Christmas Eve Day

what a beautiful girl!

 December 24, 2010

Christmas Eve day wasn't typical but if i could do it again exactly the same:  i would!
i think maybe this Christmas in Roatan has been the most significant and meaningful Christmas i have spent in years.   Those of you who know, know i love Christmas:  i do!  the only thing that would have made this Christmas more meaningful would have been to have kids here helping us serve the people here!  that would have been fantastic!

so what did Christmas eve day look like in Roatan?   well one of the ladies who sent us toys, shoes and clothes used to live in Roatan and she requested that we call Omar and George and let them pick out some shoes and toys for their family.   So my day started with the sound of Omar greeting me loudly beyond the fence.  I had his stuff in the car and we lugged it out.   He looked and looked and looked and looked and looked at all the stuff, and couldn't make up his mind!!   I was out there with him for over an hour.   Bob laughed when i finally arrived inside because we both know if he would have given the stuff to Omar it would have gone a lot quicker!!!  oh well .. he was happy!   And to Kristina he says, muchas gracias, mi amiga por todo!   Gloria a Dios!

omar with his presents from kris

we had one more major food drive to do today and that was up in the Colonia near our house.   we met at the Oasis Restaurant and loaded up the trucks with bags and bags and bags of food and oranges for the people!  i am soooo thankful that Larry and Susan let us borrow their truck while they are in Canada.   there is no way our car could have gone into the areas where we went this past week!

the volunteers who handed up food in the colonia

last year i went with Channel 4 TV up to a very poor area and i wanted to go again.  we took up 4 other people with us to help.  the truck could only go so far and then it was another 15 min. walk up to the top.   i went up and told the people to come down.  it was wonderful because many of the people recognized me from last year.  there was one old lady who walked all the way down with me and we talked the whole time. 

a beautiful christian mama

i know that i have asked for prayer regarding my spanish and i really thank God for the way He is helping me to understand and communicate in spanish!

near the top, nice road eh??!

bob handing out food, juice and oranges!

after the distribution we went home and get ready for carlos (our gardener and his family).  i had invited them to come over for cookies and to open up presents.

naomi, me and kendy with my present from carlos. i was so touched that he got me something!

bob being festive!!!

i am so grateful for the wrapping paper that carla sent because i was able to wrap up the gifts.   you may think that is normal but here people don't wrap alot of gifts so they were sooo excited!  one thing that the spanish do (which i love) is when someone is opening a gift they clap and chant until it is open.  it is fun!  try it sometime!

carlos, our gardener/3rd son!

after our little party, we got dressed and headed over to west bay to ron and patricia's for a christmas party. i felt like a kid on the way to her first christmas party as we drove over there.  it was such a beautiful way to end a very busy week!!!  it was fun to dress up!

not much under the tree but our hearts with full of good gifts!

we had a wonderful time!  patricia is a fantastic cook and we had alot of traditional honduran food.  we often thank God for this couple as they were the first people we met when we moved to roatan and they helped us acclimate and get to know the island.  what a blessing they have been to us over the years.   dear dear friends that we love so much!

patricia throws the best parties! 

during the course of the party i overheard patricia say 'la estrella de narnia'.  i walked over and said, did you just say the star of narnia??  she told me YES and introduced me to gery who was starring the the production of Narnia at Henry Morgan resort.  so at 9:00 we all walked over, along the beach  with stars hanging low in the sky to watch the play Narnia:  in spanish!!!   it was a wonderful Christmas treat!!!

christmas at punta gorda and oakridge

December 23, 2010

as you can see from the past few blogs that we have been
giving out food/clothing and toys all around the island
we were trying to think of areas where no one else had gone
i love punta gorda and although it is a long drive to get there it was worth it!
i called katherine from punta gorda and asked her to make a list of the most need families

the following day around 10:00 we met at the church

the church

when we arrived there were about 10 families sitting under the vestibule
waiting for us to arrive
we started lugging in bags of food, boxes of toys and a small box of candy
the excitement was almost palatable!

earlier we had called marcos, an island evangelist
to come with us to share whatever the Lord laid on his heart
we decided that we would set up chairs and give them to most important
food for their souls:  the Word of Life
marcos is a wonderful story teller and he told the story about the cleansing
of the lepers and how He wants to clean our hearts



i shared my testimony (with catherine's help translating)
and it was very powerful.  i want to go back again and share more with the youth

the children were so polite and happy to recieve the food and the toys we brought for them and their families

at one point we were handing out the toys and the food when a little adorable

girl came up to the front

she was maybe about 2 years old 

and she walked up to me with a crumbled 5 Limpera note in her hand

she handed it to me and sweetly said

'muchos gracias!'

