It Was So Hot...

With temperatures at or above 100 degrees this week and the humidity is hovering near 90% it has been one of those times where you just gotta say....ughh. Sleeping under three fans with no blankets...change clothes in the middle of the day...cold dinners...carrying sweat rags all day.

Pictures don't do it justice, but let's try:


These mountains are a mile away and that is not clouds or smog...it is humidity.


No chance of rain...just blocking the sun.


This is our shower...turned on full blast.


This is how Max spends his day...tongue out and on the tile.

It is supposed to cool down in a couple of days...for Max's sake let's hope so.

Update

Saturday we brought in a group from the States for a conference, Advanced Medical Leadership Training - it's the same training I went to last April in Mexico - when the swine flu broke out - but they've promised not to let anything nearly as exciting happen again this time :-) They will have lecture/training all week - then finish up by putting on two medical clinics. One will be in a community near where they are staying. The other will be in Armenia Bonito - where we are ministering.

In the middle of this we are house shopping for our new team mates, The Clows, who will be arriving in 8 days! It will be awesome for them to be here - but they will certainly hit the ground running! Find a house - fully furnish a house - prep for teams - assist with our pastoral training conference - then the teams arrive! No rest for the weary - but they are SO raring to go and we are excited to have them :-)

Parasitic Worms Clinic

On April 23, 2010 we hosted a parasitic worms clinic in Armenia Bonito. We provided prayer, evangelism, parasite education and deworming medication to 121 people.

Watch this 2 minute video to see the blessings:

Enjoying Honduras

Honduras is a beautiful country! It's hard to believe sometimes, I'm only 10 minutes from the jungle. My friend Denise is here, so I couldn't let her time go by without experiencing a treck through the jungle. We hiked for the better part of 3 hours to experience an incredible waterfall.

The beginning...



some incredible scenery along the way


filtering water. We didn't pack a lot in because we knew we would have plenty of sources of water. So we filtered water - Madison really had fun.


Some beautifully entwined vines


The waterfall was too huge to get in the picture


Madison's triumphant return "back to civilization" after 3 hours of hiking.

Girls Day - April 18, 2010

On April 18, 2010 we took 13 girls from Armenia Bonito to a day out on the town. Erin, Madison, and our friend Denise gave them lunch, washed their hair and took them to a hotel where they swam in the pool and played on the beach.

Watch this 1 minute and 45 second video to see the fun:

Friends

People ask us all the time, "what do you miss?". The EASY answer is oh - Peanut Butter M&M's, Nutter Butters, Chevy's - you know - those comfort food kind of things. The HARD one is friends and family. Because if you say it out loud, it makes it more "real". It reminds you that yes, food is fun, but friends are different. You can't fill an empty belly with the loss you feel from friends and family. So once in awhile, we have the privilege of sharing our home with a visitor from The States.

This week we are hosting my friend Denise. A few years back I went on a medical mission trip to Egypt. We all met up in Amsterdam - for an 8 hour lay-over. What to do in Amsterdam? Well - LOTS to do. So, I met this woman for the first time in Amsterdam on our way to Egypt. This is where I knew she was a pretty cool cat! I dragged her all over looking for Geocache's. She had no clue what it was, but along with me she went. We had a blast! From that point on we knew there was just something about this friendship. We met up again for some training with our mission agency. Small world. She came to visit us in Costa Rica for a week, and now she is coming to Honduras for the week.

So for a week, my empty belly will be filled with good food and good friendship :-)

What's Cookin'

So...if you haven't guessed...I've been on this cooking endeavor. And this was BEFORE the movie Julie & Julia - honestly - living in a 3rd world country I don't even know what most movies are, or what they are about anymore. Funny thing is - Julie & Julia just came on TV last night - so I got to watch it :-) Ideas are already running around my head...

Well, there are two main web sites I go to for my culinary inspiration. I went to one of them yesterday and the most amazing cake recipe was there. I was intrigued....I thought - it's NOT possible to make this cake taste good. I just don't get it. So - the challenge.

I went to the store to purchase said ingredients, came home, and set about my task. I was also trying to multi-task and prepare another cake for the next day (a home made carrot cake for a birthday), and prepare tomorrow's dinner as well - one of those - the longer it sits the better it is kind of thing.

So I made it. I smelled it and thought - this will NEVER work! Even Julia Child can't make this come out right...

But it did...

