Two More Students

Karina Elizabeth Amaya

Karina is a nineteen year old mother of two, aged three and two. She is married and her husband is a construction worker in their village. Her two siblings are continuing their education in other schools – University and Junior High.

Obviously very gifted in school, Karina had finished Grade Eight by the time she became pregnant at age fifteen (many students are only finishing Grade Six by then). Because of the program here at Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad, she now has a second chance to pursue her dream of finishing Grade Nine and then taking studies in accounting.

Karina’s parents are extremely happy for this opportunity and her mother is happily caring for the two toddlers while she comes to school each afternoon. Her husband, even though he only has Grade Five, is encouraging her to continue her studies as well.

Most of the girls her age already have children and have had to give up their hopes for an education. We are delighted that Karina is able to study with us. She is moving steadily through the Grade Nine course work and looks to be one of our first Grade Nine graduates. She hopes that her studies will allow her to give her children a better education in turn.

Dimas Abel Salmerón Rodriguez

Dimas is a twenty-four year old single young man who comes from a family of fourteen children. He and a younger brother are the only ones left at home. The family works hard to find odd jobs and work in the agricultural sector to make ends meet.

The economic crisis forced the closure of a maquilla (sweat shop) where Dimas was able to find work. Everyone was laid off and, because he has no schooling beyond Grade Six, he is hard pressed to find work in other maquillas.

Dimas is the first one in his family to even consider schooling beyond Grade Six. Only five of his siblings have even gotten that far. Because of the economic situation they are in, there was no chance for him to attend a public or private school. Centro de Enseñanza Fraternidad offered him the opportunity to pursue a dream to finish Grade Nine that had been completely unthinkable just a couple of months ago. His mother has Second Grade and taught his father, who had no schooling, how to read and write.

Eager to learn, Dimas has had a chance in the past to study for two months in the area of mechanics, thanks to work by CPI Canada. He arrives each morning by seven cheerfully ready to continue his studies in Grade Seven. His friends and family are happily surprised at this opportunity and are encouraging him to continue.

For morning break, the other students give Dimas their orders and money and he goes and brings them baleadas (a flour tortilla with refried bean sauce, thick cream, and salty cheese). They are a great late breakfast, early lunch, supper or snack.

Doggy Surround Sound

Happy Boxing Day. A cloudy, cool day here in Santa Cruz. I finished the ironing, had a nice mug of tea (my two litre blue pewter type mug that more closely resembles a thunder mug), read some Advent readings and, at the same time, worked on downloading some pictures sent to me from Canada. The downloading process is slow but, three hours later, it is nearing completion.

Christmas Day was relaxing. Most of the afternoon was spent swinging in the hammock and reading a novel. Lovely. My neighbours brought me two large pork-filled tamales and a cup of sweet coffee in the morning. They were, by far, the best tamales I have had. Generally, I am a wee bit leery of them as, several times, the pork inside them has not been well cooked and I have paid later. Tamales are a Christmas tradition here and all the vegetable stands had piles of folded banana leaves for sale the last few days.

On Christmas Eve, I went for a morning fitting of our new choir robes. A burgundy (a huge step up from the white ones we tried on to begin with) sort of smock that, more or less, fit. After that, three of the boys took me to find a black suit jacket to go with the white and black theme for the music group (when not featuring the burgundy theme). Fortunately, someone in the U.S. is my size and had cleaned out their closet. In the second hand clothes shop I found a jacket for the princely sum of $2.00 CDN. After that we headed down to another shop for a white shirt (sooner or later I will be dressed like a missionary – Mormon or otherwise). The first store had a nice shirt but very pricey. We headed to store number two which was more accommodating.

After seeing my shopping guides off, I continued on home via several stops for food and supplies. One stop was for some fresh pork. The meat was fresh and each portion came complete with the skin. At home, I trimmed off the skin and first layer of fat. Then, I popped it in my tiny convection oven for a supper treat. Fortunately, my neighbours enjoy fried pork skin so were delighted to share my off cuts. So nice to keep the best part and give away the best part at the same time.

