all things new

i have a new blog

2009-02-04T13:29:00.001-07:00

i am migrating to a new blog

http://annadejimenez.wordpress.com/

see you there

urban poverty by the numbers

2009-02-02T08:58:00.002-07:00

A friend recently sent this out:

Approximately 1 million people are moving to the world's cities each week, competing with others for jobs, public services, and housing.

95 percent of urban growth will occur in developing countries where there are the fewest resources to help them.

Urban populations are expected to grow at a rate of 1.8 percent per year, compared just 0.1 percent in rural areas.

The United Nations estimates that after 2007, one in three urban dwellers are living in poverty.

Latin America and the Caribbean are highly urbanized, with nearly 76 percent of the population living in cities. One-third of urban residents in these areas, or 128 million people, live in slums.

2007 marked the year that the world's population became 50 percent rural and 50 percent urban.

Some 35 million new housing units are needed annually - or 95,000 units daily - to meet the urban housing need alone.

Worldwide, slums are home to an estimated 920 million urban dwellers.

*Source: Habitat for Humanity

rear view mirror

2009-01-30T14:34:00.002-07:00

This week in review:
-1 really awesome book started
-2 nights with the in-laws
-5 long days with out my hubby
-2 hard conversations
-1 crisis averted at work
-15 new supreme court justices elected in Honduras
-3 month strategic plan completed
-1 new haircut

birds eye view

2009-01-27T11:46:00.002-07:00

a quote by Andrew Murray, found in the book, The Making of a Leader by Robert Clinton:

1. He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this straight place. In this fact I will rest.
2. He will keep me here in His love and give me grace to behave as His child.
3. Then He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends for me to learn.
4. In His good time, He will bring me out again-how and when He knows. So let me say: I am Here by God's appointment. In His keeping. Under His training. For His time.

ps-my husband won't be getting a moto anytime soon

2009-01-26T21:48:00.001-07:00

On another shocking note, I've decided that we can measure 'how we are doing as a people/nation/community/world' by observing what happens when a stranger, alone on the road is in an accident.

This is a modern day 'Good Samaritan' tale. We found one such stranger on our way down from Santa Lucia on Sunday. A small group of men on motorcycles waved us down on the main highway. We nearly passed, but then stopped when we saw one man on the ground. They asked us for a ride to a near by public emergency clinic, which we obliged. They heaved their unconscious 'friend' into the back of our pick up and we followed them to the clinic. I looked in the rearview mirror, only to see a bloody and swollen foot sticking up with a few toes missing. We arrived at the clinic where we were cordially greeted by the security guard with instructions about where not to put the car. They finally agreed to let us in. When we did stop, I could begin to hear the groans of the man in the back. The nurses began to ask him who he was and what happened. Eventually, Guillermo and another guy lifted him out of the truck and onto gurney. Let me tell you, there was nothing tender or caring about the situation. Nobody from the clinic touched the man. He was taken to the back of an ambulance/van while his fate was decided. Please, don't mistake me for the good Samaritans in the story. I could hardly get out of the car for fear of throwing up or crying and was relieved to know that he had not died in our car. What we learned later was that the guy was a little drunk and had an accident on his way down the road. Some others stopped when they saw him there and then flagged us down. The man needed to be transported to the public hospital in Teguz, but they don't do that unless you are with a family member. This is an anti-dumping measure, I guess. They got in touch with the man's mom and she was on her way to accompany him to the hospital.

This got me thinking. So, if you get in an accident... there is no 911... so you might have to ride in the back of someone's truck to the nearest clinic.... where you will be skeptically greeted... and then only transported to the hospital if you are well enough accompanied to not be a dumping risk. What about people who don't have anybody? What if this happens to me? Of course, I'm tearfully asking Guillermo all of these questions after we leave the clinic. If you get in an accident, call a friend or family member first. Go to the best hospital you can afford that is close by.

I feel like I am more ready to learn to accept these realities with faith, rather than fear. In many ways, I think the culture of the US is insulated from the realities of life. I’m not talking about rich Americans being insulated from the realities of the world, I’m talking about being insulated from realities like death and life, hunger and need. The cushion of credit has been taken away, which constitutes crisis for many. Here there is no cushion of credit. There is income, and then expenses like food and water and shelter. I think the equation is much more simple. Also, our practices of dealing with death and sickness are much more ‘cushioned’. When someone dies, the body is taken away and handled elsewhere and the grieving process can take up to weeks. Here, there is much more actual contact and presence with a corpse and memorial processes often only lasting as long as 2 days, or as long as the body can go with out stinking. 911 is not a phone call away, but your neighbor, cousin, friend or co-worker is. There is a richness that comes from this messy-intertwined-interdepenant-i-need-you-and-you-can-count-on-me way of life.

So here is to life, the adventure that really is an adventure, to getting your hands dirty, to being ready to ask someone to give you a ride even though you might get blood on their car, to trust in the community rather than trust in 9-1-1, to a trust in God that really makes you live in faith everyday you step foot outside your door.

trouble lurking everywhere

2009-01-26T20:13:00.002-07:00

disclaimer: kids, please don't try this at home. if you are writing some sort of report about Honduran current events, please don't use this as a source. i'm just a gringa living in Honduras.

I am surprised that it is only Monday night. Honduras narrowly missed a constitutional-sized disaster that put at stake a few things like democracy, balance of power and justice. I witnessed the atrocity that is public health care here, up close. Some things at my job are a bit crazy right now and my husband is out of town for work all week.

Allow me to explain...

Every 7 years, the Honduran congress elects a new Supreme Court. There is a process including a committee that I don't know all the details about, but, they basically start with a list of 90, then choose 45 and then vote to get it down to 15. There has been discussion about the re-election of Supreme Court Judges, but from what I understand, they can only be re-elected if the sub-committee includes them on the list of 45. This year's list of 45 did not include any re-electees. The National Congress was set to elect the 15 new judges from the list of 45. In order to uphold the constitution, they had to elect only from the list of 45 and do it by midnight last night. The first danger was that there was rumor that they wanted to re-elect 2 judges who were not on the list of 45. The congress was set to convene last night at 5 PM. The senators from the Liberales party did not show up until after 10. There were protesters outside and around the country calling for justice, calling for the Congress to uphold the constitution, calling for the congress to choose justice instead of corruption. What was at stake? For some white collar criminals (former presidents and other very high government officials), a jail sentence if certain judges were to form the new Supreme Court. For the Honduran people, stability, democracy and a balance of power between the three government branches. Many were gathered last night wondering what would happen. Would the Congress fail to elect a Supreme Court? Would Honduras enter into a string of consequences set-of by breaking the constitution (including postponing this year's elections)? What in the world is going on when this kind of thing can come so close to happening? We were relieved to hear on the radio as we drove home, that the Liberales had shown up and that a list of 15 had been chosen from the list of 45.

friday's list

2009-01-23T12:30:00.003-07:00

a list of thoughts swimming around in my head:

1. can't wait for Guillermo to come home, it has been a long week with out him
2. this report i need to get in asap is a big mess
3. it is cold, but at least the sun is out and the clothes are drying
4. contemplating the best plan of attack for the afternoon
5. just remembered that the 2 videos (the office and burn after reading) i rented with sarah were due at noon today, an hour and a half ago
6. note to self: rent more season 4 disks of the office at metro media
7. it has been a fun week staying with friends and family while Guillermo has been out of town, but at the end of the day, i miss him and wish he could be home more often!!
8. feeling satisfied with this month's finances after paying a few bills this morning
9. thinking about my church in Boulder
10. very happy every time i walk into the living room and see the newly painted shelves/tables that actually match, aren't moldy and sort of make the room look cozy and cute
11. thinking about making friends here, gringo and honduran
12. thinking about my job, maybe my recent post about finding rhythm was a bit too soon
13. a few friends on my heart
14. deciding where i should get the car washed: $4 semi-sketchy place at the bottom of Suyapa that only costs $4 for inside and out, or safer place that will run me a little more
15. grad school seems to be continually flirting with me, but i really have no idea what, when, how or why...that seems to be a sign

yes we can, Honduras

2009-01-20T08:29:00.002-07:00

If you speak Spanish, you will appreciate this song: Honduras Through Different Eyes

rhythm

2009-01-19T11:15:00.003-07:00

the right girl
the right bike
the right time
the right place

choosing the bike, adjusting the seat, selecting the clothes
well rested, well fed, excited, ready
choosing a path, considering a destination, gauging the challenge
going solo, riding in a pack, consulting with an expert

I feel like for the first time in many months, I am finally the right girl on the right bike in the right time in the right place. I feel like I've set a route that is the right mix of challenge and comfort. I feel both free and responsible as I commit to making it to a destination.

worth your time

2009-01-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

1000 Questions Video from the Willow Creek Leadership Conference that we attended via video here in Honduras.

i forgot to show these off

2009-01-05T10:33:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty sure this isn't right

2008-12-31T10:19:00.001-07:00

Why doesn't my cheesecake look like the one in the picture? It was poofing out of the pan and a little brown on top, but it actually settled down and we tried it this morning... delicious!

