At last!

Finally I have remembered my password to get into my blog!
I've been back in Honduras a week now - and it feels like I never left.  My journey back from England was relatively easy really - mainly because I had a row of 4 seats to myself so I lay down for most of it...made the 9 and a half hours a lot more bearable!
I then had a couple of days to get bills paid and the house tidied up and clean. Now it's back to school.  We're still a teacher short so not actually sure how it is going to work out.  I've just had a friend call me to ask if I know of any teachers as they are setting up a school....fat chance! I can't find my own!
OK, I will try and kee this updated properly now that I have remembered the password!

The Blog is Back!

Well, it's New Years Eve...about to turn to 2014 and as I promised people the Blog would return this year, I figured I should hunt out the password and get it started!
Soooooooo much has happened since I last blogged in 2010.  I'm actually really sad that I didn't record it all on here...but that's the past, and so we shall have to start again from here!
Happy New Year to you all...and keep checking on this page (ok..mainly when I get back to Honduras later in January!)

Prayers Needed

Lots has been happening recently, but without a computer it's proving difficult to keep this updated! I am trying to remain content without a laptop, and am still very grateful to Jaime for letting me use his - but it still gets frutrating when we both need it ..and it's his after all so I insist he gets to use it! He never argues that one!

Many things are happening, but the 2 main ones to write about need a lot of prayer...They are to do with the Bilingual School I used to teach in and the community I am involved with...

a) Yesterday a student and his aunt were kidnapped. I won't give more details on here but please pray for their release.

b) An English teacher from the school has been missing since the weekend. Bill is an older teacher - about 50? Speaks Spanish and has taught in various countries...we think he went travelling on Saturday (they have been into his apartment and seen his toothbush has gone etc) but he has not turned up to his classes and noone has any idea where he is! It's fairly horrific, cos these days here it could be anything!! He is very reliable and is loving it here, he's a part of our English Bible Study. But has just vanished. His family has been contacted, as have the police and the American Embassy (he's American). Please pray we hear news of his whereabouts - or that he just turns up!

Tough times all round generally so prayers required for everyone here in Siguatepeque....and mainly for those 3 missing people!

Never dull around here eh?

New British Contingency!

As I write this I can gunshots outside my house! I want to go and see what's going on (my walls are 8 ft and so I can't see a thing from inside). However, I'm not that foolish as to go out!!

Anyway, I have had a very interesting weekend indeed. First off....when I got my new computer at Christmas, I sold my old laptop to Jaime. I have been using his for the past few days. He has now said I can keep this laptop here until I can get a new one and he will just come and use it when he needs it, as I need it more than him!! He still has a front door key to my house as he house sits for me whilst I am away so he will just come in to work here whilst I am at work (I have internet that he comes and uses anyway). So it is amazing and means I have communication! Obviously I sold this laptop for a reason...it is soooo old and slow...but it is better than nothing so I am very pleased.

So, this weekend. Thursday - Saturday was the Annual Missionary Conference, which I was able to make this year. It is held every year in Sigua as the city is in the middle of the country. Missionaries from around the country get together. I went Thurs evening, Friday evening and Saturday (had to work on Friday) and I got to meet some wonderful people, share ideas, hear about what else is going on in the country. The highlight was meeting a lady from Scotland!!! We were both very excited to meet each other and share our own culture. Her husband wasn't able to come as he had to stay and work. They come from a town near the coast - about 6 hours away, they have a hospital and Children's centre. I am going to go and stay with them in the vaccations. There were loads of Missionaries from the same town. I got to meet all sorts of people and share ideas about the school, Providence etc. It was perfectly timed. I also realised I am lucky just to have lost my laptop - and in such an easy way. Every single person there has had their phones taken once if not more times...many at gun point, not to mention other things. At least I didn't have a gun pointed at me...and it was the first robbery in 4 years. If you don't count all the things stolen when I was house sitting!!

I got to spend more time with the Haglers and Dave and Esther, and 2 other couples from Sigua who I rarely get to see and it was hilarious. Obviously I got mocked severely for my English-ness. They're just jealous!! Time out just when I needed it.

So all in all good times. I didn't go to football today as I have a cold and bad cough and didn't think standing in the rain would be a good move. But I'm bored stupid!!! Apparently I need to go to football!!!

Well, that's it. I can't add any pictures/photos til a) I take some and b) get my own computer. This one is too slow to upload!! But I can email......

Feliz dia de los pliegos de Independencia!!

