the ring, 2 San Jose's & 20 gallons of motor oil

I'm back in Central America, and back to the blog.

I returned to the U.S. for the month of July and had a great time catching up with friends/family & sleeping in the air conditioning. Attended my families annual Orange Beach, AL vacation, traveled to NYC to see my brother & Suzanne, attended my Godson's Baptism in Tampa (photo with Walker Kennedy Kleman below), & met some friends in St. Pete Beach for my bachelor party, yep bachelor party (see below). Always great to be back in the U.S. but after 5 weeks I was ready to return to Central Amercia, it was a long time away from Carina.

Walker and I sending Carina an e-mail in our matching shirts.

I was also able to spend time with my little brother Seth (Big Brothers Big Sisters) when I was back.  I started mentoring Seth when he was 6 years old, he is a freshman in high school this year and only a few inches shorter than me.  Time flies.  He went with me and my family to the beach and I also took him to an amusement park in Kentucky one day. He has become a really neat young man, mentoring is a cool experience!  I purposely asked a girl with an iPhone to take this pic so she would understand how to work my iPhone, she still couldn't figure how to hold it upright.  I think she rode the Kentucky Rumbler a few too many times!!

I drove to Chicago to attend the Baptism of Carina's niece (Kathryn) and nephew (Anthoni).  Carina has a huge family and many of them live in Chicago.  I have been to see them several times, they are always very good to me. (The wife beater didn't appear to show through my shirt when I was at the house getting dressed, what a look!)

I flew back to Honduras on Aug 1 and returned to my volunteer position with the Olancho Aid Foundation. We had 7 long-term volunteer teachers arrive on Aug 7th, they are a great group of people.  I did an orientation with them for 4 days which included a hike to Mountain Boqueron, always a hit with the volunteers.  We take a guard with us to the mountains, just to be safe, 8 gringos in the mountains alone could be problematic.  I took the opportunity to practice my shooting.

Carina joined us on the hike.

On Aug 24th I traveled to Costa Rica by bus to attend a language school for a month.  I have been in San Jose, Costa Rica for the past 2 weeks and starting Monday I will be in Samara, Costa Rica (the schools beach campus) for an additional 2 weeks.  My Spanish is improving and Costa Rica is a beautiful country. In San Jose my host family was a real sweet retired couple, Olga and Geraldo.  They provided me a room, cooked me breakfast and dinner, and also helped me navigate my way around the city.   There were a lot of college students from Germany at the school, some studying Spanish as a 4th language.  I was the only student staying with my host family, but one night a German girl traveled through and stayed at the house as well.  She was suppose to arrive on a Tuesday evening but she didn't show until Wednesday (3 days before her luggage).  I spoke with her on Wednesday and asked what happened with her original plan to arrive on Tuesday, she told me that she did in fact arrive in San Jose on Tuesday, however not San Jose, Costa Rica....San Jose, CALIFORNIA.  She booked her flight to the wrong country, the wrong country.  She had to purchase a same day flight from San Jose, CALIFORNIA to San Jose, Costa Rica....ooop$.  In all my travels that's the first time I have heard of that.  I did accidentally go to O'Hare instead of Midway one time, if you ever do that there is a shuttle for airline employees that they apparently let Cardinal Health employees ride, I guess they felt bad for me.

My school.

Friday I took a bus and ferry (6 hours) in order to get to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica (Surfers Paradise) where I'm relaxing for the weekend. You should have seen all the stuff the passengers were bringing with them from the city of San Jose, I guess that's there opportunity to shop, there is not much shopping here in Santa Teresa. One guy had 20 gallons of motor oil. Santa Teresa is a small beach community located on the West Coast of Costa Rica. I'm staying in a little cabin directly on the Pacific Ocean.  No paved roads, very few automobiles, mostly bikes, ATV's, and surf boards, it's very relaxing, shirts and shoes are rare.   I arrived at 8:00 pm, just as the USA / Costa Rica futbol game was starting.  The whole country was watching the game (tough loss for U.S.)  The place I'm staying doesn't have a front desk, it's the kind of place where the owner walks you to the room and gives you a key.  I tried calling the owner of the cabin as I was approaching the town but she wouldn't answer, so the bus driver dropped me off at the local grocery store and one of the employees called the owner for me.  She sent some guy to the grocery store to pick me up and give me a key to the cabin. Today I take a bus/ferry to Samara where I will continue my Spanish courses. There are a lot of surf board rental shops in Samara, so I'm hoping to surf in the afternoons.

