With and without

Some of you may have noticed the cyber silence here lately. It has not been intentional. Rather, internet has been a bit spotty lately. Another way to say this is that I am in a life and death struggle with a certain internet service provider who shall (for the moment) remain nameless. I think I know who is more likely to die. Yet another way to say this is that I have been given the opportunity lately to grow both in my patience and my facility speaking Spanish over the phone about semi-technical issues. My Spanish may be improving but my mood is not. Yet, driving today with a friend we were discussing early missionaries and the challenges that they faced. I have a hard time imagining Adoniram Judson or even the relatively more recent Jim Eliot grousing about their internet being down.

Digital deficiencies are not our only news, however. More importantly, we are happy to report that today, with the generous loan of a cargo van and the even more generous loan of strong backs we were able to fetch our belongings from their point of delivery and transfer them to our home. We are now surrounded by piles of partially unpacked boxes. It is wonderful! It is not unlike Christmas as we discover all our things anew.*

That Christmas feeling will just keep coming in the weeks ahead as we have found several furniture and home furnishings to purchase from people leaving the country. This is bittersweet as we will miss them in spite of only knowing them for awhile but it is a part of the circle of life and ministry here. We are happy to be of a type of service to them by purchasing their belongings, relieving them of at least one detail.

Thank you for your prayers and support. We miss many but are eagerly setting the plow a little deeper in our ministry here.


*Special thanks to WGO (World Gospel Outreach) for the use of the van and to His Eyes ministry for the space in their shipping container.

Week-end Report - 23.10.2011

I was about to title this post "end of the week report" but realized that, it being Sunday, I would have fallen into grave theological error! Sunday, Resurrection Day, is always the first day of the week. Nevertheless, on this beginning to the week I report on the past week's activities.

The most noteworthy event from the week past was our move into our own home. With the help of friends from church we loaded, moved, and unloaded the items that the church had for our use. These included the major appliances, beds, dressers, and some shelves. This is a tremendous start. We still have to find some other furniture items (we're presently short on seating) but we are living comfortably in our new home.

We are already appreciating the benefits and discovering the shortcomings of our new place. The shorter trip to the city is a boon and Ellyn has already made use of the community swing-set and swimming pool. We miss the quiet and the view from El Hatillo where we stayed the first two months. At present I hear a car alarm (though we're used to those from our time in Racine and Milwaukee) and nearby there is a rooster who is apparently on Eastern Standard Time.

Another major event this week was the return of a key family from the church who had been in the states raising support for their ministry. They had generously offered us the use of their home during our first months. Since they contribute to the church in so many ways we are all glad that they have returned. Their return offered me my first opportunity to drive to the airport to pick someone up. I had previously only gone as a passenger. A small but useful skill!

Debbie has done some more driving and we are growing in our knowledge of the city and the shopping. Developing relationships is a key part of what we are doing right now so we eagerly accept any invitation to gather with others casually or formally. We even met some neighbors here in the community. The language barrier is a bit of a challenge for Debbie and Ellyn in these moments. Ellyn wanted to play but was hesitant to jump in as she usually does so eagerly.

And finally, for those of you whose word association with "Honduras" is of mud huts and natives with bones through their noses, you would be interested to know that we had a church fellowship yesterday. We went bowling. Yes, bowling. And it looked and felt like a bowling alley. (Though a bit quieter because there are only 8 lanes and weren't many other people there). To further confound your mental images, we only went bowling because the mini-golf place was closed for repairs.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement!

Customer Service

We went shopping today for household items and had two distinct customer service experiences.

1) In a store with a variety of household goods and appliances we bought a microwave and a fan. While we were at the check out a young man came and took the microwave and the fan to a separate location where he proceeded to open both boxes. He then plugged in the microwave and heated up a small cup of water to prove to us that it worked. Then he put it all back in the box and another man taped it shut. The fan was similarly tested. (The phones and speakers we bought were not). This practice, though strange to us, is not all that bad of an idea here where most stores will not accept returns.

2) Later, Debbie was at the grocery story and as her order was being rung up a small container of yogurt with one of those aluminum foil peel tops tipped over and split open. She was then asked (in Spanish and through pantomime), "Do you want us to tape it shut or do you want to eat it here?"

Different. Not better, not worse, just different.

Switched up

One of the humorous, small things to get used to here are the letters on the faucets. Many have Spanish labels and so the one on the left says C for "caliente" and the one on the right reads F for "frio." However, many faucets I have seen are in English. The confusion this causes is that most of the the English ones are installed with the nob labeled C on the left to coordinate with the Spanish "caliente" leaving the right, cold nob to read H. This is even the case on those that are additionally color coded with blue for cold and red for hot. In case you visit, know that in general, regardless of the labeling, hot is on the left and cold on the right.

