Jenny

April showers

2009-04-14T17:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Here are a few short stories of events that have occurred over the last few months that you might find interesting.

New kids! Several new families of kids have arrived to the farm over the last few months. They are all filled with so much spirit, and have each been a unique blessing to the dynamics of the farm.

Double trauma. Last month I was talking to a patient about her sick kids when I heard screaming from outside of the clinic. I went outside to see what was going on, and found two kids walking towards me covered in blood that seemed to be coming from their head. My stomach jumped into my throat, while I brought them inside to clean them up and figure out what happened. While playing a game, they had bumped heads leaving a small laceration on each of their foreheads. Two incredibly brave mothers, several prayers, fifteen stitches, many tears, and a couple of cool stickers later, they were both patched up and sent home to rest. I went to check on them later that day (partly to make sure that they didn’t completely hate me), and found them giggling about their new stitches and reading a book together. When they saw me, they gave me a big hug and I joined in on the giggling.

House Intruder. Last week, my roommate called to come into our room and when I arrived I saw my worst nightmare: a scorpion crawling on the wall over my bed. Being a total wimp, my usual reaction is to call for one of the boys to kill the unwanted guest, but unfortunately they were all out of the house (convenient). I decided it would be better to risk a scorpion sting while awake rather than be woken my intruder piercing my foot in the middle of the night. I grabbed a shoe, climbed on the bed, jumped as high as I could and with a battle cry that would have put Braveheart to shame, swung the shoe with all my force upon the unsuspecting scorpion. As I fell back onto the bed, bits of scorpion showered down over me, and I smiled. As I am still a wimp, I slept in the living room that night for fear that he had friends near by that would seek revenge.

Well that’s about all for now. I hope you all are doing well!
paz,
Jenny

El indio bárbaro

2009-01-27T12:45:00.001-08:00

The following story is completely true. Names have not been changed to protect the innocent. I am not that creative. At no point during the following story was I ever in any actual danger (except maybe from my own clumsiness). I hope you laugh reading this story at least as half as much as I did experiencing it, re-telling it, and now, writing about it.

One of the many joys of living in a culture different to the one in which I was raised, is learning about new cultural practices. Holidays are jam packed of these learning opportunities. One of the most striking lessons I have had was that of the “indio bárbaro”.

The days approaching any holiday in Trujillo, the indio barbaro can often be seen walking the streets. He is a man from the Garifuna community wearing a tribal mask and covered in oil looking for money. If you don’t offer him money, he may mark your clothes with oil (a physical representation of the curse he has placed upon you). The indio bárbaro (or barbaric Indian) rarely travels alone and is usually accompanied by another who blows a whistle to announce their arrival. Personally, I think this is a flaw in the system as one almost always has a warning.
For those who have grown up being followed by men covered in oil blowing whistles and motioning for their money, it is completely normal and quite comical. I didn’t, and it scares the hell out of me. Nevertheless, I grit my teeth, pay my lempira and scurry on my way.
On one particular day, the thought of paying this man and parting with my lempira (about 5 cents) was too much for me and I went into fight or flight mode. Yes, I ran. I broke out into a full-out sprint down the lazy cobblestone road. I didn’t dare look back to see if he was gaining on me, nor to see if Laura (the volunteer who was with me at the time) had escaped. It was every woman for herself.
Had we been in a busy city in the states, I imagine the on-lookers would have been quite puzzled to see two adult women (one in a skirt and high heels, the other in flip-flops) sprinting down the road, followed by a man wearing a tribal mask and smeared in oil. But in trujillo, the only confusion was as to why we were running.
I punched the air in triumph when I reached the end of the road as our friend had given up and gone after a more complacent target. A nearby woman asked us why we were out of breath. Upon explaining that we were running away from the barbaric indian, she looked at us with confusion and said “but why are you afraid of him? He won’t hurt you, just pay him”.
I have met cultural differences over the past year with enthusiasm and as great learning opportunities. However, on this particular day, when we ran into what appeared to be the barbarian’s 8 year old brother, Laura said with all the attitude and sass of a girl from Jersey, “Nombre!” (the Honduran equivalent of the “Z-snap”) and I shouted “no me toques!” (don’t touch me!) with all the attitude and sass of someone who had just run away from a grown man covered in oil and threatening to curse me and dirty my clothes if I didn´t pay him 5 cents.
Laura and I laughed the entire drive back to the farm.
I love this country!
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
love,
jenny

El indio barbaro

2009-01-27T12:45:00.000-08:00

The following story is completely true. Names have not been changed to protect the innocent. I am not that creative. At no point during the following story was I ever in any actual danger (except maybe from my own clumsiness). I hope you laugh reading this story at least as half as much as I did experiencing it, re-telling it, and now, writing about it.
One of the many joys of living in a culture different to the one in which I was raised, is learning about new cultural practices. Holidays are jam packed of these learning opportunities. One of the most striking lessons I have had was that of the “indio barbaro”.
Surrounding any holiday, a few men from the Garifuna community put on tribal masks, cover their bodies in oil, and blow a whistle at anyone they meet asking for money. If you don’t offer them money, they mark your clothes with oil (a physical representation of the curse they have placed upon you). The indio barbaro (or barbaric Indian) rarely travels alone and is usually accompanied by another who blows a whistle to announce their arrival. Personally, I think this is a flaw in the system as one almost always has a warning.
For those who have grown up being followed by men covered in oil blowing whistles and motioning for their money, it is completely normal and quite comical. I didn’t, and it scares the hell out of me. Nevertheless, I grit my teeth, pay my lempira and scurry on my way.
On one particular day, the thought of paying this man and parting with my lempira (about 5 cents) was too much for me and I went into fight or flight mode. Yes, I ran. I broke out into a full out sprint down the lazy cobblestone road. I didn’t dare look back to see if he was gaining on me, nor to see if Laura (the volunteer who was with me at the time) had escaped. It was every woman for herself.
Had we been on a busy street, I imagine the on-lookers would have seen quite the sight as two adult women (one in a skirt and high heels, the other in flip-flops) sprinting down the road, followed by a man wearing a tribal mask and smeared in oil.
I punched the air in triumph when I reached the end of the road as our friend had given up and gone after a more complacent target. A nearby woman asked us why we were out of breath. Upon explaining that we were running away from the barbaric indian, she looked at us with confusion and said “but why are you afraid of him? He won’t hurt you, just pay him”.
I have met cultural differences over the past year with enthusiasm and as great learning opportunities. However, on this particular day, when we ran into what appeared to be the barbarian’s 8 year old brother, Laura said with all the attitude and sass of a girl from Jersey, “Nombre!” (the Honduran equivalent of the “Z-snap”) and I shouted “no me toques!” (don’t touch me!) with all the attitude and sass of someone who had just run away from a grown man covered in oil and threatening to curse me and dirty my clothes.
Laura and I laughed the entire drive back to the farm.
I love this country!
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
love,
jenny

