christmas traditions...

Having this be our first Christmas as a married couple in one place, we are having a chance to try out all sorts of traditions- old and new. Two that have proved to be so fun have been Bonham family traditions: Making wassail and peppernuts. Having wassail in the fridge to pull out and heat up leads to many chances to just sit and enjoy the company of those around us. Peppernuts is a fun cookie to make with lots of helping hands. Thought I would share with you two of our favorite Christmas recipes.


Peppernuts:
3 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cups Karo syrup
1/2 tsp ground anise (we buy the anise star and grind it in a coffee grinder)
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 1/2 tbsp water
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
flour to make a FIRM dough, (about 8 cups)

Mix in given order. Refrigerate dough. Test a few and work in more flour if necessary. Roll out into snakes and cut with knife into 1 cm pieces. Bake at 350 about 10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.




Wassail (pronounced was-sul):
10 cups boiling water
1 tbsp tea leaves (or 3 Lipton tea bags)
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cloves
4 cups orange juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 qts cranberry juice (64oz)
6 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice

Steep the tea for five minutes, Remove the tea bags and add the spices and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil and then remove from heat. I like to store in mason jars in the fridge. Pull out how much you need and heat it up on the stove, serving it hot!

putting down roots...

our poor potted plants who have been living in pots since april...


finally got planted in the ground this week and they look so happy! we are growing tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, carrots, green peppers, jalapenos, and some herbs. thanks in a large part to my mama who planted a lot for us and gifted us our very own patio garden!

much like our garden plants, we are also putting down roots. the boxes are all unpacked, everything is in its place and we have a home! we had a lovely housewarming party on sunday and it was great to be able to share with loved ones the home that God has blessed us with. we are looking forward to many fun times with friends and families. it really is the people who wander through our front door that make the space come alive!


my herb garden and the chicken coop in progress.

a friend from our home community was getting rid of her chicken coop at just the time the boys were designing plans for our coop. needless to say, julia gifted us all the parts of her hefty and fun coop! we hope to get our little egg layers at the beginning of august!


painting our room


the finished product


adorable roommate ellen trying her hand at our hand-powered lawn mower (we decided it's kind of like vacuuming the grass)

we are trying to do our part in living a sustainable life (thus the lawn mower) and have made a clothesline and hope to develop our compost system. little things we do can have a big impact!


luke + chai + hammock chair - view of safeway parking lot = best kind of morning ever

the hassle of getting this chair back from paraguay is all worth it when i get to sit in it, relax and enjoy a cup of tea. our corner of portland is busy and there is always something or someone to watch. buses pass, fire engines zoom by, grocery shoppers hurry to safeway, the excitement is endless... when i sit in the hammock chair, i feel like i am in peace in the midst of the chaos that surrounds me.


plates of cookies waiting to be handed out to our new neighbors. ellen and i had a baking bonanza and made snickerdoodles, no bakes, macaroons, and molasses crinkles.

last night, we handed out 15 plates of cookies to our neighbors. the responses we received varied, "holy cow." "hey honey, you've got to come out here and see this." "are you guys the welcome wagon or something?" doors barely cracked open and we were talked to through a screen door. or when we went to the apartment building that looks down on our yard, we were handed a plate of chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven in exchange for our cookie offering. what a treat! sure making cookies and handing them out to neighbors and sounds cliche, like it's something that everyone does. we decided that no one actually does it anymore; it's just something that is easy to talk about. so, we put our feet in motion and met some very interesting characters on our block. a previous neuro-scientist that now has a 9-5 job and lives with his three cats. the owner from the most delicious neighborhood bakery and her wife. an ecuadorian lady with her cuban husband. a young family with a three week old baby. single mom with her three boys. there is so much life right here on our street. introducing ourselves was hopefully just the first step in developing some meaningful relationships with these folks. God has placed us here, now may he use us as he pleases.

oh yes, in other news, i found out last week that i will be working full time at Kelly K-5 Elementary in the Lents neighborhood (where Rusty works). i will be the SUN extended day coordinator and parent engagement coordinator. exactly the job i was hoping and praying for. looking forward to starting next week!

home

As I sit here and reflect, the lyrics from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros' song "Home" play on repeat in my mind.

