VBS

A group that is here from Dallas planned a VBS to do with the kids in Hospital Escuela. Things came up, and they decided to do it at the church in Ojojona.

They are doing four sessions - 2 yesterday and 2 today. The morning session hosts mostly little kids that are not in school and the afternoon has school-age kids.

Since it was my day off, Haley was able to go to the morning. The story was about Rahab. Haley thought she didn't want to stay but ended up having lots of fun.

I was so glad the group could do such a great VBS for the kids of my community.

Long, but good day

This morning, I had a check-up with the doctor.  My appointment was at 9:00, but here that means that the doctor arrives at 9:00 and begins working on a first-come basis.  Therefore, everyone's appointment is at 9:00.  Matt was busy working with the groups, so my mom, Haley, and I planned to leave at 7:30.  We left only a few minutes late and stopped for donuts on the way.  Between Dunkin Donuts and the hospital, the traffic was HORRENDOUS!!  We arrived to the parking garage at 9:30, but the first 3 levels were beyond the maximum limit.  Many cars were parked in places that are not places.  In an already very narrow, over-crowded, steep-hilled parking garage, that only made things more difficult.  I would get up a hill to the next level, make the turn, not have enough room for the turn back up, continue to towards the next level, start up the steep hill... until my mom said (as I was making the turn on the hill to the next level) that she thought I was a little close to the wall and needed to back up some.  Generally, I do fine on starting on hills, even steep ones, but even when I put the emergency break on, I kept creeping backwards towards a parked car instead of forward, up the hill.  THAT IS BECAUSE I WAS STILL IN REVERSE FROM BACKING UP TO NOT HIT THE WALL.  I calmly put the car in first gear and easily got up the hill.

 After parking, we made our way to the elevator.  The door opened to the elevator, then the power went off, so we walked down the stairs from the parking garage to the hospital.  Fortunately, the hospital had generators allowing one elevator to work so we did not have to climb the stairs to the 7th floor.  I got there and found I was number 6 in line, and he was with number 1.  So much for this being quick today.

We had to pick up someone at the airport who was arriving at 11.  When we left this morning, that seemed like it would be no problem.  We thought we could probably even cash a check at the bank on the way from the hospital to the airport.  As 11 rapidly approached, we knew that we were going to have to leave Howard waiting.  We tried to think of everyone who might be in the airport to tell Howard that we were coming, but NO ONE was at the airport today.  Next option was to see if there was any way Matt could leave Hospital Escuela where the group was, take a taxi, and meet Howard at the airport.  Just as we exhausted all of our options, Dr. Darwin called me in and examined me.  Everything looks very well with Emma and with me.  My first doctor (who was not an OBGYN) had it in his mind that Haley was born in the regular manner although I had told him she was a C-Section baby; therefore, he told me he was pretty sure Emma would be born naturally, not with surgery.  HOWEVER, Dr. Darwin, says since Haley was born with a C-Section, he does not feel it would be safe for me to try to have Emma naturally.  I WILL BE HAVING ANOTHER C-SECTION after Haley's birthday.  We will set the date in 2 weeks, but the date will probably be JULY 24.

My Dr's appointment ended and we arrived to the airport to pick Howard up about 12:15.  We were sure he would be looking for us waiting and he would be easy to find.  He was indeed looking for us...with an officer from immigration.  He did not know what address to put down on his form, so he could not pass through customs and immigration.  They had been waiting and looking for us for over an hour.  Too bad we couldn't contact him.

Upon leaving the aiport, we met Matt and the group where we had pizza.  We then did our errands, the bank, Pricemart for 3 separate check-outs -- Dump Food, a load of drinks for the store at CdE, and personal items.  Our final errand was the most fun, to buy stuff for Emma Kate.  Unfortunately, we faced the high prices of sticker shock; therefore, we did not buy as much as planned.  Because Haley was such a good girl today, not complaining even one time, she got a ball.  We headed home, and Haley fell asleep snuggled up with her little red ball.  We made it back to Santa Ana just in time to feed the dogs and go on to Ojojona to eat with the group.

