Many the Miles

Continual learning

2012-02-14T00:42:00.001-05:00

Today I was supposed to be teaching Y how to take the bus to and from school. And then I took the wrong bus. Whoops! I tried to play it off that I took her on that bus on purpose so that if she ever did it on accident she would know what to do… but no one bought it :)

Moments like this remind me that the Lord is using a broken vessel to do His work. How ironic that I am the one that is teaching them how to use the public transportation system when I’ve had a car to drive since I was 16. And I’m teaching them about how to cook and eat cheaply when I love expensive things like cheese and low-fat peanut butter. God certainly does have a sense of humor. The good news… we ended up walking home (a rather long way), but talked and laughed the whole time!

In other news we went shoe shopping today. This experience left me wanting to apologize to my mom and ever other mother of a teenage girl on their behalf. Its not very fun. Y has NEVER owned a NEW pair of shoes in her life!?! So of course they are stiff and will hurt your feet at first and I’m sorry about that… but you still have to pick a pair! The babies are probably at home screaming and Dona Oneyda is probably pulling her hair out… so… pick some shoes already! 4 stores and a 2 for 1 sale later we had success. And we came home to this sight… looks like they did fine without us.

The other day I learned to make pupusas – basically a corn tortilla with cheese in the middle = delicious!

Tomorrow I’m having a lesson on how to make pan de coco – coconut bread :)

An idea is brewing for a possible way to give the girls jobs and a way to support this ministry all at the same time. I’m praying and thinking and processing through it this week… so please pray for that. It would be something I’ve never done before… shocker. That is my life these days :) Its called living miles outside of your comfort zone!

Tomorrow I think we’re making heart-shaped cupcakes and celebrating our house full of girls. The four month old boy doesn’t know yet that he is terribly outnumbered!

The Kingdom

2012-02-11T19:34:00.001-05:00

Today I love this song…

Caitlin and I were just talking today about how glad we are that this world is not the end. There is so much suffering here. There is so much sin. And yet we have a living hope. Yahweh… show us the kingdom!!!

The Kingdom
Bethany Dillon

It tapped me on the shoulder today when I got home
I saw everything collecting dust
It made me hope there was something more
I pour over pages, desperate to find out why
The cripple at your table has what I'm longing to find

Teach me how to hum it
Because I don't know the words yet

Help me see the light
I'm reaching through the fight
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom
Arms open wide
Death swallowed up by life
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom

Why are some women barren
While the wicked's house is full
The stories never seem to end
Give me evidence I'm not alone
You said the weak would be lifted up
But maybe just not yet
So while I wait in this flesh and blood
I'll learn to lean in

Help me see the light
I'm reaching through the fight
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom
Arms open wide
Death swallowed up by life
Yahweh, show me the Kingdom

Seeing change

2012-02-10T11:41:00.001-05:00

Remember the pavement project? Well, I am still doing it with different kids and finally loaded up some pictures to send them in to my trainer. I thought I would share these pictures with you. It is amazing to see the change in child that comes through listening to them and sharing with them the Word of God.

This child has never been in school and is not an artist, so the drawings are a little hard to decipher. But basically he first compared himself to a deer running quickly through the mountains. The deer was fast, but he was all alone.

After sharing the story where Jesus rebukes his disciples and tells them to let the children come to Him and the story of the Shepherd who goes after his one lost sheep, you can see the change in this child’s heart. He compared himself to a sheep who was being carried by the shepherd, safe, but most importantly, found.

Please keep praying for this little boy and so many like him who long to know that they are known and loved, pursued and FOUND by the Creator of the universe. Wow. What a privilege we have to get to share this truth with them.

February Newsletter

2012-02-09T14:27:00.000-05:00

If you would like to be on my email list to receive the newsletter with pictures, please email me at ssinnes@gmail.com.February 2012 Blog

School Time!

2012-02-09T14:24:00.001-05:00

These kids start school on Monday!!! Two of them for the first time… wow! We were able to help them this year to get some school supplies. School is free, but they haven’t been able to go before because you still have to buy notebooks and pencils, etc. If you read Mike’s blog on the school supplies distribution you saw that with your help we are able to help lots of kids in Armenia Bonito go to school, and now we get to send these three boys too! Since school supplies is too hard to say, we stuck with uniform :)

Grace upon Grace

2012-02-08T12:28:00.001-05:00

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” – John 1:16

I have seen this truth over and over again this week. Doña Oneyda has endless grace for me as I learn this culture and language. She is so patient and explains things to me and yet respectfully defers to me and allows me to make decisions. We had a hard Monday. One of the girls was so disrespectful and full of attitude. Her heart was so hard and I think she was just shutting down so that she wouldn’t get hurt. I talked to her about one of the rules and how she needed to follow it and her response immediately was, “well, what if I don’t, then you’ll just kick me out right?”. No. Of course not. But she is just preparing her heart for what she feels like is the inevitable. It’s a hard way to live, not letting anyone love you. But then yesterday she apologized first thing when I got to the house. And this morning she asked us to pray that the Lord would change her attitude. Wow. The Lord is doing something there for sure.

Also Dr. Greg just happens to be here from the states for our little one’s first sickness. So we were really thankful that he could come by yesterday and check him out. Turns out its just a virus, so his poor mom was up with him all night. We need to pray that he sleeps tonight!

Every day in this ministry is a challenge. I have to make decisions that really affect these girls’ lives. And I have to discern between what is culturally just different and what is really wise. And I’m just so thankful that the Lord has grace for me and goes before me.

Short-term Trip

2012-02-04T23:11:00.001-05:00

For those of you from Peace Church, this post is for you!

Have you heard that Peace Church is bringing a short-term team to La Ceiba in August? Have you considered coming? If you haven’t heard, they are :) And if you haven’t considered it, you should!

Really, for those of you who pray for my ministry and support me in so many ways, it would mean so much to get to show you what the Lord is doing here in person! I would love to have you here in my world for a couple of days to meet the people that you’ve prayed for, get to see the faces that I can’t post online, and get hugs from the kids who have received Jesus Storybook Bibles, clothes, vitamins, school supplies, and blankets that you have sent. You may not think you’re “mission trip material”, but I would venture to guess that if the Lord brings you here, He will give you something to do!

Pray about it… see what God does. And if you’re interested email Gary Hodge at grh.tgh@mindspring.com. He needs to know sooner rather than later so he can get a feel for the size of the team.

Strange and Vunerable

2012-02-03T09:23:00.001-05:00

A friend sent me this in an email last night…

“We are such strange and vulnerable people. No wonder we need Jesus. We pray for something so hard that we believe is His will. He opens the door. And we are gripped with fear...”

It’s the truth. I have had moments this week after opening Puerta de Esperanza where I have been SO fearful. I just realize how much responsibility this is and how much work there is to be done. This is not an overnight process. It takes time and patience and money and fund-raising. More than anything it takes faith. God has been faithful, He has shown that over and over again. And I trust that He will continue to be faithful. But in the middle of the night when I wake up with a thousand questions in my head, it is hard to see the truth for the lies.

He has answered every prayer, provided in ways that I didn’t even even think to ask for. Of course He is carrying us through.

I am a strange and vulnerable person. I can admit that.

Feliz Cumpleaños

2012-02-03T09:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we celebrated Y’s birthday (she’s the one in the pink). I wish I could show you pictures of her face because I have pictures of her laughing uncontrollably. She was so happy! This was her first birthday party in the last 16 years!!!

It was also kind of a “open house Puerta de Esperanza” party where people who are going to be involved could come and meet the girls and know where the house is, etc.

We had delicious rice and chicken, cake, a piñata, laughter… it couldn’t have been better :)

La Isla

2012-02-02T18:32:00.001-05:00

I should explain for those of you who haven’t visited Honduras. Right now our team is working in few different areas.

