Juan Antonio

The other day Bob and I went to the Mercado in Coxen Hole and we met Juan Antonio

 

He has an amazing voice and makes his money singing for tourists

If you see him around.. get him to sing for you.

it is a real treat!!!!

check out this video

Clinica Esperanza

some exciting news!!   the   Birthing Center and Pediatric Hospital is nearing completion!  it is thrilling to see how people have rallied around this project to ensure safe and clean deliveries for babies, as well as pediatric care afterwards.  it is amazing to see the items that have been donated.  i was at the clinic the other day and took some photos that i want to share with you. 

please check out the website.  you can read about the history, see photos, and also have an opportunity to give to this wonderful work.  we thank God for Miss Peggy's commitment and dedication to see the 'dream' of providing medical care to the poor of this island a reality!
i have volunteered here and as well come here for treatment many times. i am constantly impressed with the professional care that i receive.   Dr. Raymond is an islander who is committed to helping on the island. i am impressed with how tirelessly he serves!  he works at the clinic daily from around 8:00 - 1:00 and then goes to his other clinic in coxen hole from 3:30 - 7:30.  Plus there are endless volunteers who come down our small island and serve faithfully.  what a blessing to many on this island.   there is never a day here where the clinic is empty. starting as early as 7:00 people line up to see the doctor, they wait patiently in the a/c waiting room, or outside on the porch.  it is a blessing for them to be able to see the doctor and get their meds provided for 70L (which is under 4 dollars)

perhaps this christmas you and your family would like to give in a different way. i encourage you to go to the site and click donate.  it will be a gift that will bless many many people!!  

one of the birthing rooms

.

so thankful for the many who have donated to make this a reality!

the whole upstairs of the clinic is for the birthing centre!

photos of the week

 sunday afternoon after a great church service bob went for a snorkel with susan 

me?  i went for a massage with edgar.  sooo glad i did!   it really really helped!

 monday -  kendy came over and we made christmas ornaments to sell in the shop

 

 one thing i was hoping to NEVER see is a scorpion!  well.. carlos found this in the branches of the traveling palm and brought it to me for a photo.  he brought on a leaf as if it was the most normal thing ever.  i was petrified!   scorpions are scary!!!   they sting!  carlos just laughed at me and told me one was in his bed once and he rolled on it by accident and of course he stung him.  i don't know if he was being a typical 17 macho honduran or what but he made it seem like no big deal.   it hurt when it stung him and then his body went numb! (oh yeah carlos.. no big deal!!!)

needless to say:  i got carlos to kill it.

tuesday morning came with clear blue skies and bringing with it a host of tourists.   we were happy because there were some canadian friends on there. one thing we enjoy is getting to see our friends when they come in on a cruise ship.  today we met kevin, pam and their family.  what a wonderful couple.  they went out on a tour with marquito and then we met at the house.   carlos had just picked some fresh apple bananas so they were thrilled to taste them and visit on the deck enjoying the beautiful view of the caribbean sea in all her glory!!

 

later we met bob at west end for lunch at the 'cannibel cafe'

(don't worry no one was harmed during the meal!)

i was thrilled to see this mama hummingbird sitting so proper on her nest

isn't that creative to make a nest on the end of christmas lights??!

 on the way to the shop we drove along the south shore through flower's bay and i was able to get

one of my favorite shots of all time. i just love that crititty old deck with the mangrove watching 

guard out to the sea

 a kind tourist took this photo of us with the Estay Family from Nova Scotia, Canada!
  what a wonderful family!   so giving and caring!
i would have zoomed in to get

just the shop and us but i am actually glad he didn't because if you look on the right side

you will see marco, mark, and samuel (our shop neighbors) who are always hanging around...

it was good to have them in the photo!

 wednesday is small group day at our house so i spent some time studying 2 Kings 6: 8-22

read it sometime.. such a great story of not only His power but the importance of showing grace

to people in our lives who are less then 'lovely'

as you can see buddy is an avid reader too. 

he is so talented!

see.. he can even read upside down!!  :-)

i also went for a wee walk to see our neighbor melvin the wood carver

he is such a beautiful christian man.

you can see him here if you want

melvin

i was sooo blessed talking with him.

and then i had a wonderful  time of prayer with luma.

followed by small group!

that night when i went to bed i thought could i be any more blessed???

thursday was a rainy cool lovely day, so i made some banana bread.