And what is it you are asking? It is Tomato Soup Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. EWWWWWW......disgusting......revolting.......

Actually? It tasted like a very moist spice cake! It was fantastic! Has lots of yummies in it - you can include raisins if you want - I opted not to this first time. But it was a joyful surprise! I honestly couldn't even taste a hint of the tomato soup - I think the combination of ingredients, the chemistry of the additives, etc. just combine in the most perfect way to make it joyful to eat. Bottom line - it's a MUST try for you - and if you keep the primary ingredient a secret until after it's been eaten, you will have some incredulous people! I will make it again! I TOTALLY want to post some pictures of this masterpiece, but the photo loader on Blogger isn't working, and neither is it working on Facebook. I'll keep trying so you can see what it looks like.

Cooking continues

My dear friend Mindy, gave me an incredible Christmas present many years ago. It was a cookbook of her tried and true recipes, in which she printed off, enclosed in plastic page protectors, and beautifully decorated with stickers, sayings, etc. It is in a 3-ring binder with the idea to add as you go. Now, I have other cook books in which I've written down recipes (I HATE to do that), or have even tried the index-card type recipes, but oh are these cumbersome! So, instead - I find a recipe, print it out, cook it, eat it, get approvals from all around - THEN if all those things are met - I place it in a new plastic protector, and THEN it makes its place into "the cookbook". I've received recipes from friends, I've tried MANY recipes - and I'll just say it - many don't make the "cut". So, many years have come since I received this treasure, I've tried many a recipe, and I have finally come to a point where I might just have to expand to a bigger binder! I've filled it up - and GROWING! I LOVE it more than I think my friend even knows. So - don't be a hater - but I think I've got the BEST cookbook around!

"The cookbook"


The beautiful inserts Mindy gave me (beneath them are the "wanna be's", that haven't made it yet)


The creamy chicken enchilada made without enchilada sauce (can't find any in Honduras) - will see if this makes the cut!


The homemade English Muffins I just made today - these DID make the cut :-)


Update: The enchiladas DEFINITELY made the cut! Mike loves everything I cook (he's so easy to please - thank goodness) - he told me twice that he loved them, and Madison told me that I have to make them again really soon! :-)

Soccer Tournament - Copa de Armenia 2010

On April 10, 2010 we hosted an all day soccer tournament for 40 boys from Armenia Bonito. We bussed them to an indoor soccer facility in La Ceiba. Each boy played at least four games, received a Bible message and free water and snacks. The winners received trophies and new soccer balls.

Watch this 3 minute and 40 second video to see this great event:

Clinic

Today we had our clinic out in the village. Saw some pretty sick kids today. One with probable pneumonia, another with a pretty bad urinary tract infection. However, with our free clinic with free meds they were able to be treated. We saw over 50 people today and prayed with every single person. It's such a blessing to us to be able to treat our friends in Armenia Bonito. This picture is a new family that came today and heard about our free clinic. Mom with her many children :-)

The man in the red shirt in the back is the Honduran doctor who has been volunteering with us at our weekly clinics.

Work project in Armenia Bonito

We are continuing to have people out in the village working on our property. It is so exciting to see the wall going up, people being employed, and the future site of our ministry work! It's exciting times indeed!!!

Please see my husband's blog for further details.

Easter 2010

We have read in many a mission book about the importance of embracing the new culture you are living in. However, it is also stressed to remember and continue in events and activities and traditions that are important to your home country and your individual family. Easter is one of the traditions that we continue to celebrate. The obvious primary reason is for the honoring of our Risen Savior! We will have "gringo" church today where we shall sing traditional hymns, then attend a local church for Easter Service.

Yesterday Madison and I dyed eggs, she opened her door this morning to an Easter Basket, then today we did the hide and seek of plastic and boiled eggs. Afterward, the tradition deviled eggs were made from the boiled eggs. Happy Easter everyone! He is Risen...He is Risen Indeed!!!

Completed project



Ready to go hunting...


Max even helped out by hiding an egg under his collar :-)


Opening her eggs to find her stash :-)


Deviled eggs from the boiled eggs.

Boys Day Out March 31, 2010

On March 31st we took seven boys from the poor community of Armenia Bonito out on the town in La Ceiba. We played video games, ate pizza, heard a Bible message and attended a professional soccer match.

This was a unique experience for these boys and rare opportunity for them to get out and enjoy themselves.

Watch this 1 minute and 45 second video to see the boys having a great time: