Tough night

Thursday night was a tough night.  The team's hotel was located somewhat bizarrely in the middle of the port in Puerto Barrios.  The hotel was partly an interesting old hotel building, but it was somewhat run down, some rooms had shower mildew, and it was blazing hot - and slow service - for dinner.  But the most difficult thing was the presence of not only two (male) presbytery executive committee members Ramiro and Raul but also three from an outlying (but nearby) church that the team had originally planned to visit (but got re-directed away from by presbytery leaders).  The confluence of people was a reunion of the three-member Estore  o Presbytery visit team to Kentuckiana two years ago, since Rosa Marina was there from the outlying Monte Sinai church, but with a twist.  The two men and Rosa Marina were not speaking with each other, because of some conflict between Rosa Marina and the presbytery.  During dinner some of the team talked with Rosa Marina, received a gift from her on behalf of the church, returned a skirt, and heard about some activities/projects of her church.  Others stayed with Ramiro and Raul as the fumed about Rosa Marina's presence and her pitch (in the form of attaching possible costs to projects and activities) and the cost of dinner.  Still others on the team fled the scene by going out to the pool.  Ultimately, CHPC folks made no promises to Rosa Marina and sent her off with  her son and one other man identified as an elder of her church (who had all arrived by motorcycle) late at night and in the rain.  Later, Ben Langley, Jane, and Perry talked with Raul and Ramiro and cleared the air somewhat.  In the morning, breakfast above the ball was more enjoyable, and was peppered by the appearance of the colustas (or agouti).

-Perry