Needless to say, I am very tired tonight.

Happy Birthday Pamela

Yesterday was Pamela's 15th birthday. In this culture a 15th birthday for a young lady is normally the one of the biggest celebrations of their life, many times being even more grandiose than a wedding.

Pamela did not want a party. We thought it might be that she did not want her friends to see that she lives in a children's home. Really, she just did not want all of that attention to be focused on her.

On Tuesday, I asked what kind of cake she wanted and she said chocolate. So we picked up a cake on the way home from Teleton.  She didn't even want everyone to sing to her, but she was very happy to have a cake.  I know her mom Karen gave her a really nice present.  Also, Matt's mom wants to do something very special for her that she will never forget.  Even though, Pamela didn't want a party, I hope that she still felt very special for her birthday.

My Day with Josue

Yesterday Josue has a doctors appointment at Teleton. The way these appointments work is to leave here at 5:00 to get to Teleton so that we can be wait in line and be one of the first there and receive one of the first appointments because they work on a first come first serve basis.

Matt, Josue, and I loaded up and everything went as planned until I got to the nurses station and they said I had to go to the front window to get Josue's appointment carnet. Matt had left to get us some breakfast. I carried the baby, his bag, his file, and his CT SCAN results, his blanket up to the chairs at the front of Teleton. This part doesn't open till 8:00. And it is another first come first serve line. Fortunately, I was sitting by some really honest people who said I had been there before them and I ended up being number 8 in that line. I was between two very kind ladies that helped with some of my stuff and wanted to know about my ministry and the kids I help take care of.

During my time of waiting for the carnet, Josue slept and woke up very smiley and flirty with everyone. It was the first time I have seen a lot of his little personality.

Josue started crying a few minutes before we went into the dr and did not stop until I stripped him down while we were in the doctor's office and he was so happy to not have clothes on.

After we saw the doctor we had to see a few other people and make a few appointments. Then it was time for Reina's self-esteem class. Josue slept most of the self-esteem class while Matt and Haley played outside.

Right after class, Matt told me that we had to go to the airport to pick some people up. The intern's vehicle broke down coming from the dump and my dad's vehicle was in the shop. Plus 4 people were flying in. We went to eat and wait on them. Haley and Reina played in the playplace while Matt spent the whole time making baby Josue laugh. We finally made it home at 2:45 right before I had to go up and work with the kids.

It was fun to be around little Josue for the day. He has such a cute little smile and he decided yesterday he was going to show it to me a lot.

Please pray for this little guy as he begins some therapy to help his physical development improve. Monday he will be 7 months and he is developmentally on the level of a 2 month old.

2 More Weeks

In March, we moved into our house, and several times since, we have left while various work has been done on the house.  Most recently, we moved out for a few projects 2 days after we got back from Baton Rouge, almost 6 weeks ago.  We keep thinking that there are only 2 weeks left, but now we only say that as a joke.  Work is being done there, we can see the daily progress, but more work keeps being added.  They had started painting one room when they decided that they should fix all of the electrical problems before any more painting could be done because they are going to have to tear some of the walls to put in new wires.

I have referred to the house several times as the "Money Pit."  This is a reference to the movie with the same name where Tom Hanks buys a big house where one problem after another is encountered, and the people working on the house always reply that it will be ready in 2 weeks.  Most of the problems that we have in our house we knew about ahead of time, but it is still frustrating at times.

We are thankful for our home and the ministry that will go on there, we are also thankful to have family here that let us keep staying for another 2 more weeks.  A few weeks ago, my mom made a joke that we may be a family of four before Emma Kate is born.  We laughed about it then, but it is seeming much less of a joke.  Here's to two more weeks, and maybe another two weeks after that.

