Dave and Esther's Adventures

2010-02-18T16:57:00.000+13:00

Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

We had a very crazy situation at our school yesterday with a crazed bull that barged into the school grounds after classes. It was very traumatic for many people (including a number of kids) and 4 people ended up having to go the hospital to be examined. We are so grateful that everyone is okay, but after reading these verses again, I was reminded of the experience yesterday. I don't think I have ever heard people call (and scream) out to God in the way I heard yesterday, as one mom was literally crying out for God to save her little girl from the bull. As terrible as it was for everyone, the experience reminds me of how in many situations, whether "the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging", or a crazed bull chases your young daughter, God is truly our only help and "therefore, we will not fear".

During these experiences, I know that part of the reason God has called us here, is to force me to trust Him, in spite of fear. Real-life danger is often so in-your-face here, so inescapable, and either we choose to trust or we are paralyzed by fear. We all have fears, no matter where we live. I pray that whatever fears you are dealing with today, you are calling out to our only refuge and strength.

2010-02-08T09:50:00.000+13:00

Questions for the Opposite Sex

Questions posed by our Gr. 9-11 students in a recent discussion of relationships. Any thoughts?

Why do girls go to the bathroom together?

What type of guy do women like the most?

Why are guys so visual, they only see the outside and not the inside?

Why do girl play with guys? And why do guys let them?

Why don’t men say what they are truly feeling? Or it is difficult for them?

Why do girls get mad so easily with guys?

Why do women have to call their boyfriends so much? 5 minutes pass and they are calling again.

Why are guys so macho? Why do they disillusion you and break your heart?

Why don’t guys understand when you say no when they ask you out?

Why are boys so proud?

Do girls like “sexy” or “nice”? Can you be both?

Why do girls tell their friends everything?

Why do some girls assume that all guys are liars?

Why do people flirt if they aren’t really interested?

2009-10-13T11:00:00.002+13:00

A few highlights from October so far -

Warren, Esther's cousin, came for a return visit. He had a great time teaching hands-on science classes at our school to grades 2-6. He also brought down a ton of terrific sports equipment, already being enjoyed by our phys ed classes. Thanks, Warren!

Cultural Day at school - lots of songs, great food and terrific traditional dress!

PANACAM - Spent the night at a gorgeous national park that is close by. Enjoyed hiking, watching hummingbirds and kinda swimming in a waterfall (in reality, we only went in up to our knees or so - it was cold!!)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=115123&id=510633700&l=591cba0c2e

2009-09-21T16:02:00.001+12:00

Hi everyone,

Here's a text-only version of our September update that we're sending out this week. If you're already on our email list, skip this and go straight to the emailed version as it includes lots of terrific pictures! If you're not on our email list and would like to be added, please send us a message. We send out an update every 3 months!

Thanks for your continued support! We appreciate it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear friends,

We want to thank you for your continued support as we serve in Honduras. It has been an exciting few months since returning to Siguatepeque in June, and we hope you are blessed and encouraged to hear about God at work in our lives and in our ministry. We would love to hear how God is working in your life as well!

Our life has been very full since our last update in June. We enjoyed a wonderful, but short visit to Canada in July. Upon returning to Siguatepeque, we moved into a 2-bedroom apartment located 3 blocks from our school. We are grateful that it is situated in a property with 2 other families, which provides added security. One big change with living in town is that we are able to walk most places, which we are really enjoying. Dave hopes to purchase a bicycle soon though, as it would allow him to do his work errands a lot quicker!

Besides setting up a home, August was also very busy at school! 8 English teachers arrived on August 15th and from the moment we picked them up at the airport, we have been busy helping them get settled and prepared for their ministry at the school. We had a great week of Teacher Orientation, covering everything from Health and Safety to Classroom Management. Classes began at our school on August 26th with approximately 239 students enrolled in our school this year, from JK to Gr. 11.

We are enjoying being part of an English Bible Study, attended by 15 people this year. Besides teachers from our school, it also includes various other foreign Christians and some bilingual Hondurans. We are studying “community and spiritual transformation” and we ask for your prayers that we would truly learn to live in community and we would help each other to be more like Christ.

Exciting Developments at Siguatepeque Bilingual Christian School

THANK YOU!!!

A big thank you to those that gave to the Library Project –we have received about $4000 so far! This has allowed us to purchase the materials to build a new wall, install a ceiling and repaint walls and shelves (see Before and After photos below). The work was done by a number of local tradesmen, with Dave designing and overseeing the project.

The next step is to furnish the space. We hope to buy comfortable reading chairs, tables for studying, rugs for reading and more. We would also like to purchase a computerized-inventory program, as this would allow us to keep track of our resources a lot better. The final step will be purchasing new resources for our students and teachers.

Thank you for your generosity!

It is hard to believe how much has been accomplished in the last few months at the school. Many of you saw the “before” pictures, when my English Office was a boys’ bathroom! I am now happy to share the “after” pictures – what an improvement! Dave and Rafa (a school employee) put in many hours, including removing sinks, installing a ceiling, grinding down the cement floor and much more. With only one burst water pipe in the process, it was a successful renovation! Extreme Makeover – Honduras Style! It is still a work in progress, as the floor and ceiling aren’t quite complete, but I am so grateful for a quiet space to work, meet with teachers and students, organize resources, etc. Since the office is located in the back of the library, I have been able to help Richie with organizing and categorizing all of the books – quite a challenge!! We mentioned Richie in our last newsletter and asked for you to continue to pray for him as he seeks God. We are so excited that a few weeks ago he committed his life to Christ. Please continue to pray that he will grow rooted in his faith and that we can be an encouragement to him each day.

I am really enjoying my new role as the English Program Coordinator. It has been very hectic, but rewarding so far. While I am still teaching (Gr. 11 English), the majority of my time is now spent providing leadership to the 8 English teachers (and 2 English assistants). It has been overwhelming at times, as I often feel that I am trying to juggle too many balls at once, but God continues to teach me to live by His strength, and not my own. Please pray for continued wisdom and discernment as I make decisions that affect both teachers and students. I also appreciate your prayers for continued opportunities to encourage my students to seek God with all their hearts and make their faith their own, not just something passed down from their parents.

It has also been a change for us to serve together, but we are enjoying it – at least most days  Dave is sharing the English office as well, though he doesn’t spend much time at his desk. Read “Dave Speaks…” to hear all about the exciting projects he has been working on!

Dave Speaks…

Hey There Everyone!!!

Well, I have had a very interesting few months since our last newsletter. On August 1st, I began my new role as the Coordinator of Logistics and Infrastructure at the Siguatepeque Bilingual Christian School. This job covers a lot of different areas at the school, and allows me to use many of my skills, as well as develop some new ones. My biggest project at the moment is the renovation and expansion of the school’s library. Things are coming together and we will have students studying, reading and using the library in no time. So far, we’ve doubled the space by moving 1 wall, installed a ceiling, painted and reorganized bookshelves, redesigned the layout, etc.

Here’s a list of some of the other projects I’ve been involved with: renovation of English office, photography (pictures of staff for school website, school events, etc.), measuring and drawing up a site plan showing all of the buildings and areas to be used in future plans and lots more. God has been very good to me, keeping me busy and is challenging us to have faith and a bigger vision for the school.

