Of Relics, Saints, and Hurricanes

The sky is a transcendent blue in the Crescent City. The wind is brisk through the magnolia and oaks. Leaves are strewn throughout the yard, remnants of Ida who passed near on Monday evening. The US flag is flapping in the breeze in honor of Veterans Day.

This afternoon, I am driving to a funeral in Picayune, Mississippi. A friend collapsed on Halloween night, and he never recovered. Rest in peace, old friend. After reading about death from bloggers, especially Felipe of The Zapata Tales, as well as a nod from Don Godo who writes Honduras Living, I drove to Old Metairie Cemetary in search of the grave of Sam Zemurray. If you may recall, I wrote about Sam, known as the Banana Man. He started in New Orleans as a lowly banana vendor buying off the docks to being an international player in the fruit industry, deposing a president of Honduras in the process in the early 1900s.

I found Zemurray's grave while driving on Old Metairie Road. He has front row billing. Nevertheless, I walked around the New Orleans' city of graves. Originally built as a racetrack on the outskirts of New Orleans, the good citizens of New Orleans moved the racetrack to the Fair Grounds on the other side of the Quarter, and they converted the oval tracks into highways for the dead. The elaborate marble and stone above-ground tombs of New Orleans' fallen lay in ever-widening circles. We lay our dead above the ground. During hurricanes, the dead of New Orleans had a tendency to pop out of the ground and get around a bit before being retrieved and put back in the ground.

Zemurray is not a household name in the city anymore. He is a relic of the past. His bones rest among other forgotten heroes, such as P.B.S. Pinchback and William Claiborne. Pinchback was the first and only bi-racial governor of Lousiana who was the progeny of a black slave mother and a white master. He favored his father's side, and he looked quite white, indeed, in Reconstruction days. Claiborne was the first governor of Louisiana, a mis-guided Frenchman who chose New Orleans as the site for the most ill-suited geographical site for a city in all of the Americas. Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president, was interred here briefly, but was evicted. He now rests somewhere in Virginia.

I was not here for the viewing, but Mary Magdelene's shin bone was on display on Canal Street for October 31. It seems fitting that a holy relic was venerated here on Halloween. She (or rather her bone) has been travelling throughout Louisiana this month. I believe the leg bone is in Opelousas, Lousiana, this week. It's her first visit to North America.

Speaking of Saints.....the most unusual things happen in November with Saints. The NFL Saints are now 8-0, which is a first in the franchise's forty odd years. I recall the days when we wore paper sacks on our heads to watch the "Aint's." Who knows? With real Saints and NFL Saints making historic displays, anything can happen.

Also unusual this month ... a hurricane followed me here from Honduras. I flew out of Tegucigalpa as a hurricane threatened to cancel flights in the capital. Then she followed me home, brushing the mouth of the River before dumping her last rains on neighboring states.

Now that the hurricane passed me by, I am starting the business of emptying the Laurie House. I purchased boxes at a creepy warehouse called Acme Box Company because it's cheap there. The only requirement is to buy at least one box. No halves. One box or a thousand. Same price. I like that simplicity.

And I will ship with Dip Shipping. They began here in New Orleans. The Dip family is from Honduras. They ship from different ports in the US to Honduras. I called yesterday, but one of the family members said the boat leaving today was full. But there was room on the boat for next Wednesday.

So Dip it is! At 69 cents per pound. Thanks, Roberto Dip. And Sam Zemurray who made the route to New Orleans so influential. Rest in peace, saints and relics. I will soon bid you farewell, and head to crazier climes down south.

This last photo is a tribute to fallen Confederate soldiers in Old Metaire Cemetary, which is not in Metairie. It's in New Orleans, Louisiana. In case you plan on stopping by, beware of grave robbers. They aren't looking for old bones, but old ladies with purses.

Ida is Following Me.... or am I paranoid?

Someone I'd Like You to Meet: Valerie Colby

Valerie Colby has been living in Honduras for 10 years. She and her husband, Felipe, developed a ministry in Honduras called His Eyes. They have two children, a boy and a girl who have lived in Honduras all of their lives. The website for the ministry is His Eyes.

Valerie is the administrator and optometrist of the clinic, His Eyes, which is the anchor of their ministry. At the clinic on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, clients pay a nominal price for a variety of services. They have a doctor, dentist, pharmacist, optometrist, and various nursing services.

With His Eyes ministry, we are serving 120 children a healthy meal, as well as a good dose of healthy teaching on life and spiritual issues.