A singed arm hair christmas

2009-01-13T09:08:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the finca del niño!!!

I hope the Christmas season and New Year were full of the peace and hope that only baby Jesus can bring.

It has been a while since my last entry, and as action packed as it has been, I will just give a short account of Christmas and New Years.
Christmas on the finca this year was as beautiful and joyous as I could have hoped for. Christmas eve morning, I woke up at 5 am to help 5 teenage girls make almost 500 tamales (okay so this number might be slightly exaggerated, but not by much!) I stirred a pot of corn paste over an open fire until all the hairs on my arm were thorough singed and I thought that I may have dislocated my shoulder, and then I stirred about 30 minutes longer. Just between you and me, I am not sure that the taste reflects the amount work that is put into tamale making. I think the richness of the tamale comes in the time spent with family and friends watching your arm hairs burn off.
After bandaging my arms, I collapsed on my bed for a quick nap before mass. After mass, the finca and our neighbors gathered to share a traditional Honduran Christmas dinner of tamales, chicken sandwiches and coke. After stuffing our mouths, we watched Christmas plays that the kids prepared that went smoothly until a spider appeared on stage and scared one of the angles. As she ran screaming off the stage the rest of the angles began stomping in a futile attempt to kill the interrupting spider. It took me about 10 minutes to regain composure after my laughing fit, and the rest of the night I had to fight spewing coke out my nose when thoughts of Diana, the poor spider and killer angles popped into my head.
As Christmas eve is the big day of celebration at the finca, Christmas day was pretty low key. The volunteers spent the day passing around the phone so we could talk with our families, eating chocolate, and swimming in the ocean.
New years eve was just as memorable. After an evening communion service, we all filed into our youngest girls’ house for more tamales (yes!) and coke and dancing. Exhausted from the previous week, I was looking forward to the dancing to end around 10pm and me hitting my pillow in a deep sleep by 10:15. No such luck. The dancing only paused long enough to shoot off a few fireworks (aka small explosives) and then continued well past 2am!
Early the next morning, Laura (another volunteer), sister Margarita and I all piled into a pickup and headed off for Buenos Aires to celebrate the baptism of a former volunteer’s son. Buenos Aires is a tiny village about 1½ hike up a small mountain with no electricity. The view is possibly the most breathtaking in Honduras. That night we shared a meal of beans, coajada and tortillas de maiz by candlelight as our host shared stories of living in rural Honduras, the effects of the US economy on Honduras (yes, we feel the US economic problems here as well) and his hopes for the new year. The next morning we woke up at 5am to hike up the hill and watch the sunrise.
Beginning 2009 with star gazing, baptisms, sunrise watching and great conversations, I can feel nothing but hope for the year. I feel so blessed to be apart of this incredible mission for another year and am so thankful for the opportunity to experience the Love that envelops this project.

I hope that you all are well, and look forward to hearing from you soon!!!
love,
Jenny

Funny Stories!

2008-10-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hello friends and dedicated blog readers!! :) With October has come the end of hurricane season (YEAH!), and the start of rainy season (DOUBLE YEAH). We are enjoying the cooler temps, the humorous sight of chickens huddling under eaves of the roofs, and the rare sunny day that offers dry clothing (if you get in line to wash your clothes early enough).

Because I love telling stories, I am going to tell you all funny story or two (though it is a lot better in person because I can use gestures, and when you uses gestures when you are typing it ends up that nothing shows up on the screen). So here goes...

El viejito

Once upon a time, (last thursday) I was headed back to the finca (where I live) on a bus. The volunteer I was traveling with had some melted ice in her cup (water) and asked me to throw it out the window as we pulled away from the bus stop. The problem was that the window was not right next to me, but rather behind me a bit. So I turned around and awkwardly stuck my arm out the window and poured it out. As I was turning back around to face forward, out of the corner of my eye, I saw an old man standing on the side of the road, throw up his arms as if to say (if he spoke english) “WHAT THE HECK!” Sure enough I hit him dead on with my melted ice. Slowly, spanish rumblings and giggles spread inside the bus, and within two minutes, the entire bus was rolling with laughter at the gringa (that's me) who threw the water on the viejito (little old man). While I did feel quite badly about the old man, I had a hard time stifling my laughter, especially as the volunteer to my left was also in hysterics. The end.

The ant trail

About a week ago, I was sleeping soundly in my room when I felt something tickle my face. Still half asleep, and thinking it was just a cockroach, I tried swatting it away with my hand several times, but had no luck. Finally,it grasped onto my fingers. I lied there a moment, somewhat confused and then violently swung my hand backward when I realized that it was not a cockroach, but a crab crawling on my face and now was holding onto my fingers. The crab flew back, hit the wall, and fell down below my bed. Not wanting to get out of bed because it was chilly and I just wanted to go back to sleep, I reasoned in my dreamy state that the crab could not climb back onto my bed, so I was safe just to fall back asleep. So I did.