As you may know, I am working 4 days/week at the school and leaving one day free to help other organizations and pursue more photography opportunities. I have been helping out a friend with a construction project at his new factory in Tegucigalpa (capital city of Honduras – about 2 hours away). He is starting a new business (www.tegu.com) making toys out of Honduran hardwoods, with the purpose of creating jobs for Hondurans and helping them improve their lives and escape poverty. I was also blessed and touched to visit and take photographs of a ministry named “Love and Faith” (AFE in Spanish) (http://www.micahcentral.org/dumpintro.htm). This organization provides a better life for kids who live in the dump through education and introducing them to Jesus. I am praying for more opportunities in Siguatepeque and Honduras to serve others through carpentry and photography.

Even though I have a few tools here, I am still pretty limited in what I can do. Some of the tools that would really help with my ministry include: portable table saw, mitre saw, Sawzall, hand sander, cordless impact drill and hammer drill. Battery-operated tools would be very useful for working in remote areas. Larger tools can be purchased here or smaller tools we could bring down from Canada on a future trip. We do still hope to purchase a vehicle, as it would give me a lot more freedom in picking up materials for projects at the school, so please pray with us for the funds. If you are interested in donating funds toward to either of these needs, please see the donation information at the bottom of the page.

I continue to thank you for your prayers and support.

Dave

Political Situation

Honduras has been in the international news lately, as ex-President Mel Zelaya was removed on June 28th from his position by an act of the Honduran Congress. The regularly scheduled national elections are November 29th, yet many countries and international organizations have said that they will not recognize these elections or the legitimacy of the current government, under President Roberto Micheletti. Foreign aid has also been cut off by many countries, further exacerbating the poor’s struggle to survive here. We continue to ask for you prayers for the country, as we live in a very uncertain time. Siguatepeque continues to remain calm, but there are daily protests in other parts of the country.

Spiritual and Physical Support

We would also like to develop a team that will commit to praying every Monday morning for us and our ministry here in Siguatepeque. If you would like to join our prayer team, please email us and we will send you a list of specific prayer requests each month.

If you know of anyone who might be interested in hearing about our ministry, please pass on our prayer letter. We have recently revamped our contact list, so we apologize if you have received more than one copy of this newsletter. Please let us know so we can make the change.

We are encouraged at those who have joined our financial support team since our last newsletter in June. We still hope to raise about $350 more per month, as we currently live on $350/week. If you are interested in supporting us, please contact us or the LAM office at info@lamcanada.ca (see further contact info below).

We also want to share a current need in our school’s sponsorship program. Over 55% of our students receive some type of financial aid. The current world economic crisis, as well as the political situation in Honduras, has left many in a very difficult financial situation. As a school, we do not want to turn any families away because of financial need, but our current ability to provide financial aid is stretched beyond capacity. If you would like to support the school’s sponsorship program, please contact us or the LAM office at info@lamcanada.ca

We appreciate your continued prayers as we serve in Honduras. September continues to be a busy month, as we are off to Copan for 4 days next week, speaking at a conference which networks organizations from around Honduras (www.projecthonduras.com). We are also looking forward to Warren Temple, Esther’s cousin, arriving at the end of September for a week. He will be teaching a hands-on science program in our elementary classrooms. We welcome any volunteers that would be interested in helping in our various ministries.

It is a privilege for us to serve the leaders of tomorrow here in Honduras and we are so grateful for your encouragement and support.

Blessings,
Dave and Esther

Dave and Esther Bettney
Escuela Bilingüe Siguatepeque
Apartado. Postal No.52
Siguatepeque, Comayagua
Honduras

email: daveandesther@hotmail.com
blog: www.daveandesther.blogspot.com

Please direct any donations for us to:

For Canadian donors -
Latin America Mission Canada
Unit 14, 3075 Ridgeway Drive
Mississauga, ON L5L 5M6
info@lamcanada.ca
www.lamcanada.ca CANADA

For American donors -
Latin America Mission
PO Box 52 – 7900
Miami, Florida 33152 – 7900
www.lam.org
U.S.A.

2009-09-20T09:44:00.006+12:00

Some new pictures, including updates on how the library is going! The transformation is pretty amazing!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=109833&id=510633700&l=7e57d44794

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93385&id=510633700&l=2736e8fb31

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93374&id=510633700&l=8d6aa7a5a8

Sorry, can't seem to get the links working properly today so you'll just have to cut and paste :)

2009-09-02T15:28:00.004+12:00

Hi everyone,

School has started so things are a bit crazy around here, but here are a few pics to let you know what we've been up to :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93385&id=510633700&l=2736e8fb31 - School Projects

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=103116&id=510633700&l=791a32c039 - Teacher Orientation and First Day of School

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=103095&id=510633700&l=32d6e68cda - Dave's Trip to Tegucigalpa

2009-08-23T05:37:00.000+12:00

“As I was trying to find an answer to the question “Does God call me to live and work in Latin America?” I gradually realized that the word “gracias” that came from the lips of the people contained the answer. After many centuries of missionary work during which we, the people of the north, tried to give them, the people of the south, what we felt they needed, we have now come to realize that our very first vocation is to receive their gifts to us and say thanks. A treasure lies hidden in the soul of Latin America, a spiritual treasure to be recognized as a gift for us who live in the illusion of power and self-control. It is the treasure of gratitude that can help us break through the walls of our individual and collective self-righteousness and can prevent us from destroying ourselves and our planet in the futile attempt to hold onto what we consider our own. If I have any vocation in Latin America, it is the vocation to receive from the people the gifts they have to offer us and to bring these gifts back up north for our own conversion and healing.

~Henri Nouwen, “Gracias: A Latin American Journal”

2009-08-12T11:57:00.001+12:00

We just got back from a weekend in Utila - our favourite get-away place in Honduras. It was a chance to celebrate my birthday (Aug. 9th) and our anniversary (Aug. 20th). 2 of our teachers arrived yesterday, and 6 more arrive on Saturday, so this was our last chance to escape before the craziness begins!! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers :)

For more pics - http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2213006&l=fc5acaecf2&id=510633700

Birthday on the beach - just like the good old Pleasant Bay days!

Birthday dinner

2009-07-25T15:08:00.001+12:00

I know that I've been a very negligent blogger, but here's an attempt to get back at it! We've just returned from a terrific time in Canada, catching up with family and friends. Now, we're getting ready to move into a new apartment and preparing for the arrival of 8 new English teachers on August 15th! Wow!! Lots to be done but it is all very exciting! I will try to post as many pics as I can on Facebook, but here's one to get started. A picture of my siblings, my Nanna (92!!) and I. We'd be in order if Elisabeth and I switched spots. Ignore the fake smiles on Philip and Steve - really, they were having a good time and this wasn't even a staged shot :) Just enjoying hanging out and being in the same country. Only happens about once a year right now, but it is terrific when it does!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93385&id=510633700&l=2736e8fb31

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93375&id=510633700&l=22ea316ef9

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93374&id=510633700&l=8d6aa7a5a8

2009-04-28T09:02:00.000+12:00

Just got back from an amazing week off! After 11 weeks of Spanish class, we were ready for a break! And, Dave's 32nd birthday is coming up in a few weeks, so decided it was a good time to go! So, if you're interested, you'll have to check out the pics

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=74534&id=510633700&l=9a92f44e45

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=74549&id=510633700&l=03c7dc73ba

Enjoy :)

2009-04-12T07:04:00.002+12:00

Hi all,

We hope that you're having a wonderful Easter, celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We're enjoying a wonderful Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Antigua, the centre of Semana Santa celebrations for Central America, and apparently the 2nd biggest celebration in the world! And yep, there are lots of people here! A bunch of new pics for you to enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=71096&id=510633700&l=f2e1131152

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=70862&id=510633700&l=0b833ac9e5

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=70524&id=510633700&l=022990bad3

I have also been working on a Wish List for our school at amazon.com If you are interested in supporting our students and our program, this is one great way to do it! It is a list of practical resources we would love to have for our classrooms. If you're interested in helping by purchasing, donating used copies or giving a Gift Card, please let me know and I can provide more details. You can check out the list here http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/1SAAB5KWFS1PW or by clicking the "Amazon Wish List" button under Links.

