Compelled

While Kendall and I were dating nothing made sense. She had a year left in school, I had another year or more in Honduras and I didn't even really know if she liked me. But something compelled me to pursue her. She didn't give me much back but she never told me to stop either, so I took what I could get and I went after her. She was on my heart and I couldn't stop moving toward her. I eventually poured out my heart to her and told her that I didn't understand how this was going to work or if it was going to work but I was going to continue pursuing her until she told me to stop. She became my beautiful bride!

The church is Gods bride. He will continue to pursue us until we tell him to stop. He loves us and is compelled to pursue us even when it doesn't make sense. Even when we aren't giving him much back, He loves us! And if you tell Him to stop, He will stop, because he loves you and has given you free will. Kendall never told me to stop so I made her my wife. I believe that marriage is the perfect image of the way God loves his body, the church, all of us. He is pursuing us, but we must accept Him.

Love God.

Baptized!!

Amen! Pablo and Gus got baptized last week! God is good.

Hot Dog!

If you ever served hot dogs in Charleston, you will be interested in this. Praise the Lord!

Post and Courier article on the Hot Dog Ministry

Wrap Up

“God, thank you for sending all the Gringo’s who help us”
-Gabby, 5 year old island girl

So the past month has been a whirlwind. I feel like the days are flying by. Kendall and I have decided to move back to the states. We will be returning Nov. 5th and Kendall will be going back to school at ECU in the Spring. I am praying and looking for a job in Greenville so lift that up to the Lord for me as well if you don’t mind.

We have been working hard with the kids in French Harbour and the kids at the orphanage. We are still doing our mentoring program where we meet once a week as a large group and throughout the week I spend time one on one with the kids. Kendall has started making and selling jewelry with one of the mothers and we are helping another mother write her autobiography. The kids are frustrating at times but I love them and am so blessed to be able to work with them. Tonight we prayed with the kids for a while and I had four of them come around me and lay their hands on me while praying for God to give me a job. The kids pray with authority so I ask them to pray for me any chance I get. Last time I asked one of the kids to pray for something specific, the prayer was answered in less than 48 hours.

As we prepare to return to the states we are really stepping out on faith in many directions. I have been working with these kids for almost 2 years and there isn’t really anyone who is going to step in and continue the work I have been doing as of yet. I have faith though that the Lord will provide and continue the good work he has started in their lives. There are two American’s who are living here and talking about starting a ministry with the same kids I work with, we are taking a tour of the community with them tom. Also my good friend Roberto has been working with the kids as well and will possibly keep our Tuesday night meeting going. I know that the Lord has used me in their lives and most of those kids have made decisions to follow Him. I believe God will work it out; if the ministry we started should continue, it will if not then something else is coming.

We are also stepping out on faith with everything that goes along with a life in the states. Apartment, cars, insurance, cell phones, jobs, school, ministry, getting there and moving to Greenville. All of these things are on my mind daily as we prepare to return but I have a peace when I give them to God. I will do my part but I know in the end God will have it His way and He will provide. God will receive the glory. Just the other day we were trying to decide whether or not to take our dog back to the states because it costs $200 for the flight and about $200 for a dog kennel. We talked about it and I made up my mind that if we could find a cheap kennel we could consider taking her back. The next day, a lady I didn’t even know gave us a kennel for free.

While we are still here though I am doing my best to make the most of every moment. We are preparing for home but also staying focused here. Pray for us to love these kids well over the next 3 weeks and to take up our crosses daily.


Here is a short exerpt from Carolina’s book that we are helping her write:

I was raised with no love, I found love out there on the street. With people that are not my family and not my color I found love. It may sound crazy but I am telling the truth.
-Carolina

Sometimes I look around and things are so dark, but I don’t question God. I say, “ Lord, thank you for the hardness of today, I would thank the Lord for it and when I look around in the evening, food is on my table. I didn’t question God why things were so hard. He knows the reason why. I say the same things to my the boys, “if you get one little piece of semita and one glass of water, you give God thanks, because some people out there don’t even get that to eat.” And that’s real.
-Carolina

The day the Lord has made

Today is beautiful. I woke up with my amazing wife dragging me out of bed at 6:00 to go to the gym. Kendall is teaching a yoga classes at the local gym now so it forces me to get up and go get some exercise as well. I did the yoga class once and I decided I am going to stick to the weight room for now, my legs were killing me. After the workout, we came back to the house, cooked breakfast, made coffee and started the day. Lizzy, our dog, has been sick so we took her to the vet to get some antibiotics and also to get her rabies shot so that she has what she needs for us to bring her back to the States. She was terrified in the vet's office and knocked my coffee on the floor, fail. I think that was God telling me I didn't need that third cup.

