Top 10 things we miss about the US (in no particular order)

1) Toilets that you know will flush when you finish your business

2) Ice

3) Free refills (almost unheard of here even in fast food restaurants like Burger King.  Though now that I think about it, the price most restaurants in the US charge you for a drink assumes that you’re going to get about 4 refills.  Even in pretty nice restaurants here drinks costs from $.40 to $.60, so maybe you come out cheaper in the end anyway)

4) Having both hot water and good water pressure at the same time (Due to the design of the “widowmaker” – see earlier post – you can either have hot water at a low pressure or high pressure with cooler water.)

5) Carpet

6) Road signs and traffic lights

7) Bathtubs

8) Bills that are actually worth something (you can carry around a whole wad of money here and it be worth about $25.  The smallest bill is 1 lempira which is worth about a nickel in the US.  Then they have coins that go even smaller.  A 10 cent lempira coin is worth about half a penny.  Here’s hoping the US money stays sound, although we should always keep in mind 1Tim 6:17). 

9) Water you can drink and brush your teeth with (I’ve drunk so much soda and carbonated drink here, I’m sick of it.  They love America simply because of Coca-Cola here.  I’ve literally had people tell me that.)

10) Two sinks in the kitchen (contributed by Joy)

Thanks . . .

 . . . to all who have given.

New Year's Day

We spent most of New Year’s Day at the house of one of the men that we have really grown to love here.  It was a great day.  I’m so glad we had the opportunity.  One of the best days that we’ve had here. 

I don’t think I’ll go into a lot of detail about his house and the way they live.  Believe me, I could . . . for pages.  There’s a lot to tell.  But these few pictures that I put up will show you a little bit.  I will say that they fixed a great meal for us and these people are always so happy to be able to serve you and do something for you.  They didn’t eat with us.  They served.  They had already eaten. 

But my purpose is not to make you feel sorry for them.  The longer that I am here and think about things, the more I shift my thinking from “why can’t these people have more” to “why can't we be satisfied with less”.  These people are not unhappy and they don’t feel sorry for themselves.  May God bless us all with the same attitude.  

This is the kitchen in case you can't tell.  

Left door is the shower.  Right is the toilet.

Toucan

Got a chance to see some of the birds that are native to the country.  They were caged, but are native to the country.  The green parrot is native to Honduras.  So is the toucan.  I've never seen a toucan other than on a froot loop box that I can recall.  They are beautiful.  It made me think of a poem that I know.  Please indulge me a moment of corniness.

Whatever one toucan can do

Is sooner done by toucans two

And three toucans, it’s very true,

Can do much more than two can do.

And toucans numbering two plus two can

Manage more than all the zoo can

In short there’s no toucan who can

Do what four or three or two can.