The day starts early, about 4:00am, when the trucks start going by on the road 30ft from our head, honking their horns as they enter the nearby rotary, or roundabout as some call it, and they don’t have the right of way but they don’t want to slow down, so they just lay on the horn for 3-4 seconds, which apparently is the traffic loophole that allows them to bogart into the traffic without yielding. It reminds me of Boston, except they have no malice down here, they just don’t want to slow down. Now I completely understand and agree with that concept, so I think I will try that back home, honk the horn, give a wave, make a smile, just like the Nicaraguans, and watch the other drivers just smile back and yield the right of way. Maybe that’s wishful thinking, or worse, some kind of delusional psychosis, and no I have had nothing to drink or smoke other than pineapple/grapefruit juice and diesel fumes, but wouldn’t it be a fun place to live in a place like that? 
Today we worked right here at Tamy and Oscars house in Catarina. We set up shop in their driveway, put out all our drugs and supplies, and got to work. People would just come steady throughout the morning and afternoon, mostly dogs, but also a few cats, rabbits, pigs, and horses. We would deworm, apply the topical flea and tick meds, spay the dogs, castrate a few pigs, horses, and dogs, check over the sick animals, and treat them the best we could with our limited supplies. There were quite a few kids, because this is their school vacation, all of Central America actually, from the end of November thru early February, 2 1/2 months of “winter break” even though it is in the 80s every day. They don’t seem to mind the fact that their is no skiing, skating, pond hockey, snow shoeing, or snowball fights on winter break, but I suppose they don’t know what they don’t know, which is still better than not knowing what they do know, and knowing what they don’t, and not knowing both of them. I wish I knew why, but I just don’t know. 
We have special prayer and group times every night, and I especially liked the night in las lamos when Oscar gave his testimony. He has had a very interesting life, from an early start to preaching at the age of 14, to forced induction into the army during the Sandinista revolution, to many miraculous escapes from death, to an 8 yr courtship with Tamy, the growth of all of his village churches, his miracle adoption of Lidia and Ostali, to the growth of his ministry. It is very encouraging to know that the local people that come to him because he bought in veterinary teams who could help their animals, then trust him enough to start a relationship, that often leads to them coming to their home church, and salvation and eternal hope. That is why we are here. And it is an honor and privilege to be part of Gods plan. I don’t know a lot of things, and I’m not sure of the rest, but I do know the one who knows it all, and I am glad I am part of His team! Since we all have to pick a side to be on, you should probably pick the one that never loses, that has the eternal incredible happy ending. Yes their is a multiple choice test at the end of our life, and there is one right answer, and if you don’t know the answer I will give you a hint: begins with J and ends with esus, and that my amigos, is not a foreign language, and is something you might want to remember. And “I don’t know” is not the right answer. That much I do know. 
I think it is time for bed even though it is only 10:00, because the day starts early, and maybe I will go outside at 4:00 am and smile at all the honking trucks that go by. Or maybe I will just stay inside and count barking dogs and crowing roosters and try and sleep in. So many choices, I just don’t know…
Many Blessings

Dr Mike