Just a quick update

Thanks to a Facebook post from my cousin-in-law Tina I realized that I really need to update Maria Yesenia's status. We're still waiting. =( When I was at the center last Monday, Sean and I met with the Director and social worker to work out something that we could do for her. The Director called the parent and he said that he would come on Tuesday of this week by 8:30am. He lives in Gracias (I believe I said Copan in my last blog) and that's a 9 hour bus ride from San Pedro. But, if she saw the doctor on Tuesday then she most likely could see the cardiologist on Wednesday (the only day of the week he sees these patients.) So, we had everything arranged again. I was going to go get them in the morning, take them to the doctor and then German graciously volunteered to take them back so I didn't have to drive to San Pedro twice in one day. I asked the Director to call me when he arrived and then I would hit the road. We waited, and waited, and waited. He never came. Never called. He still hasn't come and it's Thursday. I understand that it's a long uncomfortable bus ride, but his daughter is so, so sick. I don't understand why he didn't even contact us to tell us what's going on. And what's even worse is that Sean and I are going to the States next week. So that means she'll be waiting for at least another week and a half before she can see the doctor. Honestly, I'm feeling really helpless in this situation. I'm usually pretty good about being able to offer someone assistance and if they don't take it, and it ends up hurting them, I understand that this was their choice. But this is so hard because Maria Yesenia isn't being given a choice. Her choices are being made for her and they are very bad ones. Ugh. Keep praying. Pray that another route would open up for her next week and that someone else will be able to fill in the gap with Sean and I gone.

I really hope that I have better news about this next time!

Quick Richar update as well... Sean and I finally got permission to volunteer and I got to see him last Wednesday. I was so so excited. I had met with the Director of Pronino in the morning and he gave me the ok to start volunteering... on Monday. But it was killing me to wait til Monday so I got permission from the Street Outreach worker to go that day. =) When I arrived no one could find him for a minute and my stomach flip flopped thinking he had run away. Nope, they found him on some steps reading a very outdated encyclopedia in English. Well, ok, not reading, looking at pictures. We then sat for the next hour or so with some of the other boys and I translated parts of the encyclopedias for them. You know, like snakes, astronauts, intestines - gross! Roger (the other kid I wrote about in the last blog) found the page about Phoenix and I said "That's where I live in the States!" He then very persistently begged me to point out my house to him. So cute. But unfortunately I just couldn't quite place it. =)

Then on Monday of this week I went for my first volunteer morning. Sean couldn't come because he's in the midst of two really big projects. =( The plan is for me to teach math, because the theory is that math is the same in every language. The thing that I forgot until Monday morning is that I really struggle with numbers in Spanish. So when I asked Salomon what 7x4 is and he said 28, I definitely told him he was wrong. Hmm, this might be a problem. But in general I'm pretty excited about it. There are only 8 kids in class in the morning and I'll be working with them in groups of 1-4 so I think I can handle that! And again, it was good to spend the morning with Richar. Towards the end of the morning when the kids were getting bored and restless some of them started taunting Richar and he made some moves as though to start a fight, but he quickly calmed down. I told him I was proud of him and he asked me some things about elephants. I think thats his way of saying thank you? Maybe.

We're going to Pronino on Saturday to see them one more time before we go to the States for a week, which brings me to my next point of discussion. Both Sean and I will have an extra empty suitcase that we're planning on filling with clothes and toiletries for the boys at Pronino. I'll be in Phila (Ohio) and Sean will be in AZ so if anyone from Arizona or Ohio wants to donate some gently used boys clothes, shoes or toiletries (think pubescent boys without deodorant. They need them some deodorant...) let us know!