So What About Haiti?

I apologize for not updating this in a more timely manner. The trip to Haiti has been postponed until Thanksgiving. During the summer there was an outbreak of the chikungunya virus. It is a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes and there is no vaccination or treatment for it. If you contract it you feel feverish and according to one Haitian doctor "like every bone in your body is breaking". The symptoms felt intensely last a week to ten days and then more mildly up to a year. Another mission team that was staying at the same place we planned on was struck, and 9 of the 10 members were hospitalized in the Dominican Republic. We felt that if we went during this time we were jumping off a cliff and asking God to catch us and we could end up being more of a burden than a blessing to the ministry. Through prayer and fasting we felt a peace knowing that we were being called to go at a later date. All 11 team members are able to go during the week of Thanksgiving which is an answer to prayer! Thanks for your continued support!

I Will

A couple months ago, our church did a campaign called "I Will". The campaign challenged us to be  people that WILL do things instead of being people who COULD do things. Pretty much, get out of your comfort zone and live out your faith! One of the teachings was about Zacchaeus. When Jesus told Zacchaeus that he was coming to his house, Zacchaeus was convicted and declared that he WILL pay back four times the amount that he had taken. It wasn't, 'well I could pay them back', it was and I WILL, and he did it! How many times have I considered doing something, felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit and just ignored it? Told myself that I could do it, but talked myself out of it. I had been praying about going on this trip to Haiti, and I wondered why God would call me to a country that I don't speak the language. I was convicted of my 'I could' attitude and said 'I will' apply to go to Haiti and the team filled so we are going! I also was reminded that love knows no language and that is what we are going to do, love on the children at the orphanage.

Another amazing part of this trip is the opportunity to co-lead the trip with a close friend and mentor. Most of my life, I have been one to hide in the shadows of the vocal leaders. I am an encourager and have, by default, led by example. It has been through the encouragement of the community around me that I have begun to use my gift of leadership. It is a vulnerable place for me to be, but I know God is blessing me in and through it.  I would covet your prayers as I take another step in growing as a leader.

My closing thoughts are about vulnerability. Most of my adult life I have hid behind walls I have put up. I don't often invite people into my pain and into my joys. I didn't share life happenings because I didn't want people to see me hurting. In my small group, we are studying a Brene Brown book about being vulnerable. One part that particularly challenged me was how when we hide behind the walls we become lonely and miss out on authentic relationship. Say for example I start a new relationship. If I tell people about it, and tell them it is no big deal, or if I just don't share at all, how are friends and family going to be able to support me when times get rough or how can they celebrate it when times are joyful-it was after all no big deal. I saw my unhealth in this. I was recently in a relationship and I put myself out there sharing the ups and downs with the community around me. What a blessings to have that community to share with me. Some of you guys were the ones that celebrated with me when it was going great, and then supported me as it ended. Without that support I would have dug myself into a hole- a hole of shame and self-doubt. Vulnerability=healthy living in my mind. So why am I sharing this? I usually don't share the ups and downs in my mission experiences. I am guessing a fair number of you didn't even realize I co-lead a mission trip to Vancouver Island last Memorial Day weekend and that's not okay! I want to share this Haiti adventure with you. I need your support. I need your prayers. I need your encouragement.

If you would like to support me financially,please make checks payable to Cornwall Church and include "Cara Mulder, Haiti- Aug. ‘14" on the memo line (if you don't then you'll just make a nice contribution to the general fund!). Mail your payment to:
Cornwall Church
Attn Accounting
 4518 Northwest Drive
 Bellingham, WA 98226

These gifts are tax-deductible and are non-refundable according to the IRS. Funds will be used for
airfare, lodging, transportation, projects and other expenses related to our team’s trip.

Zacate

Do I have your interest now? :) This is where I was last weekend. It was amazing. Tuesday of last week I got a message from a mom that said "we're going to the beach this weekend, we want to you to come, but we can't provide transportation." We found transportation enough for 14 of us teachers to go! This is the story. One of my students Isa, who I absolutely adore, her mom's family owns property on the Pacific. Isa's great-grandpa bought this land 50 years a go, and everyone thought he was crazy. The mom, Marcela, tells stories of going there as a young girl and her grandpa would make up stories of an octopus guarding a hidden treasure and they would even find jewels on the beach

:) it was their magical get-a-way! The grandpa loves animals so there are deer, macaws, peacocks, crocodiles, etc on the land. As his kids got older and their kids got older they started building more homes for lodging. Now there are 8 or so houses and then a big pool, kitchen, dining, hang out area. It is a peninsula with a boardwalk around it and from it you can watch beautiful sunsets!

We spent the day reading, walking the beach, playing with the kids and just loving life. The food was AMAZING! We probably gained about 10 lbs. And on Monday we all were depressed and wanted to be back. We are truly truly thankful for such a great weekend and parents and families that bless us and allow for such a relaxing weekend! Check facebook for more pictures!

So some of you who read my blog last year might remember that our school is well, not good at sports. Our varsity boys soccer team qualified for the playoffs! They beat our rival school in a penalty shoot out! Super exciting! Next month they will travel to San Pedro to play in the country wide tournament! We are proud!

It is weird to read about all the crazy blizzards going on in the States. It has been in the 80's here! We are loving it! The flowers are blooming, and I am proud so say our flowers are still looking great!

