Most of us painted the living room, hallway and kitchen area in cottage 3. We had to so some sanding first of course. We have gotten much better at it so got that entire space done before lunch. We started the day, however, with another conga line. Al and Keith were at the front of the line getting the blocks from the pile to pass down the line. They kept count. Monday we passed 300 cinder blocks down the line, today a mere 200. While we were doing that a new (I think he is new) staff member, Juan, came up. He is responsible for the agricultural efforts at SBV. They are trying to get a farm started, they are raising chickens and goats, and they want to have a greenhouse. It turns out that Minta is a master gardener. Suddenly the two of them took off all over the property, Minta furiously taking notes about all the things she is going to research when she gets home. She has ziploc bags of rock and soil samples to have analyzed. It was hard to tell who was more excited, Juan or Minta. It was clear to all of us that this is why God brought her to Honduras at this particular time!
Speaking of Minta... she was working in the little girls room (aka the Pepto room) painting the trim yellow. While she was concentrating on painting it just so, one of the little girls stepped in the bowl of paint! She had paint up over her ankle! Then she took her foot out and started walking! Minta scooped her up and rushed her to the kitchen to get cleaned up. The saintly men cleaned up the mess for her. We all got a good laugh. My only regret is that I didn´t have my camera at the ready to snap a picture of a wild eyed Minta and a yellow footed but serene child rushing by!
We left SBV a bit early so we could quickly shower and eat an early dinner. We had to get to the school at Flor for Girls Night Out. Margot, Anne, Jan K, and Dorita spent all day there again. They worked with the La Cantera ladies all day sewing and having a spa day - washing and styling their hair and helping them with makeup. Then they transformed the upper playground (a concrete soccer field) into a beautiful dining room. The tables were beautifully decorated. Our first task was to light the tealights on the tables. Last year the tealights were blown out by the constant breeze as soon as we lit them. This year, they innovated and floated them in small plastic cups with colored water. Brilliant idea... but... they were blown out almost as fast. Keith and John spent a considerable amount of time engineering a method to keep them lit for a least a while. The ladies arrived, all looking lovely. They were not the slightest bit concerned about the tealights because everything was so lovely. Margot, Anne, Jan K, and Dorita joined their guests at the table as we served them a delicious dinner of rice, chicken, and vegetables. There was a tiny glitch in that we also served their drinks which had been poured and conveniently covered in foil. After we got them all delivered we discovered it was jello for dessert! Oops. Find the cups, ice, and soft drinks. Start again. Soon everyone had something to drink AND jello! Bill was seranading the ladies with his beautiful voice and guitar. John soon joined him to provide harmony. Later Anne made it a trio and then one of the Honduran women made it a quartet! Wheeler and Karen were the floor show, cutting the rug with their dancing!
The ladies from La Cantera are so gracious and lovely. They were having such a great time. This is the second annual Girls Night Out which, I suspect, will go on for many years. These women deal with unbelieveable challenges under the worst conditions imaginable. Still, they could not have been sweeter. It is a real honor to serve them. Marie told me this was the best part of the week for her. She has a real heart for this kind of work.
I was able to get the shoe sizes of Sonia´s 5 children. Shoes all around in April!
Suzy recounted a funny conversation she overheard her third graders have. One said, "Suzy invented the Children´s Home." Another said scornfully, "No. She is the BOSS of the Children´s Home." "No," piped up a third, "she owns the Children´s Home." Suzy laughed and explained that she didn´t invent it, isn´t the boss, and doesn´t own it. "Well, you made up the name of it!" Suzy agreed with that.
Tomorrow is our last day. We all have heavy hearts thinking about saying good bye to the people we love. The SBV children will put on a program for us. The teenaged girls have been practicing a "drama" for us!
Hope all is well there. Hasta la vista!
Leamarie and the teachers
Leamarie teaching 2nd grade
Girls Night Out
Wheeler and two of the ladies. I think the one on the right has a crush!
Wheeler and Karen dancing
Sonia -the picture doesn´t do her justice. She is beautiful
The famous Girls Night Out singers