Valerie graciously answered a few questions about her life in Honduras.

1. Why did you choose to live in Honduras? I felt that God gave me the desire to serve Hondurans. I came on a short term trip, and I realized that walking with God was exciting in a new way.

2. Where are you from in the United States? Rossville, Indiana.

3. What do you miss the most? Seeing my family, of course. I really miss Life Cereal!

4. What is the most rewarding part of your life here? Talking to patients about their problems and praying for them – whether it’s about their eyes, health or other things in their lives. In the US, you couldn’t do that very easily.

5. Running a clnic has tremendous rewards but also difficulties in third world country? How do you cope? My coping skills need help lately! That’s just an honest answer. You can pray for me!

6. What advice do you have for people considering a move to Central America to begin nonprofit work? Make sure God is giving you the desire to move here. Then DON”T WORRY. Above all, be flexible!

As you can tell, Valerie is a very busy lady, and she had time for short answers. She is always on the go, but I know that her patients come first in her work. She gives a great deal of personal time to each client, whether they need a prescription, an eye exam, or someone to listen.

Plan a trip to Honduras, and you can meet Valerie, too. (Just ignore the fact that we have 2 presidents and no vice president. It's okay. Really it is okay.)

Feliz Navidad: Update on Ministry

I know it's not Christmas, yet. Here in Honduras, we start early with Christmas decorations, usually in September, or at the latest, the first of October. This is the kid's clinic where we serve food and have lessons three times a week. The children helped decorate. As you can tell, this is the pre-teen and teen room. Bigger hands than the other rooms.

We have been enjoying having a stove, refrigerator, and sink in the place. On Monday, we served spaghetti with veggies mixed in the meat sauce. They loved it. I had a hard time running the kids off after we finished up. They wanted MORE! More milk, more spaghetti, more attention, more love, more .....

Most of these kids have not been attending school regularly since the political upset in late June. And now schools are closed until February. The government ordered them closed a month early, partly due to the fact that the teachers were refusing to teach unless the former president was re-instated. These kids rely on us for instruction, love, and food three times a week. Lucky children with parents who take them to Sunday school get another dose on Sunday at the church on the grounds.

We are serving over 500 meals a week. We are at capacity. We are feeding 120 kids in the clinic, and they sit on the cement floor in three rooms, which means the rooms are stuffed with kids.
The church is feeding about 160 more on Sunday morning.

Why am I doing this?

1. These kids are suffering because many eat one meal a day. And the little stores that they can walk to generally offer soft drinks, chips and candy more than anything. The area is too densely populated to grow veggies or have farm animals.

2. The clinic that I collaborate with is having a problem with the number of people requiring services. We are hoping that a good meal, spiritual direction, and instruction on healthy living will reduce the number of clients at the clinic, His Eyes. On some days, people line up as early as 5 a.m. to secure a 9:00 a.m. opening appointment. Since so many people don't have phones, making appointments ahead of time is a rare thing.

3. Jesus commands us to seek and save the lost sheep. Recall the story of the 99 sheep? And the shepherd left to find the one sheep? These children are like the lost sheep in the story. Sure, we have 99 healthy and well-fed children in my church in New Orleans. But where's the neglected, hungry sheep that left the fold? I have a vision and a mandate to find and care for the lost sheep .


Pray for direction for our ministry:

1. I need partners here in Honduras and the US to help with logistics and finances
2. I want to reach more communities with training in healthy living and the Good News.
3. Pray for children who do not have safe places to live, eat or go to school.

Feliz Navidad from the sheep seeking a shepherd in Honduras. God bless you today!

FYI: To make a donation, click on link on the sidebar about ministry information. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Top Ten Must Haves From New Orleans

The Laurie House near the River is going to be changing hands this month. Interestingly, the comments on the blog tended to lean toward taking the essentials. I polled the Yahoo forum for expatriates. too. Their comments favored shipping most of my household goods. As a solitary sojourner in Central America, I have decided that shipping the majority of my goods will have to be postponed, or more likely, permanently dispersed in the US through donations, sales, etc.

I am going to be traveling in Central America in the upcoming new year to pursue training in missions, so the need for a household of furnishings is naught for now. And, some of my Louisiana acquisitions are impractical for the climate here. A white sofa and a stuffed wildcat seem incompatible with the dust and humidity of Honduras.