In other big news, we have planned a trip to Canada for this summer - July 11-21, so hope to see many of you then. For any Canadians interested in donating to our school, I can collect resources then to bring back with us to Honduras.

Have a great Easter,

Esther and Dave

2009-03-25T15:11:00.000+13:00

Hi there,

Sorry we haven't been doing that great of a job of updating our blog! But, here are some pictures from our recent trip to a lake nearby, as well as a few pics of the house we're living in with a Guatemalan family. Some running commentary from us too :)

Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67414&id=510633700&l=0cf89f4ab2

2009-03-09T16:58:00.000+13:00

We just got back from a wonderful weekend at the beach. A little town called Monterrico, on the Pacific Ocean. You can see more pictures below. I've also added more pics to the Lent album, as the celebrations here continue.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=64688&id=510633700&l=b5736

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62428&id=510633700&l=736c1

2009-03-09T16:48:00.000+13:00

Now, to add to our 3 wonderful nephews . . . we have a niece!

Violet Joy Heidt, born to Philip and Amber Heidt on March 7th!

So exciting!

2009-03-01T14:56:00.000+13:00

Added a few more pictures to this album today. From our trip to a coffee farm and hike up an active volcano!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62416&id=510633700&l=32a8d

2009-02-26T16:46:00.000+13:00

More photos for you to enjoy :)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62428&id=510633700&l=736c1

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62416&id=510633700&l=32a8d

2009-02-24T05:09:00.003+13:00

Hi all!

We just got back last night from a great weekend with a work team from Canada. My cousin's brother-in-law, Marvin (in pic), brought a team from his church and another church down to construct a new building for a church near Guatemala City. We couldn't join them during the week since we have classes every day, but we went up for the weekend. Besides Dave getting pretty sick (his usual "adjusting to a new country" stomach adventures), we had a great time. He is feeling back to normal and we're back in class.

You can check out the pictures and commentary at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=61796&id=510633700&l=f2abf

Enjoy :)

2009-02-20T05:26:00.006+13:00

Hi everyone,

Here's our most recent update! If you would like to receive it by email, just leave me a message and I'll add you to our list.

Enjoy!

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Hello friends and family,

After a wonderful 6 months in Canada, we returned to Central America on January 27th. We spent a few days in our town in Honduras, and then headed off to Antigua, Guatemala to begin Language School. After a month full of travelling through 4 different countries, we are happy to be settled in one place, at least for a few months.

We hope you enjoy reading about our life at the moment. A new feature in our newsletter is, “Dave Speaks” (see below). While I (Esther) normally write our newsletters and Dave takes the photos for them, we thought you might like to hear straight from him about how he sees life in Latin America. Writing isn’t his favourite thing, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy, “Dave Speaks”.

To give you an idea of our lives at the moment, we have Spanish class from 8-12 each morning, Monday to Friday. Then, we spend either the afternoon or the evening doing homework – memorizing vocabulary, practising correct pronunciation, working on our verb conjugation – fun, eh? J We also try to speak to each other in Spanish as much as we can. We are currently staying at an apartment at the school. This is our first place of our “own” since July, so we have really enjoyed it. In a few weeks, we will begin living with a local family, to further facilitate our language acquisition. Please pray for us as we adjust and begin to build relationships with our Guatemalan family. We have already had a number of opportunities to talk with our teachers about spiritual things, so please pray for courage to speak about Jesus Christ, in Spanish and in English.

In our time off and on weekends, we explore the city, take in the various cultural activities, or just relax! We met another young Canadian couple and started attending a bilingual church with them which has been a real blessing! We also had our first visitor from home – one of our supporters, who is originally from Guatemala, is here with a short-term missions team this week. It is always encouraging to see a familiar face in a new place!

We continue to trust that God will provide the rest of the finances for our time here in Guatemala, and as we return to Honduras. At this point, we only have the finances to take classes until mid-May, though we would like to continue into the beginning of June. If you are interested in supporting us, please contact us or the LAM office at info@lamcanada.ca

Our next update will likely be after we return to Honduras, in mid-June. We plan to be there in time for the Gr. 11 Graduation at my school. The students that I taught in Gr. 9 and 10 will be graduating and we look forward to celebrating this exciting time with them. I continue to be involved with recruiting teachers for the school, as well as making lots of plans for next year in my new role as the Director of the English Program. I am forcing myself not to take on too much right now though, and try to focus solely on learning Spanish. If you know of anyone interested in teaching at our school next year, please have them email me at recruitment@ceehonduras.com or check out our website http://www.ceehonduras.com/

Dave Speaks . . .

Greetings from the beautiful colonial city of Antigua! What a privilege and a blessing it is to be here to learn another language. So far our studies are going well and I will continue to ask for your prayers for motivation, quick learning and a continued heart for Latin America. We are being taught in a one-on-one style which gives us more time to ask questions and be answered right away. I have come to realize that Spanish will be a lifelong commitment for there is lots to learn and everyday we add more to our Spanish.

There have been many opportunities to get some wonderful shots with my camera and I hope you have been enjoying the photographs (if you haven’t seen them, please see our blog: www.daveandesther.blogspot.com). All of my pictures can be purchased at various sizes, so please let us know if you are interested. This is another great way to support our ministry in Central America.

While we were in Honduras for a few days before heading to Antigua, I had a chance to meet with some missionaries in our town. I am interested in their ministries in Siguatepeque, and I am taking time to pray and think about what God has for me when we return to Honduras. I believe God has given Esther and I this time in Antigua to really reflect and spend time with Him. We want to grow in our personal relationship with Him, His word and continue to learn to hear His voice.

Thank you for your encouragement in Canada that continues as we are here in Antigua, Guatemala.

With all of God’s blessings in your daily walks with Him,

Dave

We want to thank you for your continued support as we follow God’s call back to Central America. It has been a different transition this time, as we start again in a new country and as full-time students. Please continue to pray for us that our time in Language School will prepare us to serve more effectively in Honduras. We feel continually blessed by your friendship and support!

Blessings,
Dave and Esther

Praise

¨ Safe travel throughout January
¨ Settling into Antigua
¨ Continued good health
¨ Enjoying Spanish classes and learning lots!

