Developments (B)

I guess the first development I should speak of are the political developments that are taking place here in Honduras. I really have no idea what is going on – but I hear that the President was detained by the military and moved to Costa Rica. I don't know – of course there are so many details – and floating opinions. I plan on googling a news article and reading it later. You might find it interesting too. Whatever happens - don't worry about us.. NOTHING ever happens in Urraco. :)

On a smaller note, developments around Casa de Esperanza are slow but happening. We have had a lot of visitors this week, including friends, family, possible donors and bored members, as well as a dean of a college that is looking into future mission trip ideas. No more interviews with house moms but this is still a top prayer priority. Other than that it has just been grounds and construction work- it is so opposite from Kansas, where you start with nothing in landscaping and try to get SOMETHING to grow – here you just try to control growth to a point where you can see where the kids are playing and where your vegetables are producing.

Personally, I am developing a phobia of ants. I have never had a true phobia before. It is kind of interesting to be so irrationally and unconvincingly afraid of something. You see there is this one kind of little bitty black aunt here that I am apparently allergic to and each time I get stung or bit or whatever, that entire appendage stings for like a week. So I have taken to wearing rain boots and jeans at all times and to jumping even when I see a different kind of ant or a picture of an ant, or one of Jude's plastic ants. It's an interesting personal development.

Jarod must be developing an immuno-deficiency of some sort because he has come down with 3 illnesses in a row, keeping him on the couch for 2 weeks. I threatened last week that he, “either needs to get well, or we are going home.” But then I learned from a friend that some amebas can live inside of you a quietly kill off your immune system and the only way to know if you have one is to take in some poop to be screened. So I threatened Jarod with that, and you all know how EXTREMELY private and embarrassing he considers bathroom matters to be – and I expect him to be getting well any day now.

Dru is developing muscles. He is quite surprised by this and the pain he feels after a day of lifting river rock, but I think he really enjoys the hard work (unless I am the one to suggest it). He has also developed – or has a pretty natural ability for welding I guess. He has been welding the trusses for the 3rd home and is doing a great job – a loves the work. I told him he could make good money at and he thought that sounded better than McDonalds. He also developed a pretty bad attitude toward me yesterday and we had a nice long discussion about authority – and his problem with it. He said he was “working on it,” and I thought, “Well, I'm still working on mine, so that's all one can ask.”

Jude has re-developed his terets tic again. It came back a few days ago, and although it is annoying, I have dealt with it better this time. He'll be a little socially odd. But now that we have moved him to the jungle he is going to be a little socially odd anyway. There are so many people coming in and out of his life on a regular basis he is going to end up a little “military bratish” I think – unable to form long term relationships. Like the other day, a little girl from Minnesota and her family stayed with us for 3 days. O nthe first night when she was leaving after a 2 hr play session Jude yelled out the door, “Come back anytime to play.... IF YOU'RE STILL HERE!” Also, I think the reason missionary kids tend to be a little off is that everyone finds (or pretends to find them) so interesting. Everyone around here kind of feels sorry for him and so pretends that he is making perfect sense or is perfectly fascinating even if he is just dragging on a story about a tadpole. Thank goodness for Dru who reminds him that he, like every other 4 year old, can be quite annoying.

Lucy has developed a habit of not sleeping through the night in her weeks of illness. Nor has she been taking appropriately length naps. One of which she just now awoke from... so I must go. The girl needs to develop some new sleeping habits – and I need to develop the patients to let her cry it out in such an open air echoie house.

Stay tuned... next week I'll do introductions. And I'll work on pictures too!