Pettengills – Armenia Bonito (a neighborhood)
Troxells- La Fe (a neighborhood)
Shannon- Puerta de Esperanza
Kate – Street kids drop-in center
Clows – helping everybody :)

When we have short-term teams come they stay in a new dorm facility that is still in process of being built in a neighborhood named “La Isla”. That property will also eventually have a medical clinic, a church, a theological seminary and the drop-in street kids center.

Recently we have been blessed by a matching gift offer by a supporter. So, as a team we are asking our supporters to prayerfully consider giving a one-time financial gift for the construction costs of this property. For every dollar you give, we receive one dollar from another source. Pretty cool, huh? All these gifts are tax-deductible.

If you’d like to give, just click HERE.

Thanks!

A Trip and a Birthday

2012-02-02T08:41:00.001-05:00

True confession. I hate driving to Belfate. This is where the children’s home is that C and Y both lived in before coming to Puerta de Esperanza. Its 20 minutes on paved road and the 40 minutes to go 11 miles on the worst gravel road. It’s a long trip and I’ve made it a lot in the last couple weeks.

But today I make it for the last time, at least for awhile. I’m going to pick up C today to bring her HOME to Puerta de Esperanza. She has lived out there for a year, so I know this will be an emotional day for her. Please pray for her as she says her goodbyes… there are 34 kids in that home and they are really going to miss her and her son as well.

Tonight we celebrate Y’s birthday. I think it’s the first time in awhile that she has gotten to celebrate. She is REALLY excited! I have a bright pink piñata, a cake, and a new Bible all ready for tonight. Please pray that she will feel loved and special to us and more importantly to the Lord. Some of the people who will be working with us our coming to celebrate, including the pastor of my church here.

Busy day. But a good one :) And hopefully I’ll remember gas this morning before we get to the middle of nowhere…

Sweet moment

2012-01-30T23:43:00.001-05:00

Today we went to INFA to buy Y’s shirt for classes. Well, they are on strike. No surprise as it happened in the fall as well. But it turns out that certain people were still there working and doing some other stuff. As I looked in the gate I saw all the house moms from the children’s home where Y used to live up until last week. She was there with them for a few months and really felt loved and safe there for the first time in her life.

It was a sweet moment as she got to go in and see them and visit with the other kids. (They have to bring their kids into town once a month for family visitation) I found out that they come every 30th of the month, so Y can always go and see them.

God is just cool to work that out.

on problems

2012-01-30T08:52:00.001-05:00

“Give up the illusion that you deserve a problem-free life. Part of you is still hungering for the resolution of all difficulties. This is a false hope! As I told My disciples, in the world you will have trouble. Link your hope not to problem solving in this life but to the promise of an eternity of problem-free life in heaven” – Jesus Calling

So convicting. And I’m just reminded this morning that I don’t want to give the girls in Puerta de Esperanza the idea that I am rescuing them from their lives. I want them to know Jesus. And I want them to know that whatever their life brings, He walks with them in it and through it. I can’t save them from past or future trouble, but I can help them to know the One who gives them a problem-free eternity.

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

2012-01-29T08:57:00.001-05:00

We sang this hymn at Megan and Paul’s wedding and I woke up with it in my head this morning. The words are just so good.

Great is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, oh God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
to Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

A little bit of everything

2012-01-28T23:09:00.001-05:00

Last night I went to sleep about 9:30pm. This NEVER happens. But I would attribute it to emotional exhaustion :) This afternoon I sat in my house for longer than 30 minutes for pretty much the first time all week… and it was glorious!

I would like to make a confession. I still don’t know what I’m doing :) I don’t know the balance of being over at the house with the girls and Doña One and how much I need to let them be so that they can figure out a rhythm for how to live there and just BE. The opening of the doors was truly just another step in the process. There is so much to cover with them still. This week we start one-on-one time together, Bible study, parenting discussions, school! I want to teach them English, guitar, spelling, cooking, everthing… but there are only so many hours in the day. And I’m still also in the process of finding two more girls to live there. C is definitely coming back on Thursday… just in time for Y’s birthday! There will be a piñata, don’t worry :) Already this week we had a sick baby one night and a key emergency another. But the Lord is still showing me HIS faithfulness day after day. I’m not overwhelmed, surprisingly. Just feeling like I have no choice but to surrender all the details.

I think eventually I may make a wish list on Amazon. There are things that I would love for us to have that are not in the budget… for instance, the Chronicles of Narnia books in Spanish and others of similar reading level, beads for jewelry making b/c they love that, any other art projects, a hand mixer so Doña One can teach them to bake (she is awesome at that and also an exceptional cake decorator, so I see a possible business in the future), any Klutz type book that you could possibly find in Spanish (friendship bracelets maybe?), etc., etc. So we’re learning about hobbies and likes and interests and how each girl is so different.

Keep praying! And thanks :)

Day two

2012-01-26T20:51:00.001-05:00

I’m watching the girls settle in… and its so fun to be a part of it.

We went this morning to get Doña Oneyda’s stuff from her house and her family was SO welcoming to the girls and the babies. They gave hugs and loved the kids and talked about how great the Lord is. She is related to basically everyone at the church, or so it seems. So I know that the girls will be received at the services with lots of hugs and hellos.

Then we took two sleeping babies to the grocery store… poor timing. But these kids are troopers and can sleep anywhere as long as you’re holding them. So although our arms were about to fall off… we made it! I’m still learning how to cook Honduran style and had forgotten some basics when stocking the house.

This afternoon I took C to check out the public university which will be a determining factor in whether or not she stays to live in the home. We got good answers from them and things look promising. She is willing work hard and already signed her rules sheet for the home, so apparently she plans to stay :)

I got to hold a sleeping baby, my favorite. And when I left they were making jewelry at the kitchen table while J played with playdough. Sounds like a perfect way to end the day.

My Spanish is improving by the minute and they are so sweet about helping me with it. We talked about Jesus and babies and birthdays and being a good example. I’m just happy to be doing life with these girls.

video

2012-01-26T00:37:00.001-05:00

Thanks to Mike Pettengill for putting together this awesome video SO quickly! I want you to know that apparently I’m a champ at speaking for 30 seconds, or so I’ve been told :)

Quick recap of the day…

We were late leaving to go pick up the girls, almost ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere b/c of my oversight to fill up before we left, had a family meal for lunch at Wendys where I got to tell the girls that they really are a family, Y had some tearful goodbyes as she left the people who have loved her so well since taking her in off the street, we ate a delicious dinner cooked by Kathy, the girls got to meet some of my teammates, we went to church and even left babies in the nursery (a big step), and and and…

I’m overwhelmed and joyful, excited and anxious… but mostly just blown away that the Lord would use me in this project. I had a moment when we walked in the door of thinking… “What in the world have I done? Who thought this was a good idea?” But it wasn’t my idea and I haven’t done anything. The Lord brought it together and He will sustain it. I just have to take one step of faith at a time.

Anyway… now for the video. And I have to sleep before tomorrow comes :)

Puerta de Esperanza

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

Today is the day :) Can you believe it?

I leave here in just a little while to pick up our first two girls :) Y is 15 years old and J is about 19 months. They are excited to come and we are excited to have them!

Our abuela, Doña Oneyda, is going to ride with me to pick them up and she is ready to love them like her own daughters and shower them with the Lord’s grace. I was reminded again today as I sat and talked to her of what a huge blessing she is. We are on the same page about almost everything and she is willing to sacrifice and love these girls so well. It blows me away.

That said. Please pray!

We are also moving in C and her 3 month old son to see if they will be a good fit for the house. They will be with us for just a few days for right now, but she and I will be adventuring around to try to talk to people and schools towards the end of the week.

I covet your prayers and I am so thankful for your support!

