Went Saw Moved Healed Matthew 14:14

Another Sunday is past and our daughter Kimmy is now gone. :( Her visit was a blessing and needed time of rest for her. Though she did get a bad sunburn. On the 2nd day here, Lisa told her use sunscreen because we are near the equator. She said naw I’m from Florida and I don’t burn…. She doesn’t say that anymore. She got the worst burn of her life but only in one spot. The blister was 3+ inches. Never the less she got rested and spent a lot of needed mother daughter time. We used the borrowed Isuzu to take her back to the airport. It is 174 miles round trip and it used $12.76 for 8 spark plugs, 3 gallons of water, $8 for 2 qts oil and $50+ dollars in gas…. I think it is time to seek all our praying friends to pray earnestly for a vehicle.

The new little church under the tent is starting to grow spiritually. 75 people in services again and the discipleship is going very well. Lisa and Sasha are now teaching the lessons for the youngest ones. It takes all you can do to keep little ones (and Adults) in one place and focused when there are no doors and distractions continually up and down the street. Like an Ice cream vender came down the street and parked close, where all could see and rang his bell for 10-15 minutes during services… No one bought (none have any money) but he kept all attention till I finally got him moved down the street. We help in whatever way the door is opened onto us. A visiting man in church today ask for prayer for pain on his stomach. He had fallen out of a plantation truck and skidded down the road scraping all the skin off his chest and stomach down to the muscle. While we prayed Lisa ran and got the last tube of topical antibiotics from the house for him. If you see a brother have need and withhold your bowels of compassion… You know the rest.

Two evangelistic outreaches are planned for the next 2 weeks. One up the mountain a bit in Lenaca, and one in our barrio. It will be the first real use of the equipment…so please pray the LORD will supply the many needs, use all and be in all, that souls would be saved.

Lisa is bumming, today the only store in Choluteca with everything in one place...sort of, and with refrigeration has closed up after 10 years, It was the only place to get anything American too. Now food shopping will go from a 1-2 hour event, to an all day affair in the open street market. One guy sells melons, another tomatoes, another sugar, another bread...you get the idea. We may go vegetarian after seeing all the flies on the meat hanging outside all day...or just cook it longer with the spices friends sent....Oh well. Welcome to Honduras where the only guarantee is that nothing is guaranteed... Traveling to the capital for supplies? Not after reading above.

We promised Jeny we would pick up Cesa and his family from across town for church services and to visit and play, if she was good…She was, so we did. Jeny hid at Cesa’s house a while before the authorities found her in the streets. Upon arrival, the first thing we did was attempt to de-lice, de-worm, shower and clothe Cesa 10, Maria 13 and Martha 11(all stunted in growth for their age). After church we ate lunch and they ate like they were starved…Because they were. They only eat one time per day Monday-Friday at a feeding center. Weekends it is closed, so by Sunday afternoon….well Cesa ate 5 plates full till his belly thumped like a ripe melon. We also sent them home with the last of our donated rice and beans and some vitamins Kimmy brought…Jeny even gave away some of her things because she saw the need…It is a new experience for her to be on the giving side…amen! And now we have to de-lice Jeny again and Sasha’s room, and our room, but it was worth it.
It is one thing to read about things here, prayerfully it might even stir your spirit to help in some way. But to live here, even a short time, and see it daily, changes a person. Our door is always open to those want to be changed for the gospels sake instead of just being stirred in the spirit. Remember Jesus WENT forth, SAW a great Multitude, was MOVED with compassion.. and HEALED their sick. Mathew 14:14 And Jesus IS the best example

Jeny Smiles!