After the vet, we went to the cell phone store because our internet connection hasn't been working. We waited in three different lines for someone to finally tell us there was nothing they could do to help us. The greatest thing this country has taught me is patience. You don't understand inefficient until you live in Central America.

Following the internet issue we went back to the gym. No we are not obsessed with exercise but Kendall and I have decided to be each others personal trainers and today was my day to train her. We worked out for another 45 min. or so and then I went to meet up with some of the kids from French Harbour. One of the boys has recently gotten a job and he told me he was going to use part of his pay check to buy trash bags so that we could all go pick up trash in their community and around the church. He said he believed that if he used his pay check to do something good like this that God would provide more. So today we picked up trash.

It was some nasty trash but with the four of us and an hour or so we filled up 3 big black bags full. We only covered the church and about 100yds of street but that was enough for today. The other kids saw us and were asking when they get to do the same so I think some more trash days are on the horizon.

US

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!'
With the Lord's help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God!'

-Billy Graham

Jumble

So one night this summer while I was in the states i got a call from Roatan. It was Mrs. Carolina who was with a whole bunch of the boys we work with on the island. She talked to me about life for a minute then told me how all the boys had accepted Jesus. They were super excited to tell me all about it. I was so excited to here about their experiences and to encourage them over the phone. It was such a reminder to me of the ways God works in His time.

So I got back here this summer and I am overwhelmed by how God has been working on their hearts. Over the last week I have had a few conversations with the kids and it excites me to see their desire to live out the life they have chosen but I also see the challenge laid before them. They all live in an extremely dark environment where nothing Godly is esteemed or held high. Every day consists of interactions and temptations with drugs, sex and violence. They have taken the first step toward Jesus but the path laid before them is long and hard. Its is for all of us but especially for these kids. The only Jesus they have been shown is a Jesus of rules and judgement. So they don't really understand grace and mercy. When one of them makes a mistake or does something they don't view as "Christian," they feel condemned and the people around them don't help. They are expected by others to be perfect once they have accepted Christ and if they are not, they will hear about it from their families, friends and people in church. God has brought Kendall and I back here to teach them about God's grace and to teach them what a Christian truly is.

The judgement is not their only hurdle. I believe Satan is battling for their souls. Tuesday at our mentoring program I sat with Gus for a while and I felt an evil presence pressing in on him. Its like I could see the fight taking place between good and evil. He has such a desire to change and live a life for Christ but he is being tugged back to his former life. It has been easy for me to get discouraged with all of this but I am leaning on the hope of Christ and what He has called us to do here. Pray for us and for the kids we work with, they need more breakthrough and protection.

As for Kendall and I we are loving the married life. We are getting used to living together and figuring out each others ticks. I don't like my towel to lay on the toilet or for our dog to get on the bed, Kendall hates dishes in the sink and clutter. We are learning one thing at a time. Our most frequent dinner has become frozen pizzas but we have been balancing it out with healthy smoothies and a lot of water.

We are working at the children's home 2 mornings a week, working at a resort 1-3 days a week, and mentoring kids from French Harbour throughout the week. Our schedule has not been consistent up to this point but I think we are beginning to figure it out.

The island is Hot, Hot, Hot so we have been sweating it out since we got back but last week we received and awesome blessing. I was talking with a friend who told us someone she knows wanted to donate an A/C to her but she didn't need it. She offered it to us and we were all for it. two days later I drove out east to meet the donor and to take the A/C's out of his house. It was a long and hot job but we got it out and 2 days later we were sleeping in a cool room. We are so thankful for God's provision. This is the first A/C I have had on this island and it has made the last 2 nights amazing.

Thanks for reading, Much love!