Let me sum up

2012-01-24T22:17:00.001-05:00

Westley: Who are you? Are we enemies? Why am I on this wall? Where is Buttercup?
Inigo Montoya: Let me 'splain.
[pause]
Inigo Montoya: No, there is too much. Let me sum up. Buttercup is marry' Humperdinck in a little less than half an hour. So all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, steal the princess, make our escape... after I kill Count Rugen.

This is how I feel right now… let me sum up! So much has happened in the last week since I’ve blogged. And since I’ve been a slacker, now I don’t get to really write how I want to write. Alas.

This past week I was in North Carolina with my family to celebrate my psuedo-sister’s marriage! The week was full of great things… a 2-year old’s birthday party, meeting a newborn baby of one my best friends, lunch at Mellow Mushrooms with some of my favorites, running errands with Rebecca, sharing about Honduras with the church, roadtrip with Amy, eating lobster and lots of steak, a new favorite book from my sister called “It’s a Book”, late night game with mom and Xan, Target with Halla, Japanese food with Jer, seeing family, getting dressed up, and most importantly, standing beside Megan as she married her best friend :)

I was reminded that I miss people a lot. It is hard to say goodbye even though Honduras is feeling more and more like home. There were some tearful goodbyes, for sure. It was hard to leave.

And yet, in the midst of that, the Lord had my heart in La Ceiba. Last week my church here lost one of their worship leaders when he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Well, at least that’s how it seems from an earthly point of view. And even though I loved being in Cary and didn’t want to leave… I needed to come here and mourn with my church and hurt for those who I love who are hurting. And I needed to feel the reminders that this world is not our home. And I needed to be forced to remember that it is the LORD who walks beside us every day and in all things and He is the most important thing. And I needed to see how He is using this young man’s death to bring GLORY to His name. Its hard to grieve and to feel loss and fear.

But in the spirit of summing up, let me say this. In the joy and in the sorrow the Lord is right there in the midst of it. In the past week I have not felt alone. And the Lord has blessed me with earthly friends to show me His great love and mercy. And for that I’m so thankful.

Getting close

2012-01-12T09:11:00.001-05:00

We have couches, a tv, a coffee maker. The beds are made and the pack and plays set up. There are dishes in the dish drain and chairs around the table. Its really happening!

Yesterday my heart was so happy and content after 2 hours of sweeping and making beds and giving every baby bed a homemade quilt. The house is ready! We still need groceries, but I think I’ll wait ‘till the day before for that.

I got word of another 15 year old girl with a baby and some young girls who are pregnant. I’ll meet some of them the week that Puerta de Esperanza opens.

Keep praying!

y no me pregunta más

2012-01-10T22:22:00.001-05:00

I mentioned before that we have been having problems with the kids’ constant barrage of “can I have?”, “give me this”, “do you have?”, etc. Its draining. But I think everyone who has worked with kids has been there.

I literally laughed out loud at Kevin yesterday.

Kevin: Can I have an apple? (for the fourth time)
Me: No, and don’t ask me anymore
Kevin: Don’t ask you anymore?
Me: Don’t ask me anymore, the answer is not going to change

later on…

Christopher: Can I have an apple?
Me: No
Then Kevin looks at him, without being prompted and says emphatically: And don’t ask her anymore!!!

I think he’s learning :)

Beginnings and Ends

2012-01-10T09:31:00.001-05:00

I would like to announce a very exciting beginning and a very exciting end.

The preparation is ending! This past week the Lord provided a precious woman to be our house “abuela” for Puerta de Esperanza! Doña Oneyda goes to my church and has been there for over 20 years. She sees this job as a ministry to these girls and is ready to love on them as if they were her own. She is connected to the church, wants to take them to small group, is going to teach them how to bake… she is amazing! She loves the Lord and wants to glorify Him with her life. I can only say, the Lord provided abundantly more than I could ask or imagine. I look forward to working with her and moving forward in this ministry together.

And as for beginnings… we have an opening date! January 25th our first mom and baby will move into the house in time to get registered for classes and get settled before starting school in February. Another girl is coming to visit the home as we investigate possible school options for her. And I just got a call from social services about a third girl who I am going to meet this morning. We’re going to have a full house before long!

I am blown away. I know we’ve been preparing and waiting and working towards this day. But I love being able to put a date on it and see how the Lord has brought to fulfillment this ministry that He began. There are still 1000 things that I don’t know and questions that I have. But the Lord is faithful and I know He is carrying us! Please praise Him with me!

A sweet surprise!

2012-01-10T09:21:00.001-05:00

Recently we’ve been having some attitude problems with the kids. I know, its like we’re dealing with actual children or something! They come to the door asking to come in and then from there on out its like “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. Susana, give me this, can I have this… well then I’m not coming back. Yep, see you in 2 hours, they always come back. We’re really trying to work on thankfulness and patience and using please and thank you. And sometimes they just get mad and frustrated.

This happened yesterday.

Jeffri, Kevin, and Ever are our church-going faithfuls. I can’t remember the last time they missed a chance to go to church with us. And yesterday they didn’t show. They had come in the morning and I didn’t let them in, so they were mad at me and threatened not to come back for church. They always come back, so I wasn’t worried. But it came time to leave and they weren’t there, so we headed out to church without them.

Twenty minutes into the service with smiles spread across their whole faces, in walk Jeffri and Kevin. They had walked all the way to church (a long walk) by themselves after coming late and finding us not at home. They walked right in and sat down like they’d been with us the whole time. Ever on the other hand stayed out in the hallway ticked b/c it was not his choice to walk to church, apparently :)

All that to say. It made my heart happy. Who knows their real motivation in getting themselves there. But the Lord is doing something in these boys. We are excited to watch them grow, to keep getting to know their personalities, to teach them little life lessons and teach them about Jesus along the way, and to see them making church a priority. It put a sweet smile on my face.

Jesus Calling

2012-01-08T10:10:00.001-05:00

Nan gave me a devotional book for Christmas called “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young. What I read last week pretty summed up my life as a missionary, so I thought I would share it with you.

“You can achieve the victorious life through living in deep dependence on Me. People usually associate victory with success: not falling or stumbling, not making mistakes. But those who are successful in their own strength tend to go their own way, forgetting about Me. It is through problems and failure, weakness and neediness that you learn to rely on Me.

True dependence is not simply asking Me to bless what you have decided to do. It is coming to Me with an open mind and heart, inviting Me to plant My desires within you. I may infuse within you a dream that seems far beyond your reach. You know that in yourself you cannot achieve such a goal. Thus begins your journey of profound reliance on Me. It is a faith-walk, taken one step at a time, leaning on Me as much as you need. This is not a path of continual success but of multiple failures. However, each failure is followed by a growth spurt, nourished by increased reliance on Me. Enjoy the blessedness of a victorious life, through deepening your dependence on Me.”

So yeah. That’s my life right now and it’s a hard blessing. The Lord definitely put in my heart a dream that was far beyond my reach. I was talking to Kate yesterday about all the disappointments. Every time we’ve had to push back the date, every time a new girl didn’t work out, every time things cost more than I had anticipated, every time I think about how much more there is to do… it seems like I cannot achieve the goal of opening this girl’s home. And yet… its really happening. The Lord has made it so clear that this is HIS project, HIS ministry. He has opened all the doors to make it possible. And yes, there are still a thousand unanswered questions… but HE is right there in the middle of those too. I believe that He will not leave us in the process because its HIS. These girls are HIS and this home is HIS. And He is teaching me to let go and stop thinking of all that I can offer. And its hard, so hard to not be able to have all the answers. But I think the Lord did it as a blessing for me so that I could learn to walk in faith and prayer.