Haley Feeds People

Since we moved here last year, Haley has always talked about her daddy and her poppy feeding people.  Every Wednesday, she announces to me "Daddy and Poppy went to the dump.  They are feeding people.  I want to feed people too."  For obvious reasons, we do not send her into the dump, but we do occasionally let her feed people.  Her first experience feeding people was in December at the Jesus Banquet where she helped Matt serve plates.  She also served many smiles and laughs.  Still, on a weekly basis, the people of the dump ask about Lili.

When the spring break groups came, she became relentless in asking when she was going to feed people again, so one day Matt loaded her up on the bus when they went to the fruit and veggie market and did a food distribution in the city.  She got to help pass out cucumbers to each person that received a bag of food.  Since March, she has regularly said to me, "Mommy, I went in the bus with the group to feed people, and I gave them pepinos (cucumbers in Sp.)  When I go with daddy to feed people again?" 

Saturday morning, Matt told me that the group was doing a food distribution, and sure enough Haley wanted to go.  This time, instead of cucumbers, she helped with the carrots and the beans.  She not only charmed every Honduran she met, but she charmed the entire group from Tupelo.  When I saw her last night, she ran into my arms and said, "Mommy, today I gived carrots to all the people, and they said gracias."  I love to see that as young as she is she gets so excited about serving others.  I hope that her desire to serve others never diminishes. 

2 MILES PER HOUR

Thursday, as usual was our day off.  We decided that instead of going into town early to eat lunch and buy groceries, we would instead leave in the afternoon to go see a movie and eat supper together.  We got to the mall only to find that half the parking lot was being taken up by the circus.  There was little parking because of that and because of all of the people that were coming early to buy tickets for the circus.  We foolishly thought that the wait for the movies would not be bad, but the line was very long, and for a while only one person was working the ticket booth.  We got our tickets for the 3:20 movie at 3:35 after waiting in line for only 30 minutes.  Haley and I went on in, and Matt went to the equally awful line to get a drink and popcorn.

After the movie, we headed downstairs to eat.  It seemed that every person in Tegucigalpa was in that mall that afternoon.  The TIGO, CLARO, and HONDUTEL stores each had lines trailing in front of 4 stores so people could make sure their numbers were registered before yesterday's deadline.  Fortunately, the restaurant we chose was not as slow moving as everything else in the mall that afternoon.  Hondurans generally do not eat at 5:30, so we were just about the only ones at the wings place except for a few people at the bar.

After eating we bought a few groceries and headed home.  I have never in my life been so ready to leave a mall.  It was so crowded, and I just wanted out of that mess.  At that time of day it should have only taken us an hour to get home, but it took much longer than that.  In between the airport and our exit, the one that goes to Chuloteca, we were in standstill traffic for over an hour.  This is only a 2 mile strip of road.  It is common for the traffic to be bad for one reason or another, but when we got to the reason why, I can honestly say I have seen nothing that compares.

After a while of inching along, we saw a couple people get up on the sidewalk to try to drive past whatever was blocking the traffic.  Matt got mad and said they were just going to make the problem worse when they tried to get back into the line of traffic.  Many people were getting out of their cars to try to figure out exactly what the problem was.  We were all stuck going nowhere.

A few minutes later, more and more cars started getting up on the sidewalk as a means to getting around the traffic.  Eventually, even Matt decided it was time to do the same.  The closer we got to the wreck, all we saw was 18 wheelers and other big trucks that simply could not pass with their drivers standing on the road just talking.  We continued on the sidewalk until we got to our exit.  At the exit we saw in one lane a wreck where the people were waiting on the traffic police to come.  Honduran law states that if you are going to call the traffic police, you cannot move your car from the scene of the accident, even if it blocks traffic.  In the other lane there was a broken down 18 wheeler.  Therefore, both lanes were blocked, no one in those lanes could move their vehicle, and people were stuck behind them both for miles.  Sometimes we get so frustrated with the things that happen on the road.  Sometimes, all we can do is laugh.

