Home Sweet Home

Well all went well with my travels last Sunday and I made it back home around 10 pm. On Monday I went out to breakfast with my sister, my niece and my nephew and then went shopping for groceries. On Tuesday I did some laundry and all my siblings got together at my sisters house for taco night, which is my favorite, and we had a good time together. Wednesday I cleaned and did some lawn work around the house because my dad is in Taiwan for a few more months so I have to take care of the house. On Thursday I began working at Red Robin which I plan to do for a few months before I head to Dixon to work at Rock River Bible Camp. I'm thinking about working for this next year and saving up money and possibly going back to school and getting certified to teach. But who knows what I'll end up doing, I'm open to wherever God wants me to go and whatever God wants me to do. I can't say thank you enough for all the support from all my family and friends, thank you for investing in me and believing in me. May God bless you all in many ways for the support you have shown to me. Adios

My Last Week of My Honduran Adventure

My last week in Honduras has been a pretty good one. Last Saturday I went to the property for the church service and it was sad when people found out that the next Saturday would be my last. Many people have told me not to go throughout the week which has made it hard saying goodbyes but I know my call is done here in Honduras. I helped with the kids class like I usually do and then played with the kids for a while. On Sunday I went to the property to watch and play soccer. Our team won 20-1 and made it into the playoffs as the last seed. Not to bad for a bunch of replacements. Unfortunately I won't be there this Sunday for the game. On Monday I took a day off from the boys schooling and decided to climb the mountain close to town that I have always wanted to. I left at 5:30 in the morning and spent all day in the mountains and the forest. It was a nice day to just get away and be with God. I ended up climbing 3 different mountains to their highest points and talking to God while overlooking Zambrano. On the way back home I stopped at Christian's house because I was really close. I walked down to a pulperia(7-11 type corner stores) and bought myself a gatorade and bought everyone in Christian's family something to drink. It was a nice visit but I was pooped from the mountains. On Tuesday I did the boys schooling during the day and packed just about everything that night so i wouldn't have to do it later in the week. Wednesday was a normal school day and then I went to Christian's house again to visit with their family. I ended up buying some Chinese food from a restaurant in town for dinner for the whole family because I told them I wanted to eat with my Honduran family. Thursday Ed and the boys went to another town nearby to work on a road with some other missionaries. I stayed home so I could help Val with the English class in the afternoon and play soccer with the men in the community for the last time. During the day I relaxed, read, and hung out with Patty. Yesterday I performed my tutor duties for the very last time with the boys and also cleaned out my room. There has been a pretty bad bug problem so yesterday we set off a bug bomb. While I was cleaning out the room I left the door slightly open so that I didn't have to keep using my key to open it. When Val eventually went in to set the bug bomb off she started screaming about a snake so me and the boys headed out to my room to see what all the fuss was about. When we looked in sure enough there was a 3 foot green snake climbing around my bathroom. I don't know what it is about my bathroom but all the creepiest animals love to be there. I went in bravely with a rake and a broom and tried to get the snake out but he wasn't having it. Eventually he climbed in the corner by my garbage can so I took the opportunity to trap him in it with a piece of plywood on top. We then brought it outside and AJ and Wes had machetes and an axe to kill it. I tipped the bucket over and videotaped. Both the boys missed at first and the snake started coming in my direction pretty fast. I was thankful when AJ's second or third swing of the machete actually hit it. It was a great adventure for one of my last days in Honduras. Friday afternoon Christian's whole family came to visit at the house and we spent the night playing and laughing. The kids of course were amazed with all the toys that are in an American's house and loved playing with anything and everything. Eventually Ed and I drove them all home. As you can tell I made it a point to spend a lot of time with this family during my last week. This is because I love them all so much and they have adopted me and loved me from before I could even speak to them. I am going to miss them very much and will make it a priority to see them someday when I come back to Honduras. Today I will head up to the property for the last time and say my final goodbyes. Tomorrow I will be flying out and be back in the states by nighttime. Hopefully I wont have any more airport adventures but I think I will be fine since I'm not flying American. I will post a final blog in a few days to let everyone know I got back safe. Thank you all once again for your constant support throughout the last 7 months or so. God bless you my friends, family, and supporters. Adios.

Surprise!!! Early Departure

Last Saturday was the first time there was a church service at the property for almost a month and I was excited to see everyone again. I went up to the property alone with Estephanie our neighbor becuase Val had friends over for a baby shower type party for Patty. I sat with Christian and his family during the service and when the kids left for their class I followed to help out. After the class I played with the kids for a while then just sat and watched and kids would come and sit with me for a while. It was cool to see some young girls who I met during a visit to one families house there at the property. It shows that visiting ends up drawing people to the church, even if they were young ones. On Sunday my team had a soccer game at 9 in the morning. We ended up winning 3-2 and we need to win this Sunday to make the playoffs. After the game I stayed to help with two other games then headed home for lunch. Sunday night we didn't end up going to church because everyone was either sick or recovering from sickness except Ed and I. Instead we stayed home and watched Chronicles of Narnia. On Monday we had a normal school day and in the afternoon The boys and I went up to the property to help out Ed. AJ polyurethaned, Wes helped Ed cut and measure wood, and I sanded the bathroom stalls in one of the bathrooms. It was nice to get the boys out of the house and helping out with the ministry because it has been a while since they have been up there. On Tuesday Ed talked with me and offered me a chance to go home early. With Patty here much of their ministry time now needs to be focused on her and they would both be home a lot more. They said they didn't really need me here and I could go if I wanted to. He gave me the day off of teaching to think and pray about it. I thought and prayed about it all day and felt that through my devotions and prayer that God was telling me my call to Honduras was over. I came primarily to teach the boys and take care of their schooling and now that the Schuberts could do that with more time in the house I decided it would probably be better for me to go home rather than stay here. I also could tell that the Schuberts want more time with their new daughter and I was beginning to feel like the sixth wheel of the five person family. I think it is best that I leave so that they can continue establishing and building a relationship with Patty as she adjusts to her new home. Although I will miss the Honduran people I feel like this is still the right thing to do. It will be hard to say goodbye to everyone earlier than we all anticipated but I'm just happy for all the relationships that God has blessed me with during the time that I was down here. So I will be headed back to the States on Sunday May 3rd. I plan to either stay in my dad's house or my brother's house and work for a few months and then head to Dixon to work at Rock River Bible Camp. So Wednesday I gave the news to Ed that I think it would be better to leave and he and I have been making arrangements. We figured out the situation with my support and I am going to give most of the money between the ministries down here and the families that I have bonded with. I and taking a little of the support back with me to feed me while I'm back in the States. Wednesday I also had a school day with the boys and then went to visit Christian and his family in the afternoon. It was a fun visit but a little sad because I told them I would be leaving sooner that they thought. I love how much I have bonded with that family. It is cool because I bonded first with Christian and his little brother Christopher months ago while my Spanish was awful and as my Spanish got better I bonded with the rest of the family and now they have become my family who I love to go visit every week. On Thursday I did the normal school thing with the boys and then went up to the property to help Val with one of her English classes. Patty fell asleep in Val's arms and she passed her off to me when she needed to get up and write things on the boards. After the class I played soccer with the guys of the community. It was a good time and I was playing pretty well. I think I scored 4 or 5 goals, 2 with my giant head. The monkey bump comes in handy during the soccer games. Today I am at home alone with the boys doing their schooling while Val, Ed, and Patty are in the city running errands. I plan to make the most of this last week and a few days while I'm in Honduras and say all my goodbyes to all the people I have built relationships with. Thank you for all of your support through donations and prayer. This experience has been amazing and I have learned a lot about God and myself as I have been serving and obedient to his call. Although it will be hard to leave early I feel like it is the next step of obedience to Him. Adios and God bless.

