I grew up Catholic in a mixed denominational home. As a Catholic, I was supposed to (usually forgot outside of the house) give up meat on Fridays in Lent. It was also generally expected that I would give up something else for all of Lent. I also usually forgot this as well until a brilliant day sometime in my teen years when I decided I'd give up ( Read more... )

Yesterday I had an opportunity which was not really unique for me. I had the opportunity to meet a small group of short-term missionaries ( Read more... )

First thing I want to mention is that the kitten did die. It managed a week with me. We buried it at the school.

Second thing I want to mention is that per a suggestion by the headmistress of the school where my mother teaches, I have opened a YouTube account. Via this link, you should be able to view videos of some of the work I do here. ( Read more... )

I have returned safe and sound to San Antonio and to my regularly scheduled activities.  I also returned to a killer cold.  (I've actually considered the possibility of having a cold and the flu at the same time.)  It put me out on Wednesday night and has pretty much kept me out for the last 3 days.  A few other things happened on Wednesday as well ( Read more... )

I love having a USB modem.  It allows me to update from anywhere I can get signal.  I'm currently sitting on a bus waiting to head back to Antigua (and, ultimately, San Antonio Aguas Calientes).

I've spent the last week in Zacapa, Zacapa, Guatemala.  I've heard that this is a very dangerous area due to how many drug lords supposedly live here.   ( Read more... )

Although I have not heard anything directly from any of you about the Peace Corp pulling out of Honduras, I do know that some of you also read the news, and since (according to the world wide web) this story was published in some form in 463 newspapers, I can't help but imagine that some of you have heard about this and are wondering about ( Read more... )

We are in the early days of the new school year here in the village.  Students (and their parents) are still wandering in to register for school.  And me?  Well, I came back prepared to teach 1st-6th grades with some ideas about what I'd do with preschool and kindergarten.  However, I received quite a surprise ( Read more... )

Today the world says goodbye to a great man.  He is a man who fought against poverty in the Great Depression, against Axis powers in World War II, to win the hand and heart of the woman he loved, to build a business from the ground up, to raise five children, for the American economy, to achieve all that he ever dreamed, and to live (and die) how ( Read more... )

Here I sit on New Year's Eve posting an update from the frigid north of my parents' house.  Due to a various number of factors, it was decided to spend the holidays in the States this year.  I head back to Guatemala on January 11th.

Today marks the completion of my first calendar year in Guatemala, and in just a few days, we'll mark the one-year ( Read more... )

It's amazing watching God slide all the pieces into place.  What happened last night was a puzzle at least 4.5 years in the making, but even with how I write, I'm not sure I can articulate exactly what happened using my normal writing style.  Sorry.

Who (major characters):
Annalisa--yours truly
Christina--A friend I worked with during my first two ( Read more... )