Time to catch up…..I love going back to the States to see my family and friends, but it always seems to throw me off balance. Every time I get back from a trip, I spend at least one week getting back into the flow of everything. This time, I came back to a group, so I found myself really out of whack. Yesterday felt like the first normal day back.
I left on December 21st and returned on the 28th. While I was gone, the Kluges kept me informed of the happenings here in Mololoa. It was important for me to be with family for Christmas, but I missed some excellent times here.
Christmas day (25th) fell on a Monday. Melissa and I decided that the ladies needed the day off. We asked the ladies how best to make the day special for the kids as well as give them a day off. They said that the best food would be tamales and that they could make them on Friday. That sounded like a good plan, but the meal would be almost four times the normal cost. So, I got on the phone with my grandmother and asked if her women’s group would be interested in sponsoring the special day. They agreed to it and raised money amongst themselves. Thanks to their financial assistance, we were able to make a special Christmas meal.
On the Friday before Christmas, the ladies of the kitchen stayed until 9pm preparing a feast for the kids. They made tamales—a traditional Christmas item—stuffed with many items including raisins, rice, green olives, and lots of chicken.
It may not sound like a lot, but the meat was the costly thing—a total of $200 was spent on the one meal. Normally, we would spend that much on 3.5 days.
Melissa, Alora, and Brandy (a good friend that came to spend the holidays helping us here) made approx. 200 cupcakes. Sprinkles and gummy bears were added for a fun touch. We didn’t have our full crowd of kids, but those who came enjoyed it all. Even Oneyda dropped by to help on her day off. After they shut down in the afternoon, the Kluges and Brandy drove around town giving out left-over tamales and cupcakes to many children and adults out on the streets begging. A giving spirit, love, and compassion were seen throughout the special day.
Once again, thanks to the Women’s Group of Ruskin, Florida!
Love you all,
Jennifer
Speaking of “Prospero Año Nuevo”, I spent my first New Year’s Eve in Honduras. Terry’s group came into town on the 27th. They did a lot of great work here in Mololoa as well as some other areas. They spent time at the feeding center, built two houses, and had one day with food distribution. But among all the work, you have to have some fun…hence our ringing in of the New Year with a great game of SPOONS!
On Christmas day, Melissa and Brandy had their hands full with 128 kids in class. They had to put tables in the open space between the classroom and church building to make room for the extra kids.
Also, we celebrated as a church family in our potluck—my first in Honduras. The kids were served first during the class time (right before they got the gifts). Then the adults dug in. God used the hundreds of people involved with Magi boxes and the Barkers to bring a little extra joy to our kids. Any of you that have been here know how little they have. The gifts were treasured by each and every one of them. If you were involved in any way, thank you for allowing God to use you to brighten these days. 
As some of you know, I have some background in decorating cakes for special events. I have a few of my supplies here in Honduras and have done one small wedding here for friends. Jen Wright called a week before I was to leave for Christmas and asked if I wanted to help the kids with a special project.
On the Friday before Christmas, the ladies of the kitchen stayed until 9pm preparing a feast for the kids. They made tamales—a traditional Christmas item—stuffed with many items including raisins, rice, green olives, and lots of chicken. 
It may not sound like a lot, but the meat was the costly thing—a total of $200 was spent on the one meal. Normally, we would spend that much on 3.5 days.
Melissa, Alora, and Brandy (a good friend that came to spend the holidays helping us here) made approx. 200 cupcakes. Sprinkles and gummy bears were added for a fun touch. We didn’t have our full crowd of kids, but those who came enjoyed it all. Even Oneyda dropped by to help on her day off. After they shut down in the afternoon, the Kluges and Brandy drove around town giving out left-over tamales and cupcakes to many children and adults out on the streets begging. A giving spirit, love, and compassion were seen throughout the special day. 
