Surprisingly Amable

Science project with both of my classes

Wowzers.  Goodness gracious.  That’s all I got.  So, first off, let me apologize again for no blog update in a little while.  Its not that I’ve lost interest in posting here.  Usually I have a difficult time finding internet connection.  The last week I have had absolutely no internet.  Its been pretty tragic.  Also, I usually have little time to do blog stuff.  Yet, in the last week, I have had absolutely zero time.  At nights, when I finally get to stop and get ready to sleep, it feels like I just got off a rollercoaster.  Things have been going so fast and busy, when nothing is happening it feels wrong.  But yes, lets get on to at least some of the stories that I can share.

Jenny and her best friend (who I live with), David

So there are a few reasons that things have been nuts here the last week or so.  For starters, Mrs. Pam is in the states.  The girls have been surprisingly good and even sweet in her absence, but it still is just a ton of work trying to do what she does when she’s here.  Responsibility is not something that Mr. Ben is familiar with.  Secondly, it’s the end of the school year here.  For that reason, things are nuts.  Girls have huge tests to take, girls have makeup tests from 5 months ago, girls are trying to memorize the Honduran national writings, girls are in trouble for failing classes, and their teacher has a cold.  I mean, its not bad.  Its actually been an amazing week or so.  This is probably the most glad I’ve been that I’m in Honduras yet.  But really, its still been nuts.

I’m not really sure what all stories I can share here.  Some have rough parts about specific girls.  Some have unprofessional topics in them.  Some are so funny that I have to wait until I can get home to tell them in person.  Josh, I have about a dozen stories that are going to make you wet your britches.  I have one story that ends with the punch-line of “man-parts”.  I’m ok with the inappropriateness, but I want to save it for when I can tell it in person.

Milay can fall asleep anywhere

So after I absorbed the middle school class, school got challenging.  I am now in charge of 2 classes spanning around 7 or 8 different grades.  It’s rough trying to figure out what to do everyday with such a large learning gap in each class.  Yet, I was originally up for the challenge.  I made out a schedule of what times I needed to be in which classes, what we would learn, when I needed to start the videos for the high school, and when I could answer questions for the middle school.  The whole system revolved around the fact that the high school class has lessons from a home school video program.  Well, first day in the VCR broke.  Second day in, it had been decided that we were moving rocks and not having school.  Occasionally I get to work and learn we aren’t doing school.  I’ve become alright with it though.  God’s really been showing me that I need to be prepared, but not to stress out about it, because things here are not according to my plan. It’s an incredibly comforting thought. 

Some people might enjoy this sight

At one of the recent church services at the farm, one of the older girls decided to translate for me and my other “gringo” friends in attendance.  The service for me was incredibly moving.  One of those real nice ones, you know.  It was only after the service that I realized why.  That was the first service I’ve heard in a language that I understand in 2 months.  I mean, I’m getting better at Spanish.  I pick palabras (words) out of orraciones (sentences), but I don’t really know enough to get the real meaning of the sermon.  It was just cool to understand adults speaking about our God of unfailing love.  Since then, I’ve had a translator for every service.  Boring story?  Maybe.  Did I feel like telling it?  O ya.

So, long story short, Honduras is nuts but really awesome.  I think its going to feel strange when I get home and things are normal speed.  I also think I’m going to be involuntarily throwing Spanish words in my sentences.  My Spanglish is surprisingly amable.  But yea.  Please be in prayer for us down here.  We really need it.  Between the business of whats going on, the responsibility of handling it, and the knowledge that I’m going to leave it all in less than a month, I really need your prayers.  Also, please remember my good friend BJ Brown.  He’s a kind soul and an amazing man that recently shipped out to Afghanistan.  We’re all praying for him down here, please remember him in the states.  Ok, I wrote this while it was late at night after 4 days straight of running and with a cold.  There are probably grammatical errors everywhere and a lot of boring things.  But I needed to get this out.  For those of you who suffered through it, thanks.  Again, it really means a lot that you all still care enough to read this.

-Ben Heath