Happy Easter!!!!!!!!!!! Only 5 Days Late

Last Friday we all went to the waterfall with some friends of the Schuberts from the ministry they used to work with. It was nice to see God's awesome creation and have a reminder of how small we are, the sight is always humbling. I think Dina and Lewie enjoyed it a lot even though it is a pretty hard hike down to the bottom. That night we had a small service at the house and took communion. I must admit that I love communion. I used to not think much of it when I was younger, it was just another thing Christians did so I did it. I love to focus on the sacrifice which was made for us, it is another humbling experience for me when I remember how unworthy I am to receive a love as strong as that. On Saturday the Schuberts had more friends come out from the old ministry and took them to the waterfall. Dina, Lewie, and I decided to stay back at the house. We played sequence all afternoon and just sat and talked. It was great to have them down here to talk to. God's timing is perfect. I needed someone to talk to at the same time they were down here and I was able to talk things through that I was struggling with. On Easter Sunday we didn't end up going to church becuase of how heavy and bad the traffic is on the holiday weekend. Instead we all relaxed and spent some time in the sun. I must say it was the first time I ever got a tan on Easter. The next day Dina and Lewie left for the airport early with Ed, Val, and Patty while I stayed home and did the boys schooling. Ed and Val both had to go to immigration so I said my goodbyes at the house. Monday I cleaned around the house and caught up on e-mails. Tuesday I did the boys schooling again and then joined Ed in the afternoon at the property to help polyurethane some bathroom stalls. On Wednesday I did the boys schooling and finished up their third quarter grades in the afternoon. Yesterday was a normal school day for the boys and Val had to go into the city for a meeting in the afternoon which was going to be a challenge becuase Patty does not like being away from Val too long. Val left and Patty cried. I eventually took her to their bedroom to put her down for a nap after lunch. She cried herself asleep in my arms, and I put her on a bed to let her sleep. Then I had to leave to help teach Val's English class with Carolina since Val was gone. After I helped with the class from 2-4 I played soccer with the men of the community from 4-6. I came home to find patty barely slept after I left and she was clinging to AJ for dear life not wanting anyone else to be around her. Val eventually came home with some Chinese food and Patty was back to herself. She is definitely a great joy to me considering how much I miss my nieces and nephews. Even though she is sometimes a turd and cries too often when she doesn't get her way it is still great to have her here. Today was a boring old normal school day. Christian's family was supposed to come over for dinner but they ended up canceling becuase they had to do something at one of his older brother's school. I am excited to see everyone at the property tomorrow because it has been a month since I have been there for a church service(the last two were canceled and I was in the States for the one before that). It will be nice to see everyone all together and play with the kids. Well I'm outta here to watch movies with the boys and eat some leftover Chinese food. Adios, God bless, and thank you for your support throughout this year.

Fire and Snipers

Saturday Dina and Lewie arrived in Honduras safe and sound. Ed and I picked them up after we dropped Wes off at a school in the city to take the ACT test. The airport was a little crazy and they were in customs for a while but we made it out with all their luggage alright. The Saturday service and the soccer league on Sunday got canceled last weekend and the upcoming weekend because it is holy week in Honduras and the whole country shuts down. I was sad that Dina and Lewie wouldn't have an opportunity to see the ministry in action with all the kids running around but their visit has still been amazing. For those of you who don't know Dina has been a mentor for me over the years and she is very special to me so her being here means a lot to me. When we got back to the house I felt like it was Christmas becuase she had so much stuff for me. my favorite were the letters she gave me from her and others who she encouraged to write me. I must say a quick thank you to all the people who sent down letters with her. Thank you Gar Bear, Ben, BB, Holly, Lauren, Nicole, Josie, and Hannah. I sat up the night that Dina gave them to me and had lots of laughs. I enjoyed them and ton although it made me miss all of you (even the random somewhat creepy Ben Dvorak who I've only met a couple of times). Saturday night we got Dina and Lewie settled and then played some games before bed. Sunday we sat around and instead of going into the city for church we had church at the house. I played a few worship songs and then we watched a video sermon. I also showed Dina and Lewie around the property even though it was empty. Sunday was a pretty relaxed day except for the fire that we had to fight. Here in Honduras they burn all the brush in the dry season for reasons I don't understand. Our neighbors were burning and we watched from a safe distance. Then out of no where the wind shifted and the fire was heading straight for the house. Lewie, Ed, and I decided to help the Hondurans who were trying to fight the fire while AJ and Wes passed us buckets of water over the fence. Eventually we got the fire under control and Lewie got a cool story to tell everyone back in the States. Speaking of water we have been ok on water although we could use some more. We have been using creek water from our pila and rinse water from the washing machine to flush toilets to save the water in our cistern for showering and laundry. On Monday I had the boys do school and hung out with Dina during the day. In the afternoon Dina, Patty, Val, AJ, and I went to visit Christian's family. We brought them a blanket from Dina and some clothes from Dina's daughter Abby for Christian's sister. The visit went well and I was glad Dina could meet a family that is very special to me. Monday night we had baked potatoes for dinner and i balled up my foil and threw it at Wes and yelled, "sniped" which I usually do when we have aluminum foil at meal times. After wards though I decided to make it a game where we all got a ball and started all round the house and tries to hit one another. Now sniper is a game that everyone in the house enjoys playing because who wouldn't enjoy attempting to assassinate their family and friends with aluminum foil? On Tuesday I did the boys schooling during the day and after wards joined Ed, Lewie, and Dina at the property to work. Ed and Lewis cut wood for cabinets. Dina and I polyurethaned the wooden bathroom stalls which I like to call polyurinating. We had fun doing it and made jokes about how Lewie and Ed were becoming bffs. Wednesday Dina, Lewie, Ed, and I went into the city to paint at the day care and we picked up a few things from the store on the way there. Val stayed home with the boys and Patty and took care of their schooling for the day. The painting went well and we finished off a few rooms that the other teams didn't get to. Yesterday the boys got the day off of school to work with Lewie and Ed while Dina, Patty, Val, and I visited a couple families from the property in the morning and afternoon. In our morning visit Dina connected with a Honduran woman named Dina and they loved on each other despite the language barrier. It was nice to see the family since I haven't had an opportunity to see the for a few weeks. The visit in the afternoon went well too although Val invited another missionary and her kids so it wasn't as personal or enjoyable for Dina. I had fun playing with the kids and getting filthy doing it. Today we will be going to the waterfall with the girls from the old ministry that Ed and Val use to house parent so it should be a fun day. Patty has been adjusting pretty well to everything. She was really afraid of Ed and first and was definitely more comfortable with women than men. She loves her Tio Kenny and I have taught her the essentials like sticking her tongue out, saying nanananana, and asking people if they want to fight. She absolutely loves Dina and she calls Lewie Luis because she has never heard the name Lewie before. Well I got nothing else to say. Thank you for all the support and prayers. Happy Easter to everyone, may God bless the time you have with your families celebrating our Salvation. Adios.

Longest Day Ever!

