Will She Rally in the Ninth?

 Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Today was another challenging day for me. I forced myself to eat a bowl of oatmeal. I didn't go up to breakfast or to the morning devotions. I was trying to will myself to feel better, but I wasn't winning.

El Hogar ministries operates four facilities in Honduras. We were staying at the elementary school facility. They also have a technical school and agricultural school for older boys and a facility for older girls to continue their education. Today we were headed out for a tour of the technical school which is located on eight acres of land in the Amarateca Valley. 66 boys in grades 7-9 call it home.

I would love to tell you how great it was and all that they do there, but I can't. I bailed on the outing and spent the morning in bed. Was I upset with myself? Yeah, I was. It was just one of those "What are you going to do?" situations.

So while I am convalescing in the volunteer house, let me give you a little tour of El Hogar and the compound. The grounds were very colorful and well kept.

Garden area.

Circular driveway at the entrance.

Toothbrushes. The kids have to brush their teeth four times a day.

Rock garden.

Courtyard. They really take pride in their property.

Bunks in the volunteer house.

Kitchen in the volunteer house.

Porch on the volunteer house. The chairs were crafted at the tech school.

Cistern. This is where our shower water came from.

We drank bottled water all week. This device to pour the water was made at the tech school.

The rest of the group got back about 1:30 pm and regaled me with tales of the tech school. They teach them a trade so they become employable after they graduate. Students produce items such as, furniture, metal window and gate grills and other small items, which are available for sale, mostly to the other centers and to volunteers. A lot of the items around the school were made at the tech school. In the dormitories, the metal beds and shoe racks were built there. They also had lunch at the tech school which included a nice piece of beef. Beef! Not rice and beans and I missed it! I in turn regaled them with the tale of the wonderful soup the kitchen staff brought me...and how it lasted 21 minutes in my stomach.

Shoe rack made at the tech school.

Girls dorm bunks crafted at the tech school.

The rest of the afternoon? Lather, rinse, repeat.

I rallied myself enough to help with our painting project. The rest of compound was watching Honduras play in the World Cup.

Hopscotch board.

Twister board.

The kids enjoying their new hopscotch board.

Checkers anyone?

Dinner was at the usual time. I ate an entire plantain (go me!). We did our evening activity with the third dormitory, gave the music lessons and practiced English with the tour group students.

The rest of the evening was spent on the porch of the volunteer house. We used this time to reflect on the day and write in our journals. It was a very peaceful way to end the day.