Posted by admin on 04 Aug 2007 | Tagged as: Central America, Honduras
Hi..thanks to all who have written comments..and sorry we couldnt write much whilst on the road..the net is too slow in many parts it was just too much agro to be bothering!We met my parents a day earlier than scheduled quite by chance..which was great..great to see them….they werent impressed with central American bus travel!!but they arrived with no problems! we stayed with them for a few days in Flores Guatamala..and visited Tikal mayan ruins which are in the jungle..saw monkeys in the trees..and climbed huge temples.Dad had us in fits of laughter at the pool he didnt like his grey chest hair..so mum in her wisdom said she`d use hair removing cream ….which she did…well what was revealed was weird bra shaped tan lines.. so funny! later on he complained of 5 o`clock shadow on his chest!! brits abroad eh!All he needs now is a medallion!We then travelled to San Ignacio in Belize..and took a trip to caves and waterfalls..this was a fantastic day..it was like a natural water slide..with conecting pools and a strong current that swept you down..such fun..seeing Grandma and Grandad sliding away then catching the kids as they went too.We met two guys from spain who were a lot of fun ..and help with the kids.We then took off for the coast and went to placencia a lovely peninsula of beach..and chilled out!!gorgeous…the kids found lots of starfish and coral..snorkelling was nice.Mum wasnt well with her tum…which made travelling to the mexican border hard..the next day the last stretch of 5hours till we got to playa del carmen Mexico..to our hotel and a doctor to sort mum out(all better in a couple of days).Well the hotel was fantastic…all inclusive and the food was amazing…marble floors massive beds..fridges filled with everydrink imaginable.. shower and seperate jacuzi bath..full airconditioning room service..towels folded into exotic shapes of animals!!And the kids had thier own ajoining room..which was lovely as weve all been in one room and sometimes all in one bed.I have never in my life been anywhere so posh…and I`ve a sneaky feeling I could get to like it!!swimming pools right on the shore of a fabulous caribbean beach…idylic!we spent a week eating.. drinking pina coladas..swimming in clear blue sea..and pools and generally relaxing.The kids loved having Grandad to play in the sea with them..Seth and Darcy loved jumping from the sandbanks into the high waves and getting pushed to the shore with them..fantastic fun the lifeguard kept blowing the whistle at them!!It was the same when we were kids it was my Dad doing the mad stunts in the swimming pool and getting the whistle blown!Saying bye to them was horrible and we felt on a real homesick downer all the way back to guatamala city..27 hours on buses spread over 3 days!!flora and Seth had picked up an ear infection(probably all that swimming)so it wasnt the most pleasant of journeys..we saw a doctor and they got sorted with antibiotics and are much better now thankfully..Seth throwing up all over the bus wasnt one of his finer moments..i am learning long bus journeys require towels not tissues….but wasnt quite as bad as when Darcy was sick in a restaurant in belize( a reaction to malaria tablets..not the food!) the plumbing in these places is bad and however hard I tried to poke the sick down the sink it wouldnt go!!!!I eventually had to tell the manager of my plight and asked him for a plunger!!!That wouldnt work..he had to unscrew the U bend in the sink and use the plunger and a bucket underneath to release my darling daughters stomach contents!!! it went all over the wall ..the guy was sweating and green..the walls were red..she had just drunk strawberryade!!it looked like the set of a cheap horror movie!!It was one of those please let me die now God moments!!Travelling with kids..its never dull.Well we made it to guatamala city and got our flight..it was a turbulant one with full scale thunder storm..was not impressed and very glad to get feet in LAX airport.We waited for a taxi and they wouldnt take 5 of us( we are definately back in pc western world..central America packs them in..it was quite a shock we couldnt get a taxi!)waited abouit half an hour and was talking to a guy who had been shooting a film in the very hotel we had stayed in the previous week..he was so lovely and offered to share two taxis..then he paid as his production company covers all his costs!!we are blessed..his programme is beauty and the geek!! I`ll have to check it out.Stayed at Niks house and had a sleep then off to santa monica mountains in the morning! we are in LA for 3 weeks and will be speaking about Honduras and hopefully generate some funds for the orphanage..and also singing and worshipping at a church here..and travelling to see some more of California.We will post photos pronto we have loads to weed through..trust all are well we heard UK has been having floods..sounds awfull..hope camp isnt a washout we miss camp( how can we say that whilst sunning ourselves in California…but its true!!)Trust camp has been a huge success and all is well with our friends and family.Love to you all miss you..Rachel Hamish Seth Darcy and FloraXXX
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Posted by admin on 03 Jul 2007 | Tagged as: Honduras
Well so much has happened since last posted something, I will try and keep it brief. Our apologies for not responding to every email. We don’t have internet access here in the village. or should I say its so slow, or unreliable. its too frustrating to bother! Will try and post this from
