Hi friends,
Sorry we have not had Internet!!!!
Thank you all who gave me a happy b-day greetings.
It was the best birthday I've ever had!!!
I woke up with my family singing the happy birthday song to me,
then we ate breakfast, witch was oatmeal and toast and I opened my presents,
I got 2 new shirts,a dress, a knife, and a birthday card.
at 8:00 my teachers arrived, and told me happy birthday too.
Class went fine, but I was just too excited to go diving after class. (read fast)
Right when class ended I stuffed a sandwich in my mouth, jumped into my swimming suit, and ran out the door and into Parrots,(witch is my dive shop)
We, witch is my family,the Webers, and Dive Masters, hooked up our gear and went out into the clear blue ocean. the boat ride was very fun,because every one sang too me.
The dive was beautiful, (we took lot's of pics)after the dive we washed up,
then went to Mermaids and and bought pizza,they sed that "it will be done in 20..no 30 minutes"So we came back in 30min they sed "O it will be 15 more minutes.
So we waited and waited and waited until it was one hour! We had to go to church now, we were almost late! We went to the church... the doors were closed, that was strange because it normally isn't like that. So I opened the door, and all the lights were out... then all at once people started clapping and saying, "Feliz Cumpleano Andrea" They were having a surprise party for me. It was fun. One lady at our church had taken ALL the beautiful pink curtains down from her house and put them in the church, it was SO beautiful, they had baloons, streamsers, and a Happy Birthday Andi sign... but in Spanish. They had tons of games ready too. Potatoe sack games, egg relays, a "guess this verse game" and a Pinata! Some kids even gave me gifts. And they had prepared a WHOLE meal for everyone, and CAKE! After the surprise party was over we came home, where I opened my other gifts. It was a very fun day. Now to add somthing funny. During our five day club. Mommy asked one of the girls to come and pray for the club, She prayed a LONG LONG prayer, like three minutes long. And near the end of the prayer she said, "Dios, gracias for las gringos" Which was pretty much thanks for these white tourists :p We thought it was hillarious. Well, it;'s our last day, so I'm going to go to the beach with my friends, and I can't wait to see you all soon, and tell you how are flight goes!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
To Finish Strong by Stephanie
Beautiful Utila.
I have but one last week here and I can´t lie and say that I regret the short amount left. I desire with a blazing passion my home. Yes, home, a place I can walk around I not have my feet dirty and my body covered in sweat. I´ll have my own room and my new laptop and all the other things I´ve always looked at as a normal part of life; now, they are all together beautiful luxuries I can´t wait to have again!
As I hopped down the aisle of the church here in a large white potato sack I did feel saddness because the people here I have laughed with, sang with, learned with, worked with...it´s different saying good-bye and wanting to come back for the people I´ve met here not necesarily the conditions here. I have loved my time and I realized that as I spole with one of the girls my age and exchanged email addresses.
Yesterday and the day before my family and I along with Doris and her daughter Diana have walked the back streets of Utila; streets of which I had never paid any mind to unitl now. They were packed with tiny houses with whole families living in them; but these houses were above the swamp and litered with trash. We spoke with our broken Spanish, read our Bibles and prayed with these women and children. I know that God brought us here not really just to learn spanish, become divers, and throw a little mission in the mix no, He brought us here to wake the little Sapnish-speaking Baptist church up. He sent us to set their spirits back on fire for missions and help them see different approaches. Squeezing everything we want to do into this last week is difficult and I wondered why God hadn´t opened the doors before we were in such a hurry to leave; but I do know everything has it´s own time and the important thought to remember is God is getting what He needs to happen done. The picture is far greater than a little family from Texas choosing to spend a summer in the cheapest place to learn Spanish that they could find; the significance of location and any other `minor´detail can never be taken just at face value.
Last Thursady was our first class for Sign Language! We were thrilled to have Tatiana and Leon arrive at our home just as excited and ready to learn! Between mouthfuls of popcorn and cups of lemonade we went through over a hundred signs together in two hours; repeating and practicing as we went. I loved watching Tatiana practicing the sign for church: ¨C on top of a firm foundation, yes, that´s church.¨After the class Leon asked to barrow the book we had let him use as a hardsurface to write on; the book is my favorite book of all times, I´ve already read it once since it´s been here with us, I was so happy he asked to read it! The book? Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation. I´m praying and wondering how God is using us in Leon´s life? How big of a picture are we in? I´m just grateful to be involved in the work of the Lord and knowing my family and I don´t have to fear or worry we just need to keep walking and keep taking that next step and HE knows where it´ll lead.
