Designer bracelets anyone?

 Irvin, our pianist, is one of 19 grandchildren of the man who serves with Rod in the branch presidency.  In this lesson we have 4 more (the angle was bad) cousins directing.   It was a lovely moment.  We are teaching 6 of the children.  Irvin played for the first time in church today.




Henry playing Tan Humilde with his nose -- at least he isn't looking at his hands.



One of our students organized a Sunday afternoon visit to the rest home and invited us.  Unfortunately I didn't think about bringing a keyboard, so I played the guitar.  Al Tambor, a song I learned while I was teaching Spanish, is practically the song of Panama and is always a hit.

 Our trip to Puerto Armuelles last week was more eventful than usual.  We took two more elders and were stopped.  There were two men, one on each side of the road, and we thought one waved us through.  The other one took offense and we were hauled in.  They wouldn't accept our copies of our ID.  The church has a deal with the immigration authorities that we can carry copies of them because the missionaries are robbed or lose theirs so often, but these people wouldn't accept it.  They also wouldn't call our lawyer whose number was on the opposite side.  To their defense, we finally called him and he didn't answer, so it didn't do any good.

We had to drive the officer with us to immigration.  The law here is seatbelts in the front, so I suggested he put on his seatbelt (from the back seat).  He drew himself up and snapped, "I don't have to, I AM the law".

He sent Rod to park the car and insisted I come with him.  The young missionaries went with Rod.  We entered immigration, but Rod couldn't tell where that was.  The policeman seated me (there are advantages to age) and told me not to worry, he'd take care of Rod.  He went into another room and I saw Rod and the missionaries pass by.  I went to tell him and he couldn't hide that he knew he's made a boo boo.  He hurried to find them and brought them in.

 From this lineup, can you tell which one is guilty of heinous crimes against the immigration laws of Panama and which is showing off designer bracelets?
Rod took the photo as the elders egged him on.  Their attitudes lacked.  He only got one before he was told not to take any more.  I spent the time praying.  We only lost 1 1/2 hours.  When the chief came in she said "You're fine.  If you ever have trouble again tell them to call their chief, Esther".  Hopefully we won't have to test that one.

 Here are the trucks lined up to get through.  There were so many there were men selling things truck to truck.  Rod joked that you could probably take their laundry, do it, and be back before they could move.  How frustrating!

 This is the family of some of our students and the missionaries.  The dad had just given his permission for his children to be baptized.  They are attending church with their grandmother who teaches seminary, and they are two of our best students.  We decided to go to Puerto for their baptism.  I think they will become dear enough to us that we would wish we had gone.  I made pumpkin bread and we went an hour early for a 4:00 baptism.  Why do I always forget it's Panama?  The baptism started at 6:30 after Rod went and picked up the family.  One of the elders took a bite and said, Oh Oh, these aren't chocolate chips!!!  The last time I ate raisins was at MY baptism and I threw up.
He was nice enough to go around and tell everyone else his story about my pumpkin (squash) bread.  Rod hadn't had dinner so he ate 6 helpings -- YUM!!!

 A new fruit, tree tomatoes.

 Here's the inside.  I ate it like a kiwi, with a spoon.  I was told it tasted like strawberries.  I didn't agree and I won't buy more, but the seeds are a fun design.

 Sometimes bananas grow double.  They cost 4 for 25 cents, so it's a bonus.  Sometimes they've grown together inside as well, but this time they were separate.  I figured out after all this time that if we buy bananas in the morning we get big ones.  In the afternoon they are all small.  Duhhh!!!

We visited in the country today and saw this fence.  Pretty!

Since the fence posts are alive, they don't decay or get termites in our warm humid conditions

These are orchids.  The foliage is huge and few flowers.  I've never seen a bush with lots of flowers.

They are lovely close up.

I started with a photo of one cute puppy, and they just kept coming.

Poinsettias!! On the fence lines in Volcan.

Here are yellow ones,

This is a banana.  Thank heaven for seedless bananas.  I never knew to appreciate it.  These are said to be medicinal and very good for birds as well.  They don't ripen off the tree and open when they are ripe.  She says you can grow them in a pot.  Anyone interested in seeds?

Here are the ripe bananas.  They are beautiful. (unfortunately they don't taste very good)






Here is a slideshow of the artifacts at Los Barriles near Volcan.  Just in case anyone is interested.  The model for the naked statue in front of our house came from here.

We have our challenges here, but I am always amazed at how sweet life is with Rod and with our work.  Our children are supportive and we love and miss them.  The little ones are growing up at an alarming rate.  I do lose track of time here.  The Book of Mormon has become more of a handbook for me lately, and I love the  insights I get.  I am a GRATEFUL woman.