Supper in the oven, I headed back to the church for a practice. I arrived only twenty minutes late and found that I was all alone. Just as I was thinking I had the wrong day or wrong time or wrong place, three other members arrived. Phew. As we sat waiting for others to show up, a few people began filing in and filling the first few pews. I looked outside and there was a hearse (pick up truck outfitted with glass sidewalls for carrying coffins well displayed) pulled up out front. Sure enough, two young men from the undertakers (I assumed by their handling of things) dressed in unfittingly unsombre t-shirts and jeans rolled the coffin down to the front of the church. Everyone who had been decorating the church disappeared and the priest came out to start the short memorial service. The four of us in the music group looked at each other and then got on with the matter at hand and began singing the songs for the service. Fortunately, one of the four was experienced and had a hymnbook (the hymnbook?) with her. Forty minutes later, the mourners left, the rest of the music group showed up, decorating resumed and we were back to square one.

The Christmas Eve service was relatively uneventful. We did a quick change artist routine in the small room off the front of the church that houses the tabernacle (for those of you readers who know what that is). Just as we were to go out for the choral part (featuring the burgundy robes), a bag of yellow scarves showed up which finished off the choir robe look so completely. After singing our numbers, we hurried back, did the quick change thing back to black and white and headed out for the rest of the service.

Midnight of Christmas featured lots of fireworks and loud noises. These tapered off soon after so the rest of the night was reasonably quiet. Last night I was awakened by dogs barking. The way they were situated around the apartment was exactly like an advertisement DVD for surround sound or the early type of stereo adverts. Although I might prefer other types of music for my system, this was actually quite fascinating to listen to.

One of the things that I have been thinking of the last week or so is how the current economic and political environment in Honduras (and many places elsewhere) forces so many families to be separated at various times. We ask the fighting troops of our countries to spend months in foreign places fighting, we hope, for some sort of resolution to injustice. Thousands of men and women are working as menial labourers in the United States and Canada so that their families will have some means of survival. Hopefully, our little efforts here to build hope and peace by providing education and knowledge will be one small finger in the dyke against storming ignorance and economic disparity.

TTYL - bb

Full House This Morning

This morning saw the first full house for our school. The morning shift filled up all the computers and work progressed apace. We had three new students yesterday and one more today so that boosted the morning cohort considerably. We have some room in the afternoon section so will have to work on getting those numbers up. Don’t think it will be a problem the way things are going.

Some more students are writing their next exam tomorrow which is exciting. At this pace, they can finish Grade 7 by the end of February. That would be absolutely fantastic. According to the numbers given us by the Education office in Santa Cruz, we have actually made a 20% difference in the student population for Grade 7. Truly amazing to think that such a small project can make such a significant change in the status quo. Once we get some satellite centres set up we can boost those numbers considerably. Our board is working on that.

Choir practice continues feverishly each evening now. If dedication is any indication of success, this choir will be the best choir I have ever sung in. Sadly, dedication may not be the only criteria. The priest, is I think, having us wear white robes (to match the altar girls??) for the occasion. Oh dear.

The bed for my watchman arrived last evening. I will take a picture tomorrow and post it. I am impressed at least. The welders are working on six clothes hangar devices which will be my Christmas presents to the staff. Beats chocolate ... well ... not really.

On Saturday I went down the road to check on a trap hive that is being constructed out of fibreglass. It was looking beautiful and I have ordered 20 more. We will hang these small hives (5 bars) in trees and hopefully passing swarms will like the look and make themselves at home. We then will transfer the swarms to bigger hives elsewhere and return the trap hive to enticement alley. It works in pictures.

