Week 3 - Ducks...really?!?!?

It feels like it’s been a somewhat uneventful week this last week.  Here’s what I can recall…

Started out early in the week, on Monday, when we went to the local school to hang out with the kids after their classes were over.  I played soccer with the boys for a little bit and Sarah and Olivia sat around with the girls playing pato pato gonso (duck duck goose).  I left early on the motorcycle to take Joseph back to teach, and then I returned to pick up the girls.  We managed to pile all 4 of us on the dirt bike and only almost crash a couple times.  I’ve heard of 6 people on a moto before so 4 is really not a big accomplishment, but nonetheless it was successful in getting us all home quickly.

On Tuesday I was invited (as I am most days) to play soccer with some of the locals.  At first we only had a tennis ball to play with, but instead of kicking it, we threw it at the goal from a longer distance…reminds me of being a kid, when you just make due with what you have.  It’s very Honduran.  Anyways, a real soccer ball finally showed up and we played a game of 2 vs 2, which I didn’t understand until probably 30-45 minutes of playing.  I just went where people told me to go.  If you ever go to another country and don’t speak their language, that’s kind of how it works.  They point, you go.  After I “got it” it was a little more fun. 

I don’t remember what day it was, so I will say Wednesday, we went to the river and splashed around for a while.  It was a hot day, so we were all able to cool down a bit.  The river isn’t super great for swimming yet, so we stayed in a shallower part.  I look forward to jumping off the cliffs into the river as I did last November. 

On Wednesday night, we had an awesome thunder and lightning storm, definitely the best since we’ve been down here.  The thunder was pretty loud and the lightning lit up the sky.  It’s crazy when it’s pitch black out and all of a sudden the lightning flashes so close and bright to your area that you can literally see everything around you for a split second.  The awesome power of thunderstorms leave me in awe.  I love the sound, the flashes of light and the torrential downpour.  On Wednesday it must have rained a couple inches in just a matter of a couple hours. 

Thursday was very relaxing for me at least.  Glen (he’s the president of the organization) arrived and Joseph and I were able to chat with him for a while.  We also don’t have afternoon classes that day since the girls go to the local school to teach English.  It was very nice day as I recall. 

About Midnight Thursday night (rather Friday morning) the relaxing came to an abrupt halt and desperation ensued…I was desperate for something to plug me up, if ya know what I mean…To make a long story short, I was in the bathroom much of the wee hours of Friday morning.  Most of Friday I stayed in bed, praying that God would plug me up, since He probably is the only thing that could have stopped that geyser from blowing.  (Just a little imagery for you, but trust me it was worse than I make it out to be). 

Friday sucked, but Saturday I woke up fine and dandy and even felt like I lost a few pounds, so all in all a good morning.  I was able to do a lot of reading on Saturday throughout the day and after our little ones went to sleep.  I started a new book by Donald Miller, “Searching for God knows what.”  So far it’s been an entertaining read at worst, and it seems like he has some very good points, instead of just trying to make you go, “Wow, did he just say that?”  Anyway, it’s good so far.  We also went to meet one of our neighbors that lives about ½ mile away.  She’s very nice, but speaks relatively fast.  She served us some café con leche (coffee with milk) from her cows.  So far it’s the first real milk I’ve had in Honduras.  Technically it’s the first “real” milk I’ve ever had I think.  Meaning straight from the cow.  It’s supposed to be better for you.

Speaking of milk, the organization owns a cow that had a baby this week.  So hopefully we will start to have milk available for at least coffee, not sure if I can stomach truly fresh milk.  Though I’m sure I will try.  In addition, one of the workers here has a dog that had 8 puppies!  Yes 8!  That brings the total to 17 dogs that that guy owns!  And once again, yes 17!  Not joking!  We also haven’t had consistent running water the last several days.  I hope that goes away (or would it be better to say I hope it stays?).  And the last thing I can recall is that we had one of the large containers arrive from the states, so we received baby food and books!  Woohoo!  The next one leaves Virginia at the end of September, so if your interested in sending a care package you can send stuff to the address below!

Sarah or Ira Lucia c/o Glen Evans

635 25th St. 

South, Arlington, Va. 22202  

So in conclusion, maybe it hasn’t been as uneventful as I originally thought.  Glad I have the blog to remind me!  

Oh yea, and one of the more, maybe most, random things to happen while we've been here...we got 2 ducks for the farm/campus.  (I know I'm more of a Beaver fan also).  Joseph and I released them yesterday at the river.  They flapped about a bit, probably because they had been boxed up for several days, then hopped in the river and casually floated backwards and down the 25 foot waterfall...it was a little strange I admit, but kind of cool.  Once they got to the bottom of the waterfall they hopped up on a small piece of land and hung out for a bit.  I need to go back today to see if they plan to stay for a while.  Why did we get ducks, you may ask.  I have no clue.