Las Delicias

…continued from our December newsletter.

As we shared with others about our experience in Las Delicias, we usually got the same response.
"You went into Las Delicias?"  "I've heard it is dangerous."

We got scared. So we continued our search.  We went back to communities we had written off.  We explored communities we'd never been to.  But something kept drawing us back to the children and the chicken coop house of Las Delicias.  Eventually, we went back.  Then again.  This time we talked with people and even toured the streets with them.  We left with phone numbers of community leaders.  Later I (Adam) met with those leaders and discussed our hopes and prayers for Las Delicias.  We returned with our children and were introduced to the community.  A crowd gathered to hear from us and to express their desires for their community.

Las Delicias is one of the largest communities in all of La Ceiba.  In all, there are more than 1,200 families which could equal as many as 10,000 individuals.  We will focus our efforts on one of the poorest and least served parts of the community consisting of 315 families.  Many families have 8 to 10 people in the home.

We are excited to get to know and serve the people of Las Delicias.  Please pray that God would lead us in building relationships across language and cultural barriers.

Community Search

Our official role with Mission to the World (MTW) and Team Honduras is church planting.  We are searching for a community with the purpose of building relationships, discipleship, and identifying a national to be a pastor  to his own community.  Our team has already identified three nationals in three communities in La Ceiba.  Church plants are underway!

                                                        Pastor Jesús in Armenia Bonito

Pastor Isreal with our team leader, Mike in Danto

Pastor Ovidio with our teammate, Mike in La Fe

We started our search with a broad tour of La Ceiba.  We drove through close to a dozen different communities that were possibilities.  From there we have prayed and talked and prayed and talked some more.  We have narrowed it down to 4 or 5 communities.  This week we are out in communities interviewing leadership (business owners, school directors, and patrinatos (think "mayor" of the community)) to understand each community's needs and if we would be welcome.   

 "We believe that God's grace, demonstrated to us in the radical love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, has the  power to transform our world.  Our mission is to build church-planting movements, whose energy continues to grow far into the future, long after we may be gone  to transform our world. Vibrant, nationally-led churches around the world will grow and multiply, transforming the culture around them."

Mission to the World's Vision Statement

In Joy and Sorrow

This week has been interesting, to say the least.  We are suffering some culture shock, without a doubt.  The poverty here will challenge anyone's worldview.  I have shed some tears in utter disbelief of what I am seeing.  And there are plenty of things here that are just plain different than our own culture AND the culture of Costa Rica where we just spent a year.  Our children's adjustment is just as confused yet vital as ours and takes some time and care.  And then, I could make a laundry list of things have have been less than pleasant, the top of the list being our house being broken into again and all our Wii games stolen. (Yes, someone came over the razor-wire fencing and robbed us through the bars that protect all of the windows.)  Some definite sorrows in the mix this week.

There have been some joys, too.  The main one being we continued to search for a community in which to start a ministry and the Lord was faithful in helping us see clearly.  We still have some leg work to do to narrow it down but are thrilled that we are moving in that direction and closer to making a decision.

We don't have to look hard to see the blessings in all of it.  There is evidence of growth in our marriage through hard things and conversations as well as the fun and new adventures, too. The strengthening our faith is produced through the perseverance of the less than desirable circumstances. We are becoming versed in how to love our children better.  We are also learning how the Lord loves the poor and more of His perfect character. 

It's not hard to realize that we had such an easy life in the States and how I couldn't see that then.  I watch pictures flash by on my screen saver and know we had so much nice stuff, so much comfort, so much ease. Safety is relative but it seemed like we had that, too.  I know it was not in vain to give it up, not for loss.  I know we are here in His perfect time for His purpose.  I have more verses posted around the house as idiot reminders than I did before.  I have to because otherwise my sinful mind and heart forget and go back to the easy, the "safe," and the comfortable.  

God is indeed good.  He is my home. He is my fortress. He is my treasure.  I want to treasure Christ more than any Wii game, than any earthly possession, than any stability, than any certainty of my children's safety, than any ease that I sometimes crave.  This week, I am seeing and worn down by the fact that there is a cost. But that too is ok because Christ bought me with the greatest cost.  He suffered 
more than I am suffering for.  

Where People Go To Die

There was an article in the newspaper today about our local hospital.  Hospital Regional Atlántida serves our city of La Ceiba as well as the surrounding area for a total of approximately 1.2 million people.  The hospital conditions and resources are deplorable.  The locals refer to Hospital Regional Atlántida as "where people go to die."  The six operating rooms have been contaminated by dirt and water.  The hospital is void of medication including things as basic as acetaminophen.  Doctors are so tired of the conditions that starting Friday they are only attending to emergencies and patients previously admitted.  Selective surgery and outpatient procedures have been suspended indefinitely.

