Birthday blessings

It was a joy to celebrate my birthday with such great friends. I went out to Rio Esteban (village across 2 rivers) with Lindy on our motorcycles. We went to meet up with 2 other friends for a lovely lunch on the beach with my favorite Honduran food of pastelitos. It was lots of fun.

Me, Delmy, Lindy, and Karla

Lindy and I on motos getting ready to make the 20 min trip back across the 2 rivers

I had a special dinner with more special friends. We had schiskabobs with chicken and potatoes and chimol (like pico de gallo), and beans. The best part was that I didn't have to do anything...the guys cooked for us ladies. It was a fun night filled with lots of laughter, lots of pictures, and lots of fun.

our chefs

Diana, Calix and I

a little silly dancing fun while waiting on dinner

Diana and I with Jenalyn

showing off our beautiful schiskabobs

Planting and Celebrating

Well...still settling into my new house...trying to make it my own. I have planted banana trees that are just starting to grow...some are recent plants and others I planted shortly after I moved in. I am excited that within about 9 months I will have my own fresh bananas.

Couple weeks old

About 2 months old

The other day I brought clippings from rose bushes at the hospital home to plant in pots to then transplant later. When I arrived 7 boys from the children's home met me on my porch. They helped me plant the flowers, but told me that I was going to have to water them...they know I never give water to the porch plants I have now that were left by the previous family. It made me laugh. Then we shared a papaya I had ripening on the front porch.

Hopefully one day these will produce beautiful pink roses

Today we celebrated birthdays. My birthday is the day after Veronica's, so we celebrated today together. The lab employees had a cake ordered and made for us. It was special. We got this picture before Veronica broke down and cried. She is very emotional now after the death of her husband several months back. I went with Calix to visit her yesterday and bring her some birthday brownies. She was telling us all the stuff her husband used to do to help her that now she

 is left by herself to do. She had some men from the church help her change the roof (thatched roof) on her house yesterday, so her house was a mess when we arrived. It was a privilege to help her clean just a little. (She wouldn't let us help too much.) Please continue to pray for her healing.

Veronica and I about to cut our cake.

Finished projects

As a follow up to my May 2nd post:
The first of the 3 Sunday School rooms is finally done and in use. We had a small dedication on May 5th and immediately put it to use. This room is used for Sunday School, Women's Bible study on Monday afternoons, church meetings, and youth meetings. So, now 1 down and 3 to go. :) It cost us about $750 to build this one. We are starting to raise money for the other ones. We will have a church yard sale on June 1st to help raise money as well as doing other fundraisers.  If anyone wants to participate in the raising of funds for the other two...donations are welcome.

First classroom

Follow up to Nurses Station Addition:

The floor finally got put down today on the nurses station addition. After a month of the nurses working in the addition without flooring, they now have it as of today.  Mike finally found the time to do it with one of his guys. It looks great. The toilet I am sure will follow shortly. :)

Mike and Rene laying down the floor.

Mother's day

Mother's Day we celebrated at the church with prayer for the moms and little goodie bags. They were also invited back to a dinner that night at the church. The kids made cards in Sunday school to give to their moms. We had about 23 moms for Mother's Day this year...which is about double the normal attendance.

Lilian who made a card for her mom.

Doli...received various cards from her daughters after Sunday School.

I spent Mother's day split between Calix's family (lunch) and my Honduran family (dinner). I helped make tortillas for the big barbecue that they were having that night for dinner. With 20lbs of meet from the cow they slaughter and 6lbs of maseca for totillas...it was quite the feast. Was a joy to spend that time with them.

Lindy and I with her nieces. 

My Honduran mom and sister.

Church in Margarita

Monday night I had 10 kids (ages 7-14) from the Children's center in my house for dessert night. It was a blast. They stayed about an hour. We had a delightful chocolate cake that I had made. I had promised them cake on Sunday at church, but their wasn't enough, so I made them their own cake. We had lots of fun eating cake, sharing stories, singing praise songs, and sharing scripture verses they have learned at church in Sunday school. I am so glad to see that they are hiding God's word in their hearts...such a joy to see. :)

Kids from Children's center in front of the church

I love taking the kids from the Children's center (an orphanage associated with the hospital, I currently live on the same property with the Children's center) to church with me. I have to use a borrowed vehicle to take them. One day, I know that God will provide me with a vehicle to go to church in and bring the kids. 

We have currently been working on a project at the church of building new sunday school rooms. We have what are called little champitas that are made out of tree trunks and palm branches...but now we are building out of cement and tin roofing. They will last longer and won't have to be replaced every 3-4 years like the kid we have now do. I went out to help last Thursday and this Tuesday with building. It was fun to work together as a team, sweat together and eat lunch together.

front view of new classroom

side view of new classroom

So...now we are just missing the roofing and the first of the 3 Sunday school rooms will be done. When we get the money for the next one, we will start building the second.