A Few Things About Me You Never Knew

Here are a few things about me that you never knew...

• My biggest fear about driving in Honduras is having a cow run in front of me while I am driving.
• I think one of the grossest feelings in the world is stepping on a wet rag or on wet socks.
• I really hate rice unless it is in a soup or Chinese-style.
• When I watch several episodes of 24 back to back, I have dreams that I am a female version of Jack Baur. 
• I sincerely believe that Frosties from Wendy's help cure a cold.
• When I am stressed I eat M&Ms
• I still love Minnie Mouse
• I get more excited about going to the zoo than most kids do
• I'd really like to ride an elephant one day, but horses scare me a little bit.
• I've always thought that museum curatiors and tour guides had great jobs
• I like to put ketchup on top of my mac and cheese
• I love to listen to Black Eyed Peas, especially when I work out
• When I travel, no matter what airport I am in, I look around for someone I know.
• I love adventure sports.
• I look forward to every Olympics and admire the athleticism of all the athletes.
• I went to the Louvre once and was most facinated by the Islamic art wing  and most disappointed by the Mona Lisa.  I just didn't see what the big deal was.
• I sweat more than most men, and that has always been really embarrassing to me.
• In college I spent most of my money on Sonic and coffee.  I think I went to Sonic Happy Hour every day.  Sometimes I went to Sonic twice in one day.
• If someone tells me they don't think I can do something, I am going to prove them wrong.
• I love karioke, but I am horrible at it and don't actually know the words to many songs.
• If I wasn't a missionary, I think I would be a teacher.
• I usually think that I am better at things than I am.
• I have a strange love for hardware stores and autopart stores.  I don't know why, but the things they sell truly fascinate me.
• I have always thought keeping a journal was a good idea.  Now I have tons of unfinished journals because many times I have gotten one and only written for about a month.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better.

AQUA SPLASH

This week the kids are on a week of vacation from classes. They were given TONS of homework. We decided since a group is not here right now to give the kids a small break from their homework. We went to the local water park, Aqua Slash. The kids look forward to going to the water park almost as much as Christmas.

Haley was so excited about it. Yesterday, after her shower she wanted to put on her swimsuit. I let her but then she was mad that we weren't leaving at 6:30 in the morning.

The morning was pretty crazy with the excitement of the day. The girls got their chores done pretty fast. A few of the kids even sat down and did some of their homework.

About 10 I tried to start fitting all of the girls in swimsuits. I had all but 2 fitted. There were none left for Ana. Her body is changing and she was really embarrassed about not having a suit that fit. Knowing that the park required suits, I called my dad asking if they sold suits there. Fortunately, they did.

Then there was our sweet Doris. Doris is 14 and may be on the mental level of a 2 year old. Her swimsuit was too small and had too many straps for her to be able to take it on and off by herself. I knew we needed to take care of getting a suit for her too.

We had an early lunch and loaded up the van at 11:30. Upon our arrival, the van with all of the kids erupt into cheers.

My dad took Ana to get a swimsuit. I took Guadalupe to the bathroom and told Doris to follow my dad. Doris did not follow me or my dad, but the other kids. I got down to where our stuff was and Doris had peed her pants. Bringing extra clothes for a 14 year old is something I never think of.

The next couple hours were spent playing in the water and and on the slides. Haley, Any, and Josue all had to take a break because they were so cold and their little bodies were shivering so badly. It was great to see Logan and Denson, two of the Honduras Hope interns holding Any and Josue and trying to warm them up.

About 3 hours after we arrived, we left. Almost every kid in the van had fallen asleep before we got back to Casa de Esperanza. We are grateful the kids got a small break from their mountains of homework for a fun afternoon at the water park.

Fugitives on the Run

Saturday night two of our guys Adonis and Fernando decided they were going to escape and find a better world. They packed up their clothes and were going to try to make their way to the city.