20 gallons of motor oil.

View from the ferry.

 Cabin on the beach.

Town of Playa Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.

As for Carina, she is doing great.  Busy as ever, working during the day, English classes every afternoon, and studying at a university on the weekends to complete her teaching degree, she will be finished in May.  We have been discussing marriage and a date for months now, but I wanted to buy the ring in Nashville from my friends who own a jewelry store, so my July visit gave me the opportunity to make that purchase.  Carina had told me one time that she would love to get married at the little chapel in the school where she works, however the chapel only holds about 40 people so that won't be possible.  I did feel it would be a great place to propose.  Directly outside the doors of the little chapel are the beams I was scrapping and painting in June 2011 when I spotted Carina and asked to be introduced to her.  Anyway, on August 20th I purchased candles and rose pedals, placed them all over the chapel and I went to pick Carina up from her English class.  I previously asked our IT guy (Oscar) to call Carina and let her know that she needed to stop by her office and re-set the internet (our server is located near Carina's office).  So when I picked her up from class she informed me that we needed to stop by her office and reset the server.  We walked into the school together, she noticed the candles and rose pedals and quickly realized what I was up to. So it's official, she said yes, actually she said "si amor"!  We are getting married November 30th 2013 in Juticalpa, Honduras.

I always like sharing the creative Honduran work ethic.  Check out the 2 guys on the bicycles, this is teamwork.  Apparently they work in construction and needed to get 30 ft of rebar to the worksite.

So the Central American Adventure continues.   Enjoy the beginning of the new seasons back in the U.S. Fall and Football.

Grandma, Jose Carlos & KTS

It's May and it's still HOT!  There are a few radio stations in town that play North American music and one of them frequently plays "The Heat Is On".  That was the St. Louis Cardinal's theme song one season in the 80's & when I hear it I'm reminded of my days as a kid going to Cardinal baseball games with my family at Bush Stadium, sitting in the hot summer sun and humidity.  So it's a very fitting song for this time of year here in Honduras.  Thankfully we don't have the extreme humidity that some areas of the U.S. experience, but it is still very HOT!  These days I pray that the rainy season arrives soon.  I was told it rains all of May, which would have been a nice break from the sun, I was told wrong.

With the dry season comes a lot of wildfires.  Many of these wildfires cause power outages.  Some of the power outages last an hour and others last a day or two.  When the electricity goes out so does the water.  The combination of no water, no fans, no lights, can make for some trying times.  I have certainly learned to appreciate running water.  I guess it's all relative, when I visit the homes of some of our students, I see that they get by without electricity and running water on a day to day basis.  I guess I can handle a couple days.   Next time you flip that switch or turn that handle be grateful for the luxury that follows and if your cable bill is more expensive than your water bill, I have good news for you, your rich!  I was at the gym the other night when the lights went out, nobody skipped a beat, they just went on working out in the dark as usual, so I did the same. Here is a picture from the gym.

Most of the plants and trees are awaiting the rain as well.  Things are dry.  The acacias tree is the one thing that does bloom this time of year.  It's beautiful and is a nice reminder that everything isn't dead.