My college roommate Dena lives and works in Egypt. She is okay in Turkey, but pray for her and the situation there. I was talking to my students about it yesterday and with Honduras having the political unrest etc. and if I had to be evacuated to a different country I would have been a mess! I would be thinking about all of them and praying they were ok. I am sure Dena is constantly thinking about and praying for her friends in Egypt. Let's join her in praying!

December Showers bring January Flowers?!

One of the many things I love about Honduras is 80 degree weather in January. Nice weather meant gardening for us this weekend. Friday after work, my roommate Twana and I walked to a local greenhouse and bought 8 plants and a bag of dirt. Like true gringas we walked back...got to love that everything is in walking distance! Not going to lie I am still a bit sore from carrying that dirt! For about an hour and a half we dug out the bulbs that had been planted in the planter. They were boring, we wanted fun. So here are the plants we pulled out...and Twana using our 'scissors' to attack some of the ridiculous root systems!









And our final product! The houses in the background are what our house looks like. There are 15 of them in our little community that is part of a bigger neighborhood. It is a wonderful safe neighborhood! And now we have flowers to enjoy!

Along with planting flowers a hilight of my week was talking to Steph who taught with me here last year. She is now living in the happiest place in America, Nebraska for those who missed that on ABC, and she is married and doing great. Experiencing life here creates a strong bond, which I am truly thankful for! Most of you just wouldn't know and care that Annelise is dating Fernando, so I am so very thankful for a friend that knows and understands Honduran life! :)

Tomorrow I have Bible Study...I do Bible Study with my roommates and we have the wonderful blessing of working with 7th grade girls. Most of our 7th grade girls have one thing on their mind...BOYS! I tell you folks, these girls are boy crazy! And though they are 12 or 13 they like to act like they are 20. When I was 12 I liked a boy and he liked me, and he would draw me pictures and I would pretend I didn't like him. Or my friends would be "going out" so that meant I had to pass the notes for them and their gifts and they didn't talk to each other! :) Not these kids...wow...they have their blackberries so they are in CONSTANT communication. And they are so 'pony' or cheesy or sappy or just wow...but they LOVE each other. They get all these quotes from movies and dedicate them to each other...it is rather entertaining. I just worry about these girls being addicted to the attention of boys, because some of them are developing that. If only God had a blackberry...Pray for us as we work with these beautiful girls that we do LOVE!

I'm Back

I guess I haven't found the need to blog this school year because it has been well, normal. I go to school, I teach, I do something after school, I come home, I eat, I get some work done and I go to bed. Not too exciting if you ask me. But I guess since I am in a different country it is exciting. :)
If you need me to fill in the holes of June-December send me an email. Otherwise I am not going to fill you in and just go...
This weekend was fantastic. Friday night my roommate, Stacy, and I babysat. Living in the city has allowed for a lot more time with the families, which is a huge blessing. They aren't our families by any means, but it is nice to feel part of a family here. The family that we 'babysat' for has a 3rd grader, Jorge, and a 7th grader, Ana, and a 6 week old, David. There is a special story to this 6 week old. To make a really long story short, the Lezama's cook's sister abandonded her baby and the cook confided in Claudia (the mom) that she didn't know what to do and was going to bring him to an orphanage because she couldn't care for him. Claudia said no way you bring him here, and now they are working on trying to adopt him. The adoption process hit a road-block already so pray that things will work out. Also pray for his little heart. There is a hole in it and one of the valves might need surgery. It amazes me that they are so willing to just open their hearts to this little boy. He is very precious. I was just reading in James where is says take care of the widows and orphans...They are living The Word. I am so blessed to be around such loving people!
My roommate Stacy is also living out that verse. Over Christmas break a dad of a 3rd and 1st grader died suddenly of a brain anreusym. They are a Korean family and the mom doesn't speak English and only a little bit of Spanish. Stacy grew up speaking Korean and still speaks it with her mom and family. So she has been spending time with that family, trying to help them adjust and just support them in this time. Pray for this family. The dad was so sweet and such a good man. And pray for Stacy as tries to support them and care for them.
Back to the weekend...babysitting was just fun. I spend quite a bit of time with this family, so I feel at home in their beautiful home. We made cookies, sang really off key to ridiculous songs, watched a movie and just relaxed in our pj's. That relaxing in our pj's carried over to Saturday...I managed to spend the whole day in pj's. I didn't even do that over Christmas break! I got stuff done, like yard work, just in my pj's and when I was done working, I just put clean pj's on. It was amazing. I read a book, watched 3 episodes of Gilmore girls (my roommates and I are addicted)...We all needed a day like that. Then today I went to church with Claudia, Ana, and Stacy. I go to church almost every week with Claudia and Ana and the rest of the family. We go to a church that is smaller and up by the school. There are a lot of great families from the school there so the fellowship is a blessing. And it is just a fun time with my "Honduran family". Today was also a successful day in the kitchen...pita, hummus and snickerdoodles. A natural trio of course...they were all delicious!
My roommate Twana has a twin sister...her twin sister had a baby today. We got to see her when she was 45 minutes old, via skype and they live in China. Got to love technology.
This week is the end of the quarter. It will be a busy week and the kids will be stressed out and extra whiney :) Good thing I love them! Have I said that I LOVE my job?! I wake up at 5 every morning to get on the bus at 6 and probably only once or twice this year have I thought ugg I don't want to get up and go to school today...and then probably because it was gross weather.
See told you...my life isn't that exciting! But take it for what it is, I love my life!