In that vein, I’ll give you a brief update. I think that Lord has brought us an abuela. I meet with her again today and then I’ll know for sure. But keep praying…

Making the non-monumental, MONUMENTAL!

2012-01-07T23:56:00.001-05:00

Inspired by the traditional advent calendar, the roommates of La Alameda are delighted to bring you THE COUNTDOWN!

You could say that our life is boring, but I think we would prefer the term creative. Seriously, tonight we were commenting that moving to Honduras threw us back in time. This comment came after hours of sitting outside on the porch in rocking chairs doing nothing but chatting with each other. I would also like to say, I LOVE IT!

So the countdown. Every day leading up to Christmas we had to do something together as a house, read a Scripture, make cookies, dress the dog up like an elf, you know, the norm. Then we’d hang the cards on the Christmas tree to supplement the lack of ornaments. We considered keeping the tree and renaming it The Countdown Tree. But we decided that may be excessive :)

So every month we get to choose non-monumental event to make MONUMENTAL and we count down to it every day. This month, I get to be monumental! We are already counting down to my return from the states and I haven’t even left yet. I’m feeling pretty special!

Because we’re not bored, just creative, we issued a roommate challenge tonight to all write a blog on the same topic. So to read more about the COUNTDOWN, go here and here!

Remote Control

2012-01-07T23:30:00.001-05:00

So… crime shows. My roommates love them. Almost every night at 8:00 you can find us sitting in the living room watching CSI, Law and Order, or something of the like. But I have discovered something about myself. Criminal Minds. I can’t watch it. My roommates love it, but my feelings about it are similar to Kate’s feelings about my recently completed puzzle. IE Hatred. I think maybe its okay that I haven’t developed an immunity to be able to enjoy a show featuring torture and serial killers… so they miss it when its my turn to have the remote.

In other news, I just finished a 1499 piece puzzle that I had to restart 4 times. Kids put it away after hours of hard work. Then its possible that Kate put it away after hours of hard work (hence the hatred for the puzzle b/c we were so mad at her about it). Then it got dropped on the floor while I was trying to move the table. But I’m just stubborn, so now its finished and only missing one piece after all that shuffling around.

Can you tell we took a week off for vacation?

So Close…

2012-01-02T17:34:00.001-05:00

I have GREAT news! We are one step away from seeing Puerta de Esperanza open! This is really amazing and I praise the Lord for every step that He has walked before us and every door that He has opened.

And I have an item for prayer. The last thing that I need to do is hire the “abuela”, the house mom who will work with the girls and live there with them. I have such a heart for these girls and pray that the woman who works with them will see this as a ministry and an opportunity to live out Christ’s love in front of them. I have two interviews this FRIDAY! Please pray that I will understand the Spanish easily and that the Lord will give me discernment to know who He has to work in the home with the girls. I don’t want to rush it… I want the right person. But I am anxious to get the doors open! So pray that I will step back and trust in the Lord’s faithful provision.

Thanks so much!

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

2011-12-31T12:56:00.001-05:00

A year ago I was still in language school in Costa Rica with four months to go until I finished. I was dreaming and scheming and planning with absolutely zero concrete information about what life and starting a ministry in Honduras would look like. I was unrealistic and over-confident. There are things that I thought would be easy and things that I thought would move quickly that have panned out to be neither quick nor easy.

And then I got here. Life was not anything like what I had expected.

Summer teams were hard and not always joyful because I was tired and in culture shock and unsure where to focus my time and energy. The blessing of a car to drive around turned into my biggest sense of anxiety since it broke down all the time. My amazing team (which is still amazing) turned out to be only human after all and we had misunderstandings and I cried my way through team meeting. I had red ants biting me while I slept at night and I sweated more than I had previously thought was humanly possible.

And yet…

Eight months later I cannot even count the blessings the Lord has given to me since moving to Honduras. I live in a house that I love with roommates that I love and that push me to Jesus. I am one step away from opening a home for young single moms that is only possible because the Lord clearly went before us in every step. I get to minister daily to boys who spend their days on the streets acting tough, but then love to sit on the floor and do puzzles and curl up on the couch and watch Elf and Rio. I get to talk about Jesus every day and have the ability to do so in Spanish, which is a miracle of the Lord in and of itself. My money pit of a car has allowed me to make friends and get to talk about Jesus with people I otherwise would never have met. My team is a great source of encouragement and joy and we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. My family and friends have gotten to visit and see my life here and they constantly pray for me and encourage me.

And I’ve learned. I’ve learned so much about how needy I am for the Lord and for His wisdom. I am painfully aware daily of how little I have to offer. I know nothing about poverty and wealth and how to reconcile one with the other. I struggle to share Christ with kids on a daily basis in a way that makes sense for their life. I doubt that God is really going to provide what we need for Puerta de Esperanza in a timely manner. I forget about all the ways He has already provided. And so I sit. And I pray. And as a home, we are learning to devote our lives and days to the Lord and His wisdom and power because we have so very little to offer. And praise Him for it because He alone has the power to change hearts and lives and draw people to Himself and offer real hope and redemption.

I would love to make it my New Years Resolution to remember the goodness of the Lord and His faithfulness in my life and then trust Him completely with every day. But I know that my heart is slow and stupid and there will be so many days that I forget. But it doesn’t change His character. He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And He will continue to show His grace and goodness every day of 2012.

New Years Eve

2011-12-31T12:15:00.001-05:00

“As this year draws to a close, receive My peace. This is still your deepest need, and I, your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness. My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own. I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use. I want you to be filled with My very being, permeated through and through with Peace.” - Sarah Young

Driving in the mountains…

2011-12-29T21:43:00.001-05:00

We live in a beautiful place

Gingerbread House Fun

2011-12-28T11:26:00.001-05:00

Christmas was different this year, but so relaxing and fun. I woke up to skype with my family and open my stocking with them. Then Kate and I did advent and stockings here. We had a few friends stop by to bring tamales and others just to visit. And then we’d invited some of the boys over to hang out with us for the afternoon. We watched Polar Express, made a gingerbread house, and ate homemade chicken nuggets. Here are some fun gingerbread house pictures from our day :)

Less is More

2011-12-23T08:45:00.001-05:00

In our Christmas activities with the kids, the Lord is teaching us an important lesson… less is more. We had the Christmas party and thought we would have tons of kids, but we had 6. And it was the perfect number. And then on Wednesday for the concert we thought we would have a big group and then we had 7 (including a friend’s son). And again, it was a so nice.

Caitlin and her sister Anna, Kate, me, David, Solomon, and Lester were all adults in attendance. Which means each kid got some individual attention. We could sit with them, hang out with them. David wrote an off the cuff song for Jose. We had way too much pizza. But we had time to just hang out with them instead of having to bark orders to a whole group of rowdy kids.

I think they loved it. The concert was excellent. It really feels like Christmas to me now. The kids clapped and sang Feliz Navidad and almost fell asleep because they usually go to bed at 7 :) They gave the Christmas story from Joseph’s perspective and plainly shared the Gospel. Yesterday I got to use that as a starting point to talk to two of the boys and I think they were really listening.

Sadly one of our boys that is dearest to our hearts has found his teenage attitude the past couple of weeks. I think all you moms out there know what I’m talking about. Slow to follow directions or choosing to do the opposite of what you just said, even when there is no visible advantage to being blatantly disobedient. So… that was our hard moment of the night, having to tell him he can’t come spend Christmas with us because of His behavior. But we pray that He sees Jesus in us, even in the tough love, and that our friendship with him will be better off for it in the long run.

Less kids but more conversation about Jesus. I’ll take it.

Christmas concert

2011-12-20T23:32:00.001-05:00

When I think Christmas concert I think Peace Church. Mary did you Know, Happy Birthday Jesus, all manner of congregational talent, and special memories of singing with my dad and Gary Hodge (and other family members when we could talk them into it).

