Home..almost

We are back. Safe and sound. No problems. No trouble. In retrospect, had we been off line and away from radio, we never would have known there was a problem. We might have wondered why the bus and the plane were so empty, but that's all. Five-hour lay overs are long. 

Our departure day at the orphanage was not without fanfare. The thoughtful Jones family brought in the matriarch of the village to cook her famous fish and fish soup for us. And INFA, the child protection service agency in Honduras showed up for a surprise inspection at the same time that Mama and Papa had just returned from town and a visit to a different INFA office to pick up a new addition to the family. They received the call that morning and said, "yes." And just like that there are 20 kids there now (there were 15 when we got there--four belong to the single women who is living in the pool shed and working there). The new baby is a 13-month- old named David. He was born to a mentally ill woman who was raped. She was deemed an unfit parent by INFA and now there is a new child in the Jones family. Any of us would be overwhelmed. After all, it takes 1-2 weeks just to de-lice and de-parasite new kids. But the Jones family, in their tiny, crowded space are grateful. Papa Jones greeted the new baby by taking him in his big arms, introducing himself and Mama and saying, " I love you. We both love you. If you stop crying you can drive the truck." David fell asleep in his arms in minutes. May the rest of his adjustment be as easy.

There was never a dull moment there. There are always what we would call little emergencies that would make us dizzy and stressed, but they tackle them one at a time, trusting God all the way. We weren't really ready to come home. They need help so much. And it's cold here. I had to wear a sweatshirt in the airport and planes--that darn AC is frigid! 

I have more to tell, but I'll be busy for the next few days and off line. It's off to Des Moines, and Cody, if you read this, it'd have to be someone really important to make me travel further from home and garden at this point. And Grandma, I miss you. I'm sorry it won't work to connect.