Well I'm back here in Honduras getting back into the swing of things. Tuesday was a pretty awful day. I woke up at 4 am to get to the airport in Chicago for my 6 am flight. I am going to share every bad thing that happened to me during the day because it is comical to me how much went wrong. I decided to get Dunkin Doughnuts for breakfast after I got through security and checked my bags. I gave the cashier exact change and she dropped it behind the cashier. Being the nice guy that I am I reached to get the dime she dropped and cut my right where my nail attaches to the skin. I didn't notice until I was in the middle of eating and blood was all over the end of my finger. Not the end of the world though, I just went to the bathroom and washed up. We boarded the plane on time and as we sat ready to leave on the plane a lady complained about the metal part of her armchair that was sticking up a little. We delayed taking off so they could fix the seat. Twenty minutes later a guy comes on the plane with duck tape and fixes the arm of the chair. So we were off to a little late start. I had a little more than an hour between flights so I thought I would be fine. The plane ride was bumpy and the pressure inside the plane was nasty. All the little kids were crying and I felt like my eyeballs were going to pop out at one point. It was here that my day long headache began so keep in mind that through the rest of the day my head was pounding. We landed in Miami and pulled up to the gate but we weren't getting off. The captain informed us that there were problems with the gate and we would have to wait. Another twenty minutes later we were able to get off. I got off the plane the same time I was supposed to board the other plane. They announced some planes that had left already but not mine so I decided to sprint with my carry on and my laptop across the airport to see if I could make it. I got to the gate sweating to see them pulling the gate away from the plane. I told the attendant that I was on that flight and she responded, "Not anymore your not". In my mind I wanted to scream at her for her tude with me but I just asked her how I was going to get to Honduras. She told me I was put on a later flight with Taca Airlines. I then walked all the way across the airport and out of security to check in again with Taca. I was able to use the telephone of a Honduran while waiting in line to call Val and tell her I would be there at 3:30 which was the time the man told me. When I got to the counter I was told that I was not even in their system and that I wasn't scheduled to be on their flight. I sat and waited to talk to a supervisor who told me the same thing. All the while I was worrying where my checked bags were and if they would meet me in Honduras if I ever got there. So I walked all the way back to American's counters to see what in the world was going on.When I told a worker that I needed to talk to a supervisor to figure everything else she told me to just wait in line like everyone else. I was about ready to scream but I think it would have made my headache worse. I waited in another line for another 30 minutes or so and eventually talked to the attendant at the counter. She informed me that the other attendant who booked me on Taca never had it confirmed. Good thing I was outside security or I would have found that first attendant and unloaded on her. The new attendant called Taca and confirmed everything and worked it out for me. I found out that the plane was going to the other airport in Honduras first and then to Tegucigalpa so I wouldn't be in Teguz until 4:30. I asked the attendant if I could use the phone to call Val and let her know about the change of plans and she told me she needed to call a supervisor. She spotted one and yelled to him but he just walked away. She then tried to call one and got off the phone to tell me that I couldn't talk to a supervisor for another hour because they were changing shifts. Rather than waiting another hour I decided to just go back to Tacas counters and check in for real this time. I waited in another line and eventually got my tickets. I asked the Taca people if I could use the phone but they said I couldn't call long distance. I went through security and sat down and ate with a food voucher that I requested from American because of all my trouble. I then went to the gate and saw a few people that I had seen during all my running back and forth throughout the day. I asked around for a cell phone but nobody wanted me to call without a calling card. I went to the store close by to buy a calling card but they didn't have any. I then asked around for a calling card and found a guy who had one he was willing to sell to me for 2 dollars. I went back to the store to change out my 20 dollar bill because I didn't have anything smaller. The lady told me she couldn't open the drawer for an hour which didn't make sense to me so then I bought a two dollar pack of gum to get my change. I bought the calling card from one man and used another mans cell phone to call Val and let her know I would be in later. The flight went pretty well, I slept on and off the whole time. In San Pedro I had to get off and board another plane. Eventually we made it to Teguz at 5 which was six hours later than I was scheduled to arrive. Surprisingly my luggage also made it there which was one of the few things to go right. I was thankful for that and happy to be back. Val picked me up with Patty and we headed back to Zambrano. All in all I traveled from 3 am Honduran time til 6 pm when I arrived back home and I was pooped. I ate quick and went to bed early. Wednesday I did the boys school and then slept all day to get rid of the headache from the plane. Thursday we did school again and I helped Val with her English classes and played soccer. Our water situation is getting pretty bad, we are running very low and we aren't getting anymore in the cistern. This will be a problem because Dina and Lewie Frye are coming to visit for ten days and they arrive tomorrow. Please be praying that we get a lot of water soon and that god would work out the water problem. Thank you for everything. I hope my awful day of travel brought some people laughs. It wasn't fun while it was happening but it is funny to me to see how many things went wrong that day. God bless and adios.

Patty Comes Home and Kenny Goes Home

So its been an interesting week filled with a ton of good news and good times. On Wednesday we had school with the boys normally as we waited for the call to see when Patty could come home to be with us. During the day dragged some wood in and chopped it up for firewood and helped Ed a little bit with Patty's bed that he was making. After that I recorded the boys grades and got them caught up. We eventually got a phone call and heard that we could pick up Patty the next day. The rest of the night we got things ready for the next day when Patty would arrive. On Thursday Ed and Val went into the city to pick up Patty while the boys and I had school at the house. They weren't going to be home in time for Val's first English class so I helped Carolina teach it. After the afternoon class I went home to celebrate Patty's birthday which was the same day she arrived to us. When I got back to the house she was there and still exploring everything. We got a pinata for her and filled it with candy. She had fun swinging a wooden bat at it and almost hit ed a few times while he was holding the rope for the pinata. We then had some dinner and birthday cake to celebrate. She seemed to be doing a pretty good job adjusting to everything. That night she went with Ed and Val to Val's other English class which they had to cut short becuase Patty started crying a little while she was there. Val told me that the nighttime was the hardest for Patty who didn't want to sleep in her own bed and was afraid to be near Ed in Ed and Val's bed. The next day we got up early and I got ready to go to the airport. Ed, Val, and Patty dropped me off and then went to pick her up some more clothes. My first flight got delayed and then redirected becuase of the winds. We made a stop in San Pedro in Honduras to refuel and then flew off to Miami. The flights went well and I arrived back in the States for a surprise visit that only my Mom and my brothers girlfriend knew about. Friday night I stayed at my Mom's house. The next day my brother showed up early in the morning to pick my mom up to go to an indoor water park in Wisconsin to celebrate his birthday. He was shocked when I opened the door and said I was the best birthday present and best surprise he has ever gotten in his life. We drove up to the water park and I had to be quiet in the car ruing phone call becuase my sisters family and my other sister drove separately and didn't know I was there. When we got to the water park i let my brother, Vanessa, and my mom go in first and i waited a minute then went in. While everyone was greeting one another I jumped out and my oldest sister screamed at the top of her lungs. So all the surprises went well and the water park was fun. My nieces absolutely loved it and me and my brother acted like kids and it was great. We drove back to my brothers house and played video games for a while. The next day Adam, my mom, and I went to Red Robin to have my sister Candice wait on us. It was nice for me to see a bunch of people that I used to work with. After wards we headed into the city to celebrate Adam's and my cousins birthday. We met up with my dads side of the family at the home my grandma is staying it. We had Lou Malnatis pizza and sat and talked for a while. Eventually we came back to my brothers house. Ive tried to post a lot of picture on facebook while I've been home since I have a good internet connection here. I'm heading back to Honduras tomorrow and will be there until June 24th to finish the boys school year. It was nice to have some time back in the States with my family but the weather could have been a little nicer. Thanks for all the support and prayers.

