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Hello all. Sorry it has taken me so long to update this. Things have gone crazy here in Honduras – literally.

If you can remember back to the 28th June I wrote and said that the President had been removed into exile. Well, after all that....the now ex-president came back last Monday! He got back into the country without anyone knowing (thus avoiding arrest) and is now hiding in the Brazilian Embassy. . This has caused major problems in the country. They have cut off electricity, water etc from the Brazilian embassy in an attempt to force him out – whereupon he will be arrested! Food is taken into the embassy every day (so they say?!)
Anyway...how does this affect me? Well, Monday they imposed a curfew (Toque de queda) on the whole country. Everyone had to stay in their houses from 4pm Monday to 10am Wednesday!! We were given from 10am-4pm on Wednesday to leave our houses to buy food etc. Then we had toque de queda again til Thursday 6am. They then lifted the curfew for the whole country and suspended it! So, Thursday we went back to work. Friday they then bought the curfew back into the major cities, but this did not affect me here so I was able to go to work again.

I am now writing this on Saturday night – and yes we have a curfew again 6pm tonight til 6am tomorrow morning. The times change daily and we just have to watch the news to find out what and when it is! Here in Sigua it’s all very calm. I still walk round to my friends house after curfew time – I live in a neighbourhood that is not on the main road (dirt roads etc) no police pass by here. Walking around seems to be ok, but driving is not something to be advised! It means I can walk to Lorena’s house – but only til it’s dark as I don’t like to walk back alone – unless her brothers are there to help me. Tonight it’s raining so I’m at home (oh joy, the rainy season is starting at the same time). Curfews aren’t much fun when you live alone and don’t have internet in the house!!
Tegucigalpa the capital is a mess! I am grateful for the curfews in that they do keep the peace a bit (which is the purpose) – if you leave your house in Tegus they arrest you!!! They have blown up/burnt/destroyed shops, banks, etc in Tegus, looting whatever they destroy. It’s a real mess. The resistance and the demonstrators all take to the streets.

I honestly don’t know what will happen. The UN have become involved and so have the USA and the American equivalent of the EU! I registered a long time back with the British embassy and have residency here so should be ok if anything happens. No-one (foreigners) are planning on going anywhere as Sigua is so secure here. When trouble comes here we know we have problems. I can’t go anywhere even if I want to – the airports are all closed!!
Please pray for peace here in Honduras. I am honestly safe and really not affected. The only way it has affected me is that Jaime’s Graduation was cancelled and so I didn’t go to Tegus! Oh and the curfews...dull, dull, dull – I am watching the movie Hairspray for the second night in a row!! I have never watched so many movies in my life!

If you want more detailed info on what is happening here please let me know and I can email you reports that people have sent to me that seem to be fairly rounded reports (as opposed to the very biased one sided ones on the internet). Not having internet at home means please be patient with news and updates...with the curfews I can’t always get to internet! If you have skype please feel free to call me – anytime after 10.30am my time (remember I am 7 hours behind you!) 00504 97786357 (or send a text message!)

OK, it’s now Saturday night (I will publish this hopefully tomorrow on Sunday) but as I write this I am watching a TV update and the Ex-President has called the TV station to have an ‘interview’. He is calling everyone from across the country to go to the capital Tegus to have a huge demonstration on Monday. He is saying they should start walking tomorrow so they are ready on Monday. Ready for what? I don’t know! He doesn’t have as many supporters as he used to have and no-one thinks that many people will travel to Tegus for this. Let’s pray not! This interview has just been cut as the President has now come on saying we shouldn’t go and that we should be standing for peace. So the rivalry continue!! Please know I am safe here!!

Honduras!

Here is a link to one of the adverts we have on TV here. On Tuesday we celebrated Independence Day but it is celebrated the whole month here. There is an advert on TV that is celebrating the country - the ethnicity, places, culture, food and traditions. Here is a link to one of the adverts (sadly not the one about places!)

HONDURAS!

Acting debut....to recorder debut!

It's all about the arts this week apparently! Today is Independence Day here in Honduras. Yesterday at Providence the children sang 2 traditional songs for the office staff and for the Orphan Homes. A small celebration. Now, the recorder is seen as a beautiful instrument here, all the children have to learn it. Now to me it reminds me of being 6 years old and I was re-living this memory yesterday as I was asked to accompany the children singing. I felt quite ridiculous but everyone was suitably impressed! So, that was my recorder debut. Hilarious! I now have the rest of the week off!! Well done Honduras!

All the school staff with our Honduras Football t-shirts on!!

This Gringa refuses to live in fear!

About 2 weeks ago my neighbour moved out! I forgot to write about it. It proved a very stressful week indeed. There had been a few robberies in my street (like everywhere in Honduras!). My neighbour upstairs - Abner - watched a man rob the house in front and the man saw him watching. He did nothing about it - just watched! He got scared that the man would come back and attack him or rob his apartment (and therefore most likely mine too!) and so moved to the seminary for the week. What annoyed me about this is that he didn't think of my security in any of this and didn't actually tell me he was moving out and why - and therefore I should be careful! Well I was fine, and thankfully nothing happened. I hadn't seen him for weeks and when I saw him on the Sunday he said he was just too scared to live in that apartment and so moved out the next day.
I am not moving anywhere, there are robbers everywhere - and my dogs now don't like strangers so good luck to anyone breaking in!! I feel completely safe - and this area is sooo much safer than the last years!! Abner was scared of everything, was apparently terrified of a woodpecker - kept thinking it was someone trying to break in!
I have spoken to my Landlord and he knows I'm on my own and is looking for the right person to live upstairs - doesn't just want anyone, this I am very thankful for!
All my friends think it's hilarious the Honduran man moved out for fear yet the white girl living alone stays!! Go Gringa!!

Please pray for my continued safety and security!

Children's Day!

Today was Children's Day and so we took the children (and all the office staff) out to celebrate. We were meant to go to the park but ended up at camp for various reasons. The kids got to play and enjoy. As teacher's we put on a play of the Prodigal Son - hilarious! The funniest part was seeing the doctora on the floor being a pig! Equally amusing was the fact I was the 'father' and it was all ad-libbed in Spanish! Never thought I'd find myself in a Spanish acting part - however small! The kids loved it needless to say and it was a fun day!

My acting debut!
Luisito contemplating life - my favourite kid!!

My girls in the hats we had been wearing all day.

Fun times climbing trees

This is one of the little orphans from the home - we took the kids from the school and from the 2 orphan homes. He is soo cute. This photo was taken just before he put his hands into an enormous pile of fire ants!! Bless him!

Football...All in the name of Independence!

These last 2 weeks have been crazy! September is one of the most important months here as we celebrate Independence Day. The whole month turns into a celebration. Due to the Political instability here they cancelled all the big parades. We had a small parade for Pre-school whic was so sweet. All the smallest children marching through town. Then there was a football tournament for the Pre-schoolers too - amongst the schools in town. We did well - but didn't pass through to the next level (thankfully!)

This is our team - with the 'Madrina' - the pretty girl!!

Winder and Carlos waiting for the game to start!