I traveled to St. Louis a couple weeks ago to attend my Grandmother's funeral (my father's mom).  She was 92, had a great life, a huge family, tremendous health, and even stronger faith.  She was a really neat lady.  The visitation and Mass were both very nice but the thing I thought about the most during my time in St. Louis was the importance of family.  It was a nice reminder to not take family for granted.  My grandparents had 8 children, 26 grandchildren, and enough great-grandchildren to field a soccer team.  They didn't escape this place without struggles, many I'm sure, but through good times and bad, family was always a priority, maybe not more of a priority than bridge club but they certainly kept their faith and their family at the top of the list.  I guess driving to Daytona Beach in the 50's and 60's in a station wagon with 8 kids before the interstate system will either increase your faith in God or causes you to walk away from it. I hope my generation is as committed to their family and faith as my 2 grandmothers were.  Here's a recent picture of my Grandma Freesmeier with my cousin Kathleen.

The funeral services took place over mother's day weekend so we ended the weekend by celebrating my Mom and remembering my Grandmothers.  It turned into a very nice weekend, lot's of family, lot's of laughs and even more food, just the way Grandma & Mema would have wanted it.

Last summer I told my grandmother that I would not have a mailing address here in Honduras because they don't have a postal service, so there is no need for an address.  She couldn't believe this.  She had a hundred questions..."how will you get your bills", "how do you send someone a letter", but she was most concerned about invitations to parties.  Well I thought of Grandma the other night.  I was at Carina's house and her cousin stopped by to drop off an invitation (pictured below) to a birthday party.  That's what they do, they hand deliver all invitations, and as you can see they put a lot of thought and time into them.  Grandma didn't  like the idea of not having a postal service, but the idea of hand delivering invitations, another excuse to visit friends and family...that she would have loved!

Pictured below is 5 year old Jose Carlos.  He is one of Carina's many Godchildren.  Carina and I had discussed enrolling him at Santa Clara Bilingual Elementary School next year but we weren't sure if it was possible.  Based on his family situation we both felt this would be a great opportunity for Jose Carlos and his education.  However, we discovered there weren't any scholarships available and we weren't sure how we would pay for it.  As we were discerning on whether or not we should enroll him we also learned that the kindergarten class for next year was quickly filling up.  Without giving it anymore thought, we completed his registration, submitted his birth certificate, and he was officially enrolled.  The following day when I arrived to work and opened my e-mail I had a message from my good friend Tim Kleman in Tampa, FL.  He wanted to know if I needed anything and if so, how he could help.  God always has a plan.  I informed Tim about Jose Carlos and our need for financial assistance, Tim and his wife Krista are now paying for Jose Carlos to attend school at Santa Clara Bilingual Elementary.  Really a great opportunity for this little guy...Thanks Tim & Krista!!

Also - A special thanks to my Uncle Rick, his fiance Olivia, as well as my Aunt Janet & Uncle Bob.  They have all been sponsoring Sofia who attends our special needs school, Escuelita Nazareth.  Sofia is deaf and is able to attend school each day because of the scholarships being provided.  Here is a picture of Sofia.

I will end this post with a very unique story about another scholarship student and his friends in Washington. I have been working with his generous friends for the past 5 months.  They are paying for Yeltsin (pictured below) and his sister Lidenis to attend Cardenal Rodriguez High School (1 of the 2 Olancho Aid High Schools).   Yeltsin has spent a lot of time in Washington receiving medical treatment for Klippel Trenaunay Syndrome (KTS). KTS is a medical condition in which the veins and the lymph vessels do not join together normally. This causes the blood vessels and the lymph vessels to not form properly. This also causes hypertrophy (overgrowth) of the part of the body affected by KTS.  His arm has become so heavy it's painful for him to sit upright in a chair and is preventing him from attending school.  

Yeltsin's group of supporters in Washington are in contact with Healing the Children and are hoping they can find doctors to sponsor the surgery that he needs in order to have his arm amputated. They have been told that the only hospital capable of handling this disease and surgery is Boston Children's Hospital.  If anyone has connections with Boston Children's Hospital or Healing the Children please let me know.  We are hoping to send Yeltsin to the U.S. as soon as possible.  The sooner he can have the surgery, the sooner he can receive a prosthetic arm, and the sooner he can return to High School.  Thanks to the great people in Washington who care so much for Yeltsin, he is lucky to have you in his life. 

