Things have been pretty busy around here! First we'll start with a little country situation update:
We don't really know what is going on. Last we heard the Honduran Government will not allow the "President" (Mel Zelaya), to land at any of the airports. He has tried but they took over both airports, shut them down, and had all their military men standing in the landing strip/runway. So needless to say, he couldn't land.
We know that many countries are backing Zelaya but the more I hear about it, the more it seems like the Honduran Government did what they could. Yes, they did something illegal/unethical when they escorted/forced Zelaya out of the country (especially since he was literally in his pajamas), but I believe they felt they had no other option if they wanted to save their country from becoming a dictatorship. Now, my opinion is based on little knowledge and much heresay. And I understand that some countries (probably including ours) cannot back a coup... but I can't help but think of Valkyrie (probably b/c that's the last movie we rented before we left the states).
Anyway, things in town have calmed down. We went grocery shopping last week and stocked up quite a bit. Also, volunteers have been able to fly in and out with no problems. As far as the orphanage goes, Derek and I are starting to become quite acclimated.
Our normal schedule is as follows-
For Derek: (Mon-Fri) Wake up at 5:30. Be at Circle Time (morning worship) by 6:15. Eat breakfast at 7:00. Run the Medical Clinic from 7:30-8:15 (regular morning meds). 8:30 work on the day's task until lunch. 12:00 lunch. 12:30 work more. 3:30-4:15 Run the Medical Clinic for round 2 of meds. 4:30 finish any unfinished work and then come home.
For Nancy: Wake up about 6:30 (girls start later than men b/c we don't do manual labor). 7:00-7:45 dispense medicines to all girls and toddlers who need it during Circle Time. 8:30-11:50 Teach English (Mon-Wed only). 8:30-11:50 work on art for kids/clean/do dishes with the girls in the kitchen/translate sponsor letters from English to Spanish or kids responses from Spanish to English (Thurs and Fri). 11:50-3:30 Help at the Toddler house (I eat lunch with them). 3:30 grab my dinner to go as I do the second round of dispensing medicines until 4:00.
Other randoms we have:
Monday evenings- volunteer meeting
Tues evenings - worship prac and dance prac (Nancy only)
Wed evenings - church
Saturday - work a half day (or full) and worship prac in the evening
Sunday - church and another scheduled activity like soccer, etc.
Derek's days are much more varied than mine in terms of what he could be doing. So far he has measured and cut glass, killed and processed chickens, cut grass, measured and made screen for almost all the windows in the orphanage, worked on the septic system, built a work station and shelves, taken apart scraps of wood to use for their parts, and tomorrow he is going to lean how to run the "lecheria"/dairy barn. It hasn't even been a full month yet!
That's about it for now!
More next week!
All our love.
P.S. Some of you have asked if there is anything that we need. Well, in all honesty, we don't NEED anything, but there are a few luxuries we miss or could use. So if you'd like to send us some snail mail (which, who doesn't love snail mail!?), here are some ideas:
---pictures, cards, letters (we miss you all)
---scented candles (they are expensive here and our bathroom has a funny smell that I cannot get rid no matter how much I clean)
---extra virgin olive oil (can't find it here)
---crunchy peanut butter (a true rarity and delicacy)
---matches (the ones they sell here are tiny and 5 break before one works... not to mention we have a gas stove and us them almost daily)
---work gloves for Derek
---art supplies for Nancy (construction paper, markers, acrylics, canvas, anything really)
---duct tape/scotch tape (so we can put things on our brick walls)
---aluminum foil
---night light (trying to NOT step on a tarantula on my way to the bathroom at night and our bathroom light works about 1/2 the time)
---cake pan (we bake a lot here)
---cake mix/brownie mix (we bake because there are so many birthdays to keep up with)
---ant traps (they are EVERYWHERE and find the smallest of crumbs)
---a mosquito net (for our bed)
---guitar strings and picks (somehow we managed to not bring spare strings and we only have one pick... D prefers medium in both strings and picks)
REAL LUXURIES THAT AGAIN WE DON'T NEED BUT WOULD ENJOY:
---dvds. (when the work day ends around 4:15, you have spare time in the evenings. most nights we cook and if we don't have another scheduled activity, we'll pop a dvd into our laptop. we brought about 10 movies (mostly disney for the kids) so we have already watched almost everything we brought.)
---books (another way we like to spend our downtime)
PLEASE DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED AT ALL TO SEND ANYTHING. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE ASKED SO WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE THE EASIEST WAY TO LET EVERYONE KNOW. YOU HAVE ALL DONE SO MUCH MORE THAN WE COULD HAVE EVER ASKED FOR.