A Team, Soccer, and Good News!!

Wednesday night a team from Maryland arrived in Zambrano. They were friends of Ed and Val whom they had first met at the ministry they used to work for. The team consisted of two men, four teenage boys, and one woman. That night we got introduced and went over the schedule for the week . Thursday and Friday the boys took off school so we could work alongside the team. On Thursday we laid cement at the property for a storage room and put up one of the walls. In the afternoon I played soccer with the men of the community and I only fell down once, getting a nice little scrape on my leg. I showered and ate quick then headed back to the property with Val to help out with her English class at night. On Friday I headed into the city with Val. One of the team members got hit in the face during soccer so we took him to an eye doctor to make sure everything was ok with his eye. I stayed with him at the office while Val left to visit with Patty for a few hours. He was done with the doctor in an hour so we walked to a mall close by and got some drinks and sat and talked. The man's name is Tom and he is an incredible man of God with a lot of wisdom. We sat and talked for a while about life and he got me thinking about a lot. We eventually went to lunch at Chilis when Val got there then headed back out to Zambrano to join the team. The team finished the rest of the walls for the storage room while we were in the city and when we got back we all went to the waterfall to show the team. We hiked down and swam a bit. I climbed one of the rock walls about 100 ft up which was my favorite part of the day. I felt so small in the midst of God's amazing and beautiful creation. Friday night some of the teenage Honduran boys from Ed and Vals old ministry came out to spend the night and work with the team the next day. The night times at our house were pretty fun. We played a game called mafia which was exciting and fun. I played guitar and sang worship songs for the team and then we had reflections on the day. Saturday began with us heading up the mountain to the house of a poor family to lay a cement floor for them. When we got there we also decided to dig a latrine for them. I worked on the latrine which we intended to be a 3x3 hole 6 feet down. The first few feet were easy enough and then we hit some more solid rocky stuff and we got slowed down. The hole ended up being 4 ft deep so we will have to return to finish it someday. I ended up with some blisters on my hands but it was worth it to help out a family in need. We also blessed them with food, clothing, and toys for the kids. Eventually we had to leave to get in time for the church service at the property. I did my normal routine of helping with the little kids class and playing with the kids. After the service ended we had a Honduras vs. USA game with the young guys and the good ole USA won 7 to 1. We had devotions and debriefing at the house that night and said goodbye to the teenage boys that came from the old ministry. On Sunday the Schuberts took the team into the airport in the city, went to see Patty, and then went to church. I stayed out in Zambrano to play soccer. Our team lost 2-0 against a pretty good team. I stayed and watched the next two games and hung out with people from the community. After that I came home to clean, do laundry, and relax. On Monday we started school back up and the day went well. After school I headed to Christian's house to have dinner with their family. It was a good time of playing with the kids and talking to Yanci. I also got to see Maskol who hasn't been at the property on Saturdays for a while. We had some Chop Suey which they bought from a man in town and then we watched Cars in Spanish on tv. As I was leaving Yanci gave me a teddy bear and Alejandro gave me a pencil holder made out of pop sickle sticks, glue, and a toilet paper roll. It was nice to be able to spend a night with my Honduran family and play with the boys. Today the boys had school while Ed and Val went into the city to run errands. Today was also the day that the committee was meeting to decide if the Schuberts would get Patty and the committee voted and we are going to have a 3 yr old girl in the house soon. It is so exciting to know she will be coming although we are not sure when. Other than that great news not too much exciting happened today. I played soccer in the afternoon with the guys and I scored a goal with my left foot. I know it doesn't sound impressive but I was proud. I just want to thank everyone for their prayers for Patty and hope that you all continue to pray for her as she makes a transition from her foster home to our home. Thank you all as well for all the support throughout this year. I appreciate every prayer and dollar that has been given on my behalf. Adios and God bless.

Patty!!

Last Wednesday Ed, Val, Tammy and Sarah went into the city to see the girl that the adoption agency had picked out for them. The little girl is beautiful and they call her Patty from her middle name Patricia. Her mother abandoned her at birth at the hospital and she has been living with the same foster family since she was 4 days old. On Thursday Ed,Val, and Tammy went back into the city. They dropped Tammy off at the airport and ran errands. Val needed to get back in the afternoon to teach her Spanish class at 2 but traffic was bad and she was running late. This meant of course that AJ and I had to carry all her stuff up to the property without the truck and we had to teach part of the class until she got there. We expected her to be 15-30 minutes late but she ended up being one hour late. In my broken Spanish I reviewed some things they had already learned and it wasn't too bad becuase I knew many of the people from the church services on Saturday. It proves that you have to be flexible as a missionary and be ready to teach an English class on 15 minutes notice. After the class I stayed at the property to play soccer with the men and scored one goal. I ran home quick after wards showered then inhaled my dinner becuase I had to go back up to the property to help Val with her other English class. There was a much smaller turnout that we expected so I helped a little and played with a little boy who came with his mother. Friday was a normal school day in and a cleaning day becuase Val threw a party for a young missionary that was supposed to leave the country but isn't going to after all. Saturday many of the Schubert's friends from their former ministry came to celebrate even though the person who was going to leave was just changing ministries. It also turned into a celebration for the good news received from INFA earlier in the week. In the middle of the party I left to go to the property for the church service and help out with the kids class. The service went well and I met a couple of new North Americans that are here helping out at the ministry for a while. After the classes I was playing with the kids and eventually got tired so I sat down. Christopher (a 3 yr old) had a fever so I was holding him. His mom tried to give him some medicine while he was on my lap and he vomited brown grossness all over my arm and leg. I rinsed off a little bit and then headed home with my shorts stained brown on one side. When I got home the electricity was out so I couldn't shower. I wiped myself down with wet wipes and rejoined the party. When the power came back on I showered and then had one of the ladies at the party fix the uneven haircut that Val gave me months ago. This lady was a professional so I felt more comfortable when she had the scissors near my head. Sunday instead of watching the soccer games I participated in one. Apparently one of the teams got upset and left the league so Luis needed people to fill in. I played for part of the first half and part of the 2nd half then left becuase we had plans to visit Patty in the city. I got an assist and when I left we were winning 2 to 0. Apparently my team won so that was good/surprising news. We went into the city and had lunch with Patty and one of the daughters from the foster family. At first Patty was terrified because it was the first time she was seeing AJ, Wes, and I. Eventually she warmed up to everyone and she was adorable. Her laugh is great and her smile makes you melt. It was a great experience to see her and play with her for a few hours. After that we all went to church in the city and I was so pooped from a long day and being a little sick that I was falling asleep sitting up during the message. I felt a little bad about it but I really couldn't help it. We made it home and I crashed pretty quickly. On Monday Val and Ed went to the city again to have a meeting with their lawyer and the adoption agency while I stayed at home with the boys to do their schooling. They received the good news that a committee will vote next Tuesday on whether they will get Patty and they could have her as soon as Wednesday(her 3rd birthday is the next day). It looks like the adoption agency is pushing hard for her to be her before she turns 3. The rest of the day Monday I tried to relax to kick the virus that I picked up this last week. Yesterday I got the boys started with school and then Ed, Val, and I went to visit Jimmy Hughes, another North American missionary in town who has been her 13 or 14 years and has a big ministry. It was a good time of fellowship and he gave me and Ed a tour of his property while his wife, Val, and Kjell(another missionary in town) talked about the possibility of building a school. Jimmy asked Ed's advice on farming and showed him some land and there is a possibility in partnering with his ministry for both the school and the farming. After we got back I finished the boys school day and then relaxed again. I think it paid off because I feel much better today than I have the past couple of days. Today Ed and Val are in the city again picking up a small team and doing work at the day care in the city. Tomorrow the boys and I will take a day off of school to work with the team at the property in Zambrano and do some cement work. Please keep praying that the Schuberts get their Honduran daughter soon and that the committee will vote in their favor next Tuesday. Well I gotta go make some lunch. Adios, God Bless, and thank you for your support.

Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls, Just Climb Them and Jump Off

Another week down and it was as busy as ever which means I have a lot to catch everyone up on. Wednesday of last week I did my normal routine with the boys schooling and in the afternoon I went to Christian's house for dinner and fellowship time with their family. Yanci just bought some Chinese food becuase she was sick and didn't want to cook. Before we ate I played power rangers in the front yard with Christian, his brothers, and his cousin. After we ate we went to a field nearby and played soccer and a little bit of baseball. Yanci had me watch the kids as she went to the doctor and then gave me some mangoes before I left. When it was time for me to leave it was dark and Yanci was worried that I was walking in the dark alone but I assured her that I would be ok and I was. On Thursday Val and I went to the city pretty early. We ran our usual errands and stopped by the daycare. I got to sit with the kids while they ate and listening to them pray before their meal may have been the most adorable thing I have ever heard. We left the day care to pick up my mom from the airport and we got there just in time. We were happy that her travels went well and everything arrived on time. We grabbed a quick lunch at burger king and then went back to the day care to show my mom one of the ministries that we work with. We got there as one of the teachers was trying to put the kids to sleep so we didn't stay too long. We headed out of the city in the afternoon becuase Val had to be back in Zambrano to teach her Spanish Bible study at 4. I brought my mom to the property in Zambrano and showed her around. I played soccer with the guys of the community while she watched and took pictures. Friday I did the boys schooling and talked with my mom during the day. In the afternoon Val, my mom, and I headed out into the community to visit some people we knew. We visited one family that could not afford to send their 12 yr old to school becuase of all the costs and another family who is also struggling financially. The mothers of these families are close to Val and appreciated the time to visit and talk. I think the poverty hit my mom pretty hard as she soaked in her surroundings. During our visits we encountered a young boy with a big gash in his hand and Val looked at it and decided that she would come back with appropriate medication to clean and wrap the wound. After our visits we went home, dropped my mom off, got supplies, and headed back out. She cleaned the little boys wound, wrapped it, and left instructions with the mother on how to care for it. We started to draw a crowd of young ones in the community becuase many of them know Val and I and they probably didn't have anything else to do. In typical Val fashion she offered to buy the little boy some sweets at a local pulperia(kinda like a honduran 7-11) and after the crowd followed us she decided to buy them all a little something. We headed back home, ate, played sequence, then went to bed. Saturday morning Val left early to go on a medical brigade and I spent the morning with my mom talking with her about some issues from the past as well as my beliefs. Before we knew it, it was time to head up to the property for the church service. My mom, Ed, Wes, AJ, and I headed up with Estephanie and 7 bags full of medications that my mom had bought and brought for the ministry. The service was a little strange becuase it was led by one of Luis's friends from Tegucigalpa who snag and jumped around and was pretty intense. It was still good to see all the people from the community and play with the kids. Sunday we decided to go to the waterfall that only Val had seen and it was amazing. First we came to a waterfall that is almost 300 feet tall and we took pictures looking over it. Then we hiked down a trail to the bottom of a smaller waterfall which was beneath the giant one. I felt the need to explore and get to the base of the large waterfall so I stripped down to my underwear and began scaling a wall horizontally around a large pool of water to get to the base of the small waterfall. I made it over and then climbed up the water fall to get to the base of the big one. at that point I wanted to swim across the pool at the base of the large one to get as close to the waterfall as possible. I was a little afraid but I decided I wouldn't have many opportunities to do it so I jumped in. After I swam back and forth I headed back to the top of the small waterfall. I decided it would be easier to jump off then to climb back down so I found a good rock, said a quick prayer, and jumped. Eventually Wes climbed the wall and jumped of the waterfall once he saw it was safe. i climbed back up and jumped it two more times which was exhilarating. My favorite part of it all was seeing the giant waterfall from the top becuase it makes you feel so small and truly appreciate how big and how amazing our God is. After we got back we showered and then headed to the city for the English church service. The pastor talked about letting our beliefs determine the way we live rather than letting the way we live determine our beliefs. I was glad to have my mom there too becuase I'm not sure what she believes exactly and I think it was good for her to be there. On Monday Val and I headed back to the city because my mom had to fly out. Val dropped us at the airport and then ran the errands. I helped my mom do some souvenir shopping, get checked in, and pay her departure tax. After this we sat in the airport playing cards until she had to go. Eventually I met back up with Val and went to the day care for a while. The kids were playing with water which resulted in me getting a little wet but I enjoyed being with them. On the way back out to Zambrano we picked up Tammy and Sarah. Tammy is a good friend of the Schuberts visiting from the States who used to work on the ranch with them and Sarah still works at the ranch. They came out and we stayed up late Monday just hanging out and we canceled the boys school the next day for another waterfall trip. On Tuesday morning right before we left the Schuberts received a call from INFA and they found out that they have a little girl picked out for them to adopt. We were all so excited and the day couldn't have started any better. We went back to the waterfall and did the same routine. I got some really cool pictures looking down the waterfall. After we hiked down to the bottom I climbed to the pool of the giant waterfall again and decided to climb some of those rocks. This time Wes. AJ, Ed, Val, and Sarah made it up to the base of the big one. While they were climbing up I climbed a rock wall to a high point and just sat in the sun worshiping my God in the middle of all His beautiful creation. I of course then decided to jump off of the rocks I had been climbing which was exhilarating and frightening but awesome. After we got back home I went to the property and played soccer with the guys. I didn't score any but I got some assists and had a lot of fun. Today Ed and Val are in the city with Tammy meeting the little girl that they will hopefully adopt and I am home with the boys doing school. The adoption agency said if everything goes well that the Schubert's will have their daughter in as little as two weeks. It was great to see God answer the prayers of so many in this situation and we are faithful that He will continue to be faithful. Please continue to pray for the Schubert's that everything will go well over these next couple of weeks, especially the legal stuff that seems to take forever in this country. God bless.

Getting Out in the Community

This last week was another amazing week here in Honduras. Last week I got out in the community a lot and I really enjoyed it. The boys had school during the day so I used my free afternoons to spend time with people. On Tuesday AJ and I went to the property and I played soccer with the men of the community. On Wednesday the whole family went out to climb a mountain that Val had climbed before. On the way there we stopped and visited Christian's family and Maskol( the 15 yr old girl living on her own). Yanci (Christian's mom) and all of her sons except Christian came with us on our little hike. It was a refreshing hike and the view at the top of the mountain was awesome. I was reminded of how amazing our God is as the Creator and appreciated this characteristic of God that I often forget about. On Thursday Val, AJ, and I went to the property. Val taught her bible study in Spanish, AJ played with some of the kids of the women in the bible study, and I played soccer again with the guys. I was on fire. I ended up with three goals and a bunch of assists. I have gotten really good at shooting at the goal with my head. One of my goals was off my head and I had probably about 15 shots on goal with just my head. And my family said my big head would never come in handy. Friday was more of a lazy day in the afternoon for me. Saturday we had the service at the property so I did my normal routine, I helped with the class of young kids and then played with kids until everyone went home. Yanci invited me over to dinner to their house and I will be going tomorrow to eat and fellowship with them. Saturday night we hosted a surprise anniversary party for another missionary couple in a nearby town. They celebrated their 45th anniversary and I was reminded that God intends marriage to be forever and it was encouraging to see a couple that followed God's will in their marriage and how they honored the vows they made before Him many years ago. Sunday AJ and I went up to the property to watch some soccer games and hung out there all day. AJ and I have been spending a lot of time together and we are really bonding. Val doesn't like all the ways I am rubbing off on him but she says it's good for the most part. Val eventually picked us up and we went to church in the city. The service was good and the message was pretty powerful. The pastor spoke about how we become dull in our Christianity and things to prevent becoming that way. On Sunday night I stayed up late catching up with friends online which made for a good napping time on Monday afternoon after I finished the boys schooling. Today I accompanied Val to the city to pretend to be a body guard. We ran a bunch of errands and stopped at the day care and a preschool near the day care. I got to play with the kids for a little bit at both places which made my day. There is a young boy at the day care who is new and he told the teachers recently that he was abused by his aunt and his mom. His face has marks all over it because his aunt threw a rock at his head and his mom clawed his cheeks. His name is Moises and he can use all the prayer he can get. val is going to report it to the authorities but no one knows if anything will actually be done about it. It is a very sad and heartbreaking situation. On Thursday my mom is coming down and I am excited for her to see what I do and the ministries I am involved with. Thank you all for your support, especially all the prayers. God has been working powerfully in me and through me here in Honduras and I am faithful that He will continue to do so for the next 4 months. Adios and God bless.

Mangoes con Chile y Arroz con Leche

Last Thursday and Friday were both school days for the boys because we are trying to finish their school before I leave for the States on June 24th. In the afternoon on Thursday I went up to the property to join the work team, did a little sanding for the bookcases they were making for the class rooms, and then played soccer with the men from the community. Friday night we all went out to eat at a nice restaurant in the city because it was the teams last night in Honduras. During the school day I accidentally dropped AJ on his head and we believe he had a mild concussion. He threw up a few times during the afternoon but was alright after that. Now he just has a little lump on his head. The dinner was delicious and I ended up eating what other people didn't because they weren't going to take home the left overs. It reminded me of when I was in Belize and for dinner I wouldn't order anything and just eat everyone's left overs. Saturday I ate breakfast with the team because I had to walk Nancy up to the property to join the team for breakfast. After breakfast I went home and rested for a few hours because I was fighting off a cold. I returned to the property after lunchtime to say goodbye to the team. It was sad to see so many familiar faces but it was a huge blessing to have them here. They left but I decided to stay in town so I could be at the property for the church service rather than going to the airport with them. The team made assembled 7 bookcases and bathroom dividers from wood for the local ministry. I left the ministry to pick up our little 4 year old neighbor named Estephanie who comes with us now on Saturdays. We went up to the property and I had to keep explaining to her that Val was in the city dropping off the team at the airport. The service on Saturday was good. Yanci brought me mangoes in chile with out the salt because I tried them the week before and said they had too much salt. Little gestures like that make me so joyful because I know I am connecting with the people. I shared my mangoes with people and helped collect offering. When the kids were released I went to help with the little kids class. After wards I played with my normal crew of little ones. Eventually I walked Estephanie home and then had to walk a young girl named Fiama to her cousin's house where her mom was. Fiama is the girl whose 15th birthday we went to the week before and her family is very close to us so I enjoyed the walk. When we got to her cousin's house she invited me in and I sat and talked with her family for a while. They gave me arroz con leche which is a delicious desert and some candy. I appreciate the hospitality of the Honduran people so much, they treat you so well even though they have so little. I was glad to bond with more of their family and to have extra time out in the community. Sunday I decided to go up to the property because Luis started a soccer league for the men of the community. The games were exciting and I got to spend even more time with people from the community which was very enjoyable. My favorite part was in the afternoon when a few girls came up named Angie and Genesis. They are always at the property and i just bonded with them recently. Angie had a huge attitude with me at first but now she is a sweetheart. They came and sat with me and cheered against the teams I was cheering for just to be difficult. After the games I played some soccer with the girls and then eventually a soccer game with the guys started up. Last night I went to bed early to kick the rest of this cold. Today the boys had school, we skipped the workout this morning cause everyone was pooped and now Wes is doing homework, Val is cleaning, Ed and AJ are at the property working and I'm online catching you all up on my life. I'm sure this next week wont be quite as exciting with the team gone but I'll tell you about it anyways. Adios and God Bless.

Time to Get Dirty and Sweaty

The last week or so has been pretty hectic. The boys had school regularly last week and the work team from one of my home churches in Dixon arrived Friday night. After a day of travel they were wiped out so we did quick devotions and went over the schedule for the upcoming week. Saturday we all went up to the ministry for the church service. I helped Dan Royer with the young boys and the two other classes had a puppet show performed by Nancy and Hannah (more team members). Pastor Mavis preached and Luis(the founder of the ministry) translated. the entire service went well and it was cool that the work team got to see the ministry in action before they began the physical work. On Sunday we all went to the Valley of Angels. The team did some shopping for souvenirs. I left early with Val to go to the day care ministry in the city to set up for a valentines day party. The party went well, many of the children came to celebrate. We had a dance performed by the kids of the sunday school class in the community. We also had crafts and a pinata in the shape of a heart filled with candy that the kids loved to hit with a stick. I enjoyed spending time with the kids and I have been translating for the team members. I am understanding a lot more and can see improvements in my Spanish which makes me happy and encourages me to keep on learning. On Monday the physical work at the local ministry began and the boys and I helped out with the team. The first thing we did was move all the wood that they are using for bathroom stalls and cabinets. Carrying some of the plywood sheets reminded me of the summer I worked dry walling. After we moved all the wood I went to check on the sewing classes for the ladies of the community to see how they were going. I recognized a lot of the women from the ministry and ended up playing with a few kids that were there with their mothers. I also had to make a few trips throughout the day because Nancy got sick and moved into my room for the rest of the week so I returned to check on her and make sure she was taking medication to heal her. After lunch we continued work, but there wasn't much room or work to do because the team was using the equipment and the wood so I went back to the sewing class again and hung out with more kids. We drew pictures with crayons and construction paper and played games. Monday night there was a special meeting at the ministry for men of the community. Pastor Mavis preached on what it meant to be a christian man and Dan Royer translated. Afterward Pepe Royer led an awesome prayer time with the men and it was very powerful. On Tuesday I wasn't sure whether or not I was going to get to go into the city to work at the day care ministry because if Nancy wasn't feeling well I was going to stay home with her. Fortunately she was feeling up to it and I was able to go. We dug up/leveled of the ground to lay cement, put up screens on the patio windows so kids could not throw toys out into the street, painted the inside of the day care, and then mixed/laid the cement slab. The work was physically hard but very rewarding. The kids now have a much safer day care to go to every day. After we were done working we loaded the truck and van and I sat down on a ledge with some kids from the community that live near the day care. A few kids turned into about 10 or 15 who were all related and lived in the same building with each other. I knew one of them from the day care and saw many of them around. I sat and talked with them, learned their names, and got introduced to the whole family. I thought I would only be there for a few minutes but then one of the ladies in the community offered to feed us because she saw our work. We also helped a family of the community move a bunch of brick to a roof to add on to their house. It was great bonding with many people of the community but my favorite part was being with the children and just sitting with them climbing all over me just taking and laughing. One of the team members even asked me if I ever get sick of kids climbing all over me and hanging on me and I immediately said no. I love the joy that kids are to me and how even after a day of hard physical labor they give me so much energy when they are around. After we ate the dinner which the lady from the community prepared for us we headed back to Zambrano covered in sweat, dirt, paint, and cement but all happy with how the day went. Today the boys are starting school back up so I am at home with them while the team is working at the local ministry. I am going to head up there to work when the boys are done with school which should be shorty after lunch. Please keep lifting the work team up in prayer as this week continues and for God to bless the work they are doing here in Zambrano. Adios and God bless.