USA to Costa to Roatan

So Kendall and I have been back on the island for a week after an amazing honeymoon to Costa Rica. It was the perfect trip, we spent 3 nights at a small hotel near a volcano and 4 nights on the pacific coast. We spent most of our time just relaxing and enjoying the places we were but we did get out a few times to explore. We went to some hot springs one day, got massages, rode horses, played Tennis and visited a couple local towns. Check out the pictures:

Volcano Arenal

For Real!

Its been so good to be back and an amazing 2 weeks of marriage! Kendall and I have already jumped into work with the street kids in French Harbour and the kids at the Children's Home. And we have been starting to see how different this season of life here in Roatan is going to be. A good friend of mine has been running the mentoring program while I have been going and he has really molded it into what it should be. It has been good for me to work with him this week and see things that I never would have realized. He grew up in a very similar environment to these kids so he understands them at a level that is impossible for me. I know the Lord has brought us together to give these kids what they need and to love them in the way he desires us to. As of now Kendall and I are working at the Children's home 2-3 days a week, mentoring 2 days a week and working for a resort 3 days a week for our apartment and food costs. Keep us in your prayers! Thank you and much love!

P.S. We had an amazing time at the wedding! Thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with us!

The Park

This was something I wrote after our trip through Nicaragua last year. Kendall and I spent new years eve in a park in Leon, Nicaragua. As we walked through the park and prayed for the people around us we were moved by the brokenness in this world but also by the beauty of God in people. The people I am writing about are not real but compilations of many people I have encountered over the last two years in Central America.

The human figure is created in the image of God! You can see the creator in everything around you, you only have to open your eyes.

The park is full of life tonight. People are everywhere, doing business, falling in love, falling in lust, searching for a hand out, and bargaining for a deal. They are made in his image but have fallen from the throne to depths undiscovered. There is one man standing on the East side of the park dreaming up the rout to his next fix. Paulo has just come off of a high and is desperate to fill the void which is increasing by the minute. He has nothing left; his “wife” has left (or bean left) and his 5 year old twin boys have been been abandoned with no father to present a picture of what a man should be. He traded his last 4 meals for a temporary high and he will chase that facade to the grave. His next move will be to rob Jillian who has just come off of a 12 hour shift as house keeper. Her wages are necessary to provide dinner for her 6 children and mother. Like most Central American families, Jillian is a single mom who raises her kids with the help of her mother. Again there is no positive male figure present in the lives of these kids, so they will grow up believing what society says a man and a father are. They show no emotion (except anger), they do not trust anyone and value is found in accomplishments. Ruining a woman adds a notch to the belt; men always leave, they yell, they watch sports and yell some more, men run from real issues and hide any weakness with an unbreakable exterior. Jillian will most likely lose connection with her sons in adolescents as they build up resentment and that shell that they believe is necessary for survival. She will not lose her daughters because they will lose their men; the women are united in their loss.

Darkness may saturate the world around us but God has dominion. As I stand here watching the world go by and lives fall apart I am filled with the Hope that only comes from my God! He came for the broken, he came for the lost, he came to bring light to the dark……. Satan may have a foot hold in this world but he is powerless to the name of Jesus Christ! I proclaim that name as I walk into the darkness, nothing will stand against me! I am his torch bearer, I am his light in this park tonight!

A Blessed Day!

I am going to make this quick but I was so encouraged and blessed by God and His body of believers yesterday. I was invited to share at Morning Star Church in Wilkesboro yesterday about the work I have been able to be a part of in Roatan. I tried to plan out what I was going to share but like always, I didn't get to say what I had planned to. The Lord spoke through me and He shared what needed to be shared. Throughout the service I had 6 or 7 people come up to me giving me prophetic words, encouragement and donations. I was so encouraged by this church and the way they came around me, a complete stranger and supported me with words and actions. This is the way the church was meant to function. We are called to walk though life together and to support each other through all things. God has been an awesome provider for Kendall and I over the past year and I am so excited to continue this journey of faith as we depend on him to provide for our everyday needs as well as the needs of the ministry we have been called to. Thank you to all who encouraged me and shared with me yesterday!

After such an awesome morning I was able to take a nap and catch up on some needed rest after spending the weekend with my nephews. I am so thankful for that nap, haha. Once I woke up 2 hours later, I went to Kostas' house for a bible study we are starting for the summer. Yesterday was our first one and it was so so good. Everyone was open and walls were immediately taken down as we started to ask tough questions and explore what a life lived for Christ is truly like. We are going through the book of Romans and I am so excited to see the ways God teaches us through His word and through each other. Anyone who is in HP and would like to be a part of the study, just let me know. Thanks for your prayers always.