If you do send something you will want to address it to:
Derek and Nancy Lehman at Orphanage Emmanuel
c/o Dr. Don Reynolds
4611 Hixson Pike
Hixson, TN 37343
We receive mail at Emmanuel about every 6 weeks. :) And it is quite an anticipated event!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Week One
Disclaimer: The Previous Post "We Made It" is actually from June 24, 2009 but we had some trouble with the internet so I could only save it at the time. That is why this post has the same date...
We have had our first week and already we are living by a Faith that we are not familiar with. Don't get me wrong, it's been AMAZING, but neither of us has had to trust in the LORD quite like this before.
Let me explain. Last Sunday (June 28) we were getting ready for church when all of a sudden our power went out. I thought it was because I had plugged to many things into one socket (a hair dryer and hair straightener). I asked Derek if he would check the breaker but we don't have a key for the laundry room (yet), so he couldn't. So I went to church with bad hair (which means it looked like every other day here, so far).
We got to church early so we could practice with the worship band (I am in the choir and Derek is playing drums for the first time in about 6 years) when we were quickly informed that all of Emmanuel's electricity was out. In fact, so was the entire country's. This is when we realized that the country of Honduras is 'working out' some political issues (apparently). All we knew at that time was that there had been a military coup and the Honduran President (Mel Zelaya) was no longer in the country, but had been "taken away" by this coup.
Since that morning we have heard a number of things. The military removed the President on that day because he was trying to change the constitution so that he could serve more terms . His term is up this November (technically with elections). When they removed him, the leader of the Congress was appointed interim President until the elections. The Honduran President (Zelaya) is now in Costa Rica, intending to return Saturday. The reason he is waiting until this day is because some Central American government coalition told the current military coup/Honduran government that they had until Saturday to decide if they would reappoint Zelaya. If they choose not to, then they will be kicked out of the coalition. There has been some talk that the Honduran military is planning to arrest Zelaya when he gets here.
People have also been talking about those who back Zelaya: Chavez in Venezuela (who allegedly has troops in El Salvador and Nicaragua right now waiting to charge at any minute), Puerto Rico, the UN, and Obama --- pretty much no one is supporting the current government because they don't want to support a coup... and i'm sure there are other reasons tossed about here and there.
As for our safety in Honduras right now, the U.S. Embassy said for Americans to stay put. We (Derek and I) are laying low. And just to be on the safe side, we are staying inside the orphanage. There has also been talk about the military roaming the streets, drafting any man (foreigners included) who is "loitering" and between the ages of 13-30. For this reason, Derek will NOT leave the orphanage at all. And I told him if we feel like the military can get in here, he's hiding under the bed!
In all the chaos and uncertainty, we feel like now- more than ever- is our time to cling to what we know to be true: God's sovereignty. This is why I say we are experiencing a much deeper type of faith than ever before. But it's good for us. We've prayed many hours and both feel a peace about staying. We also know that this timing cannot be merely a coincidence.
Other than that, all is 'business as usual'. I have been assigned to the toddler house and already want to bring some of them back with us. I am there everyday Monday-Friday from lunch until after dinner. In the mornings, after breakfast I help with the dishes in the 'small girls' kitchen. The girls and boys are grouped by sizes here instead of ages: small girls/boys, medium girls/boys, big girls/boys. This is to help eliminate bullying. This also allows the older ones in their groups to step up into some leadership roles. The boys and girls also live on opposite sides of the orphanage and have very little contact with each other (they even sit separate at church with us volunteers in rows between them).
Next week I am supposed to start tutoring 3 girls in English in the mornings. This will not interfere with the duties I already have.
Derek has been super busy! He has been assigned to manual labor which results in cutting grass pretty much every day with a weed-eater (I kid you not)! This is because the land here is so rocky and hilly. He is already getting so dark from being outside all the time. But today he didn't have to chop grass, instead he helped kill and process 425+ chickens! And yes, according to Derek, the chicken does keep moving after it's head is chopped off so you have to hold the body down until it stops. Other than that he is helping in the health clinic before and after he does manual labor.
Between our assignments, soccer and worship team, we stay pretty busy around here! But we also have a lot of down time come 6pm... if we can bare to stay awake much past 8pm. Speaking of, it is WAY past our bedtime!
We have had our first week and already we are living by a Faith that we are not familiar with. Don't get me wrong, it's been AMAZING, but neither of us has had to trust in the LORD quite like this before.
Let me explain. Last Sunday (June 28) we were getting ready for church when all of a sudden our power went out. I thought it was because I had plugged to many things into one socket (a hair dryer and hair straightener). I asked Derek if he would check the breaker but we don't have a key for the laundry room (yet), so he couldn't. So I went to church with bad hair (which means it looked like every other day here, so far).