In the afternoon, a friend of mine from choir went with me to check on the hives which have been moved and are finally levelled and in place. All looked well. They had enjoyed the sugar water I took last time and the beekeeper was excited about getting some more. We spent an hour looking at the bees and touring his small farm. Normally very quiet, Bernabe was positively effusive about all the things he is doing. It was a great opportunity to learn some more about the potential and problems for peasant farmers here in Honduras. We began walking back and as I was about to phone the three-wheeler taxi Guadalupe said we should just keep walking. I thought he meant to the paved road. Wrong. He meant all the way back to town. An hour and plus I was home. It was cool and cloudy so, actually, a very nice trek. He began to see things from the perspective of integrated agriculture and it was fun listening as he began pointing out potential areas of improvement and possibility.

The plastic tables which we purchased to augment the metal and wooden tables have a tendency to droop in the middle with the weight of a computer and monitor. Sort of like how I feel some days. Found some plastic pipe to act as a support column. I see the students are beginning to pack up and leave so I can get out there and prop up the weak and ailing.

Three days of cloudy weather has seen temperatures plummet to the mid teens. Toques and winter jackets sprouted like weeds as everyone sought to cope with the bitter conditions. When you consider that there is no refuge in a hot tub or near a register, it becomes more understandable.

I am going to have to find more friends to phone in Honduras. The local phone company offers double and triple time days every so often. However, the double and triple time is only to TIGO customers. Since I generally only use the phone to call my daughter, the extra time adds up. I have, I see, 5000 seconds today. If you know any Honduran people who want to practice English by TIGO, let them know.

TTYL
BB

Gabina Zavala Bonilla

Gabina is a fifty-three year old lady who recently lost her husband. Her children encouraged her to pursue her dream of education as a way of helping her cope with the loss. Her first schooling was stopped by her parents more than forty years ago when she was nine. Despite the length of time, she enrolled in the Grade Six Educatodos (an extension type education system to encourage village education, especially for adults) a year ago and completed the course.

Even though there are no other ladies her age in her village who have a Grade Six level education, she is bravely pioneering in the Grade Seven course here at Centro de Eseñanza Fraternidad. She said that she gets teased in a friendly way by her neighbours for going back to school at her age.

A dressmaker by profession, Gabina has the goal of finishing Grade 9 and then going to a dressmaker school so that she can, in turn become a teacher of dressmaking. Finally, Gabina has a chance to pursue a dream she has had for many years. She walks the ten minutes down the very steep hill to catch a Rapidito (small van) for the thirty minute ride to Santa Cruz. There she walks up to our school, studies for four and a half hours straight and then returns home, catching one of the last rapiditos before dark and walking back up the hill after dark.

Four of Gabina’s children are married but two others remain at home. Her dressmaking income is not quite enough to make ends meet so her children help her out. Her youngest daughter has studied up to Grade 12 equivalent and is an accountant. However, such jobs are not available in the village so she is working as a dressmaker alongside her mother. The youngest son is working as an agricultural worker.

Progress Charts on the Wall

Jessica with Karin and Nerry - Grade 7

José and Oscar - Grade 7 Students (above)  Wilmer and Blenda - Grade 7 & 8

First Exams Passed

We are into the second week of classes and students are still coming to class. That is so exciting. What is even more exciting is the speed with which this approach allows the students to progress. The first group of Grade 7 students have written their first exam at the end of Unit 1. That represents 25% of the first of four textbooks in the Grade. So, they were able to do two or three weeks worth of work in four days. Everyone passed the exam with ease (I was informed that the exam was actually very easy so as to encourage the students [exams are set by Educatodos]). Still, for students in the 40’s and 50’s, it was a bit of challenge to have to write an exam.

We have the students working on their own now and they are beginning to spread out in the material. We will see how that works out.

