April 18, 2011 by Alaina Bearden

It's hard to believe that I've already been down here as the Village Ambassador for a whole month! The kids are all doing well, and Taryn, the Por Los Niños Intern, is bringing smiles to their faces every day. I have been blessed to get to know Armando and Rosemery, and Walter and Lilian, the two sets of houseparents that began working here at the village since my internship here back in 2008. I love all the Honduran staff here on site, and in awe of their dedication, humility and commitment to raising these children.

It has been an interesting few days. April and May are the last two months of the "dry season" here in Honduras. They are famously hot, and appropriately dry. The sun can become unbearable, and the night air is often heavy with smoke. As a result of generations of the tradition, many of the rural peasants use the hot April days to burn the land on which they live. The tradition is rooted in the idea that burning the land will yield a better crop when the ran arrives. Unfortunately, these small fires often get out of hand and burn down links in the chain of wooden telephone posts that bring electricity to the Por Los Niños village and the rest of the Olancho district. 

We never know when we'll lose electrical power, nor is it easy to tell how long a power outage will last. Just this morning we got power back after a few days of darkness. There were rumors all around Catacamas that we wouldn't have "luz" (lights) for at least four more days. Needless to say, everyone was overjoyed when the lights suddenly turned back on just after midnight. Cheering could be heard in each of the houses and across the street at the National Agriculture University. 

Losing electricity in pockets throughout the day has a minimal negative impact upon the village, but when the village loses power for days at a time it becomes more serious. Our water pump depends on electricity, and we do not currently have a means of pumping up more water in the case of an extended blackout. Jorge, Edgar, Armando and Walter began working on a plan to install a large generator to the water pump for situations just like the blackout of the past few days. They are meeting with a trusted mechanic in Catacamas to see if repairs to an existing generator will be possible or if we should beginning work on getting another generator. 

Our House Parents are not only dedicated - they are full of ingenuity. The House Fathers worked to consolidate all perishable items to one fridge running on a generator during this extended blackout. They and the House Mothers worked around the clock to keep their homes calm and productive despite the challenge of not having electricity. They, and the Por Los Niños kids, are resilient and resourceful. In the dark hours of the evening kids and parents told stories, sang songs and spent precious time with one another. 

I am honored to be a part of such a staff. They work so well together and you can tell that they earnestly love the children with which they are entrusted.