Ah, home
Let me go home
Home is wherever I'm with you
Ah, home
Let me go home
Home is wherever I'm with you

nesting, settling, whatever you want to call it, we are about to have a home for the first time in luke and my married life and we couldn't be more excited!

while we were dating, we each lived with roommates and friends. then, as soon as we got married, we headed off to south america, where the most reliable "home" we had was our little REI tent that we could pitch in any lawn and feel some sense of comfort. we hopped from hostel to hostel and stayed with family and new friends as we adventured. the amount of homes that we have been welcomed into in the past year has been overwhelming and a great testimony to the hospitality that we hope to embody as a couple. staying with luke's parents upon our return (thanks to rusty and mary lou and aaron for welcoming us in with such open arms) and house sitting for several families, we have continued to live out of boxes and in transition. like the song lyrics say, since we started our married life, luke has been my home. wherever i have been with him, i have felt at home, no matter if we were sharing a bunk bed in a surf hostel in chile or sleeping on an air mattress or in a twin bed or out under the stars. not much compares to lying next to him at the end of the day and knowing that i am at home...

starting next week, we will finally be able to SETTLE! everything will have its place and we will no longer have to wonder just which city (Portland or Vancouver) something is in if we can't find it or try to remember just which box it's in.

we are moving in with a lovely couple from our home community at Imago Dei (elic and erin as you may have heard me refer to them as. their names are actually eric and ellen!) we are so expectant for what our life together will bring! they are also a young married couple, so we are looking forward to learning together and having dear friends to share life with.

in other news, luke is working at pyro pizza (SE 12th and hawthorne) and will continue that work as he begins his NEW JOB at Rose CDC as the Resident Assets Assistant next Monday. i am working at Bridger K-8 teaching in the SUN program and will soon begin at Harrison Park K-8 working with the PPS Summer Academy (hanging out with 5th and 6th graders in summer school). hoping and praying that something works out at one of those schools for the fall.

since we have been home, there hasn't been that much culture shock or a hard transition home. we have been able to jump back into relationships in Portland and enjoy all that this town has to offer (even the rain and being cold enough to put on a long sleeve and sweats). we are back on bikes and are even heading off 4th of July weekend on a brief camping/biking trip with friends. the summer months fill up quickly with family, fruit to be picked, friends, and the incredible nature that surrounds us here. because of our long time gone, we are able to fully embrace all that we have here and it sure is an abundant life.

stop by our new home sometime and say hello. the door is always open to share a meal, get a hug, play some games, or if you need a listening ear! our home is your home.

Learning about the past

For Kat to accurately learn about my life as a 6 year old, she had to go all the way to Paraguay. One of the main goals of our trip from the beginning was to return to where I had grown up, and meet old friends and family along the way. From mid-February to the end of March we traveled around Paraguay staying with various family members. My family roots were established in Paraguay when my grandparents (for their honeymoon) spent 3 years in Paraguay as a doctor and nurse. (see! 7 months is not such a long honeymoon after all). To finish our time in South America, my parents and Hannah, my sister joined us in Paraguay to relive memories of our childhood. We toured Yalve Sanga, the small indigenous town where we lived for 4 years, and had a barbecue with many people that were part of our lives. Our family told many stories and drank lots of terere with lots of people over the last week ouf our visit. it is also special that now I have several cousins that are working in the Chaco- Oliver as a doctor in Yalve Sanga, and Eric as a Vet in Filadelfia. It was great to see how the legacy that was started by my grandparents many years ago in Paraguay is being continued by family members today.