Prayer

¨ Spanish classes – understanding, discipline, retention of new language
¨ Finances – to finish Language School, set-up a house, buy a car (in June)
¨ Direction for Dave in which ministry to serve with in Honduras
¨ Finding a place to live in Siguatepeque, Honduras

2009-02-15T17:56:00.005+13:00

Another great week of Spanish School! Lots of classes and studying, as well as lots of extracurricular activities, including Valentine's Party, visiting a local ministry (Arms of Jesus) and more exploring Antigua! Enjoy the the pictures - this pic is of Dave celebrating hitting the pinata at our school's Valentine's Day Party!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=60056&id=510633700&l=14062

2009-02-12T07:48:00.000+13:00

A few more pics for you to enjoy! I've included some of us studying, in case you're wondering if we're actually taking classes! We promise, there's lots of Spanish going on - verbs, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc... Today, I forget to spell a word in English and could only remember how to spell it in Spanish. Not sure if that's a good sign or not, but clearly our brains are being filled with Spanish :)

Enjoy the pics - http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58687&id=510633700&l=6d895

2009-02-09T04:27:00.002+13:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post as we're off to church in a few minutes. Here are a few more pics from the last few days in Antigua. I've added a few to the first album, and the second album is all new. I've tried to include description of some of the photos as well, so hopefully that helps in figuring out what they are all about!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=57612&l=4ce93&id=510633700

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=58687&l=6d895&id=510633700

As you can see, Antigua is definitely encouraging Dave in his photographic pursuits!

2009-02-07T08:00:00.003+13:00

We just finished classes for the week, but this afternoon we have an activity with the school - tortilla making! Should be fun, and a great way to meet some people and practice our kitchen words!

Check out below for more pics of our first week in Antigua!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=57612&l=4ce93&id=510633700

2009-02-03T14:05:00.000+13:00

We Made It!

After a busy month of travelling in Ontario, California and now Central America, we've finally made it to our destination. At least, our home for the next 5 months or so - Antigua, Guatemala! We're happy to be here and getting settled in. We arrived last night at 7 pm, and started classes this morning at 8am, so we're still trying to get our heads around everything. We're glad to be here though and working on learning Spanish. After not speaking it for 5 months while in Canada, it is taking a little while to come back to us, but we're trying to be patient. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated! Enjoy all the pictures!

This one is of us on top of the roof of our Spanish school! Gorgeous!

2009-02-03T13:59:00.000+13:00

Having lunch on the roof of our Language School in Antigua. We take classes in the morning, then the afternoon is for studying or participating in different activities to practise our Spanish.

View from our living room. We were supposed to be staying with a family for the first 10 weeks, then a room at the school for the second half of our time. The day before we arrived, we got offered a free upgrade to stay in the school's "luxury" apartment. So we decided to take them up on the offer, and stay with a family for the second half of our time here instead. So far, we're loving it :)

2009-02-03T13:53:00.000+13:00

View from the roof

Our apartment is to the right of the picture

View of the living room and kitchen, looking toward the bedroom

2009-02-03T13:30:00.000+13:00

A few pics from our couple of days in Honduras, before heading out to Antigua, Guatemala

Dia de Biblioteca - Library Day

Not exactly sure how Sponge Bob and "M" fit in, but had to get a pick of these two, Erick and Hector. They were handing out candies to the younger students.

2009-02-03T13:18:00.000+13:00

Filming of TV Show, "Life", 2 streets away from Philip and Amber's place

Our last day in LA, cruising on the Strand

2009-02-03T12:08:00.002+13:00

Here are a few pictures from our last days in California

Whale Watching

This isn't a posed shot - I am actually pointing to tell Dave where the whales were. Apparently, he was not paying attention to the whales :)

2009-01-24T18:49:00.000+13:00

On a walk by the ocean this morning

2009-01-24T18:48:00.000+13:00

Griffith Observatory

Walk of Fame

Grauman's Chinese Theater

2009-01-24T18:44:00.000+13:00

Chilling out at Dodger Stadium

Hollywood!

2009-01-24T18:39:00.000+13:00

Pasadena City Hall

View from Los Angeles Dodger Stadium

2009-01-22T18:23:00.001+13:00

Checking out the surfers at Hermosa Beach

2009-01-22T18:11:00.000+13:00

On our way to the beach for a bike ride along The Strand

Cruising and loving the warm weather

2009-01-22T18:09:00.000+13:00

The lovely snow we left in Canada! We miss everyone there, but I don't think we're going to miss the cold!
In LA!!
Getting ready to go for a bike ride
Philip and Amber's house - a block from the beach

2009-01-06T14:24:00.002+13:00

Hey everyone,

We hope you're doing well and had a wonderful holiday! Just a little update on us - we only have a few more weeks left before we're off. It's a bit of a crazy few weeks, so we appreciate your prayers for safety as we travel and strength for the busyness! Here's our schedule over the next few weeks so you can pray! We appreciate it!

Jan 5-9 - Last week of supply teaching/lots of packing :)
Jan 11 - Kingston/Belleville
Jan 12 - Recruiting at Queen's
Jan 13 - Dave meeting with surgeon re: foot in Ottawa
Jan 14 - Recruiting at UOIT (Durham)
Jan 15 - Recruiting at Tyndale
Jan 16 - Recruiting at Western
Jan 17 - Recruiting at Trent
Jan 18 - Last Sunday at Parkdale Baptist Church
Jan 19 - Recruiting at Redeemer
Jan 20 - Fly to California to visit Philip and Amber and more recruiting
Jan 21 - 26 - LA!!
Jan 26-28 - Fly to Honduras (it takes a little while to get there - that's what happens when you buy cheap tickets :)
Jan 28-30 - Siguatepeque, Honduras
Jan 31 - Feb 1 - Travel to Antigua
Feb 2 - Spanish classes start in Antigua

2009-01-06T14:21:00.000+13:00

Nanna and I -Her first time out since her massive heart attack in October.

More cousins and spouses and kids

Nathan climbing over Uncle Jack to show him a new toy - snow globe!

Rocking it out with RockBand!

2009-01-06T14:17:00.000+13:00

The look says it all - "Auntie Esther, stop taking pictures of me and come play!"
Uncle Cork and Nathan playing with cars from "Cars" (the movie). Both of our 3.5 year old nephews are very into the movie!
Hannah Siblings
Greg, Elicia and Emma

2009-01-06T14:14:00.000+13:00

Watching videos of Nathan when he was little
Talking on his new "cell phone"
Believe it or not, Nathan asks me to do this! I got a new bath loofah for Christmas, and Nathan the feel of it. So, he would stand very still while I would rub it against his face, then his tummy, then his back, then his hair. Too funny what amuses him!
Dave and Mark making the turkey! It was delicious!

2008-12-26T14:53:00.001+13:00

Dave and I have been enjoying the winter wonderland here in Canada and going for lots of long walks. Here's some pics from our recent walk at Zwick's Park, a few minutes from my parents' place.

Breaking up the ice

The Bay Bridge from Zwicks

All bundled up! I love being outside, but still not used to the cold! It was -15C this day, not including the windchill! Notice I'm wearing my CEE trackpants from Honduras. They are standing up well to the cold!

Dave kept stopping on our walk to take lots of beautiful pictures. I would run ahead and keep circling back, trying to stay warm!

2008-12-26T14:41:00.000+13:00

Snowmageddon!

2008-12-26T14:38:00.000+13:00

Hanging out with our cute West Coast nephews, Sam and Ollie

2008-12-20T11:48:00.002+13:00

We just spent the last week with our family from Vancouver and Kingston for the Bettney's family Christmas . It was a wonderful week and we had lots of fun.
This is our Beautiful 8 month Nephew
Oliver. I (Dave) got to spend some good one on one time with the little guy - so cool and cute.

