Hey Prayer Partners,
I wanted to share two prayer requests.
First of all, (it is kind of a complicated long story but . . .) There is a labor law here that all employees get basically 15 months of pay each year. Many employers pay a bribe to the Labor Dept. to avoid any employees suing them for monies they claim after they leave their employ. At Destino I have always hired people if they realize that we are not a company with any earnings but only receive donations to help for the education and welfare of the children and if they agree to accept that we cannot give them the extra 3 months’ pay each year. Unfortunately, many “say” they will accept those terms but once we have to let them go for whatever reason, they suddenly change their mind and sue us for a LOT of money. I think overall we have been blessed that most of our teachers have chosen not to sue when they have left but most employees in the home and drivers, other workers, etc. have cost us a lot of money in the past. Recently I decided it was time to just get some lawyers to do contracts and I need to trust the Lord for the monthly extra money I will need to pay higher salaries so they will be eliminated from being able to sue in the future. Because of the decision to use contracts, we have lost 6 employees this week. Overall, it has turned out to be a blessing because most of them have had bad attitudes. This week they will be trying to reach a compromise with our lawyers as to how much they will demand from Destino. They all received extra months of vacation with pay (because I could not give them extra money but I could give them extra time off). Please pray for peace for me and for a conciliation with the lawyers that will take into consideration that they have received many benefits from Destino. Also, we have had to raise the salaries because of the rise of the minimum wage and so we need the funds to pay off the six employees once they reach an agreement as well as more money each month to raise the salaries of those remaining at Destino. Thankfully, we have not needed to replace two of the positions so that will save us some money each month. In June we will be dealing with the teachers with contracts that are more legal and that will include a 20% raise so that their salaries will include the “legal rights” they are entitled to so that we can avoid dealing with the Labor Department for any unhappy ex-employees in the future. I know God is able to provide all that we need but it is a little scary to me to raise all of these salaries. If those that are supporting students in the school each month would consider raising their giving to $75 a month instead of $60, then I think we can easily cover all the increases in wages. Thanks for your prayers on this matter. I really do not being a boss (as many of you know) and I praise God for Christian lawyers who are helping us get all things legal now so that we can avoid any problems in the future.
Secondly, we are in urgent need of prayer for our bus situation. We have several requests into the Columbia County School District to gift us with some used buses. We also have some people looking around Augusta for used school buses. The buses have to be 12 years or younger to be shipped here legally. If anyone knows of any contacts where we might find some donated used school buses, please let us know. The biggest need is prayer for a miracle from the Lord. If he can give us water where the experts say there was no water, and give us electricity from the Houston Power Company, then I know this is not a big deal for him. We need 6 running buses. We have 3 of our 5 working right now and the mechanic is working on another one this weekend. All of our buses are over 20 years old and falling apart basically. Thanks for the prayer. I know we have a Great Great Father and God of the Universe who can and will provide in His perfect timing.
We have postponed the opening of the tech school until mid-February but are still very encouraged that this is something the Lord wants for Destino. Please be praying during the first week of January when we will be interviewing prospective students. The organization who will be providing the teachers and books, etc. are very eager to help us and get the school going. Thanks for prayer for the last minute tools and tables, etc. that need to be bought.
Also, continue to pray for the final steps needed and documentation prepared to submit our application for the opening of the university. I know it has been a long time coming but also know that God’s timing is always right. I am encouraged as various American Christians are starting to sense a calling from the Lord to come and teach — He will do it perfectly in His way and in His time and I need to trust Him more.
Thanks for prayers for me personally with my blood pressure. I don’t know if God is healing me but I do know that I was on three medicines and my pressure got way way too low. I have had to get off of two of the medicines completely and now am down to one-half of one of them every other day. I’m checking my pressure twice a day to make sure it doesn’t go up again and figuring out exactly how much I need to regulate it. God is so good to me and I praise Him for the healing he has already done in me.
Oscar is still in need of prayer. He can get around on crutches but has a lot of pain still. The Guillens Barre disease is more common in Honduras this year, say the doctors. We are so thankful that God spared Oscar’s life. Just three weeks ago, Oscar’s nephew’s girlfriend was diagnosed with it and died in 10 days. The doctors say that Oscar would have been in very bad condition if he had waited even one more day to go to the hospital!!!
Please also be praying for my Pastor, Wade Trimmer. He is so dear to my heart and trained me and counseled me or I would have never been free from demonic strongholds to be able to come to Honduras 19 years ago. He has been diagnosed with Ramsey Hunt disease and he is in horrible pain (for almost 2 months now). Thanks for joining us in prayer for God’s healing.
Thank you all so very much for your faithfulness to pray for all of my requests. I am so blessed and loved by so many of you and can’t even express how much that means to me.
I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, celebrating the birth of our Savior. And thank you again for remembering these requests in prayer. God is able to do above and beyond all we ask or think!!!
Love in His mercy,
Rhonda