Hannah and I in our old classroom

To complete the trip, we flew to New York City to spend time with our friend Jon Roberts, and received a surprise visit from my cousin Rachel. From there we took the Amtrak to Kansas, stopping in Chicago for a visit with Kat's cousin Stacy and her family, and my sister Hannah. From there we went to Newton, Kansas, where I grew up. This now completes Kat's understanding of my growing up, and has completely filled her head with names. We have had a wonderful time with many old friends and relatives who have been so graciously hosting us. Today we attend Liz and Michael Wiebe's wedding, and then we are off to Minneapolis, Kalispell, Spokane, Seattle and drum roll...Portland!



Barbecue at Yalve Sanga



the famous Paraguay bottle tree that stores water in its trunk


Touring Yalve Sanga with Eric, Sumhya and Oliver


Outside KM 81, the hospital that my grandparents helped start to fight leprosy


Pizza in New York with Jon

a true Kansas potluck

(Luke's) Busses are what move South America. It's no question that the majority of people spend a great amount of time on busses, whether the double decker VIP or the "chicken bus". We have ridden our share of crammed busses, and we have even ridden first class on several occasions, usually by accident. This post is to tell you about the funny and the not so funny experiences we have had on the many hours that we have spent on busses. From January to mid-February, you could say that riding the bus was our full time job, as we clocked 140 hours in about 4 weeks.



Simple economics: the more people you have on one bus, the more money you make. Thus, it is not uncommon (but very uncomfortable) to have someone's crotch in your face, or yours in someone else's. In order to avoid these uncomfortable rides, at times we have had several change of plans because the busses have been too full. Sometimes there is no bus that goes from one place to another, and we have to find alternative modes of transport. Most of those rides have caused me to throw up


an old Pepsi truck, converted to bus (I threw up)


a large construction truck (I threw up)


a plush pick-up truck driver that was nice enough to take us through the andes mountains (I threw up)

Sometimes you get a "flight attendant" that serves you bad food, good snacks, or Coca Cola. If you get a double decker bus, the front seats give you the best leg room, the best views out the panorama window, and would make you a flying projectile if anything happened. Sometimes they play movies like Police Academy (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) Bad Boys, or sometimes Christian movies. Nice busses have bathrooms, but they make sure to emphasize that they are only for urination purposes. No matter what bus you are on, there is sure to be a little child looking over the seat at you, just staring. We have learned that the best thing to do is stare back or stick your tongue out at them.



Of course, busses are captive audiences for eager vendors. One time a natural medicine doctor got on and showed pictures of all the horrible things that can happen to your private parts if you don't take this chinese medicine. Others sell food, cell phone chargers, or soda. One time a police officer got on, and asked for a tip because he was protecting the streets from thieves, and claimed that he didn't get a salary. Another got on to preach the gospel.

Our rule (whenever possible) is to take the bus, even with our large hiking backpacks and buckets. When we arrive in a city, we ask someone what bus we should take. Then we cram ourselves and our bags into whatever vehicle this bus happens to be. One time we were crammed in a large mini-van (pictured below) that not many white people ride.

Everyone knew each other, and began laughing very loudly while using the word "gringo" from time to time. We knew they were talking about us. It doesn't bother us to be the subject of conversation.

Busses cause a person to be more "tranquilo" (calm, cool and collected) because there is no telling what the trip will be like. They may arrive early or late. They may be cheap or expensive. The driver often stops for hot water for mate, or cold water for terere. They put Kat to sleep often within 10 minutes. People bring everything from animals to kitchen sinks with them. I don't fit well in them. Although riding busses were not our first choice of transport when beginning this trip, they have become some of the most memorable parts of South America. Life happens inside and outside every bus; we get to put our seats back and enjoy the view.

Family Ties

We have finally arrived in Paraguay! A country that I have heard so much about from the whole Bonham clan and yet, a country that I could hardly locate on a map before I met Luke. Before arriving, we left Uruguay and headed north to visit one of the most magnificent natural wonders I have ever seen- Iguazu Falls. We saw the falls from the Argentina side and from dozens of viewpoints, you can see different angles of the smaller waterfalls cascading over the edge. It is impossible to stay dry or to leave without thinking about the power and faithfulness of God, as observed by His creation. In my opinion, Iguazu blows Niagara Falls (in NY) and Victoria Falls (in Zimbabwe) right out of the water (no pun intended).


