Hey Everyone,
I apologize for not writing sooner. I have been transitioning from one computer to another, and couldn’t get the codes right, etc. As well, we have been waiting daily for a man to come and connect the satellite for us and he has yet to come so we have given up on that idea for now. I have spent many days waiting around the house for him to show up and missed an opportunity to go to town and send messages. Anyway, I am so sorry for being so late in reporting on all that is going on here. We sure need your prayers and I hate when I can’t write and ask for them.
We had a great group from Trinity on the Hill Methodist last week and they accomplished so much in the school and in organizing things for me, as well as encouraged me sooooo much personally. We are expecting another group from Texas sometime to help with some more projects and a few men are supposed to return as well to make the school desks and tables and chairs for our two new classes. Please pray for all these details to be worked out in God’s perfect timing.
The school looks WONDERFUL. We shouldn’t have a problem getting the classes ready for the four grades that begin in mid February, and then as the money comes in, we will continue to finish off the building. We still lack about $20,000 to complete everything and I know that God will provide that in perfect timing for us, as He always does. Please pray though that we can get that done before the dedication that we are planning for mid April. We want to have the dedication service on the anniversary date of Columbine since the school will be dedicated to the life of Cassie Bernall, who died at Columbine High School, because of her stand for Christ.
We need more sponsors for the 75 children who will begin classes this year. Please pray for these people to come forward and be willing to sponsor a student for $35 a month. This will include food, vitamins, school supplies, teachers’ salaries, etc. Also, please let me know if you have been sponsoring a child for the past year and DO NOT want to continue. We are trying to organize our records so we will know exactly how much will be coming in each month to cover the expenses. Last year we had to use Destino’s operations funds to get us through sometimes, so we need a sponsor for each child to be able to have the school operate on its own.
We have had so many miracles lately. I had been praying about uniforms and shoes, etc. to be worked out for this school year. A Sunday School class and friends in Tennessee bought all the shoes last year but we didn’t have any volunteers for the year coming up. My friend, Maria Moore, who had the children’s home up the road for several years, wrote me and said that a man with a shoe factory in Colorado had suddenly called her after 5 years and asked if her home needed shoes. She explained that she did not have that home for children anymore but was working with Destino del Reino. She explained our ministry to him and he wants to send us 150 pairs of shoes this year, and is even interested in doing this on a yearly basis. God is so amazing. He told Maria that he didn’t know why all of a sudden her name came to mind to call her. We know why, huh?!
Another wonderful miracle for us concerned Erick. He is 12 years old and was on a visit with his mom and she returned telling us that doctor was suspicious that he had diabetes. The mother has it and so does her mother so it was in the family and Erick had symptoms. We took him to the doctor on Monday and he came out positive for diabetes. He was so sad and scared because he has seen his mother suffer with the disease. I had planned to take him to the doctor and start treatments on Tuesday and then I suddenly thought, we don’t need to take him to the d octor before we pray for him. We got together and prayed on Tuesday morning for God to heal Erick. On Wednesday we went for the same tests again and they were NEGATIVE!!! God is the same miracle-working God as always and sometimes he just is waiting for us to ask in faith.
The third thing that happened miraculously for us in a week was that we received a call from our lawyer. He said that he had never thought of it before but since our ministry is helping the communities around us and providing school for the poor, etc., we might be eligible for a government card that would enable us to go to the port for whatever container comes in and just present this card and not have another paper with us. We would also not have to pay taxes on any materials for building. Usually, even with our official papers, we have to pay a lawyer to prepare a lot of papers to prove that we should be tax-free before we can receive a container. The lawyer told us that he would check with the government to apply for us. The next day he called and said that now he was SURE that God was with us because usually, if the government decides to check out an organization like ours, it takes about 6 to 8 months to have them come and approve the group. He said the government agents were coming in 10 days. We were so excited. They were here on Monday and both of them (and our lawyer who had never seen the ministry) were so impressed and we are waiting their approval. This will be a WONDERFUL blessing for Destino and so please pray for us to receive the approval soon. We are right now waiting for a container from Texas with the doors for the school, etc. and we really need this card first.
