The Macdonald files

Well..thankfully the hurricane only amounted to a couple of cold days wind and rain..it affected the north coast more but minimal damage and loss of life.Although yesterday there were storms in Teguc and terrible flooding..2 kids and a pregnant woman were killed..the infastructure is so poor and all the rubbish blocks drainage..so sad.Hamish is out mixing cement as I write… he was aching this morning he tells me in the hope of a massage I think!the houses are going up and looking great.I continue in the de lousing of little ones..it’s a creepy job..had head lice crawling over my feet !what I would do for some hot water and a bath!the kids are lovely and it will be nice seeing them not scratching.I am enjoying schooling my kids a little more it is a challenge..but really enjoying the time I`m having with them..making sure they are writing and reading daily ..the one I worry about is Flora..because she only just started school..but she is doing well learning to read with phonics..and its real exciting watching them “get it”.We walk in the mountains with different groups of kids each afternoon..or take them to play footie..its always a good time of fun and getting to know the kids more…Generally our kids come too..and its great seeing how children relate to others..no agendas with culture..race..language..its how it should be.We climbed a mountain path then cut through the fields..visited Don Pablos house(he looks after the other finca where the football field and animals are)we chased chickens petted rabbits..petted spotty pigs(much to Floras delight)and generally enjoyed nature all around us.We scrambled down the mountain..crossed a small river..into the other finca..stroked the horses and cows then then all had a ride on Nuka the bull he is so sweet and affectionate and huge..must get a photo of the kids riding the bull!Then all the kids climbed trees for lemons(the size of grapefruit) and guavas..sadly mango season is over!then all the kids went to get sugar cane..which Pablo expertly strips with a machete..tough work..my hands were tired after one!the kids chew the cane happily all the way home whilst carrying armfuls of fruity treasures…such simple excitement for the kids…they all seem very happy.The kids who sing with me are doing great..learnt two new Spanish songs with them this week..lovely songs..want to take them all back to uk! What a choir they would be!Playing clarinet a lot which is good for me..and writing songs when they pop up in my head!which is frequently at the moment!Flora has started singing whatever she is thinking out load..it can go on and on..its really funny and cute..she is so expressive with her face and will dance at the same time..who am I to stop her creative streak..shes obviously heard her mother shrieking in the shower too often!Been reading some great stuff to wind down in the evening..I love to read..read some John Irving..love his characters..always fascinating…reading tozer presently `the roots of righteousness..very challenging..also have on the go abook about mission in Africa which is fascinating..it is called..making the blind man lame… there is some funny bits in it they had to teach their children at home for a little while and I laughed at these quotes…here goes…” in reality..it it worse than having your teeth itch”…..”homeschooling in my humble opinion was created to punish people who did not appreciate their teachers when they were students”.They made me smile..and feel better on the days that are grim!!Also read a book called 3 cups of tea about a guys work in Pakistan educating girls..fascinating and inspiring story.We met a couple the other day..you are going to think they are crazy..they are walking from north Carolina to Peru..its taken them a year so far!they feel called to missions and have trusted God for everything along the way..money board food…and of course God has provided..they were really normal nice people only been married 2 years…kind of a nice honeymoon! To check out their blog here is the address Our Walk of Faith check them out and encourage them.Off to our friends Leonni`s tonight for tea she is a real break..we always have a nice chillout there which is much needed…we love it here..but it is unmistakingly a hard place to be we often feel quite oppressed by the atmosphere here in Honduras..it almost feels physical..please continue to pray for us..we do miss you all at home…Take care all our love Rachel Hamish and children.

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We got safely to central america via Guatamala and bussed it through El Salvador.it was quicker and interesting to see volcanos!!Good to be back in Valle and to see the kids.Hamish is back building..I am teaching the kids in morning then helping with taking kids to football field each afternoon and general washing and playing with children..then I do music in the evening.Life is full…not always easy..it can be very draining..but we are glad to be here.Went to a church that has an english service..we are basing ourselves there whilst here it is great full of people involved in such diverse things..and very supportive..we feel very looked after there.The church is huge..they have 6 services in in spanish on a sunday and one on a saturday..which the pastor said is a small meeting of about 600people!!..amazing place..!its great for us to be with english speakers for a while..and the kids enjoy it.Our Spanish is continually frustrating we get by but having a conversation about deeper things is difficult..I study each night to keep improving my vocab..but its like the more you know the more you realise how much more there is to learn..the kids are speaking well now!I enjoyed riding a horse bareback round the finca its a real horsey place..everywhere there are people riding..it was lovely..the kids rode too.It was the national day of the child yesterday and the kids had special people come with cake pinatas and gifts it was a happy day.Before I go..we have just heard that a catagory 5 hurricane is due to hit La Ceiba in Honduras in the next 24 hours..the country is bracing itself for floods….I dont believe it!!please pray all will be well..it is so devastating in a poor country…pray the damage will be minimaland it wont be another Mitcth.Our mexican freinds and workers are currently travelling there and onto belize by boat!please pray they will be out of harms way.Thats all for now!take care all who read this..all our love Rachel and Hamish.