The last 12 days have been a blur. Jeny arrived; Our daughter Kimbra arrived; Luke’s dad visited for their last few days in Honduras; Luke left today and will be missed by all. Jeny has been a bundled hyper ball of excesses with 2 weeks full of firsts for her. Her first time in the big city of Tegucigalpa, to see an airplane, visit a free zoo, eat Chinese food, swim in the ocean, boat ride to an island, clean, clothed and fed everyday. She is learning quickly how to live in her new world. She has never had anything, nor had any restraints. Like, we do not spit or throw food at the windows. She grew up tossing garbage out the nearest window…Ours have glass in them…kinda creates a mess. Dresses are just big towels to wipe your face with. At first we could not get her to take a shower, now she wants to shower 2-3 times a day and use it all up. Jeny was told to set the table, she saw napkins in a restaurant, so she found some in our house…sort of....Bounce dryer sheets and set them out because they looked like napkins and smelled good. (all we could do is smile and happily use them. We do not even have a dryer they are only used for the bounce houses) She is learning she does not have to steal or hide what will be freely given, just ask. For Sasha’s graduation present, we ate lunch with Kimbra, Luke and his dad, on Tiger Island and Jeny was shocked to receive her own plate of fish. Jeny looked at me in bewilderment, “for me?”, “Yes”, “All of it?’”, “Yes” and a big smile sprouted. She had only ever been given a samples from others or leftovers of fish from the feeding kitchen, but never just her own plate. Afterwards, the seaside shack restaurant we were in turned on music and she jumped up, covered her ears and said bad musica very loud over and over. Sasha has been teaching her about music…Amen! They both went over and had them turn it down. We have learned yet another bit of disturbing information about her. Since arriving I have been calling her bonita (Beautiful), Good morning bonita ect. Only to be followed by a frown on her face and the words "yo faya" (I'm ugly). It bothered me and I did not understand why she did it. With a little gentle prodding, she finally confided that she was ugly because her skin was dark, only light skin is beautiful. This she got from her mom and aunt who are both lighter skinned. We have a lot of issues to work through with her, by God's grace we will. But for now, it is enough for Jeny to know she is loved and she is already beginning to express it to others. She gave away some of her things and along with tracts to Cesa’s family… God is in the details so beautifully.


Some more photos….Bottom- Erica, a lady in our church who has begun to grow, and her home. She is trying to help her daughter and grandbaby live. I would like to get her some metal for her roof but funds are quite limited with all the expenditures as of late. We were able to help with medications for her daughter and baby. Top Rt-Carlo’s first ever tie. We gave it to him for when he is preaching. His wife Luz told him he looked very handsome… soo, he then went and bought 3 more from a used clothing store. Amen! Middle-Luz visited with some of the church children and their grandmother told them she would come but can’t walk that far. Carlos gave up his wheelchair and Luz, Sasha and Jeny went to get her and wheel her back. (it's still bus ministry to me...amen) I was tickled so much watching Luz and Sasha push, while Jeny pulled and brought this lady up the little hill into our church under the tent.. so much so, I forgot to take the pictures….