Neil (Dave's brother), Ron ( Dave's Dad) and Samuel(Neil's son) went on Samuel's first ever tobogganing trip and we had lots of laughs and crazy tumbles on the hill. Same hill we went toboganning on as kids. Don't forget to look at the retro 1972 snowmobiling suit that my brother brought out of the dusty downstairs closet just for the Bettney family outing! Lots of fun!

We just got a big dump (10 to 15cm) of snow here in Belleville. So all you tobogganing fans will be in Heaven.

2008-12-08T16:41:00.001+13:00

Dear family and friends,

Merry Christmas! We trust this letter finds you well, as we enter the holiday season. After 3 years abroad, we eagerly anticipate a Canadian Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, with family and friends.

We are also anticipating our return to serving in Central America! We leave on January 20th., first stopping in California for a week to visit Esther’s brother, Philip and his wife, Amber. We will also be visiting various colleges and churches in California to recruit teachers for the upcoming school year.

On January 26th, we fly from California for Honduras to spend a few days reconnecting with friends in Siguatepeque. Then we travel by bus to Antigua, Guatemala to begin Language School on February 1st. We appreciate your prayers for this major transition, as we say good-bye to loved ones in Canada and begin studying Spanish in Central America.

As we prepare to leave, our most pressing concern is raising the rest of our financial support, both monthly and one-time gifts. For our time in Language School (Feb-June 2009), we need to raise approximately $3000CDN/month. Our monthly needs will be much lower when we return to Honduras, where we need approximately $1600CDN/month. At this point, we have raised about $1000CDN/month, so we still have a large amount to raise before our departure on Jan. 20th. The falling Canadian dollar has added further financial pressures. If you are interested in supporting our ministry financially, Latin America Mission Canada now offers a convenient and secure online donation system at http://www.lamcanada.ca/. Please indicate that you are giving to the “Bettney Ministry Fund”.

In the weeks leading up to our departure, we are asking for interested individuals to commit to pray for us daily, specifically for our financial needs. If you would like to be one of our prayer partners, please send us an email at daveandesther@hotmail.com.

While we look forward to returning to Central America, we continue to enjoy our last weeks in Canada. It has been a wonderful time to reconnect with family and friends. We have also been involved at our local churches, through sharing at different services and Bible Studies, participating in a Marriage Group and helping with a weekly kids’ program. We have been encouraged by the response of many people and are grateful for their support and prayers.
In addition to support-raising, we are both working full-time. Dave continues to work as a carpenter, while Esther supply teaches in secondary schools. Working full-time allows us to set funds aside toward some of the costs of Language School.

In other news, the sale of Dave’s photographs continues to help with our fund-raising. On December 20th, his photos will be exhibited in our local newspaper, The Belleville Intelligencer, so if you are in the area, make sure to pick up a copy! Hopefully, they will also be posted on the paper’s website - http://www.intelligencer.ca/ If you are interested in purchasing any of his photos, please send us an email, as this is another way to support us financially.

Esther has once again started recruiting teachers for the school next year. In January, she will visit universities and Bible colleges across Ontario to meet with interested candidates. If you know of someone who might be interested in this amazing opportunity to serve in Honduras, please contact Esther at recruitment@ceehonduras.com or check out the school website – http://www.ceeehonduras.com/

As you can see, the upcoming months are filled with many commitments, as well as major life transitions. We are very grateful for your continued support and prayers as we take these steps of faith. Though at times we feel overwhelmed, we are learning once again to trust God with both the big and the little steps of faith.

We pray that during the busyness of this holiday season, you will have a moment to reflect on the ultimate present – God’s gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. May His light shine in your life as you seek and serve Him in the upcoming year.

January

8-19 Recruitment Visits Throughout Ontario
20-27 California Trip – Visiting Family and Recruiting Teachers
28- 31 Siguatepeque, Honduras

February

1 Begin Language School in Antigua, Guatemala

Praise and Prayer

¨ Raising financial support (monthly and one-time costs)
¨ Reconnecting with family, friends, supporters and churches in Canada
¨ Spiritual growth and encouragement
¨ Language School (February – June 2009)
¨ Recruitment of teachers for 2009-2010 school year
¨ Esther’s new position at school as Director of English Program
¨ New ministry in Honduras for Dave
¨ Health and safety upon returning to Central America

Blessings,

Dave and Esther

2008-11-25T16:15:00.000+13:00

This is Dave's test for his frist time using the blog.

The bird is taken in Copan Honduras

A kiln Stuff with ready to go pots at place close to our home in Honduras.

2008-11-17T16:54:00.000+13:00

Meegan and Glenn's Wedding!

Dad and his girls

Siblings and Cousins! (Quite a few not in this picture, but a nice idea!)

It's official :)

2008-11-17T16:51:00.001+13:00

Day Trip to Westport

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we (Mom, Dad, Nanna, Meredith, Warren, Dave and I) decided to head up to Westport for a view of the gorgeous fall colours from the lookout! It was well worth the trip! And, we actually ran into Cork and Judy (my aunt and uncle) there! There were also just out for a drive! Funny coincidence!

Nanna looking stylin' in Warren's shades!

2008-11-17T16:46:00.000+13:00

Fall Colours at the Cottage

2008-11-17T16:43:00.000+13:00

Haliburton Wolf Centre
~Photo Nature Group Field Trip~

Esther trying to pretend she's not petrified of the 75 Huskies!!

2008-11-05T02:19:00.003+13:00

Teachers Needed!

Our school in Honduras (Siguatepeque Bilingual Christian School) has a real need for 2 teachers, beginning in January 2009. It is to replace 2 teachers that are serving there right now, but aren't able to stay for the entire year. The position ends in June.

The two positions are for:

1 - High School English (Gr. 10-11)
2 - Elementary Enrichment and Remedial Help (working with kids in small groups)

The school provides free accommodation, as well as a small monthly stipend. If you are interested, check out the school website - www.ceehonduras.com or leave me a message. There will also be openings at the school starting in August, for the 2009-2010 school year.

2008-10-26T06:16:00.003+13:00

Latin America Mission Canada

Just a quick post to make people aware of the new website of our missions agency - Latin America Mission Canada. The website www.lamcanada.ca has information on different missionaries and ministries connected to LAM, as well as a way to donate online. So, if you are interested in supporting us financially, as we prepare to return to Honduras, this is probably the easiest way. Let us know if you have any questions about our financial needs.

2008-10-07T06:29:00.000+13:00

Bettney Photos

Some of you know that Dave has been dabbling in photography for awhile and many people have said that he has a real "eye" for it. Anyways, since we've been back he's been taking a Photography Course at Loyalist College with Robert Bailey, and has really been enjoying it! It has inspired him a lot!

He's also started to sell his pictures as a way of raising support for us (and hopefully so that Dave can buy a SLR camera to further his skills!) Anyways, please contact us if you're interested! Otherwise, enjoy somr of his most recent photos below!

O'Hara Mills, Madoc

Still has Tim Horton's on the brain, apparently :)

2008-10-07T05:58:00.000+13:00

Nature Shots

2008-10-07T05:56:00.000+13:00

401 Night Shots

2008-10-07T05:16:00.000+13:00

Dave's Photography Show at Next Church, Kingston

2008-10-07T05:15:00.000+13:00

Queen's University Homecoming
Had a great time catching up with old housemates and friends from Queen's. It's been 5 years since we graduated (more or less), and it was terrific to see everyone again!