I stand corrected

A few posts ago I was subtly dismissive of the church's self-description as "international" and suggested that most weeks that means little more than Americans* and Hondurans.
Just to spite me, I'm sure, this past Sunday we had at least the following nations represented: Germany, Honduras, the Netherlands, Taiwan, the United States, and Zambia. (Not to mention that the church guard is from Nicaragua.)
I enjoy worshiping in such an environment and just watched the people from different places lifting their voices in song in partial fulfillment of Revelation 7:9

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

* To most people from the United States, "American" is a common and acceptable self-referent. However, when one gets out into other countries on the American continents its sounds inaccurate. Unfortunately, English offers no other demonym for our use. Spanish has the word estadounidense to refer to citizens of the United States, though, truthfully, gringo is more common!

Far from home

As of yesterday we have moved into our own house/condo. This move is happening in pieces: we have moved in the furnishings that the church had for our use but are awaiting the arrival of our own belongings. Soon we're told. When those come and we begin decorating and filling in the gaps with household items bought or borrowed I'm sure it will begin to feel like home. Until then, well, perhaps Ellyn best summarizes the situation.

Da: "Do you like our new house?"
Ellyn: "No."
Da: "Why not?"
Ellyn: (with a half glance toward the living room with naught but 2 bookshelves and a TV stand). "It needs more things in it."

Because you're dying to know...

Let's be honest. Since we have come to Honduras and you have been following us on the blog, there has been something you've wanted to know but have been afraid to ask.

"So...do you do anything weird?"

You know what I mean. Do we slaughter our own chickens or only shower once a week or wash our clothes by beating them against a rock or, I don't know, go around only wearing a loincloth.

You will be relieved to know that:
1) we buy our chicken the same way you do (though we probably have the option of buying a pre-slaughtered chicken if we wanted to),
2) we shower as frequently as we want (though once dry season comes we may be more cognizant of our water consumption),
3) we have a regular washer and dryer (though most houses also come with a "pila" which is basically a deep sink with a built in washboard), and
4) given that it is the rainy season (what passes for winter), the temperatures are usually cool enough that we wear a shirt with our loincloth.

Sorry to disappoint you.

In discussing this we concluded that we really don't do much weird that you'd be interested in. At present we still brush our teeth with purified water rather than tap water (though we may transition away from that someday). Different, but not all that weird. The only other matter concerns the plumbing (the house's, not ours). The plumbing is not up to handling paper so that gets dispensed with in a can rather than, well, the can. This is true even in public restrooms.

Now you're sorry you asked, aren't you?

Vista

We will likely be moving to our own house early next week. As much as we are looking forward to that we are also thankful for the temporary housing that we have had these first 2 months. Among the things we will miss when we leave is the fantastic view. The view of the valley, the city and surrounding villages never gets old. Below are a few different looks at the city from where we have been staying.

 And this one, taken at virtually the same angle as the ones above!

Ellyn's new pet!

(Just kidding!)

High Society

Part of Union Christian Church's self-definition is "international." The church sign (which you can see in an earlier post) shows the flags of many nations giving the perhaps misleading perception that all of those countries are represented in the congregation. At present, we are "international" insofar as we have attenders from multiple nations, mostly the U.S. and Honduras, though a few other foreign countries are represented from time to time: Canada, England, Arkansas.

One of the true internationals that attends at present happens to be the ambassador to Honduras from the Republic of China-Taiwan. It further turns out that this year is the centennial of the founding of Taiwan. Accordingly, the Taiwanese embassy, which has had a long presence in Honduras, hosted a celebration to commemorate the anniversary and the ambassador invited his pastor and spouse, yep, that's us.

So last night found us dressed to the nines to attend a reception held at a swanky (or perhaps the swanky) hotel in Tegucigalpa. We were greeted at the door by the ambassador himself and received commemorative pins (see below). The festivities included speeches by the ambassador and the Honduran president (no we didn't meet him personally), national anthems of both countries sung by an excellent a capella choir, and a traditional dragon drum dance. Then there was time to mingle and enjoy the tasty buffet.

Those of you who know us would probably agree that we are not exactly high society people. I don't think we betrayed ourselves bourgeois except that we repeatedly rejected beverage offers during the speeches so as not to be disrupted only to be unable to find any liquids at all once the buffet lines began. Of course, we were conspicuously gringo but there's not much we can do about that! (Fortunately, we weren't the only gringos as the ambassador had also invited one of the elders and his wife.)

Here we are in all our sartorial splendor.

And the aforementioned commemorative pin (which you may be able to tell is actually magnetic).

Zumba proves his mettle

As explained in a previous post we elected to buy a small SUV over a car for various reasons among which was the ground clearance. Little did we know how soon we would be glad for this feature.

Today, on the way home from church it began to rain quite hard. The combined effect of the terrain and poor drainage means that the roads swamp with inches of water in many places.

How thankful we were for the all-wheel drive and the clearance!

The view from here

We will soon be leaving our temporary housing and moving in to a place of our own. We are very much looking forward to this move. That said, we are so appreciative of the home we have been able to use in these early months. It not only met a need, it relieved a great deal of pressure. On top of that, it offered us a tremendous view of the hills, the valley and parts of the city. Below is a brief video that tries to capture a bit of that view. (Sorry for the fence but it keeps us from rolling down the hill!)