We are having to let go a lot of the workers this next week because we are out of money right now and we have finished with the biggest part of our work for the school. We have a lot to do now though with few men so are praying for wisdom and funds to know how to proceed right now. Please pray for these men to find more work soon to provide for their families. We have a few projects here that don’t require a lot of money in materials, and since labor is so cheap, we can keep several of them on for those things but about 15 of them will be looking for more work. The group that plans to build an evangelical center on the corner of our property, will be building in the near future and that may be a possibility for these men, but in the meantime, they need a source of income.
We have been through a LOT of battles and I know they will not end because Satan will keep attacking as long as this ministry is growing and accomplishing much for the kingdom of God. We know there are only two options then, (1) quit it all; (which really is no option) or (2) learn to use our spiritual warfare and fight harder against the Enemy. He is so subtle and we are learning a lot but need a lot of prayer coverage continually.
Carlos had been going through a lot of personal struggles two weeks ago, and in spite of his own hurts, he preached a powerful sermon that Monday night on standing in our confidence in Christ no matter what happens all around us. It was a powerful sermon and many people went forward to declare their determination to stand in Christ no matter what they are facing. It was so powerful and I woke up in the night thinking that Carlos would be attacked the next day because Satan would be so mad at him. Sure enough, he was coming from town with two big water tanks on the back of the pick-up. One rolled off and hit another car. The driver of the car jumped out and grabbed Carlos and held a pistol to his head, planning to kill him. He was so furious and couldn’t be calmed down no matter what Carlos tried to say to him in reason. Finally Carlos said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, put the pistol down.” The man immediately did it and changed his whole demeanor. Carlos talked to him and paid him $100 (that the group had “just happened” to hand him that morning), and the man actually thanked Carlos before he left. Whew, that was a scary thing for us and Carlos was really nervous all day. God is so much stronger and bigger though than the Enemy and we place our confidence in His protection and victory.
Thanks for your prayers for the church as it is growing every week. The men and women are really enjoying the Bible studies on Friday nights and more come each week. Thanks for your prayers for me as I teach in Spanish. This is a new thing for me and I needed to trust God in this area.
Our new baby, Emily, is so precious and is growing so much. Sammy seems to know she is his little sister, and likes to kiss on her a lot. We got to see our new baby, Sophie, last weekend, and she will probably move in with us in about 6 or 8 weeks, when her mom goes to look for work in San Pedro Sula.
Eduard and our neighbor, Luis, are enrolled in tecnical school starting in one week. They are being sponsored by people in the States and are able to have a great opportunity to study and prepare for work in their futures. Eduard is so bright and great with the skills he has been taught and he is so excited for this opportunity. Marta starts school (similar to high school here) on February 13th. She will study 3 years and then after that time, she will have the basics to go on to nursing school if she still wants to do that. In the meantime, the three years prepare her in computers, secretarial skills and English, so she will be able to get a great job even if she goes no further than the 3 years of study. Thanks for praying for all of these kids as they start in new schools in Siguatepeque.
There is so much going on daily here and we all need your prayers continually. Thank you for being such a huge part of this ministry in your faithfulness to pray for us. It is growing so fast physically and spiritually and we need to be so prepared to stand strong in the Lord and to have His wisdom for every new situation. We have such battles. On Monday, a situation happened and Marta was ready to leave the ministry; our helper, Gloria, was threatened by a man in town because she will not marry him and she came to work very scared for her children; our helper, Marisela (19 years old) was kicked out of her home by her mother because she has a 2 year old and her mother is ashamed of her. That was just one morning in the life of Destino! We all prayed together and God has resolved every situation in His grace, but it just gives you a glimpse of what we face every week here with the family God has given to us. All of us are being stretched though to trust God as never before and to know His power in our lives over every evil around us. Thanks for all your prayers because they are making a HUGE difference.
I love all of you and thank you so much for your support. Thanks for your prayers for the funds to come in and the needs that we have for the school especially at this time. We have only a few weeks until opening.
If you know anyone that is not getting our emails and was receiving them before, let me know. We had to change over computers and retype all the addresses and I may have messed up some of them. Also if you sent me an email recently (in the last month) and did not receive an answer, I probably lost it in th shuffle, so please send me your messages again. Thanks.
Love in His grace,
Rhonda
