Honduras Day #7 School of the King

March 10, Day # 7

• Breakfast.
• Packing... talking with Kaitlin and Marie about practical stuff living here. Burning trash with Leah. Sweeping patio, cleaning toilet.
• Second group. About 10-12 of us + our luggage + a couple mattresses in cattle car. Picture, Cydney. [Picture!] 30-45 minute drive. So beautiful. x) So we headed over to Institute del Rey, the School of the King. It's a gated area containing three houses, fruit trees, lawns, a soccer field, basketball court, (though no one thought much about basketball... soccer was the thing!) a covered patio area, and the school itself - a bunch of classrooms (and library!) all connected in a square with a central courtyard. Living there full time was a missionary couple, Wendy from GL's host church, and Alison from somewhere else. And there were security guards.
• Arrive at school... getting settled, then 20 min with students on their break. Then a bit later, chapel. Garrett – Stomp. Chad – He Reigns. (Technical difficulties, order really Garrett, Chad, Stomp, He Reigns, Rebecca, So Good.) It /was/ so good! But I must return to short bullets. 
• Those tortilla things. Home kitchen. We walked across the street and knocked on the door of this private house, where these ladies ran their home business. Rob and I were the ones who spoke some Spanish, so we were able to step inside along with Pastor Ed while the others waited outside. They had such a cool little kitchen! We told them how many baleadas we wanted, and they got started making them. They made the tortillas from scratch, then filled them with beans and cheese. Kind of like a folded quesadilla, but fuller. While they made them, we walked up the street to a couple little shops. Then on the way back we paid and picked them up. 
• Talking with Wendy and Amanda, foot massage.
• Cindy explained amibas. We all have them in our stomach, actually... it's just not something we like to advertise in the states!!! It's only really a problem when you get too many of them inside... which is what happens when you a) drink unfiltered water over there, or b) don't drink enough of the good water and get dehydrated. Poor little Haley had it bad, and Cydney, and Annie... stomach aches and other unpleasant symptoms. 
• Dinner prep.
• Anna ice cream. It was 14 limpera... which is about 75¢. For an cool little ice cream! Anna picked it up for me from the store down the road. And having something cool and creamy in a hot land where everything is room temperature or warm... is such a treat. Just like a squished peanut butter and jelly sandwich out on a hike tastes way better than a fresh one in the kitchen. there's just something about being out on an adventure... it makes you value little things more. They just taste better than normal!
• Organizing suitcases. And shoes several times. I lined up all our suitcases along the wall. There were about 5 of us in the living room, so I got everything organized and easily accessible for each of us. I love organizing!
• Dinner. Matt’s bday. x) First birthday party ever. “Speech, speech, speech, speech!” Just like Bilbo! And great speech about first bday sober and surrounded by loved people. Matches for candles in chocolate chip banana bread. It was cool!
• After dinner – 8:00. Curfew 10:00. 5 things to accomplish. 2 back rubs (Haley and Abbie), I foot rub (Amanda), shower, and this log. Dishes, logistics hiccup, Me, Amanda, (Clara, Megan, Taylor.) Haley y Abbie fell asleep. 10 min per foot, then rush to shower at 9:45. Kristie – “Next time don’t wait until the last minute.” No need to explain. My value is not in that. Quick shower, quick prep for bed, in bed 10:05ish. Now time for sleep!!! – 10:25 Yes, I had more tasks lined up then I had time for, faced with a pile of dishes and limited help. It was just a little hiccup where not enough workers were assigned to clean up. Just two of us... but then three more came and joined us when I went out to ask if anyone could help us, so it all worked out fine. Still, there was barely time to shower and get ready for bed! It's such a joy to not have to worry what people think... In the past I would have felt less valuable, because it looked like I did something extremely immature. (Dawdling until the last minute and then jumping to use the shower.) I probably wouldn't have explained in any case, because it would just look like an excuse... but the difference is what I felt inside. In the past, I would have felt bad. Felt like my value as a human being had gone down because someone thought I did something immature and irresponsible. It's so cool to just have quite peace, resting assured of my value in my Creator, not in how people rate my behavior.