June Update

" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23a.

We have so much to be thankful for as we reflect over this past month. Marvin and I have each had the opportunity to practice some of our passions! We received Marvin’s welding machine from the states, and he has already worked on a few projects. He has built a roof rack for our vehicle that will allow us to help Home of Blessing take donations up to mountain villages, help make room in our vehicle when picking up visitors from the airport, and allow easier transportation of project supplies from the hardware store. Marvin also enjoyed helping replace the metal roof on the church we attend. He not only got to weld some of the beams but also showed a few other men how to weld. Manuel and Josué are getting more quality time with Marvin because they are interested in learning about metal work.

Our aluminum roof rack before installing it on our vehicle

I was thankful to start off this past month helping with a medical team that came to see patients at the Home of Blessing. I met some wonderful people and learned a little bit more about some of the medical needs here. After that, I had the opportunity to translate for a medical team in a nearby mountain village where a local ministry Sal y Luz (Salt and Light) have been serving.

Medical team at the Home of Blessing

A couple that came to receive medical services from Sal y Luz

Not only did Marvin and I practice our passions here in Peña Blanca, we also spent a week at Hospital Loma de Luz in Balfate, Honduras. We first volunteered there in 2013, and we were so excited to finally go back, serve the hospital, and reconnect with friends.  Marvin worked on various welding projects around the hospital, and I helped the nursing staff with clinic patients. Thomas especially enjoyed seeing some of the wildlife and swimming in the ocean- which was a treat for me too!

Marvin and Thomas watching monkeys in the palm trees in Balfate

Swimming in the ocean with friends Christine and Calix

Thomas looking at the ocean. "Agua, woo, woo Agua!"

Manuel and Josué have now completed the second quarter of classes for this year of high school. Both of them improved grades in almost every class this quarter and were thrilled to receive a week of vacation after exams. While we were in Balfate, the boys spent the week with their families in Las Flores. They both enjoyed time with their siblings and parents there. Manuel’s favorite part of the week was staying up late (10:00pm) with his brothers and seeing his baby brother walking. He also feels that because of his time away, his relationship with his father is improving. Josué liked getting to have time with his parents and help his mom around the house. He also enjoyed sleeping in (7:00am) and watching cartoons with his little brother and sisters. They both enjoyed the challenging adventure of finding which bus to take (or truck to ride in) to make it up to their village and to return to Peña Blanca. We were excited to give them the opportunity to be more independent and to learn how the buses work here. They were happy to start classes back today and especially excited about some new classes they will are receiving- Art, PE, Vocations, and Honduras History.

Although Marvin and I separated from the boys for their week off of school, we also had a mini vacation with them earlier in the month. We went to Puerto Cortes for one night to visit friends from Worldwide Heart to Heart Ministries. Marvin went to his sister Wendy’s high school graduation while the boys and I swam briefly in the trash filled ocean in front of our hotel (gross!). We played dominoes and uno and enjoyed an evening free of studying and internet.  

Marvin with some of his family in Puerto Cortes celebrating Wendy's graduation 

Manuel, Thomas, and Josue on the fishing dock

June has been fun, but July also holds the promise of much excitement and joy. Our friends Adam and Kelsey Leland will be arriving tomorrow to spend a week with us. Then, July 13^th Marvin, Thomas, and I will be traveling back to the states. We will be coming back to Honduras August 1^st and look forward to Chip and Karen Wood and their grandson spending a week with us then. We love getting to “share” Honduras with others and look forward to the fellowship we will have with all these visitors. Of course our time in the states will be full of fellowship and family time too. We know the boys will be taken care of here by Marvin’s grandmother for part of the time and friends of ours from Puerto Cortes, but it will still be hard to be away from them for so long.

There are so many things to be thankful for, but we also have a few prayer requests:

-          Electricity: My understanding is that something is wrong with the transformer on the property we live on and that it will likely need to be repaired in San Pedro Sula and then reinstalled here. In the meantime, we have no electricity which makes the heat more difficult (no fans), food storage challenging (no fridge), laundry pile up (thankfully, we have friends that are letting us borrow wash at their house and utilize wi-fi), and limits our communication (can’t charge phones or use internet).

-          Home of Blessing: Please pray for this ministry and the 75 children (about 35 families) it serves and for our neighbors that direct it. Dennys and Yolanda have both faced physical challenges this month. Their baby boy is due early August and although all of Yolanda’s pregnancy has been hard, this last stretch seems to be particularly trying.

-          Eternal Family Project: Thank God for the provision of land for this ministry and that He would guide the plans and provisions for that. Also, that more monthly sponsors would commit to the girls’ home to help provide for each of their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

-          Fruitfulness: That our lives, family, and ministry would produce GOOD fruit and that the Lelands and Woods would also have smooth, safe travels and fruitful time in Honduras.

-          Marvin and I: WISDOM, PEACE, & UNITY

"Two things I ask of you, Lord;
    do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
    give me neither poverty nor riches,
    but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
    and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
    and so dishonor the name of my God"  -Proverbs 30:7-9

Thomas is getting so BIG!

Enjoying coffee on a rainy day

Thomas and I walking on the beach in Balfate

Marvin and Thomas climbing trees by the beach