I imagine that the crab was a little angry at me for throwing him (or her) against the wall, so while I was sleeping, it stood on a box under by bed, reached it's little crab claw up through a crack, and pinched my butt. I immediately sat upright in bed and sat in shock for a few moments trying to decide on the best way to proceed. I took out my flashlight and peaked under my bed, but not seeing the crab, and still feeling pretty tired, I decided to go back to sleep.

The next day, I searched the room for my attacker, but when I didn't find him, I figured he found his way out. Three nights later, I was again asleep in my room when I woke with the crab dancing on my hand. I instinctively flung the crab across the room towards my roommate (sorry Floro!) and feeling safe again, I went back to sleep. I searched my room the next day but again the crab was no where to be found.

Many of you are probably now thinking that I may have been dreaming or hallucinating, and I admit, I was wondering the same myself, until we found the trail of ants. The next day, my roommate discovered a trail of ants under her bed that lead her to discover the perpetrator, dead. I don't know if it was his final flight across the room, starvation, or guilt that killed him, but he met his demise and became ant food. I felt vindicated. :)

Well friends, I hope you all are doing really well. I miss you dearly, and can't wait to hear from you soon!

Love,

Jenny

Happy Halloween!!!

p.s. I am feeling quite detached from the news in the states. I don't get much news here unless I take the time to look it up online when I am in town. If you see an interesting article, send it my way!

same 'ol...

2008-09-16T08:33:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I hope this finds everyone well and in good spirits!

I was writing my brother a letter today and decided it might be blog appropriate (nick, hopefully you will get the letter in a week or so).
I haven't been sending as many letters as I have in the past because it seems that life has somewhat normalized. When I do write, I often find myself saying “not too much going on around here. Pretty much same 'ol stuff.” It seems so strange that this life, once so foreign, has now become my norm.
It is normal to only check my email once a week. It is normal to have the lower half of my body covered in mosquito bites, while the upper half is drenched in sweat and heat rash. It is normal for the electricity and/or water to go out at any moment (and sometimes I even enjoy it). I am not phased when a gecko falls off the wall and hits the table. I anticipate having to pick ants out of the sugar, so I allow a few extra minutes when cooking. When I am late, I shrug and give thanks for the extra protein. When I hear “tappty-tap-tap” in my room, I calmly look for the broom and sweep the crab out from under my bed.
But I guess everything hasn't lost its magic. My heart still bursts with joy when Elsi sits in my lap during prayer or Jose Pastor shoots me his mischievous little grin. I still get goosebumps when I hear a baby's heartbeat in its mother's womb. I still cross my fingers that I will receive letters or email (a shameless request for you to write more, I know). I am still stopped in my tracks and stare in awe on moonless nights and I think I can see every star in the sky. I am still stopped in my tracks and stare in awe at when the moon is full and shining out every star. I still scream when I see a tarantula or scorpion or jellyfish or stingray (all non-poisonous). I still laugh out loud at every one of Sarah Floro's jokes. I am still brought to tears when mothers ask me to abort their unborn baby because they cannot feed the ones they already have. I still feel ashamed when I eat three meals a day, and many of our neighbors are lucky to get one. I still believe that God is somehow making sense of this mess that we call the world, and am so blessed to be a tiny part of it.
To you my friends, thank you for being apart of this messy and beautiful world and making it a little better every day with your presence.
paz,
Jenny

Quotable quotes

2008-08-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

Hello to my oh-so-dedicated friends and family who still read my blog a YEAR after its beginning. You are amazing! Next time we meet, I will give you a big hug of thanks, but until then I give you a gold star!
This week I will not recount stories of herding and being bitten by small children in mass, scary allergic bee stings or an incredible homecoming hour of adoration that moved me to smiles, laughter, tears and songs of praise. Rather, I will let another much more articulate man do so. I have recently started reading “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer and found a quote by Thoreau so inspiring that I want to read Walden again (the first time through I struggled with the cliff notes). So, find a quiet place and be inspired by the following:

“No man ever followed his genius till it mislead him. Though the result were bodily weakness, yet perhaps no one can say that the consequences were to be regretted, for these were a life in conformity to higher principles. If the day and the night are such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweet-scented herbs, is more elastic, more starry more immortal,--that is your success. All nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself. The greatest gains and values are farthest from being appreciated. We easily come to doubt if they exist. We soon forget them. They are the highest reality.... The true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star-dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I have clutched. “

One may live a life full suffering or challenges, but I think life will emit those sweet fragrances, weather living in Honduras, traveling the world, or working a 9-5 at a construction site. We are challenged to pick a path that we believe in and the truly experience and greet each moment with joy.

Go. Greet your days and nights with joy.

Jenny

Bean reflections

2008-07-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Myself and a few fellow volunteers were walking to communion service the other day that we lead at our neighbors’ house, and I was carrying a cup of beans for the homily as the gospel was on where you sow your seeds… in the good soil, in the rocks where they are eaten by birds, or where they will be choked by the thorny plants. As we were walking, I made fun of Laura, one of the other vols, and she hit my hand, knocking the cup to the ground and spilling the seeds in the rocky soil. Well, it must have been divine intervention that I made fun of Laura, because we picked up the previously clean beans, and in the process a couple of sticks, some dirt and a few rocks. During the reflection, Anne asked us to reflect in which type of soil our beans or seeds were planted. I couldn’t focus on the soil, because I just kept thinking about how dirty they were. I picked out the rocks, the sticks, and dusted them off until they were pretty and shiny. I sat there admiring my three pretty beans and wanted to put them in my pocket to save for later. It then occurred to me how I do the same with my faith. I have been good in the past about studying, praying and educating myself about my faith so that it became pretty and shiny. But then what did I do with it? I picked it up and put it in my pocket to pull out at my convenience for a good theological discussion, polished it off again, and put it back into my pocket to keep safe and clean. But is that what Christ is calling me to do? What good is a seed in my pocket? Of course it needs to be planted to give life. It needs to be shoved into the dirt, have a little shit thrown in it’s face, drowned by water and left to sit alone in the scorching sun until the point at which it breaks into two giving life to a small green plant. At the point where the bean is actually useful, it is no longer recognizable as a bean, and only if you are lucky can you see a pale shadow of what it once was.