If you or someone you know are able to sponsor a child please visit www.olanchoaid.org or e-mail me for details, mfreesmeier@olanchoaid.org. Scholarships range from $25 to $100 per month. 

a grill light & my first iguana

Happy March! All is well in Juticapla, Honduras.  It's summer here (March, April, & May) and the nice cool days are no longer with us.  The cold showers feel great this time of year and I'm missing that sound I use to hear outside my living room window in TN....the AC unit clicking on.

A lot of Birthday's in March, a lot to celebrate!  My birthday, both my grandmothers, my mothers, and Carina's family has several March b-days as well, including her mother and father.  As I have mentioned, Birthdays are a huge celebration in Honduras. This was my first time getting the opportunity to "sample" my cake.  It's a tradition here that the birthday boy or girl taste the icing (hands behind your back).  If you aren't quick enough a loved one usually smashes your face into your cake.  Thanks Carina!  Carina's family is not shy about this tradition and it usually turns into an icing war for about 10 minutes.  Enjoy the pic!

Our friend Toni had a Birthday recently as well.   It is common to prepare re-fried beans, tortillas, chismol, and grill carne asada for celebrations, that's what we did for Toni's Birthday.  Toni was busy dancing to Tina Turner and Elvis (he loves those 2).....Carina had to take over the grill.

I received a great birthday gift from Danny (my roommate). 6 pack of beer packaged with a poncho.  I would have loved to been a part of the think tank that came up with that marketing idea.  I can think of a few times over the years where it would have been handy to have both.

While were discussing creative combinations, apparently they don't sell lights for grills here in Juticalpa.  My neighbour certainly wasn't going to be forced into using a flash light, so he did the next most logical thing.

As for Carina's mothers birthday, Carina's aunts made pizzas in the wood burning stove they have on their patio.  Made for some great pizza.  Carina has a huge family so they baked about 6 of these large pizza's.  If you can't tell by the photo these cooking sheets are about 3X the size of a standard cooking sheet.
It was a lot of pizza! Before the dancing and celebrating began, we all stood in a large circle and prayed for her mother for about 10 minutes. Several of her aunts prayed and Carina did as well.  The prayers were centered around thanking God for their many blessings as well as a prosperous future for Carina's mom. Neat tradition!

I ate iguana for the first time yesterday.  Carina's father bought this iguana from one of his friends and her mother cooked it yesterday, made for a nice meal last night.  I enjoyed it and if you get the opportunity definitely try it, but don't get too excited....yep, it tastes like chicken.  There is a huge iguana that lives on my roof, I can hear it scrambling around in the early mornings, our roof is tile, so it creates a lot of noise.  I thought I just had to put up with that annoying creature, but now I'm thinking I have other options.

I'm still reminded of how tall I am.  I have been tutoring a 4th grader (Fernando) every Wednesday in his home after school and I captured this pic for you.  As soon as I walk into their house, his sister (Andrea) goes to her bed, hides her face in her pillow, and cries.  I understood the first few times, but it's been  7 months now, so I had to ask Fernando last week why she was so scared of me.  He explained...."Michael because you're too big".  Fernando's grades have improved, I hope I'm not ruining Andrea's perception of North Americans.

We have discovered a new restaurant "Papa Dino's".  It's an Italian restaurant here in Juticalpa owned by a guy who lived in Boston for 20 years, or maybe he said 12, not sure, but he was there long enough to figure out how to make great pizza.  Carina and I went for Valentine's Day.

