Hora Santa

Every Tuesday we have a holy hour as a community at 7pm. The younger kids go to holy hour separate at 5. Usually the missionaries attend with the older kids but this past week I decided to go earlier. What a beautiful holy hour! Our Lord truly knows the needs of our hearts. Try to imagine a bunch of 8, 9, 10, and 11 years olds singing…at this point it's still more like screaming a bit in different pitches and different times. Then you have Yadi, who is 3, who is trying to sing along but really has just her own tune. 

We some of our really common songs but tonight I was able to really focus on the words in a different way this night. I'm sure any former missionary still appreciates Pescador de hombres. 

The chorus goes, "Señor, me has mirado a los ojos, sonriendo, has dicho mi nombre, en la arena he dejado mi barca, junto a Ti buscaré otro mar."

"Lord, You have looked into my eyes, smiling, You have said my name, in the sand I've left my boat, with You I will look for another ocean."(sorry if my translating is poor) It's just such a beautiful song and has so much meaning especially here. Another one says " Si yo no tengo amor, yo nada soy Señor." It's so simple, but so true. If I don't have love, I'm nothing Lord. Singing it over and over again it became a beautiful meditation. 

For those that know me I enjoy silent adoration….That being said an adoration like this would usually be very distracting and almost frustrating to me to the point where I would miss the beauty in it. This day however, by God's grace I was able to take it in and appreciate it for all that it was. It was honest, pure, and innocent. This is the way God wants us to pray, at the top of our lungs, making a joyful noise….He didn't say it had to be in tune :)

Video

So each weekend the houses in the same age group watch video together. I covered video with the teenagers tonight…and man they are movie talkers! Now I happen to be a movie talker as well but heh these teens didn't go more than 2 minutes. Just to be clear movie talkers are the people who can't go more than 5 minutes asking questions or making commentary continuously throughout a movie. The boys chose the movie this week (every week it switches off. Can you imagine only watching 1 movie and week and not even be able to pick it at that!) Anyways it makes for some interesting nights:) Like tonight for example, about 5 minutes into star wars Nelsy states, "no que feo este video." "¿Por qué?" Cesear asked. To which Nesly responded with, "porque me da asco", which literally means because it gives me stomach acid. haha. The boys chose star wars the newer series, but it was only in English. After we got all settled with our Coke and cookies, which I had to call out Daniel for taking 5 instead of one, Wilmer started translating but tired after about 3 minutes. 5 minutes into the movies they were all talking. Riccy, our oldest girl teen had to tell everyone to quiet down because she couldn't hear. Riccy has a very commanding manner without being rude. It's very helpful. I asked if anyone understood what was going on. So then I gave a cliff notes version to catch them up, and about every 5 minutes after that it was, y ¿ahora Nata? ¿q paso? (and now Nata? What happened?) So I began to give brief updates as we went along. I quickly realized that the vocabulary required to explain star wars is not something I possess. I guess between the clinic and day to day conversation I never picked up how to say spaceship or lightsaber…it was quite entertaining. At the end of the movie the boys were trying to convince the girls to watch the second star wars for next week. Guess who's turn it is to pick?!…Nelsy.haha. pobrositos (poor boys). They'll have to wait another week for their series...

Pijamada

The long awaited pijamada (sleepover) for casa 1 (house 1,  8-11 years old girls) took place this weekend. Pijamadas are a big deal in the Finca. Usually all the girls come and watch the first movie together, then Casa 1 goes home and the other girls stay up all night watching movies and making fun of the missionaries for drinking coffee and coke trying and make it through the night. This time however we promised the younger girls if they were all on green (good behavior) that we would do a special princess pijamada just for them. "Estan listas chicas bonitas?" "Are you ready pretty girls?" I asked Friday morning as I passed by the house. "SI! ¡Vamos a vestir en vestidos, y quedamos despierta todo al niche mirando videos!" (Yes! We are going to dress up in dresses and stay up all night watching videos!) ummm ya part of that. haha

