Introductions

So, I have had it in my head for sometime now, to collect photos of all the people in our life here and introduce you to them, but that OBVIUOSLY isn't going to happen because I will never remember to take my camera half the places I need to. So here's what we've got.

The gringos. Some of us think there are “bastante” of us in this city – others say “pocos”... but the great thing is that since we all blog we can all stock each other's lives... and now YOU can too. First there is the MTW group (the missionaries we originally stocked to get here) they consist of the Pettengills, Mcanns, Servinghauses, and Jamie, Josh and Andy. Of course I have no pictures of the Servinghause boys playing soccer over here the other night, or of the interns teaching ESL this morning, or Erin Pettengill improving her tortilla making skills over a homemade outdoor oven this afternoon, nor of Lindsy Mcann and I taking turns nursing our babes (4 and 6 mo.)... but trust me they are a great group of people and for proof you can check out this slue of blogs.
http://pettengillmissionaries.blogspot.com/
mccannsinhonduras.wordpress.com/
cosmocam.blogspot.com/
severinghausfamily.blogspot.com/
www.pettengillmissionaries.org/
laceibamissionaries.blogspot.com/

There is also this great gringo couple within a stone's throw of our house (I think I'll make sure and try to chuck a rock in their yard right after this). They are working at a Bilingual school here and are patiently awaiting the arrival of their firstborn... and you really should check out their blog... and buy a bonsia tree while you are at it (karineandtom.blogspot.com/). I have no photos of them but I do have this handy photo of our grill which we found in the garbage on their street, salvaged it, bought a refrigerator rack grate for it, and have used it four times this week...


Then there happens to be a Baptist Mid-missions couple down the road from us. He is a native to the Bay Islands and she is from Arizona... they have been here forever... and the night they came over from dinner they brought another missionary who has been working out in the jungle for 20 years... we are sure we have much to learn from these couples... but sadly the are a generation to early for the blogging thing

Beyond the gringos, yes can you believe it, there are Hondurans here! And really nice ones at that.



This is Claudia, I buy my vegetables from her almost every day. Someone said she might be a bit more expensive than a few other stands... but I don't care... she talks slow – real slow – and she shows me her calculator after she says the price, and she laughs with me – not at me- I think.

This is “Jaun or Jorge or something” Loius... I buy my tortillas and cheese from him... he's nice... he talks slow too... and his cheese is not SUPER stinky strong... and he likes me to come to his store.


This is Carla.... she has been Jarod's teacher for 2 weeks. I like her, in the afternoons she gives me full reports on how he has been doing :)... he also had Leslie... but like I said folks... the camera – it's hard to remember.


Then this is Saira and Glenda. Saira is the Garifuna, which is a people group comprised of the descendants of wrecked slave ships I believe... they have a very unique culture and she is – to say the least – a very unique woman... but she talks slow and she says she uses bad grammar so I can understand her better... she talks like an idiot in mostly present tense - so an idiot can understand– so I like her. Glenda has been my substitute teacher and she is young... fun... and she doesn't talk really slow but she has offered to take me and my family out to some island's in her grandmother's little fishing boat... I think that is what she is telling me... it sounds great... but kind of scary... small fishing boat... big ocean... really fast Spanish words... but I like her anyway.


Then there is Rafael – he runs our school. He talks to me REALLY slowly... and he always asks about my kids and what he can do to help us here in Honduras... he should be the country's head of tourism... He is exactly the kind of guy you want to meet when you get to a foreign land. He has kids... they have a “lightening McQueen” so – it's all good. And here is a photo of our school's sign...





Then there is Blanca, and her son Alejandro. We met them at a soccer field – because where else would you meet someone in Honduras? Alejandro is 6 and Blanca talks REALLY slow... and she knows some English – So I cheat a lot with her, and well, we love them... you'll hear more about them, I'm sure.

You will also be hearing more about Jude's teachers... I don't know what to say about them right now... right now they are just really worried that he can't use scissors and doesn't color from left to right...



Then I have Belky and Wilma. Belky wants to learn English so we have coffee some mornings while our kids are at school and talk ½ and ½. She says, “I can understand you because you talk slow.” And I said, “I know.”
Wilma, is another neighbor and she does NOT talk slow – I have no idea what she says to me EVER – except she really likes me, my haircut, my baby – my baby is so cute – like a doll – like a perfect something – like me – but not like me, and she loves to exercise because it keeps her young, and once she gets thin she wants to cut her hair like mine... so much so that she took me to her beauty shop to show them my hair – and I have no idea what those ladies said either – because they did NOT talk slow. But I like her – she's crazy. I know this – I know it is not just the language thing - because when she accompanied me to get vegetables and cheese, Claudia and Loius both looked at her like she was nuts – and they have never looked at me like that – and I talk like a 3 year old.

Speaking of nuts. Our landlady is Dona Petra. And well... I get the distinct impression that even if I knew this language I would not understand the woman... but she likes us and we REALLY like where we live. And pretty much I think she is just like my mom... and Jesus must know that I need someone like that in my life at all times, I don't know why – but I guess I do. Thank you Jesus, for Dona Petra.

Not just because we like our house, we like our neighborhood. Jude is surrounded by kids. To the left we have Pamela... who was easy to get a picture of because she is here every day... with Dona Petra lives her granddaughter Deborah and 2 mo. Old grandson Eli, who has Down Syndrome, and may just be the happiest little baby in the world, and then to the left we have Merci and her family... who speak really good English... so good it is annoying... and they are so nice it is unbelievable.


And then down the road we have Dona Berta, who used to be Chrissy's host mom – meaning she gets paid to take care of some gringos. But she has decided to take care of us for free. This widowed woman in her late 50's takes care of her 4 children who live in her home along with their significant others, children, friends and any dogs that they might bring home – apparently. As well as caring for any number of gringos who might live with her... oh yeah and she has time to show me all the best places to shop and DRIVE me to a laundromat after my clothes mildewed in the rain last week. Have I mentioned she is amazing? And that I don't have a picture of her?.... yet....

Of course I could go on and on all night to include the 9 mo. pregnant woman who made us lunch today over her handmade dirt BBQ, or the whole family that makes piñatas which I pass every day on my way to school, or the lady who runs a “quick-shop” type thing out of her front yard and who gives us rides when she sees us walking in the rain... but I won't...

But here is the moral of the story... befriend a foreigner today, talk slow – talk like an idiot – only using the present tense and lots of hand motions... and it will make Jesus very happy :). oh and don't give their kids UNENDING candy... that makes Jesus very sad... I think... I am not sure on that one – but just don't do it – it's not nice.


Can you believe we have been here more than month? This is how we are doing....