3rd Christmas in Honduras

2008-12-30T09:29:00.004-07:00

This is my third Christmas in Honduras, and my third time to get a nasty cold at Christmas. We have basically been on vacation since the 19th. We went to Ajuterique to visit our friends Anibal and Yadira and their two kids. We hung out at their house and visited Anibal's dad's tomato farm. We have mostly been at the house or visiting with friends and family. On the 24th we went to the soccer field here in Santa Lucia and I had a soccer lesson. On the 25th Guillermo took some boys from Los Pinos/church youth group, up to El Hatillo to play soccer. Here are some highlights:

Los jovenes on the 25th

Learning how to shoot

Already a pro!

Fun times in Ajuterique

At the tomatera

Beautiful!

vacation here we come!

2008-12-17T07:55:00.003-07:00

Well, we are ready for some rest. It has been a busy couple weeks and weekends. Between Christmas parties and closing out the books for the year and a new project with an organization called Institute for Orphan Advocacy, our plates have been full.

This weekend we have the Christmas service at church on Saturday night and on Sunday we are off to visit some friends in Ajuterique (sp? it is near Comayagua). After that, we will just be resting, in the house and hanging out with family and friends on the 24th. We are hoping to go to Olancho on the 1st.

Sunday afternoon in Honduras

2008-12-08T18:33:00.001-07:00

i will participate

2008-12-01T08:43:00.002-07:00

I think this is a great. Count us in: http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

la H

2008-11-20T20:35:00.001-07:00

morning commute

2008-11-18T09:39:00.002-07:00

what's new?

2008-11-10T14:36:00.005-07:00

What is new with the Jiménez house? Not a whole lot. Last week was a nice week because Guillermo didn't have any trips for work. I had a nice week too, with lots of variety. The first part of the week, I hosted Bryan, who was stopping in to check out Servant Partners on his way from Peru to Pennsylvania.

Guillermo had a soccer game, which he won! He is back in shape after being knocked out by a nasty flu-like bug a couple weekends ago.

Friday night was a fun night out! We had a meeting for our small group from church around 7:30. We went to the mall after work, before the meeting and ate ice cream cones and Guillermo bought some new shoes for work. We ran into a few friends and printed some pictures for the wedding album and a portfolio I am working on. We had a great time at small group, eating enchiladas and talking about funny political spoofs (for the US and Honduras) and also all of the many Caliche (Honduran slang) words and gestures. It was almost 11 before we left for home with eyes wet and bellies aching from so much laughing.

This weekend, we were at church a lot. We are joining the leadership team for the youth group. There is going to be a 3 day youth camp in February, for which there was a planning meeting on Saturday. Following was a community movie night at the church, complete with popcorn and a chorizo cook-out.

Sunday was church and then a meeting for CCUH, the Honduran chapter of IFES (Intervarsity). Guillermo was elected to be a member of the board for this coming year, which was special since his dad was very insturmental in founding CCUH in Honduras. We also had dinner with our friends José and Karla and their two girls, lots of fun!

it finally hit me

2008-11-06T09:44:00.004-07:00

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome". Yes we can." Excerpts from Obama's victory speech

I became a little emotional reading this and looking at pictures from election day on the internet. I know that the role of race in this election has been debated, but today I feel up for celebrating.

I am currently blogging to you from Los Pinos, Tegucigalpa, Honduras: a slum community where hunger, violence and miserable living conditions are a reality for thousands of families. In my 2 years of living in Honduras, I have asked myself, how can things change... can things change? Sometimes the poverty, corruption and injustice seem overwhelming and overwhelmingly complex. I have been re-reading a book called The Allure of Hope by Jan Meyers. It talks about how we respond to brokennes and stolen dreams:

"..the option of hopefull remembrance and vision. Frederick Buechner says, 'The world can be kind, and it can be cruel. It can be beautiful and it can be appalling. It can give us good reason to hope and good reason to give up all hope. It can strengthen our faith in a loving God, and it can decimate our faith.' .... Choosing to respond to hope requires courage, vision, and patience."

"Perspective is a keyword in our society.... A new point of view that produces change when our hearts are swept away in disappointment and we are looking for some moorings? In many ways, yes. But perspective settles for a little glory. God does not have perspective about our transformation, He SEES it. Perspective shifts the puzzle pieces of our circumstances around until we feel better about the picture; vision sees what the puzzle was meant to be. Perspective helps us cope, but coping is so much less than what our lives were made for. I can't imagine Jesus looking around at His twelve friends at the Last Supper and saying, 'You can have the peace I leave with you if you work really hard at keeping a good perspective on things.' No, He invites them to see differently, to see beyond. He says, 'My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.' (Jn 14:27). Jesus tells us there is something different that we haven't seen yet-what we need are new eyes. Perspective must flow from a vision for more, for what we haven't yet seen... Buechner puts it this way: 'It is in Jesus, of course, and in the people whose lives have been deeply touched by Jesus, and in ourselves at those moments when we also are deeply touched by him, that we see another way of being human in this world, which is the way of wholeness.' This is what my heroes have done for me. When our stolen dreams are the only ones in front of our eyes, there is no choice for us but to lose heart. When our vision is expanded to include prostitutes turned tender, crusty women turned luminous, lonely women turned lavish, we find that our dreams matter to God."

This books is written more for women's personal lives, but I would continue her train of thought to include the stolen dreams of communities. It is in Jesus that we see a way of wholeness in the community, a shalom community made reality. When our stolen dreams are the only ones in front of our eyes, we lose heart, become cynical, bitter and fearful. When our vision is expanded to include broken communities made whole (Nehemiah), spiritual communities gone astray and then returned to God (Israel), corrupt leaders turned to justice (Zacheus) and enemies become family (Jews and Gentiles, Paul)- we find that our dreams matter to God. We find that hope is the right response to the stolen dreams of the community. Today I find encouragement and my hope for Honduras is renewed as my vision is included to see a nation that once outlawed African-Americans and women to vote, turn out in record numbers to elect an African-American president.

breakfast

2008-11-06T08:23:00.003-07:00

I have been making a few adjustments to my schedule and office situation, one of which includes having a desk at our church, Iglesia en Transformacion. It has been a great place to work from and gives me a lot of flexibility when I need to stay late or come in early when Guillermo's schedule fluctuates. The church has started some outreach to the local community of Los Pinos, which is a slum, much like Nueva Suyapa.

On weekday mornings, they do a breakfast program for kids. 20-40 kids and youth arrive each morning for a bowl of cereal, some fruit and juice. They hang out around the church, playing soccer, ping pong, reading books or using the computers for homework or games. I am new to the scene, but on Tuesday I played ping-pong with a boy who I recognized as maybe being new.

Yesterday morning, I ran by the office to print something before a meeting. On my way out, I drove by a dumpster that is a few blocks below the church. I did a double take when I saw the same boy, waist high, going through the trash with his bare hands. What a stark contrast! I don't know what this boy was looking for- maybe food. It is sobering to know that something as simple as a breakfast program is the difference between a healthy breakfast and the dumpster. God does have compassion for those who are most vulnerable and He is asking us to be his hands.

solidaridad = solidarity

2008-10-23T12:36:00.002-06:00

Honduras is experiencing an emergency as heavy rains over the last week or so have caused flooding and landslides all over the country. Currently, we have not been affected, minus a power outage for most of yesterday.

Here is where the numbers stand today (from Copeco)

Affected 192, 506
Evacuated 37,397
Staying in shelters 19,863
Affected communities 473
Damaged homes 4, 379
Destroyed homes 337
Damaged roads 157
Destroyed roads 7

Most of this was caused by Tropical Depression 16, but now they are warning of at least a few more days of heavy rains as Tropical Depression 17 rolls in. Here are also a few images from El Heraldo:

We have already managed some funds to make a donation of non-perishable food through one of the networks that is getting supplies to flood victims. If you would like to offer immediate help to those in need, you can contact me about the amount of your donation and I can buy more food and take it to a center that is distributing supplies.

Wednesday night

2008-10-15T19:22:00.004-06:00

Guillermo is off on another trip for work = our first time being separated since we got married (boo hoo, I know) = I've gotten caught up on several projects and am going to watch a movie in a little bit

Tropical storm 16 is passing through Honduras = lots of rain and it is chilly = laundry takes ages to dry = Guillermo didn't have any dry pants this morning to wear to pack for his trip = I used the hair dryer and the fan to make it happen

We don't have a TV = I can't watch Honduras play Jamaica right now in an important World Cup qualifying game = I used Guillermo's ESPNDeportes link to find the score (losing 1-0 right now) = clearly someone is rubbing off on me

The other day a bat came into the house while Guillermo was reading on the couch = I come home and find "how to i get rid of a bat" as the latest search on Google = Guillermo is a resourceful husband

At the time of this post, the bat has not returned = I am very thankful

Copan

2008-10-15T19:15:00.004-06:00

The last part of our trip was to Copan, mostly work but some play. Anibal (Guillermo's supervisor) and his wife Yadira, picked us up in Yamaranguila and we drove through Gracias, Lempira all the way to Copan Ruinas. Saturday morning Guillermo and Anibal went to a VM event called a cabildo (a sort of mock-government made of children and youth). Yadira and I slept in, took in a lazy breakfast and stoppped by the event. In the afternoon, we got to go to the Copan ruins, which was a first for me. They were beautiful, especially since it was a green time of year. We had a little time to rest before the big game: Honduras vs. Canada. Honduras won with 3 golazos!!! On Sunday we drove back to the city. Here are all the pictures from our trip.

