Rick and Cheryl on Adventure

September 13, 2015

We are happy to be writing our first BLOG entry from Trujillo and we are doing it in what we are learning is a typical manner: I am typing in the dark out in the cabana because there’s nothing else we can do! You see, it gets dark at 6:00 and there has been a trend lately for the power to be out in the evenings, which means several hours of sitting doing next to nothing in the dark. You can read by candlelight , write on the computer until the charge runs out, or talk. We have moved out to the cabana with Kim because the evening breeze blows through it and the stars in the heavens are magnificent.

We are thankful for a safe and smooth trip down here, a quick transition from 2 nights in the hotel room to our little suite, and some success in buying food and household necessities. We have been welcomed and looked after by Kim (our host and the director of the mission) and Juan, who is the grounds keeper at the beach house and a wonderful person who keeps the property spotless and secure. He also brings us coconuts ready to drink!

One could say we are here in paradise and it truly looks like a setting from a vacation brochure. If one were to book into one of the resorts along the beach, it would be a typical southern sunspot. Indeed, Trujillo is known as the "Honduran Riviera" and people come from inland to the playa (beach) for their vacations at the recently developed resorts. However, if you live in the real world here, it’s a little bit different. There are always hidden details that you don’t see until you live life as a local, and we have discovered some of them already. Yet we realize that we will still have a much more privileged life here than most of the community members because of all the work and development that has preceded our involvement in this ministry.

A few hitches we have experienced so far will give you an effective introduction to the situations that affluent Canadians would consider challenges or irritations compared to home. The power goes out regularly, but thankfully the water works when the power is out. If electricity stays out for too long, any food you may have in the fridge and freezer may spoil because of the extreme heat. Of course, we don’t have Internet either when the power is down. The other service that goes out is the water, but not that often. We just happened to get lucky on our third day with the water off from about 10 am to 6 pm. It didn’t inconvenience us much as Rick had already gotten a shower and we were able to run a bucket of water from what was left in the lines. Then Kim took us out to lunch at one of the ritzy resorts and we were in no hurry to leave. Another frustration is the fact that we haven’t been able to get any money – our bank cards don’t work in the auto teller (for no good reason). Kim has lent us money and we hope to try getting a teller at the bank to get one of our cards to work tomorrow. Cash is needed for everything but the bigger grocery stores. The groceries in the markets are pretty unfamiliar and don't have much of a selection of fresh produce. We have found food and other items fairly expensive but restaurant meals are not bad. Go figure. We have enjoyed dips in the ocean, but the jellyfish are out in force and both of us experienced our first stings today. We are also getting stung by small “no-see-em” type bugs that have speckled us with bites. Coming from mosquito country, we thought we were pretty bug tolerant, but we will probably have to start wearing repellent when walking along the beach or hanging out in the cabana. They also come in through the screens so you are not safe even inside. Finally, for us Prairie dwellers, the heat is the most oppressive. It’s pleasant from 5 to 8 am but after that, you will want to stay out of the sun as much as possible until after 6 when the breeze is cooler. Even so, Rick and I are constantly wiping sweat off our faces and live in a perpetual state of wetness. Rick could take 3 showers a day, but I don’t see the point as I’ll be hot and sweaty again in 10 minutes.

We are grateful to be able to ease in slowly as our first week is a week off school for the girls in commemoration of Independence Day on Tuesday. Our first priorities are getting money, finding some fresh vegetables and fruit (which you would think would be easy in the tropics, but not so – this is banana country and we haven’t found a decent banana), and preparing for next week. Rick has already started on the list of maintenance, repair and building that Kim has. He has been making arrangements to get the air conditioner in our bedroom working, A/C fixed in one of the vehicles, power put in to the clothes dryer, and is going to buy materials for a new woodshed at the ministry centre this week. I will be taking over the English classes next week so I will start planning some lessons. We will need to be serious about spending some time on Spanish most days and get using common phrases regularly. I'll sign off for now. You can contact us any time through email. Please pray that we would maintain a posture of learning and that we would be a true source of help and friendship for Kim. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.