We're Back!

So, we have been home for about a month now. We've been really busy since, which is awesome, and means I have lots of photos for you.

Let's begin.

There have been some visitors to our congregation. They have been here since before we got back, so it kinda feels like we are newbies. There is a sister from South Africa, and a couple and a brother from Italy. Unfortunately, the other awesome people went home while we were gone, but it's nice to have new faces.

A family from Colorado came to visit for a week to check Ceiba out, and they are moving here mid next year, which is exciting. They went out in service with us a few days, and their youngest son (7) started TWO studies! Ok, he may have had some help...

We recently had the Circuit Overseer visit. We have a new CO, their last circuit was in Mexico and they started out as need-greaters themselves. It was really encouraging to spend time with them and hear their experiences.

The last couple of weeks we've been heading further out of town to see where there might be English speakers. We've gone towards two communities called Sambo Creek and Corozal. The people in these areas are mostly Garifuna, but we also found a number of English speakers.
One day we went to a call of Zach's and another brother was out at his car, when we came back he was surrounded by all the neighborhood children asking him for books. They actually started going through his literature box themselves to find ones. This brought over some adults, who then wanted books for themselves. Unfortunately, we didn't really have a lot of literature in the right language, so not all the kids got something and when we left a little boy was throwing a legit tantrum because he didn't get one. It was really sad and really cute at the same time. The best part though, was that Zach had to go back out there about an hour later, and a lot of the people were still sitting around the same area reading the literature. Sometimes you don't know if someone really wants what you are offering, or if they just want something because everyone else got one. So that was really nice to see.

Zach and I now have the privilege of working in maintenance at the Translation Office. We've really missed RBC (LDC) so this is fun. I've been going about once a week and his first day is Monday. It's nice to get to associate with Bethelites and lots of brothers and sisters from different areas on a regular basis. It's amazing to see how much work goes into everything so that our brothers can have publications in their own language. It really makes me appreciate everything so much more.


Ok, photos! If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen some of these already, sorry.

It *may* have been raining a little this day. Or Manuel was still traumatized from being chased by geese, I don't know.

Our congregation as of last week. It's shrunk a little since. :(

Can you find Zach?

The view this afternoon.

We really didn't die this time...

It's been way too long, and I'm very sorry.

But....We are going back to Honduras!!!!
I know, I know...finally.

We have been back in the States for almost five months. It's been a loooooong time since we've really spent much time here, and it's weird. Culture shock is weird. There's an interesting phenomenon that seems to happen to most of us- you live somewhere forever, then leave for a little while and when you come back, it's scary. It took me a few months of going out in service here before  I stopped having a mini-panic attack every time we drove up to a door in service. I still get a little freaked out on the freeway- that's just embarrassing.

We've been keeping pretty busy here. Zach has been working for a brother in the congregation, and I've been trying to clear out all the stuff we still have. I thought we'd gotten rid of pretty much everything...nope. This is also why there haven't been any posts- you are not interested in that.

But we go back in just over a month, and then there will be all sorts of exciting things to talk about.


In the meantime, have a photo from the assembly right before we left for the States. We had a nice surprise- a brother and sister from Pioneer School who live in El Salvador came just to give a talk.

And now you're blog-famous, Taiye.

We're alive!!!!

It has been three months since my last post and I know some of you probably have been thinking we died, so you'll be relieved to hear that is not the case.
We have been so so busy lately I just haven't had time,  and now it's been so long I can't remember most of what's happened.  Oops. So, an abbreviated version of events.

We left off with all the visitors coming. Well, they came and it was awesome. Some are planning to come back, we're excited about that. Most have gone home now,  but we will get some more in the next month or so. Right now our congregation is looking a little small again.

A small experience to share.  A family that was visiting was able to come because the husband got a work hiatus, which in itself was totally unexpected.  But he had to be back by a specific date (to keep the job, I think), so they could only stay two months.  Well, two months are coming to an end and they are really enjoying it here and no one wants them to go, so we are all praying if there is a way they can stay. He gets an email from his boss, we don't need you back yet, stay a bit longer. Okay, if you insist. I think Jehovah answers prayers, don't you?

They also said something that I found really interesting and encouraging. They have always wanted to do something like need-greating, but felt they had to wait until the right time. Due to the work situation, they had the opportunity but didn't feel like they were ready and weren't sure if they should. Obviously they did come, and they were definitely blessed for that decision. I think a lot of us can feel that way, we might have a perception of what a (fill in the blank) should be like or what our circumstances should be, and therefore we might not reach out for the experiences and privileges that we could. Even if we don't think we are in the ideal situation or ready, that's okay, try anyway. In this system, you probably won't ever have perfect circumstances, and if you wait, you'll miss out.

You guys know who you are, and come back quickly!

Ok, so in March, we finally made it to Belize. We did our visa run there for a week. A week that was supposed to be super relaxing. It was not. The town was really small and cute and quiet, and we got to see Zach's cousins who live there, so that was nice. But basically everything that could go wrong did, including getting puked on a bit by a total stranger and losing Zach's wallet with all his cards and license in it. You'd be surprised how many shops and policemen are willing to take photocopies of identification here.