See you in 2013 (Well, hopefully before then, but we'll have to also plan something for 10 years!)

At the football game, where Queen's beat Western! Nice finger, Ames :)

2008-10-07T05:04:00.000+13:00

10KM Race at Sandbanks

Ran into some old friends and met some new ones!

Getting ready to go!

Lucky # - Not really, but it did the job for the day! I was really happy with the race and had a great time! Dave was a great cheerleader for me :)

Cooling off in Lake Ontario after the race

2008-10-07T04:49:00.000+13:00

Dave @ Work

Believe it or not, this was Dave's daily commute for a few days! In the beginning of September, we stayed at my parents' cottage on Buck Lake, and kayaked down in the morning to the Berezny's cottage, where Dave was putting in a foundation for a new bunkie. Can't really beat the views and no traffic!

Now, Dave is working as a carpenter in Belleville for a friend, and really enjoying it. One big project has been building a horse barn (see below) at a farm in the County. As you can see, this pony was pretty interested in sharing Dave and Herman's lunch!

2008-09-17T07:49:00.002+12:00

Here's our most recent update! If you would like to be added to our update list, please send me an email at daveandesther@hotmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We trust you are enjoying a wonderful September, wherever you are in the world! Well, to start off with the exciting news - after much prayer and discussion, we decided over the past few weeks to return to Honduras! It has been a big decision, and we thank many of you who have been thinking and praying for us during this process.

I will be returning to Siguatepeque Bilingual Christian School, as the Director of the English Program (Jk-Gr. 11). I am really excited about this new position, and it was one of the major factors in us returning to Honduras. I will continue working on many of the same projects as before, including teacher recruitment, supervising B.Ed. placements, curriculum development, etc., but it will be in a more official role, and I won’t have to try to balance these responsibilities with teaching full-time. I do still hope to teach at least 1 class, as I would miss the daily interaction with my students too much!

At this point, Dave is looking into other ministries to pursue when we return. While he had many great experiences at the camp, he feels that his gifts could be better utilized in a different environment. Please pray for wisdom as we trust God to lead Dave to a ministry that will be the right fit for him.

One factor we found limiting in Honduras was our level of Spanish. While we both learned enough Spanish for everyday living, we weren’t fluent enough to discuss deeper issues with Spanish-only speakers. In order to address this issue, we hope to study Spanish full-time in Antigua, Guatemala for approximately 5 months (Feb-June 2009). We have not ever studied Spanish full-time for more than a week, so it will be a big adjustment for both of us. After Language School, we would to move to Honduras in time for the new school year.

We want to thank all of you who have been so supportive of our ministry in Honduras so far – through prayer, encouraging words, visits and financial support! We will have additional costs in returning this time as we will be considered “long-term”. As well, we will need to pay for tuition during our 5 months at Language School. If you have supported us in the past or would like to begin supporting us, please contact Latin America Mission Canada at info@lamcanada.ca or donate online at www.lamcanada.ca

While preparing to return to Central America, we are also enjoying our time in Canada. We currently live in Belleville with my parents. Dave works as a carpenter for a family friend, which has been great. He is also pursuing his gift in photography, through a night course at Loyalist College. He is exhibiting his photographs at a few places, and we hope to sell some of his work as part of our fundraising. Please let us know if you are interested.

Antigua, Guatemala I am on the supply teaching list for Hastings and Prince Edward DSB and am patiently waiting for calls. As well, I have been busy with the various arrangements for our return to Central America. We are currently looking for further opportunities to share about our involvement in Honduras. Please let us know if you are aware of any, from church services, to small groups, to fundraising events.

One big highlight of our time in Canada has been catching up with our family and friends. The summer was a great time for this, and we look forward to more opportunities in the months ahead. If you are in Ontario, please send us an email, and we would love to arrange a time to get together!

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we continue to seek God’s direction. There are still many unknowns, even in going back to a familiar place, but we trust that God will provide for us as we follow Him, one step at a time. We are very grateful for your support and we look forward to hearing from you!

Blessings,

Dave and Esther

2008-08-22T05:38:00.001+12:00

Celebrating 3 years of Marriage!

August 20th, 2008

August 20th, 2005

2008-08-22T05:37:00.000+12:00

We ended up spending part of our anniversary at the place where we got married - Pleasant Bay Camp. We were out visiting my sister, her husband and our nephew Nathan (and delivering their laundry - how romantic!). We went for a beautiful walk along the beach and remembered how great our wedding was, though forgot to take any pictures! Here's some pics from the rest of the day!

Stop at the Dairy Dip!

Beautiful views on the drive from Pleasant Bay to Picton

Stopped in at the Waring House, where we stayed 1 night at this great stone cottage on our honeymoon.

We always think this is a much nicer way of getting to Kingston than on the 401! Not quite as efficient, but beautiful!

2008-08-22T05:31:00.000+12:00

Off to Gananoque for dinner and to see Les Miserables at the Thousand Islands Playhouse! It was terrific!

Amber, recognize the purse? Thanks!

Enjoying the waterfront view before the play and at intermission

2008-08-22T05:06:00.000+12:00

Looking down on Philip and Amber lying on the bench from the Peace Tower, Parliament Hill, Ottawa

Looking cute, as always!

Belleville Ribfest!!! Seriously delicious!

2008-08-22T05:03:00.000+12:00

Picnic at the Kingston Waterfront. Pan Chancho bread and brie - perfect!

Family trip to Ottawa - views from the top of the Peace Tower at Parliament Hill

2008-08-20T09:12:00.001+12:00

Ok, well so much for doing better at blogging. Another month has gone by, but hopefully the following posts will catch you up on our life in Canada at the moment. It has been busy with lots of family and friend time, along with trying to get this stage of life figured out. We appreciate your continued prayers as we both hope to start working full-time in September in Belleville. Dave plans to be working in construction, with my dad and possibly others, and I hope to be supply teaching. This will be an adjustment to both of us, as both teaching and construction are very different in Canada then in Honduras, but we're looking forward to the experience!

We also appreciate your prayers as we continue to seek God's direction for the future. We've been doing lots of talking, thinking and praying about what is next for us, and while we don't yet have an answer to that common, "So, have you guys made a decision?" question, we're hoping to in the next few months.

Please pray to as we continue to make the adjustment from living in Honduras to living in Canada. While in many ways this is a "homecoming", in other ways being in Canada is totally new to us, as we have never lived here as a married couple. As well, we left a large part of our hearts in Honduras. We miss our friends there very much (if any of you are reading this, I'm starting to cry again!!!), but trust that this is where we are supposed to be right now, and are trying to follow God's leading for the next steps!

Thanks for your continued friendship and support! Hope you enjoy the pictures below!

2008-08-20T09:02:00.000+12:00

A few days after arriving back in Canada, we headed out on a 5 day canoe trip with the Vissers. It was wonderful to see them again and spend time together in the wilderness.

Theo with one of the 7 bags of gorp! So good!

We had beautiful weather - sunny, flat water! Perfect!

Hannah and Sue enjoying a slightly chilly shower with water from the lake. It was beautiful for swimming in too, once you got over the inital, "Wow, that's cold!" shock!

