Monday means Kid's Club in Armenia. With a disappointing turn-out initially, Josh and I made the rounds in the truck, calling kids to come hang out with us (the desperation in our voices could have fooled one into thinking that we truly need a bunch of 7-year-old friends). Pulling out the jump ropes and soccer balls back at the field, however, brought the kids running from all corners of the neighborhood. Soon enough, I had little ones attacking me from all sides and little girls I'd never met grabbing me by the hands and begging me to play them in a game of marbles. One 14-year-old boy named Ariel even took it upon himself to find me a husband right then and there in Armenia. His two best options for me were a toothless 60-some-year-old man or himself. And that's when Josh and I had to break the news...that we were already happily married.

Today the Bible story was about Esther for which Josh hand-crafted a short skit where I debuted as the Queen herself. The skit, of course, wouldn't be complete without our Latino audience enjoying a few good laughs at the bunch of costumed gringos trying to speak their miserable Spanish. The craft involved a coloring sheet and GLITTER PAINT, which with one careless swipe on Josh's part soon became a full-on battle. I managed to leave relatively unaffected with only a blue arm, while Josh proudly sported his new tie-dye T.

Packing up and getting ready to make the trek back, Erin pulled out a surprise stash of clothes to give away. You'd think these second-hand items were made out of pure gold by the way the children swatted and begged for them. One small boy, with teeth rotted to the gums, was given a Mickey Mouse T-shirt, which I soon discovered was the first shirt he'd ever owned.

For the past several weeks, public school teachers have been on strike on account of Micheletti's refusal to recognize pay increases promised by Zelaya. As a result, children have been out of class for weeks (public schools here run from February to November). Many speculate that the public schools won't reopen until the initiation of the following school year. It's really a travesty how just a few people can impede on the rights and lives of so many more through jeopardizing the education of an entire generation. I'm already learning so much from getting glimpses into these small vignettes of the children's lives...a true perspective transformation.

As we headed home, sitting in the bed of a truck on a bumpy gravel road, passing aimless cows and chickens on either side, I had another one of those "this is my life" instances. Kind of like Northern VA, huh?

Back at the Pettengills, Mateo (family friend from Costa Rica) graced us with his presence while Erin and I prepped some fab falafel and hummus for dinner. Afterwards, Josh was determined to show me his favorite restaurant/bar in La Ceiba (Expatriados) and introduce me to a few friends. Meeting his Latino amigos made me miss my Spanish amigos and my own favorite bars in Spain. This having been said, I did enjoy the tiki-bar atmosphere and learning some new Honduran slang. My personal favorite phrase was "que pedo?" (their equivalent to "what's up?", but literally translates as "what fart?") HA! A little surprised to be leaving at 10pm, I had to remember myself--where I was, and on a Monday. I guess I'll never fully be able to shake that Spanish siesta-fiesta syndrome from my system ;)