Hey Everyone,
Thanks for all your faithful prayers for us continually. Please don’t ever forget us or forget to pray even when you don’t hear from me. We are constantly under battle and it is hard although the Lord promised that this is the “Normal” Christian life for his soldiers. We are called to change this next generation of Hondurans into Christian leaders and missionaries and Satan is busy fighting us every step of the way. But we know that we can give “thanks to God who ALWAYS leads us into triumph in Christ Jesus,” I am grateful for all that He is teaching us through the many many struggles that we go through.
Thanks for your prayers for the finances — that is always one of my hardest parts of this ministry because I watch what money we do have and don’t have and see al lthe bills, etc. but God is continuing to provide just as we need it and I know it is because you are faithfully praying (and giving). Continue to pray for the last 15 or so sponsors that we need for the school children. We have a lot of half sponsors as well so we really don’t have enough for even those individual children but God will provide as He a lways does.
Pray for Carlos as he is always the foremost under attack. We know God has called him to a huge calling and it is not easy and Satan is sending out forces against him in so many ways. He is so tempted, as am I, just about every week to just give it up and leave and have a “normal” life. But there is no such thing if you are called by God to something and you try to live in what you think would be “peaceful.” God gave me that strong warning one day when we were both so tired of the battles. I read in Jeremiah 42 where God told the Israelites that they were longing to go back to Egypt where they said there would be more peace and they would not have to continually be fighting the King of Babylon (Satan) but God promised them they would have victory if they stayed in the land and did not return, and that if they did return for that “peace” they were seeking, that all the bad things they had feared would come on them and they would die.” Whew, that was quite a clear warning to me from the Lord that I needed to “stay in the land” and HE will give us victory over Satan in every battle. But please pray for us to be in the Word continually and be encouraged to walk in the faith and not grow weary in the battles.
I am teaching spiritual warfare this year in the school and I think the Lord is testing me and making sure that I know what I am talking about and be able to teach it with fervor and conviction!!!
Another battle is back — last night the thieves tried to break into the school on the back side through a library window. Praise God for our alarm system that scared them away, but they have been starting to steal from so many other people around here and are dangerous. As you remember probably, the police continually offer to go kill the suspects if we say the word, and that is a temptation for Carlos at times because he is afraid for all of us here and for his own family. Please pray for us to act in the Spirit and not out of fear or anger. I found out who the leader of the gang is, at least it is the word going around. He was gone for several months and that explains why no one has been robbed for several months. But he is back. Amazingly, he is a young man that was taken in by a retired American couple here and he led them to Christ when he was about 9 years old because he believed in the gospel and shared with them. They became believers and helped start a Christian school in the next village and then he started rebelling, went into a delinquency center near Teguc and is out and very dangerous now. Please pray for him that the Spirit of God will convict him and protect all of us from his schemes. This is a huge test because we cannot really do anything much. The police advise all the victims of these robberies that if they get a chance to shoot one of them, just make sure they are dead and take their bodies somewhere else, or there w ill be more revenge. Only God can really protect us in such a corrupt and unpredictable environment. The police met with two Americans a few months back and they promised to help them, and the next thing we heard was that the gang members had pictures of the two Americans in their hands and were going to target them. So you can’t trust the police either. God is bigger though and we will not walk in fear. He called us here and He will complete His plan for these precious children. I just want you to know that we desperately need your prayers at all times. We heard that two of the thieves are fathers of our children in the school and sit there at meetings when we share about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thanks for praying.
Sunday school went great yesterday and it grows every week. I think we have about 50 kids and they are so attentive and it is a joy to teach them. I learn so much when I teach and that is a real privilege to me.
Continue to pray for Wendy and Carlos and I in all that we have in our responsibilities here — it can be overwhelming — especially if we don’t obey the Word that says “cast all our cares on Him” each day. Wendy is doing a tremendous job in the school and it is the best year we have ever ever had. The American teachers are absolutely wonderful, in character and attitude and ability — the kids are learning and using their English more every day. We are so blessed.
We are soooo excited that a pastor from Restoration Church in Fort Worth has got it on his heart to start teaching the Word to the rural pastors in this area and he has designed a program on CD’s or DVD’s and the classes will b e once every 3 months for a weekend of study. Carlos and probably Eduard will start these classes in January. It is amazing that someone is going to give a free seminary education to these pastors and future leaders. It is in perfect timing too as there is such a need for the pastors to be trained in Honduras. They are put in the pastorates usually before they have been believers for even a year because there are no pastors in these areas, then they get hit with all the battles of Satan to pull them out of the ministry and there are soooo many former pastors out there on the streets that not only are no longer pastors but do not even go to church — they have been atttacked, fallen, and no one restores them. It is a very desperate situation and I believe this teaching in the Word is going to ground them and teach them to walk in the truth and purity and lead this next generation in the truth of the Word of God. Please be praying for this to be worked out in every detail.
Here are a few things to pray for some of the kids:
Eduard — he is 18 years old and is doing well but needs to learn responsibility. He doesn’t show any initiative and we have to stay on him like a little child. He is so wonderful and we love him but it is hard to know how to motivate him out of his complacency. He is teaching the young men’s SS class now though and we are praying that this will be a stretching thing for him into leadership.
