Just an ordinary week.

Last year, we received a generous donation.  We never had met this person and this donor had just seen us on the internet.  The donor asked us to do what was needed for the girls.  As a mom, there are always things you want for your kids, but put those thing off sometime to keep them in clothes, tennis shoes and food.  I was so excited.

The first thing I wanted to do was to get all the girl's eyes checked from a licensed optometrist.  One girl needed laser surgery for a previous cataract surgery, and we found another girl that had a cataract forming who has a family history of cataracts.  More than a third of our girls needed glasses due to many early childhood problems.  We had to drive an hour and a half to get to this Dr. but after several trips we got that taken care of in 2012.  

The next thing we were trying to get established here was a psychologist to see about the girls. In 2012 a psychologist came down with a team and she was such a blessing talking with the girls.  We tried to skype with her  in the States, but with a bad internet connection and scheduling problems it just didn't work out.  We started praying for a Honduran doctor.  Then this Dr. Nazaria and her husband/pastor came into our lives, through one of our Honduran board members. 

So last Friday, she came to minister to the girls.  

Sad eyed Jennifer just received her cast

 She comes the last weekend of the month.   The psychologist is one of the other things that we felt was needed for the girls.  She has been such a blessing.  So she was here Friday, Saturday and Sunday with a woman from Canada, who works for another Non Profit Organization in Canada.  She was visiting our Doctor's church in Tegucigalpa, the capital of HOnduras and so Dr. Nazaria asked if she could come visit the ministry.

Then with that underway way, we decided to get the girls braces that needed them.  So far six have braces and there are more to come.  They had little or no dental hygiene before they were placed here with us so we have been working on fillings and that type of dental health, but some were definitely needing some braces.  So we started that procedure and the girls go once a month on the last Saturday of the month.  We sat in the waiting room from 7:30 am to about 3:00 pm. on Saturday.  The orthodontist finally said that he may just come to the farm and evaluate who needs what and do the adjustments there at our clinic.  

Mariela is free from her cast

The next morning on Sunday we went to a medical brigade sponsored by a ministry called Providence World Missions.  We had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get to the brigade at 8:00 a.m.  They had brought down Orthopedic surgeons to help the children of Honduras.  They are doing a lot of other things also in the area of Siguatepeque also and have a similar vision for their area.  However they do things in a huge way.  Their facility is amazing and so is their staff who gave us a tour of their facility.  

Anyway, the previous month Mariela had a broken elbow that required surgery.  The Honduran Orthopedic Doctor mention to me that I might want to carry Mariela, and any other child in our area who might need surgery.  There was a little girl in our church who is so sweet.  We called her dad and he agreed to bring the little girl. 

So early that Sunday morning, (I woke up a 2:30 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep) we loaded suitcases for Rosie, who was headed out for college, Mariela who was to see the Doctor, Estephania, who was going to help me with lifting Mariela, and then the psychologist and her Canadian friend, and we left out at 6 a.m. to pick up the little Girl and her Dad in Yamaranguila.  I was so busy talking to Rosie about the do's and don't's of college and living in the city, I almost got to La Esperanza before I realized I didn't have our other passengers.  So I returned and picked them up and worried and laughed about my over tired body and mind.  

Providence was very organized, and we were given a red card that had a number 43 on it.  They had two tents, blue and red.  The number 43, meant a long day, but it was a gorgeous day.  It was like a cool spring day.  Mariela and Stephania were under the tent with the other patients.  I brought a book and read, saw some old friends that I have seen in a while, and bought breakfast and lunch for the folks I had with me.  I took a tour with Rosie of Providence and generally had a good day.  We finally saw the doctor around 2:00 p.m. and he said because she had the broken elbow that needed physical therapy it wasn't a good time for her to have the surgery and he wanted to wait until she was a little older.  He said if she were in the States she wouldn't need surgery just some injections of Botox and physical therapy.  So I thought great that would be better.  The little girl was next and they took over an hour getting her checked out.  She was a candidate for surgery.  They were doing the surgeries there, but the dad had to wait outside for the announced times for this surgery.  

I couldn't leave them and go and carry Rosie to the next leg of our journey.  I had US dollars but no Limpera enough to get them back home or to a hotel or supper.  So we waited.  It got dark and so finally I asked if anyone had change for US dollars and I found someone.  The dad was still waiting but  I asked the staff of Providence if they could get him to a hotel and something to eat and they said sure.  

