Hippies rock!

left to right: (the hippie couple we met, me, Rachel, and Michael)

      So, we met these hippies over New Years in Utila, a bay island off the coast of Honduras. They have been wanting to come help women's groups learn more skills with jewelry and the bracelet craft. They have recently email Michael and Rachel to work with groups in their area of Honduras. This hippie couple is from Guatemala and they were quite inspiring to talk to. They have been traveling all over Central America to see their crafts and just live off of what they sell. The woman in this picture made me a great toe anklet out of waxy thread. I had seen these around and described it to her. This piece of work loops around my second big toe and works its way upward around my ankle, creating quite the piece of art. She was able to create this new innovation and even made one the next day for herself. Its so cool to see people really engaged and passionate about what they are doing as they are able to spread that to other people. Central Americans have been some of the most friendly people. Spreading love...one bracelet at a time. 

       I'm reading The Shack, which has been a really good book so far. Its challenging me how I talk about God verses how I really believe in him. Sometimes in a religious culture, we are quick to speak about God's qualities but when it comes to tragedies and other injustices it can be so tough to keep believing that God is consistent. Right now I am working on loving the kids at MdL consistently, even when I have days of not seeing God work how I expect him to. Or even when certain kids might seem to be getting sicker...

       Please keep praying for 6 year-old Hector. He had a bloodshot eye due to new medical problem other than the illnesses he is already dealing with. He is also on a special diet, which can be hard because he just really wants to eat spaghetti but this does too much harm to his stomach. 

      Please pray for a unity in vision for Montana de Luz. At times, the directors and the BOD in Ohio see different visions and that can make it tough to keep things rolling smoothly. I've learned a lot from this experience about development work and the challenges that arise from operating in two different cultures. 

       May God continue to wow all of us with his plans, though we might be uncomfortable and unsure, may we be in a place that allows us to be unabashedly trusting our heavenly father.