School Supply Drive

The Honduran school year runs from February to November which means that the new school year here is getting ready to start in the next few weeks. This past Saturday in the community of Armenia Bonito due to generous donations of both supplies and money to purchase supplies our team was able to give out school supplies free of charge to about 500 kids! Below is a short video.

Crazy month of celebrating

Its been a while since I blogged, mostly because its been so crazy around here. Y graduated from beauty school and is doing her 'practice' at a salon and C finished her first semester of university and passed all her classes. We took Y and some special invited guest out to dinner to celebrate and she was overly grateful for all of the beauty themed graduation gifts she received. 

We interviewed 2 new girls in the weeks before Christmas too. One has moved back in with her boyfriend and is no longer interested and the other, S, we are still waiting to hear from. She is 14 and is 3 months pregnant. Be praying for her and for guidance.

Then on Christmas day we were able to have both girls and babies along with some other friends over to our house on Christmas day. We opened presents, cooked sweet potato casserole, chicken, rice and gravy, and other goodies, and just spent the day playing board games and watching Christmas movies. J got a doll and stroller that she is now attached to. Anytime she leaves her house she has to bring her 'daughter' along:)

J opening a gift while her 'daughter' watches close by

Then came the new year. Y and little J spent new years with us while C took W and visited some family out of town. We went to the river and spent the day swimming (have I mentioned I live in a beautiful country with both beaches and mountains with awesome rivers nearby).

The beautiful river in the mountains near the city

So, as you can see, its been a crazy past few weeks here in La Ceiba:)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Yesterday was our final Kid's Club in Armenia Bonito before Christmas, so, of course, we celebrated! We had some of the children act out the Christmas story, complete with props and costumes.

The angel visiting Mary

Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem 

Mary, Joseph, the Sheppard, Wise Men, and the angel gathered to see Jesus

All of the cast gathered for a picture after the big show

And of course what Christmas celebration would be complete without a craft....

All the excitement wore this little guy out...

....and this one too

Honduran sights for the day

So today several things happened that had me question where I was. Most days its just my life so I don't really realize when things are a little different than in the States. Today however...
1. Saw a sign today for a "Black Friday Sale", yep in English and in a country that doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving yet they are going to have a day-after-Thanksgiving sale??
2. Heard in a department store an elevator music version of the Prince song "Purple Rain"(again hmm....)
3. We were checking out at the pharmacy today when my phone ring so I handed Y the wallet to pay, thinking she would take some cash out and pay. I return to see that not only has she used a credit card that isn't hers but she is signing(and by signing I mean printing) the receipt...with her name?? Neatly written on the signature line of the receipt, under where it has printed Shannon's name, is Y's name.
4. We were at the pharmacy to buy lice treatment, which they sold us, but they don't sell the comb to go with it...you have to go to small corner store to find those????

But its on days like this when the car breaks down with both Y, C, and another girl in the car and we spend the whole time waiting on someone to come and rescue us laughing and joking that I have to stop and think, is this really my job? I love my job!

Special outing with the boys

My new best friend Alfredo

Saturday we went with street boys who are a part of the Peter Project on a special outing. The boys have been learning a series of 5 verses that tell the story of the gospel through the rainbow. Black is the first color and the verse is "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23, the verse for Red is "For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus." Romans 6:23, and it continues you get the picture. The boys who memorized all 5 got to participate on Saturday. We went out to eat at Pizza Hut and then afterwards rented a field and played soccer for an hour. It was a real treat for most of the boys to be able to eat out in a restaurant.

Fernando, Alfredo, Christopher, and Ramon at the soccer field 

With Fernando in Pizza Hut

Louis praying at Pizza Hut

The boys pray after playing soccer

Ramon who comes to the Peter Project with his 3 brothers Chele, Alfrado, and Louis

Little Louis who is 9 memorized 3 of the verses and was able to participate in the fun!

Model for the day

Today Y had exams for her beauty school. I got to be her model. So off to school I went with Y today. We get to the gate of the school and she shows her school ID to get in, the guard then looks at me and says, "What about her?" Y responds with "Her? I don't know her! She's just some 'gringa'" After some persuasion and leaving my ID with the guard we were in. She wet my hair then blow-dried it and straightened it, what a feat! She did an awesome job! When I was raising support to come to Honduras I could have never imagined what I would be doing when I got here. I also would have never believed when I was in language school that I should learn how to say "straighten" or "dye". The Lord is full of surprises!

A Day of Firsts

So today I drove in Honduras for the first time! Shannon says to me, "Today is a great day for you to drive because I think all the lights are working" (as in all the stop lights in town, yes folks that's a rare thing. A stop light we go through daily was out for several weeks when it went out.)
Another first tonight: I was at Puerta de Esperanza and little J comes running through the house yelling, "Jenny, Jenny, Jenny". Today is first time I've ever heard her call me by name. She is developing such a little personality and is less of a baby and more of a little girl every time I see her.
 Little W was being super cute tonight too. He wanted a sip of my water, so I was trying to get him to do sign language for "please" (you rub your hand on your chest). He watched me with a "you must be crazy" look for a few seconds then rubbed his hand on MY chest, not his. He then looked at C and I confused when we were laughing at him.
Continue to be in prayer for my relationships with these girls, for C and for Y. That language wouldn't be a barrier and that I would be able to show them grace and love and most of all more of Jesus.