last group...

i apologize it's been a while since i written last. it's been a really busy week since returning from guatemala last monday. i am currently housesitting for a friend while she is in the States working with the church who supports her for a month. Amber coordinates groups from oklahoma christian university from this end and also works with a church/ youth group here in tegus. her house is located about 10 minutes from the clinic and also where the new mall is being built- it supposedly is the largest mall in central america- but it seems like they say that about every mall down here. house-sitting here is a little different. the landlord denied she owns the house when i had to call her about sistern overflowing. it has gotten so bad that water had started coming into the house. not so pleasant. she is sending someone to fix it today- sometime. she asked me to stay in the house all day since she didn't know a time to tell me. really? that would never go over in the states! the culture/ customs are a little crazy here. oh, well. we'll see if anyone actually comes today. the last group of the summer arrived on saturday. the majority of the group is from furman univeristy. saturday- we packed food bags to give out on the brigades. sunday- they went to pedregal church and the to play with kids at a orphage. i went to la vega church since they were having a special lunch to raise money for the upcoming holiday- Children's Day. it's a huge ordeal down here. block parties on every street. the people are amazed when i tell them that we don't celebrate children's day in the states- since it seems that every day is kids' day. yesterday we had a medical/ dental/ hair-cutting brigade in the community of El Zamorano at the children's home Jovenes en Camino. in the medical clinic we saw around 105 patients. i'm not so sure about the other areas of the brigade since i mainly translated the whole time. it was a good day. there are 2 visiting docs with the furman group from dallas. they are here on a scoping trip about future trips to come to the clinic. today, i am waiting, waiting, waiting.
i don't know what the weather is where you are- but here it is in the middle of raining season. it hasn't been too bad this year so far but i have seen more rainbows than ever before in the last few weeks. have you ever just stared at a rainbow? i can't help but think about God's promise to us his children. i truly know that i am not alone and can't even imagine to gasp at what he has planned- his beauty and his creavitity. it is a sign to me that i need to be the person- the Christian that needs me to be. in this great city, an honest person is hard to find- sad to say- but especially with the brothern as well. it's a sad occurance but it drives me to what to be an example. well, i better go. the freeze went out so i have to go cook the chicken i bought. Dios les bendiga! erin

Back in Honduras

Jeanne and i made it back last night to tegucigalpa, honduras. it was really hard to be at the clinic at 7 this morning! oh, well. i worked all day with areley on the mailing for the nutritional program. with all the changes that have occurred recently, there hasn't been much communication between the sponsors and the clinic. we hope to change that and seeing that i speak english- it's easier for me to write than others! :) i have another prayer request, my uncle keith is gravely ill. please keep him in your prayers. i better run. Dios les bendiga!!!

last day of classes in antigua...

today i wrapped up my last day of spanish classes in antigua. jeanne and i started off taking our teachers (all 4, plus us) to breakfast at Fernando's Kaffee- the absolutely best coffee i have ever tasted in the whole world. the owner fernando says that soon he will start selling it in the states. seriously, the best coffee, ever. anyway, classes went well- even the exit exam went well. if you ever have a chance to come to antigua for classes, vacation, ,or whatever... it's awesome. everyday, we walk about 6 blocks south and 1 block west to school. each morning, we walk down to coblestone street past ruins that date back hundreds of years. i can just imagine what the city must have looked like before in the ancient days. i just visualize the men placing each stone exactly in the place where it lies today. the church ruins stand in half their previous glory. it makes me think about Christ walking through the ancient streets of Jerusalem. It's so hard for me to imagine what the streets must have looked like there- and now. There are parts of guatemala that haven't changed- ever. the people still dress in the traditional clothes indicating what village they belong. in parts, they still carry out theirown punishments for crimes- like public floggings that still take place. there is more culture that is seen here in guate than in honduras. honduras' theme is survival- day by day, hour by hour;here, it is more like a laid back method of living. tomorrow i am heading to the city to stay with nancy for another weekend. have a lovely weekend. Dios les bendiga.

Dia de Fiesta en guatemala

first of all, thanks for prayers for granddaddy. according to mom, he was released from the hospital and is now at home. he evidently went in on friday and hs been receiving RT since. here in gautemala today is a national holiday, especailly for the city and other pueblos (villages/ towns). i went to a small village called Jocotenango this morning to see the Festividad en honor a la virgen de Asuncion. she is one of the patroned saints here who, according to my teacher, on Sept 15 "met Jesus in the heaven." this is also the same lady/saint for whom Asuncion, Paraguay is named. anyway, this is one of the things i do love about central america- culture exploses from the ruins, streets, hillside, just everywhere. well, i have lots of homework since i only have 3 more days of classes. Dios les bendiga.