At the ruins, we found a spot that we recognized:

second home stay

2008-10-11T16:59:00.005-06:00

After a night at a hotel in La Esperanza, we journeyed to another community called Los Mangos. We made a short stop in Yamaranguila to visit a World Vision office. The community of Los Mangos was much different that Los Planes. It was smaller and culturally had less traditional Lenca culture. We were greeted once again by the Community Develpment Board, who was led by a sharp young woman named Pati. We walked accross the soccer field to the school house, where we had a short introduction to the community. We got to visit with young students, board members and families. Guillermo took advantage to play futbol with some of the kids and I mingled and took pictures.

Looking at the community's plan with the board

After that, we took the long walk through the woods to the home of our new host family. I wish I had been more prepared for a homestay because we ended up having to have several people help us carry our bags. Our host family, Don Fidel, Doña Lidia and their children have a cozy home on the side of a beautiful valley. They have some fish ponds and a sell plants among other projects. We enjoyed great meals and lots of time to chat with them when we weren't out in the community with the members of the Board.

Our host family

In the morning, we were showered and ate breakfast by 6:30 in order to take all of our luggage to a spot a ways down the road, before the entrance to the community. After walking about 45 minutes, we arrived to where a big truck was waiting and many people were gathered. This morning there was to be a regional prayer meeting, an annual gathering of families who are part of World Vision projects in the area. Along with around 600 others, we journeyed to a meeting center. Guillermo and I got to ride in the back of the truck, which was an adventure. The prayer meeting was many things, including a Catholic mass, singing, sharing, a raffle and a lunch.

back in time

2008-10-08T16:14:00.005-06:00

I'm blogging from our dry and warm hotel room in La Esperanza. We have been having a great trip so far. Yesterday we drove from Tegucigalpa through La Esperanza to Los Planes del Rio Grande, a small community of 130 families. After we left the main highway in Siguatepeque, the scenery became more and more beautiful and the climate became more and more cool as we drove up into the mountains. We were not sure what to expect of our trip. We knew we would get to meet people, see projects and possibly stay in a community. I'm learning that this is a very standard flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of trip in Honduras.

We were greeted at the Catholic church by the "Junta"- the Community Development Board of Los Planes. They took us on a short walk to a school/tutoring project they had recently managed to put into place. I immediately began to feel that I was in another culture, even though we were still in Honduras. The faces of the people have strong indigenous traits. Most of the women wear very bright colored dresses and skirts and some head scarves.

On the walk up to the school, all of the women (except for me) walked about 50 ft behind the men. The accent is slightly different and I've noticed they had a distinct way of talking both while they breathed air in and breathed out. As the fog and darkness crept in around us, we heard many of the members share about their experiences of working for the community. With the help of World Vision, the Comm Dev Board has worked to do a diagnosis of the community and to also make a development plan for the community. They now have a kinder, school and this special high school. They also have helped many families better their homes (replacing grass and wood huts with brick walls and solid ceilings). They have put a few economic development tools into place as well. It was very inspiring to hear the vision they had for their community and for the next generation.

With some members of the Board

After this short meeting, we walked down to a home where we had dinner with a couple of the staff of World Vision and some from the board. It had started to rain, so the walk down the trail and accross the cow field was a bit of an adventure. We dined in the glow of candlelight and flames from the wood stove (ie: a wood burning stove in the corner of the kitchen used for cooking). We drank a sweet coffee and a kind of sweet atol (sort of like thick corn pudding) and ate beans, fat little tortillas, quajada cheese, fried eggs and potatoes. We walked back to the house where we would be staying and settled our bags. A few men from the Board came to continue talking with Guillermo and to show him the diagnonsis and plan they had made. It seemed sooo late! Besides being tired, my mind was playing tricks on me because it got very dark around 6:30. There is no electricity in Los Planes, so the pace of life is different. Around 9 pm, we went to bed. Did I mention it was cold? I was wearing a fleece I usually use in Colorado in the fall and winter. There was so much fog, it was hard to see across from the house to the bathroom. We snuggled into our single-size bed, which was fine because we were freezing. The rain on the clay-tile roof was a nice sound to go to sleep to.

The shower experience

In the morning, we woke up and then we woke up some more when we took a cold shower outside under the sprinkling rain. It wasn't as bad as you think, and it was kind of funny because the shower was obviously not made for people of our height! We walked back to the same house for breakfast, which was chicken and vegetable soup and milk with cinnamon. Our food experience here is not one you find many places in the world. Almost everything is grown locally: vegetables from the garden, corn from the field for tortillas and atol, beans, chickens, milk and cheese from local cows,. We took a few pictures with the women from the board who were with us that morning and who made our meals. They took us on a walking tour of the community where we met individual families. Later in the morning we came back to La Esperanza and met more World Vision staff from the region and ate lunch. Tomorrow we are heading up to Yamaranguila where we will also stay with a family... more adventures to come!

On the road

2008-10-06T15:54:00.004-06:00

This week I get to accompany Guillermo on a trip for his work. He has started working for World Vision in the area of development strategy. We are going to visit three Area Development Programs in Western Honduras as part of his induction process. World Vision has 30 of these Area Development Programs in the country. We will spend most of the week in the department of Intibuca. We will be in the towns of La Esperanza, Yamaranguila and Intibuca. Then we will spend a night in Gracias, in the department of Lempira. Lastly, we will be staying in Copan Ruinas in Copan. I'll get to see the ruins while Guillermo works, a first for me, even though I have been through there several times. You can see our route on the map below. We will come back to Tegucigalpa through San Pedro Sula, instead of the way we came. I am looking forward to a great week! We will be in some of Honduras's most mountainous areas as well as some of its poorest rural areas. You can bet I will be taking lots of pictures!

sign of the times

2008-09-30T14:30:00.003-06:00

A quick translation of parts of an article from Monday's El Heraldo, a Honduran newspaper.

Cost of life increases 6, 492 Lempiras
*L. 6,492 = $343.67 The price of the basic food basket has increased by 2,068 Lempiras in 28 months
*L. 2,068 = $109.48

"Living in Honduras becomes more expensive everyday. The cost of basic, vital necessities has seen an accelerated growth in the last 28 months. According to data from the Secretary of Labor and the Central Bank of Honduras, the cost of life for a month for a family of 5 has gone from L. 12,763.80 ($675.70) (January of 2006) to L.19,256.15 ($1,019.38) (August of 2008). This is an increase of L. 6,492.35 ($343.70) or 50.86%.

The price of the basic food basket (the food needed to feed a family of 5 for a month) has inceased as well. Over a span of 28 months, it has increased by $109.48. The National Institute of Statistics estimates that in Honduras there are more than 500,000 people living at less than minimum wage (L. 3,430 or $181.57 a month). That means the entire salary of a minimum wage worker covers only 56% of the cost of the basic food basket."

Desparate, suffering, survival.... words that come to mind. Praying for Honduras and for our world. Below is are some pieces I did to talk about the theme of basic needs and loving the least.

I am...

2008-09-17T09:03:00.012-06:00

I was inspired to write an I Am poem, something I learned in my children's literature class, as a way of sharing about our new life in Santa Lucia. Enjoy

I am by Anna de Jiménez
I am the last little green house at the end of the road,
I am coffee and plantains and tortillas,
I am planning menus and learning to make beans.
I am using our new washing machine and hanging laundry on the covered porch with a view.
I am the sound of school children across the street, practicing for a parade.
I am Skype calls to home.
I am washing dishes, ironing, baking and cleaning.
I am foggy mornings, quiet nights and green gardens.
I am the constant fan in the bedroom, keeping the closet from getting moldy.
I am birds of paradise, guayabas and limes.
I am tile floors, hammocks and a little plastic dinning table for two.
I am quiet times in the red chair on the porch.
I am commuting a two hour, three bus adventure to the office.
I am Santa Lucia, cobblestone streets, the little Catholic church and friendly neighbors.
I am away from the aggressiveness of the city, the traffic and the noise.
I am away from my dear neighbors, old friends and family.
I am learning to be a wife, I am new habits and a new family.
I am a new church, a small group and friends.
I am walks to the soccer field, playing, frisbee and futbol.
I am Honduras, Colorado, Nueva Suyapa, Allenspark, Boulder, and Santa Lucia.
I am Strom and I am de Jiménez.
I am speaking Spanish, Spanglish and English.
I am hurting for Honduras, violence and desperation.
I am trust, peace, joy and hope.

The Married Life

2008-09-17T08:42:00.003-06:00

Well, to break our internet silence, here is a quick update:

1. We passed the one-month of being married mark! Yipee!
2. Guillermo officially starts work at World Vision today (I'm working from home today, still need to do dishes from an early-morning-happy-first-day-of-work-breakfast).
3. We live in Santa Lucia, a quaint pueblo 11 km outside of the city.
4. I still have the same job with Servant Partners, I work some from home and some at my office in Nueva Suyapa.