it was delicious

there was supposed to be a cruise ship in today but the winds were too high for it dock.so that meant no going to the made in roatan shop but instead we were able to go out and get some errands done. i got a belated birthday/early christmas parcel parcel today from my friend karen.  how sweet!

 one stop?   to get a poinsetta.. of course!  i got out of the car and hobbled around calling out for someone to help me.  i hollered more.  hobbled more.  but no one was around.  disappointed i went back to the car and just as we were leaving i saw this sign with a phone number.  i called and the man said he would be there in 3 minutes.. haha.. he was too!!   :-)
so i am enjoying having a beautiful christmas plant in the garden and hope to grows big and tall.. like a tree!

  today is friday... pizza night!!   we are going out with larry, susan and diedre for pizza at pizza inn.
i hope you have a wonderful weekend.

a night time adventure for buddy!

i had quite the scare this morning. i got up, made my coffee, as usual, went to say hi to buddy and he wasn't in his cage!! i had accidently left it open last night. i looked and looked everywhere for him, calling his name to no avail. after about 30 min. i was in tears and sure he had died of fright somewhere. it was awful!! i thought my heart would fall deep into my chest and i cried out... Oh Lord where is he?? (i wanted to find him.. dead or alive) and it came to me mind 'in the spare room'. i had already looked in there but went in again and found him behind the door, crouching, frightened, but alive!!! poor little thing! what a fright for him. i think he must have spent most of the night there because there was quite a pile of poop when i picked him up. i am so thankful everything was okay!

when i put him back in his cage he sat on his perch for  quite awhile without moving, or chirping. he was quite traumatized for sure!   i kept talking to him and soothing him and evidently he went down and ate some food and then went to his mirror and began chatting away to himself.  bob said he is telling himself all about the harrowing experience in the night!   :-)  how is that for 'self talk?!'

as you can see from the following photos that i would have been at a terrible loss if something had happened to my little 'buddy'

i took this last evening... wheel of fortune is better with buddy

yes he enjoys a cool shower!

he is my official page turner

he drinks out of my call.. .little rascal!

buddy is so spoiled that i chew my granola in the morning and then he eats it!

 

 

Happy Birthday Yourgin

today i went to the 'made in roatan' shop 

for a few hours

what a wonderful time

i decided that since it was yourgin's birthday 

that anyone who bought anything of his i would take their

photo and mention them in my blog

well let me introduce you to lorraine and lois

this is lorraine.  you can't really see it in the photo but she is wearing a red 'canada' hat!  i noticed CANADA  as soon as she walked in the shop and i was thrilled to learn that she is from thunder bay which is about 120 miles from my hometown of atikokan!   we are from the same 'stomping grounds' and who would have thought we'd meet in roatan!!  small world isn't it??  such a wonderful sweet lady.  she bought one of yourgin's handcarved sea horses!

this isn't the one she bought but one like it!

this is lois, she is from the vancouver area.   she was so happy to buy a pair of yourgin's earrings.  i told her now she can be reminded of the beautiful turquoise color of the sea here!  she said they had a wonderful day snorkeling at tabayana beach which truly is the best place to snorkel.  lorraine's husband even saw a turtle which is always a real treat!

yourgin with brandi and 3 adorable boys!

we left the shop early in order to go to rita and arlo's place in sandy bay and surprise yourgin with a birthday party!   unfortunately i am a little slow moving these days (dang tendon!) and he saw me hobbling up the stairs as they were walking down the driveway.   but i think he was still surprised with the party, the food, cake and presents!!  it was truly a wonderful time!!

you can read what i wrote on my other blog so i don't have to repeat myself!  :-)

the most amazing sunset ever! i think it was His gift to Yourgin!

 

we thank God for Yourgin

not only is he one of our most dedicated artists at the shop

but he is becoming a dear friend to us

happy birthday Yourgin!

thanks for letting us share in YOUR day!  :-)

cruise ship day - november 2

on tuesday the epic landed on our shores bringing with her

scads and scads of tourists.

bob went to the 'made in roatan' shop

and at around 2:30 i decided to go to the shop as i really miss

meeting with people and helping to sell stuff for the islanders

i know i am supposed to stay off my feet

but i figured that the short walk to the road wouldn't hurt

i took a  taxi since i am not allowed to drive

until my heel heals.

i love taxi rides because i get to practice my spanish!

