"Look, Mrs. Livengood! There’s a gecko!” Zack alerted our attention to a gecko clinging to the door frame. Audrey laughed, thinking he had acquired a rubber gecko with suction-cup legs and planted it as a joke. He persisted in his exclamations until the gecko moved. That started a chase. Zack was sure he could catch it, but the gecko won out, finding a hiding spot out of reach. Geckos are not uncommon here, but this one was the first sighting in our house.
Early Wednesday morning Dwain turned our kitchen into a donut-making factory so that Harlan could have a plate of fresh donuts with coffee for his birthday breakfast. We also shared them with other workers, and specifically, Alonzo and Michel, since it was Michel’s birthday, too.
Honduran children did not have school this week. Why? It’s the “Week of the Student.” Dwain tried to harness extra energy in the garden and Alonzo ordered a group of children to do some painting in preparation for the upcoming computer room dedication on Thursday.
On Saturday, Dwain and the children picked bagsful of green mangoes from a tree in the garden. Most La Finca children prefer green mangoes with salt over ripe orange mangoes. A constant “battle” during work days in the garden is the distraction of mango trees full of fruit within yards of where gardening is supposed to be happening. The tactic Harlan implemented this week that made Dwain’s life easier was the rule: “If you work well this week, then we’ll have some mangoes this weekend.” Noontime Saturday found Dwain aloft in a mango tree shaking it free of some of its fruit. The children earned their mango treat by helping to clear “monte” (grass and weeds) from the ground the oxen plowed. They also helped transplant broccoli and tomato plants into the orchard garden.

Javier enjoys a green (i.e. unripe) mango.
When we purchase whole chickens, feet are often included. The children are happy we don’t particularly care for this delicacy. Here some boys enjoy the feast. The photo is blurry because it was taken from our kitchen window.
On Saturday children found owls, not yet fully grown. From a distance Dwain saw the commotion and could not prevent the children from catching and playing with them. When wildlife is captured here, mob spirit takes charge. Thankfully, with some stern warnings from Janelle, the release of the cute captives was later complete.
As an after school project, the Horst children made papusas, a typical Honduran food made with a maseca (type of corn flour) dough and quesillo (type of soft Honduran cheese).

Despite a delay in Miami, the Zimmermans (Andrea's family) have arrived safely!

Dwain visited the doctor in Tegucigalpa this week and received a good report on his infection. She discharged Dwain and gave him a "just-in-case" prescription. He needs to continue using topical antibiotics for at least 10 days.