A mission team of 21 Texans arrived in La Joya yesterday afternoon to spend several days doing a medical brigade and construction work. This morning I helped out in the medical clinic, translating a bit for a few nurses taking blood pressure and filling prescriptions. It was fairly steady most of the day, but we only had 2 or 3 medics seeing patients, so often there was a long line of people waiting but not much for me to do. I did have a lovely time chatting with some of the ladies in line though. We talked about where we were [View Full Entry]

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As soon as I got to La Joya ("The Jewel") I was put to work. After teaching English at a school for such a long time it's great to get back into some physical labor. Besides the Bullock missionary family (Clifton, Jane, Kristen, Josiah and Micah) there's also two young American's spending their summer vacation, and two young Hondurans living here for a year to study and minister. (There are also a doctor, nurse and dentist that split their time working in the medical clinic.) On Wednesday the crew of us "young people" were put to work digging the tilapia pond. [View Full Entry]

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I finally packed up my things, cleaned my sweet little room and bathroom and left what had been my home in Copán for over a year and a half. Wow. I have been so ready for a change, so ready to be some place different for such a long time...and then when the moment came it was as if there were still things to do there. I wanted to have pizza with my friends, lunch in Santa Rita, another trip to the best baleada place, help Ever with his English homework from the colegio, visit Faby's church again, have a coffe [View Full Entry]

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a few more pics...since i've got a bit of time to kill this afternoon. Actually it's been a lovely week! I had been really concerned about finding something to do during my last couple weeks in Copán. I was thinking working in a school, the colegio...SOMETHING. It's that I didn't want to waste this time. But finally, with the help of a friend, I was able to stop, take a breath and just say, "OK, I don't want to be stressed. I want to enjoy this time, and the relationships I've made." It's been so nice to rest a bit, meet [View Full Entry]

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A few more random photos and stories that go with. The page is acting funny, so I'm going to post this and try more later. [View Full Entry]

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This past weekend a church in Copán put on a youth "congreso". It was a Friday night and all day Saturday, with guest speakers, pastors from other cities in Honduras, a famous singer gave a concert, a vocalist from Guatemala, and several dramas from the youth in the church. AMAZING. Absolutely incredible. Such LIFE, Passion...It was an unbelievable blessing for me. God is going to use this church, these youth, to change Copán to do something amazing here!! The music, messages and dramas really, really spoke to me. Friday night I was so full of JOY!!! I walked home with a [View Full Entry]

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Rachel, Angel and I headed to Roatan in the Carribean for 3 days of sun and (hopefully) relaxation! We left Copán on the 7am Cassasola bus for San Pedro Sula. After a 3 hour ride we got something to eat on the bus station, then got the Sultana bus to La Ceiba...another 3 + hours. A taxi ride got us to the dock in plenty of time to buy our ferry ticket, check out luggage and sit for a minute. I bought some huge, delicious grapes while we sat waiting to get on the ferry, The Galaxy. Bad idea. Our trip [View Full Entry]

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Well, it took me long enough, but I finally visited the Public School in Copán. Juan Ramon Cueva. I went with my hermanita (little sister) Saraí. She's in the 5th grade, so next year she'll finish the 6th and graduate from la escuela (hopfully colegio will follow after that). Anyway, we got up around 6ish, had a breakfast of pinol (like coffee, but made with roasted corn...super good) and pan (a hard roll or cookie we dip in the pinol). Then a bit after 6:30 we headed off, walking the 15 minutes to the school close to the center of town. [View Full Entry]

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OK....so you know things have fallen into a "slump" when you haven't updated your travel blog for over a month. Wow. Time flies...when not a lot is happening. Just kidding. My sister and friend just came to visit, so I've got lots to update about our adventures together. This post, however, is from a couple months ago. It's a letter I wrote for the "Lawton Free Reader", a publication in my hometown. I figured I'd dig up an old stone and try and kill another bird with it! My birthday seems ages ago...but it was good memories!! Here's to getting some [View Full Entry]

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I finally did it!! After nearly a year and a half in Copán and hearing all about the Canapy Tour, and how I "have to do it before leaving Copán!!"...Angel and I took the plunge. For her last day in Copán, we waited for the Canopy Tour pick up truck and crew to pick us up at our house. I knew it was going to be a classy time when they were willing to pick us up wherever...even at my house way up in San Pedrito Abajo. Thankfully one of the crew guys lives just up the road from me, is [View Full Entry]

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