A few photos....

2008-08-20T18:11:00.005-06:00

Just a few for now, more coming from the official photographer soon.

Mrs. Jimènez

2008-08-19T13:03:00.000-06:00

We tied the knot!

Pictures coming soon!

first big day

2008-06-29T13:10:00.001-06:00

Not the big day, but our reception for Colorado friends and family. Thanks to all who came and celebrated with us!

what a catch!

2008-06-19T19:18:00.003-06:00

Congratulations Guillermo on finishing your MA in International Economic Development at Eastern University! I am so proud! I wish I could have been there for this commissioning ceremony. Te amo!

one accident, many repercussions

2008-06-07T10:45:00.000-06:00

Just a week ago, a full-size, international traveling airplane crashed at the airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. It was a TACA plane (out of El Salvador), which I have traveled on. A combination of bad weather, a short runway, faulty technology and a pilot's error led to the plane landing halfway down the runway and shooting out into a crowded street. Five died and more than 65 were injured.

If you live in or have ever flown into the Toncontin airport, you are not really surprised that this happened. It is one of the most dangerous airports in the world, for all of the reasons listed above. In fact, my flight to leave for the States in April was delayed by a day because of low visibility and therefore, no safe take off.

This is surely a tragic accident. It was a traumatic event not only for the individuals on the plane and their families, but also for the entire city. The heaping wreckage of the plane still occupies the crash site in the middle of a busy section of town. What continues to be tragic is the repercussions that this accident has had.

Immediately after the accident, the airport was shut down. Then, it was decided that only smaller planes, 42 passengers or less, would be allowed to fly in and out. One idea was to ready an airstrip about 60 minutes away to become an international airport. This airstrip is part of Palmerola, a Honduran owned, US government rented and controlled air force base. It would take 60 days to get this site ready, and now there are doubts about whether this is an option (by the US side). The other international airport in Honduras is in San Pedro Sula, 4 hours to the north. San Pedro is a large city, the industrial center of the country. Currently all commercial flights are going in and out of San Pedro.

The question is... what will become of the Toncontin airport? Obviously, it needs some fix ups to be able to be a safe airport. If it were shut down and the international airport be moved to Palmerola or San Pedro, the economic repercussions on the city could be disastrous. Already, only one week after the accident, Teguz hotels are reporting 50% vacancy. International organizations have moved their events and travel through El Salvador and Guatemala. According to CCIT, a commerce and industry reporting group, there is an estimated a loss of 400 million Lempiras in the hotel, tourism, food and car rental sectors. (More than $21 millionUSD). The loss of an international airport would mean a loss of many things, including jobs, businesses, and tourism. (Source: El Heraldo)

On another sad note, Honduras was listed by the UN as a country most vulnerable to a world food shortage. Vulnerable. That is what word comes to mind. Pray for the government of Honduras to make a wise decision about the future international airport.

visitor

2008-05-27T16:51:00.000-06:00

He was on the porch while we were eating dinner, not shy at all!

Happy Graduation Becca

2008-05-26T19:17:00.000-06:00

My youngest sister, Becca, graduated from high school this weekend. My parents will officially be empty nesters in August. Here are some family pics from the festivities...

Extended family

The Strom 6

The Strom Girls
(Rachel, Becca, Sarah, me)

enjoying vacation

2008-05-14T21:12:00.000-06:00

I've been in the States for a couple weeks, most of that has been vacation time. Here are a few things I have enjoyed:

being with my family and Guillermo
Colorado mountains (even though it is cold, it was nice to see pretty spring snow)
running water
using the dishwasher
driving
Mexican food
wearing my engagement ring everyday
Target
going for walks around camp
getting to see Guillermo everyday for 2 weeks (real dates, not Skype dates)
biking at Bartlett Wash and Slickrock in Moab
hiking in Arches
taking lots of desert pics in Moab
lazy vacation days-sleeping in, seeing IronMan in the theater, staying up late
road tripping
starting to see friends

brrrrr

2008-05-01T09:25:00.000-06:00

Yes, I'm in Colorado! I left Honduras in the middle of the hottest time of the year and this is what I woke up to in the morning...

Looks like 20 degrees

So much for spring bbq's

count down

2008-04-22T12:35:00.000-06:00

I'm headed home, I can't wait! I'll be in Colorado for 2 months!

Days until I'm in Colorado: 5.5
Days until Guillermo arrives in Colorado for a visit: 9.5
Days until we are getting married: 109

introducing...

2008-04-18T10:58:00.000-06:00

Alabaster Photography

water update

2008-04-17T17:48:00.000-06:00

For those of you asking, the water came on the day after the "dry" post. I am not sure, but there have been rumors that it could be like this for a while: water rationing. We'll see. Thanks for your interest, support and prayers.

Anna

girls night at the cancha

2008-04-15T11:47:00.000-06:00

I scored one goal! My Bible study group at the new futbolito cancha, plus some other girls from our church, lots of fun!

dry

2008-04-07T10:40:00.000-06:00

parched
dirty
dry
dusty
soiled
thirsty

waiting

As I mentioned in an early blog, the water only comes every so often to where I live. Talking more with a neighbor, I found out that the water is actually supposed to come every 10 days. Today is day 18 and no water-maybe tomorrow. I have a bucket with about 4 gallons left, that's it. Most of my neighbors, families of 5, 10 or more, have been with out for at least 5 days. Myself and others with larger pilas have shared what we have. Some have gone down the hill to a distant tank to carry what they can back to their houses. There are water trucks that you can pay to bring water to your house. One arrived the other day but was already empty. Even so, at L. 500 ($25) a truck, most families can not afford to spend multiple day's wages on extra water. Minimum daily wage is around L. 120 ($6).

Every day I find myself thinking and having conversations about when the water will come- neighbors speculating with one another, talking about how much they have left and remarking that such is this season (hot and dry). My ears are alert to the sound of running water, waiting for that first outburst from the faucet that will signify that the day has finally come! My body also craves a luxurious bath- using a full bucket instead of a half, using shampoo and conditioner, using water that is clean instead of the lasts of the water, full of little black specs, shaving my legs. I want to clean my house and wash my dishes, I want to mop away the dust and wash my sheets. I drink bottled water, so I don't have to go thirsty as some of my neighbors probably are.

All of this waiting and craving water has gotten me thinking. It is an interesting balance we live in... days of suffering, wondering when there will be relief, but in the end, the water always comes. Kind of like how we pass through times of waiting and suffering, but in the end, God is always faithful. I also think about the stark differences between the physical realities and the spiritual realities of the poor. Day in and day out, they live in need. They lack for basics, like water. Some lack because of the oppression and injustice of others (our is not the same situation as other neighborhoods in the city) and some lack because of their own poor choices. But at the same time, the Living Water- the Spirit of God, the Love of God and a full life in Jesus is constantly and over flowingly available.

Is that what it means when it says "blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom"? Blessed are they because they understand God's riches and the realities of a just and right Kingdom. Blessed are those who are able to understand and appreciate this Righteous and Abundant Kingdom because on a daily basis they experience the difference between a spring of Living Water and a dry pila that has been empty for 5 days.

I can't help but think of Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4. Her reality was coming to the well for water at the hottest and most lonely time of day. She was an outcast. She had needs that weren't always met. She knew suffering. Jesus engaged her in a conversation that connected her reality to the reality of the Kingdom. I was trying to imagine what Jesus would say to my neighbors if he lived on my street. How would he use a conversation about "when will the water come?" to share the Good News about His Kingdom?

I feel like I have personally been on kind of a water fast. Sure, I've been drinking what I need to and keeping clean at a minimal level, but I'm also starting to want more. When we fast from something physical, we are reminded of what our needs really are and how God is present in any circumstance, whether we are in need or have abundance. I've also been waiting. I'm doing a lot of waiting in my life and this has been a good reminder that God is faithful.

The water will come.

pancakes

2008-03-31T10:03:00.000-06:00

Pancake breakfast with my neighbors! We had a fun morning. Pancakes were followed by reading books and mickey mouse bingo.

thanks louie!

2008-03-15T11:24:00.000-06:00

Some fun pictures from our friend Louie! Louie is Guillermo's old house mate and he visited Honduras in December. He is a great photographer and will be a groomsman in our weddding in August.

Walking in La Tigra National Park

Louie enjoys a Honduran tamal

At Tacos Tado, one of our favorite places to eat

Waiting for a taxi in el centro

the whole story

2008-03-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

We have a wedding webpage where you can check out the story of our engagement and read wedding details, as they unfold.

surprise!

2008-03-05T14:48:00.001-07:00

On Monday, I was picking up a suspicious visitor from the airport. I was doing a favor for my boyfriend, picking up his old coach who suposedly in Honduras doing some recruiting. I already had my suspicions, but I did not know what was really happening until my visitor arrived. I was a nervously and anxiously waiting in the crowd at Toncontin and to my relief, my boyfriend, Guillermo Mario walked out of the baggage area! Later, on a walk near his house, he surprised me again with a beautiful ring. I feel so blessed, so happy and excited!

...((O))...

2008-02-24T17:10:00.001-07:00

I just like this photo, so I wanted to highlight it.

