Hey Everyone,
I know I have been very slack in getting more information to you about our electricity problem. As you know, we have been waiting for the parents to get us an answer about a government ruling declaring that we do not need to be paying any electric bills since we are a non-profit ministry and are providing education to over 250 kids each day, etc. While we were waiting for this to happen, the company came and turned off our electricity and we went just a few hours without electricity, but immediately we were able to get it reconnected and are still waiting for an answer. The head man of the electric company in Sigua himself has assured us that at least we should not be paying more than 40% of what we have had to pay in the past so that is at least some good news, however, we still don’t know for sure about the other situation (free electricity) so everyone has advised us not to pay anything until we get an answer. We owe about $3,000 in past electricity if we have to also pay the “deposit” they are trying to demand from us — but we are still waiting and so that is why I have not had an answer for y’all. Please keep praying though. Carlos met another lawyer this week who evidently has experience in this area and he also assured us that we should NEVER have been paying any electric bills whatsoever — it would be so wonderful if the electric company would pay us back what we paid — but that is a pipe dream in Honduras — once the money passes, it never returns, ha.
We just started our soccer tournament with the other bilingual schools in Siguatepeque — about 11 schools participating. It is so fun to see our little poor children competing against the rich bilingual schools — we have always been the champions and we are hoping again that God will show off His blessings over these precious students. He promises in the Word to bless those who are His and also there are many promises for His special blessings on the poor, so we have a double portion!!! ha. We won our little boy’s game yesterday (Josue, Jonathan and Sammy are on that team) 3 to 0. We won our girls’ game today 2-0 (Eidy and Coki are on that team and Eidy got one of the goals).
We also were the champions in the first ever Spelling Bee in Siguatepeque this last week. We took two first places and one second place so had the overall best showing for a school — the kids are so excited about that as well.
We have had a wonderful school year and I am soooo thankful for all that God is doing. We had to let one of our 7th grade professors go a couple of weeks ago but God immediately replaced him with another teacher, Prof. Luis. Luis is 31 years old and he has taught for several years and has a great reputation in the area of teaching math (which is what our junior high needs LOTS of help in). We are so blessed to have him with us and he is fluent in English too so that always helps with the communication between the American and Honduran teachers. God never fails to cover every need that we have here and I am so blessed to see so many miracles and provisions from His hand.
Church has been so good the past few months — Keep praying for Carlos to let the Holy Spirit speak through him and to him. He is such a blessing and God is teaching him so much. He is going to begin a discipleship with Pastor Wade through email so pray for them to be able to work out the details on that. He really needs a godly man like Pastor Wade in his life on a regular basis. He has been enjoying his seminary studies as well but that has changed to just one evening every other week so it is not much of a full-time seminary, although he is very thankful for this opportunity. God knows though what he needs and maybe he would never have been able to go every week if that was what was scheduled. Thanks for your continued prayers for Carlos — the enemy NEVER seems to give him a break and he gets weary sometimes.
Pray for the Americans we need for next year in the school. We have several committed and 2 or 3 still praying and have not given us an answer yet. I know that God knows exactly how many and Who we need so we will appreciate your prayers for His perfect plans in this area. I am so thankful that Amanda Bruin is now our English supervisor and is overseeing the curriculum and plans and training for next school year. It just gets better and better at Destino del Reino and I am so amazed at the quality of people that God continues to bring to us.
I do get a little discouraged at times when I see how slowly the money is coming in for building the junior high building, but God is able and so this must just be His timing (very different from mine). We have our next group of graduates in another month and we will have two classes of junior high so we need to at least have the first floor of the building finished by mid-August. We are again taking in a few of the 6th grade graduates from the other Christian bilingual school for poor children in the next village up the road so we will have another class of 30 students.
Please keep praying for our junior high kids — it seems that we may have a battle keeping them as they live in a world where girls at age 12 and 13 are having babies, are living with men, the boys are joining in gangs, or having to work for their food supply in their homes. It seems that we have a big job on our hands to get their parents to dream for their children and use their authority and influence to KEEP their children in school in order to prepare them for better careers down the road. We lost one of our girls last month — she has been with us for the entire 7 years and made very good grades but just didn’t want to keep in school and is living with her boyfriend now. It is heartbreaking to us but we know the battle is the Lord’s and we need to be faithful to pray over every one of these children. Specifically, you who are sponsoring junior high kids, please be praying regularly for your supported students — it is a huge temptation for them to go the way of the world around them.
