December 9th update

It has been more than a week since we wrote, so we are now past due! We are getting settled into a little bit of a routineexcept that everyday is different! J The kids will enjoy one fun thing Spencer did. Last Monday night I noticed that of our four chairs with vinyl backs and seats we had one black and one brown downstairs and an identical mismatched set upstairs. I asked Spencer if he would please take the brown one upstairs and bring the black one downthen it would be coordinated and match the black table the computer is onI know, I know, the guys are all thinking that is rather obsessive. But it was bugging me. He was totally cooperative, took the brown chair upstairs, set it down, picked up the identical brown chair and brought it back downstairsI just about died laughing. He couldn't figure out what he had done that was so funny! Oh well, his heart was in the right place.

We have tweaked a few little things in the apartmentadded towel racks and hooks, etc. We are getting one more study table for Spencer and a couple of lamps, but that is so minor compared to what we had to do in Alamosa and Garden City. It is just funny that our apartment here is so much nicer than what we lived in in Kansas. We have to come to a third world country to live in a nice place! Such is life. But we loved Kansas in spite of how we lived.

The contrast in housing here is dramatic. You can't usually tell where the poverty homes are compared to the really nice ones, because everything is behind a high wall and a gate. Also, the homes can be side by side in the same neighborhood. We have been in homes with dirt floors, homes that have concrete floors, cinder block walls and only plastic chairs for furniture (which are carried from room to room). But we have also been in beautiful, elegant homes. It is pretty amazing!

Homes are generally built with either adobe bricks or cinder blocks. If the adobe isn't stuccoed it doesn't last very long because of the long rainy season.

Last Saturday the Limburgs returned with wheelchairs for two young girls in the ward who are crippled. Dave was very sick, so he crashed here at the apartment and we helped Suzanne deliver them. It was a great experience. The 11-year old, Kimberly was able to wheel herself all over and was completely liberated. Vicky, the 2nd recipient, is profoundly retarded and will not be able to wheel herself, but it is a great blessing to the family. In both situations, the family has been carrying them everywhere. Vicky's father and brother attended church on Sundayfor the first time in forever.

We had to find a doctor to see Dave last Saturday night. The one that was available only speaks Spanish. So with no notice at all, I had to grab the lesson materials that Spencer had prepared for out Saturday night class and strike out on my own to the church. He stayed here to give Dave a blessing and translate for the doctor. He also picked up medicine for Limburgs and then joined me at the church later.

I was able to wing it and we had a great class, only I had to make up a homework assignment on the spot. Adult learners are highly motivated and want something to work on at home between classes. Tonight (Tuesday) we each have two different classes to teach, because we have had others start, who don't really have the skills for the ongoing classes. It is getting busier.

Yesterday, we went out to find the less active families or just members that need love and support the bishop has asked us to visit. We hopped on one bus going to the general area. But his route wandered through a neighborhood we didn't recognize. It is in a poorer part of town and we were pretty disoriented. As he was headed back to Chiquimula, he asked where we wanted to get off and Spencer told him on Centraland then we learned we were on Central already. We laughed at ourselves, disembarked and started walking back up the hill. Fortunately a member of the ward was on his way home for lunch, stopped and gave us a ride to the right area, and we observed the buses and learned it has to say not just "Molina", but also either 5a or 8a to go the SW corner of the municipality. We will get it figured out as we explore more and make mistakes.

We also visited a home where a 13 year old young man lives. The whole little area is his extended family. He and his mother are members. He says one aunt and two cousins were also baptized, but they attend a different church now. His mother can't come, because she is the 24/7 caregiver for her bedridden mother and her brotherwho appears to be much older than he probably is. He obviously has some form of mental illness and is blind in one eye. His hair is pretty much shaved off and he spent the entire time squatting on his haunches like toddlers do when they playonly he didn't play. He just sat a looked around. You had to almost step over him to get in the doorway. He had a rope around one ankle that was attached to the side of the house. He didn't ever move from his spot, but it would protect him from wandering off. As you can tell, there are no social services for the mentally ill in this area. It is an incredible burden for the families. I think the Lord will understand why Maribel doesn't come to church. She has no respite from being the caregiverever.

