Santa Lucia

For approximately 50 weeks out of a year, many small pueblos (villages) lay dormant in their small town charm and excitement. But for those other 2 weeks out of the year, these small pueblos have a town fair, or feria en espanol, that brings life and celebration to the town in a way that really captures all of its beautiful red-tile qualities and charm. This beautiful little town, named Santa Lucia, lies about 15 minutes outside of Tegucigalpa, the capital city. Santa Lucia is located approximately 5,000 ft above sea level, and is surrounded by pine forests, the same forests that actually surround Academia Los Pinares. When going on our hike after school up the mountains, you can actually see the little white dots of the houses in Santa Lucia from our mountaintop view.
During Colonial times, the mountains around this town were mined for quite a time, and the town became important to the Spanish crown because of this. During the late XVI century, the king of Spain ordered a crucifix of Christ built for the local church. Today, although the church suffered many modifications and expansions until its present building, which was finished just prior to the independence of Honduras in the 1800's, the figure of Christ donated by the Spanish crown in 1574 still remains. The thing more noteworthy about this crucifix is not the the king of Spain donated it, but rather that it was thought to be a black Jesus. The black Jesus of Santa Lucia became somewhat of an icon, and it wasn't discovered until later that it was not truly black, but rather just in need of a good cleaning after several hundred years of grime.
This past Sunday Melvin and I along with Leah and three girls from church all went to Santa Lucia to visit the feria and to take opportunity of a beautiful, sunny day to walk around a darling little town, eat Honduran fair food (which some can be quite excellent) and enjoy the mountain view. In the last picture posted, you can see the nightlights of Tegucigalpa from the overlook of Santa Lucia's coffeeshop. Enjoy!

Sushi Anyone?

This past Friday we had a cozy night at home learning how to make sushi with Enrique, the guitar player from our church. Our in house chef, Melvin, has been dying to know how, and I have been dying to let him make me sushi. Since I arrived in Honduras, I would say that on average sushi is consumed 3 times a month, and now having gained this sushi making knowledge, much more is to be expected. Much fun was had, lots of sushi was eaten, and it was perhaps the most fun Friday night at home that I've had in a long time. Enjoy these pictures!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

For some, it may come as a surprise that I am a BIG David Bowie fan. Even though he is in his 50's, has worn more eye make-up than I probably will ever wear collectively in my lifetime, and acquired most of his fame putting out an album almost exclusively about aliens, I cannot help but love him. I also decided a few years ago that if it is possible, I would like to walk down the aisle to an instrumental trio of "Life on Mars" (Before you judge me too harshly, just listen to it, disregarding the words, and tell me that it doesn't have the perfect build-up for that once-in-a-lifetime entrance.). I bring this up not to share my fondness for David Bowie, but rather to use some of his lyrics to help clarify my current status...or at least explain why I named my latest posting as such.....I promise I don't have a stutter.

"I still don't know what I was waiting for

And my time was running wild

A million dead-end streets

Every time I thought I'd got it made

It seemed the taste was not so sweet

So I turned myself to face me

But I've never caught a glimpse

Of how the others must see the faker

I'm much too fast to take that test

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Don't want to be a richer man

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Just gonna have to be a different man

Time may change me

But I can't trace time

Okay, so maybe its a little random and dramatic, but the sentiment remains the same. Life changes, people change, and there have been some changes since my last entry. I suppose I will start with the most noteworthy, and that would be Melvin, my boyfriend of 5 months. A lot of you reading this know about him, but I should give a decent recount of things and keep everyone up to pace.

I first met him the first time I visited the Feeding Centers with Manos Extendidas (he volunteers out there every Saturday) on February 24th, 2006 (I remember this date so fondly because it was my 23rd birthday) and we were friends for a long time. Then we were friends in denial. And then I went to the U.S. to visit my family for 2 weeks in July, came back in August determined to tell him we could only be friends after a very surprising late night phone call in which he said he missed me terribly. I met with him the first day I was back, broke the news to him that I am not looking for a relationship, and within one week of returning to Honduras I went back on my word and we were officially dating. I have been very happy since that fateful day when we both said "let's give this a try."

Now with me, simplicity is something that I strive for materialistically, but it is not a reality when it comes to my personal life and relationships.... (i.e. there is always some kind of news and some kind of excitement floating about) and so it is with Melvin and I. After a few months dating, my family wanted desperately to know this boy who was occupying so much of my time, so we decided to visit my family together for the Christmas holidays. For many people who are citizens of other countries, especially those seen as "developing," the United States will not let them enter the country on a passport alone, but only after being issued a visa from the government. Let me tell you folks, this is not an easy process. It costs quite a bit of money, there are many components, applications, and papers that must be submitted, and then there is a nerve-racking interview with a U.S. consulate that literally rejects hundreds of people daily for visas. Especially from Latin America. The odds were stacked against us because usually having the right money and the right last name are your only ticket into the U.S., but God smiled upon us (after much prayer) and he allowed Melvin to have a visa to visit the U.S.. It probably helped too that his Christian school kindergarten teacher girlfriend came with him to the interview (which they almost never allow anoyone to accompany you during the interview) and I'm sure looking at the two of us together some major cute points were scored. So, we went to the U.S. for two weeks, met the family, and I must say that he did wonderfully under extraordinary pressure, even boldly sharing his testimony in English to the people in my church who were trying to analyze who it was that I was dating and saw worthy of bringing home to meet the parents.

Upon first glances, Melvin and I seem like we are worlds apart, and if someone were to ask me who I could picture myself with, there would be many things mentioned that do not apply to Melvin whatsoever. I'm sure if you'd ask him too, he'd say likewise with me. But as you begin to peel back the superficial layers, something much more profound is revealed. God has a way of doing that, where he takes your preconceived ideas and turns them into something completely unrecognizable from their initial state. He does the same with us too. When I first began talking about changes, I can see looking back how God has completely changed me, to where I feel like the person I was 2 years ago is only a poor imitation of who I am now. I just thank God that I allowed myself the opportunity to be changed, uncomfortable as it was at times and still is. If I denied God the opportunity, I would have missed out on the wonderful things that I can see he had in store for me, and I truly believe that Melvin is one of them, as mushy as that sounds. I can say these things because its true, and also because I'm certain he will never read this. God is like the ultimate interior decorator, but he does not stop with a quick coat of paint--he completely guts entire wings of our soul to make room for the design he has for each and every one of us. And while remodeling is uncomfortable and awkward, I am sure that everyone can agree that it is worth it. Completamente vale la pena.

Here are some pictures from Night of Lights in Downtown St. Augustine. The other pictures taken are around the fort, where Melvin and I brought a picnic lunch and rode bikes to sit on the wall of the fort to look at the bay.