Please pray for our medical teammates that serve in clinics throughout the city (Nurse Erin, Doctor Roger, PA Renee).  Read about Clínica Árbol de a Vida, a medical clinic run by our teammates.

Please pray that action would be taken quickly to bring this hospital up to an acceptable level.

Prescription for acetaminophen because the hospital does not have any.

People in the waiting area.

Calendar Girl: A Tale of Cultural Differences

Exactly two weeks ago today, Monday, September 2, 2013, we were registering Jacob at his new school.  I had sat through a day of classes with him and concluded that this was the school that would fit our needs as well as Jacob's.

We got home and realized we didn't have a school calendar in the mix of papers and still had a couple of questions. No problem.  We'll ask tomorrow.  Here's how the riveting conversation went:

Michelle: "Ms. Sanchez, we didn't get a school calendar.  Do you have one or should I ask the office?"
Ms. Sanchez: Ummmm, you will need to talk to the Preschool Principal."
Michelle: "Perfect. Thanks. Have a great day!"

I kissed Jacob goodbye and walked across the schoolyard and popped my head into the principal's office:

Michelle: "Good morning!  I was just talking to Ms. Sanchez and she said I could get a school calendar from you."
Principal: "A school calendar?"
Michelle: "Yes. With the start and end dates of the school year, holidays, Christmas break...??"
Principal: "Well, the teachers have calendars.  They are the only ones who receive calendars."

Amidst my shock and horror, I convinced myself to breathe. No calendar. Spasms. In my quick thinking, I mustered up the next question:

Michelle: "But how will I know when there are days off?"
Principal: "Oh! Don't worry!  We'll send a note home letting you know!"

Note: I may have a physcological problem when it comes to calendars.  I might be a little OCD when it comes to organization and dates.  The first thing I did after I unpacked our bags was take this beautiful pristine whiteboard at the house and turn it into a calendar and a menu plan. When I met my husband, I would go into convulsions at the the suggestion of going and doing something without making plans first..."but it's not on the calendar." I might also be American. 

Sure enough, we received the following note from Jacob after school on Friday, September 13, 2013 stating there would be no school today, Monday, September 16, 2013 OR tomorrow, Tuesday, September 17, 2013.  Nevermind it's dated Thursday, September 12, 2013 which would have given me 4 days notice instead of three. Also nevermind that the information is one sentence/the second paragraph:

The moral of the story: I should probably chill out.  I will chant what they taught us in cross cultural training, "It's not weird, it's not wrong, it's just different."  This calendar thing is definitely different for me.  In Costa Rica, when you made plans they would add, "If the Lord allows," or "If God wants."  Another phrase was, "What if it rains?"  This always brought James 4 to mind, so I'll leave you with that:

James 4:13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 

Independence Day

Today, September 15 is Independence Day in Honduras.  To celebrate, Jacob's school held a cultural fair yesterday (Saturday).  Each class represented a different department (province) of the country.  We had a wonderful time learning about our new country, sampling foods from different regions, and meeting students and parents.

Asher & Jacob in traditional hats

Jacob in carnival mask in front of an exhibit

Honduran Flag

Exhibit of the Bay Islands

Exhibit of another Honduran department

Student in traditional dress

Typical food (fish, plantain chips, rice & beans, cabbage salad)

Garifuna musicians and dancers

Jacob with some classmates

We Found It

After a rigorous school search, we found a school on Friday that we thought fit our/Jacob's needs.  Jacob has spent the last year in a 100% Spanish speaking classroom (minus his 30 minute English class everyday).  He thrived and his teacher was even using him as a translator for new kids about half way through the year.  We knew we wanted Jacob to continue learning Spanish but we kept finding some bumps in the road with private schools here in La Ceiba, Honduras that are "100% English...even on the playground."  The staff at our favorite find gave me (Michelle) permission to sit in on class that we perceived Jacob would join.  That was today.  We are pleased that this school and class seem to be a good fit for Jacob.  He jumped right in this morning and is ready to go back tomorrow morning...decked out in his new uniform!  Enjoy the rest of the story in pictures: 

We did our best to match the PE uniform today which should have been navy blue sweats and a white shirt.  This is the only white shirt Jacob owns.  And brother doesn't know he's not going to school yet!

