Wow! It's the middle of July! Where does the time go? Maybe it seems to go so fast when there is a lot going on. This year has been very busy with visitors, teams, and work.
Becky returned the first part of April. Shortly after that, we went to El Progreso with the team from MA. They were here for a week or so. They were putting in a cement floor and finishing a cement block wall. They have been involved with this school for about six or seven years. What a great team. It was good to see some old friends again, and to visit with our friends in El Progreso. It was super hot there as always.
Shortly after they left, Jesslyn's family came for a week or so. What a great family. They are so much fun, and they work very hard at our school doing whatever we need them to do. The day that they left, my youngest son and his family came to visit me. Doug came the first year that I was here, but not his family. They were busy going to Amapala and Tegucigalpa while I taught my English classes. They also spent some time visiting my nineth graders. I took a couple of days off, and we went to Punta Sal. They kids swam and snorkled while I enjoyed the beach and visited with the family that takes care of Punta Sal. We also saw a manatee, the first one that our guide had seen there in the three and a half years that he had worked there. It was the first one that I have seen.
Next came the AG Women's Ministry Group from Carlinville, Il. What a group! Thirty-three women and three men! They did some minstry with our students taking a day for each of the three groups: kindergarten, elementary, and high school. They also provided some health care, not only for our school families, but also the community. What a group. And Gary was the man with the camera. Besides the regular photos, he took a picture of each student, teacher, and class group, and gave each of us a copy. What a blessing for the students and teachers. I gave him the nickname of One More Gary, because after the first picture or two, he would always say one more! He was great. And a really big blessing was a one and only library! With books in Spanish! I put four of our teachers together to come up with rules and consequences for using the library. They will be sharing these sometime in the next week so we can begin using it. The last week was a vacation for all, so nothing could be done before now. One of the young guys asked that a rule be made that prohibits licking your finger to help turn the pages in the book. What a great rule. Who would have thought of that? Thanks Christian!
So I went to IL during our vacation. It was a desperately needed break for me. Praise the Lord that it truly was a peaceful and blessed time. I refused to think about the school while I was there. I didn't study Spanish or anything elase. I was totally disconnected. I asked the Lord to please let the time move slowly. He answered my prayer. I would look at the clock and think that it must be ten o'clock or later, but PTL, it would only be seven thirty or so. It was wonderful. The only "bad" thing that happened was that my parrot flew away! Penny and I had made him a perch out of branches. He really liked it. He was on the ground picking at stuff in the grass when suddenly he took off! He looked like an airplane taking off. Penny and I couldn't believe. it. He has been outside with his cage opened and never flew away. She has kept him for the last several years since I have been down here.
We have had him for forty years. Parrots live to be eighty to a hundred years old. But one of the pet shop owners told me after I had bought him that he was old when I got him. So who knows how old he was. Our beautician said that maybe he flew off to die. Whatever the reason, my son-in-law sure worried about him being in the heat, food, and other animals getting him. And my great-granddaughter who will be three next month was out under the trees telling Tombird that she wanted him. So cute.
Yesterday was the meeting with parents. They came te receive their students nine week grades and to discuss several other important things. One being the arrival of their kids on time. When they arrive late they have to return home. If there has been an emergency or some kind of problem, then they are allowed to stay. But there are some that live close by that choose to arrive late. But since they have been sent home a few times, their behavior has changed somewhat. One parent in particular was basically attacking the grade school principal when she was explaining, again, the situation. He was telling her that we were responsible for the kids arriving on time, etc. I finally stood up and said that it was a school rule, etc. God was always on time and we as a Christian school would be also. I mentioned the fact that one day their kids would have jobs and would have to be respnsible for themselves, etc. I finally said that if they didn't like the rule, there were other schools around. It got very quiet and the subject ended. The business manager talked to them about their not paying the monthly tuition. The monthly tuition here in this school is very cheap compared to others. If there has been an unavoidable situation in a family, that is always handled in a different and very caring way. But this is not the situation for most.
We are told how humble, quiet, respectful, etc. that Latinos are. Well, I'm sorry, but that is not true here in Honduras. Some are, but not the general population. Nothing is ever their fault, and they have an excuse for everything. One mother told me that the reason that her daughter was late to school was that she had to get up, wash her face, and comb her hair! Really? Doesn't everybody? I get concerned about the condition of their souls. According to my Bible, there is no respect of persons with the Lord. What he requires of one, he requires of all. We are all under the grace of God but we are required to obey him. I don't know of any excuses that he will accept when we stand before him. He doesn't have one rule for Americans and another for Hondurans. Can you tell that I get a little frustrated, but of course, we aren't supposed to say that. Well, at times, Jesus got a little frustrated too, and even angry. So I' m in good company. But the attitude here concerns me me a lot.
The parents voted to take part in the parade this year, so that means there will be days that some classes won't be given. But this year the whole school will have the same Christian theme. And that will be good.
I hope you are all blessed and growing in the Lord.
We have had him for forty years. Parrots live to be eighty to a hundred years old. But one of the pet shop owners told me after I had bought him that he was old when I got him. So who knows how old he was. Our beautician said that maybe he flew off to die. Whatever the reason, my son-in-law sure worried about him being in the heat, food, and other animals getting him. And my great-granddaughter who will be three next month was out under the trees telling Tombird that she wanted him. So cute.
Yesterday was the meeting with parents. They came te receive their students nine week grades and to discuss several other important things. One being the arrival of their kids on time. When they arrive late they have to return home. If there has been an emergency or some kind of problem, then they are allowed to stay. But there are some that live close by that choose to arrive late. But since they have been sent home a few times, their behavior has changed somewhat. One parent in particular was basically attacking the grade school principal when she was explaining, again, the situation. He was telling her that we were responsible for the kids arriving on time, etc. I finally stood up and said that it was a school rule, etc. God was always on time and we as a Christian school would be also. I mentioned the fact that one day their kids would have jobs and would have to be respnsible for themselves, etc. I finally said that if they didn't like the rule, there were other schools around. It got very quiet and the subject ended. The business manager talked to them about their not paying the monthly tuition. The monthly tuition here in this school is very cheap compared to others. If there has been an unavoidable situation in a family, that is always handled in a different and very caring way. But this is not the situation for most.
We are told how humble, quiet, respectful, etc. that Latinos are. Well, I'm sorry, but that is not true here in Honduras. Some are, but not the general population. Nothing is ever their fault, and they have an excuse for everything. One mother told me that the reason that her daughter was late to school was that she had to get up, wash her face, and comb her hair! Really? Doesn't everybody? I get concerned about the condition of their souls. According to my Bible, there is no respect of persons with the Lord. What he requires of one, he requires of all. We are all under the grace of God but we are required to obey him. I don't know of any excuses that he will accept when we stand before him. He doesn't have one rule for Americans and another for Hondurans. Can you tell that I get a little frustrated, but of course, we aren't supposed to say that. Well, at times, Jesus got a little frustrated too, and even angry. So I' m in good company. But the attitude here concerns me me a lot.
The parents voted to take part in the parade this year, so that means there will be days that some classes won't be given. But this year the whole school will have the same Christian theme. And that will be good.
I hope you are all blessed and growing in the Lord.
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