2008-08-20T08:59:00.000+12:00

Campsite #2

Cards were terrific, until the bugs came out!

2008-08-20T08:56:00.000+12:00

Chilling out with Mel and Will in Barrie after the canoe trip

Ken and Dave

Josh's crazy campfire!

Having fun on the rapids! Yes for dry-sacs!

2008-08-20T08:54:00.001+12:00

One thing that we've really enjoyed is getting a chance to get caught up again with family and friends! This is the longest time we've been in Canada for since we've been married, so we're trying to take advantage of every opportunity to spend with those we love!

Downtown Toronto

Sunset from Centre Island

A new hair-do for Esther!

Chilling out with family on Uncle Jack's boat

2008-08-20T08:52:00.001+12:00

We spent our 3rd week back at the cottage with my family, which was wonderful! We are all together about once a year at this point, so it is a really special time - and filled with lots of our Heidt-style debates :) Just like the good ol' days!

I feel these two pictures stand on their own. No caption required!

Feeding the ducks

2008-08-20T08:50:00.000+12:00

Steve and I both giving some coolio looks to Dave, the camerman.

Trip to the waterfall, which was running super fast. That's Amber, Steve, Mark and me (Esther).

Nathan and I enjoying some cuddle time and reading Carebears! They've clearly made a comeback.

2008-08-20T08:47:00.000+12:00

Dave and his dad working on the compost - beautiful soil, they say!

Aunt Judy and Nathan having some "cuddle time". One of Nathan's new things is to come up and ask people, "Wanna cuddle?" If you say yes (who could ever say no!?!?), he climbs up in your lap and cuddles! So cute!

Philip and Dad with kids in one of the original boats in the fleet

Mark and Dave cliff-jumping! Really, compared to the "fireworks in the boat" incident last year, this is quite tame for cottage antics!

2008-08-20T08:44:00.000+12:00

Dad, Elisabeth and Nathan on the new catamaran sailboat. New, as in, new to us! Think it was built in the 70s, but it is very fun to use when the wind is up.

Picture of the sailboat, looking from the cottage down Buck Lake.

Dustin spent the week with us at the cottage. He was with Elisabeth and Mark for 3 weeks, giving his foster mom a break. He was super-cute!

Mom, Elisabeth, Nathan and Dustin on the paddleboat - also new to us! My dad has a "boat-buying" problem!!

2008-07-17T14:40:00.002+12:00

Just to let everyone know that we are back in Canada and doing well! Sorry that we haven't been updating very much lately, but I'll try to get better!

We hope to see lots of you in the next few months. As of right now, were going to be in Ontario until Christmas ...still praying and thinking about life after December. We'll let everyone know when we make any decisions :) We appreciate your prayers!

2008-05-24T14:33:00.001+12:00

Sorry that it has been awhile since my last blog. Life has been busy the past few weeks, with work-related trips for Dave, and marking, marking, marking for Esther. Life is good though! Enjoyed a wonderful 12 days with Amy visiting, and am trying soak in all of the last moments with my students. Read my Gr. 11 class Dr. Seuss' "Oh The Places You'll Go" this week, and shed some serious tears. Gonna miss all my students! One more week of classes, then exams, graduation, etc. Looking forward to the break, but really finding it hard to say good-bye.

On Dave's trip to El Salvador

Scripture Union staff from Siguatepeque on a retreat to Tela

Adalid (camp caretaker and good friend of Dave's) and his family. Very cute kids :)

Some Union Biblica staff on the high ropes course. Orlando, head of Union Biblica for Honduras, is the fearless leader up front.

2008-05-24T14:26:00.001+12:00

Saying Good-Bye to my Gr. 11 class. Graduation in a couple of weeks! Lots of tears :)

So good to have Amy here for a visit! Spent the long weekend in Copan, one of our favourite towns here.

Visit to Copan isn't complete without a trip to the Bird Park!

2008-04-21T13:09:00.000+12:00

Upcoming Visitor!

Well, not much new to report here. Dave and I continue to serve in our different jobs, trying to make the most of our final months here. We've booked our flights back to Canada for July 15th, and we're really looking forward to spending a few months with family and friends.

The big news is we are having a visitor this week! Yep, this Saturday night, Amy Fisher, my best friend arrives from Canada! Can't wait to see her! It was a bit of a last-minute decision to come, and we're so excited she took the leap!

This picture is actually the last time she came on a big trip to visit us! When we lived in New Zealand, we met up with her and another friend Trevor in Australia. Look forward to more travelling adventures and to her seeing what our daily lives are like here.

We're still here for a few more months if anyone else is interested coming! WE LOVE VISITORS!!!

2008-04-07T06:00:00.000+12:00

After a crazy busy month of March, Dave and I were able to escape last week to Belize for a few days. We've been wanting to go for awhile, and it was the perfect place to unwind after a few very hectic weeks.

The little cottage where we stayed, right on the beach

On the boat on the way over

Looking very sunburnt! On the bus on the way back to Siguatepeque

2008-04-07T05:56:00.001+12:00

Very cool old fort in Omoa

Artillery room

2008-04-07T05:55:00.000+12:00

Beautiful beach

Out for dinner on the beach

Gelato!

Looking handsome

2008-03-26T03:52:00.000+13:00

Dave and I in Comayagua. We went there on Thursday with the Tennessee team and the B.Eds. About 75 of us in all!

A lovely picture of Katherine - this is for your mom, so I hope she is checking :)

So, while everyone else was looking at the sawdust carpets, Dave got right in there to make them! The guy in the red shirt actually asked me first if I wanted to help dye the sawdust, but I declined, but mentioned that I'm sure Dave would like to help. So, Dave took him up on the offer and got right in there. See the next post for after-pics of his hands! Apparently the thin plastic gloves didn't do a whole lot!

Dave and new friend, in kinda matching shirts!

2008-03-26T03:37:00.002+13:00

Abby, Lizzy and Hannah and their "house". Really, more of a mansion, with its fancy swimming pool and diving board (See black garbage bag creation!)

Sawdust carpets in Comayagua for Easter. We went again this year, but we went a day earlier and got to see some of them being made, which was really cool.

After helping dye the sawdust, Dave's hands remained very blue for a few days! A little Smurf-like!

Looking slightly sleepy :) On Good Friday, Dave and I headed to San Pedro to drop off part of one team, and pick up the next team. We had a few hours in between, so we headed to the mall to catch a movie and go out for dinner, which was great. It was nice to have some time together, just the two of us, during this very busy season of groups!

2008-03-26T03:36:00.001+13:00

Bathroom doors! Dave recently built and installed these doors at our local public school.

Ant Infestation! So, we had a little adventure a few weeks ago with the local ant population. Apparently, they were all living in our roof! Anyways, after about 5 bouts of RAID, and serious headaches from the fumes, I think we cleared most of them out. We actually had to sweep this amount off the counter and floor 3 or 4 times. It was pretty disgusting, though thankfully harmless.

Dave attacking them with RAID!

The arrival of the B.Eds. at the aiport. We have made many trips to the airport recently, with 2 Canadian groups and 2 American groups this month! It has been a busy month, but very fun, with lots of new people and stuff to do.

2008-03-19T17:36:00.002+13:00

This is going to be a quick one because I really need to get to bed, but found out this week that a national English newspaper, Honduras This Week, decided to publish some letters from my Gr. 10 students that I submitted as part of our Media Unit. Anyways, I'm pretty stoked about the whole thing and am so proud of them! We are off school this week because of Semana Santa (though very busy at the camp with 65 Tennesseans /sp?/ and 7 Queen's B.Eds), so I won't get a chance to officially tell them until Monday. Though I've heard a few of them have been checking my blog lately, so the secret might be out!

If you want to check it out, here's the link - http://hondurasthisweek.com/editorial.htm

2008-03-07T04:26:00.000+13:00

Just got back last night from our Gr. 9-11 School Trip to Cayos Cochinos and La Ceiba. It was a really great time. We were supposed to go last weekend, but it didn't happen because of bad weather. Dave sadly wasn't able to go with the change in dates, because we are now into full-on teams at the camp. The trip was from 1 am Sunday night until about 7pm Wednesday night, with not a lot of sleep in between! They actually cancelled classes today to let everyone recuperate - for me, it's time to catch up on blogging and emails!! We're looking forward to the Queen's B.Ed. students arriving on Saturday, but there's still lots to do before then!

Here's one of the boats we took to Cayos, from La Ceiba. It was about an hour trip, absolutely beautiful sunny weather!

Javier - looking slightly mischevious (I hope you are eading this, Javier!)

Beautiful crystal clear water!

At the island we stayed at. The thatched roofs you can see are the homes of the Garifuna, the people that live there.

2008-03-07T04:20:00.000+13:00

Ivan getting his hair braided. Not sure if that's a smile or grimace of pain!

Enjoying the beautiful water!

Garifuna restaurant

Noel and a crazy piece of coral he found on the beach

2008-03-07T04:19:00.000+13:00

My bed for our night in Cayos Cochinos

View out my window in the morning

Gorgeous sunset!

Some of the students slept in tents at Cayos. It was pretty windy though, so not sure if they actually got any sleep!

2008-03-07T04:14:00.000+13:00

Kevin - looking very smiley! Only because he was very mean to me earlier in the day, and I told him he could make it up by smiling nicely for the camera. Ha ha - what a guy!

Francisco - looking very sleepy! This is at 6:30 in the morning, getting ready to take the lancha (boat) back from Cayos Cochinos to the main land.

Some Sandra, Ana and Dania - also looking very tired!

Noel - out in the middle of nowhere, stilling getting reception on a cell phone. Weird world!

2008-03-07T04:06:00.000+13:00

Marlon, Johanna and I enjoying the river tour

David Alejandro - one of my Gr. 9 students. Has a great sense of humour and terrific smile :)

Carlos - trying to look serious. Another one of my Gr. 9 students who knows how to laugh and to make others laugh! And, who has a incredible need to drive Mrs. Esther crazy at times :)

We took this train down to the river. It is about 120 years old, leftover from the days of the United Fruit Company. Interestingly enough, we passed Dole pineapple fields on the drive in. All of the pineapples are sent to the States except for the ones that are too small, which are sold for consumption in Honduras.

2008-03-07T03:51:00.000+13:00

Oops - wrong way, but I think you get the idea. YEsterday, we visited a Butterfly and Insect Museum in La Ceiba. Actually very cool! The students enjoyed the live insects (see below) the best!

Why are all of these sideways? Anyways, we went for a trip down a river (can't remember the name) and had a great time! We say monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, tons of cool birds, etc.

Looking up at a monkey, making very loud noises!

2008-03-07T03:37:00.000+13:00

Swimming in the rapids at Rio Cangrejal

The brave one who did the rapids - (l-r) - Marlon, Juan, Tony, Johanna, Esther, Elizabeth, Erick, Noel, Elias

Noel and I having a little laugh at Tony's antics.

Beautiful waterfall on the trip back

2008-03-03T05:57:00.000+13:00

Picnic Table #2

Dave was so inspired after building his first picnic table for a local family, that he decided to build one for our front porch as well. He still needs to sand and varnish it, but it looks beautiful. We enjoyed a leisurely weekend breakfast on it this morning. We are soaking up the last moments of peace, before the beginning of Team Craziness! 4 straight weeks of work teams! Dave really enjoys having them here, and I am really looking forward to the B.Eds. helping at the school, but it is a tiring time.

I am actually headed off at 1 am tonight on a 3-day school trip. It was supposed to be last week, but it got cancelled because of bad weather. Though, it didn't actually get cancelled until about 4 am, when we had already driven half way there. Oh, fun times! Anyways, I'm off this week. Sadly, Dave can't go because he needs to be here with the work teams, but I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my students. Please pray for safety as we travel (by bus and by boat), and during all of the activities (hiking, snorkelling, etc.) Also, for a terrific time of building friendships for everyone on the trip.

2008-02-22T15:57:00.000+13:00

Waterfall we visited this weekend, close to the lake. Can't remember how to spell the name, but very beautiful!

Finally, a picture of the photographer :)

Enjoying the mist off the waterfall on a very hot day!

Lunar Eclipse!

2008-02-22T15:53:00.000+13:00

New Picnic Table Built by Dave

Delivering the picnic table to a local family, that Sue has been working with. Dave built an outdoor toilet for this same family last year.

Admiring the new table

The table will be used for meals, as well as a place for the kids to do their homework

2008-02-09T13:32:00.000+13:00

Science Fair!

We had a great day today with the Gr. 10s and 11s presenting their science experiments. There were lots of really interesting ones, from electronic bikes to biodiesel to hot-air balloons. I was very impressed!

All the students getting set-up

2008-02-09T13:30:00.000+13:00

Ana E, Milly and Marlon avoiding looking at the camera

Jarman demonstrating what you shouldn't do with dangerous chemicals!

Samuel making Dora smile

Daniel giving a science lesson to the Gr. 2s. The younger students were very excited to come and visit their Reading Buddies and see their experiments. Very cute!

2008-02-09T13:27:00.000+13:00

Andrea and Grecia -smiley as always!

Kevin, putting on his serious face :)

David Jose - one of my more elusive students. Terrific sense of humour!

Daniel in one of his more serious moments

2008-02-03T10:55:00.000+13:00

Party at our house. We had a great time last night, playing cards and random coin-catching games. We had a campfire as well, but we got a bit rained out.

Mark celebrating a win. Likely, against Katharine :)

Clockwise, starting in left corner - Katharine, Jorge, Dave, Mark, Megan, Brett, Jill, Amanda

2008-02-03T10:53:00.000+13:00

Here's a few pics of our recent recruitment trip to Canada. In all, we were at 8 different universities/Bible schools and 3 different churches, sharing about the opportunity for teachers at our schoo here in Honduras. We were able to visit and stay with family and friends along the way, which was terrific!

Short trip to the Parliament buildings. Slightly chilly and snowy, but beautiful!

Paul Butler's band, Ianspotting, playing at the Merchant in Kingston

At the merchant with Paul and Sarah, Tim and Tracy, Joanna and Katherine. I'm looking slightly sleepy, but it was a good time!

2008-02-03T10:48:00.000+13:00

Looking all professional at Queen's

After the Recruitment Fair at University of Ottawa, we headed downtown for a walk around

Stopped at some pub to grab something to eat, and it was Robby Burns day!?! Anyways, there was some cool Celtic music and some interesting Scottish food.

Outside the Parliament buildings in Ottawa