This years’ Christmas concert experience will be a little different! My church here, Gran Comision, is having a big Christmas concert with a Gospel presentation through drama. I have no idea what that really means except that they are going to clearly share the Gospel in Spanish, which is exactly what our kids need to hear day after day. It’s a big deal and will be packed out. We’re taking around 15 people ourselves.

Usually I tell you about stuff we do with the kids after the fact, but today I’m asking you to pray. Wednesday night 9 of our kids will hear the Gospel clearly, please pray that God opens their ears to hear His Word.

And I’m excited for the music :) Feels like its really Christmas.

Different Kind of Christmas

2011-12-20T09:47:00.001-05:00

“It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers His name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle – the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture. And this is no ordinary baby. This is the child upon whom everything would depend. This is the child who would one day – but wait. Our story starts where all good stories start. Right at the very beginning…” Jesus Storybook Bible

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.”
Isaiah 9:6-7

Its going to be really sad to not be home on Christmas. I know that when I skype with my family on Christmas day and they are all there together without me, it will be so hard on my heart. I come from a family of great Christmas traditions and a busy Christmas Day. One of my favorite parts of Christmas is that everyone is invited. We have a huge Christmas dinner and anyone who doesn’t have a place to go is invited. I have never had to worry about offending my mom because I invited someone else to eat with us. Christmas is such a special time for us. But its also busy.

This Christmas season is so different. We had a party for kids at our house, but it centered around the reading of the Christmas story. We have prayed together every morning and taken time to do advent every Sunday (a tradition I’m thankful to my parents for starting). There isn’t commercialism every time I look around, instead there is poverty. We don’t ask the kids here what they want for Christmas, because they probably aren’t getting anything. We have had to think of ways to bless them without just giving things away because giving tends to make them greedier. So we have to remember. What is Christmas? What is it really about? What can we give them that is lasting?

This is not to say that we will not give any Christmas gifts this year or not have Christmas movies playing (Kate is obsessed with Elf in Spanish) or not have a pile of Christmas cookies in the kitchen. And when we go to the mall the forth floor of Carrion is a Christmas commercialism explosion. But here, in my house, with these kids, I can remember. Jesus was poor. God sent his Son from His right hand to become poor. This means more to me this year than ever before. And its hard to swallow. He was not what the world expected. But He was the missing piece of the puzzle and God knew He was exactly the type of Savior that we needed.

Christmas Party

2011-12-16T16:38:00.001-05:00

‘Tis the season for parties and good food, stories and cut-out snowflakes! Well, that’s the story around here anyway :)

Christmas tree project!

Tortilla snowflakes decorated with colored sugar. Thanks Pintrest :)

What’s a party without puzzles?

Christmas story from the Jesus Storybook Bible… the kids were really good listeners today!

And good food made my Jeffrey’s mom. Delicious!

reading

2011-12-15T12:24:00.001-05:00

This is just cuteness.

Newsletter - December 2011

2011-12-14T16:58:00.001-05:00

Hey all... due to my recent "no posting photos online without permission" conviction, I am going to omit the photo page from my newsletters on my blog. If you would like to get my newsletter by email with the photos attached, please send me your email address to ssinnes@gmail.com. Thanks!

December 2011 Blog

Pavement Project put to use

2011-12-14T11:03:00.001-05:00

This week I’ve gotten to start using the pavement project with some of our kids. It makes it totally worth it all the time that we put in learning the process and the stories. I love getting to sit with them and talk to them about Jesus and how he is near them in their sadness and how special they are to Him.

Their pictures are so telling. They draw a picture before and after that shows what they compare themselves to in that moment. One child this week drew a deer at the beginning. This deer was lonely and sad and running alone through the mountains. At the end he drew a sheep that was near the shepherd and had been found by Him.

I’m so thankful for this tool that the Lord put in our hands!

Knowing Love

2011-12-13T12:15:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to not know that you were loved by someone? Cherished by someone? Important to someone? Honestly, I don’t give a lot of thought to it. I am so very blessed to have people in my life who love and support me, and not only that, but they tell me so I don’t have to guess. I knew growing up that my parents loved me, but more than that, I was always confident that God loved me and cared deeply about me personally.

Last night I asked one of our regular visitors to the house what was the best thing that had ever happened to him in his life. He took awhile to think about it, but when he answered, it was emphatic. “Being here with you guys.” Being a little taken aback, I tried to make sure that was really the best thing that had ever happened to him by asking more questions, but when I asked why he answered simply and without having to think about it. “Because you love me.”

Wow. What does that mean? Does that mean that maybe he has never known before in his 11 years that he is loved? It brought me to tears. Could it be that God would use us to offer love and grace and security to this little boy in a way that he would know from this day on that he is loved. Not just by us, but also by Jesus.

It was a precious time with him. I got to share how much Jesus loves children, to the point of correcting his disciples because he wanted to the children to come to Him so He could bless them. And I got to tell him the story of the shepherd and the lost sheep and that Jesus will always be there for him because he is just as important to the Lord as that one sheep was to the shepherd.

Please pray for this little one to sleep peacefully tonight knowing that He is loved by the one who will never leave him and never let him down.

The roommate dynamic is complete

2011-12-11T11:45:00.001-05:00

About three weeks ago, Kate arrived and brought lots of joy and laughter to the house! We’re not really sure what we did without her.

Kate is here primarily to start a drop-in center for street kids. Oh the process… it will take some time before that actually comes to fruition. In the meantime, she’s adjusting to life here and eagerly loving on the kids that we already know.

It has been a joy to get to know her and have her join our team and our lives here. Kate has a compassionate heart that comes out toward every hungry child we see by the side of the road, but also towards her roommates. She has loved and served us well already. She is hilarious and crafty and has already made our home a prettier place to live. And we have loved just bouncing ideas off of each other. One of the things that we just really need here to people to process with. We have no idea what we’re doing, if we’re honest. So every morning we pray and just beg the Lord to show us what the day will hold.

Please pray for Kate as she continues to adjust to life here and goes through transition of missing family and familiar things.

Blankets, crackers, flags, oh my!

2011-12-11T09:46:00.001-05:00

Terry came to visit last week and brought some great presents! It was like Christmas came early to open up her suitcase and see all the fun stuff that she brought!

Beautiful quilts made by Sharon! She whipped them out fast and they are amazing. I’m going to have some very happy girls!

the spread… hats from Janet…

Blankets from Kitty… and they are SO soft and where a complete surprise when they came. I did not know that she was making them!

Also a surprise, this fun flag for Puerta de Esperanza made by Amy. It was my grandma’s idea and she delegated and it turned out great!

And then fun stuff for me :) Joannie’s rollo cookies were a huge favorite! And everything else too of course!

Thank you to everyone who sent fun stuff for us and for Puerta de Esperanza! You bless us more than you know!

New Website!

2011-12-08T10:37:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! Wow… I’m so behind on blogging. But I’ll start with something exciting!

MTW has a new website! Check it out here…

I love the new logo. It looks great!

But it also means that there is a new way to give money… go here to donate money to my personal ministry budget or Puerta de Esperanza.

Here are the account numbers…
Shannon #13520
Puerta de Esperanza #92413

If the Lord is calling you to support our ministry in Honduras, please consider giving to Puerta de Esperanza. We are trying to set a start date for the first week of January. But we’re waiting to announce it for sure until we have our paperwork in hand!

Another way to support our ministry is to give to the school supplies drive by December 31st. Please contact Mike Pettengill at mikepettengill@yahoo.com if you want to make a monetary donation instead of shipping supplies.

Just another day

2011-12-03T00:47:00.001-05:00

I think I’m done saying “Its been one of those days”… b/c there seem to be a lot of them recently, so maybe they aren’t the exception so much as the rule.

