Birthday Party

Because I was working on my birthday, I had planned with the girls to go eat pizza in La Esperanza the following Saturday, so we could all celebrate together. Our power was off all day Saturday. We had to get ready and I waited until the last minute because I didn't want to take a cold shower and was hoping that the power would miraculously come on. Our showers here are called "douches" or "widow makers". They are quite ingenious in that they are a small hot water heater in your shower head. The heating mechanism starts when you cut the shower on and the water circulates through the unit. Everyone was waiting for the electricity because no one wanted to take cold showers. Whenever I have to get a cold shower I encourage myself that millions of people all over the world take cold showers, and with that I jump in the shower, but don't linger long.

I leave the cold shower and am ready to go. The girls were waiting on the porch at the kitchen. I jump in the little bus, and it won't crank. Great.. So I go to the barn and get out the jumper cables. Amanda, our newest staff member helps me by making a quick "guy" call to make sure what cable connects to what post. For anyone out there who has not jumped off a car before, remember that you need to check under the dirt on the battery to find the positive and negative signs. Red goes to red and black to black. Red is positive like the blood of Jesus, and Black is negative like sin. ( Just a little memory helper) Also when connecting cables, it should spark when you clamp the last connection.

I found two sets jumper cables. One set was rusty on the clamp ends, and the other set had 3 clamps fastened securely and one end had no clamp at all, just wires. I went with the rusty one because it had 4 clamps. Well, we get it connected and nothing.... no spark. We were told to let it build up for 10 minutes. Nothing. We adjusted cables, nothing. An hour later, while the 23 girls are waiting patiently in the bus, I decided to try the 3 clamp model of jumper cables. I took a screwdriver and hooked the clampless end directly to the battery post. When I connected up the other end, behold ...sparks. 15 minutes later a cheer went up from the girls when the bus cranked and we went merrily up the road singing songs along the way.

We are riding along and I am pretty positive I have enough gas because I put 5 gallons in right before we left from a small container I found in the bodega. Long before our destination I notice we are extremely low on fuel. Before we get to La Esperanza the gas light comes on. Not good.. Amanda and I are praying. We coast into the gas station. The gas attendant fills it up. I asked how many gallons did he pump into the tank. He said exactly 30 gallons. We literally coasted in on a "wing and a prayer".

We ate our pizza and the girls gave me gifts they have crocheted. We were the only ones in the pizza parlor. We loved it. We ran some errands and came home. The girls had a pinata for me and Rosey . Rosey's birthday is a day before mine. I came to the porch and they said they had a present from our watchman, Don Pedro, for my birthday. Cinthia whips it out from behind her back and it is an armadillo shell, with the skinned part of the head still attached and it had a small rope attached to it so that I could display this attractive ornament anywhere. Well, my first reaction was to scream. I am not usuallly taken off guard, but I am expecting a plant. When I got through laughing at myself and the others laughing at me, I hung the birthday present on the porch.

Life here is very challenging and full of special surprises. Where else can you get an armadillo carcass for your birthday? I was so blessed by the girls and there 14 crocheted bags, in various colors and the ambitious Gabby who made me a sweater of many colors. Even though the day started off a little bizarre and frustrating, at the end of the day, I realize that I would not want to be in any other place than right here where God has called me to be. Signed the Armadillo Hanging Honduran Birthday MOM