Iguazu Falls


Leaving Puerto Iguazu (definitely the most touristy place we have been besides Machu Picchu), we boarded a bus that would take us to Paraguay. After a little jaunt through Brazil, we crossed a bridge and noticed that we had entered Paraguay. The bus was showing no signs of stopping and we asked a man next to us if we were going to pass through immigration. He said of course not! Everyone else on the bus was just coming for the day to go shopping in Ciudad del Este, a city where Portuguese is just as common as Spanish and Brazilians and everyone else come only to buy things, especially electronics, and take them back to their respective homes, where they can sell for more. So we had to tell the driver to let us off blocks after customs and explain that we were actually staying to visit Paraguay, which came as a shock to him. Oh yes, and then the tourist information guy asked if he could take a picture with us with our backpacks… which should have been my first sign that many tourists don’t pass through Paraguay.

Although it is definitely off the beaten backpackers track and you can read the Paraguay section in the Lonely Planet guide book in one sitting, this country is turning out to be a very special one for many reasons, the biggest one probably being FAMILY.



As many of you know, Luke lived in Paraguay from the ages of 5-9 with his parents and two older sisters. During that time, Rusty and Mary Lou were working with indigenous people and putting their nursing skills to good use. Meanwhile, little Luke was running around barefoot, eating lots of mangoes, playing soccer and jabbering away in Spanish with his Paraguayan friends. Up until now, I have only been able to imagine all of those experiences. But now, I feel like I am getting a glimpse into what life was actually like for him during the season of his life that was spent in Paraguay. I am getting to meet all of the extended family that still lives here and also see how the time spent here has shaped Luke and his family into who they are. It is exciting to see Luke reminisce about his childhood and have little memories come back to him as we are walking through a grocery store and he sees some of his favorite treats (Simba guarana soda or Bon o Bon candies) or as we are watching the soccer game of his favorite team (Cerro Porteno) or as he bites into chipa (a special and delicious bread made of maize). I now understand why the Bonhams drink terere (yerba mate served with ice water, instead of hot and generally out of a cow’s horn) ALL of the time. Guampa (the special cup you drink it out of) and thermos are basically an extension of any Paraguayan’s body and they will be drinking at any moment, doesn’t matter the time or place. The government has even recently made it illegal to drive while drinking terere! The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place and I am beginning to better understand the man that I love and have the rest of my life to continue to get to know.


Me with Nyah and Emily

Although most of our family is far from us, we have felt very much among family with Luke’s relatives. We got to spend a week with one of his cousins (Anton), wife (Faith), and their three kids (Nyah, Emily, and Jordan) in Tres Palmas. We had a blast, spending a lot of time with the kids, helping them enjoy their last week of summer vacation. We hunted for mangoes, drank a lot of terere, had a living room campout, and even got to teach many of the card games that we have perfected on this trip. It was a very tranquilo (calm) week and we felt very much a part of the family as we were invited to Nyah and Jordan’s birthday party and even got to have a hot dog cookout with the neighbors (the Brauns, who are also distant relatives). We also got to see the house where Mary Lou lived and the hospital where Luke’s grandparents worked for many years. His family seems to be legendary in these parts! As soon as anyone finds out that he is Rusty and Mary Lou’s son, he always gets another big hug and comments on how funny anecdotes that people remember about his parents. Little did we know that our time of relaxing in Tres Palmas (east Paraguay) would prepare us to work and be in the capital city of Asuncion, where we currently are.


Alto Refugio's newly donated hotel, future housing for HIV/AIDS mothers with children, where we are currently staying.