Thanks, Anna

H2O

2008-02-21T09:36:00.001-07:00

Did you know that water only comes on every 13-18 days in my community? When the water turns on (for a few hours) we fill up what we can, hoping to store away as much as possible. What do we use to store water? Most families have a pila, a big open concrete trough. Some pilas are big, some are little, some leak. I have a good sized pila that is more than enough, since I am only one and my house doesn´t have a shower or a flushing toilet. My pila also gets filled up by a pipe that collects the rain from the roof, so I always have enough to share. Some families don´t have adequate water storage, so they improvise and use buckets, or used soda bottles, as pictured above. Think about this frequent occurrence in my neighborhood: a family of 6 has just finished up the water in their pila, so now they must empty these bottles as they wash clothes, bathe, wash dishes and clean. When this water is used up, they anxiously await the arrival of the water. The schedule is not fixed, so you could end up with a day or two of no water-no baths, no clean clothes, no washed dishes, no water to drink or use to cook with.

my baby

2008-02-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

I forgot to share that I got a new camera... my first digital SLR. It was an unexpected and very special gift from my parents. Here are some highlights:

special

2008-02-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

I've had some special visitors at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, Rachel (mi hermana) and Guillermo (mi novio). I was able to explore some new areas of Honduras: Amapala, Olancho and La Paz.

por fin

2008-02-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a long time... so it is time for a post. I will make this easy on myself by blogging someone else's blog.

I had the privilege to receive two guest in our homes in Nueva Suyapa: Reade and Lisa. They came for three weeks to live in Nueva Suyapa at the recommendation of some mutual friends, Ryan and Emily. My friend Maureen and I met Ryan and Emily on a bus coming back from Guatemala, but that is another story.

Reade and Lisa spent time learning how to live in Nueva Suyapa, did activities with the kids in our neighborhood, practiced Spanish and contemplated faith and life as they learned from the poor. They returned for another couple weeks in January. I pulled some quotes off of their blog to share here because I think that their "fresh eyes" and outsider's perspective give you a different glimpse of my life.

"So we decided to have another kids club today with the focus being on keeping our earth clean. People just throw trash everywhere, especially in the gutters, and don´t think twice about it. So we gave them each a trash bag and sent them out to clean up their neighborhood, with the promise of a freshly popped bag of popcorn as a reward when they brought it back. They were all smiles and had a great time." One of the activities we did with the kids

"All three of the kids are filthy and smell of urine. They live in the street most of the day and are in and out playing around the gutter (into which neighbors dump their latrines). G doesn't have diapers. She runs around in dirty underwear all day long since nobody changes or cleans her up. It was so sad to see a puddle on the ground under her feet the other day. She peed without giving a word of warning because she has nowhere else to go. It took at least a week of interacting with her before she began to show signs of recognizing when we were talking to her, and even more time before she said a word. Now, though, she knows our names and responds when we ask her questions. Mostly, she just wants to be held." Describing some kids from my block

"We were prepared that life in Nueva Suyapa would be different than anything else we had experienced, but it is hard to know what to expect without actually being here. The house we are staying in is by far one of the very nicest in the whole community, and we have it easy living here. Even so, it is like nowhere else we have ever stayed. Most of the houses here are made out of cement whenever possible. None of them have insulation where we live, unless you stuff newspaper in your walls and create it yourself. Roofs are mostly made out of aluminum. If you are lucky, as we are, you have an iron padlocked gate to your porch before you reach your front door, also equipped with a pretty sturdy lock. Our floor is cement and tile, but it is not uncommon for houses to have dirt floors. Many houses have a courtyard area outdoors, where you find your bathroom or latrine and the area for washing clothing and dishes." The living environment

"We were so sad to have to leave Nueva Suyapa for the second time in two months, but did we ever get a great sending off! The night before we left, we were informed that some of the kids had a party planned for us, and they wanted at least two hours of our time. So at 7:30 on the dot, we had a group of the kids ready to escort us to one of the kids' houses, where we piled in like sardines to the cheers and applause of many of our friends. There were decorations, speeches, dancing, and lots of food. Yes, they had pooled their money together and gone down to the local chinese restaurant (which I did not know existed before) to buy heaping quantities of arroz chino (Chinese rice... basically fried rice) and chop suey. I don't know how they managed to do that, but we were floored by the extravagant generosity. Plus, they asked Maureen to bake a delicious strawberry cake, which was a huge treat. The caveat, of course, was that we had already eaten dinner with a group of people at Chris and Mo's and we didn't realize that they would serve us plates big enough to feed a small village. We asked Anna if we could get away with eating, say, half the plate. Her response: "Um, you should probably try and finish it all. Just don't think about it and eat quickly." We thought we might burst by the end of the meal." Saying Goodbye

"In our short time here, we have gotten to know a lot of kids and some of their parents. We have desperately desired to transition our pity into compassion - the type of compassion Jeony models. Jeony has helped us understand why we feel so torn apart. He has shown us that people here need compassion and hope. But this has been very hard for us to achieve as it takes enormous courage, time, relationship building (or as Young Life calls it, earning the right to be heard), and a better command of the language so we can understand the depths of individual problems..... It´s so easy to pull down the shade, so to speak, and to block out the truth that is so real in so many places of the world, because when I think about it, my heart literally hurts. Tangibly. It is more convenient not to think about it. The problem is that I just can´t live this way anymore. I've been thinking about poverty a lot lately. It's something that I've always known has existed and felt genuine momentary sorrow over, but I had not felt personally connected to it before this year of traveling. I can no longer escape the constant ache that nags my heart..." Reflections on the Experience

Community Tree

2007-12-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

I've been missing all of the cozy Christmas traditions that I would be doing in Colorado right now, so I decided to get a little Christmas tree. I had a ornament and decoration making party with kids from my neighborhood and we decided it would be the Christmas tree for the barrio or neighborhood since most of them didn't have one in their house. We listened to Christmas music, ate snacks and the tree definitely got decorated, as you can see. They had fun inventing their own ideas for ornaments and getting lost in a mess of glue, tinsel and construction paper. I love doing art activities with them because they have such natural creativity. They are constantly inventing art and toys out of whatever materials they can get their hands on, whether it is a kite out of newspaper or a grocery bag, or a welcome sign using cardboard and packing peanuts.

shutter bug

2007-12-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

A recent highlight for me was a visit from Jane Chung. Jane is a freelance artist, graphic designer and photographer that is working with Servant Partners. She was in Nueva Suyapa for a few days and we took a lot of pictures! Here are a couple.

'Afternoon chat' Photo by Jane
(Sandra and her family are the frequent subject of my photos. She and her little sisters are beautiful and are always excited to help with new projects)

'Rooftop' Photo by Anna

C and K Photo by Anna

This is one of my favorite photos by Jane, it captures her simple and humble style

Birthday Mania

2007-11-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

This month, there are at least 6 people in my neighborhood with a birthday. Here are photos from the first round of parties, held at my house. Pictures by L and L.

In your hands

2007-10-30T15:36:00.000-06:00

In this photo, I wanted to bring up the idea of value, meaning and ownership of money. What is the value of twenty dollars to a North American? What is the value of twenty dollars to a single mother in my neighborhood in Honduras? What is the difference between twenty dollars in the world and twenty dollars in God’s economy? When we open ourselves to these questions, God begins to transform our understanding and value of money. We gain new and unique opportunities to bring forth the Kingdom. I think another aspect of this photo is whether or not the girls in the picture are giving or receiving.

I am working on a photo project for a church in Austin, TX. They are doing a stewardship campaign and some of the themes are imagination and joyful giving.

cards cards cards

2007-10-01T09:59:00.000-06:00

A quick plug for a project I am working on

Order your holiday or gift cards from Cards for Change

sapo

2007-09-26T13:31:00.000-06:00

Just yesterday I found this little guy on my laundry line. He refused to move and spent the whole day in my house. When I came home in the afternoon, he was still there and I thought that some of the neighborhood kids might like to catch him. These boys were playing on the front street and accepted the invitation to remove the frog for me with some convincing. Their tough-boy exterior soon faded when they tried to catch the frog in this pizza box. They were screaming and giggling!

anatomy of saturday night

2007-09-24T09:58:00.000-06:00

day of the child

2007-09-10T12:08:00.000-06:00

We have been laughing all week, every time one of us accidentally says ´´the day of the child´´ in English. Día del niño just doesn´t translate with the same feeling.

Today is el día del niño here in honduras. Last friday the princess stopped by my house, this time in much better spirits. We ate dinner and then she was telling me about what they do to celebrate the holiday. She washed all of the dishes and i paid here $1 so that she could buy a bottle of soda to bring to the party at school so she could participate in the celebration. She told me that she would be in the drama because the teacher always chooses her because she is good at acting. She will play the part of the sister of the child with no name. The drama illustrates the Rights of the Child. According to her memory, these are the rights of the child:

The right to a name
The right to play
The right to education
The right to be loved
The right to a house
The right to food
The right to be protected and safe

It is sad to know that each of these rights is a delicate and often missing reality in her life and in the lives of many other kids in my neighborhood and in the world. Her right to play is often taken away because she is responsible for cooking the food for her brothers and sisters and often has to do the wash too. Her right to be loved is jeopardized by the broken relationships with her family and the abandonment of her father. Her right to a house is a fragile reality, the wood home with a dirt floor is vulnerable to floods each time it rains. Her right to food is often just a dream. There may be several days a week when she doesn´t eat. Her right to protection and safety are absent.