We got to church early so we could practice with the worship band (I am in the choir and Derek is playing drums for the first time in about 6 years) when we were quickly informed that all of Emmanuel's electricity was out. In fact, so was the entire country's. This is when we realized that the country of Honduras is 'working out' some political issues (apparently). All we knew at that time was that there had been a military coup and the Honduran President (Mel Zelaya) was no longer in the country, but had been "taken away" by this coup.
Since that morning we have heard a number of things. The military removed the President on that day because he was trying to change the constitution so that he could serve more terms . His term is up this November (technically with elections). When they removed him, the leader of the Congress was appointed interim President until the elections. The Honduran President (Zelaya) is now in Costa Rica, intending to return Saturday. The reason he is waiting until this day is because some Central American government coalition told the current military coup/Honduran government that they had until Saturday to decide if they would reappoint Zelaya. If they choose not to, then they will be kicked out of the coalition. There has been some talk that the Honduran military is planning to arrest Zelaya when he gets here.
People have also been talking about those who back Zelaya: Chavez in Venezuela (who allegedly has troops in El Salvador and Nicaragua right now waiting to charge at any minute), Puerto Rico, the UN, and Obama --- pretty much no one is supporting the current government because they don't want to support a coup... and i'm sure there are other reasons tossed about here and there.
As for our safety in Honduras right now, the U.S. Embassy said for Americans to stay put. We (Derek and I) are laying low. And just to be on the safe side, we are staying inside the orphanage. There has also been talk about the military roaming the streets, drafting any man (foreigners included) who is "loitering" and between the ages of 13-30. For this reason, Derek will NOT leave the orphanage at all. And I told him if we feel like the military can get in here, he's hiding under the bed!
In all the chaos and uncertainty, we feel like now- more than ever- is our time to cling to what we know to be true: God's sovereignty. This is why I say we are experiencing a much deeper type of faith than ever before. But it's good for us. We've prayed many hours and both feel a peace about staying. We also know that this timing cannot be merely a coincidence.
Other than that, all is 'business as usual'. I have been assigned to the toddler house and already want to bring some of them back with us. I am there everyday Monday-Friday from lunch until after dinner. In the mornings, after breakfast I help with the dishes in the 'small girls' kitchen. The girls and boys are grouped by sizes here instead of ages: small girls/boys, medium girls/boys, big girls/boys. This is to help eliminate bullying. This also allows the older ones in their groups to step up into some leadership roles. The boys and girls also live on opposite sides of the orphanage and have very little contact with each other (they even sit separate at church with us volunteers in rows between them).
Next week I am supposed to start tutoring 3 girls in English in the mornings. This will not interfere with the duties I already have.
Derek has been super busy! He has been assigned to manual labor which results in cutting grass pretty much every day with a weed-eater (I kid you not)! This is because the land here is so rocky and hilly. He is already getting so dark from being outside all the time. But today he didn't have to chop grass, instead he helped kill and process 425+ chickens! And yes, according to Derek, the chicken does keep moving after it's head is chopped off so you have to hold the body down until it stops. Other than that he is helping in the health clinic before and after he does manual labor.
Between our assignments, soccer and worship team, we stay pretty busy around here! But we also have a lot of down time come 6pm... if we can bare to stay awake much past 8pm. Speaking of, it is WAY past our bedtime!
We Made It!
Well, family and friends, we made it! We arrived safe and sound with all of our luggage on Monday afternoon. We took a bus from Tegucigalpa to the Orphanage (2 hr ride). IT IS BEAUTIFUL HERE! We live in the middle of the mountains. Everywhere you look, there are more and more mountains! It is breathtaking!
Our first day here was interesting. They literally dropped us off at our apartment and said "See you tomorrow." We wanted to go straight to work but they said we needed a few days to get to know the place and adjust. So we walked into our new home, dropped our bags, and stared at each other. We began to unpack. Our apartment is huge! We have 2 bedrooms, one bathromm, a kitchen, and a living room. i'd say it's about 1100 square feet (almost twice the amount of space we had in quaint little place back home). One room we are using for storage but it will come in handy when our family members come to visit! (Get ready for bunk beds, guys). Our bed is made up of two bunk beds put together. Derek has hit his head about 5 times already. Haha. After we settled in, we wondered around and had dinner with the group we rode in with. We were exhausted and went to bed by 7:00. Everyone is asleep around here by 8:30 at the latest.