Much love

Oh, we had Krispy Kreme donuts at our bible study! That was the icing on the cake!

A look back at the year!

I get to Marry this Amazing Woman of God!!!!!

The little ones at the children's home
Kendall and I got a dog, she isn't too lady like

You can't help but smile with these kids

The one and only, Pablo
Beautiful Caribbean

I taught these kids all year

I was blessed with an awesome group of teachers to work and do life with!
Doing life in the ocean

Meal of choice, fresh iguana

Headed home, adios Roatan. See you in a month

The Happenings

So I am back in NC for summer break and I'm getting MARRIED!!!!!! I'm so stoked to me marrying the woman of my dreams! God is taking us on an amazing journey.
So I want to give a little update on the past few months in Roatan. The mentoring program has grown to over 40 kids twice a week. Some women from the church have been cooking meals for us and there have been many new volunteers who have come along side of what God is doing in French Harbour. Two of my best friends, Aaron and Martha Parrish moved to the island for 3 months and helped put some structure to the program. They made such and impact on the kids and on me during their time on the island. Before they came, I had just been shooting from the hip each week and showing up to hang out with a bunch of kids but they were able to challenge me to seek and cast a vision for the program. It was awesome to work with Martha as she put in constant work to mold and push the program forward. We are very different in our approach to things but in this situation it brought immense progress. I now have a more clear vision for the reasons God has placed Kendall and I in this community. They left in mid May and have been deeply missed by me and the kids. While they were helping in French Harbour we experienced awesome provision. Aaron and Martha had been spending money everyday going back and forth to a local place to print out educational resources which was very inconvenient. After about 2 weeks, a lot of money spent and time wasted traveling back forth, a group of visiting missionaries randomly donated a brand new printer/copier to us. Thank you Jesus. In that same week, we recieved over $1600 of unexpected donations. This money has been such a blessing because it has freed us up to provide for the needs of these kids and of the program.
I gathered up 9 kids 2 weeks ago, piled them in my car and drove to the local orphanage where we played an epic soccer game VS. the orphanage team. Following the game, I took all the kids out for pizza where we talked about the game, good sportsmanship and the Love I have for them which is from God. These are powerful experiences that donations like we received a month ago have allowed us to do. Thank you to everyone who supports us. lives are truly being changed and these young men are being empowered by the love of Christ.
The mentoring program was going to stop for the summer when I left for two months but God had other plans. A week before I left, two women approached me and said that they wanted to keep the program going for the summer and that once I got back, they want to expand and offer more to the kids. One of the women, Jennifer, shared her vision with me for a program that functions everyday of the week, providing food for kids and a positive safe environment to keep them off the streets. I am so thankful and encouraged by the way God brings like minded believers together to accomplish His purposes. Thanks for your prayers!

Check out Mine and Kendall's new website:

Flashy

They Put Chrome Rims on the Rodeo!

Chug a Lug

So my car has been for sale for the last month because its falling apart and my mechanic said I need to replace the frame (didn't know that was possible). Well I began this journey as a used car salesman with a lot of ambition. I advertised my 2000 Rodeo for sale at $4,800 (I've invested about $5,300). I know it sounds ridiculous to you, but cars are super expensive here. So I was finally approached by a guy who was interested. He showed up and with an air of confidence I began to tell him how well the engine runs and how the A/C is super cold and under my breath I mentioned that I have had to have some work done because of the rust on the frame. Then came the test drive. We get in an he hit the gas like we were at Bowman Gray Race Track. RPM's were running at like 5000 and I was sitting in the back praying for the car to stay in one piece. I guess he really wanted to test her. We stopped at a gas station to turn around and the motor gargled for a minute then cut off. The car honestly hasn't done that to me, at least not in a long time, but I also don't push her that hard. By this point, they were questioning my credibility. They offered me 2,000 for the car I told them I wanted 3,000 and I left with no deal. The next day I was driving it and heard a terrible noise under the car, I took it straight to my mechanic who told me the frame had broken, like in two pieces! The guys called back that day and offered me 2,500, at this point I would take anything. We had a deal but I told them it was at the shop and we would have to meet the next day. My mechanic spent a day welding everything possible and by the time I handed it off, it was driving better than ever. The guys who bought it had gone by the mechanic and were well aware of the rust damage so in the end I felt fine turning the car over to them. The moral of the story is that I am a crappy used car salesman because I have a conscience. I had knots in my stomach for 2 days because I didn't want to screw these guys over, in the end they knew of all the cars problems and I had come down to half of my asking price, I believe it is a win win. Adios Rodrigo/Sasha, the Rodeo!