Mr. Eric Anderson from our chuch gave a message four years ago that I could never forget. Finish Strong. It was off the ´Live Strong´bracelets by Lance Armstrong; to be remembered as ¨living strong¨ the beginning isn´t the main factor it´s where one ends, one must finish strong.
At the closing of this three month adventure I want to look at this coming week as a time to ´finish strong.´ We have two more sign language classes and several dives coming up. Andrea´s 12th birthday is Tuesday! And the owner of the theater just came back so we trying to find a night we have open to show the Jesus film. Pray for that, it´s not been the right timing before and we´re running out of time.
The interent is pretty obviously not going to be up before we leave; we feel bad for the Weber´s becasue the apartments they are staying in have shut off the water several times and now the showers won´t work...they´re having a hard time but it doesn´t slow us down from enjoying our days!
Iguana tastes interesting. Kinda like chicken with a twist of fishiness, with a lot of little bones. We have still refused everytime the guys ask us to hop on the back of their dirtbikes. And, we´ve decided not to jump off the bridge to go swimming with our landlords 22yr old son. Mr. Ice cream conos still hasn´t refilled his supply of orange ice cream. And the sandflies have biten my legs off; I´ll be coming home without them.
Once again I say I love y´all and thank y´all for making this trip all the better with your constant notes and encouragement. Y´all have shared in this experience and I´m glad to have had y´all along for the ride!
Stephanie
-the natural islander who is ready to be the even more natural Texan in Air Conditioning!
I have but one last week here and I can´t lie and say that I regret the short amount left. I desire with a blazing passion my home. Yes, home, a place I can walk around I not have my feet dirty and my body covered in sweat. I´ll have my own room and my new laptop and all the other things I´ve always looked at as a normal part of life; now, they are all together beautiful luxuries I can´t wait to have again!
As I hopped down the aisle of the church here in a large white potato sack I did feel saddness because the people here I have laughed with, sang with, learned with, worked with...it´s different saying good-bye and wanting to come back for the people I´ve met here not necesarily the conditions here. I have loved my time and I realized that as I spole with one of the girls my age and exchanged email addresses.
Yesterday and the day before my family and I along with Doris and her daughter Diana have walked the back streets of Utila; streets of which I had never paid any mind to unitl now. They were packed with tiny houses with whole families living in them; but these houses were above the swamp and litered with trash. We spoke with our broken Spanish, read our Bibles and prayed with these women and children. I know that God brought us here not really just to learn spanish, become divers, and throw a little mission in the mix no, He brought us here to wake the little Sapnish-speaking Baptist church up. He sent us to set their spirits back on fire for missions and help them see different approaches. Squeezing everything we want to do into this last week is difficult and I wondered why God hadn´t opened the doors before we were in such a hurry to leave; but I do know everything has it´s own time and the important thought to remember is God is getting what He needs to happen done. The picture is far greater than a little family from Texas choosing to spend a summer in the cheapest place to learn Spanish that they could find; the significance of location and any other `minor´detail can never be taken just at face value.
Last Thursady was our first class for Sign Language! We were thrilled to have Tatiana and Leon arrive at our home just as excited and ready to learn! Between mouthfuls of popcorn and cups of lemonade we went through over a hundred signs together in two hours; repeating and practicing as we went. I loved watching Tatiana practicing the sign for church: ¨C on top of a firm foundation, yes, that´s church.¨After the class Leon asked to barrow the book we had let him use as a hardsurface to write on; the book is my favorite book of all times, I´ve already read it once since it´s been here with us, I was so happy he asked to read it! The book? Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation. I´m praying and wondering how God is using us in Leon´s life? How big of a picture are we in? I´m just grateful to be involved in the work of the Lord and knowing my family and I don´t have to fear or worry we just need to keep walking and keep taking that next step and HE knows where it´ll lead.
Mr. Eric Anderson from our chuch gave a message four years ago that I could never forget. Finish Strong. It was off the ´Live Strong´bracelets by Lance Armstrong; to be remembered as ¨living strong¨ the beginning isn´t the main factor it´s where one ends, one must finish strong.
At the closing of this three month adventure I want to look at this coming week as a time to ´finish strong.´ We have two more sign language classes and several dives coming up. Andrea´s 12th birthday is Tuesday! And the owner of the theater just came back so we trying to find a night we have open to show the Jesus film. Pray for that, it´s not been the right timing before and we´re running out of time.
The interent is pretty obviously not going to be up before we leave; we feel bad for the Weber´s becasue the apartments they are staying in have shut off the water several times and now the showers won´t work...they´re having a hard time but it doesn´t slow us down from enjoying our days!
