Sunday, January 23, 2011

Things I learned in Honduras...

Posted by Ashley Hoover

  1. Any traffic rules they might have are pretty much made to be broken.
  2. McDonald's tastes different there than in the States. Pizza Hut however does not. (I don't know about Dunkin' Donuts, Little Ceaser's, Popeyes, TCBY, Burger King, KFC or the others places I saw)
  3. I didn't know there were so many American fast food places in Honduras.
  4. The American fast food restaurants are not nearly as good as the food Honduran people make.
  5. If you don't want to know what hot dogs are made out of here, you really don't want to know what they are made out of in Honduras. I just burned it and ate it, thought it best to not ask questions.
  6. "Tostadas" can also mean French Toast.
  7. Just because the drink is orange in color it doesn't mean it's also orange flavor.
  8. Hondurans are the most generous, hospitable, friendly people I've ever met.
  9. For those of you jealous of the temperature difference...hats, scarves and mittens do still have value in Honduras and I was glad I packed them.
  10. If the cheese is the only thing that will take some getting used to food wise, we are doing really good.
  11. Children are the best language teachers.
  12. They like to take pictures of everything.
  13. I still don't know why we gave children coffee for supper before they had to go to bed.
  14. Hondurans' patriotism would put some Americans to shame. They might not have a lot but they love thier country.
  15. Don't eat the "soup" the campers might make for you while washing the dishes. (No, I don't know this from experience, just an observation.)
  16. Hondurans eat red beans not black beans. Yes, the color does matter.

7 comments:

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Posted by Ashley Hoover

I am traveling today & would appreciate prayer for safety as there is some snow on the roads. Thanks!

7 comments:

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Jovenes Con Vision

Posted by Ashley Hoover

Januray 10-15 was the Jovenes Con Vision training. Nine students attended from two different churches and they did a great job. Since I have over 400 pictures I thought a slideshow would be the easiest way to share several of them with you. I helped teach the demo club each night, taught a class on songs and helped evaluate the students' practicums. Four of the students at this training had been counselors at Camp Good News the week before. It was neat to get to know them better. I am excited for them as they teach 5-Day Clubs this week and next week. Please pray for them as they share the Gospel with children.

3 comments:

Camp Good News 2011

Posted by Ashley Hoover

A couple days after arriving in Honduras Camp Good News started. I was really excited to see what this ministry was like since I've never seen a CGN here in the states. We packed about 90 campers and counselors onto a bus (and that was just the girls, the guys had thier own bus!) and set off for camp. They sang camp songs a good part of the ride which I learned pretty well by the time we came back. My biggest song accomplishment was being able to sing "There's a hole in the bottom of the sea" as fast as they did. :)

This was the 24 year for Camp Good News in Honduras. My sister and I were assigned to a cabin with 6 girls ages 9-14. They were a whole lot of fun to be with. It took a little bit to try to get into the Spanish speaking/hearing groove but the first night of camp they elected me to play the princess in the skit so I couldn't take too long. That was also probably the most out of my comfort zone thing I did during the whole two weeks.

A normal day at camp went like this: (these times are estimates since I didn't really have a watch)
Get up at 4:30am and try to get all four cabins in our building through the one shower by 6:25am. It didn't always work so well but we tried.
6:25am Flag salute and cabin devotions. I got to lead several of our cabin devotions which I really enjoyed.
7:00am Breakfast! We ate a lot of beans, tortillas, bananas and coffee. All the food was really good and I don't think we will have any issues in that department. :) After breakfast half of the cabin washed our dishes and the other half went to make sure the cabin was all cleaned up for inspection.
8:00 We began rotating sessions of four different topics. There was a health class, Bible lesson, another class that varied each day and then our craft project. They made sock puppets as thier craft which ended up being more of a leader project due to the many details.
12:00 Lunch time and wash the dishes again.
1ish was nap time. Seldom did they actually nap but we tried to at least keep them a little quiet.
After nap time there was another Bible lesson and then we went for a hike. The first day's hike we went way up the mountain. It was quite the climb and I caught a couple hikers from taking a spill but the view from the top was worth it. We saw a scorpion on that hike too. During another hike we collected firewood for the bonfires at night. Also in the afternoon we had time for games. During one game we all got covered in mud from crawling under ropes in this mud pit they made. It was a great bonding experience. :)
5:00 We ate supper and washed more dishes.
After supper was the "hour of surprises" where there would be skits by the different cabins related to the theme of the camp. This year it was about the Christian's life and how we should walk by the Spirit and not by what our sinful nature wants. I was impressed with how well that theme was incorporated throughout every aspect of camp. In the Bible lessons, cabin devotions, evening bonfires, even game time and just conversation with the campers it was constantly reinforced.
In the eventings we had a bonfire where we sang songs and one of the leaders would give a devotional. One bonfire we roasted marshmallows and hot dogs.
After the bonfire it was  time to have evening cabin devotions and head to bed. Depending on how long those took we would get in bed around 10:30 or later.
They were very long, busy days but it was also a lot of fun. One girl named Gracie in our cabin recieved Christ as her Savior during camp. Several others made professions of faith as well. Many of them come from non-Christian homes so please pray that they would continue to grow in thier faith and be a good witness to thier familes.

I unfortunately don't have any photos from Camp Good News since I was really busy and not really in a position to take many pictures but I do have lots of photos from the second week that I will post.

4 comments:

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Posted by Ashley Hoover

Thanks for your prayers, we are back in the states & will get back home monday morning. I can't wait to share with you about my trip in the coming week!

1 comments:

Heading Home

Posted by Ashley Hoover

We are heading back home today after an incredible couple weeks here in Honduras. I will post all about it and pictures and all that good stuff when I get back and settled in again. Thank you so much for your prayers during this trip! We have a long trip home with an overnight layover so we'll actually arrive tomorrow morning. You all are such a blessing, I can't wait to share with you all we did together these past two weeks!

2 comments:

Monday, January 10, 2011

Jovenes Con Vision

Posted by Ashley Hoover

Today begins the Jovenes Con Vision training. (Christian Youth in Action for those familiar with it in the States) Please pray for all the students as they learn how to teach 5-Day Clubs and for the teachers that we would teach clearly and do our best to help equip them.

Children at a 5-Day Club in Honduras.

2 comments:

Monday, January 03, 2011

Camp Good News

Posted by Ashley Hoover

Camp Good News starts today. I'm really excited to see how this works here having never been involved with this aspect of CEF Ministry. Please pray for the children that come and the many volunteers who help make this happen. Above all that the gospel would be clearly communicated to the children and God would work in the hearts to draw them to Himself.

Photo from Camp Good News last year.

4 comments: