belated birthdays

It's never too late!!! Happy very belated birthday to these two. Some how my blog for their birthday slipped by me. Any and Josue turned 6 the end of Feb. They are both in first grade this year. 

Josue excels with his school work. He usually can do all of his homework by himself. There are a few little errors he makes we make him correct them. Any on there other hand is slow and takes her time doing her homework and needs lots of help from the staff to make sure she is doing her homework correctly. We love you Any and Josue!!!!!!

Happy happy 6th Birthday!!!!!!!

Sickness

It's really hard to keep everyone well here at CASA. When one kids gets sick it usually means there are a few more who will get sick.
Two weeks ago Korbin got a high fever and an infection. We got him on meds and quickly got it under control. Well a week later Olman, Yair, Any, and Lupe got sick too. They all got over it quickly except Olman. I took him to the dr last week and they changed some of his meds. Well he seems a little bit better but still is pretty miserable. And now his brother Josue is sick too. Fevered and infected throat. Also four of our staff have been sick. There also is a whole other handful of kids who have colds.
Hoping this all will pass soon. We are going on week three of the kids being sick.
Korbin is on his second round at fighting this stuff. He has a fever and is sick again.
Please pray for healthy kids. Hoping this too shall soon pass.

Happy Birthday Reina!!!!

Happy Happy Birthday Reina. Today she turns 15!!! 

This picture I took last week. She helped clean some of our chickens.

It has been a joy and continues to be a joy to see Reina mature and grow. 

New school schedule

We are on the second week of the new school schedule. The kids really seem to like the new schedule. Although change has come with their new schedule. I go to school to pick them up at 11:30 every day for lunch. Upon arriving at home they eat their lunch. Then the quickly get busy doing their afternoon chore. Such as washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen, folding clothes, or cleaning the eating area. The kids do such a better job a getting their job done knowing they have a short amount of time to complete their chore. There are a few things the kids don't have time to do. So the ladies help finish up whatever needs to be done. We load the van up about 12:40 and back out the gate. The kids have to be back at school by 1:00.
Not everyone goes home during their lunch break. Although with as many of kids as we have it is easiest to bring them home to eat. I can't imagine taking them food and having to watch all 14 of them every day for an hour and a half as they run all over the school. Most of the kids that live close to the school they walk home for lunch. The other ones their parents pack them lunch or their parents bring them lunch.
The ladies have a little bit of a bigger load as the kids are not able to make tortillas, get firewood, and complete some of their daily chores they normally would do in the afternoon. Although for the most part the homework stays the same and the kids still get to play in the afternoon. Since the kids get home at 3 now I was worried as to how they would get all of their homework done in time. Although they are all making it happen. The 5th grade teacher is a little rough and has given Katy and Sisi tons of homework every night. So there has been tears, anger and all sorts of emotions as they get frustrated and discouraged by their amount of homework.
For the most part it has been a smooth transition into the the new schedule with the kids.

Reina

Reina this year is not attending school. She has attended kinder-4th grade. She has her school certificate to second grade. Third and fourth grade she just went to but was unable to complete tests and do the homework. After first grade is has really been a struggle with Reina to get her homework done. She never learned to read and can write very little. Although this year she is determined she is going to learn to read.
We talked to the employees at CASA and asked any of them if they had jobs for Reina. Learning to work for people and wash clothes, clean houses, make tortillas etc are all important factors for Reina in the future for her to get a job. There are four different ladies that let her come to their house and clean, cook, wash, and teach her other things. Cafe Gringo is letting her come 1 1/2 days a week. She helps clean and cook at the Cafe. Pamela is really wanting to teach Reina to read and Reina is very eager. Pamela asked that Reina bring a notebook and pencil on the days she comes to the Cafe. There are times when they have down time at the Cafe. During the down time Pamela has been working with Reina on speilling and reading. Reina comes home and gets her notebook out and reviews her work over and over and over. She so badly wants to learn to read and write.
I am so grateful for the Cafe and all of the ladies who are letting Reina work for them. It is a huge blessings to us, them and Reina. Reina loves getting to help the ladies out and learn at the same time. She came home last week and told me she had learned how to sew a button on a shirt. So the next time a button came off she told me she was going to sew it on and not ask for help from Elvia.
I am so proud of Reina and the young lady she is becoming. She turns 15 next week. Crazy where the time has gone.

Olman and Josue

Mirian decided that she wanted to present the twins at church last Sunday. Most people do it when they are babies but she decided that it was something important she wanted done and it had not been done yet. Although she made it clear that she was not going up front. She doesn't do well with strangers and crowds. So Ana and me took Olman and Josue in front of the church to present them and for them to be prayed over by Jorge.
Praying that these boys grow up knowing that they are loved and that their is a desire and fire set inside them for the LORD. Excited to see the warriors that all of these kids at CASA will be some day. God will do BIG things through them only if they are willing. I know that right now we might now see the results but I know there are seeds being planted within each and every child.

School Schedule

This week the kids are on a new school schedule. They will be entering school at 8:00 and then at 11:30 til 1:00 they have a break/lunch and then back to class again at 1:00 til 3:00. When I say that they have lunch that means that the parents are responsible for the kids during this hour and half. The parents are to either pick up their child or come to the school and bring them lunch and watch your child. The teachers are all on break during this period and the kids are on their own. Can't imagine some of the trouble the kids will get themselves.
This new law was put into effect in December. Some schools right away starting following the new rules and others aren't following through and are wanting to protest. Although since there are lots of schools not doing the new schedule the teachers are really receiving a lot of pressure from their boss that they have to follow through with this new schedule. They are starting to inspected every school and the teachers are afraid they will loose their job or possibly close the school if they do not follow through with the new rules. So this week the teachers are finally doing the new schedule. Not too sure how it will all unfold or work out just yet. Some say the teachers are going to just be there to be there from 1-3 but not give class. The majority of the parents are against this too. So they are also wanting to protest. It really is silliness because it is the same 5 hours of class basically. Instead of 8-1 now it is being broken up. Which causes the teachers to get home later, the kids to get home later, confusion as to who will watch the kids from 11:30-1:00, getting them lunch, and getting home later which doesn't leave much time for homework or play.
Although I am happy the teachers are finally obeying and following through. I can only imagine what sort of problems we would run into later down the road if they didn't follow through. Possibility of losing their job, the school closing, not getting paid, and going on strike. So all in all that means the kids would not be receiving classes. So I am hoping now since the teachers are complying that their won't be any problems in the long run.
Oh the school system already is such a mess here in Honduras. Not too sure this is going to help but just add and cause confusion.
Here's to the first week of confusion and change for the kids and teachers.

Water hole

Mirian and Olman

The 6th graders convinced me Friday morning to take a walk with them and let them go down to the water hole to play. Mirian usually doesn't go out much or take the twins anywhere but I told her where we were going and asked her if she wanted to go along with us. She didn't hesitate and got the twins and Yair ready and out the gate we went. Josue wanted to stop and look at everything. He doesn't leave the CASA gate much and it showed. He was enthralled with every little thing we passed along the way. 

After about 30 minutes we got to the water hole. The kids were all excited and jumped in the water. Josue, Yair, and Olman weren't sure of the water. Josue and Olman ended up loving the water. Yair was scared of the water and played just a little bit. Korbin and Olman sat along the side kicking and splashing their feet as we held on to the backs of their shirts making sure they didn't dive or fall in the water.

In the photo above if you look close enough Jose is in the distance. He stood on that rock and beat his chest and acted liked he was Tarzan!!!  

 Ana decided she didn't want to get wet.

 Fernando

Olman