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Since I last wrote we have been relaxing and resting and meeting people from the church here.We met with the paster at someones house with an amazing swimming pool..with slides..we had a lovely time with them sharing about Honduras.We were invited to use the pool when we wanted..we have been so blessed by peoples hospitality!!I sang at the church..and we spoke of Honduras and the work there…we have been so fortunate to have met such great people.The paster is called Tom and its a pesbytarian church..we want to thank him for being so welcoming!We also had an earthquake..it was a loud noise and it felt like the bed lifted or something rolled under the house very odd and made you feel shakey but over very quickly! thankfully..it was 4.5 and glad no bigger..I dont think I`d like to live near so many fault lines..the Californians feel them all the time..its like rain in England just a fact of life!Well back from another week touring in the purple pontiac..had a wonderful time.though we are exausted from all the miles and night driving!We started at universal studios where we saw JAWS which the kids liked ..also the set of Darcys favorite film THE GRINCH..and saw the plane wreck set of WAR OF THE WORLDS..and we saw norman bates motel and the house behind..There was loads to do and the kids loved it.The next day we went to disneyworld..crowded!!but we had a wonderful day..the kids were allowed on all the rides height wise…even little Flora..so we were going on all sorts of scary rollercoasters..there was one in the dark and it felt like you were flying in the dark..flora went on the front with Seth and the rest of us behind..I thought she would get off crying..it was so fast and scary ..but she turned to us and said “that was wicked”she`s only 5.The next day..off to San diego…lovely place..and sea world…saw some amazing shows of dolphins and shamu the killer whale…we fed dolphins.. saw sharks..pola bears and basically had a fantastic day out..a great place!flora was enthralled by the huge walruses with horns and the penguins.She spent about two hours at the end of the day pretending to be a penguin..walking with her feet turned out flapping her wings and demanding fish with penguin noises…it took us ages to get anywhere!!she told us she wasnt pretending..she really was a penguin! an actress in the making !We then headed to the joshua tree national park..which was gorgeous..desert with loads of huge rocks.and joshua trees!Then we headed for las vegas..DESERT for miles….nothing for hours in the car..no food..just water and no airconditioning..it was a trial at times…but just amazing expanses of space and never ending straight roads! then a flat tyre!! in the desert at around 6pm….not impressed but thankful everyone was ok..the tyre in pieces.We all sat in the dust at the side of the road whilst ham fixed the tyre with a tiny get you home tyre..looked unsafe ..then along came a policeman who was lovely..and helped us out..got to vegas..and found a mexican tyre place and we got a new tyre and fixed within 15 mins!event over.Finding a place to stay there was difficult as friday night prices were impossible..eventually we found somewhere out of town..and had a good rest.We visited the hoover dam..the next day amazing piece of engineering..then swam in a near by lake to cool off!off back to vegas for the evening..to wander through the huge hotels..and soak it all up..we took the kids in New york New york for an icecream..a rollercoaster..rides through it..everything was larger than life..and it was great to see..think I would like it better without the kids..it was packed scared of losing them!After that another long drive to death valley…this was one of the most beutiful places I have ever seen..huge mountains..sand dunes..such a weird landscape..gorgeous..though the heat was overwhelming..119 in the day 96 at night…we drove late into the night and couldnt find anywhere to stay..so we slept in the car in death valley…never again..the heat was incredible..Hamish went outside and slept on the path to keep cooler..we all thought about it but the kids were worried about the coyotes howling..and rattlesnakes..so we stuck it out in the sweat mobil !A bleary eyed onwards and upwards to yosemite national park..gorgeous..and would love to go back there..dramatis mountains..freezing clear lakes and cool breezes..love to do some serious walking there..On to San Francisco with its lovely skyline and spooky fog.We went over the bay bridge and saw the golden gate bridge..and the trams and the harbour with Alcatraz(thought of sending kids there for a few days)A most charming city full of character..and hills that are incredibly steep..the children said it looked like Plymouth!( but the hills much steeper)We saw seals in the harbour( Flora became all dramatic again..a seal this time) and wandered around old boats..a lovely city.That day was finished off in china town where we had a duck! well it came with its head on..and a twisted neck…flora said yuk its still got its eyes in!Seth thought it was cool..they all ate it.. obviously not shocking enough to make them vegetarian.On the way out of San francisco.we broke down on a very fast freeway!!hamish paranoid someone would go in the back of us got us out of the car and I started walking with the kids down the freeway ..no hard shoulder in the dark to get petrol..the kids were brill and kept holding the rail at the side of the road .We walked for about ten minutes..then I realised there was no junction in the near future..just continue walking on these scary bridges..so I made a decision to turn back and was greeted by a police car..which had earlier picked Hamish up and hooked the car to the front of his.Hamish told us afterwards the police had asked him to get his hands out his pockets and stand still..he said he was in the middle of the road with his hands up..feeling like he was in a movie…we all had a good laugh thinking of the scenario!They got us to a petrol station..me and the kids were black all down our left sides due to muck on the rail..it was all on our faces too..they gave us stuff to clean our hands with..checked it was only a petrol problem..it was thankfully!..we had a chat then off we went in search of a bed!An eventful evening..kids..enjoyed the police car ride and got a junior officer sticker..impressed so far with American police..still dont like thier big guns though..my son is more impressed with those.Off to sequoia national park..to see the giant forest.Huge magnificant redwood and sequoia trees were amazing to see..made formby pine woods look like toytown!we had the added joy of seeing a bear with her two cubs by the side of the road..fantastic view of them..a lovely end to our 2000mile mad trip round california.California is a most beautiful state..and would love to come back..though its the size of england..getting round with more time would be better.Well I`ll try and put some photos up soon..a bit of news we will be returning to Honduras via Guatamala again towards the end of this week depending on flights we are going for 3 months we are still doing the rest of the trip we have just taken a bit of time off Austrailia and India..we feel this would be best for us..and the children to be settled and there is so much to do down there..it seems at this moment to be a more productive use of our time.When we are there..bad internet connections..will mean less emails to freinds but we will update the blog at least weekly to let you know we are all ok.We miss you..keep in touch always great to hear from you..Love and God bless Rachel and the gang.

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