Experiencing the Honduran Side of Life...

This post dates to January 29th, 30th and 31st.

Waking at about 7:00am I went with John to the "Comedor de Niños" free lunch program location to help move it to a different location, as the building it is in now will be remodeled soon. We grabbed a truck from Caritas and a couple of other workers to do this. It was quite a fun 4 hours as we were well over loading the truck so that stuff was hanging over the sides and the other workers where hanging on for dear life back there trying to make sure nothing fell out while traveling through the very rough and busy streets of Santa Rosa. We didn´t lose anything. One of the tasks that was quite a challenge though was to lower two 200-300 gallon, sqare water tanks from their location on a platform 8 feet above the ground in the kitchen. I will have to see if I can get John´s pictures of this process as it was quite precarious. Another youngster and I hung from the platform, and tried lowering at a slow and steady rate with just a rope and our own strength and balance. These are the kinds of challenges that I look forward to, and thrive on. I am not sure exactly what it is with heights, but if I can climb it, I will make the attempt. Many of you know my addiction to climbing trees. I think this relates to that.
Later that afternoon I decided to take a hike up the mountain/hill on the outskirts of Santa Rosa, near John´s house. I followed a road through a poorer neighborhood, located down in the small valley, and then it wall up, up, and up, entering into a pine grove along this same 1 lane road at pretty tough incline. At the top of the road not only was the veiw amazing of Santa Rosa but I could see through a narrow cut of a road in the mountain to the other side; a clear sky and sprawling country landscape of rolling hills, a small village (aldea) and another mountian range in the distance.



The only way through!



The other side of the mountain and a small "aldea."



A panorama Santa Rosa from the mountian.

This was quite beautiful, and I wanted to go further up the mountain, but there was a sign directing me to not go any further as I have a feeling it was private property. I wasn´t ready to be pushing any rules this early in my trip so I just too a lot of pictures and then went back down.
Then it was time to do laundry, as I have not brought many clothes with me to Honduras (just to travel light). So... cistern+wash tub+scrubber+rinsing tub+dirty clothes= clean clothes (relatively speaking). Yep, laundry by hand. This would probably get old pretty fast, but it was quite exhilarating for the first time. Maybe I am just making that up, I am not sure. In anycase, lets just say that I am glad I only brought along a few clothes becuase it takes time and quite a bit of energy. I tried making the best of it. I am sure I will have to do it again before I leave.



As the clothes hung to dry I did some reading and writting, drawing and just enjoying the wonderful weather that God was blessing Honduras with. You know 75 degrees, partially cloudy and a slight cool breeze.
Later that evening I took another hike up the hill to catch a sight of the sunset but instead became distracted by children flying kites. I guess I wasn´t the only one who though this was a perfect Saturday. The children had made kites out of anything that they could get their hands on, most of it probably coming from trash in the gutters. They were made of sticks and torn plastic bags, with tails of toilet paper (I am hoping clean) or other torn plastic materials. Though not much to look at, they were beautiful creations, and attest to the hearts of the Honduran people.



If you look closely at this second picture you can see the small kite floating over a 1/2 mile away. It is the speck to the left of the main cloud massing about halfway up in the sky from the top of the hillside. (click on the picture for a better view)



I couldn´t help but smile. The kids called them "Barriletas," the local word for kites. They also seemed very interested in my peculiar shoes, and got a good laugh at them when my toes moved. Overal it was a wonderful evening and one that I don´t think I will ever forget.
As a side note, John and I discovered (on wikipedia of course) that Betty Crocker had nothing to do with the Crock Pot no matter how close the name may be.



Panorama from on top of John´s roof.

The next day, Sunday, I woke ready for a bit of normality. A Catholic Mass was in order, but first John I took a bus to the nearby town of Dulce Nombre. This is a town in which John has worked, with the parish, for a couple of years now, and has been slowly making connections with it to St. Thomas Aquinas parish back in Ames. We went to Mass at a small chapel in town (they have 3 or so) and it was beautiful. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best, which for some still may have been their best tattered shirt, pair of jeans and botas de hule (rubber boots). But the congregation was alive, not only with singing and community life, but a passion for the Love of God and the Eucharist! It was moving. I tried following along as best I could but it was difficult at times, especially since a special Eucharistic Prayer was used for the group of about 20 children who were receiving their first communion. When it comes time for communion, there is no order but instead a steady stream of people heading to the altar for all over the church. It wasn´t a game of pushing and shoving but a glorious display of patience and care from the entire congregation.
We ate lunch at a parishioner´s house consisting of, to start, intestines and potato soup. Not very appealing to my pallate but I tried it non-the-less. Not great. The main dish though was (Mom and Dad you will be jealous). All the breaded and fried GIANT shrimp that I could ask for, with rice, thick tortillas (which they have with everything) and a smooth fruit juice. There were probably another 20-30 shrimp left even after I had tried so hard to eat as much as I could! And then, as if that wasn´t enough, dessert was thick cheesecake! I don´t think I will have to eat for a week. This is just one example, an extreme example, of how hospitable the people of Honduras are no matter how rich or poor. Food is always offered.
So as if this day could get any better, let me tell you how it did. I accomplished on of my life goals: To climb to the top of a church tower and look out over a town. I know, not that much of a goal, but I decimated it. I actually climbed the tower, following another gentelman, and then we proceeded to climb on top of the church. Like I am talking above the sanctuary on the top, top. WOW is all I can say. Thanks be to God. The view was beyond what I could ask for. See the pictures for your own thoughts, I cannot describe any further.



I had only been away from Iowa for 1 week, but it had already felt like months. Wonderful months!