Fortunately, they have no street smarts and we have good, caring neighbors who called us to inform us of their whereabouts. They hadn't gotten very far. They did not know that buses didn't run at night at the time they left.

Their plan was to find money on the ground, leave for the city, and become RICH. What a plan! I doubt they would have become too rich on their 2nd and 4th grade educations.

Oh the stories they told after Dorian brought them home from their little escapade. Adonis said they found tons of money in a hole. Somehow they lost the money after Dorian picked them up. Also, they killed a member of a gang by throwing a frisbee at his head. The frisbee was clean because they washed it in a puddle of water.

Upon their return, Fernando was moved back into the big house. His behavior had deteriorated immensely in the past month since moving to Mirian's house. Adonis' behavior had been improving over the month. They both admitted that the great escape was all Fernando's great idea. Fernando had to sleep in the floor for a couple nights and Adonis had most of his clothes taken from him.

This wasn't the first time someone has run away, and it surely will not be the last. It always causes a bit of panic in the house and always a little laughter of what the kids think they can live on. Praise God these two are safe.

Maryuri's Generosity

My little Maryuri who will be 8 later this month many times is one if the rudest, most stubborn, hateful little girls. When groups come she randomly goes up to them and calls them ugly names then laughs. She knows that most people in the groups don't know what she is saying. She has a temper like you can't believe.

Sometimes, though, she has a soft side. She always comes up and kisses my belly telling Emma how much she loves her. Yesterday, a group came and spent the whole afternoon. Someone gave her a baby doll and some stuffed animals, and she came to me and placed one on my belly and said that it was for Emma. Then she gave one to Haley because she didn't have one. I love to see these little rays of sunshine shine through some of the most difficult personalities.

GROUPS ARE HERE

Eleven years ago, my dad and I came to Honduras. I loved the works and I love the groups. With every group I worked with over the years, a fraternity of sorts was formed with out brothers and sisters with whom we worked along side.

Between 2001 and 2008 I spent at least 5 weeks of 5 summers working here with different ministries. I worked hard and played hard. For a long time I tried to remember every name of each person in all the groups, and I did pretty well at it too.

Now my experience with groups is very different. I still get excited about their arrivals. However, I don't work with them; I work at the children's home. I do go eat with them, but instead of getting to know as many people as possible, I am being mom to Haley. Making sure she gets food, eats it, and is behaving creates quite the distraction in building new relationships.

Although my connection to the groups is much different that it once was, I am very thankful for my time spent with them. It is very encouraging to spend time worshiping with them in English.

To all of you who come on short term mission trips, thank you for coming. You offer us encouragement, and you help the people of this country that we love so much.

Sometimes My Best Is Only Mediocre

Lately, I have felt that everything I'm doing is only so-so. I feel like there everything I do could be done so much better.

Many days in preschool I know my lessons could be better, my games could be more fun, my crafts could be more creative.

In the afternoons I feel I many times quickly lose my patience with the kids. Sometimes I feel that I forget they are just kids and that some of the things I get so annoyed at them for are really just kids being kids.

With my sweet little Haley I many times feel like I'm being unfair to her. I drag her along to teleton, so she is frequently missing her nap or only getting a short one. Now that groups are here, she is not always going to bed when she should. Because I help with24 other kids, I don't think she always feels as special and loved as I wish she did.

As a wife, I hardly see Matt and at night when we are together I don't really feel like talking, just sleeping.

While I feel right now that everything I am responsible for is getting only mediocre results, I really am giving everything my very best effort. I am grateful the LORD doesn't call us to be PERFECT, but to do our best for HIM who makes us strong in our weaknesses. Being 7 months pregnant, I am low on energy, and some days I just want to fortify all of my responsibilities, but that is not giving my best effort. I will honor God by giving him my best, even when my best doesn't seem that good.

Thank You, God

As I sit here at 4:45 on a wet Sunday morning, after being awake close to an hour due to Matt's snoring and my enlarged belly and not being able to make myself comfortable in any position.  I am praising God this morning for my pregnancy and for little Emma that is living inside of me.