Well friends, it is my turn to make dinner tonight, so I’d better get going. I hope that your beans are well planted.

Love you all!

Jenny

Who is teaching who?

2008-07-13T17:30:00.001-07:00

Hi Friends! How is everyone doing? Things are going quite well at the farm. We have been having incredible weather (cool breezy mornings with thunderstorms in the afternoons. Somehow the weather really sets the tone here.
Last week was my first experience teaching health classes. So maybe “teaching” wouldn’t be the best word choice. Last Friday, the school needed a fill in for first grade health class, and since I had taught health to 2nd and 3rd already that week, I figured that 1st would be a walk in the park. I have never made such a grave error in judgment. As I entered the 1st grade classroom, frowns instantly spread across the room along with shouts of “NO! Not you! We want to watch a movie!” Apparently, the regular teacher had promised them a movie, which I now believe to be some horrible form of hazing for new teachers. Trying to be upbeat I told the kids that we were going to read a story and then if they behaved we could draw afterwards and them go run around on the soccer field. The boy to my right stuck his hands over his ears with elbows pointed outwards and shouted “I’M NOT GOING TO LISTEN”, immediately climbed under his desk and laid on the floor. Three other children followed suit, while the rest of the class started crying and/or yelling that they didn’t like to read and wanted to watch a movie. It was so over the top that I couldn’t help but laugh out loud (that didn’t go over so well) and expected the camera crew to come out shouting “you’ve been punked”. If only…
Upon recounting this story to a fellow volunteer who is actually an elementary school teacher she said “If it had been me, at that point everyone would have their heads on their desks and had to sit in silence for the rest of the class.” If only I had thought of that! Instead, I sat down on the floor in front of the class and started reading the book. Within 4 or 5 minutes, the kids were sitting on the floor around me listening to the story and now only complaining that they couldn’t see the pictures very well. Well, the one kid was still laying on the floor, but you can’t win them all over right? They did well until we had to switch activities and then it started all over again. Needless to say, I will not be looking to continue my career in elementary education. I hope everyone is doing well. Write me and let me know how you are doing!
Love,
Jenny

Looking for help!

2008-07-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!!!

The farm is still looking for volunteers for next October. If you know anyone who might be interested in volunteering this year, please let us know. The farm´s website is farmofthechild.org. If you are interested, you can email either me (jennymontague@gmail.com) or Andrea, our volunteer coordinator, at farmofthechildusa@yahool.com

paz,
Jenny

Back in Honduras

2008-07-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hi friends!

I am back in Honduras! I had a wonderful time in the states, but it is good to be back at the finca with a little extra energy and a little chocolate I snuck back with me to bribe the kids. ;)

Honduran Medicine. Last week I translated for a medical brigade that came down from Arkansas. It was fun getting to work with and learn from some great doctors. Obviously, there was not time to treat everyone in the week that brigade was here, but they helped many people with the time they had. It did reinforce for me the need to work on putting some structure to the health care system that is in place so that Hondurans have access to good medical care year ‘round instead of just one week a year. There is so much need. Sometimes it is difficult to find the best place to start.

Scorpion on the loose! As many of you know, I talk of spiders as my arch nemesis, but I have to admit that I have an equal dislike of scorpions. Since I have been here, I have not had to deal with this unwanted creature because when I find them they are either already dead, or I run the other way while the male volunteers “take care of it”… until last night. Several of us were brushing out teeth before going to bed last night when I hear “SCORPION!!!” ring down the hall. I paused for a few seconds waiting for the first macho male volunteer to come to the rescue. But I soon realized that they were all gone on vacation and I was going to have to take care of it. Trembling and with broom in hand, I walked into the bathroom to find the fattest scorpion I have ever seen. Somehow, the fat ones are scarier. I stabbed at it with the end of the boom and when I completely missed, his stinger instantly flew into the air in attack mode. After my second failed attempt he fell to the floor, and I went flying out of the room. I poked my head back in the room just in time to see his fat tale squeeze through a hole in the wall. I banged on the wall several time with the end of the broom as if to say “and there is more where that came from if you show up here again” making sure I was well out of stinger’s reach if he actually crawled back out of the hole. All I can say is that the boys had better get back from vacation soon…

The voices of Christ. Every morning all of the volunteers and kids gather in the church for morning prayer. This week the kids are on vacation from school, so Monday morning only a handful of kids made it to prayer (I admit it was difficult to get myself there). One of the volunteers walked over to find out why the kids hadn’t come that morning (assuming they were still asleep) and heard 3 small voices praying inside the house. The kids were stuck in the house because their parents had over slept, so the girls gathered around a book and prayed together in the house. It is in these moments that I know that despite our insufficiencies, God is alive and doing great things.

Well friends, as always, thank you for your letters and emails. It is always so wonderful to hear about how you are doing, the latest on tech invention, medical break through, good wine, the election or funny stories from Hollywood. Please write me and tell me how you are doing on the completion of the first half of 2008. I love you all dearly and look forward to hearing from you soon!

paz,

Jenny

Oh happy May!

2008-05-03T18:07:00.001-07:00

Hello friends, family, and groupies!

I am writing to wish you a marvelously magnificently merry 3^rd ‘o may!
Dude, is it really May? Yikes! Where did April go?

Thursday, April 10, 2008. I went over to casita uno (little girls’ house) to hang out for a bit and was greeted by 4 sticky little girls. They were munching on suckers that one of the kids’ moms brought over. Sadie walked up offering her sucker to me by putting it mere centimeters from my face. Instinctively, I recoiled as to avoid being slimed with the sucker, instantly set the girls into a frenzy. They immediately jumped up, all “offering” their suckers to me with devious giggles. I surprised myself in how long I was able to keep them at bay, but eventually it was either be slimed or fall off the porch. So, I fell off the porch. Haha. If only. I spent the next hour picking strawberry flavored sucker out of my hair. To get back at them, I told them all they had to go inside and brush their teeth before I left. haha! The perks of being the finca nurse!