Check out these two photo essays from UNICEF about the Rights of the Child

mother teresa

2007-09-07T09:58:00.000-06:00

I was just reading through the most recent issue of Time magazine and was captivated my the article about Mother Teresa. It highlights new information about her inner life and the long, long period of darkness that she felt. I highly recommend it and I will definitely read the new book that is supposed to come out.

Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.
— Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, September 1979

bearing the mark

2007-09-06T11:46:00.000-06:00

She came to my house last night, the princess. A young heir to the Kingdom, only 12 years old. Everything about her was exactly as He had said, her robes, her spirit, the way she lived, the way she carried herself. It was maybe what you would call a royal moment, how I felt when she told me abouot her life, when I held her in my arms. It was royal because in her I could see exactly what the King was about. I could see exactly what He meant when He said that the Kingdom was hers. That for princess daughters such as her, He had worked and planned and sacrificed to establish his rule and his reality-one that was nothing but good. It was her He was thinking of all along. It is her He is working for now.

I wept too because everything about her was exactly as He had said. Her robes are despair and her spirit is broken and her life is poverty and and captivity and her attitude is humility. I wept because she doesn’t even know that she is a princess with a Good King Father. Instead she only sees that she is a young girl living in slum, about to be abandoned by her last care taking parent. Her arms were like sticks, her shoulderblades sticking out like fins underneath my hug. Her heart and body are broken by the verbal and physical abuse from her family and neighbors. I wept when she told me “She tells me that she doesn’t love me and that I am a bad person. She feeds the others and not me.” I wept when she told me how they had pushed her in the gutter and beat her up.

the team

2007-08-29T10:30:00.000-06:00

Maureen, Chirs, Abby, Reyna, Anna

my life in pictures

2007-08-22T13:14:00.001-06:00

It has been three months since I last blogged.... here is a brief tour of my life since then.

I have been working a lot on my house, including getting this razor wire put up. This is the view if you are standing up in the latrine. As one person put it, but beautiful and ugly at the same time. I also had a small mold scare in my bedroom, but that seems to have subsided since my landlord repainted. I bought some cement blocks to make a book shelf in the living room and now I feel like I'm living in a palace.

Time in the 'hood. This is one of my neighbors who sells fruit and vegetables. This day she was selling oranges. Maureen and I have been getting to know a family that has been going through a crisis these past couple months. A mother was going to have to leave her kids home alone to fend for themselves while she spent a month in the hospital getting an operation. Some of here children are grown and live in a different community, two live in children's homes and two of here daughters, ages 6 and 12 live with her. We prayed with her and her daughters the night before she was going to the hospital. I don't know if she was healed or if her condition is changing, but now she will not have to have the operation until next year. For now the crisis has been averted.

I went to Belize for a short exploratory trip, visiting a ministry that is doing a church plant and school in a poor neighborhood in Belize City. These are two of the girls we met. It is surprisingly difficult to get around Central America. You can fly between most of the capitals, but it will cost you an arm and a leg. We took 4 buses, a boat, walked, hitch hiked and took a taxi to get there, and it took us 2 days.

26

2007-06-04T11:43:00.001-06:00

It was the biggest surprise party I've ever gotten! It was a double surprise for me and Maureen as her birthday is the day before mine. There was a grand entrance, food, cake, a pinata, running races, soccer, and the limbo. Fun was had by all!

wireless

2007-04-25T19:25:00.000-06:00

currently blogging to you from the cement block next to my house in nueva suyapa...

we just discovered we get a wireless signal (or at least the area in front of our house) from the high school up the hill from us, one of the few places that has internet in nueva suyapa.

it is almost 8 o'clock at night as i look through the darkness to our closest neighbors down the hill. i wonder what they think as they see the computer glow light up my face as i crouch down in the front yard with my laptop. the only thing i can see of them right now is the glow of the fire pit because, ironically, they don't have any electricity at all... wireless also, i suppose

just when you need it

2007-04-10T11:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, these two full rainbows appeared over Nueva Suyapa. It is amazing to think that this is actually God reminding us of His covenant with us and his faithfulness in keeping that promise. He is good to encourage us along the way! This image also calls my attention because it pulls together the presence of God and the reality of our broken world. God is faithful and present even in the places and times when the coming of His Kingdom seems the least likely of the most challenging. I hope you are encouraged today to seek God and remember his faithfulness in the difficult places in your life and the world around you.

God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Genesis 9:12-15

this is how house fires start

2007-03-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

Good thing our house is made of bricks. On Sunday morning, an extension cord in our kitchen bit the dust, hard. You can see that the plug is still in the socket, but not at all connected to the cord. The cord is charred in several places and was also melted to the cord of the refrigerator and the cord of the toaster. It had to have been flaming, but we didn't see it. Check it out for yourself:

slice of life

2007-03-05T12:16:00.001-07:00

I'm on the bus, coming up the hill after some grocery shopping. A young girls strikes up conversation, asking me what my name is. I think she is asking me if I'm going to Nueva Suyapa, so I keep saying "si". We giggle when I finally say Anna and she tells me she is also named Ana.

Once the bus clears out near the U, I sit down in an empty seat and she sits next to me. She says she knows me, that she has seen me before. Over a box of raisins that I pull out of the grocery sack, she readily tells me about herself:

she is 12

her mom and baby brother Manuel are in another seat farther back

(pause to go give them some raisins, I keep her seat safe with my backpack)

she live in Flores de Oriente (one of the roughest parts of NS)

they are on their way home after going to "recoger unos cipotes" (to pick up some kiddos)....

...at the INFA office, (a couple of her siblings at the gov. office where kids go when their parents can't or aren't allowed to take care of them)

her favorite food is spaghetti

she is in 3rd grade

do I know Jorge?

who?

you know, el gordito, he lives by me?

no, i don't know Jorge

do you know the "such and such center"?

no, where is it?

i used to be there.

oh, did you live there?

yes.

with other kids?

yes, i liked it.

thanks for the raisins she says, they usually go with milk, right?

sure, i say.

more travels...

2007-02-18T14:11:00.001-07:00

last week i realized i was approaching the end of my 90 day visa

later last week i realized i could not renew from the immigration office, but rather that i had to leave honduras and go to a non-border sharing country (guatemala, el salvador and nicaragua do not count)

the night before i was leaving to go to costa rica, i learned i had to leave the country for at least 72 hours

so wednesday morning at 5:30 am i caught the bus to san jose, costa rica. it was a long day on the bus, as we arrived after 10 pm. it was an even longer day because the movies they showed on the bus were kung fu, two steven segal movies and "music videos" of Spanish classics from the early 80,s.

so i,ve been camped out at a little hotel in downtown san jose, biding my time by doing as much free stuff as possible until i head back. traveling alone like this is a first, but it has been a good experience.

two highlights: 1 visiting the school in a san jose suburb that i attended in 00-01 and seeing old friends there. 2 seeing the movie blood diamond... excelent. i cried and it is getting priority on my ballot at the coming oscar party.

¿Se habla español?

2007-01-12T11:02:00.000-07:00

Puerta al Mundo just updated their brochure, which is unfortunately, only available in Spanish. Check it out if you'd like:

Side One

Side Two

kaboom!

2006-12-27T13:12:00.001-07:00

A short video from Christmas Eve/12:01 am Christmas morning. No comments on the Spanish, please.

A Very Honduran Christmas

2006-12-26T11:13:00.000-07:00

Well folks, Christmas in Honduras has come and gone and it has turned out to be a great experience. Being away from family and friends was hard, but not as hard as I thought. Thanks to everyone who sent me words of encouragment and prayers! Celebrating Christmas out of the norm was a great chance to reflect on what Christmas is really all about and to see it through the eyes of another culture.

This last week I spent a lot of time listening to the same Christmas songs over and over on my computer. The line from Silent Night about ¨mother and child¨struck me as I thought about how many of these humble mothers and children I know around the neighborhood. I feel like I get to know Jesus a little better each day when I get to know people who live like he lived: poor, persecuted, humble, immigrant, oppressed, and rejected. What do Jesus´words mean as I hear them, knowing more and more who He was? I think about the simple idea that I chose for my Christmas card ¨Rejoice! Rejoice! He is with us¨. His presence is true, something that seems mysterious to me as I see so much suffering around me. How does the harsh reality of Nueva Suyapa fit with the perfect and intimate presence of Jesus and his Kingdom? This is what I don´t see, but what I hope for.