  PE uniform (yes, long sweatpants in the Honduran heat)                             Regular school uniform

 

My first ever overseas bank transaction. I paid for Jacob's schooling. And spoke real Spanish.

 

The bain of my existence today: Jacob's school supply list.  Let me tell you a little something about Latin American craft/school shopping: you buy things individually...like 8 googley eyes, 3 pipe cleaners in every color known to man, 4 sheets of cardstock in these 5 colors, 3 huge pencils, 4 white erasers, 2 boxes of paper cups.  Seriously, spent an hour and a half with one of the employees...because you don't get to shop for itemized lists like this by yourself! <insert loopy Michelle cackle here>

Adam organized all the important documents for the schools records.  And of course, you can't miss out on this awesome flyer of the school supply shop!

And MOM FAIL: Apparently Jacob had tarea (homework) and I found it in his backpack tonight as I was reloading it for tomorrow morning.

Welcome to Honduras!

We arrived in La Ceiba on Tuesday.  It is wonderful to finally be here with our team, staying in our teammates’ home and getting to know our new city.  Everyone is healthy and happy.

*If you are my parents, my grandparents or my in-laws, stop reading now.

We were burglarized Tuesday.

Our boss, Mike picked us up from the airport and brought us to the home of some teammates where will stay for the next couple of months while they are on furlough in the U.S.  As we got settled in the house we began to notice evidence of burglary.  Someone had broken into a large storage container in the backyard, they cut the screen on an enclosed patio to dig through some footlockers, and then they cut away PVC pipe to get at the water pump.  Thankfully, they weren’t very successful.  The storage container was securely locked on both sides so the lid couldn’t fully open, preventing them from taking all but the smallest items, the footlockers were already empty, and we must have arrived while they were attempting to take the water pump because they abandoned the job in a hurry.

The next day they came back.

We were away from the house, having dinner with our team and a short-term team visiting from the U.S.  When we returned home, Michelle thought the hole in the patio screen looked bigger.  Sure enough, the next morning we found that they had dug through the storage container a second time and had checked the footlockers again.  They also moved the cover off of the water pump but since it had been completely repaired they didn’t bother trying to cut it out again.

Being burglarized our first TWO days in Honduras might have tempted us to call it quits if it hadn’t been for a few things:

1.  Our team responded.

They didn’t marginalize the situation but came to our defense in a big way.

Our boss hounded the property management company to repair the water pump damage and had our water back up and running in a day and a half (oh yeah, we were without water our first day and a half in Honduras).  This is really quite amazing because in Honduras it would usually take several days to get this repaired.  After the second burglary, Mike arranged to have guards at the home 24 hours a day to send a message to these thieves and to make us feel secure.

Our teammates who rent the home contacted us from the U.S. to apologize to US for having to go through the experience.  They also arranged to change all the exterior locks on the home.

The rest of our teammates have all been supportive, compassionate, and loving through this.

2.  We expected this.

We didn’t expect something to happen our first hour in country but we knew this was possible.

Honduras is known for crime.  We have been preparing for the worst in coming here.

3.  This is why we are here.

People are in need.  And the thing that they need most is the best thing we are able to share.  Jesus.

I have been forgiven much.  And for this, I am able to forgive and even love those that sin against me.

-Adam

Raisin' Cains

The first thing I looked up on Google maps when we knew where we were moving to San Jose, was the location of the nearest hospital.  In all honesty, I looked it up for Asher who was then only 10 months but already showing signs of thrill-seeking.  Today, Jacob won the race and was the first child in need of stitches.  I knew the day was coming.  I thought I was ready.

I was sitting in my grammar class in a post-test haze when the secretary of the preschool knocked and requested that I come with her.  My first thought was "WHO is it? Jacob or Asher?"  and shortly after that, "Oh dear God, today was swim day for Jacob. Please Lord, let him be alive."  (Mom brain assumes the worst.)  In Spanish, she told me "Jacob has been hit by another student in the chin."  I asked if he had cried and she told me he had.  I asked if he was ok and she responded with, "We want you to come see him." Yeeeeeah, that can't be good.

Jacob was sitting in the office and he started tearing up when I walked in.  His chin was bleeding and then he looked up so I could see a nice puncture in that soft part of your chin close to your throat.  My first evaluation was that it wasn't that bad.  I've definitely seen worse as a teacher and my days as a certified nurse's aide.  I was just going to take him home and slap a band aid on it.  Then, one of the office staff told me they had called the paramedics.  "¿En serio?" was all I could mutter.  As I hardly contain a single ounce of the gift of mercy, I thought this was straight up crazy.  He's totally fine.  It's not even bleeding anymore. (And side-note, my kid ran in front of his friends swinging, got kicked in the knee, and scrapped his face on the concrete.  Surprisingly, they don't have a verb for that in Spanish.)

