In the States

Since the last I wrote, not much has happened. We had a team here, checking out the ministry to bring teams down. They spent part of the time at Casa de Luz, then the other half doing evangelism and pastors training. The kids love having visitors! We had the opportunity to take the kids to Pizza Hut and they loved it!

We also had a team come do a one -day ministry with the community. We invited the parents and we had the opportunity to spend a morning with one mother in particular. Vanessa has 7 children; 4 live with her; her husband is in jail; and she sells things on the streets. She is a very sweet lady and has had a rough couple of years. We found out some of her story this last week. I had heard the story of her abortion last year, but she told us the whole story. After having Racsel, the little girl in the picture here, she had surgery not to have more children. She endedup getting pregnant again, the baby growing in here intestines and eventually tangling itself in her intestines. She had complications and no one to take care of her. She had to take care of 4 kids, at that time 3 under the age of 4, and was working on the streets selling things while her husband sold most of there things for drugs. She said she had a huge belly when she lost the baby, but does not know how far along she was. This is about the time her 3 kids entered our program, very malnourished and dirty.

Hearing her story and the difference the “house of light” (casa de luz) made in her family, made me realize the opportunity we have to offer hope through Christ in our ministry. The kids have been attending Sunday school, and it made me happy to see the older boy singing all the words to some of the Sunday school songs. We may not always know the circumstances or situations that surround us, but just being open and willing to help in the names of Christ can change someone’s life. Here is a picture of Vanessa with her kids, Javier, Racsel, and Gabriel.

Now I want to share a proud moment I had today. I went in to say goodbye to the kids, since I will be in the States for a month and they told me a story about one of the kids we have been potty training. He is 80% successful when I’m around, and a little less when I’m not there. They said he was in the bathroom one day taking off his diaper and they asked him, “where did you learn to use the bathroom?” and he responded, “Jenny taught me.” It was a proud moment for me to see some fruits of the labor we do.

I will be in the States until September 5. Please pray for my travels and health. Before leaving Honduras I picked up a stomach bug and have been having problems with that. Please pray that this will go away with medicine and not stay with me all month. If you are interested in getting together while I’m in the States email me!