November Update

BE STRONG and TAKE HEART

November was our last full month in Honduras. From birthdays to final exams, hosting visitors to taking trips, a postponed graduation to riots throughout Honduras, yes, this has been an eventful month.

I’ve had expectations of how our last weeks in Honduras would unfold. I even created a detailed calendar to keep track of our daily events, ha! I imagined the boys dressed up for their graduation, the nice road trips our family would take together, and a peaceful environment as our time here wound down. As usual, things have not gone as planned. We were able to take some road trips to visit friends in Balfate, Puerto Cortes, and Las Flores the first half of the month, but over the last week, many roads have become impassable due to demonstrations reacting to the results of the presidential elections. The riots required Manuel and Josue’s graduation to be postponed until the 16^th. Our flight is scheduled to leave on the 12^th, so we won’t be in Honduras for their graduation. Despite the challenges and change of plans, God is providing for our needs. The boys have a place to stay up until their graduation. Marvin and boys were able to get furniture to their apartment in San Pedro Sula where they will attend university. Our family has remained safe, and we have not suffered a shortage of food or water like many other areas. God is also opening doors for us as we return to Chattanooga that help to remind us that He is calling us there. God has given us sweet time with friends here in Honduras as we say “see you later,” and we are so blessed that we will soon have time with many friends and family in the states.

This scripture has reminded me that I must put my hope in the Lord, despite failed expectations, changing plans, and political unrest in Honduras.

“Praise be to the Lord, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. In my alarm I said, ‘I am cut off from your sight!’ Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. Love the Lord, all his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” -Psalm 31:22-24

October Update

Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; and he said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers.”-Luke 19:45-46

God intended for the temple to be a house of prayer, but others had turned it into a marketplace, “a den of robbers.” This scripture spoke to me recently as I have struggled emotionally and spiritually over the last 2 years adjusting to the changes in life. Changes like moving to Honduras, taking in 2 teenage boys, lack of privacy, growing family, dependence on others, etc. The reality is that God gave us these two years. They have been a gift to our family, a gift to Josue and Manuel, and a gift to the community in which we reside. So often we take the good gifts that God gives us- finances, marriage, children, careers, education, etc.- and we turn them into complaints, selfish ambition, envy, and arguments, just like the good gift of “the house of prayer” was turned into a marketplace. 

Josue, Manuel, Joanna, and Thomas

Studying for their college entrance exam

Moving forward, I hope we can accept the good gifts from God and see his pure and loving desire for those gifts. We are so proud of Manuel and Josue as they have accepted and cherished these last 2 years, but they have also faced many challenges. They had to leave their families and village they grew up in, study hard, do chores, and assimilate to a home life quite different from the one they were raised in. Over the past month, they completed their high school classes, took their college entrance exam, and took final exams at school. In addition to the challenges of classes and exams, they have also shared some great experiences this month. They enjoyed a special celebration at their school’s banquet for juniors and seniors. We also had lots of visitors this month-friends that serve at Hospital Loma de Luz in Balfate, friends Johnny, Melody, Danny, and Willie, and my Aunt Terri and Uncle Wesley. We even had the joy of spending an amazing week with my sister Leah and went to the mountains to celebrate Joanna's first birthday with family there.

Samantha, our friends' daughter, playing with Thomas and Joanna

Joanna with Johnny and Melody when they took us out for lunch

What a wonderful visit with Aunt Terri and Uncle Wesley!

Manuel was excited to go home and see his mom and youngest brother Byron

Driving home from the mountains

Thomas loves his Aunt Leah!

Leah teaching a dance class to girls from Eternal Family Project

Happy Birthday Joanna!

The boys have less than a month left to their graduation and will then be returning to stay with their families in the mountains for the holidays before they move to San Pedro Sula to start university classes. We are so proud of their dedication to school work but even more proud of the young men they have become. With God’s help, they will continue to use the good gift of education to glorify Him. May we learn to honor God in the ways we use His generous gifts in our lives.

Josue and Manuel with their friend Gaby. The same Gaby that I met at the government orphanage 10 years ago that became a part of Eternal Family Project. Gaby was the reason that I returned to Honduras the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th...time. Praise God for his good gifts!

Plans

Since moving to Honduras January of last year, our plans have changed...a lot! The plan for Marvin to attend mechanic school for 3 years changed (he attended 3 weeks and then the Lord used him in other areas). The plan to wait a LONG time for another child changed (and we are so thankful Joanna became a part of our family). The plan for the boys to attend a particular high school in the area changed (and instead, they were transferred to a school that brings greater education, consistency, and accountability). We continue to make plans, and we know that they often change. Ultimately, we are just walking with God, discerning His will, and following with obedience, but I wanted to write to share some of our plans, desires, and challenges. 

Manuel and Josue have continued to excel in school despite the challenging transfer to a new school in April. They hold the two highest averages in their class and have remained on honor roll. So what's next for them? They take their college entrance exam on October 22nd! Depending on those results and the status of the public university, they will continue application process to 2 schools- the public university in San Pedro Sula and to the private catholic university. There are pros and cons to each, and we are praying for wisdom and open doors where the Lord wants them. Currently the public university is on strike, and students will lose their credits for most of this semester. Benefits to the public university are that it is more affordable, and there are more majors available. Major benefits to the catholic university is that it is well organized and government issues and strikes don't affect the education. We invite you to pray with us as we move forward with entrance exams, applications, and also as the boys consider what career path the Lord is leading them to.

