Hey Everyone,
Well it has been over two weeks now since we had water. It started with one of our very dilligent workers trying to cut the weeds around the well site and he accidently clipped the cables. The pump fell and all the wiring, and I really don’t understand it all to tell you but anyway, we are now trying to get 300 feet of tangled wire and cable out of the well so we can bring out the pump and motor and see what needs replaced. It was only about 8 months ago we got a new pump and that should be guaranteed (but this is Honduras, so we need prayer on that one). Please pray that they can get the wiring out today so we can get going on repairing and replacing what is needed so we can again have water at Destino. It is not so bad really after we get used to it — we boil water for 20 baths a day and we bring water in from the fire department every day and put in our pila (outside water tub). We have some gutters catching rain water as well and there has been a lot of rain lately. The problem with rain though is that it also brings lightning and huge storms that put out the electricity a lot and that means we can’t boil the water in the house but only over a fire outside — anyway, as you can see, we do need some prayer on this one. Thanks.
In the middle of everything though, God has been teaching me lately to rejoice in all things and not let anyone or anything steal my joy. When Carlos responded to the guy that accused him in the court of trying to kill him (that was a long story and such a lie) but Carlos instead of responding with anger, he just asked the guy to forgive him for his bad attitude towards him — i was soooo proud and the judge and attorneys said that NEVER has that happened in their court before. It started me thinking about the fact that the ONLY chance we really get to authenticate our faith in front of a world that needs to know there is TRUTH, is when we are facing something difficult and we respond in the Spirit of God within us and the world around us recognizes that it is supernatural power in us and that our faith is true. I was told by a sweet friend that the reason she accepted Christ years ago was because she knew I was a Christian and when I got fired and was still joyful, she believed my faith was real and surrendered her life to Christ. I was looking at I Peter recently and realized that when he says the “proving of your faith” that he just might mean proving to the world and not just testing us for our own confirmation that we are in the faith. When we can love our enemies and forgive people that don’t even ask for it or deserve it, when we can have peace in the middle of rejection and financial problems, when we can guard our joy when we lose people that we love and things look like we are without hope — that is when the world BELIEVES us — and that is the only reason we are still here — to bring the lost to saving knowledge of the Eternal Christ. So I say all of this to say that I had recently looked just like any other person in the world — angry at those that reject me, wanting to see people fail who have falsely accused me, losing all hope when problems came to Destino, etc. and I have committed to let the Holy Spirit let me see each new problem as a platform to declare true faith to the world who is looking on. I told Carlos that the next time he sees me “losing it” or in depression over a struggle, please say to me, “Rhonda, do you think this might be an opportunity for you to display your true faith to someone?” Well, I have to tell you that we have committed to the Lord to respond differently from now on and since that time — THINGS HAVE BEEN HORRIBLE!!! ha ha. But, the great thing is that we are (by the Spirit’s enabling) staying true to our promise. Carlos was actually laughing last night when we thought that the electricity problem was on our land and he would have to go out and spend several days discovering where the problem is and repairing it himself — he is also the watchman right now as well because we had to fire our other one, and he has been working for 2 weeks on this well problem. We are reminding ourselves that we promised not to lose our joy and thankfully, in spite of all the world, and Satan and just plain bad circumstances have brought to us, we are doing all we can to keep our commitment. It has turned my thinking upside down. My priority seems to have been to have a “good day” and wish a “good day” for everyone around me, when in fact, maybe those “good days” are completely worthless to the cause of Christ for us to display His power in us. I started getting up in the morning and just saying I will face whatever comes today in the Spirit’s power and guard my peace and joy in Him. I don’t know why I felt like I am to share that with all of you, maybe you had it right already but I sure have been wrong in my perspective and God is thankfully changing me. Please pray for me to keep committed to this new perspective on my life and struggles. I am sure there are many more ahead of us. Here are some of them for you to pray with us about:
We ended the school year with losing both of our junior high teachers — it was a good thing for the school but it is still hard to suddenly think you have all your teachers lined up for the following year and realize you have to find more. Please pray for us to find the right two teachers for these positions. We are praying for godly (not religious) people that love the Lord Jesus extravagantly!!! and that that love will pass on to their students. We also have been told that the group that had said they would help us get our uniforms for this year is unable to do that after all because they are working with a new project in Viet Nam — so that is a huge expense for us and we have no idea where that will come from. But God does. We have to order books this month or they will not be here in time and that too costs thousands of dollars which we do not have presently. We keep reminding God that this is HIS school and HIS children and HE has some bills to pay, ha.
On a good note — great things are happening in lots of areas. We are getting a container sent in about a month and I have been so amazed at the outpouring of love on us through so many people giving sacrificially to fill that container. Thanks to all of you who love Destino’s children and are helping to provide for this upcoming school year.
