Hey Everyone,
I want to thank you all for your continued prayers for the ministry of Destino del Reino and for each of us who live here and work here. The ministry is constantly growing and with it, the prayer needs are constantly growing as well.
First of all, thanks for praying for our school year. We have finished half of the school year now on the Honduran school calendar (which is a new thing for us). We thank you for the prayers. The students are doing well in catching up in their studies after being out for two years with Covid restrictions. We have approximately 300 students this year since we started doubling up on our grades and now have two first grade classes and two second grade classes. We can now have all students in the class together (as opposed to half coming every other day which was the case until April). We have had to hire extra teachers and assistants for this reason and are praying for the funds to cover all of the new expenses for food and materials and books and teachers’ salaries. God is forever faithful though! We decided to start more grades and enter more students to enter Destino becausewe already have enough room to do so, and the people around us are extremely poor and need an opportunity to be educated but even more importantly, because there are so many who do not know Jesus Christ and we want an opportunity to not only educate them but also to train them up in the truth of the Word of God and many families will be changed through Destino’s ministry. Thanks for those who give faithfully to us and please pray for God to continue to put our needs on the hearts of many who can help us cover these costs.
Along with the costs of the Destino school, we are also sending 6 of our children to college at Bryan College later this month. God has so clearly led us to send them to Bryan and thus far has faithfully provided for all their needs. We are close to finishing paying for the next semester and pray that God will continue to prove His plan to them and provide more scholarship monies or donors who commit to helping them complete their education. They are incredible kids and are studying hard. Two of them have been on the Dean’s List even though all classes are, of course, taught in English. They are dilligent and want to be prepared to serve the Lord in whatever field and wherever He sends them. Please be praying for them. I am taking them on July 28th to be there to start training on August 1. Please be praying for their safety and that they will continue to draw near to their Father during the hard times.
Another prayer request is for my appointment on July 29 with the head of the Education Dept. at Bryan College. I don’t know what the restrictions are but I wouldlike to be able to bring education students to Destino in 3-month increments to teach English here in Honduras as a part of their practice teaching. We have started building up the second floor above our dental clinic, to prepare rooms/suites for any teachers who may want to come temporarily to help us in the school. Pray for the funds to put the roof on the second floor — the walls are already up and we just lack the roof right now before we continue working on it.
Jonathan will be beginning college at Bryan this year. Please be praying for him as well since it will be his first time away and he will be studying computer science. This is so painful to watch all my kids growing up and leaving home but that is what we raised them for — to follow Jesus and serve Him. Bryan College is a great place to prepare them in Christian leadership. I am so thankful they are there. Each of the six have been given some scholarship monies for playing soccer which helps a lot, although we need a LOT more to cover all the tuition.
I am so very thankful for the church in Siguatepeque who have sent leaders to disciple all of our parents this year. They have now been meeting for about 6 months and the parents have loved being in smaller groups and being prayed for individually and taught the Scripture. However, we believe it is time to go back to our Wednesday night church services for all 400-500 people in corporate worship. Before we start those worship services in October though, the leaders of the discipleship groups are taking them through the basic discipleship lessons on salvation, assurance of salvation, how to pray, etc. We want to make sure that all our parents are clear on what is true salvation and then get a report from the leaders on which of our parents still need prayer and visits to help them understand more. Please pray for the leaders to be clear and to be able to determine which of our students’ parents still have not come to know Jesus personally. Once the worship services begin in October, we will only have those services each week and no more discipleship groups but once a month break off into small groups for individual prayer. When we receive new parents of kindergarten students in February, we will take those parents through five basic discipleship classes before they join the others in the worship services. Please be praying for all of the plans — I really see such a huge change in our families and students because of all the discipleship and personal prayer that the parents are receiving. God is doing amazing things and we are praising Him for continuing the work in the lives of all of these precious children.
God has answered a big need for us recently. A dentist named Gaby has felt that God wants her to come out to Destino to treat our students each Wednesday. She has only asked for help in getting the supplies and she is offering her time and services for free. Right now in Augusta, Pastor Wade and Jackie Tucker have the list and are contacting dentists to donate the needed supplies. Hopefully, the boxes with supplies can be sent to Destino next month and our students will have excellent dental care!!! So very thankful for Gaby’s willingness to serve the Lord in this way and also for all the dentists who will help get us the necessary supplies.
As for my kids (24 right now in the house) — they are doing pretty well. I need a lot of prayer for wisdom dealing with my seven girls (all under 12). Raising one girl is complicated but six so close in age is really tough sometimes. Please pray for each of them. Several have been exposed to things before coming to Destino that have really affected them negatively. None of them have come to know Jesus Christ personally yet and that is my biggest prayer right now. It would be alot easier working with them if they had the Spirit of God working within them!! Thanks for praying with me for these little girls. Generally, the boys are easier but probably too busy playing soccer to get in much trouble, ha.
Also, please pray for the retreat for all our staff that we are planning on July 25th. It will include all the teachers, administrators, bus drivers, house cleaners,watchmen, school cafeteria workers, etc. etc. Pastor Cristian is going to lead the one-day retreat and the emphasis is on each of our calling to the same purpose of raising up leaders for His kingdom, no matter if we are teachers or driving the bus, or cleaning their room and washing their clothes, etc. Thanks for praying that there will be a real unity among us all and that God will pour out blessings on Destino because of our unity as he describes in Psalms.
We had to hire a new high school teacher last week and she will start work next week. Another former assistant will return to work next week as well. We need a lot more help since my college kids are leaving — they have helped cover lunches, recesses and English class. Pray for the new Honduran teachers as well as a new American teacher is coming on August 2. She is coming from Tennessee and has never done this kind of ministry but feels that God is clearly calling her. Please pray for her to have courage and determination to follow the Lord no matter how unsure she feels at times. Teacher Sheena will return for one month to train her in the classes. Thanks for praying for all these needs.
Please be praying for the pastors’ conference starting on August 15 with Pastors Wade and Kevin leading sessions on discipleship to more Honduran pastors. This conference will be held for pastors coming in from other parts of Honduras and they will be provided free transportation, free lodging and food, so we hope they will come willing to learn more about God’s plan of multiplication through discipleship. Thanks for praying.
Personally, I can use prayer to have more time with the Lord each day. As you can imagine, my days are not ever normal and predictable but I need more discipline to FIND time to get my peace in spending time with Him first. I have found myself more irritable and frustrated lately and I know that when I don’t have enough time with Him, I forget that He is in charge and will provide all we need and take care of all the problems. I need to REST in Him.
I know this email is long and I actually have more things to ask prayer about (i.e. future college, tech school, etc). but this will be enough for today to catch you up on how to pray for us and also give Him praise for all He is doing, even when we can’t always see the immediate results.
Love to all of you and let me know how to be praying for you as well. Remember, you can’t hit “reply” to this message but you can write me directly at rhondadestino@yahoo.com
In His amazing grace,
Rhonda
