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

May Update

I am sure you have heard the saying "April showers bring May flowers." Well, that has certainly been our experience and not just because it only rained for a few hours the entire month of May or because the flowers here are incredible. Our experience was that the month of April was challenging, but it was all worth it to see the blossoms of May.

We had an amazing Mother's Day weekend in Las Flores, and Manuel and Josue were thrilled to see their families. The highlight of the weekend was swimming in a river. We also checked in with a family that we have served over the years to see how their children were doing. We were especially thrilled to see that their daughter Gloria has NO more asthma issues and is enjoying learning to read in 2nd grade. We appreciate the special sponsors and volunteers that allowed Gloria and her family to receive a chimney, outhouse, and a new roof (click on the links to go back to the blogs about these projects).

Thomas with his Aunt Estefani

Manuel with his sister Sarita

Maria (my amazing mother-in-law) making ticuco

Thomas and Aunt Leydi playing with Bravo Leon

Excited to swim in such a beautiful place

Susana, Josue, Thomas, Estefani, Leydi, and Amavilia Ramos

Marvin and Josue's parents (my in-laws), Orlando and Maria

Celebrating mother's day together

Manuel with some of his family on mother's day: Manuel, Sarita, Manuel, Byron, Maria, Jorge

Abuela (grandmother) Maria, Javier, Michelle, Bisabuela (great-grandmother)Marta, and Thomas

Gloria with her two youngest siblings

May has been a month of birthdays in our home. Manuel turned 16 on the 10th, Thomas turned 2, and Marvin turned 28 on the 15th. We celebrated Manuel with a cake at the Bible study that Eternal Family Project girls and our neighbors join us for each Tuesday night. We read Psalm 16 and Manuel closed the evening in prayer. His prayers show a maturity and deep love for the Lord that we appreciate so much. At 2 years old, Thomas is very entertaining. He knows when everyone's eyes are on him and enjoys showing off new dance moves, animal noises, and his ability to jump. We celebrated Marvin and Thomas with our neighbors Dennys and Yolanda and their children.

Marvin has become more courageous this month. He has played guitar and sang at church twice and the Home of Blessing Ministry once. I hope he will continue to share this gift with others and allow us to continue to enjoy his talent as he practices at home.

This month, Manuel and Josue brought home their report cards. We are constantly amazed at the amount of time and effort they put into their school work. We never have to ask if they have done their homework because they are both so responsible, they take the initiative to do it on their own. Of course, I get to work with them on their English and occasionally with their Science and Math homework, but those are typically very special times to share with them. Josue was on the honor role and was given tickets to have dinner at Casa Lenca with his parents (or in this case, Marvin and I). We ended up taking the whole family and having a blast! We swam in the pool, had an amazing dinner, and celebrated Josue's accomplishments.

Josue and Manuel doing homework on the back porch

We had the pool to ourselves at Casa Lenca. AMAZING view!

These boys make life fun!

Thomas got to share some sweet moments with the girls at Eternal Family Project when our friend Tabita brought some of them over to play. Tabita was in charge while the girls' mommy Allison had a chance to visit with family in Florida. So thankful for each moment with this wonderful ministry.

Snack time with Chloe, Kiki, Estrella, and Thomas

One of the highlights of our month was getting to meet Willy Walker and the Key family while they served at Home of Blessing one Saturday. We loved that they were not shy when it came to singing and playing with the kids or when working in the kitchen. We were especially blessed to be invited to dinner with them where we all got to know each other a little more. These great missionaries were an answer to many prayers and also blessed us financially in a time of great need. God's timing is perfect, and we are so glad that he allowed us to begin what will hopefully be lifelong friendships.

We were so blessed by these amazing new friends!

Isaiah 12 has resonated with me as we stepped out of the April showers and into the beautiful month of May. I hope that wherever you are, up or down, in storms or in sunshine, that you too can sing praises to the Lord.

In that day you will say:

“I will praise you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
    and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense
    he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water
    from the wells of salvation.

In that day you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done,
    and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
    let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
    for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

A bird resting on a branch near the back porch

April Update and a Visit from Elizabeth

A beautiful flower in front of the CASITA where we live. The view will never get old. Each day in this home is an incredible blessing!

Honestly, April was a hard month for me- emotionally, physically, spiritually. It is hard for me to even write this update because I think over half of the days in April I was in bed with a migraine or battling the nausea that comes with the incredible blessing of another BABY on the way! I have been feeling much better lately and just finished the first trimester. We are so thankful for God's plans and His generosity with our family. Despite our weaknesses and our constant need for Christ, He has been kind enough to entrust us with another life.

