovery from a stroke and for my son, Jared, as he works in disaster relief in Joplin, Missouri, where a tornado struck recently. The fasting went okay. I've done it before. One thing I noticed was that my nose gets finely tuned to odors - especially bread baking. I'm not sure why because the bread here is pathetic. No matter what shape or form it has, it all tastes the same. My wife's friend mentioned that she complained about this in one of the bakeries. Their response - "you are not from around here are you?" She isn't. She moved here from a town about two hours away, where they apparently know how to bake bread.

Our finances improved this month. Dave is back home recovering. My son is working, he says, in a bubble. He's doing a lot of the coordinating of relief groups. He hasn't even seen the damage from the tornado. He's more in danger of going crazy dealing with volunteers than getting hurt using a chainsaw. He told me yesterday (over our MagicJack) that he met with someone from the circus that had already been scheduled to come through town before the tornado came and that she wanted to use her elephants to help clear up debris. He couldn't allow that, of course.  Its against town ordinances.

My wife and I had a long conversation a few days ago. Would our first year have been less stressful had we not come to Honduras on half the money that we knew we needed? Of course it would, just like your life would be less stressful if you had the money you needed. Not having it though helps us depend on God more for what we really need and helps us decide what it is that we really do need, not just what we want.

Enough pondering - for now. My soul rejoices that I even have the ability to ponder anything.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog.  My soul rejoices that you have come for a visit. This blog is about my family and me as three of us live and work in the beautiful western highlands in Honduras.  We'll be working with a team of Hondurans, Salvadorans, North Americans and a Dominican Republican to help plant, grow and edify churches throughout the Occidente area.  We'll be helping with medical, dental and eyeglass brigades from the USA.  My wife and I are specifically working on a program called Building Strong Families in which we plan to help weak marriages become strong, good marriages become better and prepare young people to make a committment to God to remain chaste until they marry.  We also want to help the many single parent families who struggle to raise their children in the right way. Take a look at the photos to the left and you'll see what we do.  From Santa Rosa de Copán, I'll be writing about what's going on in our lives and what's going on in my mind.  Enjoy!!!