The drizzly Tuesday, April 19^th. I was looking through the cabinets in search of inspiration to make lunch for the community. Instead of inspiration, I encountered two sets of whiskers attached to wiggling noses in one of the tupperware boxes where we keep our food. I sprang into hunting mode, slamming the box shut to trap the mice inside, but they were one step ahead of me! They chewed a hole in the box and rat #1 hopped out and ran up the wall (yes, the rats here, much like Spiderman can climb vertical walls). While I attempted to smash him with a rake, I completely missed and he ran to safety, so I focused on rat #2. Not wanting t get bit, nor wanting to let him get away I covered the hole with a potholder while screaming for help, but sadly no one came to my rescue. So much for the role of damsel in distress! I wrapped my hands and arms in potholders, towels and oven mitts and carried the box outside. Laura, a fellow vol, happened to be walking by the house, so I yelled at her to get the cat that lives in the house next to us. After a mini eternity, she came back not with out mouser, but with a machete. I ripped the box lid off, a got my toes out of the way as she slayed our feeble intruder. Laura and I shouted in triumph and danced a jig in the rain as our Honduran co-workers watched on, shaking their heads. “They are so strange,” one of the Franciscan sisters said. “They won’t even kill the chickens”

Wednesday, April 30^th, 2008. I was sitting in the clinic while TWO patients were being seen by two different doctors, and trying to remember what, as a nurse, I should be doing. I had forgotten how much I love being a nurse! While I do miss being in on the consults (I like being detective) we discuss the interesting cases, and I am learning so much more with them than I when I was by myself. One of the doctors is a short term volunteer from the states and the other is Honduran who showed up at the door looking for a place to volunteer. Incredibly, God manages to answer my prayers that I thought too hopeless to pray.

I hope you all are doing well, and I look forward to emailing and talking to you sometime in the next month!

Lots-o-love to ALL!

Jenny

¡¡Hola de Honduras!!

2008-03-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am sorry that these blog posting are becomming less frequent (I feel that I start every posting like that now!) I am finding it more challanging to write down my experiences and thoughts partly due to the fact that as my Spanish improves, my English get worse, and partly because there is always so much going on it is difficult to choose one story or experience that would be worthwhile sending to y’all! Thanks for all the letters and emails!! It is so great to keep up (at least a little) with your lives and stories! Keep them comming!! :)

So I have to start this out by saying, scabies are quite annoying! I have new empathy/bitterness for all those little children who have come into the clinic infested with that horrid little mite. Empathy as I realize that they itch worse than anything I have ever experienced, and bitterness because the little turds gave them to me! Oh well, occupational hazard, huh? But I have to share the secrete to stopping the itching. Listerine! Yes, the mouth wash. It is truly a miracle liquid! It not only sooths itchy skin, but also repels mosquitoes! The best part is that the off brand works too! I love that stuff!

A couple of weeks ago, the vols had a retreat at a retreat center in the middle of an orange orchard. It rained almost the entire time we were there, so I let the rain on the tin roof lull me to sleep. It was wonderful! We had a watermelon spitting contest, and my 12 years of chewing sunflower seeds in softball games proved to be most beneficial. After collecting oranges to eat (so delicious) we found a tree that was lacking leaves, but full of rotting oranges. Out of no where came a bat shaped stick, and a couple volunteers, myself and two random kids that showed up found ourselves playing soft toss for at least an hour. Should the opportunity ever come up to play soft toss with rotting oranges in the future, I will give you some pointers. The smaller ones that are a little harder fly better (good for showing off), but the big squishy ones are really fun to smash (and put a lovely orange aroma in the air).

What else… prep for visiting dentist next week (I am so excited!), visiting docs, med students, unconscious pregnant women, CPR in moving vehicles, 4 new children at the finca, giant Easter egg hunts, new tire swings, teaching swimming lessons (yay for sharks and minnows), collapsing on the floor from laughter, beautiful rainy days, writing budgets, crying from exhaustion, malaria outbreak (I am protected because I take a preventative medicine every week), reading the Joy Luck Club, visiting a nearby (8 hours by bus) orphanage and kissing the ground in thanksgiving when returning to the farm (we have such wonderful kids and staff!), treating asthma attacks in rain storms, biting ants, beautiful friendships, missing family and friends, good letters, interrupted prayer time, more prayer time, and a lot of loving- both given and received.
I love you all and miss you! I hope that the easter season is finding you all full of joy!
Blessings and peace,
Jenny

New Year´s reflections

2008-01-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY GOUND HOG’S DAY! (ha! I am early for one of them!)

How has the holidays left all of you? Hopefully refreshed with God’s love and ready to conquer 2008!

Christmas here was quite a treat. Christmas Eve morn began chasing around two 7 year old boys with their new carritos (little cars) from Santa and winded down after mass, Christmas plays, tamales, neighbors, a midnight prayer circle under a full moon, and a late night discussion of Christmas traditions.

Even with all the joys of the Christmas season, I find myself struggling spiritually. We have a plethora of prayer services. The days when I am really focused, and the priest is really clear, I can get the homily, but even these days are dry. Last week, I was in mass with the children, and for the first time in a while, I was consumed by God’s presence in the room. It stated to rain pretty strongly, and there was a wind that made the rafters of the church sing. In that moment, I could feel God’s love. It was like giving a glass of water to a parched man in the desert. The entire mass went like this. It was wonderful. During the kiss of peace (when you shake hands and say “peace be with you” with other members of the community), Magdalena came up to me (if I have not told you about this little girl before, I apologize. She is a 7 year old girl with enough gozo (joy) to bring peace to the world, and a smile that would make the worst dictator melt before her) put her hands on the her cheeks smiled at me with a little squeal of excitement. I picked her up to give her a hug and she put her hands on both of my cheeks and brought by head forward so our foreheads touched. I almost started crying as I was overtaken by God’s love through this little girl.
My struggles here are a result of God’s changing appearance. He used to look like a well kept church, a man dressed in robes, a little wafer of unleavened wheat. Here, God is Magdalena, José Pastor, Sadie, Angel David, the mother of 10 who breaks down in tears of despair as I find her 11th child’s heartbeat to be strong and healthy in her belly, the volunteer who spends extra money and 5 hours to cook a special Christmas meal for the 10 of us who are missing our friends and families, the two determined boys who walk down a mountain with heavy sacks of vegetables while their older and stronger brothers complain as they carry a stick of sugar cane.