Here, much of the time pregnancies are rarely happy occasions.  Most babies are born to single mom's who upon finding out that they are pregnant feel shame for allowing it to happen to them and fear for having to try to figure out how they are going to take care of a little person.  With so many people going hungry in this country, babies are many times seen as burdensome because they come into the world as just one more mouth that has to be fed.

Some might wonder how in a country where almost everyone is born to a single mother why they keep making the same mistakes.  Much of this happens in trying to survive.  When a man promises to help care for a woman financially if she helps take care of his needs it is an unwritten code that the man is out when she gets pregnant.  Also, because of the lack of men involved in children's lives in this country there is a desire for love and acceptance that women will do just about anything to receive them.

I am thankful that our baby is being welcomed into this world in a very different circumstance.  We wanted another baby.  We prayed that God would give her to us.  Emma is going to be greeted with open arms and lots of love.  She has a mommy, daddy and sister that are all eagerly waiting her arrival.  We know that she is never going to be starving.  And while babies bring any family a lot of change, many sleepless nights, and countless poopie diapers, we know that babies are one of the biggest blessings of God.

Thank you, Lord that Emma and Haley both are welcome parts of our family.  I pray that they will both grow up to honor you.

5 Years

Five years ago we got married. Boy, have there been a lot of changes over these years.

In 5 years we have:
Graduated college
Moved 6 times
Lived in 3 countries (USA, Costa Rica, Honduras)
Lived in two States
Between us I think we have had 8 jobs.
Had 1 beautiful princess and another that will be here in the next couple months.
Learned Spanish.
Visited San Francisco.
Visited Roatan, Honduras
Visited Belize City, Belize
Visited Cozumel, Mexico
Visited El Salvador
Seen beautiful waterfalls and volcanoes of Costa Rica
Flown through the trees in various canopy tours
Made many road trips
Been a part of various ministries in each place we have lived.
Worked with lots of children
Made lots of relationships
Been a part of 4 different churches
AND MUCH MORE

These five years have been full of new adventures, lots of change, many new experiences, several arguments. One thing that grows always is our live for each other.

A Special Date

Tomorrow is our 5th anniversary, but tomorrow also is the start of the summer groups.  Therefore, we could not do anything to celebrate tomorrow.  Yesterday was our day off, so we decided to spend the night at a hotel, eat out, and go to a movie.  First we went to the Marriott.  The lady told us that one night there would be $250.  I didn't really believe her, and I asked about it, and she repeated the price.  We turned around and left and made a much cheaper room reservation on the way to the Clarion.  At the same time, I saw that a room at the Marriott only cost $100, so my instinct was right that the lady was trying to rip us off (even if she hadn't been, we wouldn't have paid that much).

At supper time, we decided to take a taxi rather than fight traffic and have to go on a hunt for parking.  We told him we wanted to go to Applebees and he did not know where it was.  So strangely enough, I knew directions better than a taxi driver.  We had a very pleasant meal together.  I had been craving artichoke dip, and they had that as an appetizer.  YUM!

After dinner, we went and saw Men in Black 3 then attempted catching another taxi back to the hotel.  The guy told us he wanted more than double of what we had paid for our taxi to the restaurant.  Figuring that we could catch another taxi on the road between the mall and the hotel, we set out walking.  In true Honduran fashion, about a block and a half after we started walking, the rains began to pour down on us.  Then they got harder.  When we were about 2 blocks from the hotel, a car drove through a huge puddle and tidal waved us.  Anything on us that was still dry before that point, was soaked after the car passed by.  All we could do as we were walking back to the hotel was laugh.

I am thankful that my mom was able to watch Haley last night and that Matt and I could spend some special time together and get away from the craziness of our day-to-day life, even if getting away is only a few miles away.  We enjoyed our evening together, and are so thankful that we have each other.

