I'm visiting NPH, the orphange down in Honduras and enjoying the break from teaching school and afternoon classes. I left on Sunday at 3:30 a.m. and finally made it to the orphanage at 8 p.m. That made for a very long day. I was fortunate to be traveling in one of those tour buses but alas the roads to Honduras were still bumpy and windy. I slept or tried to sleep the whole way down. This place is much more rustic than NPH in Guatemala. They have many, many acres of land. They have about 300 children here from surrounding towns. They also have a home for aged, a home for HIV children, a home for special needs children, a surgery center, lots of different training buildings where they learn to do carpenter work, a metal shop, sewing (they sew their own uniforms), mechanics shop, shoe making shop etc., I'm excited to visit their Montessosi school tomorrow. I'm actually here being trained in the Montessori method but for religious education called "The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd". And I love it! The materials that are used are made by the teacher's and are beautiful and thought provoking. I have so much work to do. Though I have many of the figures for teaching the parables, I do not have many of the things for the 1st level which makes up children 3-6 years old. But I have a wonderful instructor who is generously donating her time to teach many of us during the next two weeks. I am enjoying drawing and copying the Scripture and making them into simple children's booklets that they can read and then trace and make their own booklets to take home. A visiting Deacon even made me a set of clay figures for the Annunciation and Visitation presentations. People are so generous here. They work together like a HUGE family. It seems that the more I am in Guatemala I am amazed how God weaves His children together, like that beautiful tapestry that is symbolic of our differences and our similiarities. Our world gets bigger for Will and I it seems with each passing year.
While I am away, Jacklyn and her sister Alice are holding down the fort. I know the children are in good hands. And with the school fresh on my mind
Here I am with some of our children in front of the school...to include JoJo our Bichon and Chispita our German Shepherd puppy who is oh so much trouble!
We had a group of wonderful ladies come and visit us recently. Patti (to the very right) Julie (in the middle of the pic) and her two daughters Annaliese and Sarah and their friend Aya. Here they are visiting a family whose little baby girl had a stricture above her ankle bit with surgery was able to remove it and the little girl is thriving.
These loving ladies were such a help to us at the farm, painting, weeding, spending time with our children at school. They brought educational gifts for our school and as always the children are thrilled to use new material. One of our special treats was the gift of a concert: Annaliese, who plays violin and Aya, who played the piano performed a mini concert for the mothers of our preschool children and classical music no less! It was heaven to listen to the music surrounded by the view that is ours everyday.
Aya is to the left, Annaliese to the right and Sarah in the back with the children.
I have to admit the children were relatively quiet, I suspect watching and listening to them play was a new experience.
I love the dress that little Katy is wearing on the right, her little princess dress solely for special occasions like the concert ;)
Oh, and by the way...Patti and Julie you will NEVER know exactly how much I appreciated your cooking for us! You are the best! Thank you to all you young ladies for the good conversation around the table, for the encouragement and fellowship we received daily, for your help around the farm and loving on our kids! Remember: Nuestra casa es suya! Hasta pronto ;)
Aya is to the left, Annaliese to the right and Sarah in the back with the children.