I encounter God every day here. Some days, when my eyes are open, I see Him.

Despair often creeps into the work here, and there are many moments when I want to throw up my hands in disgust and take the next flight home. After three months, I am finding myself shrinking. I am reminded that this is not my project. I am not the master builder, but only one worker. I am not here to fix centuries and cycles of poverty and abuse. I am here to do my little part by loving those people whom I get to encounter. I am here to work with what I have and with who I am to do the work God has given me; nothing more and nothing less.

Thank you for the work that you do. Thank you for saying YES to your part in this world as it is good, necessary, and of God.

learning what love is,
Jenny

Thanksgiving

2007-11-25T17:58:00.000-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

50 days

2007-11-16T09:30:00.000-08:00

Hello my beautiful friends and family!
Whew! Is it November already? It is impossible to believe that I have already been here for over a month!

So let me tell you a little about the farm as I have experienced it in the last 50 days…

Clinica: mi otra casa…
The official clinic hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 8-12:30. The clinic is open to our neighbors and surrounding villages for basic health care. We treat acute illness, have few chronic-illness services for patients with diabetes and hypertension, as well as offer well child and pre-natal checkups. We get a wide array of issues, and I am learning new things every day.
Thankfully, town is only about a 30 minute ride down the road, so anything serious is referred to the hospital.

Grupo de mujeres:
This is definitely one of the highlights of my week. Every Thursday afternoon, I get to visit our neighbors with a few other volunteers and participate in a women’s bible study. This is a great time to build relationships with our neighbors, as well as realize how far I have to go with my Spanish! I often feel lost in the conversation, but I am grateful just to get to spend time with them. Their faith and wisdom are inspiring.

La finca
So I don’t think I have really mentioned anything about how the farm is structured. For those inquiring minds…There are three phases to the farm. Phase 1 is life on the farm. The kids live and go to school on the farm. After graduation from 9th grade, they move into phase 2 which is located in a town (la ceiba) about three hours from the farm. These kids are continuing their education in school and learning to live more independently. There are two houses, one for boys and one for girls with one volunteer in each house. Phase three is comprised of those kids living completely independently of the farm.

Despedida
This last week has been bitter sweet. It began with the arrival of the kids from phase two visiting the farm. It is so much fun to have older kids on the farm! There are several families of children who live here, so it is has been fun to get to see the families together again. It feels like older siblings coming home from college. Several of our kids have recently graduated from phase one, and will be leaving for ceiba this week. I am sad to see them go, but so excited to see them grow and mature into adulthood. I had not expected how quickly I would come to love these kids. Just after knowing them for a month, I feel a great sense of loss with their departure. It is really incredible to see their willingness and desire to let us be a part of their lives.

cartas
I have recently taken to writing letters. It is so much more enjoyable than spending hours on these frustrating computers! I was so spoiled with cable internet in the states! So if you could please email me your mailing addresses (jennymontague@gmail.com) so I can send you the letters I have written for you! 

Oh, as some of you have been asking. My address here is:
Finca del nino, Apartado 110
Trujillo, Colon, Honduras,
Central America.
I think postage to Honduras is about 90 cents. DON’T send cardboard box packages! It can take anywhere from several months to eternity to get here. If you want to send a package, it is safer to put them in those yellow or white padded envelopes (I like chocolate).

So that is a oh-so-brief overview of what I have been doing this past month. It really doesn’t do this place justice. I am so grateful to get to be here, and I am learning so much. Please keep me updates on your lives! I miss you all and can’t wait to hear from you! Oh, and if any of you find yourself in the area, you are always more than welcome to visit. Just let me know ahead of time so I can take some time off!
Until next time...

reality check

2007-09-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

Hola todos!
5 days and counting until I leave my safe haven of Xela, Guatemala and enter the unknown, once again, in Honduras! The past 7 weeks have flown by! It is mind boggling to think that it was just a month and a half ago when I arrived in this beautiful country and met the 7 oddballs I get to spend the next couple of years with (it is going to rock)!!!
It is such a strange feeling leaving. While it is sad to say goodbye to the friends I have made and the EXCELLENT hot chocolate, I am bursting with excitement to FINALLY get to meet the farm.

Thus far, I have only shared positive stories about this city and culture. But as I reflect on my time here and what I will take from this experience, I feel that I need to share a story that wasn´t as positive, but is true to the city and culture.

Being a tourist in another country has been an amazing experience. As tourists, we have gotten a taste of the best of everything. We eat at tasty "gringo safe" restaurants and cafes, travel in private vans to experience the most breathtaking vistas with agua pura (bottled water) in hand, are able to purchase must-have typical Guatemalan goods from bilingual vendors and everything comes at the price of just a few dollars. Life as a tourist is incredible and never without a dull moment.

While as tourists we get to enjoy the best that the county has to offer, we have found that the life of the locals, is sometimes quite different.

One afternoon after classes, a fellow volunteer and I were walking back to our house as we discussed the uses of ¨por y para¨ looking forward to the delicious meal we knew would be awaiting us. When we walked in the door, we found our host father sprawled on the cement floor covered in dirt, pale as a ghost, with several injuries on his hands.

The other volunteer ran to find our host mother, while I tried to figure out what had happened and if there was anything I could do for him. I asked him what had happened, but I believe his responses would have been incomprehensible even to native spanish speakers. I have heard stories people being kidnapped for political reasons, only returned to die on their doorstep, so not knowing what had happened, I assumed the worst.

