The Lord is Risen!

We enjoyed our Resurrection Sunday Sunrise service at Parque España, a small park near the church that overlooks the city. Since Sunrise came at around 5:30am I must confess that it was a "Sunrise Service" in name only; we met at 7:00. 

We were privileged to have the Coro Unido (United Chorus)--a volunteer choir of members from various churches--encourage us with two familiar songs: "Un Día" (One Day) and "La tumba se encerró" (Christ Arose). We joined voices--and languages!--on one verse and chorus of "Christ Arose."

After the early service we ate breakfast together and then had a time of fellowship until our regularly scheduled worship service. 

We hope that you had a similarly joyous celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 The Coro Unido warming up. They arrived at 6:15am to rehearse, sang two songs in our 7am service, then left to serve in their own churches! Thank you!

A view of the choir and the city.

Choir and congregation.

Holy (week) Hail!

Though rainy season is still over a month away, we have had a few cloud bursts recently. Today's was quite dramatic with thunder, lightning and even hail! Perhaps because of the hills and valley, the storm seemed to linger and the thunder seemed quite close for some time. The surrounding countryside is quite dry so the rain is welcome.

We are still in our first year so are still experiencing things for the first time. This week the experience of note is the mass exodus that takes place during Semana Santa or Holy Week. The newspaper reported the other day that over 50,000 people had already left the city. Apparently, life almost comes to a standstill.

Among the departed is a hefty percentage of the congregation. Many of our number are teachers and so have the week off. Costa Rica, Roatan, Utila, Panama, Copan, and Colorado were all mentioned as destinations this week. We still hope to have at least a few faithful at our services this weekend.

Last week I was invited to join a friend for a day trip about an hour outside the city. Equipped with portable equipment and over 1000 pairs of used glasses, we set up in a medical center and in a few hours examined over 40 people and gave out quite a number of glasses. It was fun to experience a different bit of ministry life and to see the profound improvement that a simple pair of used glasses can make. Thanks, Mark, for the invite!

Going Bananas

One of the small surprises that we have enjoyed since coming to Honduras are the bananas. Now bananas are fairly consistently available in the States so we have long been banana consumers. But the bananas here are better. I know that you're probably thinking: "A banana is a banana. How much better could it really be?" Well, I wouldn't say that they are wildly better but we have both commented that the fresh banana flavor of Honduran bananas is more intense than the bananas we're used to. They don't taste different than what we're used to, just more so.

I've been thinking about this because it is a pretty good description of how life has felt of late, not different, just more intense. In ministry there has been an increase in the number and depth of discipleship/counselling opportunities. We are becoming more keenly aware of the regular, ongoing needs of the congregation, needs that deserve greater attention. From dabbling in Spanish, Debbie has begun working more intently on making progress in the language. Parenting could fall in this category as well.

This intensification is not unwelcome (please note double negative). It is a part of life, and indeed, a sign of greater kingdom potential. But it has certainly made us more aware of our need for a vibrant personal prayer life and the blessing of prayer partners elsewhere.

Thank you for how you partner with us.

Piñata ponderings

Piñatas are extremely popular party items here. Ellyn has been to a couple of parties lately and has taken her whacks as well as enjoyed the resultant candy cascade. At the most recent party we attended (a wonderful affair, thanks for the invite!), the piñata of choice was the disembodied head of Cookie Monster. That was fine up until the point that it was hung on the gallows rope for its whacking. That was a little creepy looking.

But apart from that I still have some reservations about the whole piñata thing.

First, I have seen enough episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos to know that where there is a piñata, invariably somebody's going to get whacked, and it is usually the adults.

Second, I wonder about the long term personal and cultural consequences of the implicit message that if you beat someone enough times with a stick, candy will come out.

Some snapshots of recent daily life

Just some random bits from life of late.

First, elsewhere I have commented on the cheese situation around here. This was a felicitous find!

Though we don't think we need 2 vehicles full time right now, a friend who is in and out of the country has generously offered to let us use his truck when he's not around. Given that it's a truck and standard (or mecanico as they say around here), only Stephen drives this one.

Here's proof of the mirror replacement.

Bougainvillea blooming in the tree at the end of our cul-de-sac. (The picture doesn't do it justice).

Our doorbell and the delivery of our electric bill.

Denominational Differences

We are an inter-denominational church which means we make an effort to get along and the pastor takes turns offending people in his messages.

But even for us there are limits.

This evening a young boy came to Bible Study dressed in the white uniform of the Real Madrid Futbol Club, something like this:

After study I casually mentioned his attire and commented, "Soy de Barça," indicating my preference for Real Madrid's arch rival, Barcelona. The astonished, wordless, and withering gaze this youngster offered me upon hearing my profession of futbol faith was a sight to behold.

I think I'd get a warmer reception from my Baptist mother if I converted to Hare Krishna.

I guess I'm good either way

As far as cultural icons go one slight difference between Honduras and the US is that this...

...is a far more common sight than this:

For the uninitiated, the former is the crest of the Fútbol Club Barcelona or, more crassly the Barcelona soccer team. One hopes the latter needs no similar explanation.

As it turns out, I happen to be a fan of both clubs so the iconographic eclipse of the one by the other is of no great moment to me.