Hey Everyone,
Well, we once again have started another school year at Destino del Reino. Every year I have been amazed at God’s faithful provision for every need and I take a gasp as we decide we are supposed to move forward and trust Him even further with an additional 40 students this year. Although we don’t have the sponsorships for about 25 of the students, we are sure that they are supposed to be with us and that God will provide for them. It is so amazing to see these children who come from very desperate home situations (i.e. no electricity or water in their houses, no shoes and very little family income) transformed into young ladies and gentlemen with a heart for the Lord Jesus and desire to serve others. We ended up hiring two men in their 30’s for our junior high teachers. They are even both fluent in English so that will be good for the older students as well. We have such a godly group of teachers this year and it is such a sweet environment. The Americans are amazing and so committed and loving to the students. It just keeps getting better every year and I am sooo happy. God has done amazing things here and I praise Him so much for each and every child who is studying at Destino. Please be praying that God will put it in the hearts of people to become sponsors for each of these remaining students. If anyone is interested, they can sign up on the website and will receive a picture and description of their assigned student. Again, this year I cannot even begin to give praise to God for the thousands of dollars that were given to buy the shoes, the uniforms, the PE outfits, the books (Honduran and English) and all the other needed materials for this upcoming year. It is so great to watch God just touch people’s hearts for this ministry and it is never the same way that He provides each year, but He does it FAITHFULLY.
I am finally settling down after a hectic summer of groups. Although I enjoy the people that come here so much and am thankful for all they do, it is a little hard for me to be a good mama to these children during those visits so I am glad to concentrate more on the children in the children’s home now and even have better times with my Father alone. Please pray for me to be consistent in my time in the Word or I will not have strength to keep carrying on in such a huge load.
The kids are all doing well. We are still waiting on a new little boy to come (probably in a couple of weeks). I got a call from Jocon saying that a little boy’s mother had died and he is very malnourished. The father wants to bring him here but had to go up on a mountain to plant and won’t be able to bring “Ernie” to us for a few more days.
Marisol, our new little girl is doing great. She is soooo happy all the time and laughs and sings. She is also 1 1/2 years old so she will be a good buddy for Ernie.
It is hard to believe that Blanca will be 13 tomorrow and that she has now started junior high. Seems like yesterday when she came to us at 5 years old. She has turned into such a wonderful beautiful young lady. I am taking her out to dinner by herself tomorrow and I’m sure all the others will be so jealous but it will be good for us to have some alone time to talk and celebrate.
I have been here in Honduras for 12 years now, this week. WOW — so much has happened and at the same time it seems like it has gone by so quickly. I am forever grateful that the Lord called me to do something so awesome for His Kingdom work. No one has a better life than me and I am so honored.
I hear the container is leaving Augusta this weekend and I am going to be amazed at all the sacrificial giving demonstrated in all the goods and materials that are packed in that 40 foot container. If you contributed and are reading this, THANK YOU SOOO MUCH. I know I cannot ever thank anyone enough for all they do for Destino in giving and prayers, but God knows and He promises to reward those that are good to the poor, and He doesn’t lie so I know you will be greatly blessed.
Pray for us to find some help at Destino. We do have two bus drivers now and they seem to be pretty honest and thankfully, also sober. But we need some repair and construction people to do all the work that is very much needed right now. When we receive the container there will be even more work to do, i.e. installing ceiling fans in all the school, moving furniture, etc. Almost every toilet and sink in the school and children’s home and public bathrooms needs repairs and it is overwhelming. Maybe a small group of fix-it-men could contact me and come for a week and help us catch up — it would be soooo helpful. We are needing to change our house around a bit as well with so many children. It won’t be very costly but it will need some labor — we are going to take out the hall closet and turn it into a stairwell going to the downstairs and that will be all boys’ room and the girls will be upstairs. We do need to put in a