Freedom

I was skimming my journal and came across this entry from about a year and a half ago. When I spend time with the Lord, I often go back to the times when I have felt closest to Him, enjoying his creation........

The rocks cry out for glory! There is freedom in the mountain, there is freedom in the climb. Something says, "push on." "Hit the ridge and keep on going." The path is sometimes difficult and the load is sometimes heavy but I must push on. I feel a burn in my legs and exhaustion creeps in. There is freedom in every step. The peak comes into view and begins to draw me like a magnet. Every step is a gift, essential but taken for granted. My breathing is heavy and my muscles burn but my mind stays focused, one step at a time. The climb is steep and the path sometimes unclear but there is a constant whisper that says, "follow me." There is freedom in the path, there is freedom in the whisper. The peak is deceiving, its tricks me and beats me down but I know the distance, I know the truth, my maps don't lie. The heavy breathing dissipates and the load becomes light. With summit under foot, I look up to hear His voice gently say,

"I AM," followed by the cry of creation that says, "all glory and praise to my maker."I am free when I am close to you.

Out of Order

So I was sick for 3 weeks here on the island which was no fun. I went to the doctor twice, each visit took over 4 hours, they put me on malaria medication which I took for 5 days and didn't get better and after many calls from my mom, my dad, and Kendall who love me and care for me so well, I got a plane ticket home to go to a doctor in the States. Turns out I have Mono which blows but its better than something serious, so I am counting my blessings. I have been doing my best to lay low and rest but that is probably the hardest thing in the world for me to do. I have been able to look at the positive in all of this as well though, right before I went home I had been struggling for about 2 weeks emotionally spiritually and obviously physically so I take the trip home as a gift from the Lord. Kendall is no longer here on the island so it was so good to be refreshed by my family and the woman I love. I have been back here now for about 4 days and I feel mentally and spiritually refreshed, I am trying to finish the year strong or at least as strong as I can. I felt great the past two days and pushed it pretty hard taking 8 kids from French Harbour to play a soccer game VS. the local orphanage, going to school, building a few things, and catching up with people then this afternoon I hit a wall and fell asleep for 3 1/2 hours, it was so good. I still feel pretty good and I think I am on the tail end of this sickness so if you think about it please keep me in your prayers, I have a lot on my mind and heart to do before I leave and I only have 1.5 weeks.

On another note, I am super excited for my wedding and am learning so much about Kendall, myself and the Lord through this engagement process. Its amazing how much you can learn about the Lord through a relationship with another person. Much love.

Life and Truth

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"

Romans 10:14

The Gospel can be told using the most basic words and still manage to cut to the very root of a person. It is the most beautiful and life changing message on earth! I have had the opportunity to share the gospel a few times this week and remembered how simple words can bring Life! One of my friends shared his conviction with me after church on Sunday. He was convicted of the sin in his life and didn't know how to express it. Gus looked at me after church and said, "I feel sad." Later that day I took him out to follow through on a promise I had made him to teach him how to drive stick shift and I asked him what he meant in church. This it what he said, "I feel bad when I go to church because I sometimes fight people and do other bad things that I know I shouldn't do. And I just wonder, when am I going to change?" In that moment I was able to share the Gospel of grace with Gus. I simply told him that we will always mess up but God loves us and the beauty of what Jesus did 2000 years ago is that God forgives us of everything we have done and He will continue to forgive us for the rest of our lives. All we have to do is believe that and Love Him. A part of loving Him is doing what you know you should do, so even though God forgives us, we can't do as we please. We must try our best to honor God and do what He wants us to do. Gus is a soft spoken 18 year old guy who I have been building a relationship with for about a year now. He spends a lot of time thinking and is very careful with his words so when he says things like that, it is not taken lightly. The Lord is after his heart and I believe Gus is a lot closer to redemption that he realizes. Please pray for Gus! Keep your eyes open throughout your day for opportunities to share the love of Christ through words and actions. We must open our mouths and share the truth! This is our call.

