Texas Two-Step
YeeeeHaww! I am backing Texas. I know, I was just here, wasn’t I? In April I came out to be with my dad and lend my support to him. I had a few remaining frequent flier miles that allowed me a luxurious night in Dallas airport on my way to see him. This time I am working and have had my way paid.
I wrote to you all about the culture shock I was feeling upon coming back to the country. I received many interesting responses. Many of you sent me your experiences with culture shock and how you felt, but one person sent me an entirely different type of letter. It basically made clear that I was not comparing U.S. culture with Honduras culture, but really big city U.S. culture to Honduras, which was incorrect to do, and that there are small rural places in the U.S. with similar life to Honduras. I really enjoyed this letter and responded back that my experience really is Southern California compared with small town life Honduras and there is no way my experience can be 100% true because I cannot live the Honduran life. I am unable to fully understand the struggle of Hondurans as much as I try, because I am American and I volunteer, I don’t work a factory job or have six kids.
I also would like to comment that I wrote about culture shock last time, which is only a reflection of intense feelings and is not complete reality. Culture shock feels exaggerated and that is how I wrote what I felt. I do not hate my country. In fact, I love it. So with that said, I have decided to write down all the things that I love about the States that have made this second trip to Texas so good.
Internet - It is in my House! I can sit in shorts in the living room and type this to you all. I can even eat ice cream and do it.
Air Conditioning – We have it in the car. We have it in the house. We have it in the stores. The only place to get cool air in Honduras is the movie theater and a few restaurants. I rarely eat out or see a movie in Honduras so this is great!
Tap water - We must be the only country in the world that has tap water clean enough to not kill you. It’s sooo delicious and free that I am now drinking enough to be using the bathroom at least 8 times a day. Best part about it is I don’t have to lug a five gallon jug on my back up the neighborhood street.
Carpet – You cannot believe how good a nice piece of rug feels to bare feet after walking on concrete for 8 months. I just sit and sink my toes into it and knead like a cat. It is very relaxing if you have not already made a habit of it. I’ve even slept on the floor this trip because carpet is truly amazing!
Conversations – Phone conversations can last longer than 10 minutes. Ten minutes is usually about the time that the pre-paid cards in Honduras run out when you are in the middle of something important like a rescue, or plans for the evening, or talking to a friend on the other side of the country. I have been using Dad’s cell phone while here and calls are unlimited and longer than necessary at times. It is so good to be in communication.
Work - I had some and that is a good thing.
Ice cream - We have Amy’s Ice Cream in Austin and if you have never made it to Austin, this is a reason to come. If you do nothing else, come and eat at Amy’s Ice Cream. It is so good; it will blow your mind, or freeze it.
Live Music - Three words. John Butler Trio. I know they are Australian and not from the States, but I saw them here and that counts. As far as I know, Honduras or anywhere in the third world is not on their tour list. I hope for all of you, your city is. WOW.
Movies- When you get a rental at Hollywood Video it is an original copy. Many times it has choices for surround sound and other features. It is not the copy from the street that came by way of a video camera set up in the theater, filming the washed out screen with bad sound and dubbed in subtitles. Then when you are half way through the plot at the good part, someone doesn’t stand up in the middle of your film and not move, thus blocking the action with their silhouette for five minutes as they rummage for popcorn or something. No, you get to see the whole movie in the States.
Good people – I know good people in the States. All of you are included in that list. Actually, all of you are that list. I have chosen to have you receive this update because you all have meant something to me in my life.
So that is it, the top ten reasons the States were so good. I hope you enjoyed them and I hope some of you can relate with me on this.
I also wanted to let you know what has been going on in Honduras. The fifteen days before I came to Austin, I was co-leading a mission group of students from William Jessop University. Ten students came down with Shelley and Rick Engstrom to work in La Esperanza, the neighborhood from our documentary. They were such a good group. We did several community projects such as picking up trash and digging canals. They played games with the kids and brought down school supplies to leave behind. They were the first group I have coordinated and I think it went smoothly. One night they each shared a unique experience they had with the people in Honduras and I think a few will be coming back.