The Pit, now also named Beelzebub, is back in action causing all kinds of problems with the AC and radiator. Awesome.

The good news. The Lord has given me so much peace. Its just a car. It will not steal my joy!

Good things in the last two days…
1. Terry is here! Love that.
2. So much forward motion. Even in the midst of seemingly unproductive days, the Lord is moving us forward meeting the right people, scheduling interviews, organizing baby clothes, etc.
3. We’ve had great roommate prayer times
4. We love our boys who hang out with us… they just make me smile.

School Supplies

2011-11-29T09:55:00.001-05:00

Its that time of year again! Kids here in Honduras start school in February and many of them cannot afford to buy the basic items that they need to go to school… notebooks, pens, pencils, etc. We would love to be able to help by collecting these items and giving them out to kids in Armenia Bonito and to some of the kids that come to our house, and to the kids in Puerta de Esperanza.

Think basic. Things that every kid needs to have in school.

If you would like to donate some school supplies, please mail them by December 31st to…

Mike & Erin Pettengill
P.O. Box 1090
La Ceiba, Atlantida
Honduras, Central America

If you would rather send money then we can go and buy the stuff here in Honduras. Not quite as fun, but saves on postage!

How a wound can build relationships

2011-11-29T00:45:00.001-05:00

Friday morning I am helping kids make about 3 different Thanksgiving dishes when the doorbell rings again, its not a kid this time, its Jeffrey’s mom. I am surprised to see her because Jeffrey isn’t there and we haven’t seen him all week. But that’s why she came, to tell us that he is sick and has a problem with his leg. I love that she came! I have intentionally been trying to get to know her and praying for ways to minster to her.

In our conversation she told me that she has been reading the Jesus Storybook Bible that we gave Jeffrey and that she has been so helped and encouraged by it! And I started to tear up. When I gave her a little money to help with medical bills tears started rolling down her face. And I was crying right along with her.

Thankfully Elizabeth Ann is a rockstar in the kitchen (more to come on her later, but she’s an amazing friend who came to visit for Thanksgiving) and took over preparing lunch for 30. How many friends do that for you? She’s awesome.

I was off to take Jeffrey’s mom to the pharmacy, but upon seeing this… I knew we needed more than a pharmacy, we needed nurse Erin!

I couldn’t watch. As long as Jeffrey was crying from pain I was crying right along with him. But he did really well and let her clean it out and bandage it up. Erin was so good with he and his mom and gave them vitamins and antibiotic and everything they needed.

The Lord really used this sweet time with Jeffrey’s mom. She couldn’t believe that Erin would give her vitamins… not just for her kids, but for HER! She was overwhelmed and teary at being loved so well. On the way home I got to tell her that we would like to help Jeffrey go to school next year and she was so thankful. I got to pray for her before I dropped her off and I can say without a doubt that the Lord was doing something wonderful during my time with her. She is open to the Lord and loves her family dearly. She is humble and thankful and such a strong mom all at the same time.

This time was a huge blessing for me and a real answer to prayer. Please continue to lift this family up to the Lord for his healing and provision for their physical and spiritual needs!

Another day of giving Thanks

2011-11-29T00:16:00.001-05:00

One day of turkey and sweet potatoes just isn’t enough, so this year we had two! On Friday we invited all of the kids who come to our house to come and have Thanksgiving lunch with us complete with the traditionals plus, of course, boxed macaroni and cheese!

They played…

and cooked…

and ate…

Kate was able to use one of the stories from our new green bag from pavement project to share the Gospel with the kids. They loved the colorful pages and listened carefully to how much the Lord loves them each and wants children to draw near to Him. It was so fun to be able to walk around and talk with them after the story to see what they got out of it. I really think the Lord is doing something in these kids.

Its hard sometimes. We had to make 4 kids leave because they just couldn’t get along with others. We have a “no fighting” policy and its just so hard for kids whose first survival instinct is to put their fists up. So please be praying that the Lord shows them His love in such a huge way that it will overflow to how they love others.

Also, just by way of comment… it was like loves and fishes the way the food went around. We fed 32 people and one 13 pound turkey just shouldn’t do that. And we had leftovers!

An item for prayer

2011-11-25T08:33:00.001-05:00

I found out this week that our permission from the government could come through as soon as three weeks from now! That would allow us to open the doors and have girls move in to Puerta de Esperanza before Christmas!! :)

Please join me in praying that the Lord brings all the paperwork through swiftly and easily. And pray that He brings all the people that we need, all the funds that we need, that all the interviews go smoothly in Spanish, and that I will just rest and trust that He has it all under control!

I’m excited, and surprisingly not overwhelmed. Just waiting and trusting and moving forward one small step at a time.

Prayer

2011-11-25T08:30:00.001-05:00

"You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." – Augustine

I’ve used this quote on here before, but its because I love it. And recently I have found it to be so true in my own life.

Kate moved here last week! So now we are a house family of three who will be here though April and then we’ll be crying for days when Caitlin leaves us. As we have tried to settle in, we made a house calendar (a very cute pinterest one, by the way!) that includes an 8am prayer time every day.

I don’t know that I’ve ever done anything so good for my heart. To come before the Lord every morning and just give our lives to Him, our house, our interactions, our ministry, all the things that overwhelm us… I have felt more at peace in the midst of the same craziness of life.

We were made to find out REST in the LORD.

This week Christopher was here while we were praying one morning so we invited him to join us. One thing we learned in pavement project was to ask kids if they have anything they want to ask God and then remind them that they can pray anywhere and at any time. And I love the prayers of kids. But its amazing what we learned about this little boy. His step-dad is in the hospital because he got hit by a bus, but he’d never told us. He needs new clothes for Christmas, but they won’t celebrate at all because they don’t have any money. So we prayed, together, that the Lord would meet these needs. It was such a sweet time.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T08:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was just a good day. I have nothing better to say about it :) It was cool outside, my heart was at rest, I ate delicious food, spent time with wonderful people, and nothing that we cooked tasted terrible!

In the spirit, here’s some thankfulness…

1. The Lord’s undeserved goodness and grace to me
2. Prayer and the way that the Lord uses it to put my heart at rest
3. Honduran kids that give hugs and serve us and let us into their life
4. Good food
5. My team that is finally all in the same place at the same time
6. Caitlin’s sense of humor, heart to serve, honesty, love for people, and maturity beyond her years
7. As much as I hate it… I’m thankful for “The Shred”, moreso now that my muscles are healing and can walk down the stairs again
8. EA’s generous heart, skill in the kitchen, and love for prayer
9. Cool weather
10. Kate’s heart for street children, ability to have us laughing, and her faith that points me back to Jesus
11. My family and how we all know how to play competitive croquet (its true)
12. Resources to make Thanksgiving dinner for the boys today
13. That my car AC this week was an easy fix
14. Good friends who keep in touch and remind me that I am missed and loved
15. That I really do love Honduras and the life God has given me here

I could go on… but you get the point :) Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Entering In

2011-11-19T21:35:00.001-05:00

More from the book (Kisses From Katie)… I told you that you should just read it. And just wait you’ll see it again :)

Anyway… I love this because it is who I want to be. I was so convicted over the last month that just living in Honduras is not enough. Just letting kids into my house and feeding them and playing with them isn’t enough if I’m not telling them about Jesus and entering into their world, their hearts, their pain… So I’m learning. I’m learning about sacrificing my wants for the sake of others. I’m learning about the balance between giving my life away and trying to take care of myself. And I’m learning the best thing I could possibly do is just pray and give these kids up to the Lord over and over again every day. And in that I’m starting to to get a glimpse of how the Lord can use me in the midst of all of it.

