Hey Everyone,
I thank you again for all your prayers for us. God is so faithful and every step of the way, he is clearly leading us. We need more wisdom every day and more time in His presence to clearly hear His leading. Thanks for putting that as your priority in prayer for Carlos and I. We need to make sure we are spending the time we need with Him, no matter how busy our days are — as one old pastor said, the busier my day looks, the longer I need to linger in prayer.
Thanks for praying about the land. We have ONE-FIFTH of the money so far ($20,000) and we are still praying for the rest, as we believe this is something God wants for Destino. One friend even offered to come and teach us the start raising the fish to sell in the lake, once the land is ours. We have a lot of dreams about how to make Destino more self-sustaining and we believe that would be God’s desire for us. Anyway, keep praying. I think we have a few more weeks to at least get the money promised so we will KNOW what God is doing here and how to respond to the company who is selling the land. This is an urgent request. I know that $100,000 sounds impossible but we now just need 80 more people to give $1,000 (and we have more than 700 reading these messages every week so it really might not be so impossible as it sounds — and besides, God promised “NOTHING is too hard for me.” It is just a matter of knowing HIS will and waiting on HIM. One
of my friends who is an artist even offered to give one of her prints to anyone that pledges a $1,000 — everyone is jumping in and trying to do something and I appreciate it sooooo much.
The next biggest thing on my mind right now is the teachers we need from the US (or England or Canada — or other English-speaking country). We have a couple of interested people but nothing for sure yet. We need 4 teachers by August so I tend to feel a little panicky at times, b ut then remind myself that WE did not start this school — GOD did it all and He certainly can finish well what HE started!! Thanks for your prayers. We have our official papers almost completely finished now and that is a GLORIOUS answer to prayer. Some people take lots more years getting their accreditation and we are blessed (AGAIN). Our little girl that was hit by the car is back in school this week after Holy Week vacation. Praise God for her little life — God has a big plan for her!!
We were so sad yesterday to find out one of our neighbor girls down the highway died of some problem in her head (she was 12 years old and I bought her school uniform and shoes and backpack for 3 years). I believe she knew Jesus as her savior though and in that we can have hope, b ut please be praying for her sweet little family. They are so desperately poor and need to turn to the Lord more now than ever. For those of you who have been here, they are the family in the house down the side of the main highway that sits way down below the road.
We also had a horrible tragedy yesterday when a bus in Jesus de Otoro went off a 500 meter cliff and 27 people died and the other 18 are very fatally wounded. One of my workers, Maria, lost cousins, a brother-in-law and close neighbors. She knew almost everyone on the bus and it is a hard time for their family and all the other families that lost children. The road is very steep and the driver of the bus worked up speed to get up the mountain and at the top it curves off away from this cliff and he lost the brakes. It was horrible.
Pray for us on Sunday. We are starting up Sunday school again. We had to stop AWANAs for now until we have some more leaders, but at least we will begin with Sunday School again. Once we have more leaders trained next year, we will add AWANAs to our schedule again. I love that program but it is impossible without the staffing to do it. Many have asked us to start SS again so we are doing that. Carlos will teach the adults, Jorge and the kindergarten teacher will probably do the youth and I will teach the children with the help of others. Thanks for your prayers.
Pray for the new baby boy who is coming in a couple of weeks. The mom had planned to abort him but promised me she would deliver him if we wanted to raise him. She doesn’t even want to keep him for a week so we will get him immediately after he is born. We’re still planning on a good name right now for him.
God is so good and there is so much going on but we are truly amazed at the grace and strength he continues to give us for every new day. We thank you for your prayers and for keeping Destino on your heart all the time. I am amazed at all of your faithfulness to us.
Carlos and Wendy and their family are doing great. They took a few days vacation together and had a great time (other than Carlos’ being sick). Keep praying for their family to be strong together because that is where Satan usually aims his attacks — against families. Pray for Carlos as he has so much responsibility and needs to leave all his burdens with the Lord every day. He gets really down sometimes when things don’t go right and takes on that accusation (which is not from the Lord Jesus). I told him, though, that until he is ready to accept the credit for all the good things that happen at Destino, he cannot accept the blame for the bad things. ha. He finally gets it, I think. Pray for him.
We love you so much and praise God for everyone of you,
In His grace,
Rhonda