i was reminded of the woman in the bible who gave the 2 coins

was commended by Jesus because she gave all she had to live on

it was the sweetest moment for me

those two little boys played the drums for us.  awesome talent!!

i would say of all the places we went that punta gorda was my favorite place so far.

the view at punta gorda

next we went to oakridge to go to a very poor area
i have been to oakridge many times but never up to the community where we went today
it was a long drive up up UP!!
i am realizing if you want to find the poorest of the poor just drive up any road
the higher you go the poorer they are!

we met pastor Guillermo and his wife and gave them alot of clothes and shoes
plus some crayons and books for their sunday school
they were overwhelmed!!
we weren't able to meet with the people since we had only got his contact
number that morning, but he assured me that he would go to the poor families
and bless them

we stopped for lunch on the way home to a small place

and bob handed out candy to the kids

this little girl was so happy!

i realized on thursday  that i haven't even thought about christmas preparations

no turkey, no presents, no food for our guests

so we bought the turkey from eldon's 

and got everything we needed for the fiesta we have planned on christmas day

these days bob and i are soooo tired

but we are also soooo blessed!

the parcels arrived!

December 22, 2010

i have mentioned before that when i wake up early early with an idea it is often a God prompted thought. and that has proven true once again.   about a month ago i felt prompted to write  to many of our friends and family asking them to consider 'bringing christmas to roatan'.  the response has been phenomenal and i am grateful for the willingness and generosity that has come our way.

when i look back over the week before christmas 2010 i will think of buying food, buying toys, buying shoes with the money that many of you sent us.   it was good for us to be able to purchase things as we were aware of the needs.   we found brand new shoes for 1.50 each and had almost half the store looking and helping us gather up the right sizes.   we went into the small pulperia's in the market and bought beans, rice, flour and lard.  we were grateful for their willingness to bag it up into 3 lb. bags as that saved us alot of work.


on wednesday Bob went to french harbour and got the 11 boxes that came in the mail.  my words can not adequately express our surprise and joy when we opened up each box!!   i didn't give people much time to get the parcels together and yet many of you went out of your way to shop shop shop!!  bless you for the many toys, puzzles, games, the wonderful hair accessories, the baseball bats, and the beautiful clothing you packaged up!  it was overwhelming to go through boxes you sent.  thank you personally for the chocolate and licorice all sorts and also the gifts you sent to us.  we appreciate it so much!  thank you thank you thank you!

Later, we took the shoes and some clothing to the swamp.  many people here on the island aren't comfortable going in there, but we felt called. i won't lie though.. i was nervous to go. it isn't that it is a bad place it is just that people are known for being more desperate and unruly than other parts of the island.  but just before going in the Lord reminded me of the time when the mob tried to assault Him and He walked right through them unharmed.  He gave me the peace to believe that we were going 'as His hands and feet' and that nothing/no one would harm us.  we met at miss iola's place and since we had a list we were able to call the mom's in and allow their kids to try on clothes and shoes.  it was all very peaceful and beautiful.  we were able to share about this being a gift from God and in that tiny little room when Bob prayed i felt the Lord's presence welling up in us all.

it has been a wonderful blessing for us to be able to give and to remind that people that they are not forgotten by the Lord.   the gifts we give them are just a mere token of His most wonderful gift:  His forgiveness, love and blessing. we were able to share that over and over to many!

a few months ago i stood out on the beach and listened to my neighbor's story about her life here on the island.  during that time i felt my heart welling up with compassion for this beautiful mother of 13 children who is working so tirelessly at the cruise ship docks braiding hair.   as soon as i saw some of the bigger toys i knew that i was meant to go over and give some of it to her children.   so i gathered up 13 presents (extras for the grandbabies!) and some food and made my way over to her house.   she was so surprised!  i had brought some wrapping paper (thanks carla!) to give her to wrap the presents but she said, oh i will be giving it right away.   i asked if it was okay if i came inside and so in the dim light of her small livingroom i handed out paint by numbers, a wooden boat model, hair accessories, games, action figures, dolls, and stuffed animals.   they were so happy!   at the very end i handed her a box of chocolates and said, mama this is for YOU!   i thought she would burst with JOY!

carol with some of her kids.. enjoying an early Christmas!

i told her about how we were poor as kids and how the kiwanis used to come every year and bring us food.  i told her about the christmas parties where i would recieve a small toy. i don't ever want to forget the ackward, painful feeling of not having enough at christmas and also the joy of having someone place a box of food at our feet.

my words can not convey the effect that this is having on this island.  it is such a blessing to give.  we have been going 'non stop' but at the end of the day we fall into bed blessed and happy.

thanks for your prayers and your support. i know i keep saying that but that is because it really does make a difference to us and also to the lives that we are touching with His love.