Seeing Little Ramos for the first time via ultrasound

Thomas doesn't really know what's coming, but he is definitely excited!

Not only have we been shown great generosity, but we have also been called to show this to others. We were on a roller coaster this month while discerning God's calling in our lives- calling to give of our time, belongings, future plans, etc. Even while trying to be generous, our own selfish desires often arose and caused strife in our home. Thankfully, we received counsel and encouragement from close family and friends and have seen the reality of this verse play out in our lives:

2 Corinthians 9:6-7
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

We were especially blessed this month with a visit from a dear friend Elizabeth Burgess. About 5 years ago, Elizabeth and her husband Brian invited us to live in their home. They heard about our heart for Honduras and missions and wanted to support us in any way possible. It was the best gift ever. We lived with them for over a year, and we have no hesitations in calling them FAMILY. They have 2 beautiful sons who we have enjoyed seeing grow from babies into boys. 

Elizabeth and Thomas looking out over the canal

Josue, Karen, Elizabeth, Manuel, Marvin, and Thomas walking at Las Glorias with a great view of Lake Yojoa

During Elizabeth's visit, she did art projects and math bingo with the girls at Eternal Family Project. She also joined us at the House of Blessing for a meal, worship, and Bible study.  Elizabeth and a small group from her church in Florida were also able to bless the ministries here with donations- school shoes, games, towels, Bibles, toothpaste, etc. and she blessed us with many items that can't be found here. She is loved and appreciated not just by me, but by many here. Our boys, Manuel and Josué especially liked having her around. Late night games of UNO helped them to connect despite the language barrier, and of course Thomas loved seeing his Aunt Beth. Thank you for taking the time to come and invest in the work being done here! 

Elizabeth with the third and fourth graders at Eternal Family Project's Learning Center- Yolani, Jenci, and Estefani

Number recognition Bingo with first and second grade- Ana, Nahomy, Emily, and Asly

Manuel and Josue doing a great job helping with the Bible class at House of Blessing

Elizabeth showing love to the children in the House of Blessing yard. They need a lot of hugs here!

We miss you Elizabeth!!! You made an impact in the few days you were here!

March Update and a Visit from Mom

Proverbs 16:9 says “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” We are grateful that despite our own planning, God continues to lead us exactly where He desires.

We have continued to work with the House of Blessing and are working on learning the children’s names and getting to know them a little better. With about 75 children, this is quite a challenge, but each Saturday we get to spend with them is a gift. Marvin will often go on Thursdays and Fridays in order to help with cooking preparations or cleaning up. These are not easy jobs, but they are usually managed by 3 women who have been volunteering for more than 2 years. I have been teaching the 3 to 5 year olds with help from Manuel and Josué. We sing songs, color pictures, and even have a brief English lesson. For our Bible lessons, we have been studying the start of Jesus’s ministry including some of his first miracles, and the children have memorized the verse “Estén siempre alegres.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always.” It was an easy verse for them to memorize, but I am certain it is difficult for them to apply because many of these kids face abuse, hunger, and witness drugs, alcohol, and prostitution in their own homes.

Marvin helped redo some broken cabinet doors and repair furniture at Eternal Family Project girls home this month. There is always more work to be done there, and we are trying to schedule time for him to work there each week. We were thrilled to spend time with the girls Easter weekend. There were lots of games and a great cookout that we were blessed to be a part of. Ten of the older girls from Eternal Family Project join us each week for a youth Bible study with Manuel and Josué and  the children living with our neighbors Nicole and Oliver. We have been reading through 1 Timothy and enjoying snacks and games together. This has been a special time for me to get to connect with the teen girls and to invest in their spiritual lives.

Manuel and Josué were out of school the whole week before Easter and enjoyed spending a week in Las Flores with their families. It was hard for them to leave their village and return to their studies, but they are now doing great. Our church had a sunrise Easter service with a pancake breakfast which was a very special experience for us all. When we found out that the boys had one extra day off from school, Marvin and I took advantage of the opportunity to take Manuel and Josué kayaking through the nearby canal and out to Lake Yojoa. We had a blast!

The absolute best part of this month for me was the week that my mom spent with us. It was her first time in Honduras, but she traveled here fearlessly by herself. She helped so much with the never ending laundry, cooking, cleaning, and dishes in addition to taking care of Thomas. She never seemed to tire despite the fact that it was in the 90’s most of the week. She enjoyed a visit to Eternal Family Project’s home and her time at the House of Blessing Ministry. Our boys loved having her here and told us last night that even though they couldn’t understand each other, they miss her so much, and the house feels empty without her. THANK YOU MOM for coming with such a heart to serve and being a blessing to our family!