Good Reminders

In the midst of a weekend where everything at PDE is in Limbo... God is reminding me of HIS faithfulness.  This home is HIS.  This ministry is HIS.  He will fill it with the girls that need to be there in HIS time and in HIS way.  HE is building HIS church and changing hearts and drawing people to Himself.  We are instruments in the process just begging every day that He would give us the direction that we need.

Today I got a call from a girl who came to visit PDE over a year ago.  She was newly pregnant at the time and had tried a home abortion that had failed.  In God's grace the baby was fine and we cried together when I took her to the doctor and she heard the heartbeat for the first time.  She was only 14.  She desperately wanted to come and live with us, but her mom said no.  So she stayed where she was, moved in with the baby's father, and life went on.  Every few months she calls just to say hello and let me know how she and the baby are doing.  And today she called again after calling just last week.  Today it was a plea... "Is there space?  Is the any way that I can come and live with you?  Things are hard, I'm not with my boyfriend, I don't know what to do or where to go."  Wow.

She is talking to her mom and they will be getting back with me soon.  Just pray again for us to have wisdom as we listen to God's voice and His direction.

default mode

I know I've been a terrible blogger recently.  The truth is that sometimes I just get overwhelmed and I don't even know where to begin when it comes to the heart issues that we deal with with these girls.  There is so much...

The default gear for each of them is to run.  Its all they know.  Giving up, defeat, going back to whatever they have always known.  When they don't agree with something... "Susana, I'm leaving."  When I tell them what to do... "It would be better if I leave."  When they have caused some kind of problem... "I don't want to ask for forgiveness, I'll just leave."

Yesterday was rough.

We had a hard conversation with K and M about discipline.  They came to the home knowing how we discipline the babies and agreeing to work with their kids in that way trusting it was what is best for them.  Now they have decided that they would rather raise them the way they were raised... letting them do whatever they want whenever they want.  I know that an 18 month old and a 2 year old do not know what is best for them and it is not the most loving thing to let them raise themselves.  The conversation turned into quite a big deal where really the girls were just trying to be so stubborn and threaten so many things that I would change the house rules.  Not going to happen.  So as I calmly explained that again and again they finally got frustrated enough that they both decided that they are moving out.  There you have it... the default to just run.

So they are taking through Monday, both of them, to think it through and make a final decision.

Also, one of the girls is very dishonest, which we have known, but more than I even thought that she was capable of came to light yesterday.  Even if she chooses not to leave we may have to ask her to do so.  And that will be terrible as well.

So please just pray.  Pray for wisdom on our part and for the girls.  We know this ministry and this home belong to the Lord and He knows exactly what is going to happen.

School!!!

Each of the girls that has come to PDE has come with a different level of education.  And here in Honduras things like education just look different :)

M finished up the 6th grade in 2009 and hasn't studied since.  Thankfully that worked in our favor last night as we went to try to get her registered to start high school (7th grade) in the same night school where K is doing 2nd grade.  They would not have been able to take her so late in the year as a transfer student, but as a new student they are going to let her in as long as she promised to work really hard to catch up with all the other students!  So I see 7th grade math homework in my future..............

I also got to meet K's teacher while I was there who said that she is doing great, both schoolwork and behavior-wise!  Praise the Lord!  Knowing the M came from the same home made them more willing to take a chance on her in the middle of the year.  I'm proud of K for setting a good example there.  Also K got her grades and is making all As and Bs, which is just awesome for someone who hasn't been to school since she was 6!

We are thankful for the opportunities that God gives these girls to study and learn and have a different future.  Please pray that M will be diligent to get her work done and get caught up!

Sewing Time

Two years ago three wonderful ladies came down to PDE in the midst of our first learning how to be a home and a ministry :)  They were here during a stressful time of change and transition and learning to trust the Lord with things that were way outside of our control.  And through it all they praying with and for us and were just a mature, steady presence.  I could not be more grateful for them.  Oh yes, and they taught the girls how to sew and brought sewing machines for them to use!

That was the start of something great... Carolina took off and has been making bags to sell ever since.  Kenia picked up scrap fabric and started making bags herself recently.  And now she is taking weekly sewing classes with someone from church.  Our girl who can barely see may just end up making her living as a seamstress, isn't God funny? :)

So it is a huge blessing that these ladies are back!  From SC to La Ceiba the girls were so excited that they were coming again and remember fondly their time with them.

This time we pulled them into doing preschool and Bible study as well!  So far its been wonderful :)