Rick & Cheryl’s Typical Week Day Schedule

6:00 am   Rise ‘n Shine

6:30         Breakfast & devotions

7:00         Cheryl leaves with Kim for the ministry centre

                Rick finishes coffee; if Internet is up, checks and sends emails

8:00         Rick meets with grounds keeper and begins work on 

                property maintenance

                

                During the day, Cheryl teaches English class, helps with sewing class,
                assists Kim with office duties. Has noon meal at the school.
                Rick does a combination of working with Juan at the beach house
                property, meeting with Kim, repairing things at the school,
                shopping for parts and contacting repair men.

4:30         Cheryl returns from school and Rick winds down work

                and takes a shower. Might walk along the beach or take a 

                dip in the ocean. Make one of our supper rotation options.

6:00         Dark. Eat supper and clean up

                Do some emailing, reading, work on Spanish

                Sometimes do yoga

                Watch something on Netflix

9:00         Bedtime

In addition, Monday mornings we go down town to buy fresh vegetables and fruit (Cheryl doesn’t teach until the afternoon.) We just began meeting with a Spanish tutor Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings. On the weekends, we like to begin the day with a walk along the beach or yoga stretching. We have attended a Saturday “Gringo lunch” twice with American and Canadian retirees and the two of us have been going out to the cabana over the water for authentic Italian pizza on Sundays. Cheryl preps for the coming week’s English class and Rick does work around the yard on Saturdays. We usually have a Skype call set up with family or friends at some point during the weekend. We haven’t been going to church because Kim has not been going and all services are in Spanish. We wouldn’t be able to communicate beyond “Buenos dias – como esta?” or understand the preaching.

Four season pizza served at the cabana over the water only 200 yards down the beach

Other than the tasks Kim gives us, there’s not a lot for us to do, so God is teaching us to slow down and just BE. (We are also left with that as the only option when the power goes out.) There’s nothing that we know of to do in the evenings, so we just stay in our little suite. We have been advised not to go walking around in the dark and we would have to drive quite a ways to go down town for ice cream or something, only to sweat and get attacked by bugs. When you are only here temporarily and you don’t speak the language, not that many options present themselves. Kim eats supper at the school and often doesn’t get home until 7:00 with just enough time to unwind before bed, so we can’t join her in any activities. Cheryl is suffering from lack of exercise because it is way too hot to run or do anything more energetic than yoga.

Girls busy sewing their grad dresses

On the other hand, we are experiencing some pretty neat things. We have witnessed the way that God provides for the needs of people involved in this ministry. Kim has an amazing capacity to put out a call to all of her supporters in Canada and the U.S. and see the funds come in almost instantly! The long time sewing teacher, Santiaga, is experiencing major eye deterioration. She has virtually no sight in one eye and she is losing it in the other. Supporters have been donating regularly to pay for eye injections, but now the doctor says she needs surgery that will cost about $3,500 CAN. Kim presented this need to supporters and we made a thermometer poster for the girls to see visually how God would bring in the funds. The first day, Kim could fill in the level up to $950; the second day it went up to $2,100. The third day, red was bursting out the top of the thermometer and everyone broke into spontaneous clapping, praying, tearing, and praising God for his goodness and provision for one humble servant in Trujillo, Honduras.

The bursting thermomoeter, Santiaga and her grandson Javier

We enjoyed a special day last Thursday with an outing for the girls and all staff to a local swimmin’ hole. Rustic pools were built beside the river and water diverted into them. We had a blast! The day began at 5:00 am to start the tamale-making process. Kim and I arrived at the ministry centre at 6:00 to help. A basic description of this dish is a corn-based paste with chicken and vegetables added wrapped in banana leaves. The tamales are then steamed in a huge pot. The substance gels and it is dumped out of the leaves and eaten. Our assessment is that tamales taste a little bland and are way too much work for the results. However, it is a special Honduran dish for Christmas and other special events.

Making tamales: a time consuming process

Please pray that God would grant us a “Spanish tongue” and that we would discern along with the partners in this ministry just what part, if any, God would have us play here in the future. We are happy that so far we have been able to lighten Kim’s load and get quite a bit accomplished on her “to do” list!

Blessings to all!