Some Random Thoughts

Operation Shoebox

"The way out of poverty is education." by Jose Mariano Castillo. When I read the linked article, this quote really struck me, because it is so true. (read the article - its a great story) I have been thinking - for a long time - about a way to help out people in Honduras, and among a few other ideas, education is one of them. I have alot of ideas in my head that are just sort of bouncing around, and I need to sit down and get them on paper. But one of the things that I want to do is to make it easier for the kids in my area of Honduras to go to school. As you all know, I live in a mountain town of Honduras. Which also means a poor town of Honduras. While the schooling is free, being able to go to school is not. Each child needs to buy a daily uniform, as well as a uniform for PE day. There are different shoes that are needed for the day to day schooling, as well as for PE day. Then there are the supplies. To start out with, I would like to somehow help out the kids to go to school by being able to give them a backpack with the needed school supplies. Eventually I would like to try to find sponsers to help out the highest acheiving children in each grade to maybe pay for a private school for the kids - the ones who show that they want it by their grades. (Private school per month is between $40 for elementary school, and $80 for the higher grades), plus the cost of uniforms and supplies. But that is in the future. For now though, I ask you all that read this - think about your house, and your car and your desk at work. How many pens and pencils do you have floating around? How about those free pens you get from the bank or from wherever else. How many pens do you really need. Why dont you get a shoe box and just start to throw the pens in the shoe box. Then when it gets full ship it to my mom and she will ship it to me to be given to the kids in the school. If you have the urge, and funds and want and see a box of crayons on sale, or pencils, or rulers, or any other school supply and want to pick it up and stick in the box, that would be great too. At a later date I will post a wishlist of items on one of my side bars, as well as an address to send them to if you feel the need. It would be wonderful if every child at the school would have what they need to begin the new school year next year. Keep an eye out for an upcoming blog with more information, as well as the notification of the wishlist on the sidebar.

There are a total of 80 children that go to school at the local school. I would love for them all to be able to continue to go to school next year as well.

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I can't wait to get home. Not just because I miss my family, but more so that I can take charge of my kids again. No one can raise your children like yourself. During the week, my inlaws take care of the little ones while Lale is at work. Unfortunately that isn't a good thing. They love my children, but they let my children get away with so much. And there is no discipline - until Lale comes to pick them up. Well kids need discipline right then and there when something happens.

See, my sister in laws kids live with my in-laws. Because my sister in law in here in the US, and their father isn't in the picture (hasn't been except for when they were first born) everyone felt sorry for them. So they had no discipline growing up. Now at 15 and 17 they are horrible. They have no respect for my in-laws, who have been the ones raising them for the last 12 years. The words that come out of their mouths when they talk to eachother and others is horrible, and my kids are picking that up. And because no one will spank them, or do anything except say wait until your papi gets here, my kids are becoming horrible.

Today, while I was talking to Mickey, Isa was in the background, mad because she was told to sit down, so she told Jessica (the 15 yr old daughter of my sister in law) callate cara de burro - which means shut up donkey face. While I was laughing on the inside - because really when you hear someone call someone else a donkey face, its a bit funny - I was mad because Isa knows better. And this isn't the first time she has called people names. She told my father in law that he was a burro que come basura - a donkey that eats trash. She likes to tell the neighborhood kids that they are stupid, and just a bunch of stuff that she knows better. I got all over her case today and had her crying for acting like that. But that isn't going to do anything to stop it. Nothing is going to happen until I am there again full time, and lay down the law.

I am having the same issue with Johan too. But at least on his part, he doesn't know what he is saying. He repeats what my sister in laws daughters say to my mother in law. And in one way its worse - way worse than being called a donkey - but in another way its just a bit better because he is just repeating what he hears, and he has no clue that what he is saying is really bad. (I am not even going to put it on here, what he says)

They are going to hate life when I get back, because I so don't put up with that crap. And I refuse to allow my children to become like their cousins. I refuse to let my children just run amock and do what they want and come and go as they please, and just turn into hellions. Out of all of the cousins, (in Honduras) none of them are really disciplined. And that pisses me off. Kids who are left to do what they want, usually dont get better as they get older, they get worse. But whatever. To each his own I guess.

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I keep thinking what is wrong with me - why am I so stressed about moving to Honduras - AGAIN. Then I realized, it was my way of thinking. I am not moving to Honduras again. I am not moving back to Honduras either. I never moved from Honduras, I just left for a 4 month vacation. (If you can call having a baby vacation, LOL). The only thing I have to do is get Ari's birth certificate, and get some summer clothes for Levi. Everything else can be done in Honduras. If I get a chance, then I want to go shopping and pick up a bunch of stuff that I want for the house, but other than a squeegie and a mop bucket, I don't NEED anything that is on my list.
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My in laws had their appointment today at the US embassy in Honduras, and they were approved for a visa!! They will be here in the US to visit my sister in law, my brother in law and other family sometime later this month. I am so happy for them. They finally get a break.

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And finally, a more recent picture of Ari. This was taken earlier this week.