Meet Zumba

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our ministry team: Zumba*. Zumba is a 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander equipped with all the essentials for transportation and ministry in Honduras:

• all-wheel drive for negotiating steep, muddy roads
• automatic transmission to avoid stalling or rolling back into someone on Tegus' steep roads
• seating for 5 (space for visitors!)
• air-conditioning for, well, year-round comfort
• seat belts (less common than you might think)
• and ample ground clearance for the potholes you can't avoid

The generosity of our church families in both countries made the purchase of a more than adequate vehicle possible. Thank you!

* Yes, we like to name our vehicles. "Zumba" comes from a verb meaning "to buzz" like an insect but can also be used to describe the humming or purring of a motor.

Sight of the day - Mutant Banana!

We eat a lot of bananas. In her most recent shopping trip Debbie picked up a small bunch thinking it was 5 bananas or so. What she didn't notice was that one banana was actually three! (Or maybe the other way around.) You might call this the "family banana."

September Update

The following is an update letter that we sent to our supporters at Racine Bible Church summarizing the month of September.

Dear Racine Bible Family,

While the fact that it has been over a month since our last letter of update may be reason enough to write, what prompts me today is gratitude and humility at the outpouring of generosity that we have received from you. We received news of the most recent gifts of financial support and are overwhelmed at the abundance that you have shared with us. We know, too, that the gifts of prayer support are as effusive and heartfelt as the financial giving. Thank you.

After a very busy last week in the States during early September, we arrived here as a family on Saturday, September 10. The church’s welcome that first Sunday was warm and even Ellyn began to make friends! Our first week here involved little more than catching our breath and acquainting ourselves with the local grocery stores. Since then we have begun taking steps toward making Tegucigalpa our home.

As of this writing we have settled on a place to live that is secure, fits our budget, and even provides access to a playground for Ellyn—a rare find. The house provides sufficient space for hosting small gatherings. Since we have temporary use of a house until late in October, we will likely not move for a couple more weeks. Besides, most of our belongings are still in transit from the US. (Your most recent support will likely cover the shipping expenses). Yesterday we took possession of our own vehicle. The use of borrowed cars and home greatly relieved the stresses of this move.

Debbie has been welcomed into the circle of women at the church most specifically through the weekly women’s Bible study. Many have offered to help in various ways. Not surprisingly we have received many lunch and dinner invitations and so are getting to know the congregation better each week. Through one such invitation Debbie was invited to join a group of moms who meet weekly for a Bible club of sorts for their children. Once we are more settled Debbie is looking forward to participating. Most of the participants are bilingual so it may provide an opportunity for her to practice Spanish as well as build relationships.

In most things at church (including preaching!) Stephen still feels new and a bit awkward. Sunday School and Men’s Breakfast both began recently and some fellowship events have been scheduled for the weeks ahead. Attendance has been consistent though rotating so every week it seems that there are many unfamiliar faces in the congregation. This impression is lessening with each week. Much of Stephen’s work at this point is sermon and lesson preparation as well as administration with just a smattering of more hands-on shepherding.

Virtually every aspect of the transition thus far has gone very well. That said, we must admit that we tire easily and still have a great deal more to learn. Nevertheless, we have every confidence of God’s presence with us and the encouragement of your support and affection. We look forward to more updates soon.

With the affection of Christ,

Stephen and Debbie Jenks

Boon and bane

I frequently get asked how my Spanish is. It seems to me that this is kind of like asking someone how good of a spouse they are. In answering one must navigate between the Scylla of arrogance and the Charybdis of false modesty. I will never regard myself as fluent because I know that I am a perpetual learner. There is so much involved in mastering a language that I know I will never achieve. So I usually describe my Spanish as serviceable or functional. It certainly has been helpful to be functional.

I have discovered of late that my Spanish is just a little too good for my own good. What I mean is that many people that I speak with assess my Spanish as good enough that they don't have to be simple with me. Instead, they speak at full speed and complexity assuming that I'm following along without a problem. I suppose I'd be flattered if I wasn't so busy trying to keep up!

Have car, will travel

We bought a car today...I think.

What with the mix of a ridiculous sounding amount of money, paperwork done at a storefront "office", and in Spanish to boot there is the possibility that we were just taken for a ride rather than purchased one.

We shall see tomorrow when we pick it up from the lot!

"The rain in Spain..."

This is the rainy season in Honduras. It has rained hard and long on each of the last several days. Every day there are reports in the newspaper about sections of the city that have experienced severe and even fatal flooding. The hilly conditions exacerbate the rain as it runs down the hills and collects in places faster than the ground or systems (where there are any) can handle it.

A further effect of the rain is that it deteriorates the roads, particularly the dirt roads that predominate outside the city. This had a direct impact on church yesterday as all of our attendees that live and work out at Rancho Ebenezer were stranded there since the road is almost impassable. The city roads are impacted as well as potholes grow or appear and weak patch jobs are washed away.

I was giving one of the church guards a ride home the other day as one of the storms was tapering off and we were observing the water gushing down the hillside. He commented that it was ironic that come summertime their will be government warnings and laments regarding the water shortages while at present we are inundated. This is just one of the rhythms of life here in Honduras.