71 Days Left

Hey Everyone, I hope this finds you well. I just got home from my trip yesterday. I went to renew my visa with another volunteer. We left on Saturday the 25 and headed to San Pedro Sula. We stayed there till Monday and we drove to Puerto Cortez to take a boat ride to Belize. When we got there they let us know that they would not be making the trip to Belize on Monday because of the weather, but maybe on Tuesday. So then we road back to San Pedro to stay one more night. The next day they called and said that they would not be going at all. So we had to figure out another plan to leave the country because I had to get my visa renewed. I was able to find a decently cheap flight out of Honduras to Fort Lauderdale. The reason it was so cheap was because it left at 1:00 AM, but the Lord was good and we made it to the US at 5 in the morning. I have a wonderful friend with an amazing family that picked my friend and I up at the airport and let us stay at the condo for the week. I cannot thanks Francesca and the Guerrieri Family enough. We had home-cooked meals that were so good, God was definitely taking care of us during our trip. Our flight left Tuesday night at 11:25 which put us in San Pedro at 1:00 AM. I have a hard time sleeping on airplanes and there was a guy talking to me the whole trip, needless to say I did not sleep during the flight back. So we just hung out in airport until about 4:30 then took a cab to the bus station. After our 4 hour bus trip back to Tegucigalpa, we took another taxi to a different bus station that brought us to Guaimacia, and then we took one more taxi to the orphanage. I am glad to be back and finish my time. I am completely finished with school, which is really exciting. I will continue working in the clinic and we have to start working on cards for Christmas. Thank you for all of your prays, I really appreciate them so much. God Bless, Lindsey

Day 90

Today is the middle point of my trip in Honduras. I have officially been here for 90 days. When I think about it, at times it seems that I have been here forever and other that the time is going by real quickly. Since my last post things have been going much better. Sonia was let out of the clinic, which is such a praise. I am working in the clinic in the mornings and afternoons still as well as teaching school. I am giving my classes their finals early because I am leaving for Belize on the 25 of October. I am going with another volunteer here, so please pray that we will have safe travels. I am very excited to have a little break and get to see more of Central America. This past Monday we did not have school and a group of the medium boys went to the Mountains, so I went with them. I came back with so many mosquito bites, I think my ankles are swollen. They itch so bad too, but I try not to scratch them cause they will leave marks on my legs. The mosquitoes are different here, they leave little scabs when they bite. I have been hanging out with some of the new volunteers and they are really fun to be with. It's nice to be with people your own age to talk about things you have in common. Not much exciting is going on, but I can see the God changing my life in many different aspects. I have been reading The Purpose Driven Life, and I would highly recommend it. I learn something new everyday, it's really exciting! Please pray for the orphanage, there have been a lot of government official coming and trying to stir up trouble. Thanks again for all of your prayers and support, I really appreciate it!
God Bless,
Lindsey

Day 82

Hola,
Today has been a bit of a drag for me. Do you ever get in a funk where you just don't feel good and happy. That has been me these past two days. Two volunteers that I became close with left yesterday. They had been here since last October, so they were excited to leave. I on the other hand was not excited for them to leave. There are only two volunteers in the house now, me and the new volunteer that is from Denmark. The girls that left taught me so much about the orphanage and what to do, I am going to miss them so much. I think it is also sad because you develop a strong bond with these people that share your same struggles and triumphs while you are serving, and once you leave them it's not likely that you will ever see them again. Also every time someone leaves it makes you want to go and see your family too, but I am excited about my trip to Belize that is coming up in three weeks. I am still giving out medicine, but for the boys now. Sonia is still in the clinic, I think this is her 6th week. This has also been hard because the other volunteer and myself are constantly in the clinic. It is hard sleeping in the clinic every night and being here during the day. I am still teaching school, and we have about 5 weeks left before the end of the quarter. I am also helping in the clinic, I went to the hospital yesterday with a boy because we thought he might have broken his elbow. I don't think that he broke it, but he is wearing a cast. I am very excited to have my mom come and visit me over Thanksgiving. I really miss my family, but then take a second to think of how much these children probably miss their families. Please continue to pray for me, I really appreciate all your prayers. I pray that God would protect us here in Honduras and that he would continue to work in my life and revile the plan that he has for me. Once again thanks for all the support and Love!!!
God Bless,
Lindsey XOXO