“I sometimes got caught up in the ‘I deserve this’ moments; I still do. I have moments when I compare myself to other people and trick myself into believing that I am doing pretty well. there are still moments when I believe I should be able to relax and do nothing some afternoon, instead of taking care of one more sick person. There are moments when I think that because I have worked hard all day, I deserve to be able to sit down and eat my food instead of answering the door for one more person who needs help… the truth is that these thoughts are not at all scriptural. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that I deserve a reward here on earth. Colossians 3:23 says, ‘Whatever you do work at it with all your heart.’ It does not end in ‘and after this hard work you deserve a long hot bath and some me time.’ It does end with ‘since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.’”

“Don’t misunderstand; it is not easy. But it is simple in that each of us was ultimately created to do the same thing. It will not look the same. It may take place in a foreign land or it may take place in your backyard, but I believe that we were created to change the world for someone. To serve someone. To love someone the way that Christ first loved us, to spread His light.”

“And even though I realize I cannot always mend or meet, I can enter in. I can enter into someone’s pain and sit with them and know. This is Jesus. Not that He apologizes for the hard and the hurt, but that He enters in, He comes with us to the hard places. And so I continue to enter.”

“We aren’t really called to save the world, not even to save one person; Jesus does that. We are just called to love with abandon. We are called to enter into our neighbors’ sufferings and love them right there.”

Kisses From Katie

2011-11-19T21:25:00.001-05:00

As promised… here’s the “Kisses from Katie” post. You can read Katie’s blog here. Or just read the book…

“I have learned along my journey that if I really want to follow Jesus, I will go to the hard places. Being a Christ follower means being acquainted with sorrow. We must know sorrow to be able to fully appreciate joy. Joy costs pain, but the pain is worth it. After all, the murder had to take place before the resurrection. I’ll be honest: The hard places can seem unbearable. It’s dark and it’s scary, and even though I know God said He will never leave or forsake me, sometimes it’s so dark that I just can’t see Him. But then the most incredible thing happens: God takes me by the hand and walks me straight out of the hard place and into the beauty on the other side. He whispers to me to be thankful, that even this will be for His good.”

Another Kind of Safety

2011-11-19T17:47:00.001-05:00

Quotes from “Kisses From Katie” by Katie Davis

“People often ask me if I think my life is dangerous, if I’m afraid. I am much more afraid of remaining comfortable. Matthew 10:28 tells us not to fear things that can destroy the body but things that can destroy the soul. I am surrounded by things that can destroy the body. I interact daily with people who have deadly diseases, and many times I am the only person who can help them. I live in a country with one of the world’s longest running wars taking place just a few hours away. Uncertainty is everywhere. But I am living in the midst of the uncertainty and risk, amid things that can and do bring physical destruction, because I am running from things that can destroy my soul: complacency, comfort, and ignorance. I am much more terrified of living a comfortable life in a self-serving society and failing to follow Jesus than I am of any illness or tragedy.”

I’ve been thinking. People have a habit of telling me be “BE SAFE!” This is a reasonable sentiment, especially in the past month when I’ve been traveling all over the place in countless planes, buses, and taxis. And yet… a part of me balks at this well-meaning phrase.

I just want to say… “I am safe!” My mom used to say, I’m much more frightened of the ER than I am fearful of death. And I must say, I agree. There is no question in my mind that I will be with Jesus when I die and honestly, sometimes that is even more appealing than the broken world that surrounds me. I cannot think of a safer place to be than right here where the Lord has me, saying yes to meeting the needs that come literally to my front door.

I don’t see myself in an extreme situation like the writer of this book. But the question of safety has been raised. And its so hard to find the line between faith and wisdom when it comes to who to let come in the house, what little mouths to feed, what hands to bandage up. And I just can’t get away from thinking that these little hearts are not safe yet. And if letting them come in and sit on my couch and learn their letters and hear that they are loved by Jesus gets them one step closer to being with Him for eternity, then I am willing. Safe or not.

I knew when I graduated from college that I wouldn’t go home and live there forever because it was too comfortable for me. The Lord still saw fit to challenge me in huge ways the years that I was there, but there is something different for me about living in the middle of poverty and need. It challenges me. It reminds me what is important in the long run. It reminds me that I need to pray. And it reminds me that Jesus has the power to save! Regardless of economic status, the Word of God is living and active and brings hope and healing. It really is the greatest gift.

“Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe. We are not called to be safe, we are simply promised that when we are in danger, God is right there with us. And there is no better place to be than in His hands.”

Street Child Newsletter

2011-11-19T08:09:00.000-05:00

This month the work in Honduras in featured in the MTW's Street Children newsletter, so I thought I would share it with you. Its much more impressive than my normal newsletter :)

Street Child Newsletter

Privacy

2011-11-17T00:35:00.001-05:00

When I first got to Honduras I felt really strongly about taking pictures and talking about kids and posting it on the internet. You may remember the surprisingly absent amount of pictures on my first blogposts about the kids coming to our house. I felt strongly that I wanted them to know that I wanted to know THEM… not just take their picture. And I wanted to protect them and their privacy.

Then life happened. It is just so easy when you live here and you love these kids and they seem like they are your family. And you want everyone at home to see their precious faces and love them the way that you do because a picture expresses a thousand words. It really does.

But I’m learning. What I want to do is not always best. Through my visits to childrens’ homes and the pavement project training, I was really convicted that for me I need to stick to my original train of thought. One thing that someone told me stuck out to me so much. She just reminded me that so many of these kids have suffered abuse and their abuser is still out there somewhere. I just want to be careful that I don’t put them in harms way for the sake of a picture.

I am telling you this not to force my convictions on anyone else. But rather, to explain. You probably won’t be seeing pictures of the Puerta de Esperanza girls on this blog. I feel more comfortable sending out pictures via email where they aren’t for all the world to see. So we’ll see how that goes later. But that’s why the nameless girl in the last post and the lack of pictures of her smiling face and the face of her precious daughter. You’ll just have to trust me that today they looked full of joy!

He is before ALL things…

2011-11-17T00:25:00.001-05:00

And in Him all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:17

This is the verse I read to a 15 year old girl at 9:20 this morning before we made our way back to La Ceiba. It’s a verse I’ve put on this blog before as it has really become a life verse for me. This morning I read it for my sake just as much as hers.

She is 15, has a 15 month old baby, was kicked out of the only home she’d ever known, spent time on the street, and is so fearful that no one will ever want her. She is insecure and timid because of where she has come from. But she is a good mom, a playful kid at heart, and wants desperately to make good choices for her life and the life of her daughter.

I am 28 with a huge job ahead of me. I have no idea what I’m doing or what steps to take next. I need a staff, girls, money, knowledge of the school system, more Spanish, and the list goes on. And then I have a personal life where my car is leaking power steering fluid and I spent more money than I wanted to on a yellow fever shot adventure. But I want to know more of Jesus, I want to serve Him and say yes when He calls. I want to pray more and feel anxious less. I want to learn to trust my Father.

And the Lord loves us. Both of us. And He holds us in His hands. And He goes before us in every step. And it is only because of Jesus that our lives don’t come crashing apart.

This morning I think we both felt peaceful. I know that I did. We both shed a few tears as I prayed and I know I shed more as the day went on. But we were reminded of our God who loved us and knows us and calls us each by name.

And here’s the best news. She wants a bedroom. Seriously, she fell in love with a bedroom with sunlight streaming in the window. And sitting on the bed after talking through all of her questions, this precious girl told me that she wants to be our first girl to live in the home and be a part of what God is doing there! She knows we don’t know what we’re doing yet… and she still has the courage and faith to jump in with us! Wow. I asked the Lord to bless us with easy girls at first to get our feet wet and He has more than answered. There will be bumps in the road, but I love this girl already. And also… today she ate pizza for the first time in her life. Can you imagine? And she loved it :)

Currency

2011-11-14T23:55:00.001-05:00

Let’s count it up…

Dollars, Lempira, Soles, Quetzales, Pesos

Yep, they’ve all been in my wallet in the past month. Sheesh.

