Hey Everyone,

I am so sorry that you have not heard from me for SOOOO long!! I was in the US for 3 weeks and then returned with friends that are busy helping me with the cleaning and decorating of the new house. Also Maria and Mike Moore flew in on Saturday to settle some things with the girls’ home, etc. so we have been VERY busy.

I had a WONDERFUL time seeing old friends and meeting new ones in Houston, Dallas, Augusta, Franklin, North Carolina and Chattanooga Tennessee while I was in the States this time. I had the opportunity to share in several churches and meetings and am so grateful for the way the Lord is continuing to put together and incredible prayer team for Destino del Reino.

When I got back after just three weeks, I was amazed at how much Carlos and his team had accomplished. We are almost ready to move in the second house and the pila (outside wash area) and fire (for cooking outside) are finished. His house is almost finished as well and they were able to prepare an area for the school office as well. The carpenter had finished up the cupboards and bathroom divisions in the second house as well.

Many of you came up to me in person and offered to support a student or two (or more) for the new school starting in March but PLEASE WRITE ME AGAIN AND TELL ME HOW MANY STUDENTS YOU ARE SUPPORTING because I failed to write some of them down. I am so sorry for that inconvenience but I just was so flustered getting things done and talking to so many and have forgotten who is supporting the students. If you already sent in money, I have your name but all the others need to send me their names again and how many students they are supporting. Thanks for helping me with this. Again, the support will be $35 a month per student and it is year-round — I am so grateful for all of you who are offering to help these children. I am so excited to offer such a a great education for the very very poor. Things are going well for the school still. Someone has made a donation for all the material for the girls’ jumpers and my cousin and her team of helpers are sewing these for the little girls. I ordered shirts for the boys and we are still collecting blue jeans for them as well as socks. Someone has offered to buy all the shoes as well — God is amazing, isn’t He?!!

The team from Augusta will be here on Feb. 6th to build the school desks and chalk boards, shelves, etc. and then the team from Tomball, Texas will be here in March to build the outside bathrooms and water fountains. We have the two teachers and director set to start working this next month to prepare for the opening in early March. It is so great that this is the year that all the schools in Honduras are starting a month late — perfect for us!!

Most of you have not heard that the 17 girls from the other children’s home are being held from coming to Destino b y the mission that is over them. We are still praying for their release so that we can offer them a nurturing home and prepare them spiritually for a better life. Please keep praying for God to open the doors and that we will see what direction He wants us to take in helping the girls. Mike and Maria Moore are committed to helping us at Destino regardless of whether we get the girls or not. They are purchasing land adjacent to Destino so that we can get it from them free of charge in the future when we are ready to build there. This will secure that no others will move into our area and will keep us more private. I am so grateful for this help and can’t wait to see all that God has ahead for us. We are going to try to purchase the land across the road from Destino this week and please pray that the owner will lower her price for it. Thanks for the prayers. We would like to build the school and a soccer field, gym and clinic on that land in the future. Our biggest need is the school for the coming year so I will appreciate your prayers for that.

We have so many groups lined up for this year and we are so grateful for all that everyone is contributing to this ministry. It is absolutely EXPLODING and we know that God is doing it HIS way and so I am trying not to get overwhelmed by the greatness of it all. God is a big God and does Big things and I have to remember that this is not my responsibility and to continue to give the burden of it back to Him daily!!

All the kids are doing wonderful — I missed them terribly and am so grateful to be with them once again. They were pretty glad to see me back as well and we are a happy family once again!! The weather has gotten sunny again and we are all grateful for that. They love to play outside all day so they are really feeling free once again.

We had the new baby for one day only. We picked her up on Sunday afternoon and of course the mom was crying as we left but I prayed for her and knew that she has no other choice with 5 other children and has to work to feed them. Baby Ana did great the first day — changing from nursing to a bottle and sleeping most of the night, etc. She is a happy baby and we were so excited at how well she was adjusting immediatley. But first thing Monday morning, the mother was at our door weeping and she wanted her baby back. I told her that I understood completely her feelings but how was she going to work and she said she would start a business — not likely — so she could feed her other 5 kids. I don’t know how they will make it and the grandmother is too sick and elderly to watch the new baby — One good thing though was that I had had doubts all along about taking in local children and this was confirming to me that God is blocking the wrong steps that I try to take. I know that our ministry is for the Yoro mountain village children and I need to stick to God’s plan no matter how great the needs are around me. That is what God has called me to do and I need to stick with His plan. I’m glad for this mercy and patience with me when I step out of line.

We are really putting our new bus to use. We now have 120 to 130 coming on the bus to Sunday School. We are desperate to get some more classes to separate the kids into age levels but thankfully, they are so well behaved that we can manage that large number most of the time. We already need another bus but will just keep stuffing the kids into this one until we can fit no more. They love to come here to learn about the Lord Jesus and I praise God for their sweet attitudes and hunger for Him. Our class of kids from 11-16 is growing too. Their year-long curriculum is on “I want to be a missionary.” While I was in the States, Carlos and the teachers took them out to do evangelism in a nearby village and they all loved sharing their faith in Jesus Christ with others. I am sooooo excited about them learning to do this at an early age.

Please pray for us as we are making MANY decisions right now for the future buildings, etc. Pray for the funds to come in for each new project as God directs. Pray for the change-over with CPAs and board members. I need lots of wisdom to make these very important decisions.

PRAISE — the lawyer here in Siguatepeque has told us that we will get our official ministry papers approved in February. This wil enable us to enter containers into the country without taxes and other expenses. We are so excited about this. This will also enable us to get our school approved more quickly and to arrange the legalities for that in an easier way.

My cell phone broke and Carlos lost his old one recently. Many people gave me personal money to use in whatever way I wanted to use it and so I was able to buy Carlos and I new cell phones this week. I am so excited because it is the first time I have had good reception on a phone out here at the land. My new number is 011-504-952-8670 — if you call me, I will be able to hear you now!!

There is so much more going on and a lot to pray for but I’ll stop here for today. Thank you soooo much for the prayers and faithful love you show to Destino del Reino. It is such an enormous blessing to me and Carlos and we are amazed at God’s gentleness to us in letting us be a part of it all.

Love to each of you in the GRACE of the Lord Jesus,

Rhonda

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