Hello, Friends of Destino del Reino,
I hope each of you has a beautiful celebration of the year ahead and also celebrating God’s incredible faithfulness to you in the past year. Happy New Year from all of us at Destino del Reino.
I am so very thankful for each of you who have given financially, with your time and also most importantly your prayers this past year. We have had some hard times and yet see God’s perfect faithfulness through every difficult step. This ministry is totally HIS and so I just try to follow closely behind him and not run ahead of him with my own ideas or linger behind too far with fear. He is continuing to grow this place in so many areas and if I was using “reason and logic”, I would freak out and say “this is enough for me to handle.” But He gives strength in every plan and brings each person to help us in the area where we need it. He is amazing in all His fulfillment of His plan for this ministry and for each child and adult who is a recipient of His mercy through this ministry.
We are finally done with the papers to be submitted for the permission to have a university at Destino del Reino. With the acceptance of the university will also be the approval of the nursing school and agriculture degree. The next meeting of the Board of Directors of Education in Tegucigalpa will be in February and we plan to be there to present our documentation. Pray for every part of this final step — funds to submit it and the final details to have it all in complete order. The majority of our graduates from our high school for the past 4 years have done nothing with their education and most have not even been able to find jobs. A few have gone to study in the local state university but it only offers a couple of degrees and they are not good degrees for finding work in this area.
We have gotten our FINAL date for starting the tech school (beginning with welding). The organization who is providing the teachers and books, etc., were in a conflict with the government for a few months but all is worked out and we will start after February 10th. Pray for the young men who are coming (approximately 20), many of whom may have not come to know Jesus Christ personally and we want them to be prepared with a career, but most importantly, with hope and salvation to live a productive life for Christ. We have the buildings ready, the welding machines, etc. and now just waiting on God’s perfect timing and plan for these young men.
My biggest request for prayer right now is for my four older kids to be ready to pass the ACT college entrance exam which they will be taking in February. Chris (one of our American volunteers) has been working hours tutoring them in higher math and science to get them ready. He assures me they are all four “brilliant” and he knows they can do this. They need prayer for discipline to keep studying and for peace as they take this test. They are so much smarter than me and I passed it, so I know that God will enable them to pass. I have been surprised at their English and how well they do on that portion of the testing. Thanks for your prayers for them. We continue believe that God is confirming they are all four to go to Bryan College in August and we will wait on Him to work out each step of the way.
The men’s coach for Bryan College will be here with his wife in a few weeks to evaluate my kids for possible soccer scholarships. Pray that God will lead in that possibility as well. I have three that I think may be able to get scholarships in sports and, if not , God will provide the funds in another way. My children are leaders and humble servants of the Lord Jesus and I am so excited to see how God will further their education and experiences to know Him better and to make Him known to others. In Honduras there is so little true discipleship and few young people who have a true passion to follow Jesus so I look forward to my kids meeting college students at Bryan who have a similar passion for Christ, both for friendships and possible spouses for each of them. Thanks for your prayers. I have done my part to get them from babies through high school and now the Father will take it from here and use many other people to finish His plans for each of them.
We are building up our farm at Destino. Our new milk cow had her calf on November 20th. She is producing more milk than we can use at the home so we are serving it in the school. Her calf was male and his name is “Benny” (for “bendicion” — “blessing” in Spanish). We have also bought our first two pigs and will be building a chicken coop in the next few weeks to start raising chickens. We need so much food at Destino each week that we could never have enough animals for all of that, but it will contribute somewhat as well as an opportunity for my children to grow more responsible in their work and to learn about caring for the animals.
We have had an unusual year at Destino as far as teachers coming and going but the teachers are doing a great job. We have had several out for medical problems for months at a time and had to bring in temporary teachers. But God has been faithful in all of the disturbances. Thankfully we have found some really precious Christian teachers to fill each spot. We also have a new American volunteer coming in two weeks and are so excited to have her join us at Destino. Her name is Julianne Page and is coming after recently graduating from North Carolina. Please be praying for her in her adjustments here at Destino. Our other young American teachers are so excited to have another roommate join them in their little house.
My kids are doing pretty well — apart from some colds and a round of the flu. I love to watch them growing up both physically and spiritually. Pray for three of the girls who are 9 and 10 and have not yet accepted Christ as their personal Savior (Marisol, Daisy and Suzi). They love singing about Jesus and reading their Bibles so I know He is preparing their hearts for HIM!
I am attaching our Christmas picture we took this week. In the picture is not only my kids who live with me but also my oldest boy, Erick and his wife (our first grade teacher) and their little girl, Marien. I am surrounded by love and so grateful to the Father for giving me a life like this.
Love to each of you and thanks again for your help to us in every way.
Rhonda