I miss the quietness of the Benson house. It was on a secluded street. Here we are on a busy corner of downtown. Every night in December there is a parade for a "Posada." Part of the Catholic Christmas celebration. It goes right past our house. There are also fireworks going off every night. Last Saturday there was a party going on just in back of our wall, by the next apartments over the entire night longseriouslyuntil 6:00 AM! Long night for us!

However, the up side of being on a busy street, is that we can just step outside our gate and catch a busjust about any minute of the day. And we do still hear roosters in the early morning hoursbut no parrots.

Spencer came and joined me at the class before it ended on Saturday night. Afterwards we had a great cultural experience. We had been invited to the Quinciniera of one our students. It is a big celebration when a young woman turns 15. They spend about as much on it as we would on a wedding reception. She had her mass in the afternoon and the reception started at 5 PM. She assured me that it would still be going long after we finished teaching at 8 PM. Spencer was not enthused about going. But is was only block away from our route home, so he agreed to stop for a few minutes. Diana was dancing with her father and the second we came in they came to greet us. There were probably 50 people dancing and at least 100 sitting at tables eating. Spencer was going to just say hello and turn around a walk back out. But her father asked us to come sit at the family's tables. So we did. I am so glad. It was an incredible cultural experience. There was a cake like a wedding cake that hadn't been cut yet and a table full of gifts (oopswe didn't know enough to bring one, Oh, well!) They had a live band with two incredible marimba players, drums, two saxophones and an occasional trumpet (one of the saxophone players). The dance reminded me of old family reunion dances or ward dances for the whole family in the 50's. The old and young danced together, male and female, girls with girls, fathers with either sons or daughters. It didn't really matter. Everyone just participated and laughed and talked together. The music wasn't so over powering that you couldn't carry on a conversation. Some were doing salsa type dancing, but not all. None of the dancing was vulgar and tasteless. Little kids were trying to jump into the spots the strobe light would go next. They had a catered meal, but we had already started our fast. We couldn't turn everything down without being rude, so we accepted water and/or a soft drink. I couldn't believe the energy of some of the dancerswho were a lot older than either of us! They never stopped. Eventually a man that I thought was Diana's grandfather coerced me into dancing with him. It turns out he was her great uncle and he flew in from the states just three days prior for the festivities. Her dad also works in the states and flew down for the celebration. Diana's mother pulled Spencer out for the same dance. It was fun. And her uncle was a good enough dancer that it was easy to follow himeven though it was a moderately fast beat. Spencer commented that the dance seemed to last at least 15 minutes! I had to agree, but I'm sure our bodies were tricking our minds into an exaggerated number. After that I told Spencer he better dance with me too! We really loved the marimba music. Before we left, Diana wanted a picture taken with us. She really appreciated us coming to support her. Once again I was impressed with how much Latinos (or Ladinos as they say here) enjoy just being together. There was alcohol served, but no one seemed to have over indulged and they had fun without it. By the time we left, Spencer was really happy that we had come. He had a very good time.

My birthday was great. We had given the bedroom to the Limburgs, because Dave was so sick. So we were a little bit delayed in getting to the showers, so Spencer didn't get downstairs to bake the birthday cake. However, Suzanne baked it for me. I had a roast cooking in the crock pot and we had lots of fresh fruit to cut up. We had a nice birthday dinner. Spencer gave me a Guatemalan stable and some nativity figurines. I was able to talk to lots of the kids on our new internet phone number. I also received several email wishes and funny, funny e-cards. All in all, it was a good day. I loved having chocolate cake, because I have been so good and I haven't had any cola drinks or candy since we arrived here. Therefore, I was past due for a chocolate fix. I haven't even seen any black licorice, so I may have to get off of that as wellbut I'm not sure why I would want to!

Today I had my first chance to evaluate a medical problem for one of the elders. I feel pretty overwhelmed by that part of our responsibilities, but the church has provided a wonderful internet resource for medical information. There is also a great mission network. There are mission nurses that are the link with SLC, so they have to approve any doctor visits, since the paper work goes thru them for the reporting. I just have to be their eyes and ears in the eastern part of the mission.

I was glad to get a report on the family Christmas party. Sounds like Ben was a great Santa. Thanks Ben for covering for the Santa who was missing in actionsomewhere in Guatemala.

That brings you up to date once again. I hope everyone is surviving the madness of December. Don't lose sight of the reason for the season. We love the Lord and we are happy to be here.
I will try to put some pictures on the blog.