Falling in a Creek

This last week had its up and downs but it was still a good week. Tuesday I didn't end up going into the city with Val because Ed had to go to prepare things for the work team coming down on this next Friday. Instead I stayed home with the boys and did the normal school routine. In the afternoon I taught AJ about defensive linemen and showed him some drills. Wednesday was another normal school day for the boys and in the afternoon Val and I decided to visit some of the people from the ministry. We visited Maskol, a 15 year old living by herself because of very sad circumstances. Her mother is in the States with her only brother and her father is living in another town with his other family. Her aunts live in town and are supposed to be helping her out but they have turned their back on her. She told this to her mother and her mother blamed her and now hasn't talked to her in 2 months. Now she must support herself but its hard to get work before you turn 18. Val is thinking and praying about ways to minister to her. Luckily she lives next door to Christian's family and they are close and help her out when they can. So we visited both Maskol and Christian and his family and I really enjoyed that time. It was nice to get out in the community and visit. Thursday the boys had school and in the afternoon I went up to the property. This week a dental brigade was at the property offering free dental care so I got to see Christian and his family again. I helped out a little bit with Val's English class then played soccer with the older guys. I didn't score any goals but I had two or three assists. AJ went up to the property with me to hang out and watch soccer. He also helps with the English class. I am happy that he wanted to come outside of the house because him and Wes are usually content with sitting inside the gates for weeks at a time. I would lose my mind if I did that. Friday we didn't have school. We instead went up into the mountains for a dental/medical brigade. The three hour drive each way was hard on the back because the roads were horrible. We got there and Val helped with the medical part of it but there wasn't much for me, Ed, and the boys to do so we decided to go on a hike. We went up and down a lot of trails and eventually found a creek. We followed the creek downstream and pretended like we were on man vs. wild trying to find civilization. It made for some hilarious moments and we crossed the creek multiple times and got a little wet. One time I jumped to land on a rock and completely slipped falling into the creek on my butt soaking my leg. The hike back was pretty hard because it was mostly uphill. Me and AJ were soaked and had to sit for a few hours in the cold soaking wet. Over all the day wasn't really enjoyable other than our hike but Val got to minister to the mountain people and I know it meant a lot to her that we came along even if there wasn't much for us to do to help out. Saturday was a more enjoyable day because we all went up to the property for the Spanish church service at the property and we got to see all the community members who attend. We also brought along one of our neighbors, the 4 year old named Estephanie who gave us bananas when we were working on the road a long time ago. I hung out with Christian and the little guys for a long time and then played a little soccer with the teenagers. Saturday night we sat around and watched Remember the Titans which is one of my favorite movies. Sunday we had a school day to make up for the day we missed on Friday and then went into the city at night for church in English. The service was good and I really enjoy the pastor, he has such a strong faith and it is apparent in how he leads the church. Last night after we got home I played the guitar for a while and then took a book out to my room to read for a while before bed. While I was reading I heard a loud shotgun blast and just kinda blocked it out even though it was close. About 5-10 minutes later I heard it again and went back into the house to ask Val what was going on. We think it was the guard of the tomato fields that are all around our property. The tomatoes are starting to ripen so there is a guard with a shotgun every night. Were not sure what he was shooting at but we are hoping that everything is ok and no one got hurt but we wont know until we talk to the man farming all the fields. After a while I got to sleep and slept in today because the Schuberts had to go into the city to renew their residency. This morning I just checked e-mail and decided to post since I have a day off. That catches everyone up on whats going on here. I'm pumped for the work team to come on Friday because it will be a nice change of pace to work with them. Please pray for the team, Maskol, and for continued protection over our household. Adios.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

One more week down in Honduras and it was a busy one. The weather warmed up a bit but it is still a little chilly. The boys finished their semester with exams this weekend so I spent some time getting their grade reports ready to send in. The lowest grade on any of their final tests was a 90 so I expect that they will have all A's and B's for the semester. I told the Schuberts this last week that I did not feel the Lord was calling me back to Honduras for another year which was hard for me to tell them because I enjoy how close we are all and I wouldn't want things to change. They assured me that things won't change and I was happy to get it off my chest. Last Thursday AJ and I went up to the property and helped Val again with her English class and after wards I played soccer with the young men of the community. Soccer was fun except for the spill I took which resulted in me hitting my left side-butt pretty hard on the concrete field. I woke up the next morning with a nice pain in the butt and the Schuberts went running without me. It is still a little sore today but it feels a lot better compared to that first morning after wards. Saturday up at the ministry was good. One of the 15 yr old girls made me a card telling me that Jesus loved me. I was honored that she thought of me when she was making a craft. I feel like I am connecting with more and more people each week and deepening the connection as my Spanish improves. I have been taking lessons every day on my computer and trying to use what I learn on Saturdays and other times when I am in the community. Sunday we went into the city to the house of one of Ed and Val's friends and we got to watch the Superbowl. It was the first time that the boys had seen it. Wes looked forward to the commercials and AJ wanted to see the game. I was so happy to get to see the Superbowl because I can't remember the last time I missed the big game. I rooted for the Cardinals because they were the underdog even thought they lost i enjoyed how great of a game it was, although that defensive lineman from the Steelers that scored the touchdown at the end of the 1st half should have been MVP. Today the boys started their 2nd semester, which means Wes has one more class on top of the other 5. Today I also started football lessons with AJ and I went over the positions with him and then over offensive lineman drills because he is built like a lineman. Tomorrow we will go over defensive lineman drills. I am looking forward to the work team that is coming from Dixon in a few weeks cause it will be nice to see some familiar faces and work along side them. Tomorrow I will be in the city with Val pretending to be a bodyguard and hopefully getting to see the kids of the day care ministry in the city. I got to see my support from the quarterly report that is sent to the Schuberts and I am amazed how God is continuing to raise up financial support for me here in Honduras. I have already surpassed my goal and now I have freedom to give the extra money away to the ministries or the families of the community as the Spirit leads me. Thank you all for the support and love you all have shown me. God bless.