The second day (yesterday) we met with Katja (the volunteer coordinator) to get our assignments. After visiting for an hour she told us to enjoy a break and she'd let us know by Thursday where she is going to place us (that is tomorrow and we are so anxious to find out). She said I might be helping at the toddler house some days, with the special needs kids other days, and possibly be able to teach a little English in the school. She also wants me to implement a dance class once I'm more comfortable (Sisters, I immediately thought of you two and how much you'd love that as well). Derek might be placed on the farm, doing manual labor, or in the science lab (where kids get help one-on-one). She also wants him to start teaching some of the younger boys baseball once he gets settled. We can't wait!
Since then we have wandered about "Emmanuel" and become more familiar with the kids and our surroundings. We were able to go into town yesterday (literally right outside the orphanage gates) and get some staple food items. It is dfinitely a different world outside those gates than in here. It is beautiful in here and out there it is quite dirty and poor. Still, everyone has been extremely helpful and courteous.
One thing we've had to adjust to is the eating schedule. Since we wake up so early, (the sun is up by 5:00 am and goes down by 6:30 pm) they eat breakfast at 7:15, lunch at 12:00 noon, and dinner at 3:30m... yes, 3:30- that is not a typo! So needless to say, we have had to eat once again around 5 when everyone is winding down for the day because our bodies have had dinner around that time for over 20 years! We've eaten most meals with the children (leche con arroz or cereal for breakfast, soup for lunch, and beans and rice for dinner so far). We might come back looking like sticks! Haha. (Allyson and Robin, don't tell that to Mami or she will worry).
Our internet connection is a bit sketchy so we do not know when we will be able to update, but I will try to once a week. If you don't hear from us, it's probably b/c we couldn't get a connection. I tried to update on our blog (all of this info) but it wouldn't let me... picky thing!
Anyway, please be praying for where God wants us to be placed. Pray for our feet (they are swollen and not used to this heat!), pray for our patience as we try to learn this language, and pray for our overall health as our bodies adjust (one blessing is we CAN drink their water! It is purified at the orphanage but not anywhere else).
We love you all, miss you all, and think of you often!
Our first day here was interesting. They literally dropped us off at our apartment and said "See you tomorrow." We wanted to go straight to work but they said we needed a few days to get to know the place and adjust. So we walked into our new home, dropped our bags, and stared at each other. We began to unpack. Our apartment is huge! We have 2 bedrooms, one bathromm, a kitchen, and a living room. i'd say it's about 1100 square feet (almost twice the amount of space we had in quaint little place back home). One room we are using for storage but it will come in handy when our family members come to visit! (Get ready for bunk beds, guys). Our bed is made up of two bunk beds put together. Derek has hit his head about 5 times already. Haha. After we settled in, we wondered around and had dinner with the group we rode in with. We were exhausted and went to bed by 7:00. Everyone is asleep around here by 8:30 at the latest.
The second day (yesterday) we met with Katja (the volunteer coordinator) to get our assignments. After visiting for an hour she told us to enjoy a break and she'd let us know by Thursday where she is going to place us (that is tomorrow and we are so anxious to find out). She said I might be helping at the toddler house some days, with the special needs kids other days, and possibly be able to teach a little English in the school. She also wants me to implement a dance class once I'm more comfortable (Sisters, I immediately thought of you two and how much you'd love that as well). Derek might be placed on the farm, doing manual labor, or in the science lab (where kids get help one-on-one). She also wants him to start teaching some of the younger boys baseball once he gets settled. We can't wait!
Since then we have wandered about "Emmanuel" and become more familiar with the kids and our surroundings. We were able to go into town yesterday (literally right outside the orphanage gates) and get some staple food items. It is dfinitely a different world outside those gates than in here. It is beautiful in here and out there it is quite dirty and poor. Still, everyone has been extremely helpful and courteous.
One thing we've had to adjust to is the eating schedule. Since we wake up so early, (the sun is up by 5:00 am and goes down by 6:30 pm) they eat breakfast at 7:15, lunch at 12:00 noon, and dinner at 3:30m... yes, 3:30- that is not a typo! So needless to say, we have had to eat once again around 5 when everyone is winding down for the day because our bodies have had dinner around that time for over 20 years! We've eaten most meals with the children (leche con arroz or cereal for breakfast, soup for lunch, and beans and rice for dinner so far). We might come back looking like sticks! Haha. (Allyson and Robin, don't tell that to Mami or she will worry).
Our internet connection is a bit sketchy so we do not know when we will be able to update, but I will try to once a week. If you don't hear from us, it's probably b/c we couldn't get a connection. I tried to update on our blog (all of this info) but it wouldn't let me... picky thing!
Anyway, please be praying for where God wants us to be placed. Pray for our feet (they are swollen and not used to this heat!), pray for our patience as we try to learn this language, and pray for our overall health as our bodies adjust (one blessing is we CAN drink their water! It is purified at the orphanage but not anywhere else).
We love you all, miss you all, and think of you often!
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