The Great Adventure: More adventures and the daily

I've realized that with so much time having passed that there is so much to update on. Thus, the follwing stories are going to come as bullet points.

Something I was able to enjoy a couple of Fridays ago was playing soccer with the homeless in kids in El Centro. There is a group called the Micah Project that takes in homeless kids and rehabilitates and educates them. However, since they can't take in everyone they also reach out to those tthat are still on the streets. Thus, we arranged a soccer game. So funny. Well first let me explain that we played with about 12 boys from 2oish to 8 years old. Some had no shoes at all. The most interesting part of it all, and had I had no previous experience to Honduras or trying to understnd poverty I would have been suprised, but these boys were huffing rubber cement glue out of bottles the whole time. They either had glue in coke bottles or small baby food jars. They would run with these things in their hands and then huff away when they were on the sidelines. It's hard to know what to say about this, as I know the reason they do it is to curve their hunger cravings. Who am I to say it's wrong? It is, but what am I doing to solve their problem? Is just playing soccer with them really going to solve the problem? it's something I'll continue to reflect on and struggle with as I hope I continue to have interections. Either way it's funny that they were stitll way better at playing soccer even though they were high! LOL!
In response to previous posts about the hardships in my friends lives, let's just say that God is still working in those people's lives and redeeming the situations to bring out the good in very hard situations. His name is to be praised for that. There is a lot of healing that still needs to happen for everyone. However, Honduras also needs prayers for the major rainstorms we had about 2 weeks ago. Many places were flooded or landslides and many lost their homes. Of course those that lost their homes were ones that already didn't have stable homes or have much anyway. It's hard on them but encouraging to see how this country pulls together to work to provide. I pray they've been provided for especially as this last week was FREEZING! Please hold your comments about how cold it is where you were but it's cold here if it's high of 60. We have brick walls, tile floors, and windows that don't seal. It's been cold! :)
I'm also asking for prayer for being able to truly connect with my students. I was able to see a true connection last week and I'm more than thankful for that opportunity. A student of mine Carlos was gone one day, and when he returned the next I noticed he was quite reserved and wasn't working with his group. So, I sat down next to him up against the wall, and said what's going on? You ok? He didn'tt move and sat in his fetal position and said, "My grandpa died yesterday." I just sat there quitely with him. THere arent't words for those siutations besides that it's hard and I'm so glad he told me. He's precious, and his grandpa meant the world to him.
On another note, I've been staying busy lately. I'm in 3 bible studies, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, and Saturday afternoon. Tuesday and Wednesday are with Americans, and Saturday is with my church group which is all in Spanish. :) These opportunites have brought up some hard questions but great ones to think about.

We were able to have a Fall Festival last weekend as Americans. We miss fall! We carved pumpkins...well I did until mine got stolen by someone in the group who thought it'd be funny to take it and set it outside of the gate....only until a stranger came and took it and smashed it down the road!! :( Not funny. However, we had lots of festive treats and it was great to be together.
This is before it was stolen. :(

On another festive note, Christmas decorations have been out since SEPTEMBER!!!! Hondurans are all about Christmas. They don't wait until the end of November like us. No way! So today I finally caved in and bought a few boxes of Christmas lights. Should be fun to put up soon! :) I'm already too excited for Christmas.
So this past weekend served to be another weekend of traveling, somewhat anyway. This entire past week was all half days due it being the last week of the partial (marking period). It turned out to still be a ton of work and we had to stay at school all day except Friday. Thus, on Friday we left at 1 to go to Lago de Yajoa. It's about a 5 hour drive. We arrived just in time for dinner. We chatted, worshipped, and had a time of sharing togther. Then we hit the bed. Saturday morning we awoke to breakfast and then spent 1 1/2 hour discovering the place we were staying at since we couldn't see it the night prior in the dark. It was great to see all f the orange trees everywhere and just walk around. The lake was up REALLY high, so good thing we didn't explore at night! :) We then left in the a.m. for Pulhapanzak. It's a waterfall. We knew we'd have a chance to do a waterfall tour and/or ziplining. I was opting for both. So after hiking down and getting wet by the mist and rain and very muddy, I decided to be adventurous and change to try out this waterfall gig. Well, it was by far the dumbest thing I think I have ever done. We swam through the rapids to get up to the waterfall and then held hands with our tour guide Luis as we walked in tthe water along the falls to the other side and back. Doesn't soudn so bad? Well imagine water falling 140 feet onto you. I couldn't see anything or breathe! luis literally had to shove my head into spaces in the rocks sometimes and would say "BREATE!" It was frightning for that reason only. Talk about blind faith. Very thankful for Luis and watching out for me. Never doing that again....stupid, stupid. Who does that? Walks under a waterfall in the water when you could just get washed away, let alone not be able to breathe? Glad I did it though for some reason. I apsire to be adventurous...however my only stipulation is that I can breathe! :)
In case any of you were wondering, Honduras no longer celebrates Halloween for safety and religious reasons. It's sad; thus, I had no Halloween at all. :(
Well here's for some pictures.