The paramedic marches in and unlike the staff of our language school, he speaks Spanish at a normal, unforgiving, unintelligible rate.  I kept up with most of it and he definitely thought Jacob's wound needed stitches.  We moved up to the doctor's office at our school and he has me explain to Jacob in English that he is going to get a shot of anesthetic in the chin before he makes two, maybe three stitches.  The sight of the needle sends Jacob into a frenzy. "Is that a needle? What's he going to do to me, Mama? I wanna go home!"  I convince him he needs to be brave just like when he gets vaccines.  Jacob is relunctant. He won't lay down and the paramedic barks that I need to be brave because kids never agree to the shot and stitches.  I held his arms and legs down as the paramedic gouges the needle into his little fleshy chin, Jacob screaming all the while.  I shouldn't have watched. The room got really hot.  AND by this time, school had let out and my kind friends are traipsing in and out of the office.  Doctor friend to make sure he's ok. Friend to tell me she'll go get Asher and take him to her house. Friend with my backpack who has called Adam and told him what's happening.  And that's when the room starts spinning.  I am also sweating like I have never sweat before.

"¡Siéntese!" yells the paramedic and shoves a rolling chair under me. He then digs through his bag and rips open something equal to smelling salts. "¡Respire!" he hollars.  Even in the midst of nearly passing out, I think "He just used 'sit down' and 'breathe' in the command form of third person singular, usted."  All this studying is affecting my brain. I stand up to go throw up in the bathroom.  I come back and he tells me to sit down again.  By this time my pharmacist friend has entered the room and is attempting to assist the paramedic in the stitches.  Feeling stable, I stand back up to help hold Jacob's hands and legs down (because he is still freaking out) right as the paramedic stabs Jacob's hand with the terrible stitching needle as Jacob reaches for his chin.  Blood everywhere. Screaming kid. Faint Mommy. No stitches.  I excuse myself to the bathroom and come back composed.

Jacob is refusing to lay back down. He's screaming and panicked and no smidgen of reason is going to affect his resolve. The paramedic insists we get this done.  He warns the medicine is going to wear off and he is going to need to administer the aenesthetic another time.  Me sharing this with Jacob only sends him into complete conniption. So I do the only thing I know to do and ask him over his screaming if we can pray. He says yes and calms as I say a quick prayer.  He lays back down with the understanding that I will pray the entire time he is being stitched up.  My friend holds his head, I pin his arms and legs down, and the paramedic stitches. I don't have a clue what words are coming out of my mouth while I am praying but Jacob is laying there with his eyes closed, listening, not moving.  After the first stitch, it's obvious that stitches were a wise decision for the gash he had acquired.  Somewhere in there, Adam shows up and takes my friends place holding Jacob's head.  The paramedic finishes, cleans Jacob up, gives us instructions and we leave to collect missing backpacks and children.

Jacob bounced back to normal pretty quick, wanting to run all the way home.  Mom was sick to her stomach and hyper on adrenaline for almost the entire afternoon.  Tonight, Jacob shared that this was the worst thing that had ever happened to him.  We seized this conversation as an opportunity to share truth: 1.) God is always with us.  2.) Even when things are scary, we can trust the Lord. 3.) God is capable of using our ugly and seemingly bad situations for good ... Jacob is currently keeping an eye out for how the Lord is going to use his experience for good!          

My medical Spanish is non-existent. Gained some vocabulary today.  He's not impressed.

My poor baby after putting up a good fight.

                                                                           Two stitches!

Turn Your Eyes

In one of our pre-field trainings, we were encouraged to "find something you are good at" during language learning.  This advice was offered because language learning is hard.  I would say it is one of the hardest things I have done in a long time.  The proposal to find something you are good at was simply counsel against discouragement in the language learning process.

In the midst of the beating that Spanish is and in the search for something I am good at, I have made some discoveries.  Here are the things in which I am thriving:

1. Being an insufficient wife and mother
2. Judging those who don't agree with my theology, political views, or culture
3. Self-righteousness
4. Burning and ruining meals at a new altitude and with crazy hot dysfunctional oven
5. Ruining the game of volleyball for everyone who plays on my team
6. Not keeping up with friends at home.
7. Offending people in my mother tongue AND a new language (ie. being a jerk)
8. Making excuses
9. Writing encouraging blog posts (sarcasm is really my mother tongue)
10. The list goes on and on.