We have a container coming by mid-August from Augusta, Georgia. John Turner is going to be getting a list out as well, I believe but I am going to put some items that we need on this email so that some of you can be looking out for anything that you may have in your garage and donn’t need, etc. The container needs to be sent by about the 10th of July so please keep that in mind. Here are some of the needs:
2 washers
2 dryers
vaccuum cleaner
LOTs of school supplies (pencils, composition notebooks, 3-ring folders (500), notebook paper, pens, crayons, staplers, sharpeners, erasers, etc.)
5 or 6 dressers
high chair that folds up
plumbing putty, teflon tape, mixture for strong cement grout for bathrooms,
autoclave (sterilizer) for our dental clinic
ice maker (industrial for cafeteria)
cafeteria heatingfood service system (with stainless steel pans, etc.)
diagnostic computer for cars and buses
book shelves
desks for teachers
3 refrigerators
3 stoves
professional hair clippers
sink tail pieces and toilet fixtures
dental instruments for two clinics
ping pong table
towels and wash rags
sheets
2 double beds
4 single beds
chalk marker to mark football and baseball fields
games, puzzles, solid bigger toys
bikes
playground equipment (big plastic types for our kindergarten classes)
used children’s clothing and shoes (all sizes, boys and girls)
white socks and undershirts for school uniforms
children’s books
2 televisions
Lamps,
kitchen table and chairs (2 sets)
We are going to have to furnish two more teachers’ houses this year so we need all the dishes, and pots and pans, towels, sheets, etc. for them as well as the furniture. Thanks for anything you can do to help us fill this 40-foot container. I know God will send just what we need.
We still want to open our dental clinic once school starts next year and only need a few more items of dental equipment before that can happen. Carlos and the guys will start building in the 3 sinks in the dental rooms in the next few months and once we get the other equipment we will start arranging for dentists to come on week-long mission trips and start seeing our students — the dream is that each student could be seen once a year — I don’t think any of them have ever been to a dentist in their lives. Thanks for praying about this HUGE need for them.
Our crops will be planted in about another week or so. Travis is supervising the farm and has a very good worker under him who is preparing the fertilizers, and preparing the land. He will plant corn and beans in the big field and then have another huge area where we will continually have vegetables growing. he wants to introduce the Honduran markets to some new vegetables that they do not eat here. We are so thankful for Travis’ work and what we know God is going to do through him for Destino del Reino. We hope to have an agriculture degree for the students in the next few years as well and they will be able to work on the farms and earn their degrees at the same time. Also, Travis is going to see my cousin, Elvin (a farmer) in Colorado in early July to talk about what specific equipment we need sent to Destino to make this an incredible farming project. Elvin has tons of equipment and is so generous in wanting to provide for Destino. We also have a friend, Mike from Maine, who has his own truck and trailer and is willing to drive the equipment that is donated to Honduras — pray for the details of all of this project and that God will provide what we need to make this farm work and to be able to provide food and work for many many people in the coming years.
Thanks so much for all your prayers for us. God taught me something a few weeks ago in Deuteronomy 8 — he told the Israelites (and I believe it applies to us) that the two reasons that he tested them (sent trials) was (1) to humble them, and (2) to let them see what was in their own hearts. I have been able to greet my troubles with more courage lately, recognizing that God loves me and he is keeping me humble before him — completely dependent on HIM alone, and also to show me the things that I don’t realize are in my heart but are very apparent when I am confronted with a difficulty (i.e. anger, jealousy, revenge, impatience, disobedience, etc.) His love sends us troubles to that we will KNOW now what is failing in us and can repent and see His changes in our lives and not wait until eternity and suddenly realize what has been there hidden to ourselves. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?” God knows it and he is showing me what needs to change in me through the many struggles we have at Destino. Please pray for me to recognize His love in every situation. I pray you are all able to see His grace as well as you walk through so many difficult times that I am not aware of . We are so loved and cared for and this life is just a vapor. Let me know how to be praying for you all as well.
In His grace continually,
Rhonda