Prayer Req/ Weekend #2 in antigua

i have a request for all readers of this blog. i just learned that my granddaddy is in the hospital due to low blood pressure and pneumonia. this is my worst fear. a family member sick and i can't be there at the bedside. please pray that he'll recover quickly and easily. i love my granddaddy. things are going well here in antigua. this weekend went by like most- too fast. friday night, poor jeanne had broken her tooth at breakfast, had to go to the dentist friday night. God was really looking after her because the dentista we saw was very nice and professional. saturday morning, nancy came to antigua to pick jeanne and i up. we had plans to veg all day- which of course never happened. oh, the big news near tegus is that a Wal-mart LIKE store called HiperPiaz (translates to High Country)is coming in the new mall that happens to be close to baxter (and that jeanne has named Jeanne's mall). Well, the same store just opened here in guatemala and we went to see it- it's wonderful. everything under one roof and it's owned by Walmart! the prices weren't all that great- but they sure have a lot of things. well, i have homework. Dios les bendiga hermanos.

Week 1 of classes completed

well, i finished my first week of spanish classes today. it's been such a blessing to be able to come to antigua to study and refresh on my spanglish/ spanish. i feel not so scared to speak in past and future tenses. today, i believed God showed me why i am here for another reason other than i had anticipated. my teacher carolina and i took a fieldtrip this afternoon to see some old convent ruins. it's amazing to be in a place where at one time, it was the main city for central america, the 3d capital of guatemala, and some most history took place. there are 52 churches and or ruins at one time here in guatemala b/c the archbishop(? i apologize that i am not familiar with catholic terminology) wanted to go to a different church each sunday. today, there are 15 of these churches being used as churches. there is a very small and weak CoC here in antigua. jeanne and i have been discussing that this would be a great place for some of the baxter boys to come to during PAM or afterwards. anyway, back to the story of today... while my teacher and i were walking through central park after visiting some ruins, we began discussing faith and religion. she told her about her sad childhood of her father dying and mother leaving when she was 11 and having to take care of her 2 younger brothers herself. she told me that she believes in God but has a hard time with going to church and may of the catholic theries (since a preist once told her confession). we talked for a long time and prayed (which the entire time she continued to correct my spanish since technically we were in class). she is the sweetest thing. i just kept telling her that God is love and that He loves her. it seemed to be too much for her to hear. please pray for her and this situation that God will give me the right words to use with her so that she too may know the love Christ has for her. Tomorrow, Nancy is coming to pick Jeanne and i up to hang out in the city. the youth group at the church where she works is having a yard sale so that they can raise money to go to the encuentro (youth rally) at Baxter in September. ohhhh, one more story for today. at breakfast eating oatmeal and milk mush (or moosh here) with some granola in it. jeanne broke her tooth so we spent tonight in the local dentist's office getting it repaired. please pray that she will be pain free and heal without complications like an infection. anyway, i am going to guatemala city for the weekend to be with nancy moon gonzalez. love to you all. Dios les bendiga (God bless you all).

EARTHQUAKE!!!!!!

well, i can now say i have survived my first earthquake. there is an active volcano that has starting erupting in guatemala yesterday and things are just a little off since then. it's relatively hot here in antigua (which usually there is a timid- cold climate all year)and we had an earthquake during the night last night. i was asleep and was woken up when my travel alarm clock fell off the table, and it was the topic of conversation at my school today. weird! while i have so enjoyed being able to study spanish in an incredible environment, i miss honduras, the work, my friends. speaking of HN, there is a massive teacher stike that is still going on now. it began about a week ago and now the US embassy has issued warnings for american not to leave their houses if it isn't necessary since the stike has turned violent. oh, honduras!!!! well, back here in guate, it's been wonderful to see nancy and encourage her and be encouraged by her here in guatemala and go to classes (especailly since i know deep down this is where i should be to learn to better communicate with the people). nancy and manuel are just an incredible couple. they are truly the best example of a couple, joined by God, and serving him together as one. They attend and work with the Iglesia de Cristo Pinares de Norte, a church, due to its amazing growth, that has been highlighted in the Christian Chronicle many time. this weekend, jeanne and i, we think, are going back to nancy's house. God has truly been watching out for us here. thigns have gone incredibly well. we are staying in a lady's house that is so nice and school is going well. i am amazed at how much i have learned in 4 short days that i am anxious to go back to honduras and try it out. have i mentioned that i bought a car? i can't remember if i did. i bought a car in honduras right before i left to come to language school. it was miguel angel's, an employee of Baxter, car. I felt that this was the car that God placed in my lap. i was looking for a double-cab, manuel, pick-up and that is what i got. it was a bit more than i had anticipated by fell that it was the right decision at the time. well, hope things are going well for all. that's it for now... Dios les bendiga.

volcano

I am fully enjoying being in Antigua, Guatemala. It been awesome to have 1 on 1 classes at the school i attend (www.delafuenteschool.com) and living in a local's house that, i think, has the best view in the city. she lives in a house that her family has owned for generation and in part of the city that is the oldest. each morning, i walk out of my door and the Agua Volcano is in her back yard- literally- there is a volcano right outside my door. i will post a picture soon. it's amazing. there are 2 other volcanos in the city that are active that continually spew lava. it's cool. i would so love to go on a hike to the top but sure if i will have time. Classes are going well. i am so surprised at how much i have learned in 3 short days of class. Well, it's dinner time here. take care. erin

Buenas Tardes A Totals!