Broken Lives and Broken Hearts

Luke has been a joy, in every way a help to the LORD’s work in Honduras, willing to do anything: sing, witness, or labor. (a lot of labor) Many days are spent working in 95-100+ degree weather being broiled by the sun or roasted in a 150+ degree shipping container, yet when I would ask, “¿Luke, are you ok?,” drenched in sweat to the point of being able to wring it out of his clothes…he would always say, “¡I'm ok, I can do more!” Oh, if all Christians had that attitude. AMEN!
Because of all this hard work we took everyone out to the beach in the Gulf of Fonseca Thursday, (There is a nearly private area… No one there) along with Luke and Carlos’ family to let the kids swim and watch the sunset. Everyone has worked very hard lately and this was a needed rest day and family bonding time for Jeny. Jeny and Luke had never seen the Pacific Ocean and both wanted to go. There is always a steady cool wind from the ocean. In a country so poor they still have a beautiful sunset money can’t buy. We also had a time of prayer.
Jeny will need some healing time, but is already calling Lisa and me- Momy and Popy. The very first night we gave her a new giant Elmo stuffed animal. We have had it a while and almost gave it away numerous times, but always kept it for a special purpose.....hmm The LORD is good and directs the affairs of men. She fell asleep in Lisa’s arms on the ride home and had to be carried inside. The tiny dots in the water of the sunset are the kids. As far as you could see up or down the beach…nobody.
Wednesday, Cesa, a 10 year old boy who follows us like a shadow and helps on the Whensawe property, touched Luke’s heart. At first he thought he was kind of a pest, bothering the boys while they worked, yet always willing to help where he could, never really asking for anything… till Wensdayday he asked for left over nails and scrap wood. ¿Why? ...he wanted to fix the doors of his house. Luke fell under conviction and wanted to find out what he needed so, we visited his house; a shack really. Cesa’s father had died years ago, leaving behind a struggling wife to care for 3 daughters and 2 sons, which is hard to do here with no education. Entering the sparse dirt floor space, seeing his sisters and only 1 bed, it was asked to Cesa, the youngest, “¿where do you sleep?” He pointed to a smooth rocky area on the ground. It was at that moment, reality ripped at the heart! This boy who never complains and always has a beaming ear to ear smile…. sleeps in the dirt…just like the animals that freely walk through the house. I could see it in Luke’s teary eyed face…Cesa was no longer a pest, but a purpose for him being here. He then decided to help where he could, Friday he set out to buy some wood and screws, fix the broken doors, clean-up around the house and yard and purchase a mattress for Cesa to sleep on.
When we went to the mattress store I let Luke go in without me. The only instructions were- ”Do whatever the LORD leads you to do”…The shiny red and chrome bicycle struck the right cord. I just smiled when they exited the store to load it in the car. We chose to leave the bike, hammock, fan, bed and other items nearby at the Whensawe property until we finished working in Cesa’s house. But as we turned the corner to the Whensawe property, Cesa was there waiting for us, oops. We unloaded it anyway but told him it was for a special boy that the LORD saw had a good heart, and we were going to visit later. Then put the tools in and headed to his home. Barry n Luke fixed the doors, weeded the back yard, and made a concrete threshold to keep water from pouring in. Then told Cesa to clean the mess and we would return in ½ hour. We returned with the surprise and asked Cesa if had he been praying….”YES!” There were several times I could see Luke fighting back tears as Cesa’s smile grew even more. I was talking to Cesa and said he needed to pray again and thank the LORD and for sending Luke…He did so in meekness. Then Luke prayed in Spanish to finish it off. It was as beautiful as the sunset the night before. As the boys were finishing, I was content sitting on the tailgate handing out dozens of cold cups of water from our cooler to the little ones…More Glory for Him!
In all this dirt and sin in Honduras, the LORD Jesus has a way of allowing a person to see more clearly here. AMEN.

JENY IS BACK!

Just a brief praise/prayer request. Those who have been able to follow the very first reports from Honduras know about Jenny. She is the 10 year old girl who was put into Lisa's custody by a judge here in Choluteca a year ago. Just a few weeks after arriving, Lisa found Jeny beaten to the point of almost losing her eyesight. Lisa took her to a doctor and then the authorities who placed her in Lisa's care until a court date could be found. The Courts found Jeny had been abandoned by her mother(a prostitute) at age 6 and roamed the streets. She ended up at an aunts house who did not want her and beat her. The judge asked Lisa "can you care for her"..."Yes". "Do you want her"..."yes". (how can you say no?). So thus it began, Lisa received lots of threats to the point nationals here would not go places with her for fear. Until finally Jeny was abducted by force from the public school. Lots of rumors and fears floated around and the police put out arrest warrants for her mom and aunt and search for her for weeks. A deal was later made (not by us) that no charges would be made if she was returned to the area and allowed to eat and be checked daily in a mission feeding center. That was about the time I arrived and made my thoughts known to Jenny’s aunt with the full backing of the authorities. Months passed and we thought things were getting better for a while. But yesterday the authorities found Jeny neglected, beaten and in the streets again. They brought her to child services, child services interviewed her, then asked where she would feel safe...She said Lisa's home. Our friends from Child services then called us. 15 minutes later she was here at the Children's Lighthouse. Since Barry Sr is here, she will not be removed from our care again unless a Judge says so. So now we have a very scared 10 year old girl who has a whole world of learning to do. She came with nothing and does not even know how to shower. But she is already learning she is loved, and is very happy to be here. We need your prayers and if the LORD lays it on your heart to help please do. We need to put her in a private secure Christian school.
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