Tegucigalpa ( the capital city. its slightly more civilized!)We have been working hard. Hamish getting up early to.. sort out boys before school then it’s a day of hard graft mixing cement. and helping build houses which are going up fast. it’s a change from the classroom. he is building his muscles. and has a great tan…he also has aching shoulders. and wants plenty TLC off me! he dropped a concrete slab on his thumb today. .splatted !!his nail is black and I think it will come off! Hamish tucks the lads in at night and prays with them .!I teach our kids in the morning( hats off to all the teachers at linnaker!)then do whatever is needed around today I have been playing with the toddlers and delicing them..I have headlice at the moment..gross..but occupational hazard..Hamish wants me in quarantine!We have all had a couple of days of getting intimate with the toilet..but in general our health has been good!I have been singing with a group of girls in the afternoons..they are great..doing really well.and we have done lots of presentations around different churches.The presentations have consited of the girls singing group..the kids doing a brilliant puppet show..which is hilarious..me singing…and they love me playing the clarinet…the jazz version of the old rugged cross is a hit!we are also helping with the worship in the church..etc.The kids come round to our place in the evenings weve had some fun playing cards and just having a laugh with them or watching a film.Our kids have been great..the get fed up of the attention sometimes..but have had so many fab experiences..making tortillas in the kitchen..speaking Spanish..they have found it hard but communicating well now..wish we had a few months more..cos they pick it up really quick!Seth and flora have been bricklaying..Seth has worked very hard..its been great for him actually helping build a house….needless to say the health and safety laws in Honduras are nearly non existent..the kids have had fun.They love riding in the back of a pickup truck down unpaved mountain roads.No seatbelts in cars delighted seth who said “cool.. I love the laws in thiscountry” to which his sister replied..” what laws?” which about sums it up!!!We went to an English service in Teguc which was fab..it has 6 services on Sunday…amazing place very international but has Spanish speaking church also…great set up.We have been so encouraged to meet an Englishwoman..who lives about 10 mins walk awy from us in Valle de angeles!!she is called Leonni and is from Hull..it was so lovely to hear a northern accent!she is a missionary here on her own..she is one brave lady..she is white and blonde..which is not easy here..and she is adopting a most gorgeous boy Joshua!we discovered we know a few of the same people..its so weird!we have had a laugh with her..and had dinner with her..and prayed together….feels like God is in complete control( as of course he is)Leonni is a midwife..and is involved in various ministries..largely with the pregnant kind!!she is completely mad and lovely please when you guys pray for us remember leonni too..( ps she is currently praying for a husband..only drop dead gorgeous millionaires need apply!!!!!)I do love the Spanish songs..some are cheesy but lots have the most beautifully written melodies that are moving even without the words..Alex Grannum..get translating Spanish worship songs!!We have been so blessed here been great to work with the kids..today been practising the song..oh no you never let go..in a roughly translated way..but one of the older girls phoned the radio to ask if they could play it in Spanish..and they did..and they taped it!! Wonderful to see them all singing in fantastic Honduran form..lord you never let go of me…and made me smile that a Matt Redmand song gets airplay in Honduras!Well that’s about it we will be leaving to travel back to guatamala next Tuesday…meeting my parants there..please pray they get there safely they are taking the bus from cancun..Mexico..down through belize and into guatamala too meet us in a place called flores its not that easy when you don’t speak any of the language please pray for a hitch free(not hitch hiking!!) ans safe trip..it should be quite an adventure for them…cant wait to see them..sure we`ll have some interesting posts..of our travel round central America with them!Miss you all love to you God bless Rachel Hamish Seth Darcy and Flora.
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Posted by admin on 13 Jun 2007 | Tagged as: Central America
Hi we made it safely trecking on crazy buses..forgotten how mad it is here!! very sticky hot.with very stormy nights..it is the rainy season.The kids seem to be enjoying it here it certainly feels like another world.I am in an internet cafe and the electricity is unreliable so we wont be able to write as frequently.We are at the orphanage and it has been very emotional and great to see our freinds here..also the kids.who have grown so much!we are getting stuck into life here..Hamish already has blisters from doing cement for the foundations of a house..and I have been playing clarinet and singing in the church already..and getting a choir together every pm…the kids are fantastic singers..its inspirational to hear them..we plan to do some presentations with dance also.Our kids are loving having loads of kids to play with..they run around all day and flop into bed about 8…they also enjoy killing huge cochroaches!We are home schooling them each morning for a couple of hours..its going really well…they get a lot done in a short amount of time.The place has much improved since we were last here the house where we stayed is unrecognizable..totally redone..it has a veranda!its beautiful..taking Seth around it was weird…we kept telling him it looked differenr when we lived in it!The kids all look well and happy and they have built new accomodation and plan to build 5 more houses..which will be great for the kids..to live in smaller groups with house parents..Alonso and Michelle have worked very hard..along with all the team.We visited Josie the amazing woman who started and built this place.she has given most of her life to these kids and now she has retired and looking really well ..it was good to catch up with her and her family.It is stormy here lots of rain!!particularly through the night.The photos are of our travels through guatamala..and the copan ruins in honduras..and a rain storm floating seed pods !..I got collared for a tourism survey on the honduran border!!I wont put photos of the kids here on the net I really need to get permission it might not be appropriate…but will send some of the area etc.The older girls have braided our girls hair they look really cute..show you soon..for now bye….keep praying for us..God bless Rachel Hamish and Kids.Cant seem to upload photos..iff they dont work will try later!
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