Jeanne White and i arrived safely in Guatemala City saturday night and have been on the move ever since. We spent the night with Nancy and Manuel and went to church in Pinares del Norte Iglesia de Cristo on sunday. Today was my 2nd day in spanish classes. i already have a headache from the studying and can't image what 2 more weeks of class and homework will bring. hope all is well. things are lovely here in antigua, guatemala. Remember, God is in Control of all!

What a week...

well, after the group from church left, mom, dana, and i played around. we headed to Roatan, a island in the Carribean off the coast of Honduras. It is such an amazing place of God's great imagination on displayed for all to see, behold, and wonder. we were there are 4 days and 3 nights that included snorkeling, laying out, taxi boat rides, eating, and relaxing. After the trip (July 26-29), we returned to tegucigalpa and crashed at my apartment at baxter. Dana left Sunday without problems. monday, mom and i worked on the paperwork for the nutritonal program to be able to send informational phamlets out to various sponsors. Monday night we met Marlen and Marlen Michelle for dinner at Mall Multiplaza (the family i have lived with inthe past). Since Tuesday was mom's last day and since she has been asking, we went to Valle de los angeles. (Valley of the Angels). The valley is where most of the local merchants gather to sell/ trade all the typical honduran things like wooden boxes, pewter, crosses, t-shirts with honduran sayings, etc. i bought a shirt that says 100% GRINGA! by the time we got back, a roit had started on the streets. all 40, 000 teachers in the country have gone on strike due to no increase in promised pay from the newly elected president. it has been a mess. when mom and i got off the bus, i could not find a taxi to take us anywhere near to my apartment. after asking 4 taxi driver and being laughed in my face per my request, we finally got one to take us to a mall to wait the march out. i guess in this case, it pays to live in a place where people don't stay out after dark! the next day, the boycotts continued- more streets were blocked of and more people gathered to march with the 40K teachers for support- the biggest problem for me was that mom was leaving and the airport was blocked off to traffic. she had a nice roit police send off. we parked far far away and walked right through of hundreds guards with their roit gear on and broken off broom stikes as clubs! oh, to be in honduras!!!! i felt very quilty about leaving mom alone at the airport at 11:30 since her flight was at 2:15 but very afraid the march was on its way to the airport and i would have been stuck there until dark which is never a good idea! i visited a friend's grandmother in the hosptial and called it a day. thursday, God blessed me with a great relief. i bought a car. i had been looking with the mechanic Rudis from baxter the entire time i have been here in honduras for a car/ truck to buy. one of the men at baxter was selling his truck, which everyone wanted me to buy, but someone, the preacher of the Mateo church, was going to buy. well, his wife had a differentn opinion. he backed out, i bought it thursday just in time to go to church at kennedy. kennedy is where the english will hopefully eventually start as well as the church that brentwood hills supports. friday, i gathered all my things to move to another apartment. there is, evidently, some other gringos coming to baxter soon who need the "visitors apartment." oh, well. i'm sure God has a reason. my new apartment is just bare naked. there isn't one cabinet, drawer, table, mirror, hot water, or anything on the walls. that's the honduras i remember. after packing and moving all day, i went to one of my favorite places here in honduras- Pricemart (it's like sam's or costco- honduran style) with my friend amber from missouri and an OC grad. she has been here for 2 years and coordinates brigades from OC and all over. she's awesome at her ministry. SOOO, that leads us to today, right now i am sitting in the airport in san pedro sula, honduras waiting to board my next flight to Guatemala, Guatemala. Jeanne White and i are going to Antigua for spanish classes to be able to communicate better with the locals. AND, the fact is, i need to learn more tenses then present tense and more conversational spanish than medical lingo. this week has been nice to have free. i only worked some in the mornings in the clinic since the census is so low (it's the calm before the storm of dengue season) and the fact that i am leaving for guatemala for 2 weeks today. well, all, in conclusion, i hope all is well with your souls. Baxter has signs posted all around that i love saying: God is in control. He never makes a mistake. His timing is perfect. i truly believe this. it's been an adjustment coming back to a place that i already know but am having to learn about it again. i don't know if i was thinking that things would be the same as when i left or what, but i know that i am where God wants me to be at this moment of time in my life. there is a reason why "Mr. Perfect" or not-so-perfect hasn't come along. God has other plans for me and it is so much easier for me to see that here than in the states. here the theme is survival; there it is improvement. it's easier for me to understand what God was talking about with the camel passing through the eye of a needle here than thrown into a world to excess. my goal is heaven and to expand his kingdom by letting others know about His love and sacrifice. i think i am rambling on now, i am not sure if i will have internet in antigua so this might be my last post for 2 weeks. hope all is well! Dios les bendiga!