God bless you!

Bringing Christmas to Roatan

December 20, 2010

we all met at one place and loaded up the 7 trucks and went in a big convoy!

bob prayed for us all before we went out

santa showed up .. wearing shorts of course because it was TOO HOT!

look at the JOY on her face!  what a blessing it is to GIVE!

took this photo of a lady patiently waiting to receive some food. isn't she beautiful?!

we went to flowers bay to give out food for the seniors.  this is miss norma .. one of my friends

the wonder of a small toy

we went to a little community behind the airport.  look at their joy!!

these are our faithful toy distibutors:  jen and nell

we went to bonita vista... a small community that was so happy to have us come

this little girl was from corazol and so happy with her dolly

I am so glad to the opportunity to go and bless the people of the island.   Bob counted that we made 13 stops over the course of the day!   we went to very remote areas where most people haven't gone.  i would say my favorite little village is brazil hill, way at the top of spanish town.  the people were so grateful and gentle natured! 

we had 7 trucks all travelling together with police escorts who stopped traffic so we could stay together at all times.  it was a wonderful day!

the weather was perfect!  nidia did alot of the ground work by going out earlier to gather names of people who were in need so she would take out her list:  call the name for food.  then santa would give the kids candy and we would give the kids toys!

we left at 8:00 and got home, tired, but blessed at 5:00 pm.

Kendy's first trip to the doctor

the day started out like any other monday:  checking facebook and emails, writing my blog, praying, and talking to bob about all the errands we had to do that day.  monday is the only day that a cruise ship doesn't come so we usually use that day to get the mail, go to the bank, get groceries, buy anything we need for the property for carlos, meet up with people we don't usually see in that week etc etc etc.

carlos arrived at his usual time of 7:00 am and as i was making myself a second cup of coffee i asked if he wanted one too.  we have some bar stools and he sits there and we talk about our 'weekend' (he always plays too much football (soccer) on the weekend and is sore!)   suddenly he got really serious, and told me that kendy is not good.   my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach!  i had mentioned to bob earlier that i was a bit concerned about her since i hadn't seen her in 3 days.  usually she brings down breakfast for carlos around 9:00 so i was concerned after 4 days and no kendy!

as it turns out she cut herself in the foot with a machete.  this is a real problem here!!   those machetes are soooo sharp and i have seen carlos cut off huge limbs from a tree so... imagine what it is like when it hits your flesh.   he told me her foot was very swollen, she was in alot of pain and threw up in the night.

i looked at bob and he looked at me and we both knew we needed to get her to the doctor right away.  so much for errands!!  :-)   i called miss peggy to see if there were any extra doctors who could go up to her house since it would impossible for her to walk down to the road but there was only dr. raymond.  so we knew she'd need to be carried down.   fortunately we had use of larry's truck because our car would never have made it up to where they live.

i want you to think of the worst gravel road you have been on, now take out the gravel and put in 6 inches of wet clay!  now make it about 3 feet more narrow, now place large protruding rocks in the middle of it, as well as deep deep ruts, then add ditches that drop off about 3 feet on either side.  that is what the roads are like in the colonia!   we shouldn't even call them roads.
but i am proud of bob for his good driving!

their house is at the top left, the turquoise blue house.. a long climb down!!!

and i proud of carlos for going up and carrying his sister down to the road!   bob went to help carry her but the path was so narrow and so steep that only one person could carry her down.   i wanted to go up too but bob wouldn't let me as he is watching out for me and my achilles tendon which, isn't completely healed yet.  (thanks bob for knowing what is best for me)

so i stood at the bottom and prayed that carlos wouldn't drop her.  she was in sooo much pain. her face was streaked with tears and her eyes full of fear.  you have to realize this was the first time kendy had ever gone to the doctor.  now you may say: oh what a healthy girl!!  not necessarily.  they just don't have the money to go to a doctor!!  and they also have alot of fear of going to the doctor.