Celebrating with Honduran friends at midnight

Gringo Christmas brunch on the 25th

Feliz Navidad

2006-12-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and yours a blessed season -ajs

hosea

2006-12-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

late night artwork

get the word out

2006-12-15T08:58:00.000-07:00

"more than 2,000 security guards without labor rights"

In an effort to bring exposure which might lead to justice....
(all info taken from the AJS website)

"Lawyer of the Poor" murdered in Honduras; Associates Threatened

Dionisio Diaz's Death Marks the First Murder in Many Years of a Human Rights Advocate in Tegucigalpa

Tegucigalpa , Honduras , 13 December 2006. Honduras is in mourning. Last Monday (December 4) it lost a great ally in the struggle for social justice and a great defender of the poor: Dionisio Díaz García was shot to death in his pickup truck while driving to court by two masked gunmen on a motorcycle. The gunmen shot Díaz in the head and chest from close range. This murder was the first time in years that a human rights advocate has been murdered in Tegucigalpa.

Since early 2006 Díaz had served as the primary labor lawyer for the Association for a More Just Society's Labor Rights for Vulnerable Populations program, which had been running since 2004.

Contact US and Honduran Officials

Tell Friends, Family, and Media-BLOGGERS make your own post

Donate to Support Dionisio's Family and Work

10 things

2006-12-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Ten things I love about living here in Honduras, in no particular order:
1. I can see an amazing sunrise and sunset from my house
2. my roomate Katie and I get along great and my house is feeling more and more like "home" each day
3. my team here is really great-a huge blessing
4. the list of people I can just drop in on and visit, feeling at home, is growing each day
5. Teguc is beautiful, in a big valley with great clouds every day
6. I have high speed internet at my office
7. with in walking distance of my house: my office, a place to buy diet coke, friends
8. speaking Spanish every day
9. Pupusas and home made tortillas
10. my work-I love spending time getting to know people, building relationships and planning for our upcoming small groups

Ten things that fall in the "challenge" category, in no particular order:

1. there was a fairly large snake outside my front door the other day
2. today there was an army of ants in my laundry hamper
3. there isn't much to do after dark, outside of the house if you don't have a car, which I don't
4. it is hard to haul out our trash and refill our 5 gallon water water bottles because we don't have a car
5. you have to walk up hill both ways when coming to and from our house, Nueva Suyapa is very hilly
6. I really like to be on time and efficient, and here time and efficiency are in a different world, but I'm adjusting
7. not being home for Christmas or Thanksgiving this year
8. lots and lots of mud when it rains
9. laundry takes a long time to dry and has to be hand washed
10. I don't like the salty cheese here, which seems to be served with just about every meal

Just a few reasons why I love my job....

2006-12-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Last week, Honduras Puerta al Mundo (HPAM) hosted two youth missions forums. Over 200 youth from around the city attended. We had music and also a panel of Hondurans who have gone out as missionaries. The panel responded to questions from the moderator and the crowd. I was blown away by their answers as it became clear that God is really at work here....

What is missions? "missions is the duty of the church, not another ministry"

Why leave Honduras to be a missionary when there are so many needs here? "Honduras is not a mission field, but a missions force.... the spiritual needs of the unreached world are a priority for me"

How were you called to the trans-cultural mission field? What was the process like? "there were various moments in my life when I knew God was calling me.... God spoke to me through dreams and prayer times..... my pastor doubted me, I've been discouraged to be a missionary because our church doesn't send out missionaries...God spoke to me as I sought him in the midst of the tragedy of Hurricane Mitch here in Honduras..."

We also had the privilege to do a presentation about the agency and to have a visiting SP missionary who works in India share at a few different churches. One small church we visited here in Nueva Suyapa has been in existence for 20 years. Jen's presentation was the first time they had met a cross-cultural missionary who didn't work in Honduras. Our presentation about missions was the first time they had been asked as a church to be a part of missions, their first missions experience. Their response was overwhelming and so exciting... such a great thing to be a part of.

My new casa

2006-12-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

View from the front of the house

View from the back (we have sort of a covered porch)

Bathroom, shower and closet

Front of the house

Kitchen and dinning room table

Living room, front door

Our bedroom (I´ll get a real bed soon!)

who would have thought

2006-12-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

A great story....

So a couple of weeks ago, we found out that the missions agency I work with here in Honduras had been given a free space on a Christian radio station here in Teguc. We have every Thursday from 1-2:30 to talk about missions. The radio station plays 'alternative' style Christian music, hence the name "Alternativa 103". Their audience is youth and they play everything from contemporary praise music to Christian reggeaton (is that how it is spelled?)

We decided for this coming Thursday to have our visiting guest, Jen, share during the program. Jen is an SP missionary in India and they were excited to hear stories about her time on the field.

Little did I know. #1 I found out about half way through our time that I was the next person to be interviewed on the air. #2 We were being interviewed by "Icthus", the mascot of the station. Icthus is a fish and so he has to talk in a disguised voice like he is underwater. Not so easy for us non-native Spanish speakers participating in a separate room, listening through a speaker that is in yet another room.

Everything came out ok, and the time was less than we thought. Tune in next Thursday to hear more...

Luces

2006-11-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Last night I went with my host family, neighbors and friends to a fireworks show down in Teguc. We ate chicken, bean sandwiches, banana soda and brownies in the back of the pick up. Good times were had by all! The fireworks are sponsored by a fast food chicken place called Campero.

For the next 10 days, I{m hanging out with Jen, a SP missionary who works in India. She will be doing various presentations and promoting Servant Partners and India. Today we are going to a radio station to share (I think she{ll be doing more of the sharing). This Christian radio station has given Puerta al Mundo an hour and a half each week to talk about missions.

I will also be moving into my new house sometime next week. I have a mattress and my roommate has already furnished part of the rest of the house.

Good Bye

2006-11-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

I leave on Wednesday, only 3 days left in Colorado! We had some family pics before I left, which had to be taken using the self timer.... so despite the many tries, we had a hard time finding pics that everyone was smiling in. Here are a couple:

..meaningful media..

2006-11-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

A couple book and music recomendations to pass along

This is a great CD. Thanks Tara for introducing me.

A new and pleasant surprise in this new disc from Enter the Worship Circle. Their usual style is folk, but this album is all electric. I really love Simple and Tambourines.

Here are two books that I read for my Servant Partners training. The first is a great overview/introduction to the urban slums of the world. The second is a very complete resource for community organizing, and how the Kingdom of God intersects with the powers of the world (politics, economics and religion). Both are great reads.

Good bye

2006-11-07T06:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend I've said good bye to many things:

Manila, Pilippines after being there for 5 weeks
our friends and community in Balic Balic
my team (pictured above)
being too hot and sweaty 24/7
rice with every meal
the threat of giant cockroaches crawling on me in my sleep
pandesal with mango jam for breakfast
bucket showers (not really good bye, more like 'see you later')

Balic Balic Up in Flames

2006-10-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I wasn't planning on writing another update from Manila, but a recent event has made such an impression on me that I can't help but share:

Around 5 pm on Sunday night a fire started in a house along the tracks in Balic Balic. I was opening the door to sweep out dirt and was surprised to find the sky filling with thick smoke! A rush of terror and action hit eveyone as they scrambled to find out where the fire was. I ran just 30 yards from our house to the tracks... I can't describe the scene that was there: people everywhere, running, yelling, kids crying, everyone close to the fire taking as much as possible out of their houses, flames and black smoke coming from the dense jumble of buildings along the tracks. What really touched me was the bucket line that had already formed from the river towards the fire. Jeoporadizing their safety and health, men jumped into the river/sewer and the buckets of blackish water were quickly passed all the way to the roof. My host family lived just a few houses down from the fire, so I joined them in running their belongings out of the house and dousing their walls with water. At one point I ran past Myline, 21 yr. old niece of my host family. She was standing on the sidewalk near a pile of their stuff watcing as the fire approached the house. I stopped and hugged her and we both cried and didn't say anything. It felt painful to not have any words of comfort for her. The fire trucks did eventually arrive, but even then, the fire lasted almost 2 hours. There aren't any fire hydrants in Balic Balic, so every other fire truck is a water tanker. Almost a dozen trucks attacked the fire from different angles.

After the fire was deemed "out" we went back to the Sears' house (my host family) and helped them clean up. It was surreal to be on hands and knees cleaning dirty water out of the kitchen where we had previously shared meals, laughter and life. While I was experiencing the pain of the situation, I was also struck by the fact that I would never really know what it was like to walk in their shoes. Many were displaced by the fire and or wet homes. We all painfully wondered where they would sleep and what they would eat that night as we went back to our own safe homes. Later that night and into today, a typhoon passed close enough to Manila to bring on constant and heavy rains. Monday the tracks were much more quiet than usual as the damage was assessed, the buildings gutted out and remains salvaged. Nobody was hurt or killed, but around 12 homes were completely destroyed.

Ironically, this has happened just a week before we go home... just when we were getting a little more used to the poverty. For me this has been deep and meaningful reminder that below the surface of poverty lies a very fine balance between life and death, stablity and chaos, enough and desperation as the poor live in a constant state of vulnerability. Perhaps even more than this realization, I have been touched by the pain of the poor that is both deep and wide. I truthfully ask God what comfort and what hope He has for those who live in this reality of vulnerability and pain. I have renewed my own hope in the truth found in Is 61:

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners, [a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

Tonight I am thankful that Jesus came not only for our sins, but for our brokeness and pain also. Please keep the community of Balic Balic in your prayers.

