Our Chicken Pen!

post-thanksgiving-day-2009-016.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-015.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-013.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-011.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-008.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-005.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-003.jpgpost-thanksgiving-day-2009-002.jpg

Tomorrow is election day in Honduras.  A new president will be chosen for a single four-year term.  The current presidencial term continues in peaceful turmoil with a usurper in power and the legal president a virtual prisoner in the Brazilian embassy.  We here at the orphanage are more interested in the real lessons of life: a chicken pen sturdy enough to hold the chickens in check so that we can plant a garden; growing food for the table.  The Saturday after Thanksgiving Day we can see the new bean sprouts rising from the soil in the little garden visible in the top left picture.  In the large open patio where we’re standing in the two bottom right pics we’re surrounded by new little corn seedlings sprouting all around us.  The rocks you see in the large pile to the left of Sulma in the top second right pic were removed by hand day after day, everyone helping in our quest for self sufficiency: we’re still clearing out rocks.  I could only spend a couple of hours working today.  Because of the election all PCVs are restricted to our homes from noon today until Monday noon.  Next Saturday I’m taking the six oldest children and the nun to a hands-on educational organic farm above Siguatepeque so that they might see and learn how they can develop the space where they live.

3 Responses to “Our Chicken Pen!”

  1. Joe Maina says:

    Hi Fortune;
    That is truly a handsome chicken coop! Now maybe the voracious buggers will leave the corn and bean seeds alone. Gotta say your pictures are priceless ………. they really document your “real lessons in life”. Please keep them coming.
    Question: How does Sister water her crops? 2nd Question: How did the Siguatepeque trip work out?
    Joe

  2. Fortune says:

    Hola Joe,
    The abandoned building to which the orphanage relocated was built as a hospital for President Roberto Suazo Cordoba (1982-1986) by his father, for his son to practice medicine in when he finished medical school but who instead became a politician. The building has water 7 days a week for most of each day. We leave for the organic farm trip to Siguatepeque next Saturday, December 5th.
    Best,
    Fortune

Leave a Reply