45

One more week down in Honduras and it was unlike any other. This past week it has been the coldest that it has been since ive been here. In the morning before the sun comes up and during the night it has been as low as 45. Now this may not seem that cold for everyone from Illinois but you must realize that houses in Honduras do not have insulation or heating so there is not a hhuge temperature difference between inside and out. It has moved me this week to be praying even more for the Honduran people who dont have sufficient blankets and sweatshirts to deal with the cold. I am so thankful for the things in my life that God has provided me that I see as necessities but others would see as luxuries. The rest of the boys schooling for the week went well. They are coming up on end of the semester exams so the house should be a lot quiter in the next week or so. We still managed to get all our workouts in this week even though it was freezing in the mornings and that made me proud as a personal trainer. Thursday I went to Val's english class with some of the younger kids at the ministry and watched/helped out. It was fun because I played a game with them to help them with the english alphabet and they eventually tested me with the spanish alphabet. After the class I played soccer with the men of the community and got an extra workout in for the day. On Saturday we went to the property for the church service. We didn't have enough chairs for all the people that came which was encouraging. Christian of course came running to me and jumped into my arms like he does every week and sat on my lap with his younger brother for a while. When the kids were dismissed I went to one of the rooms to help with the younger kids and there were barely enough chairs to hold all the kids. The kids heard a message for Carolina the daughter of the founder of the ministry and then colored. Christians cousin has also taken a liking to me so I helped him color and we talked a little bit. After they were dismissed we all played soccer in the field until church was over. After the service Val wanted to see where Christian and his family lived so we walked them home. Val found out from Christian's mother that a 15 year old girl that sometimes comes to church with them is living inside the house next to theirs all by herself becuase her mom is in the States and her dad works in Tegucigalpa. I was saddened to hear that because it was just another example of how young kids are so often forced to grow up early and miss out on part of their childhood because of their circumstances. Saturday night we went to a local restraunt as a family which was nice. The food wasnt bad, I found a hair in my water glass but didnt tell anyone cause I didnt want the Schuberts to freak out. On Sunday one of the Schubert's friends who is leaving the country came by to say adios and left two dogs here with us for a few months while he finds permanant housing in the states. Duke was fighting with the male dog so we have had to keep them separated and lock the two dogs up at night. The dogs barked all night making it hard for everyone to sleep. We are hoping that the dogs start getting along or it will be a long couple of months for us all. SUnday night we went to church in the city. It was a great service although we missed a portion of the worhip music, which is my favorite part, becuase we were late. We came home and I spent the night checking e-mail and talking to friends online. I really enjoyed that time but it reminds me how much of my heart is still in the U.S. Although I havent told the Schuberts yet I do not plan on staying another year like they would like me to. I don't feel like God is telling me to stay but has He has already shown me certain things in the States that He has planned for me next year. That about catches everyone up. Thanks for the support. I miss and love you all. God bless.

Lots of Tegucigalpa

The last week or so since I've posted has been pretty good. I am deep into a book about spiritual disciplines and I feel like I am growing a ton in my walk with Christ. The end of last week went well. the boys had school on til Friday. On Thursday I played soccer with some of the young men of the community and I scored two goals although it wasn't the same as playing basketball with Garr Bear with House trying to keep score and failing miserably like at the new years party in Dixon. Me and AJ went up to the property on Thursday because Val forgot her radio and we watched a dance that some of the younger girls are learning and we joined in. AJ also came up when I played soccer at the ministry so I am glad he is open to leaving the house more often. I will keep working on Wes and try to get him out more as well. Saturday is becoming my favorite day because we go to the property for church and I just play with the kids until everyone goes home for dinner. Yanci, Christian's mother, keeps talking to me and helps me with my spanish. I have been doing lessons daily on my computer and I am actually seeing improvement so it has been very encouraging. Sunday Val and I went into the city and went to the day care ministry. She had a parent and teacher meeting so I helped two other ladies watch the kids. It was fun and I had a little girl named Ester in my arms who is absolutely adorable. Afterwords we went to an English church service in the city where I am starting to feel at home. The worship was really great on Sunday and I loved the feeling. Monday was pretty low key: workout, school, reading, breaking the record in inkball and devastating Wes and AJ. Tuesday Val and I went into the city again. She was organizing things and speaking to the teachers and I was just hanging out with the kids again. I love how much they love and all their energy even if they stretched me shirt out by climbing all over me. The kids are mostly for single parent household and crave attention so I am more than willing to step in and give them some. Tuesday night there was a board meeting at the day care so we didnt get back until late. Today Val had her womens Bible study in the house with 4 or 5 other North American missionaries. One of them brought their son who is a 10th grader and I helped him with his algebra homework that was confusing. It was nice to help out another missionary kid even if it is only a small piece of his education. My prayers lately have been focused on my future and what will be coming next. I want to follow God in the next step as faithfully as I followed His will when He called me to Honduras. My family has also been on my mind a lot especially yesterday because it was my grandma's birthday and she is still struggling physically and mentally. I pray that God will watch over my family and keep them all safe and healthy. I also pray that God would bless every single one of my supporters tenfold for what they have blessed me with. Adios

He's back!!!!

Sorry it has been awhile since my last post. The internet has been in and out lately so I have spent limited time online. The last week has been pretty good. I have gotten back into the routine of waking up early. The boys schooling is going well and they recieved their 1st quarter grades of all As and Bs. I also brought down some boxing gloves from home and we have been using them frequently. Val loves boxing becuase she releases all her stress through it and she knows i wont hit her that hard. AJ loves it too so we have been trying to box a couple times a week. During the week we had pretty relaxed days as I got used to my regular schedule. I finished another book last and i started another two. This last weekend was pretty sweet. I got to see all the kids at the local ministry and the community members as well. I gave my "shadow" Christian a bears t-shirt ans a framed picture of him and I. I never posted it before but before i left he gave me a stuffed dog and a bunch of apples becuase I tell them all I have apples in my arms. I also gave a bag to his family that had a few sweatshirts, a bag of rice, a bag of beans, boxes of crayons and colored pencils, a pencil sharpener, coloring books, and cookies. Christian's mother Yanci has four other kids other than Christian and she helps every week at the ministry so I figured some gifts for the family would be nice even though they were a little late for Christmas. On Sunday Ed and I went to the championship soccer game in the town to watch for a while before we went into the city for church. It was awesome to see a lot of the people we knew from the ministry and to feel like part of the community. I sat with Christian and his family and we colored in his new coloring books while his mom tried teaching me some more spanish words. He was wearing the t-shirt I bought him on Sunday and it made me smile. It made my weekend to spend time with him outside of the ministry. We stayed for half of the game and then left for the city. We shopped and went to church and got back fairly late. Then the week started up again with the boys schooling. Well that catches all you up on where I'm at. I'd like to thank all of my supporters once again, my paryers are with all of you and your families. Even though u may not have the beautiful weather like I do down here try to see the beauty of our Creator through His creation in the next couple of days. I think naked trees with snow are beautiful and always appreciated God more when I looked upon them in the winter. Adios all.

Pooped but Happy

OK. So I am pretty darn tired but glad I made it back in one piece to our house in Zambrano. The flights all went well and God blessed me with another safe day of travel. All my bags made it down with me even though they didn't have much time to switch over to our plane in Atlanta. I enjoyed my break a lot and it was great to see family and friends. I also was able to celebrate the new year with many of the people that I love so I couldn't have asked for a better break. It was hard leaving everyone in the States again because I knew how long it would be until I saw them all next but I am excited to continue to work in Honduras and fulfill God's purpose in my life for the rest of this year. I will continue to pray about what God's will is for my future and would appreciate all the prayers of my supporters as well. I hope that everyone had a great holiday season and a merry Christmas with their loved ones. Once again thank you for all your support and I pray that this year will be a blessed one for everyone and that God would move in a strong way in your lives.