The congregation in Placencia is really big for such a small area, they had around 50 at the midweek meeting. There was a number of visitors from Honduras that week, so we got to meet sisters in our country that we might not have met otherwise. Plus, we got to hear our first bit of Kriol, which is just fun.

After that, we had our CO visit and the Memorial. We had about 50 in attendance, which was really impressive considering the timing. In April,  there is a celebration called Semana Santa. It's supposed to be religious, but is basically like Carnival or Marti Gras. On Friday (the day of the Memorial) is a specific holiday, and nobody works, including the busses, which are the main mode of transportation for many. It's generally a crazy day where no one goes out unless they are partaking in the festivities,  so to have that many come out after dark for the Memorial really impressed me.

We then took a road trip where nothing bad happened. That was the first one ever. We loaded up and drove out to Copan for a week and really got to explore this time. If they ever get an English group started, we may have to move.

Recently, the brother who normally goes to the prisons each week went on vacation,  so Zach went to fill in for him. Normally he takes other brothers so Zach hasn't been to the prison for a very long time. Well,  when he gets there,  he sees an old study of his from the first time we came down in 2012. We thought he had been released since before we went back to the States he was expecting to get out soon and go home to the islands, but unfortunately that's not the case. He was very happy to see Zach,  and has started studying again.

Since then, it's been service and work and repeat.

One of my favorite things about being here is all the people you get to meet. People come from all over the world, so you get to see how international the brotherhood is, and you get to meet many missionaries, special pioneers,  bethelites, etc. This week we got a phone call, hey a couple are visiting from the Central America Branch, can you show them around? Okay! We'd never met this couple before, had some language difficulties, and yet now we have new friends in another country, and a new place to visit. Where else can you have that kind of bond after only a few hours?

We have our assembly coming up at the end of the month, and then right after, we are heading back to the States for the summer. I'm a little excited because it's really, really hot here -not as hot as Nicaragua tho, aren't you guys jealous- and this week it snowed in Colorado. Also, Trader Joe's.

I'm sorry for the lack of photos in this post, I know that's what you really wanted, but I'm writing this in an app which doesn't seem to want me to upload pics. So we will have to do a strictly pic post or three later to make up for the last few months of nothing. 

Also, I did update the job resources page, so if you are looking for a way to support yourself from a country far, far away, see what's new.

Okay. Hasta luego, buenas noches, see you later, or soon for some of you.

Where to begin?

So Zach's parents visited. They didn't die and I think they had fun, so success! And photos!

Honduran Car Alarm

Guys fishing off the remains of the old pier.

While they were here, we had the Assembly. For a change, it was at a Kingdom Hall. Only the Honduran congregations in the Circuit were assigned here, so we all fit. It was pretty fun, like just being at a long meeting in the States. 

Zach had a soliloquy. I think all those drama classes in school paid off.

So, they left. The family from New Zealand came later that week. Then a couple from Canada came the week after. The brother from LA got here yesterday, and the next family comes on Thursday. I think that's it for a little while. It's been really nice to have so many visitors. We have a very international congregation right now.

This picture was taken just three weeks ago and it's already outdated!

We had a really fun day in service today. The territory was beautiful, very green with great views. We were doing survey work and found a good number of English speakers in the area. My favorite door though was a Spanish one. There were three people sitting outside a house. Zach asked if they spoke English and they said no, but wanted the latest magazines. (This is why we always carry Spanish literature.) So Zach hands the first guy the magazines, the other guy stands up to get a set. Then he hands it to the woman and puts his hand out for another. They talked to us for a minute, and when we went to leave, the one man asked when we could come back. Aww! We told him we would get a brother in a Spanish congregation to come see him.

Then Zach was talking to a woman, with his limited Spanish and she asked how long he has lived here. When she found out how long, she asked why he couldn't speak better Spanish, then proceeded to tell him he needed to go to the Spanish congregation to learn, and listed off the different locations! Obviously, Witnesses are very well known in this area.

Okay, picture time. 

 We could see Roatan from the top of this hill. We waved to all you friends out there, did you see us?

Busy Busy

Hello everybody! Thanks for all your concern, I'm all recuperated.
We've been really busy lately. Lots of new people have come to visit and we've had lots of things happening with our studies.

This weekend we have the Assembly, and Zach's parents are coming to visit. Very excited!

We have three sisters that came in this week, one from Germany and two from England. In a few weeks, families from New Zealand, Oregon, and a brother from Los Angeles are coming. I think there might be others, I'm not sure. Everyone is staying between a month and a year. All in our extra bedroom. Ok, maybe not.

The sisters all have return visits or studies already. One didn't even have to go out in service to get it!

We had a funny experience the other day. Zach took me to see a lady he had met before, and she right away says "O I'm sorry,  I haven't read the magazines you gave me, I gave them to my son.  But you can come in and we'll have a little study." Used those actual words. So we went in and indeed had a little study. 

Here's some recent photos. You may have seen them on IG already.