Looks like it is a nice self-depricating list however the benefits of it's recognition have outweighed the sorrow of discovering such things.  I recognize that in my inadequacy, sin, weakness, Christ is adequate, perfect, and strong (2 Corinthians 13:9). I recognize that when I don't know what to say or do or pray about my shortcomings, I have the Holy Spirit who lives within me and intercedes for me (Romans 8:26  ). And I recognize that His grace is sufficient for all my insufficiencies (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)! 

So in trying to find something I am good at, I have found I can only turn my eyes upon Jesus, remember that He is strong in weakness, and that I should be trying to find Him and be like Him instead of any goodness or ability in myself.  AND if I do find any goodness or ability in myself, it is from Him anyways!

What Will We Eat or Drink?

Tonight a small face was wedged between the bars of our gate peering in through the open front door.  We were sitting at the table eating dinner and I knew we were being watched.  I (Michelle) looked up from my homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich to connect with the little face outside only to see him jump out of view. My attempt to make eye contact had been evaded.  The next time I looked up, I could only see the back of his head...a personal weakness when it comes to my own children.  Something so sweet about that cute little hairline.  I know it's weird.  Our 11 year old neighbor was sitting on the ground outside our gate with his head leaned against it.  Adam asked if we could invite him in for dinner.  He didn't hesitate to accept the invitation and gobbled the meal right up.

Every week we have at least one person bang on our gate and request something.  Sometimes it's money, sometimes it's dry uncooked rice and beans, sometimes it's a hot meal, other times it's a diaper or a shirt or some shoes for their child.  This was peculiar in the first month or so we were here.  So unusal in comparision to our experiences in the United States.  I also struggled in the beginning because it seemed to me like we had just given everything up...all our belongings now fit in 10 duffle bags...what could I possible have to give that I didn't need myself.  At any rate, over the last 9 months the Lord has continually humbled me and brought His truths to mind whenever someone shows up at our gate and we can provide a very basic need for them.

Truth # 1: God loves us. (1 John 4:7-12)

Truth #2: The Lord provides exactly what we need every day. (Exodus 16: Manna)

Truth #3: I need not worry about anything. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Truth #4: When I serve others, I am serving Jesus. (Matthew 25:31-46)

How's Your Spanish?

For the last 8 months we have been attending the Spanish Language Institute in San Jose, Costa Rica. Since The Institute is Biblically focused, missionaries from various denominations from around the world attend. Classes are small, approximately 10 students per grammar class and 5 per language class.

Our typical school-day runs from 7:30am – 12:10pm. Afternoons are filled with tutoring appointments and conversation practice with neighbors while we take turns caring for the boys. In the evenings we have plenty of homework and studying.

The big question is, with two trimesters completed and just one left to go, What Have We Learned?  This can be a difficult question to answer as language learning is a process but we think we’ve found some practical examples of our progress.

	When we first arrived	Now	We Have Yet to Achieve
Conversation	We could converse in broken sentences using some verbs but only in the present tense.	We can converse in complete sentences using many verbs in present tense, both past tenses, and future tense among a few others tenses.	The ability to tailor our vocabulary and style to our audience as we do in English.
Translation	We consulted the Spanish/English dictionary multiple times each class.	We are ready to start using a Spanish/Spanish dictionary for new words.	The ability to serve as an oral translator at a social or professional function.
Reading	We would read the newspaper headline, understanding some words and maybe the main idea.	We can understand every word in the newspaper headline, read the article and understand 95% of what we read.	The language level where we can read in Spanish for pleasure.
Music	We would hear songs in Spanish and occasionally catch a few words that we recognized.	We hear songs we recognize in the grocery store…and can sing along!	A broad vocabulary.
Church	In church we had to listen intently to catch the book of the bible being preached on or risk being completely lost the rest of the service. We often had to look at the Bible of the person next to us to find out which verse was being read.	We understand the book, chapter, and verse as it is announced. Sometimes the old lady who sits next to us misses it and asks us which verse.  We are able to respond to her in Spanish with the correct answer.  We can also understand the majority of the sermon.	The ability to discuss the sermon at length as we are still learning to express opinions and back them up.
Spiritual Life	We could pray memorized prayers.	We can pray briefly, tell simple Bible stories, and tell how we became Christians.	The language level that would allow us to counsel another person.