After a few minutes, our host mother appeared yelling to us to leave him alone. As I tried to comprehend how we were supposed to leave a man to die alone in the doorway, she explained that he was an alcoholic and had been binging for the past week. While I sympathized with her, my mind was in nursing mode and imaging all the horrible things that could happen to him if we left him lying on his back on the floor. We asked if we could at least help him to bed, but she insisted that it would be better that he woke up on the floor to realize what he had done and she lead us into the dinning room to eat lunch.

During lunch, she shared with us stories of alcoholism and failed rehab.

As tourists in xela, we have gotten to experience the best of the best that this place has to offer. As we eat rich food and drink hot chocolate, 10 year old children beg and shine shoes in the streets for bread. As we study spanish in language school, children sit at home because their teachers are on strike yet again. While I type this email in the middle of the afternoon, men stumble down the street drunk because they have lost all hope that their situation could ever improve... and I don´t blame them. Because the realities of life are hushed and hidden, the cycles of poverty and alcoholism continue.

There are many things that I will probably forget after I leave Xela. I probably won't remember the names of the incredible restaurants where I ate, the beautiful views, or even the rules about when to use "por" vs "para". One thing that I will take from my time here is the two minutes when I looked into the eyes of my drunken host father. His eyes did not speak of the great time he had the previous week. They did not show the slightest glimmer contentment. All I could see when I looked into his eyes was fear and hopelessness.

Please keep this kind man, and the beautiful people of Guatemala in your prayers.

paz,
Jenny

Felix

2007-09-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

Thanks for all the concerned emails about the hurricane. We have been watching its progress on the news every morning. No worries about our safely here in Quetzaltenango. We are at such a high altitude and totally surrounded by mountains, thus totally safe. The farm may be another story. I heard that they all evacuated, so I think the people are fine, but I am not sure about the structures. Please keep them in your prayers.

Today our group went to a natural sauna. The extreme temperatures in the sauna was a wonderful break from the cold weather for about five minutes. After that, I thought my lungs we going to burst from the heat. It was miserably wonderful. I look forward to going back.

My spanish is slowing improving. I am now enjoying the feeling of not be totally confused during conversations in spanish, and a couple of times I have even able to pull off some of jokes. Of course they may have just been laughing at me, but either way, the laughter was good.

The last two volunteers finally arrived this week, so our little group of 8 is now complete! I can not rave enough about everyone. We have a great mix of awesome people. The next couple of years are going to rock!

That is all I have for now. I really just wanted to let everyone know that I am well and safe from any storms. I love you all and look forward to hearing from you soon!!
Jenny

Photos, cats and epiphanies

2007-08-28T14:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been a long time comming, but as I pomised, I finally have photos.
http://boisestate.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2020300&l=54b59&id=52300282

I decided that I didnt care for the way this website uploads photos, but just click the link above and you can see them. If you have any problems, please email me jennymontague@gmail.com

Things in xela are as crazy and wonderful as ever. One of the teachers at our school started a program here that helps to create libraries in some of the surrounding pueblos. It is an awesome organization and run by some great people. This last weekend, the org had a day of drawing, movie watching (ice age) and teaching about the importance of taking care of the earth and animals. Our group was invited to go and had a great time!! It was so much fun playing with the kids. Theresa, Annie and I taught some of the girls cats cradle (a popular game among girls in the states). Some of the boys even got into it! It was awesome!

Life at home has been a little frustraiting. I have been having a really hard time understanding my host family, and I had been getting really discouraged because after three weeks I couldnt understand them any better than the first day I arrived... until we went to help out with the kids. While we were there, I kept thinking that their accent was strangly similar to that of my host family, and once again, I couldnt understand anyone. I can not tell you how relieved I was to find out that they were actually speaking a different language!!! Many of the mayans here speak mum or kique (I am pretty sure I spelled both of those wrong). The language sounds completly different, because they use some spanish words, I thought it was all the same. I changed host families this weekend just to get a different experience, and now, I feel like I am fluent! Life is great!

Well, I had better get out of here. I need to get to studying. Hope you all are doing well! Keep the emails comming! I always love to hear how you are doing!

besitos,
Jenny
p.s. sorry about the spelling, as I am sure it is horrible. This computer is a little different and I cant figure out spell check or puncuation. I will try to get it fixed soon. :)

Jenny hates computers

2007-08-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

Hola todos!
So I decided that it was time to do this blog thing. I have posted a few emails that I have sent out to random people, so ignore the repeat.
I am having a hard time uploading photos as this computer is so slow, but I´m working on it. I will get them up as soon as I can figure this stuff out!
Love y´all!
Jenny

Santa Maria

2007-08-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

A few moments in my life I know I will never forget. I get to add today to the list.

Today a group from spanish school decided it would be a good idea to hike to the top of a nearby volcano. I have spent the last ten minute staring at the computer screen trying to decide where to begin... words could not possibly do it justice.

We arrived at the base of the volcano around 0530 to start the journey. After the first hour or so of hiking, I gave up on taking pictures. Every step closer to the top was more beautiful, and I needed to save my batteries for the summit. After the the second hour of hiking, my legs were starting to feel a bit like jelly, but the scenery and conversation were both great distraction from the growing sensation of uncertainty of reaching the top that creeped up from my legs. After the 3rd hour, I turned my focus to the decent, realizing how treatourous it would be due to the slick, steep, terrain. After the 4th hour, I was hoping that the volcano would erupt and put me out of my misery. 4 hours, 50 minutes, 32 seconds after we started out little hike, I entered a new world.

When we started out the hike, there was not a cloud in the sky, but when we reached the top, they had completely surrounded us. One in a while, there would be a slight break in the clouds and we discovered just how high we had climbed that morning. It was unbelievable to be able to look over the top of the clouds and not be in a airplane!

Yes, I took pictures, and they suck compared to the real thing. But, as soon as I get a couple 4 hours free, I will battle the computer and get them posted.

Keep your stories coming! I much prefer to hear about your lives than ramble on about mine!!! :)

Love y´all,

Jenny

life, the universe, and everything...