Erick is struggling at almost 17 years old. He loves the Lord but has so many pulls on him and although he is finding Christian friends at school, he seems to really battle the other bad influences. We know that Eduard and Erick were given to us for a very special purpose but need lots of wisdom in guiding them through these hard years.
Blanca is doing well. She is a great student and growing quickly. She is very nervous about maturing into a young woman and the changes her body is g oing through. She is so shy and sweet and timid so pray for her to just have the peace of God flow through her. She is a precious leader and helper for all the younger children.
Eidy (9) is doing better all the time. As you may remember, she was my most difficult child and has probably suffered the most sexual abuse which makes her a target for a lot of struggles. We have to watch her closely but see God’s great work of grace in her life. Thanks for remembering her in your prayers. She is a very very strong leader and just needs to continue togrow into one of GOD’s leaders.
Carlitos (8) is doing so well in school and loves it. He has a problem with anger at times and keeps it in and I pray that we can really help him in that battle.
Cesar (8) continues to be a great leader in the house and at school. I don’t know really what might be a struggle for him. He seems perfect. ha. We love him and thank God for his sweet calm personality among so many vibrant ones.
Coki (7) — her real name is Cloydi and she is using that name more often now since they use that name for her in school. She is growing up so much in every way — great helper, applying the Word of God to her life. She has some anger issues still though and a lot of that is instigated by Eidy who criticizes her a lot. Pray for unity for these two sisters.
Jonathan (7) is still kind of a baby in many ways. He is doing well in school and has such a sweet little personality. Pray for him to come to know Jesus Christ as his personal savior soon. He has not felt the conviction yet of his need for Christ and yet he knows so many chapters of the Bible by heart. We don’t want to r aise up a religious person — we want him to know Christ personally.
Josue (6) seems to be struggling the most in our house right now. He tells on everyone and secretly tries to get people in trouble. Please pray for me for wisdom as to how to deal with him and make him more secure in my love and the love of the Lord Jesus. He was a complete emotional zombie when we got him at 20 months — never loved or touched, but now he has almost moved ovrer into too MUCH emotion — overreacts, etc. He just needs more healing from the Father so thanks for praying for him.
Sammy (4) is really loving school. I notice he is learning some things that are not so great at school. He has never pushed the little children and has done that several times lately — pray for him to not pick up al lthat he is learning from the other undisciplined students in his class. He loves learning though and is using his English more than the others. My only problem is that his teachers are not southerners, ha. and he came in the house this week saying, “Hi GUYS!!” — Oh well, he loves his teachers and I guess he can b e part Northerner — at least he is learning English. He is learning other things too. He was helping me with the flowers this past week and started telling me that he learned in science class what flowers need to grow and one of those things was air — so I looked over and he was BLOWING all the plants. ha.
Emily (3) — she is going to be my next most difficult child, I think. She secretly tries to get the other babies to do wrong things so that they will get in trouble and we have to really stay on top of her. She is beautiful and soooo smart and it is going to take a lot of wisdom on our part to outsmart her and train her up as the Lord wants her to live.
Ana (3) — she was our abandoned baby and she is growing up so beautifully. She has a big problem with anger though and needs prayer. She does get along with everyone very well though most of the time and she will do well in pre-K next year I think.
Alexander (3) — he is our little one that was a drug and alcohol baby and he took forever to walk. Now he needs to learn to talk and we ask you to pray with us for that. He is very very smart but will be 4 in February and still just says vowels and doesn’t form any sounds with his tongue and lips . We pray all the time for him and the kids constantly try to help him but so far he is not talking.
Stefany – (3) — she is our new little girl that has been here about 4 months. She is beautiful and has adjusted quickly but I see a lot of insecurity in her too and we ask you to pray that she will quickly understand unconditional love of the Father and from us too. Pray for Emily especially to treat her better . I think Emily is jealous of her and there is some friction. Stefany, Emily and Ana will all start pre-K to gether in September — pray for the teachers, ha.
Abi (3) — she is the youngest of our 3 year olds — the others will turn 4 in the next 3 months. She is doing well. Her mom has never come to see her and even called one day but didn’t want to talk to her, she just wanted me tot take in Abi’s younger baby brother who is very sick all the time — I couldn’t take him and she didn’t even want to speak to Abi — the father came to see Abi twice now and just wants me to loan him money but I have told him that I have no salary of my own or personal money and that it is against our policy to loan out God’s money. I see that she really desires someone for a parent to visit her though so pray for her to grow up in the security of Jesus here at Destino too.
David (turned 1 yesterday) — he is a doll baby. His mom has not even come tovisit him since he came here so I pray she will be more involved in his life. She finally called for his birthday yesterday but says she cannot come to visit until she gets a job and some pay. I offer to pay for the bus transportation for the parents each month but I think it is an excuse. He is soooo happy though and probably doesn’t know he has another mom so isn’treally missing anything at his young age. He started walking a week before his birthday and is doing great. He is sick though this week so pray for his quick healing — he has a stomach virus as well as a bad cold so is kind of miserable.
Thanks for your prayers for all of us here — there are so many needs and so many battles but we KNOW that God is in this place and is in the process of making us stronger warriors for His kingdom work.
Love to all of you,
In His grace,
Rhonda
