Hey Everyone,
Thanks for the faithful prayers for Destino del Reino and all the related ministries. Things are going so well.
Carlos says that the construction on the school is going so great and he doesn’t see a problem with us being ready in February when classes start again. Please keep praying though, because I am sure this is only the result of your faithful prayers. This project is ENORMOUS and of course this is Honduras and so the men do not have any fancy equipment and are doing everything by hand. Some Americans observed the work a few weeks back and someone made the comment that it was like watching the Egyptians build the pyramids — such hard work but such skill to be able to accomplish so much without the equipment Americans use. Those men have such a great attitude about their work too and seem to really know that they are building for the Glory of God and this is no regular project.
Carlos has been having the Wednesday night meetings for the 35 men who are working on the two sites right now. Last Wednesday night 6 more men accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. This week, a visiting pastor was supposed to come but at the last minute cancelled. Carlos felt so unprepared but then the Spirit told him EXACTLY what to preach on for the men. It ended up being a lot about generational sins that were passed through their family line and how we have the power in Christ to break off those things and gain victory for our families. At the end, he said, it was so precious to see all those 35 men so surrendered to the Lord for change in their lives and every single one of them was singing with all their hearts with their hands lifted up to the Lord in praise. WOW — what a precious opportunity we have here to see 35 men changed who can lead their own families to Christ as well. Please keep praying fervently for these men.
We had a big surprise this week — a television reporter and his team showed up to do a story on Destino del Reino. I keep praying for more humility in my life and this was a chance — I hadn’t taken a bath that day or done my hair and looked horrible – ha. But I had a wonderful chance to share about the miracles that God is doing here and the purpose of the home. The reporter asked specificially how we got electricity out this far and that was a wonderful opportunity to share about answered prayer and the greatness of God to do the impossible. For those of you who don’t know that story — the Houston Power & Light Company (who had never donated materials in the past) gave us more than $25,000 of materials AND sent their own crew of linemen from the company to install the lines last October. No one can ever believe that story and I have a hard time believinng it myself every time I tell it again!!
Thanks for your prayers for Carlos and Wendy’s marriage — God has done GREAT things with them. They both separately went through prayer sessions for deliverance from strongholds in their lives and came out completely different people. Wendy said that she always picked at Carlos every time he walked in the door and she now understood why he had had such a hard time coming home every evening. She said after God changed her life in the prayer time, she just wants to be happy with him all the time and it has made such a difference. Carlos told me that it had been a long time since he thought about Wendy all day long when he was away from her and he is so excited how God has changed her and himself too. God is a miracle-working God and is up to powerful things in their lives. I am so excited to see how God can use them as a couple in even bigger ways now without those strongholds holding them back. Thanks for your prayers and please don’t stop. Satan is NOT happy about this and I know he will retaliate. Carlos’ two oldest boys got Dengue fever this week, but thankfully, it is not the fatal type of dengue and they are recovering after various medications. They have to stay on pain medicine though because it is a painful sickness.
We went to the IHNFA office last week about the children on how to get more protection for them from being suddenly taken back by their parents into dangerous or neglectful situations. While we were there, a whole crowd of moms with their children lined up outside to give their children away. It was incredible to see what is a daily situation here in Honduras. There is such a need for more orphanages and homes for children to be cared for. Thankfully, God seems to be calling more Americans to do that here and I am so grateful for that. (A couple from Missouri visited me yesterday and know that God is calling them to do that here as well.) The director of IHNFA told me to just pick whatever ones I want. He was joking with me because he knew that my priority was to take care of children from the Yoro mountain villages where there is no other help for the starving children there. It is amazing the poverty and hopelessness in this country and it had been a long time since I saw it so blatantly like that.
The kids are doing great in school and only lack about 6 weeks of classes before their break until February. I am so amazed at the blessing of giving a Christian solid education to these poor children in the area. Many are coming to us now and wanting to enroll their children here because Destino is getting a wonderful reputation, but we are holding the places for students for those that are the poorest along the highway and not allowing the more affluent to put their children in our school, since they can afford educations in Siguatepeque for their children. Please be praying for us to find the right teachers for the new grades that start next year as well as an American to come and live here to teach English — that is a BIG prayer request from me because I cannot possibly continue to teach English next year and we just have to have someone QUICK — please be faithful to pray that God will send His perfect choice to fill this position. Thanks.
All my children are wonderful and growing so much every day. Sammy can sit up by himself already and he is busy causing trouble moving around in his walker all day and discovering everything he can get into. Josue gets better and more sociable every single day and seems to be happier too. The kids are all missing the “Gringos” because we have several weeks now without any Americans visiting us. They really enjoy the visitors but can’t remember one from the other, ha. Please be praying for the new baby that will be born in November. Pray for Mirna (the mom’s) health and for the baby’s health as well. We will find out this week if we are getting a boy or a girl.
Please be praying for the upcoming groups (Oct. 8-15 — group from Florida/Michigan to do construction and medical brigades) and (Nov. 5-12) for discipleship and night meetings from West Acres in Augusta, GA). Also be praying about the back-to-back groups we are trying to form for January to complete the school in time for classes in February — two are making plans but we may need a couple more to do ceramic flooring, painting, installing lights, etc.
Please pray for my father, Ray Jackson, as he has developed some kind of heart problem that is puzzling the doctors. Evidently it is not very dangerous for him but makes him dizzy and he is ready to be back on his various missions and hates to be slowed down. Thanks for your prayers for him.
Thanks for praying for the funds to continue to come in for the various needs. God is faithful and is always perfect in his timing. We need another bus by February as well so please pray for those funds to be provided as well. When we have another bus, we can use it for more ministry, groups, church nights and Sunday School as well as an extra night of the week where we want to bus in the new converts from the village of Las Germanias for once-a-week worship services. There are more than 200 people in that village who have come to know Christ but not been taught the Word of God — so please pray for us to be able to start reaching them and discipling them soon.
I guess I have given you plenty to pray about for now and thank you for your faithfulness. God is amazing and I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful ministry to the precious Honduran people.
Love you all and thank you so much,
In His grace,
Rhonda