If you read my first post you remember my description of the gym I go to.  I had the chance to snap some pics.  Here you go.  Now that I'm use to it, it doesn't seem that bad, maybe I was just spoiled with the nicer gym's in the states.  The price is right, it's clean, it works.  Notice the little bathroom/toilet area.  This is common for businesses, small closet for a toilet and then a water storage area to wash your hands.

I'm returning to TN for Holy Week.   I will get to be with my mother on her Birthday as well, that will be nice!   Carina and I will be spending this weekend in Tegucigalpa (the Capital) it's about 3 hours from where I live.  It's a nice opportunity to get to a large city, eat, shop, and spend time at the hotel pool.  I will fly to Nashville on Monday.  Also looking forward to the end of lent, I did not give up coffee but I have been limiting myself to one cup a day.  I have certainly learned to appreciate my first (and only) cup more.  I also have to think twice before selecting a mug...I'm not using the small ones.. and I cherish each sip.

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One last comment, CHERISH each day, COUNT your blessings, and LET GO of any anger you have towards others.  A childhood friend of mine (Ben Newton) was killed this past week, shot while working.  SAD.  Ben was a good guy, has a good family, and had a big heart for others.  Ben and I did not remain close, more of a distant friend / acquaintance, I don't want to make this about me....this is just a reminder that we never know what tomorrow brings.  Remember to pray for those who suffer the loss of a loved one, and today please pray for Bill and Liz Newton (Ben's parents).  Thanks.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child please visit www.olanchoaid.org or e-mail me for details, mfreesmeier@olanchoaid.org. Scholarships range from $25 to $100 per month. 

a truckcycle & the watermelon lady

I'm entering this post from my new computer.  When Carina and I left for Panama on December 21st I was certain I had put my computer in the safest place in Honduras.  I was wrong.  Turns out someone was able to get to my computer which I left in a locked drawer, in a locked office, behind a locked gate with a security guard.  Thankfully all they stole was my computer and some petty cash from one of the employees.  We have not had any safety issues with our volunteers so if that's the worst that happens we will be lucky.  I was initially impressed with the investigators who came to question me, CSI Juticalpa, I guess.  They took finger prints, photos, and a few pages of notes.  However a few days later I noticed the investigators left the finger print kit in my office and to this day it is still there. I'm not thinking my computer is a real priority.

My Christmas travels to Panama were eventful.  Traveling on the bus wasn't bad, however going through customs at each border did get tiring, sometimes in the middle of the night and other times in 90 + degree heat!   The bus stations in Nicaragua and San Jose had small hotel rooms were we spent the night. They were simple, maybe a star or 2 but after traveling on the bus all day it was just nice to a have a place to stretch. The Panama Canal is amazing.  We went at the perfect time and were able to see 2 barges pass through.  Panama City is huge, hot year round, and very Americanized.  Carina's family was very hospitable. Tamale's are a big Christmas tradition in Panama as are fireworks.  At midnight on Christmas Eve fireworks lit up the sky for about 45 minutes.  The Panamanians love fireworks.  They fired them off most nights following Christmas and then another big display on Jan 1st. The pictures below capture some of our adventure.  We visited the beaches in Panama, the Panama Canal, The Old City (beautiful, great architecture), a few different churches, and the last picture is of Carina's Aunt and Uncle as well as their nephew, Alejandro.  He enjoyed hanging with Carina and I, he was our adopted son for 10 days.

Pictured below is Junior, he is one of the students that my parents sponsor.  Carina and I had him over to my house to make pizza a couple Sunday's ago.  We skyped with my parents as well, he was speechless.  I think seeing my parents on video through the computer was tough for him to figure out.  We ended the outing with a trip to Eskimo, a local ice cream place with a playground.  Our goal was to spoil him for the day, he didn't want to go home, so I guess we did our job.

Hondurans are creative with transportation.  Carina and I saw this unique vehicle at one of her friends country homes.  Half motorcycle and half truck.  I have seen Hondurans on bicycles holding onto the back of trucks, and I have seen horses, cows and wagons at the same intersection but this was a first.  A truckcycle, I guess?