Red, yellow and sometimes white

Martha hands Alejandro a hot dog at mentoring last week and says "do you want ketchup and Mustard"

Alejandro - What?

Martha - Do you want Ketchup and Mustard?

Alejandro - What?

Martha - C'mon man

Alejandro - You mean the red and the yellow

Martha - yea, the red and the yellow

Alejandro - I want red.....

Martha - ok, got it

Alejandro - No I want red and yellow............. you ain't got no white?

Limited vocabulary, we are working on improving that.

Living up to the name!

Yesterday was my first time taking some of our boys climbing. It was awesome to see these teenagers get so excited about climbing! They have never done anything like this so it was awesome to get them out of their boxes and get a little uncomfortable. These kids walk the streets everyday and pretty much fear nothing, but when they got about 15 feet off the ground, I thought they were going to pee in their pants. I chose three kids who have shown some leadership qualities in our mentoring program but who still need a lot of guidance. We were able to relate trusting in the rope to trusting in God and having to let go of our problems sometimes trusting God to take care of us. It was Gus' birthday, so we all went out for pizza after climbing with one of the other teachers and replenished our bodies with grease and soda. It was the perfect day!

FH

The above picture and following pictures are a glimpse into our work on the island!

Fe Y Amor, Hasked ran up to me the other day with the biggest grin on his face and started examining my wrist. The next thing I knew he was holding his arm up to mine and giggling like a school girl!

French Harbour boys, trying to look hard

This is Jarvick, he has been hanging out with me for over a year and is really close to my heart. He can be one of the toughest kids to work with because he is all over the place all the time but he has a great heart and has come along way from constantly begging and hitting everyone he sees.

This is Ricardo on the left and Drestin on the Right. They are both 14 years old and have just received their reward for completing their first month of tutoring/mentoring. The first full month a kid comes to our program they get a soccer ball and every month following they get $2.50 which they can choose to save and put in the "bank" or take it that day.

This is Denzel, enough said.

Most of these boys have been written off as a waste of time or a threat to people on the island of Roatan. They spend most days begging for food and looking for something to keep them occupied. Many of them are can't read, have nothing to eat, and sleep in unreal environments. One of the families I work closest with has 8 people living in a one bedroom home; no running water or refrigerator. The community these kids grow up in is saturated with drugs, sex and violence which is inescapable but these kids have not been ruined. They are still full of life and the Lord is changing them. He is calling them one by one to rise up and become the leaders their community needs. I pray that God will continue to guide us as we pour into their lives. Join me in prayer for these kids and the community of French Harbour in Roatan Honduras.

Honor roll!

If you have been following my blog, you will remember the 4th grade girl we supported to come back to school this year. Her name is Alison and she is one of the sweetest girls I know. Her parents have worked exemely hard to pay for her to go to my school. They own a vegetable stand that they run out of their house and her dad picks up odd jobs wherever he can. The first two weeks of school Ali was not here so i asked our principal where she had been. I was made aware that her parents were 6 months behind on payments from the year before and that Ali would not be returning to school. I was extremely bothered by this becaus i know the environment Ali lives in and i can forsee where she will end up without a positive environment to push her forward and mold her into the woman God wants her to be. My mom, dad and many friends pitched in money to support her education this year which has blessed that family in crazy ways. When we sat down with Ali and her dad 8 months ago to tell them that Ali could come back to school without worrying about payments for this year or the debt from last year he burst into tears. He told us how hard he has worked to get her into our school and about ceasless prayers for God to provide for them financially. Ali had the biggest smile on her face and it hasn't faded since. The third quarter just ended and Ali ran up to me at the end of the day yesterday with a giant grin. She looked like she was going to explode with excitement as she yelled out, "I got on honor roll, I got on honor roll.". English is not her first language so she often struggles to keep up in reading and writing so this was a huge accomplishment for her. I was so proud to see her recieve her award this morning and i am so thankful to God and everyone who provided for her this year. Thank you!

