Christmas Eve Day, 2009

Tis the night before christmas, here in Hondurees,
the monkeys are stirring, free from all worries. .
No stockings are hung, as no chimney is had,
There’s no hope of Santa, tho one is not bad.
But the children will not snuggle secure in their casitus,
for tonight is FIESTA, tamales and ruckus.
There will be no santa, no reindeer with sleigh,
but there will be apples on Sunday , that’s the Honduran way.

Okay, Oklahoma CARD BARD (Mike McGowan, whose Christmas poem I am awaiting again!), I know it doesn’t measure up….

Christmas Eve day, 2009, dawned hot and sunny, still. So clear we can see the islands in the bay, the ocean is calm. Slept in til 6:20 as it’s a holiday in the hospital and we will enjoy a 4 day weekend except for John’s taking call! I staggered to the kitchen, whining, “COFFEE, COFFEE” and then settled back in bed with my Bible and study materials to begin preparing Sunday School for our kids, rapidly growing to adulthood, now mostly 12 years old.

Been back in Honduras since Dec. 3, got back in time for all the Christmas celebrations, enjoying it all. Lots of missionaries coming and going, so a real flux. I was part of a choir for the annual missionary Christmas program that our neighbor, Suzanne, wrote and directed- great fellowship in our many practice times, and was very uplifting to just be part of it…the wee kids were the hit of the program, with 1 of the 2 yr old lambs having to be carried out for tizzying by her dad, and one of the 4 yr old girls stopping Suzanne during “Away in a Manger” and correcting her for a wrong word! Priceless. The theme, “Christ With Us, Christ Thru Us” couldn’t have been more meaningful.
Just a few days after re-entry, we took a ferry trip to Roatan to visit with friends Dan and Rhoda who were on a cruise from FL thru the Caribbean. Only had 3 hrs. to lunch with them, but after being friends since Sarah was 1 (now over 30 yrs.), we start out deep.

This past Sunday was our campo church Christmas program, also with a Nativity drama largely masterminded by just l woman. She crafted cow and sheep faces out of quilt batting, and managed to cajole enough youngsters and teens to participate that it was special. The lector did not practice and got his pages of the script out of order and there were lots of LONG pauses and incorrect parts read,….but the audience of about 100 did not seem to mind. The kids seemed to enjoy it, and it was a festive time, with the traditional tamales served to all the guests after. Because we were involved with our missionary program presentation we had to miss the tamale making party.

Our first days back in the country we had to say goodbye to Pastor Antonio and his wife and 3 girls, whom we loved and admired. They returned to their Guatemalan home as they had planned 2 ½ years ago when they agreed to serve as leaders of the church. The little group is struggling….pray for the Lord’s clear direction for The Church at Margarita, and for a national pastor to lead it.

Yesterday fellow nurse Norma and I hosted all the nursing staff at her home for a Christmas “tea” at 3:30. I spent the day making my annual treat of cinnamon rolls for them, and we had a fun time with them as they shared Honduran customs with us, and it was also a forum for Ritza, who has been with the hospital since it opened, to share her engagement with everyone at once. It gives me such joy to see them “walking in truth”….and having walked with Ritza closely for 5 years, I know its not been easy for her, and I have such admiration for this woman who, when she hears new truth, applies it to her life, no matter the cost.

We’ve added a 12 yr old boy to our payroll, so to speak. Joni is being raised by his elderly grandmother and needs encouragement to thrive right now. He has been in our Sunday School class for several years, has picked up guitar and has an awesome voice. He always has his head cocked to one side with a quizzical look on his face. We found out he has trouble in school because of his eyes, so have arranged to bring him with us to the city for fitting of glasses. Our wonderful gardener, Chilo, has agreed to let him work at his side, training him, “fathering” him, during his vacations from school. Someone donated a youth guitar while we were in the US (thanks, Jane!) and I got a case on Craigs List for only $10, so Joni spent last week paying off the guitar and proudly carried it home. He is now working towards the glasses, and then will begin saving for the new school year which begins before February. I showed him just once how to calculate his tithe, and yesterday he did it without hesitation! Then handed back his pay and said I was to start a savings account for him! So we’ll teach him basic recordkeeping and hopefully responsibility. I put my own guitar out for him for his lunch hour as well as a Honduran devotional for kids, and he can use his time as he chooses. Usually he runs around, swings on the hammock, sings and kicks up his heels. Know his short life has been full of hard work, not much play. He had been getting up at 3 am each day to help his uncle with his job of getting the cows in for milking in a nearby community, returning at 5 am, then getting ready for school! Not sure what we’ll do when school starts…

Trying to set better boundaries, both of us, to have more quality time at home, keep up things better, have more company. John found parts for my stove in the US, so have been having a great time being able to cook and bake again after over a year! We are getting fat with all my experimenting! We are doing better at watching out for each other’s health, making exercise priority daily. John’s bike trainer broke, irreparable, so just last night found one online and had it sent to someone who will be returning here shortly. Praying it gets there in time, as biking is HIS favorite form of exercise, and he had a nice system set up on the back patio where we could watch the monkeys swinging in the palms while riding! Hope to have that up and running for him again soon.

For my part, I am finding my new IPOD to be a great invention to lower my cholesterol and triglycerides! Hm, Pastor Barnett, bet you don't advertise your sermons with that benefit! I love it! It moltivates me out the door at 5:30 and actually a smidgen of enjoyment in it now.
You'd think I invented it, the way I talk about it! I find its been a steep learning curve...had to go to the neighbor to ask how to adjust the volume.

May your days be merry and bright, even those who’s Christmas will NOT be white! We ALWAYS have a reason for joy, as OUR hope resides within us, the great Immanuel.