Many people have asked me about the people here in Honduras and the kids that attend our schools.  Pictured below are two of our scholarship students.  Their grandmother sells watermelon year round in front of of my nieghborhood, she is known as the "watermelon lady", I believe her real name is Leticia.  They are able to attend our grade school because of  a scholarship they receive from a lady in the U.S.  Their home is about a 5 minute walk to the watermelon stand.  Their mother cleans homes and does laundry for families.  Many people (like their mother) find work cleaning, cooking, and other service jobs that pay anywhere from 60-100 lempiras for 2-3 hours of work.  100 lempiras is about $5, so somewhere around $2 an hour.  After school these two help their grandmother with her watermelon business and play with other kids in the neighborhood.  

One of my co-workers, Alejandro,  crashed his motorcycle on a wet road a few weeks ago.  While there are a few ambulances in town they are used to transport patients to larger hospitals, they don't have the luxury of using an ambulance for we would call an emergency.  I drive one of the Olancho Aid trucks so I got the call to transport Alejandro to the hospital.  After working for Cardinal Health for 7 years, I have been in more hospitals than I can count but this was a different experience.  If we are looking to cut healthcare costs in the U.S. we may want to check out this "do it yourself model".  First of all you find your own hospital bed or wheel chair, there isn't anyone greeting you with a wheelchair.  Second, you take your patient from unit to unit on your own.  From admitting Alejandro, transporting him to x-ray, surgery, and finally pharmacy we navigated the halls on our own.  It takes several people to ensure all these tasks are completed so most patience show up with a handful of family members.  Your family members are your nurses.  You also have to pay prior to entering each unit.  There's an idea.  While I certainly appreciate and prefer the hospitals in the U.S., Alejandro is doing fine, recovering and everything got taken care of as needed.

Pictured below is Alejandro with his daughter.  He had requested a scholarship for his daughter to attend one of our high schools, we were about to tell him no as we didn't have the money to cover her education.  However, on the same day as his accident a $1,000 check showed up from a lady in the U.S. She made the donation in memory of her daughter who was killed in a car accident.  Interesting!  Alejandro's daughter will begin attending Intituto Cardenal Rodriguez next week, a great opportunity for her and her family.

If you are interested in sponsoring a child please visit www.olanchoaid.org or e-mail me for details, mfreesmeier@olanchoaid.org. Scholarships range from $25 to $100 per month. 

2 guys from massachusetts & $14K from texas

I hope you had a great Turkey Day, the months are flying by!  Hard to believe it's almost December. 

This is an interesting time of the year in Honduras as many families are preparing to eat that pig they have been feeding for the past 10 months.  The big preparations here are for Christmas Eve Mass and the dancing and food that follows until the early hours of Christmas Day.  Christmas Day itself is a day to relax/recover.  While a child may receive 3-4 small gifts, adults don't give/receive gifts like we do in the states.  If they do it's 1 or 2 items, but certainly no need to buy a case of wrapping paper. 

Two volunteers from Massachusetts (Rick & Don) were here for 9 days in November. Rick and Don are both retired but haven't slowed down a bit.  They visit Juticalpa for a 9 days in November and assess the needs of the organization, basically a game planning session, they return for 8 weeks in January and February and that's when the real work begins.  Plumbing, electrical work, lite construction, you name it, these two will do it.  They work with 2 Olancho Aid employees (William & Toni).  These guys have a blast together, Rick and Don know about as much Spanish as William & Toni know English...20, maybe 30 words.  Not only are they saving the organization a small fortune by donating their time and talent, they are teaching William and Toni how to properly resolve issues.  As our founder preaches, "Education, Education, Education", it's what Honduras needs most. 

Rick & Don also provide a scholarship for Toni's daughter (Neomi) to attend school.  They discovered that Neomi has problems with her vision, so the January trip always consists of a visit to the eye doc for a check up and new glasses. The world needs more guys like Rick & Don.  

