The last time I saw Jonas was 9 February 2011, the night I broke my right elbow in La Paz. Wednesday evenings I had an English class back then with five adults at Dr L’s house that lasted until 7:30 pm or so. Jonas was a foreign exchange student boarding at Dr L’s for a year. We had our weekly English conversation and reading class and would have a great time laughing and exploring new ideas. Jonas is from Germany and like most European students is multi-lingual. He spoke German, of course, English, Spanish and is now learning Georgian. He flew to Honduras to visit with Dr L and her family from Tbilisi, Georgia (a former Soviet Socialist Republic) where he is posted as a Volunteer until next August and we met for breakfast. I have met many foreign exchange students and other country’s Volunteers in La Paz from Germany, Belgium, Holland, Japan, Cuba and, from Canada, my good friend Bob, who recently obtained work in Costa Rica and who I am going to visit soon. I wasn’t able to visit with Jonas the night before he left the country. He and Dr L had just returned from El Salvador where they spent the holiday with Dr L’s daughter. I was invited to dinner but my bum leg had been hurting more than usual. Yup, still a problem. I told Jonas on the phone I would dedicate a web note to him. So: to Jonas! Saludos, Amigo!! My fellow world citizen, I admire your commitment and dedication to the betterment of Humanity!!! Mucha suerte en su vida siempre. Live long and prosper.

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.

The Fifth Annual Thanksgiving Day was celebrated Saturday 30 November at the Hogar San José and the turkey didn’t know the difference. We’re almost certain  next year’s annual celebration will take place at the new building. It appears the holiday season is upon us with 2014 right around the corner.

Yup, that is what Thanksgiving Day is called in Spanish: our annual year number 5 since I have been living in Honduras. I’m still here; battered and bruised, but here. The inauguration of our new building for the Fundación Señor San José has been postponed until early next year due to construction delays and fine tuning. Saturday the Hogar will hold its annual T-day celebration at the old place like always, much more comfortable these days BTW. My friend and former Peace Corps Volunteer like me, John Jordan, now employed by USAID in Tegucigalpa will be here with friends. And there will be Turkey with all the trimmings, as my late mother used to say at our family gatherings. May Gaea and the higher power each of you believe in open your heart to those more unfortunate than yourselves; to bless our military folk far from home; and to especially think of and help those needlessly suffering through no fault of their own. Life is short, appreciate it and treasure it while you’re here. You have but one chance to make it right.

As previously noted a volunteer group of norteamericanos helped prepare the soil and plant lawn grass at the new building site, however, the obdurate Honduran soil produced a 50/50 mixture of weeds and lawn. The children are consequently hard at work every day pulling weeds so that the lawn will be ready for the inauguration of the new building 12 December. The Hogar has also received three new young girls abandoned by their father bringing our number of residents to 18. The children will be provided a clean, modern, hygienic home, adequate food, and a proper education.