We had it in the kinder classroom, which is small so we could be contained and it was much easier to decorate. By 6:30 we picked the girls up in the busito (our land rover) and headed over to the school with 6 girls, 8 mattresses and 3 missionaries. We had homemade cheese pizza, and purple frosted cupcakes while listening to the Frozen soundtrack. Libresoy, libresoy! (Let it go, Let it go!) Sing along…you know you want too! And we also know none of us know that those are the only words we know. haha

Man can those little girls can eat! I would definitely bet on Luz versus any house 5 (teenage) boy. Dinner quickly finished and we setup up our comfy floor. Everyone choose a spot pretty fast. It took a little longer to choose a princess movie but we finally settled on Mulan. So interesting to here those Disney songs that you can sing along to in your head in English, translated…:) We all did ok until about the last quarter of the movie. Yadi (our youngest who's 3) kept moving from mattress to mattress usually blocking someones view. Someone wanted to go brush their teeth, Elena wanted me to brush her hair, and Cati decided to put her head on my pillow saying, "estoy bajando mis piojos" (I'm giving you my lice basically) of course thinking this was hilarious. Thank goodness we had a piojos riding party 2 weeks ago, but still. Can never be too careful. My pillow is in a trash bag tonight and Tif and I saturated our heads in olive oil. haha. Oh the joys of finch life. (I have yet to have lice here, praise be to Jesus. I've already decided if I got it that I would cry, cut my hair, and then make myself get over it because this would be very vain…for anyone that doesn't know me I have very long, thick hair.) 

We made it half way through Pocahontus before we called it a night. It's so interesting how as the night goes on and the missionaries become more tired, that the girls seemed to have an increase in energy. We all agreed the only one who seem to have a very obvious sugar crash was Luz. She was sprawled out arms and legs on her mattress. Seidy was close after, then Cati. Elena made it the longest which was interesting because she was the first one up at 5:30 needing to go to the bathroom. They all woke up one by one, Luz was last. At six we told the girls it was still quite time and they needed to be resting…6-7am seemed a bit longer than usual. haha. They were all giggling moving from mattress to mattress as we ladies were in a half-drunk state. Tiffany mumbles, hey "Laura do you think this is what being a mom is like?" ya i remember waking climbing into my parent's bed on Christmas morning and them telling me the same.

" As I walked the girls back to the house they were all asking, "and Natalie why is the pijamada over?" "Well ladies pijamadas are more a nighttime thing." "No they should last all day!"…I'd be surprised if I can stay awake all day…I would glad we gave it chance. I think the three of us would agree were not sure that Casa 1 can handle pijamadas quite yet, but overall i think everyone enjoyed it. 

vaca is over....

Thank you so much for all those that took time out of your busy lives to spend time with me! I'm sorry that there wasn't more time to share. I really appreciate all your encouraging words, hugs, love, and prayers! I would say what I miss most from the states is the sacraments! and then all of you of course! But I would definitely encourage you all to pray about receiving the sacraments as frequently as you can! We are so blessed, because many parts of the world don't have that privelage. How humble our Lord is that we can not receive Him without our beautiful priests!

I have to say that as much as I enjoyed my time at home my heart was ready to return to the finca! What a great affirmation that this is still my vocation:) I was welcomed back with smiling children, neighbors, no electricity or water. But my bucket shower never felt so refreshing! Please continue to pray for us. You're prayers are so felt in our daily lives and we will be praying for you too!

After 9 months...

