Samuel´s Birthday Party

Last week was the week of parties for us, we were on the Honduras party planning committee and didn´t know it till last week, ha, but it was fun. We ran errands picking up supplies and decorating for our first party which was a going away party for the psychologist at Jovenes en Camino who spent a semester at JEC. Then next day we helped orgainze another party at JEC for October birthdays for all the boys and bought a huge cake and presents, it was fun too. Then on Saturday we had over Henry and Xiomara from Mogote and their extended family at out house to celebrate Samuel´s first birthday. It was in the middle of a tropical storm so our house was in the clouds all day, but we managed to get a break from the rain and have a traditional piñata outside.

Samuel at age 1 with his piñata.

It was really fun to have friends over at our house, I think it was fun for them too to get outside of the city for a day. Xiomara and her sisters made a traditional Honduran meal of chicken with rice, refried beans, tortillas, carne asada, pico de gallo... I pitched in where I could and made some gringo jalapenos filled with cream cheese with bacon on top, but I left the expert cooking to the experts. There was about 17 of us in all. We all had a really good time and our Honduran guests showed me multiple things in my yard I didn´t even know I had. They filled grocery sacks I gave them with the abundance of fruit that grows in our yard, way more than I could use. They found some kind of herb that they make tea out of that is supposed to have some sort of medicinal properties, but to my untrained eye it looked like a weed, haha. It was great to be able to share our house with people we have become friends with.

Will and Darwin pumped about some awesome food.

I learned more about Honduras culture today too. This was interesting. As you can see in the picture, I as an American set the food out in buffet style so everyone could help themselves... well after the prayer when I kept trying to get the men to start they line, they all just sat down even with my invitations to come get a plate and get some food. Turns out even at a party the women make plates for the men and children and then themselves... haha, but my Honduran friends didn´t skip a beat and in their own way everyone did eventually get food. I´m not sure what the men thought about my invitation to come serve themselves... haha, but they seemed to be understanding that I was just a crazy gringa who does things in a weird way and it all worked out.