The long-term volunteers built a trench around the home of an employee (Dona Marina) a couple weeks ago.  During the rainy season water flows through her kitchen and living room, sometimes 1-2 feet high.  Rick, Don, William & Toni also built a small brick wall and installed a gutter to keep water away from the home.  In exchange for the work, Dona Marina made us baliadas.  A baliada consists of a tortilla (toasted) with beans, cheese, avocado, egg, and a little chorizo. Very popular here in Juticalpa. Here is a picture of Rick, Don, Dona Marina, Toni, William, & some of the long-term volunteers. 

Hondurans don't celebrate Thanksgiving, however Padre Ricardo (founder of Olancho Aid) had a nice feast for us this past Sunday.  Padre is also President of the University here in Juticalpa so we were able to use one of the University classrooms, tables, and chairs, it was a nice feast. The Bishop was in attendance as well, Thanksgiving with the Bishop...that was a first!

One of the churches that I attend on occasion has been raising money for years to build a parish hall.  They want a place to gather for meals, parties, religious education, et cetera.  At the beginning of October they figured they were still about $14K short of their goal.  Somewhat frustrating considering all the work they have put into raising funds.  At the end of October a generous couple from Texas got word that the church was short of their goal and scratched a check for $14K.  I hope someday I make it a priority to give a gift like that. 

We hiked Boqueron Mountain for the second time this year.  Hondurans don't really understand the concept of walking, running, hiking for exercise/fun.  They get plenty of exercise walking to work, church, bus, school, the grocery store, so the thought of hiking for fun doesn't really make since.  I was pleasantly surprised when Carina wanted to join us on the hike. Should I tell her what to wear?  Should I warn her about the distance?  Nope. I did something I rarely do, I kept my mouth shut.  When I picked her up she looked more prepared for a trip to Macy's than to the mountains but she was a trooper....rocks, rivers, snakes, she never looked back.  She also brought sandwiches for everyone, she will be invited again! 

Tomorrow I will be attending the Baptism of Bicry, a 9 year old boy who attends our special needs school,  Escuelita Nazareth.  Bicry has asked me to be his Godfather.  I get to visit with Bicry a few times a week as he attends the school where Carina works, we have become good friends.   Here is a picture of Bicry visiting the Fire Department with his class. 

  

Carina and I will be going to Panama via the Tica Bus for Christmas to visit her Aunt and Uncle.  We will leave Juticalpa on December 21 and arrive in Panama City on December 23.  Yep, 3 days on a bus!  We will travel from Juticalpa, Honduras to Tegucigalpa, Honduras...Tegucigalpa to Managua, Nicaragua...Managua to San Jose, Costa Rico...and San Jose to Panama City, Panama.  I'm not sure what to expect but I'm looking forward to the unexpected, seeing Central America, meeting some more of Carina's family, and we will definitely visit the Panama Canal.  We will go to Mass on Christmas Eve and afterwards attend a dinner and dance.     

The non-profit that I'm working for (Olancho Aid Foundation, Inc) operates 4 schools,  a special needs school (Escuelita Nazareth), a bi-lingual grade school (Centro Escolar Santa Clara), a Middle/High-School (Instituto Cardenal Rodriguez) and a bi-lingual Middle/High School (Instituto Bilingue Santa Clara).  The majority of our students come from extremely poor families, these students are only able to attend our schools due to the scholarships they receive from people in the U.S.  Please consider sponsoring a child, with your monthly donation ($25 - $100) we are able to provide Education, Hope, and Transformation to many disabled and extremely poor children in Honduras.  Visit http://sponsor.olanchoaid.org to see photos of the children that need sponsored.  E-mail me (mfreesmeier@olanchoaid.org or michael.freesmeier@gmail.com) and I will send you step by step directions on how to sign up. 

Many blessings to you and your families during the holidays & Merry Christmas! 

Michael