We finished pouring the slab for the junior high. We have been building as the money comes in. We spent LOTS of money and weeks to dig the foundation and put lots of rebar in there and cement and huge boulders (we have earthquakes here so it costs a lot more to do the foundation in Central America). Now we are praying for $7,000 for the cement blocks and cement needed to put up the walls for the first floor. After that we will need probably about $10,000 for the ceiling of the first floor (which will be the floor to the second story which will be added on as soon as God provides the money). We’ll see what God has in mind — we really need to get the bottom floor ready before school starts, but are waiting to see if that is God’s timing or not. Lots of fathers are coming out every day though to help us so we have not paid much labor at all for the building so far. There is a team of men in Georgia that say they will come and lay all the blocks for us in one week once we have the money for the blocks and cement. If God provides for these expenses, there is still time to get it ready before Sept. 1st — so please pray with us on this one.
We have 7 Americans coming to be our missionary teachers of English this year. I am so excited for this group and know God will bless them greatly. One more is sure she is called to come but is waiting on the support she needs as to whether God is calling her this year or next — please pray for her provisions.
My kids are all doing well. The baby is now 4 months old (“Jita”) and she is really precious and the kids are great in caring for her. My kids prefer school days to vacations days so they are a little anxious for the summer to pass right now, but basically having a good time.
Praise God, He has provided a new van for us which will be here this month — we can then take the kids off the campus once in a while. It has been hard to be without transportation sufficient to haul 20 kids around. God is soooo good to us.
Pray for our two groups coming this summer – they are going to actually overlap one another. The first team comes from Texas on July 21st to do a sports camp with our young people. Pray for more young people to sign up. We are so thankful for the group coming and their commitment to build these children up in their faith. This age is so difficult in Honduras — 13 to 15 — most of them get in gangs, drinking and the girls get pregnant — there are no jobs, there is hopelessness, and most of them are not in school after 6th grade. Even our kids that age in junior high this year are struggling to keep focused on the future God has for them. Their parents are not motivated for more for their children than just 6th grade and so there is no strong support for them to keep on going and prepare themselves with good careers and education. I am thankful that this group is spending a week with them and know that God will use that to keep them focused on God’s plan for them. The second group is our regular group of workers that come in from Georgia every summer to fix everything and paint the whole school etc. They will be here on July 25th — they work so hard and really because of them we are ready for the school year each time — there is so much to do and we have no maintenance men here except Carlos and he has his hands full without those repairs. Please pray for God to bless these people and that much will be accomplished.
Not much news yet on our electric bills. They say that we will not have to pay electric bills in the school anymore at all (still pending a decision) and that the bills at the children’s home should have been 40% of what we have been paying for years. Also, the head of the electric company in Siguatepeque says that he recognizes that when the Houston light company put in all these poles and electricity wiring, etc. 8 years ago, that they promised us 5 years of free electricity and we got NONE — so there is still hope that they will get this fixed for us soon. Please keep praying for the final decisions to be made and that whatever big debts we have right now because of this transition will be reduced and we will have the funds to pay it.
I’ve got tons of work to do during the next three weeks to get all the scheduling and records and notebooks for teachers training, etc. prepared so pray for clarity and wisdom for Wendy and I as we plan it all. Also, I am praying (and ask you to pray with me) that the 2-week period before classes start when our teachers come to prepare and decorate, etc. will be a true time of revival spirtiually for all of our teachers and staff. We are going to use the first hour and a half each morning in prayer and bible study and I need wisdom to know what God wants for us to use during this time as far as a study. There is so much “religion” in this country (well really everywhere) and so few who truly have given up everything for the cause of Christ and are in love with Him. I want a different kind of year spiritually this year and however our teachers are spiritually, is how our students will be — so this is crucial and please pray fervently with us about this time. Glenda West is coming for the second week of that time and pray for her to know what she is to do for a study or ministry time with the teachers as well. I feel real urgency about this and know it is from the Spirit and He will give the wisdom for what HE wants. Thanks for praying.
Thanks for your continued love and prayer and encouragement. I am so thankful to be a part of such a ministry that is changing so many lives for the kingdom and to further the gospel in all the world one day. It is such a blessing but there are such battles and I praise God that you are all praying us through those each day and month and year. Please keep praying for 40 more sponsors for the incoming children and some that did not ever get sponsors last year — they really need the personal prayer for each of them as well as the help with the meals and education, etc. Pray that God will put this on the hearts of 40 families and SOON!!
Remember that you cannot hit “reply” and respond to this message to me. You have to send me a separate email to rhondadestino@yahoo.com Thanks so much for your love and we will be knowing that God will provide all we need even though it seems impossible. “With God all things are possible,” and I love the other verse “Is anything too difficult for God?” Thanks for believing with us.
In His Grace,
Rhonda