I left out of the ministry which was a winding road that I wasn't convinced I could find my way back to the main road in the dark.  Also, I don't like riding in the dark.  I love the Nissan Patrol that we have, but it had tinted windows when we bought it used from a mechanic a few years back.  People here walk at night on the side of the roads, and others drive in the middle of the roads, and it is very difficult to see with tinted windows.  So I rolled the windows down and it was very cool outside.  

We got to our next destination about 8:30 p.m. and I was tired.  I carried the girls to get pizza, and then went to Enlaces ministry where Rosie will live for a few months before we find her a family to stay with in Comayagua.  Sandy Burgess is on our Honduran board and is the Director over Enclaces.  I talked to Brenda Hernandez, who used to be at PTC, but graduated from college and got a job there at this ministry.  I got to my bed at Sandy and Currie's and just feel over, I was so tired and started feeling a cold coming on.  I never get colds.

The next morning, I not only had a cold and flu symptoms, but also had vertigo.  I find when I get to hot, or change altitudes a lot, I get this condition.  When traveling from La Esperanza you go over serveral mountain ranges.  So I couldn't go anywhere but lay there in the bed and drink Canada Dry.  Sandy and Currie took care of Mariela, Estephania and Rosie while I slept. 

The next morning I was so much better, and I was getting ready to head out, when I got a phone call.  Apparently Jenny was playing in her room the night before, doing flips or climbing up the side of the closet, when she fell. ( Details are still sketchy. ) Her elbow was more swollen that next morning.  I told her to carry her to the same private hospital as Mariela went to a month ago with her broken elbow.

I loaded up my dwindling passengers, and a mad pregnant cat.  I was taking the cat for Sandy.  The cat was a stray that one of her interns, had fed, and the cat stayed on .  But because the intern had taken such good care of the cat,  there were others that followed to the lady that can't say no to a hungry kitten.  She has a huge heart for Honduras but also a large part of who she is, is a cat lover. She knew the cat would be better off with her kittens at our farm, and so was ready to do the right thing even though she had become very attached to "Spicy" the cat.  

 So we got a box and put holes in the side where Spicy could stick her head out to see.  We placed her in the back of the Patrol.  Then all of a sudden I thought I was in the movie about the "Mouse Trap".  This cat got out of the box, hit the button on the window and while we were say our good byes to everyone the cat was trying to make its great escape!  I looked across the lowering window at Mariela's frightened face being in the car with a crazed cat, who could work the windows.  I reached in and rolled the window up and the cat loving intern, got the cat back in her arms, while I ran around to rescue Mariela.  They got Spicy back in the box and duct taped her in when immediately, the cat stuck both front paws out of the box and scratched Sandy and the Cat Lover. After that you could tell who really loved this particular cat.   If I had of made four holes the cat would have walked away in the box.  We were all trying to dodge the swiping arm of the furious cat.  Currie had an idea and he got a milk crate and put the cat inside the crate with a block on top and we sandwiched her in there with luggage.  A little hectic, but we did it. 

So we drive off, leaving Rosie crying and Brenda trying to comfort her, Sandy nursing her cat punctured leg, and the Cat Loving Intern was crying, while Currie was waving.   I was trying to hold up for Rosie, but as we made the first turn on the main road, I started crying, then Estephania started crying, then I looked in the rear view and Mariela was crying, and then the cat started crying.  It just got funny, and I didn't feel like crying anymore.  We went to Siguatepeque, to get Mariela's stitches out a day early.  I got there and left the cat in the car with water and food and rolled down windows.  

When we got inside the doctor's office I called Angela and told her where I was and asked about Jenny.  She said "Don't go anywhere, because Jenny's arm was broken and they were on their way". Because she might need surgery to put pins in like Mariela's elbow we stayed close to the orthopedic surgeon .  Now really what are the chances of all this happening again in a month's time???  I started praying that Jenny wouldn't need surgery.  Mariela got her cast off and she was euphoric.  She was talking and giddy and acting as if she had been to Starbucks for a vente frappachino.  She was wide open.  Singing and talking to whoever passed by.  The Doctor went to lunch and we waited for Jenny his next patient.  Well she didn't need surgery, thankfully, and seemed to be more upset that the doctor didn't have a pink cast for her arm and that she had to settle for purple.  So we got back home Tuesday.  