The Lord, He Is My Provider

I am a part of many projects here on the island that desperately need funding. We have started a mentoring program that meets twice a week at a local church. We provide, reading education, character education, love and a dependable meal to kids that have to beg for most of their food. I was shocked when I told a 6 year old kid that he deserved a reward for coming to mentoring and he asked for a box of corn flakes and milk. The program is run using an incentive system where the kids are rewarded for coming consistently each month. We are up to 30 boys and growing every day. Please support us to buy educational materials, rewards and food. Other projects are ever changing but include things such as painting houses, buying school uniforms for kids to go to school, providing other school supplies, supporting micro-enterprises by giving people loans to start business'. We have assisted one family in starting a linen business, she buys linens from the mainland at a low cost and can sell them here on the island for a profit. I would love to help one family start a business making pinyata's and also help some of the street kids start a bicycle repair business. Support Kendall and I as we strive to serve God and the people of Roatan. Everything that we have been able to do has been financially started and sustained by family, friends and our own investments. Thank you to everyone who supports us in the things God has called us to.

Donate Here

Praises:

Two weeks ago at then end of mentoring, we gathered together to pray. I explained that we have been buying all the food with our money and we are going broke so we need God to provide for us. I asked a 13 year old boy to pray for God to provide. Pablo said, "God, give us food." I added "please," and he responded with an "Amen." The following day I called a church member who had expressed interest in helping with the tutoring and she asked if she could provide food for every day of mentoring!!!!! It was awesome to go back to mentoring the following day and share that God has answered our prayers. I know what we are doing is important simply by Gods faithfulness in provision. He is so good!

New Life

I rarely know where a blog post is going until I start. Sometimes I have no words and I just sit here staring at a blank page, other times I just list the things that are happening around me, sometimes I pour out my heart and right now I am just explaining the process. I could tell you about all the things that have happened over the last two weeks, its been kinda crazy, but I'm not feeling that right now. I will try to give that type of update soon. So I want to share a little about me, the world and God. I had an awesome opportunity to stand embracing Juliana (we just built her a house) while a mission group gave her a life changing gift that will help her start her baking business. Juliana was crying, the group was crying, everyone was praising God and I was translating. Later that night, I was debriefing with the group and every person shared their life altering reactions to the earlier experience. When they got to me I was completely honest with the group and I told them "I was happy for everything but I didn't feel anything and I'm not ok with that." I left that night and prayed for the Lord to soften my heart and allow me to feel what He is feeling for the world around me. The next 24 hours was packed with feelings of pain, brokenness, and frustration. I was thinking about the family situations I work within here, the kids who have no support, the people who are being abused around me, and the fear that many people live in. Then to top all of off, I was sitting in traffic next to a dog on the street who was abandoned, filthy, hungry and had a broken leg that was literally dangling from skin. No one was going to take care of this dog, no one even acknowledged its existence and I was overwhelmed with how dark and lost the world truly is. It was a heavy day and I felt extremely burdened by all of this. Be careful what you pray for. That night Kendall and I were sitting with a sick girl, Maricela, from her Children's Home at the hospital. We were sharing with her the story of Peter walking on the water to Jesus when she stopped me to tell me about her encounter with the Lord. She said, "one night I was sleeping and I had a dream. Jesus came to me in my dream and told me to go to church the next night. So I went to church where they were having a conference and I received a new life. I left and was a new person." Amen, Amen, Amen!!! I let that process for a minute and the Lord spoke to my heart. He said, "you can't fix all of this but I can." God doesn't want us to be burdened by the darkness of this world we do need to feel the pain and brokenness just to know what is at stake and the reality of the battle but we also must be celebrating in Gods plan and his goodness. God doesn't need us to do this but he has given us the opportunity to be a part of this amazing story. He offers us a role in the most amazing story ever written. God is good, he gave Maricela new life simply because he loves her. This world is full of corruption, injustice, pain and other sucky situations but God carries that burden. Ask God to show you his heart and to open your heart to truly feel the world around you. It will stir you to jump into his plan to rescue the world. He wants all to have new life!!!

Movin' Dirt

We built a house!! Thank you so much to everyone who supported. Juliana and Daniel are ecstatic about their new home. Every time we talk about it all she can say is "Gracias a Dios", "Thank you God"!!!! We had a group of college students from Virginia helping us build as well as some volunteers from REI who came down to work with Dwellings. It was awesome to see the family getting in the dirt with us to dig, lift the walls and hammer the nails. Thank you for making this possible!

