Hey Friends,

Before I tell you about my struggles, I want to thank you for your constant prayers for us at Destino del Reino.  I know that God uses those prayers for every type of provision for us– spiritual, emotional, physical and financial!!   Thanks for being faithful to remember us.

I need a lot of prayer right now.   I had to kick two more kids out of school this week.  They were both in the 9th grade.  Every time I lose one of these kids my heart feels like it is broken again.  We love them from 5 years old and know them well but can’t rescue all of them.   I was skimming through Facebook (stalking a lot of our students) and was overwhelmed with how much deceit is going on in their lives and their parents are completely ignorant (if they even care) about what their kids are into or what their kids are expressing and struggling with.   It is so scary and I can feel so defeated but I am so determined to build a new generation out of these kids!!!   I love the kids that I have to let go but I have to make decisions for the benefit of the rest of the students.   When a kid leaves Destino, however, it is very possible they will not be given love and attention from any other from here on out and therefore the society and environment that is so controlled by Satan will swallow them up.   I know I sound so negative but this is a horribly immoral and dangerous culture  and I feel desperate to save these kids.   We also found out about a group of young adult men who have been exploiting sexually some of our junior high boys.   There is nothing to be done about it here as the police will not help in these kinds of situations (they have too many murders to handle) and also it would endanger the children if we reported them.  So we have been meeting with parents (mostly who don’t believe us and will most likely do nothing about the situation) and trying to put the light on some of the things the kids are struggling with.   Several of the kids are living in homes with no adults.    I don’t really tell you all of this because I’m looking for solutions — there aren’t any easy ones for some of these situations — but I am looking for a lot of prayer for wisdom and endurance and encouragement in the Spirit.   I was so depressed last night wondering as I looked through FB pages if there is truly any fruit here at all in their lives or are we just raising up a bunch of “religious” kids who do not know the Spirit of God’s true working in their lives.   There is such joy when you live in the Light — no pretense, no lies, no secrets — but Satan is destroying so many young people with their secrecy and deception and so much of this is taking place on the internet.    Well, I just needed to tell y’all that we are in a battle here and I will be counting on your prayers!!!

We are so thankful for making it through another month financially.  God has been faithful and many of you helped us with extra gifts — it was the first time I had to wait 2 weeks to pay the teachers.   I felt horrible about paying them so late but they were very patient and never complained.   Please keep us in prayer constantly for the many financial needs at Destino.   God is faithful and is continuing the work here and I know that He is up to great things even though I can’t see them sometimes.    This month will be another difficult one financially as we are required by law to pay Christmas bonuses (I would want to do that even if it was not a law) and so we will have a lot of extra expenses this month.  I know that God will continue providing as long as this is His ministry and He will complete what He has begun here.   Sometimes, I panic and have so little faith, in spite of all He has done to prove His faithfulness time and time again.

I am teaching Sunday School for 2nd through 6th graders now.  Tomorrow’s lesson is on Abraham’s test of faith — being told to sacrifice his son, Isaac, HIS ONLY SON (that is emphasized two times in the chapter).    I cannot even imagine God demanding that of me but am  amazed at Abraham’s absolute unflinching confidence in God’s love for Him and His faithfulness to fulfill His promises to Abraham.   I want to be that convinced of His love and promises so that at some point I quit being nervous about the monies or problems we face at Destino.  God is GOD and He has no limits.  He does ALL things well, as it says in the Psalms and I just need to BELIEVE HIM!!!     Thanks for your prayers for more faith!

We are still pursuing the necessary papers to open university classes in the fall.   I met with a doctor last week who was telling me that this truly will be the only free college for the poor in all of Central America and I know God will be so glorified to show off His great mercy and love and provisions for the poor of Honduras in this way.   We are on the last phase of the process but it is most complicated and involves putting together all the schedules, inventories, building plans, etc. etc.   I’m just walking one day at a time waiting on Him to open each new door and lead us through each step of this project.   He loves these kids more than I do so I know that He will provide all that is necessary to prepare them to be leaders for His Kingdom.

The group from Arizona is scheduled to come in March to build our “sustaining a village ” project.  This is where they have a pond stocked with tilapia fish and above the fish pond is a level for raising chickens (the chicken poop feeds the fish) and then the water flows off to irrigate a big garden covered in solar panels, etc.  I don’t understand it all but it is a new idea to provide food for many.   Our older students will be working with the men from Arizona to learn this process and I know God will use it for ministering to many and not just to provide for Destino.   Please be praying for the team that is coming — that we will be able to encourage them and share Christ with them while they are with us.    We need to raise $10,000 on our end and they are raising money on their end to do this project as well.  The students from University of Arizona who are coming with them will raise their own support and receive college credits for the project.    They have made instructive videos as well to help train our young people who will be majoring in agriculture in the university.

We had our first coffee harvest this year — we harvested from our smaller section of land and our bigger harvest will be next year from another larger  section.   It takes 2 years with coffee before the first crop is harvested.  We are praying for direction for the whole process of roasting and selling the coffee for next year.   We will have more university students helping out so we should be able to raise many more crops as well as the coffee once we have more help.

I thank you all for your consistent love and prayers for me and for all of us at Destino.   We praise God for all He has and is doing and know that He will continue to reap a great harvest of spiritual fruit here in this place because of your prayers.

Love to all of you,

In His grace,

Rhonda

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