I may store my furniture for awhile in my Grandfather's barn. Anytime after March my things will deteriorate rapidly due to our torrid, subtropical climate. Or, I can use the family's hunting camp's shed in Clinton, Louisiana. If that sounds familiar to you, Clinton is the site for the filming of HBO's series, True Blood. I am not concerned about vampires reposing on my furniture for furtive daytime naps, but I am concerned about poachers and villagers breaking into the compound. (Incidentally, the world's best fried chicken can be found in Clinton, Louisiana. It's worth the trip, even if you have to traverse farm roads in redneck country. It's past the geographical line separating Cajuns and Rednecks. It's way up north, right above Baton Rouge.)

The top 10 list:

1. Mattress topper. I like sleeping on a feather-bed topper. And pillows, too.

2. Magnalite cast iron pots and skillet. Every Cajun has at least one Magnalite. I have a friend who lost everything in a fire, except her Magnalite stockpot. She is very spiritual about that pot. Magnalite cookware, we believe, have mystical qualities that render gumbo and jambalaya into culinary masterpieces.

3. Quality glasses and silverware. And maybe the china I got dirt cheap from a consignment sale.

4. Books. As a solitary sojourner in life, writers are my friends. I miss Bailey White, Lillian Hellman, Walker Percy, Rick Bragg, the Bronte sisters, as well the rest of the authors on the shelf waiting for my homecoming.

5. Good sheets and towels. You may think they are expensive in the US. Come to Honduras, and check out the prices. After you fall out in a faint, you will never question me again about this topic.

6. A few pieces of art, such as my Audubon print and brass jazz musicians. I am tired of magnolias, so they may hit the road and find a place in some friend's home.

7. My entire wall of dead relatives. Portraits of deceased relatives are on display in the toile room of my house. They are coming to Honduras. Curiously enough, the only relatives who fall off the wall with regularity (I have plaster walls) are the relatives with dubious life histories. My maternal grandmother, bless her heart, has never left her post above the day bed. One potrtait next to the window seat has fallen so many times, his glass has cracked.

8. The toile quilt and drapes are coming, too, because a dear friend made them. I want a reminder of her craftsmanship and fidelity. Maybe the Queen Anne chair, too. Upholstered in pink stripes to match the toile. Very southern, feminine, and fussy stuff.

9. Assorted electronics. I need the DVD, Ipod converter, TV speakers, and probably a huge plastic box of wires and cords.

10. I am sure I will know what the last item will be when I see it. Right now I can't think of what else I need for life and happiness, since I have lived here 2 and 1/2 years without all of that stuff anyway.

Soon, I will say goodbye to my new beloved New Orleans. Dented and bruised from Katrina, she's still a beauty to me.

Compromise reached in Honduras stand off

Late last night, the two opposing factions in Honduras reached an agreement that will pave the way, hopefully, for presidential elections that will be recognized by the international community.

The entire accord is a bit complicated, but the gist is that the Congress of Honduras will vote on whether to reinstate Zelaya as president until the end of his term in January. Supposedly both sides agreed to abide by the decision of the Congress and the Supreme Court of Honduras.

For a great editorial on the mess in Honduras, with all of the US meddling, I am posting the link to an article from the Wall Street Journal, which praises the Honduran people for standing up to the pressure of the international community to automatically reinstate Zelaya. At least now, we can say a democratic process is involved in the reinstatement process.

The article, Honduras 1, Hilary 0 offers sharp criticism to the way the State Department, especially Clinton, has handled the crisis.

Here's the beginning of the article:

The big news in Honduras is that the good guys seem to have won a four-month political standoff over the exile of former President Manuel Zelaya. Current President Roberto Micheletti agreed yesterday to submit Mr. Zelaya's request for reinstatement as president to the Supreme Court and Congress, and in return the U.S. will withdraw its sanctions and recognize next month's presidential elections.

Mr. Zelaya, whose term would have expired in January, isn't likely to be reinstated, given that the court has twice ruled against his right to remain in office. The Honduran Congress, which voted in June to remove Mr. Zelaya, will then use that high court's opinion to decide if he should be restored to power.

There is a risk that Venezeula's Hugo Chávez and other Zelaya allies will try to buy support for their man and stir other trouble. But Hondurans who have rightly stood up to enormous U.S. pressure to reinstate Mr. Zelaya aren't likely to be intimidated now.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton trumpeted the result as a diplomatic triumph, but it's more accurate to say that it extricated her and the Obama Administration from the box canyon they entered by throwing in with Mr. Zelaya.

Click on the above link to read more from WSJ's astute reporting and editorial staff.