Josue

I blogged a few weeks ago about little Josue walking now. Well he only did that for two days and then he went back to only crawling. He refused to walk.  The thing is we know he can do it. He is just pretty stubborn about it. It is little steps at a time but it makes me so happy to know how far he has come. Little steps are huge accomplishments!!!! This past week he is pulling himself up without holding on to anything and walking again. Once he gets the hang of it I hope he will give up crawling. Still needing to build more muscle up in his itty bitty legs.
We continue to take him to several Dr.s and specialist trying to get to the end of things as to why he is always sick. He is continually on meds and still seems to get sick. Although without the meds he would be a mess and probably hospitalized. His immune system is not working right. He is seeing a specialist right now for that and we are trying to get to the end of things as to why his little body is not working the way it should. Also it looks like he will have to have tubes in his ears. After going to a nose, throat, and ear Dr. We still have a long journey ahead with little Josue. Although we rejoice in the little and big obstacles that he overcomes.
Continue to keep Josue in your prayers.

Happy Birthday Antonio

 Happy Birthday Antonio!!!! 

The big 15!!!! How fast time flies!!!! I can't believe how big all of the kids are getting and growing up way too fast!

Antonio, Daniela, and Pamela

(his sisters)

Continue to pray for Antonio and for his heart to be broken and there be change in his life.

8 years

Happy 8 years!!!!! This past week marks 8 years since I moved here to Honduras. What a journey it has been and continues to be. God has blessed me in big ways ministering here to others. He continues to humble and bless me. Excited to see what the years to come bring.

Thanks California group!!!!

This past week a small group was here from the California worked on building walls for our outdoor stove. The kids make tortillas there daily and the ladies also cook there daily. When it is cold, windy, and wet outside this will help us keep our stove from the rain. And keep the firewood dry. Also there are some days it is super sunny and cooking tortillas over the fire when you have the hot sun beaming down on ya doesn't help matters. So these walls will help protect from the wind, rain, and sun!!!!

Happy Birthday Sisi!!!

Happy 12th Birthday Sisi! 

Some how I missed posting Sisi's birthday here on my blog. We were in Nicaragua visiting Dorian's family the first week in October. So better late than never.
When we got back from Nicaragua she asked to sleep in our apartment on the weekend in our spare bed. Which means she got to stay up later than normal and got to play games on my ipad.

Happy Happy Happy Birthday Sisi!!!!!

Antonio

Antonio is having a hard time right now in his life and I am pleading with you that you go before our Father and pray for his young man. He has some major battles and obstacles to overcome. Although I am standing firm knowing God will hear the cries of our hearts and break Antonio's.

He has always been very special to me. My heart has been aching for him daily. I am in constant prayer for him as I am constantly thinking about him. 

Please take a minute or two today and pray for this young man.

Grill

There was a team here last week from Oklahoma and they worked on completing our pavilion with a grill. We often do cookouts when groups come with the kids and now we have a grill to grill us up some hot dogs and hamburgers. Saturday afternoon the group came and grilled some hot dogs with the kids. We still need to get the grill covered and do some concrete work. Thank you, thank you, thank you Oklahoma group.

Finally!

Little Josue has been taking a few steps here and there all by himself for about a month. Well yesterday he started walking all by himself. Today he was walking from one end of the room to another end. We are so happy that this day has finally arrived! Nicole has spent lots of time doing therapy with him to help him learn to walk. All of her work finally has something to show for it!!!!
Josue is so proud of himself. He claps and dances when he walks, and all of the other kids were cheering him on too! Especially his brother Olman and Yair.

Dogs

Sisi loves dogs. She loves to wrestle, play, hug, brush, carry, and run with the dogs. You get my point. You name it and she is there doing it with the dogs.There has been several dogs here at CASA and she always has loved to give special attention to dogs.

Sisi with Korbin's puppy, Simba!

Embroidery

 The 5th grade kids with their finished embroidery projects.

 Antonio (snuck in the pic), Jose, Daniela, Ana, Fernando, and Cindy

The schools here are big on the kids learning how to embroider from an early age. Usually starting in 2nd grade the kids are given an embroidery assignment. Each year they learn a new technique of how to embroider. Some of the kids love these projects and others it is like pulling teeth to get them to do their assignment.

Well the 5th graders have had a good whole month at least to work on their embroidery projects. Of course none of them were finished . So this weekend they all worked hard to finish. The kids were all busy Friday night drawing their picture or what they were going to embroider on their cloth. Jose got up at 4am this morning to finish. He had it ironed and ready to go by 7:30 when we were out the door for school. 

Ana and Fernando started Friday with very little done but they got theirs done too. Fernando lost I think close to 5 needles through out the course of the month. Every time you asked Fernando to work on his he always said he didn't have a needle. So we gave him a new needle so he didn't have an excuse as not to work. Although we were sure to charge him too for every needle he lost.

 Ana proud of her work.

Cindy finishing up her flower.

Exams again...

The kids are finishing up exams this week for the 3rd grading period. So this week has been lots of studying and no TV. Some are doing well on their exams and others not so well.
The 4th grading period will be very short. They only have a month of classes left. They were told last week by the secretary of education that the last days of school will be the end of October. So summer break is on its way!!!!!!

Honduras Soccer games

There were two big Honduras soccer games and most of the kids were anticipating the BIG games. These games depended if Honduras would qualify for the world cup. Luckily both games were no on school nights. Some of the kids came over to the apartment and Dorian fixed popcorn both nights for the kids. They were up late both nights. Honduras won one game and tied in the other one.