Life in Balic Balic

2006-10-09T21:07:00.000-06:00

A few things about Manila

2006-10-02T04:30:00.000-06:00

I am currently in Balic Balic, a slum in Manila. Here are a few things worth listing:

9 hours slept on our flight from LA

13.5 total hours of flight

10 hour time difference between Manila and Colorado

3 stories in the house I am staying in

2 bucket showers per day is the norm for Balic Balic

100% humidity, my guess anyhow

6 SP staff in my group, 4 from Lincoln Heights team, 1 from Thailand team and me

5.5 weeks we will be in Balic Balic

$2 the cost of my dinner tonight

GUTS...

2006-09-24T00:02:00.000-06:00

...yes, I've got them, and I'm officially there. I am in LA for my official Servant Partners new staff training, called GUTS (Global Urban Training School). We start tomorrow, Sunday, so I haven't met anyone else yet. I'm staying with my friend Lauren and her roomates in Pomona. Today I drove up to Encino and saw my cousins, Stacey and Tyson. We had not all been together for a while, so it was good to see them. We are definitely all on different paths: Stacey, married and ready to have her first baby any day now, Tyson, engaged and pursuing a music career in LA, and me, moving to Honduras to pursue my own dreams. I'll post a picture later.

So I'm in LA for one week and then on the 1st we fly to Manila, Philippines. I'm a little nervous for the flight but generally very excited about everything. We'll be there until Nov 5th.... a long time. I still have $110/month left to go-so keep praying and advocating. For those of you who actually read closely, here is a preview of the new website I'm working on.

Almost there!

2006-09-18T17:41:00.001-06:00

I need $110 more a month in pledges before I can go to Honduras. I'm doing pretty well on my one-time gift needs, I think I'm with in a few hundred dollars.

Keep praying! Only 14 days left in Colorado to work on fundraising (4 now, 10 in November).

Photo Shoot

2006-09-17T12:28:00.000-06:00

Today my dad and I took some pictures of my sister, Sarah, for her senior pics. Here are a few shots from the day. It was pretty windy, so she might have to try again on a different day.

Welcome Fall

2006-09-16T11:21:00.000-06:00

What do you think?

2006-09-12T14:26:00.000-06:00

I can't wait to get my hands on this! It wasn't in the grocery store yesterday when I went to look. More to come on this....

roots

2006-09-04T21:02:00.000-06:00

A photo I took when we were in Moab this weekend.

This tree reminds me of this....

But blessed is the man who trusts me, God,
the woman who sticks with God.
They're like trees replanted in Eden,
putting down roots near the rivers—
Never a worry through the hottest of summers,
never dropping a leaf,
Serene and calm through droughts,
bearing fresh fruit every season.

Jeremiah 17:8 from The Message

Book Recomendation

2006-08-31T17:22:00.000-06:00

I've been finishing up my readings for my upcoming Servant Partners training in Manila. One book that I would recomend if you are interested in learning a little more about the urban poor and why they are a priorty people group is "Dispossessed~Life in Our World's Urban Slums" by Mark Kramer.

The book is mostly a narritive of stories about individuals, families and communities around the world. The book is divided by geographical location. It covers Manila, Nairobi, Mexico City, Bangkok, and Cairo. The last chapter, called Knowing the Dispossessed is great. I'm including some quotes that I really liked from the book:

The author quotes another author, Wangari Maathai:
"Africa continues to be marginalized politically and economically and even socially. There is lack of genuine support, cooperation and equal partnership from the rich international community... but as if to justify relief and financial aid, people from rich countries are more willing to go to Africa to implement relief services like feeding emaciated infants, discover Africans dying of horrible diseases like AIDS and Ebola, be peacekeepers in war torn countries and send horrifying imagies of tragedies for television. Hardly any of the friends of Africa are willing to tackle the political and economical decisions being made in their own countries and which are partly responsible for the same horrible images brought to their living rooms by television."

"Differences among peoples and cultures are real. Distance and ignorance of one another keep us apart. Even after reading this book, you may be wondering how you'll ever truly identify with the experiences of people living in informal settlements. Consciously or not, we identify and differentiate ourselves and others through a variety of means: a passport, culinary tastes, ethnic heritage, language, religion, style of dress, the amount of melanin in our skin. Our own identity becomes a point of reference that defines who we are and how we relate to the rest of the world. It also helps us define who we are not."

Stroms on Longs

2006-08-12T21:21:00.000-06:00

For my dad's 50th birthday, which occured this May, we decided to climb Long's Peak as a family. It would be my two youngest sisters' first time and probably summit #25ish for my dad. The rest of us were somewhere in between. Here is a play-by-play of how the day went.

1:00 am I fall asleep on the floor/couch because with a full house there are no extra beds.

3:00 am Mom wakes us up and I am well rested :-)

4:00 am We arrive at the trailhead, only to find that we have to park about a mile below on the road because there are so many cars. Apparently all the cool kids start hiking at 11:30 pm these days.

4:00-5:00 am The worst hour of the day! Hiking in the dark woods with flashlights, all uphill, switchbacks, 4 miles in one hour. I think my body tried to reject this new reality-I started sweating buckets, I felt like I was going to puke the whole time, I couldn't eat anything and every time I closed my eyes for even a blink, I felt like I could fall asleep.

5:00 am Sunrise. Just as we broke treeline, the sun started to rise. We were sandwiched inbetween a great view of the sunrise to the east and the early morning glow of the light hitting the east face of the mountain. At this point I could finally eat and felt much better.

5:00 am - 8:00 am More normal trail hiking, only we are now above the treeline. We get to the boulder field, which includes a pit stop at the privies. At the end of the boulder field is the key hole, which is when you start hiking on the west side of the mountain, so the views are incredible.

8:00 am-10:14 am Our "hike" turns into lots of rock scrambliing where we use all fours. Through the key hole, around the back side, up the trough, over the narrows and finally over the home stretch. By the time we got to the trough, my pace was "take ten steps, breath for ten seconds, repeat". Rachel and I coined the slogan "Holy Trough Batman!" for this section.

10:15 am VICTORY! All 6 of us made it to the top. Becca and Sarah did an awesome job, especially for their first time. My dad of course, was gracious to stick with us, as he could have been up in back in the time it took me to do the trough.

All in all, it was an awesome experience, especially since I'm moving away in just a few months. I won't be back to visit the summit for a few years, I imagine.

The sky, framed

2006-08-02T17:17:00.000-06:00

The sky, framed
Originally uploaded by annajstrom.

Another heavenly post, per the photo expert eye of lorena la buena

Los cielos

2006-08-02T17:02:00.000-06:00

1-3 Be good to me, God—and now! I've run to you for dear life.
I'm hiding out under your wings
until the hurricane blows over.
I call out to High God,
the God who holds me together.
He sends orders from heaven and saves me,
he humiliates those who kick me around.
God delivers generous love,
he makes good on his word.

4 I find myself in a pride of lions
who are wild for a taste of human flesh;
Their teeth are lances and arrows,
their tongues are sharp daggers.

5 Soar high in the skies, O God!
Cover the whole earth with your glory!

6 They booby-trapped my path;
I thought I was dead and done for.
They dug a mantrap to catch me,
and fell in headlong themselves.

7-8 I'm ready, God, so ready,
ready from head to toe,
Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune:
"Wake up, soul!
Wake up, harp! wake up, lute!
Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!"

9-10 I'm thanking you, God, out loud in the streets,
singing your praises in town and country.
The deeper your love, the higher it goes;
every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness.

11 Soar high in the skies, O God!

Cover the whole earth with your glory!
Psalm 57 from The Message

A weekend away

2006-07-22T22:03:00.000-06:00

weekend mosaic
Originally uploaded by annajstrom.

I had the great fortune to take a couple days away with the girls in my small group (Bible study). We went to Glenwood Springs for the day and night on Friday and then spent the day hiking in Aspen before coming back.

Thanks for a great weekend girls!

What do we need to get the job done?

2006-07-20T19:55:00.000-06:00

This: http://www.urbana.org/wtoday.ephesians.cfm is a great devtional based on Ephesians about God equiping and sending us into the world. A few of my highlights from the devotion:

"Jesus’ Great Commission to disciple the nations is a daunting, even impossible, task apart from the promise of his presence and his supernatural equipping. As so often is the case, God accomplishes his purposes through human agents. You wonder why he should slow himself down so much – except that he loves us intensely and welcomes our participation in the adventure closest to his heart."

Impossible task.... daunting... yes, this is how I feel. Supernatural equipping, yes this seems like the only possibility between here and there. An adventure close to God's heart, that is where I am trusting that I am.

"Observing the growing church today, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Asia it would seem that there are enough witnesses and evangelists in each continent to share the good news. What are sorely lacking are people to disciple all the new followers of Jesus. Church leaders in these places are crying out for more God-gifted trainers of pastors-teachers."

This is pretty much what my team's work is about in Honduras. God-gifted trainers of pastor-teachers? I don't know. Willing to walk alongside? Yes. Willing to share all that we've learned and experienced, the good and the bad? Yes. Willing to walk into this new era of missions as equal and unique partners? Yes.

"When all these gifts are being exercised freely in any group of believers, they will naturally be doing good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2: 10)."

The exercising of God's gifts in different areas of the global Body of Christ is one thing I'm really excited about seeing.