Can you believe it has been six weeks already? We are immersed and saturated in the Honduran culture of Copan Ruinas. God has been good to us. He teaches us daily lessons in love, patience, and kindness, generosity, humility and gratefulness, simplicity, patience and trust, obedience, hope and faith. Did I mention patience? That's what it takes to teach these old dogs new tricks. Each day is a blessing from God as we study, experience, learn and share with our hosts.

Every day is a new day, a new beginning, a blessing from our God! We are thankful for the opportunity to serve here. We are reminded daily that we so often take his mercies for granted.

During Holy week, many Hondurans take time to visit with family, enjoy meals together and take a break from the work they do. Some places, like the schools, are closed for the entire week. The banks and other businesses close for the entire day on Thursday and Friday. 

First you pick a picnic spot along the river. Next you machete a clearing in the shade, carry rocks to make a stove. Then you jump in! It was a beautiful time learning new language, customs of others and about the family God has placed in our life.

Our family spent the day at the river complete with a campfire lunch, dip in the river and relaxing fun for all.

The Catholic church in Copan annually prepares the only religious observance of this special time of the Christian Church. Many hands prepare the decorative designs on the street leading up to the Catholic Church on the square. First, a layer of sawdust is tamped down on the cobblestone street. Then coloured sawdust is added on top to form the background and designs. Stencils and additional black sawdust are used to outline the figures and pictures on the colored layer. Then the design is filled in with additional colors to complete the pictures and symbols of the last week of Christ's life among us. 

A procession for the stations of the cross occurs on Good Friday in the morning. The procession in the evening tells the story of Christ crucified and processes down the colored carpet to the Catholic Church. The final procession depicts the ultimate event, the resurrection of our Lord. 

Attending church with our family has been a unique experience each time. There is much singing of praises to God, much praying by different members of the congregation and enthusiastic preaching by Señor Neptali and other worship leaders.

March 18 is father's  day in Honduras. A special tribute was given on Sunday in worship. A whole minute of applause was given to all the fathers. At the end of the service, after a sermon on the responsibilities God gives to fathers,  all the fathers present stood in front and received hugs, kisses and blessings from the entire congregation.

Wish everyone could meet Gladys! She is awesome. Not only does she proudly keep our clothes clean, fix many of our meals and clean our room, she also takes great delight in teaching us Spanish, correcting our grammar and instructing us in the proper use of table manners. Gladys has a husband and two children. She works here every day. 

We praise and thank God for his many blessings.

• A team at GFUMC who is supporting us in so many ways.
• A safe place to live and learn about Honduras
• A place to learn the language and culture from people who love God.
• A family who is proud to help care for us and believes we can help the children at Orphanage Emmanuel 
• A month of good health
• A steady growth in financial support 

We ask for God's guidance and protection, for

• Wisdom to recognise our need to rely solely on his strength and power over everything
• Courage to risk making mistakes as we strive to love others as Christ has shown us
• Humility to acknowledge our vulnerability and to accept help from others
• Ability to learn a new language and to share Christ's love through our learning
• Growth in our relationships with Orphanage Emmanuel,our sponsors and those placed in our lives here in Copan.