Today was my last and final visit to the poli!! I called the office 3 times and each time the officer I needed to talk to was out on a 'Mission'. Finally, when I called, he actually answered the phone himself, so I jumped in my car and went straight to the Police Station. I'm not sure what I was expecting....but this wasn't it! On Friday, when the laptop was stolen I went to the Poli, gave my story, had it all typed out and signed..this was the 'Denuncia' I was announcing that my laptop had been stolen. I didn't realise this meant nothing! They said I needed to talk to the chief of robberies and so for 4 days I have been trying to track him down. Finally tonight, when I met him, it was only to make a 'Declaracion'. I had to declare that my laptop had been stolen - and only he could do this! Same information. NOW they can start looking for it...5 days later! hahaha. It's just comical.

After, my brief trip to declare my stolen laptop (waste of time, but I have now completed my part and never have to return to the Police) I went into the town for the evenign with Lorena. Today we are celebrating the signing of the papers for the Independence! There was a night time torch-light parade. It was fab, a real carnival, family feeling celebration. The streets were packed with people, more than on Independence day. The marching bands were phenominal, it was a lot more relaxed and so they completely went to town with their routines. I had parked in the middle of town, so we had to stay for all of it...a long time considering it started 2 hours late! Despite back ache from standing so long, it was just what I needed. Relaxing, fun time. I feel a lot more peaceful now that I am finished with my part of the robbery and so it was a good end to the day.

(By the way...the 4th thing to go wrong was that my toilet broke, something went wrong in the sistern, but I've been here long enough to be able to fix things like that myself. It's amazing what you can do with the wire ties that bread packets are tied up with!!)

Things come in 3's....I've reached my quota!

Yesterday I wrote about the fact Israel lent me his old laptop. Well.....tonight it died! As I was writing an email it made a loud noise and shut down saying there is an internal error!! It won't start up again. it can't read the disk or something. So...tomorrow I shall return it to Israel! It's a bit embarrassing but genuinely not my fault. So, I'm back to being computer-less. Handily Jaime was meant to come collect his laptop last night but didn't come...so I can write it on that. I know he needs it for work tomorrow, but as ever, I'm maximising on it now.

Actually, he has suspected Dengue too - same as his brother David. Bearing in mind how much time I spend with Lorena and that family, I won't be surprised if everyone ends up with Dengue....especially judging how things are going at the moment!!

I went back to the Police Station today and the officer I need to speak to still wasn't there! I waited an hour before leaving. Whilst there I asked why I was there - apparenltly the officer is going to go back to Del Coral and talk to them about the fact the car park guards weren't there!! Not that it will make any difference. I said I will go back tomorrow, but after that I give up - whether he is there or not. Noone can do anything after 5 days anyway - you have to love this country!!

On a good note, choir practise went well this afternoon. We have started a choir at church - 4 part harmony for every song. I love it, it's been so long since I've had a chance to read music here. In fact only Norma and I can read music...apart from Don Heber who leads the choir. Makes for some interesting singing. But I love it, singing Alto to my hearts content. I'm thankful that I can read music, because it means I know what I'm singing. In choir if someone makes a mistake we repeat the song over and over until everyone has every note perfect. It makes for an amazing sound...but gets quite dull. It is also fantastic for my Spanish, reading and pronouncing...and rolling my r's. It helps me unwind from the craziness of these days!

New Day, New lock!

Well, today I realised how much people want to help me here, it was very sweet. Everyone at church was very sweet. My laptop was stolen on the day of the Men's Fellowship meeting - which meant all the men in church know what happened and are offering to help with whatever!

I also decided that the front door key that couldn't be found..really can't be found. I have searched everywhere and it trly has disappeared. Not wanting to take risks I went out today and bought a new lock - and fitted it myself. I bought the same brand lock and so just had to remove the old one and put the new one in - no new holes etc!! Done. So at least I know noone can enter my house with that old key. I feel a lot safer.

More good news is that Israel has lent me his old laptop until I can get sorted. It has no battery, so has to stay plugged in and the sound card doesn't work so well....but it means I can stay in touch and so I am in no way complaining, am entirely grateful!! It will certainly do until I can sort something out. But how I miss my computer - was just what I wanted!! haha...that'll teach me. I do, however, keep realising how much was on it that I need.
As long as I don't think about it I"m fine, as soon as I think about it..not so fine!! So, the answer is to stop thinking.

I have failed miserably in trying to find God's plan in all this, but as I am no longer thinking I am ok about it!!

I didn't go back to the Police Station today, I couldn't face it. Ovidio and Norma invited me for lunch instead. I will go tomorrow...not that it will do any good, but I shall do my part in all this.