Day 72

Hola,
This morning I am in the Clinic.... Still! Hopefully within the next 2 weeks Sonia will be able to go back to here house. A new volunteer came this week, she is from Denmark. The other 2 volunteer girls are leaving in the beginning of October, and I am going to miss them so much. We walked into town yesterday after school. I was actually able to buy chicken breast for the first time. I have not eaten one in forever. We have some new volunteers coming soon, and they will be teaching school. I am not yet positive whether or not they will take my place in the school. I have to go to Tegucigalpa soon to buy an extra month in Honduras. I have almost been here for 90 days, which is really hard to believe. At the end of October I am going to Belize to renew my visa for another 90 days. A little problem that I am having is there are no other volunteers that need to go. A family will be going and I will travel with them, but I still have to stay by myself which will make my trip much more expensive then originally planned. I do know that God will provide and protect me while I am there. I really wish that I could go on this trip with some people, because it looks really fun. I will have to opportunity to relax be myself, and that is exciting. There was a group here this past week and one day they served chili dogs to all of the houses. They smelled so good, but we didn't get to eat one. My Spanish is beginning to make better sense. I am still learning a lot of words every week, which to me is exciting. I hope that they weather at home is nice, it is so hot here especially if it doesn't rain. Everyday I am here I learn something new, whether it is about myself or just a fun fact I am always learning. God is working in my life right now, it is so amazing to me how I am changing. Just my outlook on life in general is different.
I really hope everyone is doing Great and I miss you all. Have a woonderful rest of the weekend!
God Bless,

Lindsey

Day 63

Hello Everyone, I hope that this blog finds you well. I am doing really great. This week we did not have school on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. This only meant that I had more time to be in the clinic. Monday was independence day for Honduras. There was a really big parade with kids from all of the schools in Guamacia. Some of the kids from the orphanage were in the parade and the teachers went to walked with them. It was very hot and I was sunburned by the time we go back to the orphanage. On Tuesday I was in the clinic for the morning which was long, but after I was able to go and help the little boys build a garden. I went with another volunteer and we dug up lots of dirt and they planted some vegetables like: beans, peppers, yuka, and onion. I hope that is grows and produces lots of crops. God has really been working in my life. I am learning so much about myself that I would have never know had I not come here. I am very thankful to everyone that made this opportunity possible for me. I am still in the school right now. There is a couple that is coming next week for a year. I think that at least one of them is a teacher, and will be taking my place in the school. Once they come I will start working in the clinic everyday. The volunteer that has been in the clinic is leaving in October, so I am learning a lot from her. On Wednesday I pulled pieces of a torsalo out of a boys leg. It was really disgusting, but I was so proud of myself. I am doing things here that I would never been able to do or want to do anywhere else. I am still teaching tennis, which is discouraging because the kids are not very good, but I can't be to serious about the tennis. When I think about it I am a little sad that one-third of my trip is over. Thanks for all of the love and support, I really appreciate it!!!! God Bless you all, Oh sorry about the video, I could not get it to flip upright!

Lindsey (:

Day 56

Today I went to Tegucigalpa for the day. I was supposed to do some much needed grocery shopping, we had to take a trip to the doctors office and did not have much time to shop. I think that I have a parasite in my body. I took medicine for it so hopefully it will go away soon. This week has been a pretty long week for me. I had to give the students that failed their exam a retake. It is a bit discouraging when my students are unable to tell me that banana in Spanish is also banana is English. I just have to keep doing my best and remember that I am not here for myself, but for God. We are still in the clinic 24/7, which is hard because there are only 4 volunteers here. I believe that a team is coming to Emmanuel soon which will be nice. The children enjoy it when teams come, it gives them a chance for a change of pace. It has been raining consistently everyday, which is great because it is so hot during the day. I hope that everyone is doing well, and I miss you all. Thanks for the prayers and support! God Bless, Lindsey

Day 49

This morning I woke up around 5 AM to the sound of gunshots. I was truly concerned that someone was in the complex. I later found out that this month is some type of holiday and I will be hearing a lot more gunshots. This week at school we are having exams in all of the classes. I had to come up with all the test, and give them to all of my classes. Majority of all the kids have a very low self-esteem and don't believe that they can do anything that may be difficult to them. I am trying to help them with their confidence. We are still constantly in the clinic 24/7. Since we only have 4 volunteers here right now we spend lots of time there. This week at tennis we played with real tennis balls for the first time. I hope that the boys and girls will begin to pick it up a little better now. My mom sent me a Hannah Montana video and all of the girls went crazy over it. She is very popular here, as well as High School Musical 1 and 2. I have both of these movies memorized. Last night we had the Lord's Supper in church. It was a good fun experience. My Spanish is improving pretty well. I am learning new words everyday. It has been raining majority of the day today, which is really great because it cools everything down. Thanks for the Prayers and support. God Bless, Lindsey