(a captive audience!)

i was warmly greeted and hugged by many of the vendors nearby the 

'made in roatan' shop

 i hadn't seen them

for a  couple of weeks and it did my soul good to listen

to their stories and see their happy faces again!

i was very grateful to robin when he came out and handed me

a pair of brand new white anklets to wear with my shoes

robin,  he may be handicapped, but he still knows what it 

means to love and think of others

what a blessing that was!

a taxi to town cost about 1.75.. not bad for a 15 min. drive

new to the shop! marble hill jams!! super delicious!!!

a little street action:  a minor accident!

this is the cigar man, don't you love his hat?!!

this is the shrimp lady.. can you imagine carrying that on your head?

a truck means a free ride and this guy took it!!

the most casual vendor ever! so you wanna buy some plantains?

we have many many 2nd hand shops on the island

 there is a certain kind of energy when the cruise ship is in.  everyone is excited and hopeful about making some sales, getting some money to help with groceries and bills.  the people here are simple.  they live from day to day.   i love to be a part of all of that.   i am grateful that the locals have opened their hearts to us and welcomed us into their world.  we are the only 'gringos' with a shop outside of the cruise ship port and we fit right in.

don't worry i was a good girl and stayed sitting while chatting and selling. there is another ship on saturday and i think i may go down for a few hours again!

here are a few things we have in right now...

a beautiful necklace made by pedro the man who passed away

yourgin has some beautiful pieces in right now! all hand carved and polished!

luma's paintings are a big hit because the price is so right!

javier is now in university in Tegucigalpa but we are still selling his things and sending him the money

some of my photographs

That is just a smattering of some of the things in the shop.  All hand made, all made in roatan, all to help the islanders live a better life.

all for Him....

my first love

since i damaged my achilles tendon i haven't been going far from home.   i am supposed to stay off it completely (except to go to the bathroom)  it hasn't been easy but i have done better then i imagined actually.


i am grateful because although i am a type of person who likes to be on the go, and involved with people and many different activities i can also stop when i need to.    once i make up my mind i just resign myself to a different kind of life!  i can lay on the hammock and watch cloud formations, or read, or play with buddy my budgie, play cards with bob, photograph random things around the house, or slowly hobble through my garden seeing all the flowers that are in bloom. my days just lazily unfold.    i am not bored.  it's incredible.

i am thankful for the people that come to see me.    Laura and Sebastian often come over to see me, and we sit out on the deck (me with my feet up) and talk and eat lunch together.   Carlos comes in to visit with me (even though we both know he should be working.. i am grateful) Bob takes me for drives  for icecream and helps me around the house.   Brandi and her boys show up unexpectedly and cheer up my afternoons.   Amber calls us to come over for an impromptu dinner date.  it's all good.

lately i have been listening to alot of spanish worship music.  i can't seem to get enough. i originally downloaded it for carlos' mp3 player but lately i have been drawn to it like a moth to the flame.  it is incredible.  it touches a place in my heart that for years i thought would remain untouched.  it's beautiful.

this afternoon i saw and listened to this song over and over and over again.  it so blessed me.

english words below

My First Love

Oh Jesus,
My steps have led me so far from You
My soul is dried in the desert within me
Listen, my Jesus
The love of my life
The light of my existence
I can not live without you

My First Love
I will worship you forever
I want to be stuck to you 

(literal translation .. probably not the best)
Take me now Jesus to the Holy Place
Where  I met You.

My steps have led me so far from you
My soul is dried in the desert within me
Listen, my Jesus
The love of my life
The light of my existence
I can not live without You

My First Love
I will worship you forever
I want to be stuck to you
Take me now Jesus the Holy Place
Where I met You

prayer in spanish

My First Love
I will worship You forever
I want to be stuck to You
Take me now Jesus to the Holy Place
Where I met You

Isn't that so beautiful?!!   When I listen to it my soul just 'wakes up!' and I have such joy.   I am grateful for His love and His presence.   No matter what happens He is always near.   I don't know what you are facing but being housebound isn't typically a pleasant experience and yet the days just unfold gracefully as i accept that this is what i am supposed to be doing right now:  healing.  I think sometimes we get confused with Him thinking that it is what we DO for Him that makes Him happy but that isn't so.  I can't do anything right now and yet His presence is powerful to me.   maybe we need to stop more often and do nothing but focus on Him.

 I am praying this song blesses you as you choose to bless Him along with me! 
no matter what is happening in your life he loves to hear the sound of your voice..
either with singing or in prayer. 
try it.. you'll like it!!  :-)

bob took me to wendy's for a smoothie.. how sweet is he??!  

ps i love singing in spanish!
i think i am meant for this language!