Mike, one of the guys from the group, shared about coming with me to pick up some back packs that the team had ordered from a lady at one of the churches. Her name is Olga. She is around 68 years old and she has six kids under the age of 15 to take care of. The oldest is her last daughter whom she had before her husband past away. The other younger five are her grandchildren who came to live with her when their mother was murdered in a robbery in San Pedro four months ago. They all live in a two room shack made of wood. One room is the bed and the other is Olga’s work station/living room/kitchen and is about the size of a one car garage. The place is filthy, due to poor living habits and because six kids is too much for Olga to handle.
Mike and I arrived at the house to pick up the backpacks, but Olga was not finished. Out of ten bags to make she had four finished. So, Mike and I settled in and began to help her by finishing the straps on the remaining backpacks. Within ten minutes we could see why Olga had not finished them all that week. She had six kids all getting ready for school and needing help. She could not concentrate on work and talk at the same time. The same brain power that moved her hands was the same power that moved her mouth. When we made the mistake of asking her a few questions and distracting her, she would turn from her work and give a full explanation to us. In the time we were there, she also set down the scissors a dozen times in the same spot and a dozen times forgot where she had put them. She is a sweet lady trying to do her best.
Of her six kids Gladys, the youngest, was the cutest. She sat on Mike’s lap almost the whole time we were there and then I helped her get ready for school.
Mike was very moved by seeing how the family lives, and I think that he would like to come back and help families like Olga. I have decided to visit Olga and the family more often when I return and to help them in any way that I can. Mike shared his experience with the group and Jessica, one of the girls, decided to tell her mother about Olga. Her parents have decided to send $500 for her. I am really excited about sharing the good news with them when I get back.
When I return, I am photographing the fiesta of the quince anos of the daughter of the man who took me to the hospital when I was dying. After that I will return to Cortes and start on the building plans for the school. I will also be getting Stephania enrolled in school. Thank you to all of you who offered to help her and Francesca get into school. The extra money you have sent will be used to put other kids in school also. If you haven’t made a donation to the Cocal Gracias Project and were thinking about it, now is the time. Building a school in La Esperanza is the best option for these kids and it won’t build itself. If anyone works for a company or corporation that donates to charities, please contact myself or Joel to let us know how we can talk to you. We only need $80,000 which is not much. Thank you for your support, www.cocalgracias.org . Thanks again to all of you. Keep in touch. I still have not heard from some of you….
Brian
P.S. I am sending Photos of Stephania and Francesca, her friend so you can see who you have helped.
I wrote to you all about the culture shock I was feeling upon coming back to the country. I received many interesting responses. Many of you sent me your experiences with culture shock and how you felt, but one person sent me an entirely different type of letter. It basically made clear that I was not comparing U.S. culture with Honduras culture, but really big city U.S. culture to Honduras, which was incorrect to do, and that there are small rural places in the U.S. with similar life to Honduras. I really enjoyed this letter and responded back that my experience really is Southern California compared with small town life Honduras and there is no way my experience can be 100% true because I cannot live the Honduran life. I am unable to fully understand the struggle of Hondurans as much as I try, because I am American and I volunteer, I don’t work a factory job or have six kids.
I also would like to comment that I wrote about culture shock last time, which is only a reflection of intense feelings and is not complete reality. Culture shock feels exaggerated and that is how I wrote what I felt. I do not hate my country. In fact, I love it. So with that said, I have decided to write down all the things that I love about the States that have made this second trip to Texas so good.
Internet - It is in my House! I can sit in shorts in the living room and type this to you all. I can even eat ice cream and do it.
Air Conditioning – We have it in the car. We have it in the house. We have it in the stores. The only place to get cool air in Honduras is the movie theater and a few restaurants. I rarely eat out or see a movie in Honduras so this is great!
Tap water - We must be the only country in the world that has tap water clean enough to not kill you. It’s sooo delicious and free that I am now drinking enough to be using the bathroom at least 8 times a day. Best part about it is I don’t have to lug a five gallon jug on my back up the neighborhood street.
Carpet – You cannot believe how good a nice piece of rug feels to bare feet after walking on concrete for 8 months. I just sit and sink my toes into it and knead like a cat. It is very relaxing if you have not already made a habit of it. I’ve even slept on the floor this trip because carpet is truly amazing!
Conversations – Phone conversations can last longer than 10 minutes. Ten minutes is usually about the time that the pre-paid cards in Honduras run out when you are in the middle of something important like a rescue, or plans for the evening, or talking to a friend on the other side of the country. I have been using Dad’s cell phone while here and calls are unlimited and longer than necessary at times. It is so good to be in communication.