Well many people have been asking me how’s life at the Finca. Well my best answer after some thought and prayer is I have never been challenged so much spiritually, mentally, and physically in my life, but it is good. I am growing as a women, as a catholic, overall as a person. I am thankful for these opportunities though in my humanity I may not always express this. I am most grateful for my the blessing of beautiful relationships I have made there. I can truly give myself fully to these relationships in a different way then I was able to in the U.S. because of schedule and technology, and because of the openess of others. No matter how dificult the day can be you have that one smile, or that one child comes and grabs your hand to play and it makes the whole day worth it. It’s amazing the amount of love that our Lord has placed in my heart for this community and the kids of the Finca in less than a year and for my fellow missionaries that knew the community before even more so than myself. I imagine this is how you feel when you become a parent ;p

I think one of the most valuable things I’ve learned at the Finca is life is all about relationships. Relationships are hard work. Sometimes I desire to live in a cave on a random mountain and be a hermit ;p just kidding...no but seriously. I have thought, prayed, and discussed this theme with friends. How can you be in relationships and keep a safe distant but still give of yourself? What we concluded was that you can’t. You can’t give of yourself truly and wholly and not be hurt. People will disappoint you. We are all human. A friend posed a question for me to ponder...Who will you disappoint? Wow...I never thought about it like that. Maybe if I wasn’t so focused on how far a distance I need to keep from being hurt, I could focus on how to be the best person I can in relationship and anticipate the needs of the other...Gotta love friends that push you to think deep...

I want to thank you all as well for you prayers because I have truly felt them. Days that I fall weak in my prayer but still recieve all the graces I need to carry out the day can only be credited to all your petitions and I truly thank you all.

Just want to say as well I thank you for all your kind words of encouragement and all your praise, as long as it goes back to God. This is not my mission, it is HIS. I am just an instrument and I don’t always play the greatest tune. Our Lord placed a vocation to serve in Honduras on my heart at this time, and only by His grace was I able to listen and obey. But remember we are all missionaries and have our own unique mission to which our Lord is calling us. My prayer for you all is that you can embrace with your whole being do it with joy and grace. Please pray this for me too!

HOME

I just wanted to thank everyone for such a warm welcome back! I am so truly blessed to have such a beautiful community here in Jacksonville. Gracias to all that read the blog. I didn't realize how many people keep up with it. I will make more of an effort, God willing, to keep it updated.

Many people have been asking me how it feels to be back. I am truly glad to see and be in the presence of my friends and family. I would say the culture shock is a bit overwhelming. I felt out of place in this life before, but now I feel like a fish out of water. Everything in life has a lesson for us, and I will just have to be patient until our Lord reveals this one to me. I have a lot on my heart and mind and once I have some time to sort through it all with our Lord I am sure to have share it with all of you.

People have also been asking for ways to help. With tax-free week coming up at the end of summer, I wanted to post a school list that everyone can keep in mind. I will also be posting a list of things that we need all year round, and some opportunities to help specific families outside of the Finca if anyone is interested. Thank you for your patience.

I'm coming home:)

So I'll being coming home for the first time in about 9 months in 10 days! Thank you so much for all your prayers and financial support! I know several people have been asking for ways they can help. There are so many ways, first of course and most importantly with prayer! Here are some specific needs for the clinic, our neighbors, and our kids so however the Holy Spirit moves you!

Clinic:
coloring books & crayons (sometimes the kids wait with their parents for several hours...and we don't have a waiting room with a tv:)

stickers, pencils, lollipops (great gifts for kids when we have to do not so fun things)

shampoo and soap (travel size that you can get from hotels are perfect. A lot of our patients don't have soap in their houses.)

tooth brushes and toothpaste (cavities are a huge problem here and the neighbors are always asking for toothbrushes)

metal lice combs (their is always lice here and plastic combs don't cut it)

Neighbors:

I have had unique opportunities to share in the lives of many of the neighbors of the Finca. If you would be interested in helping specific people I have their stories and specific needs I could share.

Finca Kids

board games and books in Spanish

waterproof watches

pants ( I will send sizes)

Flip flops (old navy's are great. Always need them in pretty much every size. What we were most often)

I will be in Jax, Fl for 2 weeks so I would be happy to bring things back to Honduras with me. I don't have a phone so I will put up contact info once I return home for anyone interested in helping! Gracias!