The difference between this year’s Navidad holiday and next year’s-to-be seems like it will be similar to stepping from one world into another. Each of the children this year received a gift, which they will next year as well. In terms of quantity of good nutritious food to eat everyone glowed, as they will next year. In terms of love and joy experienced, next year will be a continuance of our existence and future. In short, our spiritual happiness knows no boundaries. We are the Hogar San José!

Gheckos are endemic to Honduras and probably to most tropical countries. These little guys hang around my window screen every night and eat the bugs attracted to the light while I work on my computer. The many bugs are also endemic to La Paz. The gheckos visit every night because they live in the building’s infrastructure. These two just fought over a bug and are staring each other down. As little as they are they can get quite ferocious, especially when fighting over a female.

In Hispanic America, which includes the entire Western Hemisphere, killing the christmas pig is a family affair. We will be enjoying tamales and chicharrones and pork meat aplenty this year around a roaring fire, laughter, camaraderie and love. So many pleasant memories from my own California childhood transferred to my Honduran family. I am grateful.

 Tata Madiba has died.

The surrounding community (the barrio) chose not to participate in the street paving, no doubt because they would have to contribute funds, so the Hogar benefactor decided to pave only the street in front of the new building. BTW, check out our new kitchen. Life goes on….

I am so proud of Deysi Milagro. I am her godfather and she asked me to stand by her side at her graduation from primary school. She will be entering the Instituto Lorenzo Cervantes next school year to begin 6 years of secondary studies and is our brightest student at the Hogar San José earning a 93% grade point average. She and one other 12-year-old who just passed into the 6th grade are my brightest English class students. Writing this brings tears to my eyes after having helped and encouraged these abandoned and rejected and abused youngsters who live at the Hogar seeing them swell with pride, confidence and positive self esteem, watching them excel utilizing their own native intelligence having realized that they are indeed capable of reaching for the stars.