Iguana tastes interesting. Kinda like chicken with a twist of fishiness, with a lot of little bones. We have still refused everytime the guys ask us to hop on the back of their dirtbikes. And, we´ve decided not to jump off the bridge to go swimming with our landlords 22yr old son. Mr. Ice cream conos still hasn´t refilled his supply of orange ice cream. And the sandflies have biten my legs off; I´ll be coming home without them.
Once again I say I love y´all and thank y´all for making this trip all the better with your constant notes and encouragement. Y´all have shared in this experience and I´m glad to have had y´all along for the ride!
Stephanie
-the natural islander who is ready to be the even more natural Texan in Air Conditioning!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
VBS, and last 2 weeks of plans! =by Denise
Hello again! We feel so bad that we have had such limited internet on our last several weeks here! We sure hope they get wireless working again soon! They keep telling us tomorrow.
We are counting down ....only 12 days left here! It's been busy! We had a VBS for the Baptist Church last week. They picked up kids from all over and brought them by the truckload - in the bed of the pick-up truck to the church. We had 52 to 72 children all week! We're so glad the Weber family, Marge and 3 daughters were there to help us!!! The church said they'd not had such a club before like this one.. We used Child Evangelism Fellowship materials, and did a Bible Story, a gospel presentation -using the evange-cube, surprise bag, holiness cube, etc , a Missionary story, and a craft each day. We had our new friend, Jose ,to translate to Spanish for us, but he was late a few times, so we got to use what we've learned. Many children responded with wanting Christ as their savior and many came up to us later to say that they know Christ too. We stressed the gospel and the 5 colors to help remember it. The pastor loved it and is now leaving up the giant 5- colored chain we made and having a goal by February to give 50 school children school supplies and backpacks made of the 5 gospel colors to help spread the gospel. Exciting to see God working there! L eon didn't come, because his knee got his with a fast baseball during umpiring the game Saturday morning. It all worked out best because most parents didn't show up either, so it turned out to be aimed for kids.
This weekend, a lady in the church has asked to take the girls and me house to house to visit to families about purity , boyfriends, purpose, living for Christ, ...... she has certain families in mind who want to learn more about raising girls and protecting them, because so many go to the pharmacy at 12 years old for birth control shots, and seem to have no training or knowledge of any other way. Please pray for us since we can only have a general idea, but need the Lord to give right words at the right time.....and these are spanish speaking people, so pray that we'll remember the words too! We will have a 12 yr old Christian girl helping translate too.
Starting tomorrw and a few days next week , we will be conducting a sign language class. Please pray that God gets the glory for all that is taught and discussed there. Tatiana and Leon, and possibly some of the Spanish teachers will come to that.
We're checking again on renting the theater to show the Jesus Film. The man went out of town and returns tomorrow -Thursday. We will try to keep you updated.
Amanda an Andi have such bad allergic reactions to sandflies. The pharmacist goes to our church too, and has helped prescribe the right treatments for the girls' spotted, swollen, red, oozing, itching, infected legs ...and arms. It seems to be working this time with stronger medicines.
We' re so happy to have the Webers here with us. We've booked our flights to San Pedro Sula on the 30th together. Our friends, Jose and Diana, will take us to the airport by 5am that morning. Makes it feel real that we'll be home soon. All, except Amanda, are very happy about that too! But we think in a few years we'll need to come back again! Bye for now! ...and we love you!
We are counting down ....only 12 days left here! It's been busy! We had a VBS for the Baptist Church last week. They picked up kids from all over and brought them by the truckload - in the bed of the pick-up truck to the church. We had 52 to 72 children all week! We're so glad the Weber family, Marge and 3 daughters were there to help us!!! The church said they'd not had such a club before like this one.. We used Child Evangelism Fellowship materials, and did a Bible Story, a gospel presentation -using the evange-cube, surprise bag, holiness cube, etc , a Missionary story, and a craft each day. We had our new friend, Jose ,to translate to Spanish for us, but he was late a few times, so we got to use what we've learned. Many children responded with wanting Christ as their savior and many came up to us later to say that they know Christ too. We stressed the gospel and the 5 colors to help remember it. The pastor loved it and is now leaving up the giant 5- colored chain we made and having a goal by February to give 50 school children school supplies and backpacks made of the 5 gospel colors to help spread the gospel. Exciting to see God working there! L eon didn't come, because his knee got his with a fast baseball during umpiring the game Saturday morning. It all worked out best because most parents didn't show up either, so it turned out to be aimed for kids.
