climbin' for kenips!

when people come to the property they are faced with a large fence, a locked gate and a barking dog:  welcome to the neighbourhood folks! 

that is just the way life is in roatan, unfortunately.

   but during fruit season people venture into the other unfenced part of the property hoping to avoid being attacked by moto if he chooses to dig under the fence.

so yesterday morning i heard the doorbell (i mean moto barking) and went outside to see 4 little kids standing in the driveway.  the one girl had a lovely mango in her hand which i assumed she took from one of our trees.  i went out and said, "que pasa" (what's happening?)  the little girl reached out her hand and gave me the mango and said, "es a regalo para usted"  (it's a gift for you)  i was a little perplexed because i have 4 mangos trees on the property and i certainly don't need another mango.  i asked where she got it and she told me from her friend's house.  i smiled, took the mango and stood there waiting for them to tell me the 'real reason' for their little visit.

it turned out they wanted kenips!

now if you  haven't ever been you may not be

familiar with them.

i remember the first time i had one i wasn't too sure about them.

you need to bite the top off, and out pops a slippery grape-like fruit 

that is more seed then fruit.

but they are sooo refreshing and delicious.

this is a kenip tree ... about 25 feet high .. at least

anyways, these 4 kids looked like they ranged between the ages of 4 to 9 

and i was a little uncertain about them climbing the tree

so i said to the oldest that it is very dangerous to climb up so don't go up too

far.

he was a little island boy who spoke english so he grinned and said

yes mam

but within minutes he disappeared into the gnarled limbs and leaves 

UP UP UP to the top and was scurrying along very narrow branches

in search of those succulent kenips.

i, in the meantime was hollering

"don't go any higher it is too dangerous!"

meanwhile the little girl had somehow managed to climb into

the other,somewhat smaller tree

and was shaking the branches and the littlest lad was

running around gathering up the kenips.

after looking up for about 10 minutes my neck couldn't take it anymore so

i hollered ' i am going inside now, you can stay up for 5 more minutes and then come down okay?'

YES MAM!!

so off i went and as i was cleaning i kept thinking about that boy up in my gigantic tree

and thought what would happen if he fell, splat to the ground on my property so i went out

again to see if he was down and what did i see??

ALL of them were up in the tree,

even the littlest guy was WAY TOO HIGH up

this is all of them climbing down

like i said that little boy was only about 4 years olds,

so when did he learn to climb trees like that?

last year?  last week?  just now??!!!

either way I told them to come down

so they all began climbing down with tshirts rolled up, full of kenips and the tip 

of it in their little mouths.

once they got down i stood there smiling and finally said

ummm.... por favor!

they clued in and gave me some of MY kenips!!!

they are so good.  

of course i took some for bob and carlos too and after a few photos

i sent them home.

 

about 5 min. later i hear them hollering at the gate

combined with moto barking furiously

so i go out

and they say

aqua por favor???

i decided to draw the line in the sand (not literally of course)

and said 

"no aqua para ti

go home and get water or just eat some kenips..they are refreshing"

when i went back in the yard i said to carlos:

give them an inch and they will take a mile.

he laughed and told me the spanish say it this way:

darles una mano y que se llevará a todo el brazo

which means:

give them your hand and they will take your whole arm!

but i am proud of those kids for asking! 

i am trying to teach the neighborhood kids

to ask instead of just taking (stealing)

apparently they were at the house earlier in the day and carlos told them that

they need to ask me so they came back, mango in hand to ask.

so what do you think i did when they showed up this morning at 6:00 am???

i went out, yes in my PJ's and said, NO NO NO.. it's too early.

please go home and don't come back this early .. ever.

i am nice, but heavens not  THAT nice!!  

so all this talk about kenips is making me want some.

i put mine in the fridge so they are cold .. and i am ready for some!

