Baby Shower

My Friends from South Carolina, Julia and Tammy, decided to have a baby shower for Xiomara (Due in Dec.) and Keidi (due in March) while they were here.

With the help of the women from their women’s bible class at church they were able to purchase many needed gifts and throw a really great party.

Now as you can imagine these women have never been to a baby shower. They have never even heard about a baby shower and had no idea what was going to happen.

We decorated the church with the typical streamers and balloons. We prepared a table full of finger foods, lots of fruits and veggies as well as some special items. Strawberries dipped in chocolate, punch, whipped cream and a really yummy cake.

The women came in and sat in the places of honor. They were really surprised and overwhelmed.

We played a few games, guessing how many M&Ms in a bottle
Congratulations Also

Drinking out of a bottle, Xiomara finished hers first.

And guessing how big around they were. Katrina got Xiomara right on and Johanna guessed Keidi.

I am horrible at games and didn’t win any of the games.

The ladies opened all of their gifts; they received diapers and pins, blankets and toys, diaper cream. Tons of the baby things they we all take for granted when we become moms. They also received baby carriers. It is a very thoughtful gift as they both have small children they have to hold on to, and of course they always have something to carry, dirty or clean clothes to take to wash in the river, buckets of water to carry, wood to cook with, they always have their hands full and they will now be able to carry the baby as well.

Jen and I went in together to buy the ladies a nice robe and gown. Xiomara didn’t even know what it was until Evelyn told er it was for the hospital and to wear when people came to visit. Can you imagine not know what a robe is? They were very appreciative and excited to show them off at the hospital.

Katrina gave them both nice little gifts of clothes and she also remembered to bring something for the soon to be older brother and sister. A big Care Bear for Suani and an alligator that roars for Alexander. They really liked them.

The day ended with a piñata that the ladies had a great time hitting. Even Xiomra with her 8 month pregnant belly got into hitting it and grabbing the stuff that was falling out of the piñata onto the floor.

The day ended with smiles and laughter and it was a great positive way to spend times with our friends. Sometimes it is just wonderful to laugh and have fun with these women that have become our friends. We work with them everyday, but to get to be friends with them is an extra bonus.
Later Xiomara was crying as she looked through all of her gifts. She had never ever imagined that her baby would have so many really nice things. She has never had anything so nice. God always blesses her.

Lespi and the school program

Lespi is a sweet little girl that most of you have either met or read about. Her mother Inez is a street sweeper making $50.00 per month as well as taking in laundry.

Lespi has two older brothers and two younger sisters and a younger brother. She is eight years old.

Her two older brothers do not go to school and are past the point of going to a public school. At 12 years old you can not expect a young boy to enter a kindergarten class. But Lespi at eight years old desired to go to Kinder. She talked about it and saved her pencils and paper for when she started school she would have stuff.

Last year due to the donations of South Trail church of Christ we were able to purchase her uniforms and school supplies. I would see her everyday in her little uniform and back pack walking to school, sometimes I would see her running to school because she would be taking care of the little ones and would be late to head out. She had to walk about 45 minutes one way, by herself everyday to go to school. She had to still help with the family plus do her homework without any help because her mother can not read or write.

She just graduated this past November. She did wonderful on her test, even scoring perfect scores on one of her test; everything else was scored in the 90’s. Her mother was so proud of her! She cried and cried and she has carried Lespi’s schoolwork to show everyone how smart her daughter is. The papers are getting quite ragged and tattered but she still carries them, rolled up in her bag to pull out at a minutes notice to show everyone.
(Belki and the baby Carolina)
She is ready for Lespi and her younger sister Belki to start school this fall. I am praying for the funds ($50.00) per child to come in for these two little girls. I pray that they have the opportunity to get an education so that they will not be sweeping the street for $50.00 per month.

Chicken Feet

Yes chicken feet are an edible part of a chicken.

I know that you may not believe me but it is true.

Chicken feet are really cheap here, (I know, can you believe it!)
Well as you know our budget is tight and we work diligently to find ways to cut cost, but still give the children something they like and something nutritious. We search high and low and spend a lot of time shopping at fresh markets and buying things in advance and stocking up when they are on sale, just trying to be good stewards of the funds entrusted to us.

Therefore chicken feet. They are really cheap and the kids really like them. I mean whenever I see them I am always like: Jen can’t we spring for wings this week? But so often the funds are just not there so feet it is. I have to be honest I have never tried them. I know that it is a chicken but I just can seem to lift that foot up to my mouth and suck on a toe like all the kids do. They make fun of me and tell me what good food I’m missing but……………that is just one of the pleasures of Honduras I will have to miss out on. Just can’t do it.

Well we have had a few brave souls that were willing to bite the bullet or in this case the toe. Katrina has tried them and she claims they taste like chicken (heard that before) and Jen was force fed one but I think she only got a little sauce on her and didn’t actually eat feet.

I had a couple of friends come down from South Carolina to work and make a CD for us. Well Tasha decided as soon as she saw the big bag of frozen feet in my truck she was up for giving it a try. Now her Mom, Tammy was another story and wasn’t even sure about Tasha trying them.

But Tasha has a strong will, and really, when is she likely to get the great opportunity of having chicken feet again. This could be a once in a life time experience she remembers and treasures or feels nauseous over for the rest of her life.

After the ladies prepare them by first removing the toenails (yep they have toenails and you have to remove them before you serve them) they boiled them in this red tomatoes based sauce and served them over rice.

So Tasha grabbed a bowl along with Katrina and Bryan and jumped in with both feet. Ha-ha just a little foot humor. But she ate it, yep she really did, this is not trick photography and I have witnesses that will testify.

She said they were alright. Kinda like chicken. (Heard that before)

What will you be having for Christmas dinner?

I know it's a little early as we have two days until Thanksgiving but here they do not celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in on everybody's mind.

So anyway back to the question What will you be having for Christmas dinner?

Turkey
Ham
dressing gravy
mashed Potatoes
sweet potatoes
corn casserole
green bean casserole
cranberry sauce
deviled eggs
relish tray
rolls with butter
pumpkin pie
chocolate cake
candy
fruit pies
Christmas cookies

I am sure I have left out a few things and maybe even your favorite.

This year at the Kitchen we will be serving an arroz con pollo with tortillas. This translates to rice with chicken. It is very good and the children really enjoy it. It has carrots and green beans in the rice as well. It is one of our favorites and it is something that the ladies can cook ahead as they have the day off and it will only be me, Alora, Katrina, and Elizabeth.

Yes it is hard and makes for a long day with only the four of us here to serve almost 200 little ones but it is a day that is very rewarding and the best way I know how to spend a Christmas day. Serving those that can not help themselves.

We also are planning once again to have the great treat of CUPCAKES with SPRINKLES!

Well as you know this cost extra money. We usually have two or three chickens in our Arroz con pollo. Just imagine two chickens to feed two hundred kids. They get the flavor of the chicken and literally the ladies pick out one small bite of meat per child.

So what I am asking you for is to help us splurge on Christmas dinner. We want to buy 6 chickens so that each child will get some for dinner and of course we want to make cupcakes.

We are asking for donations of about $100 to make Christmas special for the children and if we get more then it will be even better, maybe we can spring for coke. They love coke.

So if you want to really help make Christmas dinner one to remember this year please consider helping us out. We do not have it in the budget for anything special and we would love to make this a special day.

ALSO***What are you doing this Christmas? The week between Christmas and New Years? We would love to have any one that is willing to come and risk having the most amazing Christmas ever. I can not guarantee your heart won't be broken and that you will not rethink a lot of the things in your life that you consider to be important. The children have nothing to offer but themselves which they do with their whole hearts. You will receive numerous hugs and kisses and maybe a few dried up flowers. You will also receive the blessing of knowing that this Christmas you gave a gift that was invaluable, your time. Come and make Christmas Merry for a terrific bunch of little ones.

Just let me know.

BOBYes this is an opossum, it has been "invited" into the house twice now by the dogs.

The first time it jumped up as soon as I put the dogs in another room and ran out of the house.
The Second visit it decided to look around for a while. I was laying in my bed reading when I noticed that the dogs were really excited and running around and jumping on and off the bed. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and went to stand up when I noticed Bob.(Katrina named him, after all he looks to be a frequent visitor and she thought he should have a name to go by). WEll I pulled my legs up and started screaming. Katrina ran into my room and ask what was wrong so I pointed out the little ball of fur. She ask if it was dead. I didn't know but I wasn't getting out of bed to check. At that minute one ear popped up which sent Katrina up on my bed and me into screaming fits. I called for Jen and Bob got up and started to look around my room. Alora put the dogs in her room and Jen ask what I wanted her to do. Well I insisted that since she was from Tennessee that she was more qualified to ask Bob to leave. She looked pretty sceptical after all Nashville is not exactly a mecca of wild animals. I did manage to convince her to be the fearless leader in ridding our home of Bob. She and Katrina armed themselves with pool cues and tried to encourage him to leave.

I am sure that he was terrified. But he decided to make a bathroom stop( I don't blame him, I know how hard it is to find a decent bathroom in Honduras) Alora thought about helping but ended up running and sitting on top of a chest.



He finally got tired and just strolled out the back door which I quickly ran and locked. I tell you what I can do without late night visitors!

One man's trash is another child's treasure……….

The other day a huge truck came out to Mololoa and dumped a load of trash down the side of the mountain. Now this is nothing unusual. Trucks of trash will just pull up, back up and dump.
After the truck comes then the children come. They scurry down into the trash and begin collecting anything of use.
They all collect wood scraps, tin, concrete pieces; wire any thing that might be of use to their family.
You see the littlest children sitting and watching their families "pile of treasures" as the older ones make trips back and forth to their homes.



Wednesday I was out in the community and it was two days after a trash truck had come but there was still a group picking through the remains of the trash. They had their little hard hats and great big smiles.

I passed out some candy and we talked for a bit about how lucky we were that the trash truck had come and dumped all of this good stuff.