Subject: late September update from Honduras

Greetings! It's Fall!!

When we came home to Canada for the wedding, the calendar was still telling us it was summer, but we experienced the most wonderful early fall - the temperatures were warm, but not hot; the sky was clear with no humidity; and trees and crops were turning golden. This week I welcomed fall here in Roatan - fall by the calendar - but it is anything but fall-like here! The temperatures on this tropical island continue to be HOT! Our friends repeatedly tell us that soon the rains will come - and that will be a good thing they assure me. I have sloshed through the mud after a few downpours here, and wonder about how continuous rain can be a good thing, but I'll wait and see. For now? Showers and fans provide the relief.

We have spent over a month in Roatan working on various projects and feel encouraged with the successes we have been a part of. I enjoyed an extended "honeymoon" period with my 6 students and even now feel blessed to be able to spend my days with these children. It is a delight to feel such respect and love from them. I am pleased to watch them progress. While I was home, the parents provided daily experiences including diving lessons, a field trip, and recorder club. I was worried that the kids would not want me to come back, but when I returned, I was greeted at the airport by two of the girls with big smiles, and warm hugs.

Larry is very excited with the completion of what we have called the "Enriqué Project". Enriqué is a Spanish friend from our church at Son Rise. Enriqué was learning woodworking skills, and worked alongside Andy, a Canadian friend in Andy's workshop. With Andy's return to Canada, it appeared that Enriqué might not be able to continue to work. Pastor Chuck offered Enriqué space at the Mission Inn to set up a workshop and a donor from the church assisted with purchasing Andy's tools for Enriqué. With generous gifts from several of our friends, Larry was able to help finance and build the workshop at the Mission Inn. The roof was finished a few days before Larry returned home, and the day before we flew home Enriqué moved the tools into his workshop. Within a week, we received the picture of a coffee table that Enriqué had built in his new shop. I have checked in on him a few times since returning to Roatan, and Enriqué is at work before I start school every morning, and puts in a full day. He is currently crafting a small table and 4 chairs that he hopes will be sold from a local furniture store. It is so gratifying to see the pride on Enriqué's face. He is able to support his wife and two children. What a good news story! I have attached a few pictures from this project.

I have spent this past week here in Roatan without Larry. He is home, waiting on the beans and corn to ripen and finishing up fall farm work. It is quite different being here alone! I can't say I am enjoying the "alone" part. The big news here for the week was the return of the president Manuel Zelaya to Honduras. There was a curfew imposed for 24 hours Monday to Tuesday this week. Usually the curfews don't apply to Roatan Island, but this time the police had set up road blocks to discourage people from rallying together either in support, or opposition to Zelaya's return. Since I only have to walk up a road/path a short distance from the condo we live in, to the Mission Inn for school, I wasn't affected. One of my student's parents was blocked on another road trying to bring Ricardo to school, so they brought him down the beach and then up to the Inn. That's going the extra mile to get to school! We will have to wait to see what comes from this political unrest.

All is not "work" here (although for me, the teaching is not work at all!). On Sundays, several from the church spend the afternoons together at the beach. We have gone to "Bananarama" for swimming/snorkeling, and to watch the crab races and fire dances. We have returned twice to Infinity Bay Resort. They have an incredible 11am - 4pm all you can eat rib and chicken buffet. One of the fellows we go with takes good advantage of this offer! The swimming is incredible with water that is so warm. FYI - those pictures that you see of tropical resorts are not touch-ups. That's really how it looks with blue, blue water, white beaches, sunshine, and those little out-on-the-beach thatched roof umbrellas that you sit under while sipping your frescas.

As always, there are many prayer requests. Please continue to pray for Honduras. I don't know what is needed, but God does. Ask Him to bring His peace into this unrest. Pray for my students and particularly Elliott who is struggling with reading. Pray also for a young mother, Krissy, whose husband recently died. She and her husband were in the process of adopting a toddler. As a single parent, she may have her child taken from her, where he will be raised in an orphanage. Pray for Clifford, an Islander who attends our church. He currently is unemployed and slipping.

As I finish this, there is a baby gecko skittering across the ceiling above my head. I have made my peace with geckos. You may be wondering about Chester? Well, he was gone for a few weeks, but has now returned. His sad story continues. Yesterday he was sleeping it off under the bathroom window using an empty bottle for his pillow. There are many Chesters on this island.

I hope that you are enjoying a Canadian fall. God has richly blessed Canada. Let me know what you are doing. I enjoy each email that comes here!

Blessings to you all,
Susan (and Larry from his easy chair at home....)