2007-08-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

Life in guatemala is incredible (and it´s only week 2!) Actually, today it has been a little frustrating. Spanish classes this week have been a little more challenging, and I´m struggling to find a way to express myself in english or in spanish. My theory is that I have studied so many different rules and topics in spanish that right now I´m struggling to keep them all straight in my brain. Today, for instance, I couldn´t remember how to conjugate regular present tense verbs... something that I have understood well since high school. I´m thinking that the combination of discussing more in depth topics with the great multitude of rules I have rolling around in my head, my brain needs a little time to get them all figured out. And this will only come with a little patience and time. Other than the frustrations of trying to bumble my way around in a different culture and with a new language, I have absolutely no complaints. My life is truly is incredible. The group that I am with right now (my volunteer class) is an incredible group of people. I can´t believe I get to be apart of it. There is such a array of skills, knowledge and humor that there is never a dull moment. I already feel like I´ve known them for so long even though it´s only been two weeks.
Qué más... I´ve also had the opportunity to take some amazing trips to nearby pueblos. Last weekend, we visited some Mayan ruins and this weekend we´re going to hike up a volcano. The scenery here is breathtaking. I often find myself smiling stupidly completely amazed at my surrounding (both scenery and people).
It is a strange life though because in the back of my mind, I know I´m only going to be here for 5 1/2 more weeks. This is somewhat of a scary thought, but I am really anxious to get to meet the others at the finca.
So that, in a small nutshell (perhaps a pistachio), is my life today. Pretty damn good.
Well, I´d better get. I´m going to a converence this afternoon about guatemalan education. It will be eye opening, no doubt.

mucho amor, besitos y abrasos,
Jenny

serious rain storm

2007-08-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Dude!!!
I didn´t think my classes this morning were ever going to end!! About a half hour to the end, I told my professor my brain was full and I couldn´t take it anymore! Amazingly, she thought I had been speaking better today. I don´t know how it was possible. I think the trick is that you just have to slur a bunch of sounds together and then say ¨right?¨at the end and then they know it´s their turn to start mumbling. It´s actually quite a simple system when you get down to the bare bones. ;) After classes, we watched a most exciting soccer game between Argentina and Xela. It was a pretty important game, and thankfully we won. If we had lost there probably would have been riots. They take their fútbol here pretty seriously!!!
Then it was back to school. But this time we were the teacher and we got to speak in english!!! It was so exciting! Until, that is, i got to the school and realized that I was ¨teaching¨ a bunch of teenage boys and all they wanted to know was if I was married. It didn´t work out exactly as I had hoped, but I did have a few students who truly were interested in learning english, so I had a good time.
I realized when I got back that I had just enough time before dinner to go to the bank... and then came the rain storm. Seriously, the rain storms here remind me of the thunderstorms in arkansas, except like 20 times more rain and no thunder or lighting. I pulled out my handy dandy umbrella which did a great job of keeping my hair dry. Really the umbrella didn´t stand a chance. So I had a lovely little walk home in the torrential down pour and got home just in time to have a delicious dinner with my host family. All in all it was a great day!! ;)
Okay, now I need to get going. I have ¨reviews¨ (which are amazingly similar to tests) twice a week (I think I have the toughest teacher in the school), so I need to study for my ¨review¨ tomorrow!!! I love you all and miss you TONS!!!

Jenny

mayan ruins

2007-08-12T16:31:00.000-07:00

¡Hola todos! ¿Qué pasa?
Yesterday, our group traveled to a near by pueble, huehuetenango to visit some myan ruins. It was supercool! One of the teachers accompanied us, and gave us a little rundown of the ruins (no pun intended). It was so intersting. We climbed to the top of one of the pyramids and found a circular pot-like thing. Our guide said it was where they collected the blood from human sacrafices(usually prisioners of war). She really wanted to impress upon usthat they did not have human sacrafices all the time (as is depictedin Mel Gibson´s movie), just when there was a new king, or some kindof celebration, or to pay for the pueblos sins. It seemed that she wanted to make it seem a little less gruesome, but then she told ushow they would take out the hearts and they would still be beating... personally I wouldn´t want to get on their bad side.
Classes are going well, I think. I know I´m making progress, but all of my confidence is crushed when I have dinner withmy family. They talk so stinking fast! It´s quite amazing. It is encouraging to know that others have been through the same process andcame out on the other side with a good working knowledge of spanish. I still have hope that I will get there.
So I realized that this email makes it sound like I never study. If only! I spend a good chunk of the day either at my little desk or ina café studying. If only I can make it through the past tense verbs, I think i´ll be in the clear. Well I´d better get. I´m meeting my friends to play ultimate. Yeah, that sounds bad too. But in my defense, I´ve spent about 3 or 4 hours today studying. I think I deserve a break! :)
Love you all!
Jenny

buenos dias de xela!

2007-08-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

At last! I have arrived! It is so good to finally have a place to stay for a while. I love traveling, but it´s nice to just stay put for a bit.
I arrived in Guatemala city wednesday and have been going non stop since. We (my volunteer group) stayed in a hostel the first night. It was wonderful! The owners were so kind to help out a few clumsy gringos. the next day, we had a 5 hour bus ride to xela (where I will be in language school for the next two months). Our group went to the school and ran into some other students who have been here for a few months. this is such a beautiful city! I love it already, and am learning so quickly:

Lesson 1: Canadians in Guatemala are super friendly and great tour guides!
We all went out to dinner ( with the canadian students) at a great italian restaurant, and after saw an amazing concert! It was a fantastic night!

Lesson 2: House keys break if you try to use them in houses that are not your own.
I walking home after the concert with one of my new compañeros and I got a little turned around. I found what I thought to be my host families house, and tried the key. The key fit, but wouldn´t turn and sadly they key broke. I knocked on the door and found an angry woman and child inside who were definitely not my host family. oops! Just a few more minutes of walking, and we found the house. I was relieved! :)

Well, I have to run, but I just wanted to let you all know that I arrived safely. I still haven´t figured out the phone thing, but I will soon. I love you all and miss you!
Jenny