Today we had to take our truck in to the repair shop because it has been making a squealing noise when you push on the accelerator. We have noticed there are some things that are the same no matter where you go in the world:
1. Every house with a refrigerator has a place in it for unused ketchup packets.
2. Children loose their shoes.
3. People get sick at night after the doctors' offices are closed.
4. Your vehicle never makes the noise when you take it to the mechanic - even here in Honduras.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
July 29, 2008
Well, it has taken seven months but Brad finally did it. He wormed his way into a prison. Brad spend about 2 1/2 hours in the prison in San Pedro Sula this morning. The prisons here are a little different from those in the states but the people inside are the same. They are just people that appreciate you coming. Brad said he felt at home and will definitely be back.
July 28, 2008
We were suppose to go have supper with the pastor of one of the new churches, his wife, and children. Cindy wasn't feeling the best. Saul was sick. And Miguel couldn't make it either. So, Brad went after not paying attention to the time and being about an hour late. He arrive about 7:15. The pastor and his family only speak Spanish and they speak very fast. Brad is wondering how in the world are we going to make this evening last more than 20 - 30 minutes because we can't communicate. Hi. How are you? How was your day? How was work? etc. can only go on for so long before everybody is bored.
They had eggs, frijoles, cheese, crema, tortillas, and pepsi for cena (supper). Before they know it the pastor looks down at his watch and it's 9:00 o'clock. We need to stop the conversation because he needs to get up early for work and the kids need to go to bed. They all pray together for about ten minutes and then Brad leaves. Wow! What a wonderful evening.
They had eggs, frijoles, cheese, crema, tortillas, and pepsi for cena (supper). Before they know it the pastor looks down at his watch and it's 9:00 o'clock. We need to stop the conversation because he needs to get up early for work and the kids need to go to bed. They all pray together for about ten minutes and then Brad leaves. Wow! What a wonderful evening.
July 27, 2008
Sunday: In the evening Brad went to one of the new churches to speak. He knew he was in trouble when pastor Miguel showed up at our house just before he left to say Miguel was going to take the van and bring people from some other churches to the service. Turns out he made two trips to two different churches to bring people. After arriving at the church with Saul, Saul took the truck and went to get people from another church to bring to the service.
This church meets outside at a house in El Porvenir. The family that owns the house where it meets had worked most of the day decorating the area where the church meets with balloons, streamers, and a big sign that read "Welcome to the Baptist Church of God" Well, actually it was in Spanish but we are using are translation skills to help out here. This was turning out to be one big party.
Brad's plan to do his first message in Spanish to a small group was not going well. By the time everybody was there they had more people at this service than at the one Thursday night. Too late now, might as well go for it, gotta start somewhere.
Brad did speak. For about 20 minutes or so. All in Spanish. And from the people's faces and their reactions he thinks they may have understood most of it. He did explain to them up front that he would be speaking slowly because his brain works very slowly in Spanish. The people were very understanding and very kind.
This church meets outside at a house in El Porvenir. The family that owns the house where it meets had worked most of the day decorating the area where the church meets with balloons, streamers, and a big sign that read "Welcome to the Baptist Church of God" Well, actually it was in Spanish but we are using are translation skills to help out here. This was turning out to be one big party.
Brad's plan to do his first message in Spanish to a small group was not going well. By the time everybody was there they had more people at this service than at the one Thursday night. Too late now, might as well go for it, gotta start somewhere.
Brad did speak. For about 20 minutes or so. All in Spanish. And from the people's faces and their reactions he thinks they may have understood most of it. He did explain to them up front that he would be speaking slowly because his brain works very slowly in Spanish. The people were very understanding and very kind.
July 26, 2008 Passports
Hey, today we are legal again. Not sure if we've been legally in the country since we returned from Guatemala. When we went through immigration at the airport in Honduras, upon returning from Guatemala, the gentleman at the desk didn't stamp our passports OR give us the piece of paper we need to be able to leave the country. Brad went back to him and told him we needed the paper. The guy didn't seem to want to give us the paper so Brad didn't push him on stamping our passports also.
We have begun the process of applying for permanent residence status. While we wait we can get our passports stamped, in the country, showing we have applied. However, those stamps are only good for a maximum of two months. Our stamps expired while we were in Guatemala. Therefore, we had to pay a $100 fine each and then the $20, or so per month, for the renewal of our stamp. Well, since our's had expired our lawyer had to take our passports to the capital (about 4 hours away) to work some magic there and get us legal again. However, he wasn't going back to the capital until some other stuff for Faith Home was taken care of.
Therefore, we have been a little reluctant to stray too far from Faith Home since the police at the road blocks have been sticklers about wanting to see your passport and checking that they are up to date.
So, today, our lawyer brought us our passports, with the bill, and with the appropriate stamp. We are now legal again until September 6th.
This renewal headache may go on for awhile since the head of immigration in Honduras just walked out of the office and quit about a month ago. They are having a presidential election in November and the president appoints the head of immigration. So nobody wants to take the job because they will probably be fired when the new president takes office after the election. So, our permanent resident application process is in limbo because nobody wants to sign the forms. How fun.
We have begun the process of applying for permanent residence status. While we wait we can get our passports stamped, in the country, showing we have applied. However, those stamps are only good for a maximum of two months. Our stamps expired while we were in Guatemala. Therefore, we had to pay a $100 fine each and then the $20, or so per month, for the renewal of our stamp. Well, since our's had expired our lawyer had to take our passports to the capital (about 4 hours away) to work some magic there and get us legal again. However, he wasn't going back to the capital until some other stuff for Faith Home was taken care of.
Therefore, we have been a little reluctant to stray too far from Faith Home since the police at the road blocks have been sticklers about wanting to see your passport and checking that they are up to date.
So, today, our lawyer brought us our passports, with the bill, and with the appropriate stamp. We are now legal again until September 6th.
This renewal headache may go on for awhile since the head of immigration in Honduras just walked out of the office and quit about a month ago. They are having a presidential election in November and the president appoints the head of immigration. So nobody wants to take the job because they will probably be fired when the new president takes office after the election. So, our permanent resident application process is in limbo because nobody wants to sign the forms. How fun.
July 26, 2008
Well, we returned for the second service of the new church that started on Wednesday. Once again the service started at five because there is no electricity so we must do it before dark. This church meets under a piece of canvas attached to the side of a gentleman's house. People have to bring their own chairs because they only have about 5 chairs and a bench. There were probably 30 people there during the service. It's just amazing and humbling to watch these people, who you think have nothing, praise God. The mosquitos here are also very nice. You really don't feel them bite you; however, when you get home you begin finding all these bites on you. How wonderful.
July 24, 2008 PM
Tonight Brad went to one of the new churches to preach. He has been there before and they have about 25 - 35 people. Not too big, so he thought this might be a good time to try his first message completely in Spanish. He practiced and felt pretty good about it. Surprise, Surprise, Surprise. By the time church started they had brought in people from at least three other churches and there were probably 90 plus people there. Ah oh! That is muchos, muchos eyes looking at you when you are talking. By the time is was Brad's turn he spoke for about 5 minutes in Spanish and then returned to English with the use of an interpreter.
His thinking was he was also suppose to speak at another church on Sunday night and he would give it a try then.
His thinking was he was also suppose to speak at another church on Sunday night and he would give it a try then.
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