Samana Santa Week

Semana Santa is Holy Week in Honduras (and Central America). This is a week off of school and by Wednesday, all of the businesses close for the festivities.

 This week is fun and full of cultural fun but we were also blessed by having some of the guys from 'home' come and help Jeremie on some construction projects. Having these guys come was like having an extension of home for a week. And with them brought tons of chocolate and other goodies. :)

Greg, Terry, Jeremie, Isaac, Matt, Ben and Santos

The week was filled with lots of work. In 4 1/2 days they put on a roof, finished framing, and sheet rocked 80% of a house.


Isaac 'helping' daddy

They also worked on electrical for the house and an apartment. It was such an encouragement for Jeremie to be able to work with his 'best friends' and accomplish a huge task.


























So because I am here, we had to play some. :) We had ice cream in center square and Good Friday we all went to Comayagua to see the Alfombra's (saw dust carpets) These carpets are a big deal. The people who make these, stay up all night creating these pieces of art and by noon the next day, the processional walks over them and they are destroyed.

Saw dust carpets in Comayagua

In center square on Good Friday

Embracing new traditions has been really fun. But Easter wouldn't be complete without having some traditions of our own.

So Saturday and Sunday were filled with coloring Easter eggs, a scavenger hunt for baskets and an egg hunt with friends. We didn't have ham for dinner (it's really hard to find) but we all enjoyed some bacon wrapped chicken. :)

 

 HE IS RISEN!!

coloring eggs

Hannah was very excited about her basket

Finding eggs with CANDY!!

Jordan and Isaac after the egg hunt

Time with family

Last month we were able to get away and experience more of the beauty of Honduras. We had heard of a beautiful water fall about 2 hours away and we decided to go and find it. So, with our GPS and the 'directions' from the hotel we were off.

Lake Yojoa

We stopped at Lake Yojoa for lunch. It is a beautiful lake and it is the place to go and have a fresh fish dinner. We all enjoyed fresh tilapia and tajada's (fried green banana's).
Isaac especially enjoyed it when the fisherman came in with a fresh catch of fish. We all looked like tourists as we watched him unload and weigh his catch.

After lunch and a few " I think this is the way to go" comments, we made it to the waterfall. I felt like we had reached the tropics - it was completely beautiful, full of bird sounds and water, and my hair instantly curled from the humidity. :)

It was such a blessing to be able to relax and spend time with our kids. We laughed and played in the water for hours. Isaac threw rocks into the river and Hannah and I enjoyed an evening swim by torch light. The next morning, the game was who could get the best picture of the Iguana's - I think Jeremie won.














Before we left for our mini vacation, we had all been sick. So some of us were still re-cooperating. The walk to and from the waterfall tired us all out. But WOW!! it was worth it.




Days like this reminded us that yes it is important to work hard and serve the people of Honduras but it is equally important to spend time as a family and make memories that will last forever.





Standing in the mini falls - Isaac was not impressed

 

Isaac liked the calmer water with his daddy

Walking to the waterfall

The boys :)

Pulhapahzak

The Iguana's roamed free and his family was our breakfast entertainment
 

Pool time with my girl