A funny challenge came along this week. Two of our Grade 8 girls are teenagers. Well ... Mom sent them off to school from their village to the big town of Santa Cruz. Monday they were not in class but we didn’t really think anything of it. After all, this is a “learn at your own speed” type of course. However, unfortunately for the girls, one of the teachers is from their village and when they did not show up on Tuesday, he phoned their mother. She was busy picking coffee and was not pleased to hear that they were not at school. Two hours later, Mama and two rather chagrined girls arrived at the school to check out the situation. We now have a sign in sheet for them each morning and one of the teachers gives mom a quick call. Christmas season and sooooo many boys on vacation ... and Mom wants them to study??? Really.

We put up some bulletin boards on Monday and have four more drying to be put up this afternoon. Each of the students has a progress chart with their picture posted on these boards. That way everyone can see how they are doing. And, at the end of their course, they will get a nice, coloured copy of the same to hang on their walls. Wall decorations are not a great priority on ways to use minimal funds so this will be very welcome. Great advertising as well.

The director of Educatodos for our area came on Friday to check out the operation. I had one of the teachers give her a tour and so wasn’t sure how she felt about things. She has a rather good poker face. Well, her only comment was to ask if she could register her son in the school. So ... I guess that is a good sign.

Saturday afternoon I went to sing at a church service which turned out to be a wedding. The wedding was slated to begin at 4:00 p.m. The music group straggled in at about 3:30 (scheduled for 2:00) and set up the equipment. At 3:50 the group began running over the music to a packed house of four people. 4:15 and the numbers had skyrocketed to eight. The priest came out to check on the progress of events and asked us what time it was. On hearing that it was already 4:15 he declared that we would start the service right away. Fortunately, right away was an extra fifteen minutes. Still no sign of the wedding party and guests. Service began. The first reading came along and one of the music group looked around and, rather hesitantly, got up to read. The Psalm and Second reading followed in like fashion. About that time the groom came down the aisle and stood looking rather puzzled about where he should stand and so forth. One or two more guests had filed in by this time. The Gospel was read and, finally, the bridal party was assembled on the steps. The priest allowed the bride to process down the aisle and, after she was seated with the groom, carried on with the sermon and the rest of the service.

Christmas lights now bedeck the huge trees in the Central Park. It looks quite festive at night. The baby that was dedicated on Sunday had a red Santa Suit and hat on. One of the phone companies was doing a promotion on Saturday and the helpers were dressed in red and white costumes. They certainly contributed to global warming.

Some Barrel Top Bar Hives are now ready for installing the foundation and ... hopefully ... bees. Six more barrels await the stands and top bars.

TTYL

BB




 

Loved And …

Loved And …

The advertising insists:
You will be popular if …
You can be more … happy, fulfilled, beautiful, attractive … if
… you have
… you buy
… you possess …

The society demands:
You will belong if …
You can be a part … of the group, of the right class, of the right crowd … if
… you comply
… you dress
… you behave ...

The church proclaims:
You can be loved if …
You can be a part … of God’s family, of the righteous, of the heaven bound … if
… you are baptized
… you are born-again
… you believe and obey …

God shouts:
You are loved.
Not because … Not if ... Not when …
You are loved regardless and always … forever past and forever future.
You are loved in the darkness of your dingy stable.
You are loved and that love is sung by trumpeted angels.
You are loved in your smallness and incompleteness.

Because you are loved:
You can …
You can dare ...
You can be …
You can love.

December 11, 2009 – Santa Cruz de Yojoa

School Is Underway

Well, an exciting past few days. I had a neat experience on Sunday travelling to a special service in celebration of the birthday of a priest who had (a couple of hundred years ago) prayed for water in a village and had it come out from a rock there. Will write about that later in one form or another.

Sunday morning the new bridge that linked St. Rita to St. Cruz collapsed. So, the boat boys are back in business. Good Christmas for some.

We had scheduled school to open on Monday. The Board had nominated a number of students and were to ensure that they arrived. I had not spent a great deal of energy following up on their efforts so was totally unsure of what would happen. My best case scenario hopes were five students. Incredibly, twenty students of all ages, from a variety of communities showed up by 9.30. (Schedule said 9.00 – so this was another evidence of the excitement these people felt about the opportunity – they had to travel by public transport and foot to get there on time.) Well, we had a few minutes of speeches ... almost nothing by Honduran standards ... and then got to work on the computers.