We are staying with an aunt and uncle (Dave and Judy) and have the pleasure of helping out at the awesome ministry they have started, called Alto Refugio (www.altorefugio.org/). It is a drop in center right across the street from a public hospital that specializes in HIV/AIDS testing and services. They offer simple things like meals, counseling, beds to sleep in, some medication, and other necessities, but more than that, they provide a place for people to feel welcome and among family. People can come and take a nap if they have travelled far to come for an appointment. They can come for counseling or the weekly support group. Or they can come to volunteer and help serve other people who are living with HIV/AIDS. In a sense, we are experiencing family here as well- not one bound by blood, but by brotherly love in Christ. We have only been there a week so far and have two more to go, but we have really felt that sense of camaraderie there and enjoyed hearing the stories of some of the patients who regularly come in...and Luke got to go dumpster diving at the yogurt factory with Dave. We are also relearning what it means to wake up at 6:30am and work a full day! That way, we won’t be SO out of it when we get home.

Over the next couple weeks, we’ll get the chance to visit more family members and then in three weeks, Mary Lou, Rusty and Hannah join us! It has been great to be among family and reminds me how important those ties and relationships are. I am really enjoying meeting all of Luke’s relatives and remembering all these new names isn’t as hard as I thought it would be.  As we meet more family and I see more of Luke’s past, it is exciting to think about the traditions and experiences that both he and I bring into this marriage and this new family that we are creating.



Game night with Dave and Judy and family

Extending an invitation

How many times have you given your house key to a stranger? In the last 2 weeks, we have been invited into the homes of 2 strangers (and been given keys to their house).

We try our best to live in the moment. We don´t plan very far in advance, and we look for opportunities to experience what the God has in store for us that day. We are always willing to change, always flexible. Several weeks back we were given bus tickets that had us sitting in separated seats. We were told that the bus was full, but there were plenty of seats open when we left the terminal. I sat next to a young man named Gabriel who quickly began conversing. We shared terere while we talked, he told me he was from Buenos Aires and he was also on vacation. The next day we happened to set up our tent next to his, and went on quite the nature hike with him and about 40 other people. By the end of our time camping, he had invited us to come stay at his house in Buenos Aires. He lived 40 minutes from the center of town with his cat Toffee. We graciously accepted his offer and several days later he met us at the bus station to take us to his house. From there, we were completely overwhelmed with kindness; kindness that doesn´t expect anything in return.


Gabriel baked us a truly delicious Argentinian Torta

Buenos Aires is a big city, and we experienced a lot of it thanks to Gabriel. We ate every kind of pastry available, sampled dulce de leche, navigated the complicated bus system, walked a ton, and had to limit our ice cream consumption to once a day (the day beginning at midnight). On one night we saw an incredible jazz show, the next we went to the Tango dance club to observe people dance for hours. What made Buenos Aires a wonderful experience was having a ¨Porteño¨ take the time to host and get to know us.


Pedestrian-only streets of Buenos Aires are a hub of activity


The giant flower in Buenos Aires

From there we took a boat across the river to Uruguay, where we met an old friend that lived as a missionary in Paraguay at the same time that my family lived there. I hadn´t seen her for 16 years, but thanks to the all-knowing Facebook, we arranged to come visit. She greeted us with a young heart, eager to bless us. Insisting that we stay for longer than we anticipated, Susana showed us around Montevideo, took us to the local farmers market, and finished by taking us to the incredible beaches of Cuchilla Alta, a small town on the Atlantic Ocean (with warm water and sun!). We camped there for 3 nights and felt as if we were on vacation from traveling.


At the beach with Susana


Eating alfajores with Susana in Montevideo

What we can all learn from Gabriel and Susana: There is great risk involved when you allow someone you don´t know into your house. Equally, there is risk entering someone´s house you don´t know. BUT, with great risks come EVEN GREATER possibilities for new and wonderful experiences. Why trust a stranger? Because there is great potential! Why can´t we be a people that don´t live in fear, but put faith in the goodness of those we don´t know! Let´s start reaching across boundaries and live in a way that respond to the experiences that come across your path! (hint hint: pick up a hitchhiker, invite someone into your home, talk to a stranger).

Love (INSERT NAME HERE). Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to get repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will be truly acting as children of the Most High. (Luke 6:35)


Still on our honeymoon, i think