When we invited Manuel and Josue into our home last January, we were not inviting them to become dependent on us for the rest of our lives. We have been and continue to love them, disciple them, struggle with them, pray with them, grieve with them, celebrate with them, counsel them, do life with them, but our desire for them is that they would be independent young men who love and serve the Lord. This means that as they start college, they will be living in an apartment in San Pedro Sula. It will be another hard transition for them, but a necessary one to encourage their maturity and independence. As we get ready to push our little birdies out of the nest (I can't wait to see them FLY!), we have been asking where the Lord wants us. 

Our plans (you know how those go...) are to move back to the states in December. We hope to use the skills that God has given us to work, raise our children, and serve the community in Chattanooga, TN. We have lots to look forward to over the next few months before the move- the boys have this week off of school, my sister Leah is coming to visit at the end of October, Joanna turns 1 in November, and Manuel and Josue graduate the 2nd of December. 

Thank you for your continued prayer and support.

August Update

Josue, Marvin, Joanna, Karen, Thomas, and Manuel

This month has been challenging for Manuel and Josue as the stresses of classes, a science fair, college entrance exam, applications, 3rd quarter exams, and their class's social service project have filled their schedules. It is also stressful for us to balance our love between baby, toddler, teens, and spouse. God has truly blessed us with wisdom and strength to get through this past month as we demonstrate and receive love and forgiveness. As a human, it is our nature to complain and point out the negative in each day, but that is not the attitude that God desires from us. 

Josue participated in Pendulum Art at the science fair

Manuel learned the nutritional benefits of Coconuts as part of his science fair project

Phillipians 4:12-13 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

His desire for us is peace, hope, joy. Through Him, we can learn to be "content in any and every situation." As I see other people stress about things, their negativity gets to me, and then I realize that I myself am drawn towards that same negativity.

Beautiful flower near Lake Yojoa

A fellow missionary shared this on Facebook recently: "Life in Honduras: The roads have potholes. I saw cockroaches in the cupboard. The internet is slow. A rat once crawled through a hole in my window. It rains just about every day. Poverty is everywhere. Few claim to know Christ. The roads have potholes - that means I have a car to drive. I saw cockroaches in the cupboard - that means I have food. The internet is slow - that means I have a computer. A rat once crawled through a hole in my window - that means I have a house to live in. It rains just about every day - that means the crops will grow.  Poverty is everywhere - that means I have people to bless. Few claim to know Christ - that means I can share the Gospel." (Tim A. Setliff)

I appreciated his honest reminder about the things we have been blessed with, a car, computer, home, food, and the reality that not everyone has such great riches. There are so many opportunities to share love in this world no matter where we live, but our own attitudes determine what people see in us. It is easy to show negativity, sarcasm, frustration, but instead let's choose to show contentment, joy, and peace despite our circumstances. By doing this, we can get the focus off of ourselves and point others to Christ. 

Mark 12:29-31 “The most important [commandement],” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Enjoyed a visit from Oscar, Amy, and teen girls from Worldwide Heart to Heart

Thank you Hixson UMC Wesley Class for our special dinner out- what a treat!

Hanging out in Pena Blanca with Wendy during her week long visit with us

Siblings- Wendy, Marvin, Josue, Susana

Wendy and Thomas gathering the dried coffee beans

Maria, Marvin's mom, working hard as usual

Thomas loves his Abuelo Orlando

Everyone was excited when Orlando could visit (Marvin and Josue's dad)

Josue sliding into the pool

Manuel relaxing with Joanna

July Update

"This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us." -1 John 1:5-10

The death of Marvin's sister Amavilia at the beginning of this month was a dark time for us. We were so sad, and we missed her so much. We still do. But we "do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." 1 Thessalonians 4:13b-14. Ultimately her death has brought all of us closer together. Despite the darkness of death, we were reminded of the light of eternity. 

Thomas holding Joanna after we landed in the USA

An especially bright spot in this month was our trip to the states. I had the opportunity to share with various groups and churches about the work that God is doing here in Honduras- from Eternal Family Project girls home to the hearts of Manuel and Josue who moved in with us January 2016. Sharing with others always reminds me of God's amazing provision and love towards us despite our imperfections and weaknesses. 

Sharing about experiences on my first trip to Honduras

Josue volunteering at the Home of Blessing

Manuel tutoring at the Home of Blessing

The chance to be with my parents, siblings, and other family and friends was so special. Marvin and I especially enjoyed investing in our marriage by going on a few dates. We also heard a great sermon at Scenic City Church about marriage. Despite the fact that the world tells us that our spouse should complete us, it is God who we need to be complete. When God is our first priority and our spouse is our second, our marriages can thrive. We were also reminded that our children are a temporary assignment from God, but we have a lifelong covenant with our spouse.

Walking across Walnut Street Bridge at sunset

My parents with all 5 grandchildren

4 generations

Marvin and Thomas having fun with the Burgess boys

Scenic City Discipleship group reunited at Coolidge Park

Joanna and Thomas with Grandpa and Grann Grann- how can 2 people share so much love? Thank you Mom and Dad!

I hope that you allow Christ's light to shine into any dark areas of your life- addiction, discontentment, jealousy, pride, grief, hate, or anything else. His love and the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross can break through and shine brightly even in the darkest area. Please pray for us as we reflect his light to the ones we interact with in Honduras and that the dark places in our own hearts would be flooded with His light.