Hey Everyone,
Thanks for your prayers and please DON’T EVER STOP THEM!!!
We have so many projects that we want to complete in God’s perfect timing and there are so many lives being changed daily here so there is much to pray for always.
The school year is almost out and there is a lot to do. The people are coming tomorrow to measure the kids for uniforms and shoes for September so pray we receive those funds as soon as possible. We have so many things we want to change for next year, not only changing to bilingual, but in getting more order in the school. We have had so many last minute decisions on days off and celebrations and other unexpected things and plan to have a calendar of the WHOLE year in July ready and stick to it. Wendy told me she likes the idea but it is unknown to schools in Honduras to have a real plan for the year — so pray for us as we try to accomplish the unheard of here. ha. In spite of our many errrors these past 3 years at our school, the children continue to be educated in an excellent manner and they are learning the Word of God and they are being loved and nurtured, fed and cared for physically — so we can’t really complain. But we do want to be excellent in every
way so pray for us as we have many decisions to make. Carlos’ wife, Wendy will be our director in the year coming up and she will be excellent. Pray for her as she is a little nervous in this undertaking but she has the gifts and intelligence to do it and I, personally, will have a lot more confidence in the running of the school under her direction. Thanks for your prayers for all of us for the wisdom of God in every decision. We thank the Lord for the great year we had with Hawk and Stephanie Gates. They did an incredible job with first grade and are returning now to the US next month. Pray for them to find the right jobs and place to live, etc. as they re-enter ministry in the US. We need prayer for two more English teachers for the school year as well as 2 more Honduran teachers. Thanks for keeping those things in your prayers. We need a lot of funds for the new school books, but the group that just left from Trinity on the Hill left enough money to almost
cover the school books. We lack about $2,000 more but I know the Lord will provide that all in perfect timing.
THe money for the land has not come in quite as fast lately and we still lack half of the $100,000 — but we KNOW that God is in this and so are waiting on His provision We haven’t been pressed again by the sellers of the property but God knows the perfect timing in this so we are just waiting on Him for each step of the way. Thanks for keeping that in your prayers as well. It is really important that we get all of that land and not just half of it, because it will secure the future plans of the ministry at Destino as well as enabling us to keep others from moving in among us here off the road. Thanks for praying.
We will be in California next week so please pray for our opportunities to share about the miracles of Destino as well as pray for all of those back here at the house and school — I have wonderful people working for me so I don’t really worry when I am away that things will not b e done right but just pray for safety and peace for all of us. Thanks.
The group this past week was so great. We were able to go into one village but had three different villages come (one each of the three days we were there) It was a great opportunity to reach them with the gospel while providing medical attention for them. They saw at least 700 people that week. We had two doctors (one adult medicine and one pediatrics) and we had eyeglasses and hearing testing. It was such a great opportunity and they were at the school here at Destino for two days as well. It was such a blessing to see some of our students wearing much-needed glasses. The group from West Acres will be bringing back hearing aids and other needed medications for those that were seen this week. God really used this group to touch MANY lives and I am so grateful for all they did. On Wednesday, I had the priviliege in the pharmacy to lead two depressed women to Christ. They said they didn’t think they would be needing their medications after all. ha. Praise
God!!! It was amazing to us that even though they were living so close to Siguatepeque (the bible belt of Honduras), those people did not know one Bible verse and did not know even one Christian song or chorus. There is so much need here in the villages and I thank you for your prayers for us as we continue to reach people with the gospel in these nearby villages.
The basketball court is almost finished. Some of the parents came today to help pour the cement. It will be a big 3-day project but such a great one!!! We can start our Saturday afternoon basketball camps for the young men in June and use it for a discipleship and evangelism tool to reach many young people with the gospel. The soccer field is still in process because the man who owns the tractor worked one day and then had a major car accident. He recovered after 10 days and returned to work 2 days and the storms started so now we are back at a standstill until the ground is dry again enough to work. Hopefully though by start of school in September we will have a beautiful green soccer field. I am tired of waiting on it but God will do it in His perfect timing, as he does all things.
I want to mention all the kids to you and for those of you that want to pray more specifically, you can help us in that way:
Eduard — He is almost 18 and is an incredibly godly young man. He needs prayer for discipline in his life and studies and to be free from fear in his life –we are praying that he will become a strong leader for Christ and he needs boldness.
Erick — He is 15 and is a great kid too. He too needs discipline in his life and is at the age that we are praying for him to maintain purity in his life since he is at a hard stage for young men. Pray for discipline in the Word for him as well.
Blanca – She is 9 years old and has a lot of timidity. We pray for her to be able to become bolder and more secure. She is a great leader in the family but needs security in the Father’s love.
Eidy – she is 7 years old and has had so much sexual abuse in the past that she is very seductive at times even at her very young age. Please pray with us that God will heal her wounds and free her from the past. She is a strong leader but lacks love for others.
Cesar is 6 years old and he is almost perfect all the time but has a pride about him that needs to be checked or he will be limited in how much God can use his life.
Carlitos is 6 as well and needs confidence. He has insecurities and anger inside so pray for him in those areas.
Coki is 5 years old and has BIG-time anger issues. She is very insecure and needs so much love and attention b ut really only the Father can assure her heart.
(All of the above kids have received Jesus Christ as their savior — so pray for the kids below that they will receive him as their savior at an early age as well.)
Jonathan is 5 and he is doing pretty good. He is a little immature for his age and pretty selfish but is doing well over all
Josue is 4 years old and is struggling with treating the other children badly, using bad words, and just struggling with insecurity.
Sammy is 3 years old and is very insecure like Cokie. It doesn’t matter how much we love and assure him, he and Cokie just are insecure. Pray for Sammy to learn to be secure with others and not have to be by my side every moment.
Jackie is 3 years old and has some really tough problems. She has only been here a few months but she is mean and competitive and VERY insecure. There is something about her that is very hard to love and we are all struggling with trying to encourage her through her insecurities.
Emily, Ana, are two and they are doing well — just learning to obey and doing great.
Alexander is 2 but he needs prayer as he is very slow physically. The psychologist said he is slow because of the drug and alcohol abuse by his mother. He is very smart but having struggles at 2 1/2 — He also had convulsions and we are praying that God will heal him completely of that problem.
Abi is 1 1/2 and is doing well and Josey is our baby and she is doing great.
Thanks for praying for all the children. If you want to pick one specifically and pray regularly for them, that would be a HUGE blessing. Thanks.
Thanks for all your support and love and encouragement and especially your prayers. We have many projects going on continually here but we want to keep our priorities right at all times. Pray that Carlos and I both will have the top priority as our time with the Lord alone each day. We need HIS presence to keep our joy and peace in the middle of busy-ness and conflict and attacks of the enemy. Thanks for your faithful prayers for us.
We love all of you and praise God for the incredible team of support and prayer that he has established for Destino del Reino. I am so amazed at how many complete strangers out there are praying for us daily — only God can make such things happen and I am blessed to have all of you on our team.
Love in His grace,
Rhonda
