An Unfinished House

Try... Would you again please? Ha! Ha! Success is Mine! After looking at this photo for a bit it reminded me of this:

L:R - Anwar, Duke, Oder, Abel, Carlos With these 5 at the helm how can you go wrong?

Ok, so they are not exactly memories per se, rather glimpses of Christmas here in Ceiba this past week...and by glimpses I mean a shot of the church and host of shots from the Youth Group Christmas dinner this past Sunday...I'm losing my touch as a crack photographer. I spent my Christmas holiday in church, at Marla's house and holed up in my home on the 25th, cleaning like a madman, drinking coffee by the gallon and singing through the Christmas section of the Mennonite Hymnal. It was a little different to be sure but I enjoyed it and was happy for a few days of rest and relaxation. I have to be honest when I say I was a mite disappointed with the Christmas Eve Service at Church. We were there for nearly 2 hours and spent 3/4ths of the time singing everyday worship music. I went home that night after my 4-course midnight meal at Marla's and happened upon a Candlelight Service being broadcast out of the First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas. While it reminded me o...

from Konrad, Josue, Matt & Cesar

Don't worry, that's a not a cigarette in is mouth.

This look tells you that Matthew is at his wit's end and wants to shoot himself for having brought Duke and Christian along to San Pedro. Let me back up. So for those of you that had gotten my newsletter last month, one of my prayer requests was that funding come through for the formation of 2 soccer teams here in Laureles. Within days I had all the money I needed to buy uniforms and cleats so this past Sunday, I along with Josue and Konrad, hitched a ride with Nelson to San Pedro Sula to buy our teams' uniforms. At the last minute and in a moment of sheer benevolence we decided to bring Christian and Duke along for the ride. I had forgotten what it's like to travel with 14 year old boys as I haven't really done it since I was in Youth Group at Agape Fellowship. I don't know how Linda Byler did it for all those years but God Bless her. It wasn't so bad, almost enjoyable at times. Anyway, we bought the uniforms at a great discount and came home satisfied and h...

Not waiting really...we just chanced upon it as we were walking back to the community. Pepe as you can see was eminitely relieved, he was just so tuckered out from riding on my shoulders.

For Me Too...I'm all birthdayed out and fortunately in the month of December we only celebrate one.

Cutting a Swath Through the Landfill

To renew our visa that is. Rhonda (a friend in Honduras that I know from Costa Rica) and I both needed to renew our visas so we decided to do it the cheap way on a 2 day bus to San Jose and we decided to schlepp Konrad Swartz (a recent EMM arrival) and Saco (a good friend) along for the ride. It was a great time with good friends and the boys from La Carpio (also great friends) but it went by far to quickly. I also took virtually no photos so you'll have to be content with a few scenes from the bus and a pirated La Carpio photo from Lalo's blog. Anshway, I'm back and new and regular blogposts shall begin again in earnest. - mlk

Tuesdays are our playtime with the little kids. We break out the puzzles, Legos, books and toy animals and let the kids have at it for a few hours. They seem to love it - I can relate I suppose, I'm still attracted to the toy farm animals and Legos. Just as an aside; I'm not sure what class of farm corrals sheep, horses and cows in the same pen as camels and wildebeests but that's the way they came in the pack that I bought. Apparently some manufacturer here in Honduras thought it perfectly normal, as did the children as I heard no objection from them...I hope they all get along. peace!

For many things I am but especially for the opportunity to eat an incredible Thanksgiving Dinner with good friends that I met in Costa Rica. It was almost like I was home, that's how good it was. A special treat was having Rhonda (another friend from C.R.) pass the holiday with us. The next day despite the torrential rains and cold, blustery weather she put on her big-girl shoes and trudged out to Los Laureles with me. She was the coordinator of our La Carpio group while we were in San Jose so this was nothing new to her; in fact she was right at home, we visited a family to take coffee with them and she immediately scooped up the nearest infant and set about making the whole family laugh. I'm thankful for constants in the midst of change, they're more important than I realized. H.T. Peace! - mlk

It's been a little while since last I wrote and I apologize, I've been without internet. I'm back up and running though and thought I might catch you up on all the birthdays we've had here in Laureles. November is by far our fullest month with 12...that's a lot of cake, and my waistline is showing the consequences. Carlos Karla David Waiting for Cake Elwin Carlos (A different one) Jose Ramon Happy Birthday!