 

remember:  don't steal okay?

just ask.. (anytime after 8:00 am)

the way the Father works

The story I am about to share took place about 3 weeks ago and it keeps rattling around in my mind so it is time to write it down because it is one of those "God stories"  that soooo needs to be told.

One day, I believe it was a Friday Bob and I were heading into town to run errands and go visit some friends when we saw Ed, a friend from Seadancer standing in the shade waiting for a taxi so we decided to give him a ride into town.   He was actually hoping to go to the Made in Roatan shop so that worked out perfectly and we were grateful for his support of local art.  He got some great gifts and helped out several families in the process!   He didn't have anything else planned so asked if he could tag along with us.  We were happy to have him come along. 

  We visited with Marco and Zenola and he found it so interesting to hear stories of how Roatan used to be.   Later we felt led to go see Miss Elizabeth who just had a baby.  We just wanted to see how she was doing.  It is good to stay in touch with people and I know Ed was happy to be sitting in their little home getting to know another island family because the next day when we took him to the airport he gave us some money to give to Miss Elizabeth to help her out.   She is a single mom with 7 kids, and since she just had a baby she is unable to work.   I was touched by Ed's generosity and desire to help this needy island family.

The next day, around 3:00 pm the power went off and it was SO hot in our place that we decided to go to Bojangles for iced tea (they have A/C) and to play crib.  Now to you non Canadians that isn't a small bed but it is a card game.  It was fun to just hang out there playing cards and laughing.    At one point I said to Bob, "We should get some Bojangles chicken for Miss Elizabeth"   They had a 12 piece special on and if you live on this island you know that Bojangles is such a TREAT for them.   But the practical side of me thought it would be better to use Ed's money to buy rice, beans and plaintain as that would go further.  But still I kept being prompted:  "Get them Bojangles!"   It didn't makes sense and it wasn't practical but I sensed it was HIS idea so I gave in and we bought them loads of chicken, fries, and biscuits.

coming up to Elizabeth's with chicken in hand

As we drove up to their place the girls came running out to meet us.   They were sooo excited to see us.   Everyone was so happy.   I told her it was a gift from Ed, the man who had visited the day before and she was so touched.   Before leaving I shared with them that although they don't have a father, or a husband that the Lord is a good Father and He will continue to take care of every need.   They can trust Him to be with them.  He is their refuge and safe place, and no matter what He will provide for them day after day.  Bob prayed with them and as we left we knew we had done the right thing.

Miss Elizabeth and some of her children

Now the following day I went to see Zenola and what she shared with me unfolded the "God's story" to all of this.  Apparently the day before we arrived, the oldest sister's boyfriend had brought her a small 2 piece container of Bojangles chicken and all the kids wanted some, but there wasn't enough to share.   They were sooo sad as they really wanted some too.chicken. As I said earlier people of the island LOVE Bojangles and it is a real treat to get it.   She said, Don't worry we will get Bojangles sometime soon

Well I believe that the chicken was His way of saying

"See, I am right here. 

I know your needs. 

  I am working to the whole thing out!"  

Now it makes sense why it HAD to be Bojangles chicken and not just some rice and beans because He wasn't just meeting their practical needs but teaching them the lesson that He is a good Father who loves to take care of what they WANT as well.

Apparently the oldest daughter was so shocked when we brought the chicken that she started to cry

in the bedroom.

The Lord loves to bless us!!

I am thankful for Ed's willingness to give

I am thankful for Him prompting (and prompting and prompting)

me to get the chicken

I am thankful that He cares about the needs of children who

need a TREAT every now and then.

Bless His name!

Isn't He good?

Please continue to pray for Elizabeth and her family.

It is a tough time for them right now until she can get back to work

I have been taking donations at the shop for her

and as well donating half of what sells of my stuff to give to her

Every little bit helps and I know that through it all He is reminding them

I am your Father

I am your Provider

I am your husband

I am ALL you need.

It's true:  He is all that and more

that is true for all of us.

Blessings to you today!

the setting sun over Flower's Bay