Yesterday and today students sorted themselves out as to who would come in the mornings and who would come in the afternoons. Wow. People are arriving at 7.00 a.m. to start work. You figure an hour’s travel in front of that and do the math. These students are serious. The afternoon group stays till after 5.00 p.m. which means they will not reach home till well after dark.

The oldest student is 53 years of age and the youngest is 13. There are two mother and son pairs. One pair is a newly married couple. Another student delivered her first baby 20 days ago. Her mother came along to hold the baby while she worked on the computer.

Word is getting out and each day has seen several new students coming to check out the chances for a place in the school. It is exactly what we had hoped to see happen but it is really gratifying to have it actually take place.

There has been a great deal of work put into this project by people in Canada and Honduras. It is a credit to their efforts that this school is now underway. We hope that the students will take responsibility for their places in the school and finish their course work. Already each of the grades is 25% through the first of four textbooks. They are cruising through 3-5 days worth of work each day. That is good news for all of us.

If you want to see some pictures of the students, send me an email ... or sign up to be a friend on Facebook. I will, in days to come, try to give you a bit of biographical material on a number of the students.

ttyl

BB 

Limonaria Cuttings

Today is the draw for the placing of the World Cup teams. As Honduras is in the World Cup, there is a great deal of excitement surrounding the event. My neighbour informed me that the draw starts at 11.00 this morning. Now, how to look like I am working and yet, at the same time, find a place to watch the draw? Will likely have to read about it online tonight.

Earlier this week, José, my “projects” worker, told me he had found a plot of land only three blocks away on which we could do some experimental planting. Great stuff. Manuel and I headed off with José to go see the plot. The “three blocks” was a decided euphemism. Twenty-five minutes later we had left the edge of town and the road and were climbing up a steep pathway to the property. It was a pretty plot but not sure that I want to be walking that far each day to see how things are going. It would be good exercise though. Hmm. On the return trip we found lemon grass and some more of another medicinal grass. As well, we got some rose and limonaria cuttings. Limonaria is a rather unpretentious looking bush that appears rather scraggly during the day. However, at night its flowers open and flood the area with the most incredible aroma. I have no idea how such a small bush can be so powerful. Needless to say, I am delighted to have some cuttings now planted in the yard and a few in tree bags for transplanting elsewhere. Regardless of how hot, dusty or trying a day in the tropics can be, passing by a limonaria at night brings back the magic and rejuvenates one´s spirit immensely.

My curtains are now hung on bamboo rods. Because my Spanish is rather halting at best, there is a great deal left to intelligent speculation on the part of my fellow workers. The idea of hanging the curtains was rather obvious. The idea of using bamboo was not. So, the deduction was that I had no idea of what I was really saying in Spanish and it was up to them to figure out what I was actually wanting. Julia guessed I wanted broomstick handles but noted that there was only one extra one in the office. Eventually, on my plot adventure, I was able to acquire one small bamboo stem and use it for one set of curtains. There was a great deal of amazement that I used bamboo and, even more so, that I had been correctly asking for it all along. A second piece came along later in the week and now my flashy curtains are hanging in place. I am not sure why, but one person I talked with in Canada was a little unsure about the effect of blue and white checks, Holsteins wearing red or yellow ribbons, pineapples, oranges, bananas and other fruits will have. I assured them that it was very “country kitchen”. Bright is better.

The equipment is all set up and Monday the first students finally arrive. As well, one of the Board Members has been clever enough to find a way to reduce the size of the files for the books so that the computers can handle them more easily. We also have a way to enhance the text with colour, more pictures and so forth. That is very exciting. Now to keep all the various files straight and master copies securely out of harm´s way.

TTYL
bb