Work - I had some and that is a good thing.
Ice cream - We have Amy’s Ice Cream in Austin and if you have never made it to Austin, this is a reason to come. If you do nothing else, come and eat at Amy’s Ice Cream. It is so good; it will blow your mind, or freeze it.
Live Music - Three words. John Butler Trio. I know they are Australian and not from the States, but I saw them here and that counts. As far as I know, Honduras or anywhere in the third world is not on their tour list. I hope for all of you, your city is. WOW.
Movies- When you get a rental at Hollywood Video it is an original copy. Many times it has choices for surround sound and other features. It is not the copy from the street that came by way of a video camera set up in the theater, filming the washed out screen with bad sound and dubbed in subtitles. Then when you are half way through the plot at the good part, someone doesn’t stand up in the middle of your film and not move, thus blocking the action with their silhouette for five minutes as they rummage for popcorn or something. No, you get to see the whole movie in the States.
Good people – I know good people in the States. All of you are included in that list. Actually, all of you are that list. I have chosen to have you receive this update because you all have meant something to me in my life.
So that is it, the top ten reasons the States were so good. I hope you enjoyed them and I hope some of you can relate with me on this.
I also wanted to let you know what has been going on in Honduras. The fifteen days before I came to Austin, I was co-leading a mission group of students from William Jessop University. Ten students came down with Shelley and Rick Engstrom to work in La Esperanza, the neighborhood from our documentary. They were such a good group. We did several community projects such as picking up trash and digging canals. They played games with the kids and brought down school supplies to leave behind. They were the first group I have coordinated and I think it went smoothly. One night they each shared a unique experience they had with the people in Honduras and I think a few will be coming back.
Mike, one of the guys from the group, shared about coming with me to pick up some back packs that the team had ordered from a lady at one of the churches. Her name is Olga. She is around 68 years old and she has six kids under the age of 15 to take care of. The oldest is her last daughter whom she had before her husband past away. The other younger five are her grandchildren who came to live with her when their mother was murdered in a robbery in San Pedro four months ago. They all live in a two room shack made of wood. One room is the bed and the other is Olga’s work station/living room/kitchen and is about the size of a one car garage. The place is filthy, due to poor living habits and because six kids is too much for Olga to handle.
Mike and I arrived at the house to pick up the backpacks, but Olga was not finished. Out of ten bags to make she had four finished. So, Mike and I settled in and began to help her by finishing the straps on the remaining backpacks. Within ten minutes we could see why Olga had not finished them all that week. She had six kids all getting ready for school and needing help. She could not concentrate on work and talk at the same time. The same brain power that moved her hands was the same power that moved her mouth. When we made the mistake of asking her a few questions and distracting her, she would turn from her work and give a full explanation to us. In the time we were there, she also set down the scissors a dozen times in the same spot and a dozen times forgot where she had put them. She is a sweet lady trying to do her best.
Of her six kids Gladys, the youngest, was the cutest. She sat on Mike’s lap almost the whole time we were there and then I helped her get ready for school.
Mike was very moved by seeing how the family lives, and I think that he would like to come back and help families like Olga. I have decided to visit Olga and the family more often when I return and to help them in any way that I can. Mike shared his experience with the group and Jessica, one of the girls, decided to tell her mother about Olga. Her parents have decided to send $500 for her. I am really excited about sharing the good news with them when I get back.
When I return, I am photographing the fiesta of the quince anos of the daughter of the man who took me to the hospital when I was dying. After that I will return to Cortes and start on the building plans for the school. I will also be getting Stephania enrolled in school. Thank you to all of you who offered to help her and Francesca get into school. The extra money you have sent will be used to put other kids in school also. If you haven’t made a donation to the Cocal Gracias Project and were thinking about it, now is the time. Building a school in La Esperanza is the best option for these kids and it won’t build itself. If anyone works for a company or corporation that donates to charities, please contact myself or Joel to let us know how we can talk to you. We only need $80,000 which is not much. Thank you for your support, www.cocalgracias.org . Thanks again to all of you. Keep in touch. I still have not heard from some of you….
Brian
P.S. I am sending Photos of Stephania and Francesca, her friend so you can see who you have helped.
posted by Brian Ruark at 9:13 PM
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