The Lord Giveth and Lord Taketh Away....

So, I, (Heather) won teh biggest Peace Corp honor that can be given! The highest honor possible in a volunteers life! (Ok, maybe im exaggerating.. but still) Meet litte Eva.. my namesake! (In case you dont know, people here know me as Eva because they cant say Heather)... This baby was named after me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This week I was also passing the Health center and found this girl, Gladis who had been in the casa materna for a month. She was very smart and good to have in charlas. She also asked me questions about sex.. which of course, makes me feel good that she trusts me. (Besides thinking I know a thing or two.. hehe) She had been there for almost 10 hours in labor that seemed mild and was only dilated to a 3 so I told her I would come back with some food in a little while. Meanwhile a pregnant girl from my church sent her sister over and asked if I could make her some lunch as she was on bedrest and also that she was feeling a little worse. I got the midwife from accross the street and headed to her house. She was showing several signs of danger and so we made her go the health center. So I was bouncing between Jessica and Gladis. Jessica turned out to be fine and went home after the doc told her not to worry. I was with Gladis and she had like 4 bad contractions and then she said go get the doctor. The doctora was bouncing between two women in active labor adn a guy in the emergency room. So I didnt want to bother her if gladis was just in a lot of pain, but gladis, being a 3 time birthgiver said, yes she was ready. When I came back we walked her to the trusty birthing table and the head was already showing. The doctor hardly had time to strap on some gloves and she ruptured the sack that was showing and found that little Eva had pooped already. She told me to run and tell the ambulance driver not to leave yet because we didnt know how she would turn out. So I ran to the other side of the building adn arrived just in time to tell him to hold on. I ran back and the head had already came out. She pushed little Eva out and that was that. Eva was healthy. The doctor washed her off and kicked her off the table so the next lady could come in, which she did and gave birth right then. They always just leave the baby in the bed until the mom comes but I took her out because it was about to be occupied again. So I was the first person to hold her. I also got to dress her because Gladis didnt care. Then I asked what she was going to name her and she said "Evita" and I said "Really?" And she said that she had thought about it already. I didnt really think she was serious, but I suspected she was because Nicas dont joke that much. But when we came back the next day to take these pictures she said it was true. Can you imagine?!!!! Bomb!!

Here I am making butter in a jar in a hammock. I had wanted to try making butter but cream is scarce here. Then I thought that I should ask the ladies that sell milk out of their houses if it comes with creme on top. Turns out yes it does, so I bought some and decided that I would try it out. We have a blender but its the weekest little tuffer youve ever seen so I doubted its ability. I was remembering an activity that I did in Utah history in like 5th grade where we dressed like pioneers and walked around the school ground. But we had some cream in a jar and had to shake it all day and we had butter at the end. So I put my cream in a jar and sat in the hammock and shook for like 5 minutes and wam blam thank you mam! BUTTER!

Here is a baptism I attended. It was really pretty down by the river but you couldnt pay me to get in there with all that contamination.

Here is a member of our church posing for one of our charlas on personal higene. We will be explaining how germs are passed so we need to draw up some examples. This was my favorite. Although I still havnt posed yet for the one that says not to urinate near the house. .. I will be posing for that one.. No you cant see it.. well... maybe.

We went on a trip to matagalpa with some people from our church. 4 1/2 people threw up at one point during the trip. It was a challenge. But very nica. We will never forget it.

And what with all this wonderful news could possible show what the lord has taken? First our computer is broken, which is the most important instrument to our project right now and also we had a real tragedy this week.

We were at the internet cafe by our house the other night and we heard that someone had drowned. When we left we saw a group of people gathered watching them load a body covered by a sheet on a stretcher onto the back of a truck. I was saying how sad it was. But it wasnt until we walked a block further and were chatting with a neighbor that she told us the name of the girl. It turned out to be a girl that had been in our radio group last year. We were absolutly sicked, especially because we had seen her that morning. It never occured to me that it could possibley be her, even though it was at the house that she worked at that we saw them loading her body. She had gone swimming in the river and had drowned almost immediatly after she got in. People were attributing it to holy week (because everyone goes to the beach or the river to swim adn there are hundreds of deaths in the country every year).. but it wasnt holy week yet. It was just sad. Needless to say this put the computer thing in perspective for us. Im greatful for all of you whom we love and for my husband and the opportunity to be here. So many blessings. No need to sweat over the dumb stuff.