earlier in the week, carlos and i were laughing and kidding about.  it is good because i am understanding more and more spanish so he can communicate on a different level so he was telling about all sorts of injuries he had as a boy.  he showed me a machete wound on his foot and the scar is jagged, large welt across his foot.  i said, 'oh my goodness did you go to the doctor?' he laughed and said, no money.  he told me that for weeks he was in great pain, and couldn't sleep or walk.  i am surprised he didn't lose his foot!!  seriously.

so anyways, poor kendy was an emotional wreck in the truck. i  went in the truck and held her hand and prayed.  i asked her mom to come in the truck too but she and carlos went in the back.

carlos carrying his sister down the hill

as it turns out, she got a tetanus shot, they cleaned her wound and sent her home all bandaged and with antibotics etc.   she had never had a needle before and was literally trembling and crying.  i believe it was at that point, that i almost fainted!!  talk about embarrassing!  they sat me down, gave me some water but i was sooo dizzy that i had to go outside and get some air.

what would make me faint?  LOVE would make me faint. it is a simple as that. i couldn't bear to see her in so much pain.  sigh.  i thank God He has called us to these people!

this wasn't an interruption in our well planned day. it was what He wanted us to do.
as we all piled back into the truck to take her home bob came up with the idea to just let her recuperate at our house so she wouldn't need to be lugged up the hill.

we still had some important meetings to attend to so we left her and her mom watching tv on our couch and headed out.   as we were driving i said to bob, ' i don't worry one bit about them taking something of ours.  i trust them completely.'  why?  because they have become like FAMILY.  truly.    and one thing about hondurans:  they are loyal to family.

an interesting note, i had some left over soup in the fridge that i told their mom to make for lunch.  when i got home i asked carlos if he ate here and he said, no.   there wasn't enough soup so instead of taking our food without asking he went hungry all day working in the yard.  even as i write this my eyes fill up with tears.  he is such a hard working loyal worker!   (needless to say, i made him something to eat at 3:30)

at one point his mom wrapped her arms around me and said, 'we thank God for you and mr. bob.  carlos says that you are the best people in the whole world.  i believe it's true.'   i told her we aren't the best people.. we are serving the BEST GOD and every day He helps us to live the way we should.

we both smiled and said, Gloria a Dios!  which means Glory to God!

it's beginning to look alot like christmas

the christmas tree is up, the candles are lit, i love making the house look beautiful for HIM

thankful for His peace.  please pray for safety here at Christmas.  many break ins are happening

saw this on the beach.. my kind of shovel!  NO SNOW!!

i have been hand painting and selling little seashells for christmas ornaments

bob with mrs. claus

look at that tree!!!  port of roatan, coxen hole

i took this for my friend pauline xo

boys from the coxen hole choir.. they sang on saturday.. wonderful event

the advent wreath .. a beautiful way to focus on Christ in Christmas

poinsetta's are beautiful.. especially when they are growing in my garden!

TRUST... in Him

a miracle story

how many of you have gone into a big mall and then come out and not been able to find your car?  i know i have.  it is terribly frustrating to say the least!!   it happened last week to bob's mom while she was shopping in a mall in florida.   she ended up going back into the mall to ask security to find her car (smart idea!)

while she was waiting (for a long time!) she struck up a conversation who was working there.   the lady happened to mention that she was taking a cruise.  bob's mom mentioned that we lived in roatan, and that we were helping the people down here.  she mentioned that we were taking donations for kids clothes and toys to help out at christmas.  the lady decided to help!!

so on tuesday, they docked here in roatan and rolled off a HUGE SUITCASE up to the Made in Roatan shop!  How wonderful is that?

taken in our livingroom!  what a blessing!

do you think it was a coincidence that Bev couldn't find her car?  that the lady who usually doesn't work in that department was there?   that she had a kind and giving heart?  NO i don't think any of it was a coincidence!  i believe that all things work together for good for those who love God.

we were so blessed to open the suitcase and see so many wonderful clothes, toys and candy.  as Bob opened it he said that so many faces came to mind that will really be so blessed to have these gifts for Christmas!

we enjoyed meeting sue and garry.. a truly wonderful Godly couple.
thanks so much for catching the vision and going the extra mile to help people in need.

God bless YOU!
i wrote a letter asking for my canadian friends to, as well, rise up and help here.  i am incredibly overwhelmed by the loving response from all of you!  thank you, thank you, thank you!

we will be handing out food in toys once the parcels arrive after december 20.
how exciting!