A Real Roof

We were so excited to present Guadalupe and her family with the her new house and the items we had bought for her.  Heart to Honduras is very careful to select women who are in the greatest need.  The home is then presented to the woman so that she and her children can never be kicked out if the husband decides to take a new wife.  We assembled all the items in the new house and hung the new mirror on the wall where Guadalupe indicated.  Through an interpreter, we took turns telling her how much we had come to love her and her children and of our prayers for their future in the new home.  Then it was Guadalupe's turn to share with us her thoughts about the new house.  She started to speak and was overcome with emotion.  She cried and we all cried.  Through the interpreter she said, "I am so happy to finally have a real roof."  There was no mention of the beautiful mirror we were so proud of.  We repeated the presentation of two more houses with two more women and their families that afternoon.

We are so blessed as Americans.  I have more in one closet than Guadalupe had in her whole house.  It may take me some time to accomplish but I am going to get rid of my excess.  In the future, I am going to be more careful about buying things that I don't really need.

Getting money back

Wednesday morning in Honduras and we were up early again.  Today was going to be a fun day.  Since we had basically finished our houses, all the women got to visit a local school while the men went back to the job sites to put screens on the windows and doors.  One team had been going to different schools all week but this was the first time I got to go along.  The children of Honduras are so beautiful and friendly.  Yes, I am a sucker for kids with brown eyes!  We gave them bubbles, beach balls, toothbrushes, toothpaste and candy.  (I know it seems wrong.)  Most of the children's teeth are full of cavities since the water is not safe and they drink a lot of sugary sodas.  This little boy's front teeth were decayed.  He had a beautiful smile but he would close his mouth when the camera was pointed at him.  I hope somehow something will change for him and his permanent teeth will be saved.

My brother, Jimmy,
enjoying his burger

In the afternoon, we rode into Santa Cruz and went to a fast food restaurant.  It is crazy how good a hamburger and fries can taste.  We also got our first glance at a TV since we left on Saturday.  We were shocked and saddened to learn that over 4,000 had been confirmed dead in Japan from the earthquake and tsunami. 
After lunch, we broke into teams and went shopping for items for our homes.  I was so thrilled to be chosen to manage the money we had to spend on Guadalupe.  The first store was like an old hardware store; it had everthing.  We picked out a teal, plastic table with four adult chairs and two childrens chairs; a folding bed with mattress; a red, plastic storage unit and a beautiful mirror with Psalm 91 at the top.  I was excited to pay AND get money back.  Of course, it was in lempira which are 1/9 of an American dollar.  We crossed the street and spent the rest of our money on two toy cars, a broom, a mop, a bucket, a storage box, lots of food and soap.  All together we spent $133 and got back 61 lempira.  I love this getting money back!