Adventures of rainy season

Yesterday I needed to get to town to submit my residency paperwork to the Immigration office before I leave for the states next week. Well, after rain all night, there were no buses passing, not many cars either. But, the Pirkles decided we were still going to try to go to town. I was thrilled because eventhough there was lots of rain, I really needed to submit my paperwork. We stopped about halfway to the paved road where there usually is no water...and this is what we came to.

Dr. Vance trying the water to see how deep and strong the current is.

We were not brave enough to try it until 2 other cars passed through. We waited at least half an hour.

Yeah! Once past this and another about a mile up, we were off!

So, got to town and got my paperwork submitted for residency. So, it's official. I am a Honduran Resident. Now just waiting on the card...which could take months with the new change in government this month.

My temporary paper showing I am a resident.

After hearing that another missionary turned around not being able to cross a river, we didn't think we were going to be able to get home either. Much to our delight, the river had gone down and was passable when we arrived. Home safe and sound and ready for the states next week with Residency paperwork in hand. God is so good!

baking cake

I had a wonderful afternoon today with my friend Veronica. I taught her how to make cake and she taught me how to use an oven made of mud with wood as the heat. The mud wood stoves are more common than a gas stove here, especially where we are in the campo (fields-middle of nowhere) and in the mountains. We got her oven fixed with a little door a couple of weeks ago, so today after about a month and a half of talking about making cake, we finally did.

Cake is in the oven

Veronica with her first homemade cake

The kids were so anxious to try it!

Finished product. :)

Please pray for Veronica this month. This time last year her husband was murdered in San Pedro Sula and we all walked through that tragedy with her. She has done so well this year and really beaten many odds. At first she was so depressed, she wanted to die so she could be with him. Then she finally realized this is not what her husband would want or what the Lord would want. She fixed her house back up, and moved back in without her husband. She has put a new thatched roof on her mud hut, put in a cement floor, and payed her two kids way through school last year. 

Now she is ready to start making cakes for her kids birthdays, etc. She was thrilled to learn how easy it was. It was a joy to spend a Sunday afternoon with her.

Visit with Osiris

Last Thursday I went to visit little Osiris during their 2 week vacation for Christmas. It was the day after Christmas and I wanted to bring them their little Christmas presents and see them one more time before they headed back to the capital of Tegucigalpa. I went with my friend Deyni, a medical student, who is studying in Tegucigalpa and met them there. We played, chatted, and prayed with the family.

Osiris in her princess dress that she went and put on specifically to show me. :)

Osiris with little sister, Dilcia, and little brother Hilber.

Osiris has more stuff animals than she has had in her life...she
decided to show them all to me by piling them up in my arms.

My dear friend Deyni and I. Osiris took our picture. :)

Osiris' family.

It's amazing to see how this family has grown. There is so much joy. There are lots of toys. There is lots of love.  As a family of 7 (one not pictured), with only the father working when he finds work, this father has struggled to provide for his family. Deyni said to me when we left their house, "What if God just wanted to use this experience to bless them? They are stronger, they are more loving, and closer to the Lord. The kids also have more toys now then they have ever had in their entire lives. There was a sack full of toys and stuffed animals. Even the kids know they have been blessed this year.