Happy new Year! I don't have any new pics, other than the ones I just added to December. On Jan. 31st I woke up with pain in my joints, from head to foot. I hoped it wasn't Chikungunya, but it was. It is a new disease in Central America - like dengue. I use repellant but Vicky gets the mosquito bites, yet I get the sickness. So new years day was spent in bed as well. Compared to others here who have had it (many people) I did not have it as bad as others. For this new year I am hoping to be healthy, not get sick any more, and return home whole.
Last week I was called to be 2nd counselor to the mission president. There was a time when I would have balked at a leadership calling here, as I would prefer to be in homes teaching the people instead of in meetings. However the mission president has so much to do and I am willing to do what I can to help. It doesn't change our mission: We won't move, we still go home in July. I was assigned 2 branches to supervise (part of the mission, not any stake). Each branch is isolated, and takes us about 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there. They are in opposite directions from our house. Both are in hot areas, and I have to wear a suit when I go. We went on our first visit yesterday to Ocos, west of here, very close to the Mexican border, right on the Pacific Coast. It is a small branch - 24 were there counting us. 2/3 of those are one extended family, the Riveras. They have been members for 20 years, and the 2nd generation is looking good.
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| We see lots of small 1/2 ton pickups with 1-2 ton loads on them. |
Most cows here look like bramhas. No Jerseys here.
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| Anyone for a banana? They tie the "branches"? together with ropes. |
This time of year there is little rain (so far only a little drizzle for a half hour), The birds are coming back. These are dark green parrots that fly in flock of one to two hundred, and chatter all the time.
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| We took a different road to Quetzaltenango. There are 2 volcanos along the way. Santa Maria is over 12,000 ft. high |
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| A road side stand in an area where lots of veggies and fruit are grown: big mandarins, limes, cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, and big radashes. |
Another place with onions, beets, tomatos and drinks. We don't drink much soda pop, but the people here do. The basic choices are cola, pineapple, grape, 7up, and Orange - and they are all too sweet.
Vicky likes these colors. I think we will buy a red car and paint the house pink when we get back,☺
Coconuts are everywhere. If you want just the coconut water they will lop the top off and either pour it into a plastic bag, or stick in a straw. But you can ask them to peel it, and with a small machete he goes to it. When he is done you have a white coconut about the size of a softball, with the water still inside. Vicky loves these, takes them home and cuts up the meat to feed on during the week.
Here is a short video of the guy peeling the coconut. I posted more pics above the pink house.
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| This is Jose Sarat. He is ten and is the only one in the ward that can play the piano keyboard, It is good to have a pianist. |
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| More big loads. A lot of bull. ☺ |
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| The sun is about to set over the ocean, an hour and a half from here. |
