A little taste of home….

So today was our day off. I know what you are thinking ‘One days work and they are already taking a day off?’ Every group that visits We went to El Flor De Campo and took a tour of God’s Littlest Lambs School. This school is part day care, part school. The school is considered private, and a luxury. However, because the public school system doesn’t carry a ‘regular’ schedule, this school provides an academic year schedule. The teacher’s union for the public schools is very strong and the government doesn’t always pay the teachers. When the government doesn’t pay the teachers, the teachers go on strike. The children could be out of school for weeks or even months.

Below are pictures of our group standing on the soccer field and playground that they had worked on in years past.






Team picture....yes, that is me, way out to the side....









Our teens on the bridge of the playground that groups in the past helped to build.




After the tour of the school, most of the group went to tour La Cantera. La Cantera is extreme poverty and can hit a person extremely hard. There were a few of us who chose to stay behind because of the devastation. When the group returned, you could see somber looks on the faces of the visitors.








Our teens enjoying a little taste of home in Chili's....with a Spanish menu!




After the visit to LaCantera, we decided to stop at a medical supplies store to purchase crutches for a young boy in LaCantera, one for Anna Marina at Santa Buena Ventura, and a neck brace for another child. We also visited the pewter shop where Amanda, Bonnie, Renee, and Karen had quite a lot of fun stocking up for the art auction in November. Alex managed to find a Pewter Oscar, so he is now working on his acceptance speech.

We then found a Chili’s where the adults traded with the youth. We would eat lunch at Chili’s if they would go to bed at a reasonable hour (and by reasonable, we mean, like 11 versus 1).
After Chili’s, we went to Valle of the Angels. The way there was an interesting drive. And when I say drive, I mean more like race. Let me put it this way, if you come to Honduras for whatever reason, hire a driver. Don’t try to do it yourself. You won’t make it!

According to a t-shirt, these are the driving rules of Honduras.
1) Blind curves are ideal for passing
2) Use horn in all situations
3) Green light signals start of the race
4) Red light means watch out I’m coming through
5) All garbage goes out the window immediately
6) When driving at night use at least one headlight must be out of order at all times.
7) In all city driving situations, jungle rules apply.

Bonnie, Amanda, and Karen had a blast loading up for the auction here as well, and looks like we will have a great auction this year! The girls got matching “100% Gringo” shirts….Don’t ask….I don’t get it. Update on 4/15/09: Sam explained it to me....I get it now. Thanks Sam!

Tonight, we listened to Suzy talk about how she got the LAMB institute started. We combined with the other group staying here. It was shocking to hear the human (more like child) trafficking statistics.

We ended the evening with a discussion about La Cantera, and our general feelings overall. It is interesting to me that our kids can’t wait to get back to their iPods at the end of the day, but the kids we are here to visit and work for don’t even know what an iPod is. They are happy to have food on the table.

Tomorrow and Thursday we go back to work at San Buena Ventura.

Hope you are enjoying the pictures!

Signing off from Honduras.