The Saga of THE WRECK

About a week before we went to Baton Rouge, Matt was in a really bad wreck.  He was turning left into the business that they buy water on the way to the dump.  Matt did everything right.  He slowed down.  He had his signal on.  He made sure no one was coming from the other direction.  The van behind him was going about 80 miles an hour, and when Matt was turning, the driver of the van was driving in the left lane of the road thinking he could get around Matt before Matt made the turn.  As Matt was turning into the water place, the van rammed into the tailgate of the pick up.

The impact caused the truck Matt was in to spin out.  Also, it knocked the spare tire off the bottom of the car and sent it about a half KM down the road.  The axle on the back driver's side bent badly that a tire could not be replaced on it.  Several other parts of the car were badly damaged.  Since they were on the way to the dump, they were carrying my dad's dump pots, one full of rice, the other beans.  Karol and Kelin stated that it was raining beans and rice.  The pots were also badly damaged.

The van that hit Matt flipped.  It was completely totaled.  The 2 or 3 passengers in the van broke bones and one had a concussion.  The driver was fine.  In Matt's car, Karol and Kelin were rattled and had minor swelling in the head and back, but after some tests we knew it was just minor injuries.

Since the wreck happened over a month ago, Matt has spent a lot of time dealing with this problem.  Fortunately, the business where the wreck happened had security cameras that got the wreck on tape.  We thought that would help, so we went and made a copy of the video for evidence. Police do not decide fault at the site of the wreck, nor do the collect evidence in wrecks.  A judge decides fault, and one must provide his own evidence.

The day after the wreck, our lawyer was busy at trying to defend Matt before the court hearing the following day.  At the same time the people of Cafe Indio (the business of those driving the van) were paying people everywhere to say that it was Matt's fault.  Oscar, the lawyer, was doubtful that anything good could happen for Matt until he saw the video, then he thought Matt's chances were much better.

Friday, Matt had his hearing in court.  At first, the judge didn't even want to hear Matt's side of the story.  She just looked at him, saw his white skin, and insisted that it must be his fault.  Finally, Oscar convinced her to see the video.  After she saw the video, Matt and my dad both thought she declared Matt 25% of the fault and the other driver 75% of the fault, but she recorded it that Matt had 75% and the other only 25%.

Oscar did something with the problem of the wreck while we were in the States.  And when my mom picked us up in the airport, she told Matt that he needed to be in transito (the department of the police where they deal with wrecks) the next morning.  After this meeting, he thought that he was going to have to miss going to Copan because there was another part of the process the day after they were going to leave.  Oscar told him to go on to Copan; Matt wasn't needed there.  Then Saturday, Matt found out that he was going to have to come home a day early from Copan with a truck that is a similar model to the one he wrecked.  Fortunately, my dad had rented a Mazda truck while his is being repaired that they could use in the reenactment of the wreck.

On Tuesday, Matt spent the morning reenacting the wreck with Oscar, and found out that he would once again need to be in court this morning.  The investigator, who did the reenactment, did not bother to show up to court today.  The judge refused to see the video, and Matt was given 100% of the fault.  My dad asked the judge to explain how it was Matt's fault, to show exactly what he did wrong and pointed out that the other driving was breaking a minimum of THREE driving laws.  She had no answer and just responded it was her decision not his.  (She evidently had been paid off as well.)

This wreck has been very frustrating to everyone.  Matt and my dad refused to sign the papers acknowledging fault, so the eternal process is not over.  It is maddening that people can be so easily bought off, and for so little money.  It is irritating that in court a white person is almost always given the fault because people believe that all white people have an insane amounts of money.  It is annoying that the person who has the fault can so bold-faced lie about everything, and no one holds him accountable.  It is frustrating that the cops who came to the wreck did not have to testify about the wreck which leaves it as Matt's word, a gringo who speaks Spanish as a second language and struggles with it when he is under pressure, and a native Honduran.  SO FRUSTRATING!!