I had to go put money in the bank for Rosey's university books and rent and etc the next morning.  Some missionaries came by to get a  missionary that was staying with us for a few days.  They showed us how to hook up the trailer.  We had to find all the pieces first, then we went and loaded the goats and carried them to the other farm.  It is dry season and no grass, at our place but over at the farm it is heaven for a grazing animal.  So we got them over to the other farm, raced back to town, went to the bank, pick up our new Spanish school books for the girls, grocery shopped and raced back to get the goats back in the trailer before the helper left.  He left.  So I dropped off Angie and took some girls and got the goats from the other farm.  Once we do this a few times it will be good, but wow, it was an ordeal.  I collapsed again in the bed after devotions and talking to the girls.  It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to me privately after devotions.  After the last girl I laid down and started to do my email and facebook when Sandi saw me on line and told me to go to bed.  I woke up at 2:30 with the vertigo sypmtoms again.  So I have laid around another day, and slept and talked to the girls after devotions tonight.  I am going to go to town tomorrow, for an interview and an appointent at the officials office, but am coming home to my bed again and having a quiet weekend.  Pray for me to have wisdom about my health.

I do want to thank all of our donors.  Without you all we wouldn't be able to get girls to the hospitals,  or psychologist, or local children surgeries connected to visiting missionary doctors, or girls going to the university, or to buy books, buy groceries, have internet, or a school, or braces or eye glasses, or for just getting a pizza at the end of a long day.  Thank you so much for making our lives here count and for taking such good care of His Kids.  We bless you and pray that all of you be totally blessed this 2013. 

I also want to thank the INTERNS who worked alongside this ministry this past year. Some will work here short term in the future. Some have been called elsewhere. We will continue to pray for the new doors of ministry the Lord has been preparing for them. We love you guys and miss you. Thanks to Ben Heath, Natalie Martinez, the Botkin family, Anna Williams, and Lauren Edwards. We love you and are thankful for our many memories of the blessed times we spent serving with you all. You are in our prayers in the morning at CIRCULO and on our hearts at DEVOTIONS.

Blessings from the Veritgo Fighting, Cat Chasing, Goat and Children Hugging, Honduran MOM

Can These Bones Live??

Yes they can.  Bones are important.  Definition: A bone is any of the pieces of hard, whitish tissue making up the skeleton inhumans and other vertebrates.  The substance of bones is formed by specialized cells (osteoblasts) that secrete around themselves a material containing calciumsalts (which provide hardness and strength in compression) and collagen fibers. The support our human frame when all is working as God designed.  We found this out when the team from Friendship Baptist Church came to visit us the day after Christmas.  This church has been keeping this date after Christmas open to visit Project Talitha Cumi for the last years and we all look forward to their visit.

This year the pastor and one of our SIKM board members, brought his family down with him. Tom has been on our board for the last 6 years and his son had been to the farm a few years before and was so excited to be back.  It was Cindy's first time to be with us and Tom was so pumped that Cindy finally got to come down too.  We were probably just as excited that they were all here as they were.

About three o'clock in the morning there was a strong knock at my door.  I was awake and saw it was Joe Reynolds saying we needed to get to the hospital with JT, Tom's son.  I got in the truck and saw no one.  Then I heard them walking down the lane.  You just knew it wasn't good.  JT had fallen from his bunk bed at the mission house and had hit his head, and even in the dark of the super early morning hours you could tell it was a bad gash, and lots of blood.  He seemed not to occupied with the blood but was very aware of his wrist that he was holding so protectively.  He had fractured his wrist in the fall also.  We got everyone settled in the car and hit the first of many bumps along our horrible roads and we all knew that he was in extreme pain and that it was going to be excruciating for the young boy.

The ride was so hard on JT and his parents, who sandwiched him on either side.  They were trying to be of service and realizing that they couldn't comfort him at any level because he was in such pain.  We all were praying as Joe got us to our destination, which was a private hospital there in La Esperanza.

The Dr. Thelma sewed up his head which was an ordeal for JT but also for the mom and dad as they looked on.  She had to sew up the fleshy part of the wound before she could attempt to get the epidermis to close it up.  Cindy was wonderful in that she didn't pass out.  She would smile at her son and say comforting words to him and when he wasn't looking she would roll her eyes beyond their sockets trying not to absorb what she was having to look at.

After they wound was closed, we went to the x-ray department.  We were all in there with no lead aprons.  The doctor reviewed the x-rays and told us we would have to go to a orthopedic specialist located in Siguatepeque, two mountain ranges over from were we were and about an hour and a half away.  It was still early so they gave JT something for pain and nausea and he rested before the trip to the next doctor who didn't open until eight o'clock.

We got to the orthopedic doctor and he had to call in an anesthetist to put JT under so they could set the wrist correctly. He got a nice green colored cast at his request (his school colors) and off we went back up to the mountain to return to our farm and to the team who was anxious to see their fellow team members.

During the drive we received a phone call from the farm.  Apparently, the kindergartners were in recess and Mariela who is six years old.  She has a physical special need in that she can't walk without the help of her walker.  She has just started walking with the aid of her walker this year.  She was in a child's plastic swing that has the protective bar that keeps the child safely in the seat.  She pulled the protective bar upwards and fell out and because her legs could not support her she fell full weight on her elbow.  They told us to meet them at the same hospital that we left that morning.

When we arrived, Jerimiah and a couple of our older girls were there.  We all met in the x-ray room again with radiation filling the air, and held her arm so that they could take the different shots of her arm needed for the orthopedic doctor to see in Siguatepeque.  When Dr. Thelma put them up on the screen, she called the orthopedic to find out what we should do.  He said without seeing the x-rays he couldn't know for sure what to do.  So I had the idea to take a picture of the x-rays on the screen with my Iphone. (technology is amazing!) We sent them to his email, and he said she would have to come in.  So I asked Joe if he was up to another ride and he gave his typical response, "I am here to do whatever needs to be done".  He is such a wonderful servant of God.

So we get to the Dr. Silvo's office again and we have to go get another x-ray because he was looking at something odd that he couldn't figure out and he wanted to be sure before he did the surgery.  So we went across town and had the other x-rays made with some specialized machine and brought them back.  He said that she needed surgery to place pins in the bone that had chipped off in the fall.  He asked me how she fell and why didn't she just catch herself, and I explained her physical situation about her legs.  He asked about why she couldn't walk and I explained her history to him the best that I could.  He then told me that a team of surgeons were coming and that they were specialist in this type of trauma and she could be a candidate for the surgery!  She had the surgery later that night and she did so well.  She slept through with no problems with extreme pain and we left the next morning.

Although everything that transpired in those 28 hours was a little on the wildly extreme, I marvel at the way God helps us through trials.  Even though the events were horrible, we found that a surgical team was coming to an area of Honduras that we would have had no knowledge of if these circumstances had not  happened.  He is so Faithful at every level.

I pray as we go through this new year of 2013, that we all remember just how faithful the Lord is.  When crazy trials come, that we will look for His hand, even in those tough circumstances of life.  It is difficult to remember when our pain, or the pain of the ones we love is so excruciating, that God is there with us.  Jesus said at the the tomb of Lazarus that He knew that God always hears us.  He hears us, He is always with us, He is our God Emmanuel (God with us)  in 2013 and for all eternity.

I listed some phrases about bones below.  One of them that I had never heard was: what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood) proverb a person's behavior or characteristics are determined by heredity.  I pray that God's heredity that He supplied to us through His Son to all of us will shine in our behavior and character this new year. 

Be blessed this New Year of 2013 from our Honduran Home to your Home.

a bag of bones .the bare bones be skin and bones a bone of contention a subject or issue over which there is continuing disagreementclose to (or near) the bone 1 (of a remark) penetrating and accurate to the point of causing hurt or discomfort. 2 destitute; hard up.cut (or pare) something to the bone reduce something to the bare minimum ( as) dry as a bone see dry .have a bone to pick with someone informal have reason to disagree or be annoyed with someone.have not a —— bone in one's body (of a person) have not the slightest trace of the specified quality : there's not a conservative bone in his body.in one's bones felt, believed, or known deeply or instinctively : he has rhythm in his bones | something good was bound to happen; he could feel it in his bones.make no bones about something have no hesitation in stating or dealing with something, however awkward or distasteful it is : they make no bones about the fact that their scheme amounts to a consumption tax.to the bone 1 (of a wound) so deep as to expose a person's bone : his thigh had been axed open to the bone | figurative his contempt cut her to the bone. •(esp. of cold) affecting a person in a penetrating way : chilled to the bone. 2(or to one's bones) used to emphasize that a person has a specified quality in an overwhelming or fundamental way : she's a New Englander to her bones | he's a cop to the bone.throw a bone to give someone only a token concession : was the true purpose of the minimum wage hike to throw a bone to the unions?what's bred in the bone will come out in the flesh (or blood)proverb a person's behavior or characteristics are determined by heredity.work one's fingers to the bone work very hard : Tracy can work her fingers to the bone, but it's Ms. Green who gets the thanks.