Who won?? Grant or Jaren???
Monday, March 30, 2009
Bowling
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Spring Break
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Curt's New Job
We got back from Honduras at 1 AM on Saturday night and Monday AM he started his new job as Farm Manager at VK Farms in Lynnville. Gone are the 4AM alarms (In which I am SO excited!), roach coach (VP Bakery truck for breaks), weekly paychecks (monthly income means better budgeting for us), guarenteed 401K (well that hasn't been so great lately with the stock markets) & managing 40 guys who really don't want to work (he now has two Mexican employees who are great and a part-time guy).
He's already a much happier guy, maybe the sleeping in til 7 has something to do with that, but he just LOVES being out on the farm. He's already been a mechanic, bull-dozed, put in 10,000 ft. of tile and been to his first "farmer" mtg. and free lunch. I told him to watch it or he'll be sitting at the coop playing cards before long!
Here's a picture of the tiling job they worked on...
Working with his brother ( not that we don't love him dearly but he is a Van Kooten!) will have it's challenges I'm sure but with his blood pressure already dropped to a healthy reading and a smile at the end of the day instead of growling and worrying about being dropped down to 34 hours a week I'm sure it'll be worth it.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Honduras
Tuesday saw all of us off up the mountains on our first brigade. We saw 280 people that day 5 hours. Alot of scabies, allergies and asthma was the main complaints. Everyone came to our "pharmacia" and received vitamins and a gift and whatever prescription they needed. Katelyn worked in the pharmacia all day except for an hour outside where the honduran boys decided she was a bonita chica (cute girl). that made her a bit uncomfortable so off to the pharmacia she went. It was hard to tell them no mas(no more) when they are asking fo more knowing that they own almost nothing and it was really cold in the mountains which is unusual right now. I just wanted to give them all blankets.
On Wednesday Curt & Kate stayed behind and built a much needed fence to keep the daycare kids safe. No more waterlines were hit (ask Kate about that one sometime!) and it went and looks great. I went to a village called Agua Fria way up the mountain, we ended up above the evergreen line up in coffee land. I told Nate that the "road" we were on would be a great dirt bike path. NUTS! These people were so appreciative and we found out that if we don't come to see them the nearest clinic is at the botom of the mountain which if you don't own a car and walk everywhere means hours of traveling. We saw a 90 year old man all the way to a newborn baby with a 14 yr. old mom.
The local school brought it's 50 students to see us to get worm medicine and vitamins. It seems unbelievable that we had to worm people but if you saw there water supply and living quarters you'd understand.
On Thursday we all went to our last village. We only saw 80 people that day but that gave us a chance to play frisbee and ball with the kids. The scenary was breathtaking! That afternoon we worked on our fence again and by the time we were done Dr. Daining and Dr. Dale Vander Broek, nurses and a few others were digging fence post holes and hammering away. That was what was great this past week, we made an awesome team. Whether we were doing medical stuff, construction or hanging out we all got along so well and we made friends for life.
Friday was our free day and we headed to Valley of the Angels to do some awesome shopping and eat at a "steakhouse". Imagine a Honduras Galena Illinois. My goal was to buy a really cool engraved wood rosewood box but after packing found myself out of room. :-( Next year it's mine!
Yes we're hoping to head back next Feb., Katelyn asked already on the way home and Curt found that Doctors are really fun and he does have something in common with them. I loved the medical aspect of this trip, we had a surgery team with us this time too and I would've been able to watch a surgery but things got a bit tense so I passed. I did watch a little bit of a hernia surgery through the window but next time, I'm in there!
Thanks for everyones' support and prayers, they were felt by everyone, we experienced a lot of "God moments" and knowing you were all here praying for us was felt. We'd love to share or pictures and stories with you if you'd like! :-)