This weekend, a lady in the church has asked to take the girls and me house to house to visit to families about purity , boyfriends, purpose, living for Christ, ...... she has certain families in mind who want to learn more about raising girls and protecting them, because so many go to the pharmacy at 12 years old for birth control shots, and seem to have no training or knowledge of any other way. Please pray for us since we can only have a general idea, but need the Lord to give right words at the right time.....and these are spanish speaking people, so pray that we'll remember the words too! We will have a 12 yr old Christian girl helping translate too.
Starting tomorrw and a few days next week , we will be conducting a sign language class. Please pray that God gets the glory for all that is taught and discussed there. Tatiana and Leon, and possibly some of the Spanish teachers will come to that.
We're checking again on renting the theater to show the Jesus Film. The man went out of town and returns tomorrow -Thursday. We will try to keep you updated.
Amanda an Andi have such bad allergic reactions to sandflies. The pharmacist goes to our church too, and has helped prescribe the right treatments for the girls' spotted, swollen, red, oozing, itching, infected legs ...and arms. It seems to be working this time with stronger medicines.
We' re so happy to have the Webers here with us. We've booked our flights to San Pedro Sula on the 30th together. Our friends, Jose and Diana, will take us to the airport by 5am that morning. Makes it feel real that we'll be home soon. All, except Amanda, are very happy about that too! But we think in a few years we'll need to come back again! Bye for now! ...and we love you!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Out of Order Pictures!~Stephanie
I want to organize these pictures but it's not good use of interent time. I'd also like to label them all, but that will be for a later date!~sorry...as a perfectionist this is killing me!
Inside the caves!
Swimming in creepy water; actually it was beautiful water it was only creepy because well, didnt'know what else would be in there along with us!
Andrea!
Me and Lori inside a cave!!!
Does it not look like we had fun togeher? Seriouly, I miss my teacher!
Amanda and Victor after the 5-day club on thrusday.
The day the Webers got here! August 31st!
The group heading for the caves...
and we got there...it ws a long walk
Hmm, student rebellion?
Diana came over to teach us how to make flour tortillas.
Josè and Diana on our hammock
Our 'goop-bye' dinner for Diana, August 29th
Our much needed haircuts were done the day of no electricity!
Does it look like I was understanding my homework? And yes, that was on the verge of tears. :(
Hm, Amanda just might be bored in class...
Andrea was able to come along on our Night Dive! Tatiana gave her this dive for an early birthday present.
About to head out on our first Night Dive!
I took this pic as we were pulling into the dock from the Cays; I just don't want to drag it all the way down there with the other pics...it's a while down.
I took this pic on accident because it was on double shots, but it's still pretty
Thanks to the Zachry's package we enjoy pizza!
Amanda finishing up her asssignment before dinner.
Amanda was trying to brush her teeth but Yessy wouldn't fall for that excuse, she ticked Amanda anyway. :p
Diana showing me her math homework; 10th grade.
Josè helping Andrea with homework.
Our idea was to rob our frined Diana of some papaya milkshakes; they were great!
On our way to the Cays; our friend Erin's younger brother controlled the little fishing boat that carried us 45min. to our destination.
Inside the caves!
Swimming in creepy water; actually it was beautiful water it was only creepy because well, didnt'know what else would be in there along with us!
Andrea!
Me and Lori inside a cave!!!
Does it not look like we had fun togeher? Seriouly, I miss my teacher!
Amanda and Victor after the 5-day club on thrusday.
The day the Webers got here! August 31st!
The group heading for the caves...
and we got there...it ws a long walk
Hmm, student rebellion?
Diana came over to teach us how to make flour tortillas.
Josè and Diana on our hammock
Our 'goop-bye' dinner for Diana, August 29th
Our much needed haircuts were done the day of no electricity!
Does it look like I was understanding my homework? And yes, that was on the verge of tears. :(
Hm, Amanda just might be bored in class...
Andrea was able to come along on our Night Dive! Tatiana gave her this dive for an early birthday present.
About to head out on our first Night Dive!
I took this pic as we were pulling into the dock from the Cays; I just don't want to drag it all the way down there with the other pics...it's a while down.
I took this pic on accident because it was on double shots, but it's still pretty
Erin's 18th birthday
Thanks to the Zachry's package we enjoy pizza!
Amanda finishing up her asssignment before dinner.
Amanda was trying to brush her teeth but Yessy wouldn't fall for that excuse, she ticked Amanda anyway. :p
Diana showing me her math homework; 10th grade.
We went our to eat with Oscar for Mermaid's special of "Chinese" food and two ice-creams! Oscar treated us to two Sprites. :)
The ceiling at the dive shop like the ocean waves!
Our idea was to rob our frined Diana of some papaya milkshakes; they were great!
On our way to the Cays; our friend Erin's younger brother controlled the little fishing boat that carried us 45min. to our destination.
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