The first wall

Break time

Working together

The family's new view!

This is the mother Juliana and one of her daughters

I am sorry I do not have a picture of the finished house uploaded on my computer yet but you can look at a lot more photos at this link:

Pictures

Much love

Bam!!

I am so thankful for the body of Christ. I have been spiritually dry lately, running on fumes. As you can see from the last post, I am blessed to be a part of many good things but in doing so I have been neglecting my time with the Lord. I got to speak about our mentoring program at church tonight to try and recruit some support. It was good to share with the congregation but more importantly it was awesome to be in God's presence. It was so good to be refreshed in worship and prayer. I was super grumpy this morning and i felt so bad because Kendall had to put up with my bad attitude but tonight the Lord brought cleansing and peace. I praise the Lord for every moment I spend in His presence. I don't understand why I continually pull away from Him or neglect him when I know that is where my fullness dwells. I pray for God to call me near and fill me with a desire that only he can quench. I pray the same thing for you. Get alone with Him.

Wham.....

School: I came into the 3rd quarter with a fresh attitude and drive to put my all into my job. I have done better but can still use a little work. We just finished Volleyball and Wiffle ball units in my PE classes and this upcoming week we will start Soccer (the kids will be teaching me). My elementary boys soccer team has played and won 2 games since Christmas and we have another one scheduled for March 11th. Now I just need to get more than 5 to show up for practice. The kids have been really good for the most part and my relationship with a lot of the high school students is continually going deeper. One of my 10th graders approached me the other day to talk about purity and saving yourself for marriage. I got to encourage him and let him know that it's not "gay" to wait for the woman God has planned for you. I was just standing in the hall when he approached me and I realized how important it is to remain in the moment and acknowledge the opportunities to serve that God has placed right in front of you. I'm working on that too. Zach (my roommate) and I have gotten the high school boys to become members of the gym and we have them on a solid weight training plan. This is the first time most of them have ever touched weights and they are loving it. Its not unusual to see them walking the halls now with their sleeves rolled up or talking about their next max out, its a beautiful thing.

Mentoring:

Our mentoring program is blowing up! We have had to move locations and split into two time slots. Today at 3, we had 13 kids and at 5 we had another 9. We are now meeting at a local church where I will be speaking this sunday to try and raise financial support as well as volunteers to help us mentor/tutor. As of now we are meeting Tuesday's and Thursday's at 3 and 5. We tutor in reading, writing and math then hang out for a bit and eat bologne sandwiches. It is an awesome opportunity to love these kids, give them a meal that they can depend on, encourage them, teach them and pray with them. The Lord is blessing this ministry emensly. Please continue to pray for us and all the boys we work with throughout the week. Most of them lack supervision, beg for their food and are surrounded on a daily basis with drugs and violence. Brandon is a 17 year old boy who just got out of jail. He was in jail for 5 months for stealing a cell phone (jail here is not pleasant). He does not know his alphabet and WILL become a drug dealer or continue his criminal activity if nothing is done. As I was sitting with him today helping him learn to read an analog clock, I realized the importance of what God has brought before us. These kids are at the bottom in this culture and do not have much of a chance to climb up. They don't know any other way and they won't unless someone shows them. Brandon has come both days this week and I am excited to see the way God uses our time together to open him up and heal the dark places in his life. I love serving these kids and I love being with them. They are in all honesty some of the most fun people I know. I feel blessed to be their friends. Thank you for your prayers.

Home Build:

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for all the support! We will be starting the build next monday!!!! The posts are in the ground and the family is super excited! Continue to support in prayer and giving.

Home Build

Much Love

Mi Vida en Fotos

Free time!

Down by da sea!

Beautiful Cindy. She lives at the children's home where Kendall works, everyone that comes falls in love with her!

love ya sis!

Mom and sister visited for a week! It was so perfect, I miss y'all

Volcano boarding aftermath

Kendall and I went through Nicaragua on our way back from the states. This is us volcano boarding!!!

Oh how I love our time in the car!

This is my island family/teacher crew/community/neighbors and roommates!! I love them