Every time there was a goal I think all of our neighbors heard the kids screams, squeals, and chants!!!
GOOOOOLLLL HONDURAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy happy birthday Brayan

We have our first 15 year old boy here at CASA as of Sunday! Brayan really has matured and grown over the years. His anger has gotten A LOT better. Praying for blessings on him and that God continues to mold and use that soft heart of his. He is born to be a leader and I know he will do great things for HIM!!!!!

Independence Parade

September 15th Honduras celebrates their Independence! 

The crowd here in Santa Ana for the parade.

The staff along with the kids have been preparing their uniforms and practicing for the past month. 

Elvia worked hard on getting all of the uniforms out and making sure every detail about their uniforms were ready. I was busy making sure we had all the stuff  that we needed. Had someone make two pairs of pants for two to the girls who had grown and didn't have a good pair that fit. Then I sent another staff member to get ribbon for headbands and then another one went and got odds and ends of things we needed on her day off. Elvia, Denis and Kathy made butterfly wings from scratch and did a great job.

The staff were all very helpful and cooperative with helping to make sure we had every little last detail. Elvia although went over and above. Thursday she made sure all uniforms were out and ironed and all of the details put together. She made sure she explained everything to the kids and Kathy. Kathy would be the one getting them ready Saturday morning so Elvia wanted to make sure that Kathy understood everything. The kids are known to try to trick us adults and change plans. Lucky Kathy knew the game plan and the kids all got ready this morning with out any problems. Daniela lost her socks but that was a small detail. Although she cried and thought that is was in the end of the world.

Nicole got the kids up early this morning. Kathy came to work early too. Between the two of them things went smooth this morning and the kids were out the door about 9. 

Cris (horse), Cindy (red cross, handing out water to those in the parade), Lupe (butterfly), Maryrui (twirler)

Lupe and Katy (butterflies)

All of the kids lined up ready to go. Even Haley got in the picture with her Honduran flag.

Twirlers

Sisi was the leader of this pack!!! She loved every minute of being the one leading the girls. She had her whistle around her neck and put these girls in form. 

Sisi, Reina, Maryuri, and Nohemy

Band 

Ana, Fernando, Jose, and Daniela

Fernando

Jackson, representing the schools soccer team

 Cindy and Korbin

Doris even got to be in the parade!!! She was so proud of herself!!!

Kids Day

Children's Day is a national holiday September 10th! Every year there are huge celebrations. The kids love a day being all about them.
After church Sunday morning there was a 2 hour event for the kids. Pinatas, candy, a clown, food, candy, cake, and games! It was a good time of fellowship with the church.
Then Tuesday was actually children's day. The mayor had a caravan of people parading down the road all morning from school to school. Throwing candy, playing music, giving out ice cream, and crazy clowns. Most of the kids came home with full bellies and bags full of candy. They had an all out party at school.
I am very thankful for the children in my life. All 23 kids and little Korbin! What a blessing they truly are in my life!

Helpers

 Denis is working on a new flower bed. This afternoon a few of the younger kids decided they were going to try to help out. Hauling rocks and dirt!!

 Fernando helping break apart a rock with the pick ax.

Cris shoveling

Happy Birthday Daniela!!!

Happy 11th Birthday Daniela! 

I love your gentleness and sweet sweet spirit!!!

Boys Building

Bryan and Jackson love to build things. Fernando and Antonio like to help too. Jackson and Bryan are very creative and have big imaginations.
While the groups were here they left a ping pong set for Bryan. He along with Denis built a small table to play ping pong on out of some old wood. Last week Jackson took some wheels that were laying around along with scrap wood and built a skateboard.
Yesterday Bryan, Jackson, and Fernando were working on making the skateboard into a scooter. Bryan was awful proud of the scooter. Bryan currently is the only one who can steer the scooter. Let's hope the others learn quickly so that there are no crashes. Although with 23 kids there is always accidents.
Poor baby Josue was taking a ride on the skateboard with Jackson and planted his face into the concrete. His poor little face his all scraped up. Let's hope no one else gets hurt but I think that is wishful thinking.

Birthday girls!!!

Rosy and Nohemy share a birthday!!!

Yesterday Rosy was extra excited as she got to wear regular clothes to school for her birthday. She did have a bit of a crisis looking for clothes to wear, but that is just part of being a teenager and girl. She usually has to wear her school uniform every day to school. She came home with cake and goodies she had got through out the day.

Nohemy had a bad start to the day as she was finishing up her homework. Working on writing her numbers 5,000 - 10,000. There was only a small problem it was suppose to by 10's. She was a long ways from 10,000 but that was because she was doing every single number. She took her homework incomplete. Although once she got home she got busy and quickly got her numbers done, correctly. She also got cake and goodies for her special day!!!!

Happy 9th birthday Nohemy! Happy 14th birthday Rosy!

Santa Ana Fair

For the past two weeks the Santa Ana fair has been going on. Which means lots noise and chaos with fireworks and music through out the night. The kids have always wanted to go to the fair but due to not being able to have adult/child ratio we have never took them. 

Well this year a group from England took the kids to the fair. They each got to spend about $5 and pick out fair goodies. It was only a short hour the kids were in the fair but they all loved getting to go. They were all so proud of the their goodies.

 Guadalupe 

 Maryuri ~ yum yum Cotton Candy!!!!

Rosy, Cindy, Sisi, and Nohemy very proud of their new purses/bookbags

I have a feeling this is going to be a tradition now to take the kids to the fair every year with a group. Although we are happy to see things going back to normal here in Santa Ana as all of the vendors start packing up their stuff today.