But as of today I’m retired them all for the Lempira because I am HOME! Back in my house, in my bed, on my couch. I feel like I just sounded like the seagulls from Finding Nemo… “mine, mine, mine, mine, mine…” The honest thing is though… that’s how I feel! So glad to be HOME! And really so thankful in my heart that this place now really feels like HOME!

We did it!

2011-11-12T15:14:00.001-05:00

After an intense week of training, Kate and I are both certified by SGM lifewords to use their “Maletin Verde” and do counseling with at risk kids using the Pavement Project material!

Believe me… it’s a big deal :)

Here’s some pictures from the week… not great ones, but… whatever!

This is Kate doing her first practice counseling session

The famous maletin verde

Kate and I with our fellow MTW missionary Martha who works with street children in Mexico City. She was helping to lead the training and was able to tell us many stories of how the Lord has used this material in the lives of kids.

Here we are! Our fearless leaders and 8 participants armed with our new supplies.

It was a BLESSING to meet all of these ladies and get another glimpse of all that the Lord is doing to draw people to Himself around the world. All these women work with kids at risk and the Lord has given them a real love for Him and for His Word.

Best news of all… armed with my yellow fever vaccine card… I’m going home! I’ll be back in Honduras tonight :)

On humility

2011-11-09T21:31:00.001-05:00

If you ask any of my friends they can tell you… I have a life motto.

“If you’re not good at something, just don’t do it.”

Its true. I have lived by that motto… until moving to a Spanish speaking country. There is nothing more humbling than being in “Spanish Kindergarten” as I took to calling language school. Well, I thought there wasn’t anything more humbling. But here I am.

This training has challenged me to the end of my language ability, but also to the core of my heart and who I am. I realized, again, how prideful I am. I have found myself thinking over and over again… if only this was in English, I could do it so easily. Well praise the Lord that it isn’t because I would have been missing the point.

Tomorrow I have to do a counseling session with a kid that I have never met before while 8 national Spanish speakers and 2 fluent gringas watch me on a TV screen. Really?!? Awesome. Lets take all the things that are hard for me and squeeze them into one 45 minute session. Great.

But it will be great. I have had to pray and rely on the Lord this week so much. I know that the words that I speak will be His words, and the work that happens in the life of this child will be His work. If he wants me to speak clearly, I will. And none of it by my own strength.

So, I concede to doing something things that is not a strength and just pray that God will get the glory. You can pray too… you know… if you want. :)

We’re official

2011-11-09T21:16:00.001-05:00

There are so many different steps to making Puerta de Esperanza official in all the different facets. But, we made a huge leap this week because we are now officially an MTW project! We have an account number and everything.

This is good news because it means that people can now give funds directly to Puerta de Esperanza.

I’m reading a book called “Kisses from Katie”. Soon you’ll be getting so many quotes from it on this blog that you might as well read it yourself. But I don’t have enough time for that right now. :) But she is a missionary in Uganda and talks about fundraising. I must admit… she has a MUCH better attitude about it than I do. But I’m going to try to learn from her.

I do value the opportunity to share what the Lord is doing in Honduras and in the lives of girls that I am already meeting. But more than that, in this step of the process, I would love to be able to share with you and blow you away with how the Lord has already provided so much of what we need. And I want to petition you to pray that the Lord would provide the staff that I need and the girls who need to live there. And please pray that I will trust the Lord’s timing and His plan and that I would give up my striving to just follow in His leading. To me these prayers are so much more valuable at this moment than your finances.

And yet, we need finances as well. I just had to turn in a budget and its more money than we have right now. The girls didn’t move in in October like I thought they would b/c that was not the Lord’s timing. So there is no one helping with the bills. I’m more convinced than ever that we need to hire a physiologist and a social worker to be part-time and I wasn’t planning on that. So… we do have financial needs.

Please pray for us! And please consider giving monetarily. If you’re interested or if you want to know more, please email me at ssinnes@gmail.com. And if you want to give… here is the info you need.

Click here and put in this project account number when you give #92413.

Thank you thank you thank you :)

Quick update…

2011-11-07T22:31:00.001-05:00

My life is so crazy these days that I want to apologize for my lack of blogging but its honestly b/c I have had no other choice. And I’m without internet most of the week… so it will be awhile before I can post again. But when I do, it will probably lots stored up :) I have so much I want to say. For now, here’s this…

Just wanted to give you all an update. Kate and I just finished our first full day of training in Mexico City for the pavement project. This program is AWESOME! And we cannot wait to implement it in Honduras. I for one am so thankful for the Lord's blessing today on my Spanish. I was able to understand about 95% of what was being said, and that's awesome. I've really been praying for the Lord to open my ears b/c I've been nervous that my Spanish isn't good enough. If anything has been impressed upon me in the last 3 weeks of traveling, visiting sites, and learning it would be this. Jesus is the most important thing. Without a doubt, He is doing it, He is changing hearts. And I have to trust Him... so much more than I have been trusting Him. And I have to pray every morning that I will stop doings things according to my plan and just say yes to what He has for me that day. So... when you read this, please just pray for us. Pray that we will soak up everything that we need to learn. But more importantly that we will trust Jesus, and trust the precious children that we will be working with to Him, and that we will learn to stop striving and just say YES to what the Lord has for us to do. Thanks so much for your love and support.

Back to your regularly scheduled life…

2011-10-31T16:26:00.001-04:00

After a week in Guatemala, I’m now back to my regularly scheduled life. :) I was supposed to arrive yesterday to Guatemala to spend a few days with the Messicks before heading on to Mexico City. So, here I am! We will be heading to the city Wednesday to stop by Antigua and then get me to my flight on time on Thursday morning.

This week has been stretching in so many ways. I’m a control freak (no surprise if you know me at all!) and I always have a plan. This past week totally threw off my groove. And then I got bronchitis… awesome. And the Messicks just found out that they are moving back to Colorado in 2 WEEKS! So we’ve had garage sales and times for them to say goodbye and lots of stress and tears all around.

All that to say… the Lord has had a lot to teach me. I’ve been constantly reminded of His goodness and grace and provision. But also reminded that I am selfish and consumed with my life and my schedule. Basically I need Jesus. Sometimes I just really need that reminder.

From Guatemala City I will be heading on to Mexico City to visit MTW’s street children’s centers in Acapulco and attend the week long training for the “Pavement Project”. I am so excited and so nervous about this coming week of training. I’m worried my Spanish isn’t good enough, that I won’t have the right clothes (dumb I know, but I’m still packed for cold Peru), that I won’t be able to pay attention for 8 straight hours in Spanish, that no one will be able to understand me in our practice counseling sessions, etc. So please pray. Pray that the Lord will give me peace and speak through me. This is so important and really lays the foundation for one of the main ways I’ll be sharing the Gospel with the girls in Puerta de Esperanza. I feel the weight of that as I so desperately want them to know Jesus. But I also know that it isn’t anything that I will say or do that will win them to Jesus, only His grace can do that. Praise the Lord!

A Bend in the Road

2011-10-28T00:29:00.001-04:00

My most recent unexpected bend in the road has me sitting here in Guatemala doing lots of administration stuff that I can do via internet and making some progress on boring stuff that I have to get done for Puerta de Esperanza. So, maybe it’s a blessing in disguise?

I still miss my bed, my kitchen, my life, my normal.

But I’m excited to spend some time playing Monopoly with the boys, dress-up with Taylah, taking pictures, reading with Micah, playing in the hose, doing haircuts, swinging on the hammock, and just really enjoying one of my favorite families. I’ve missed them.

So here are some pictures for you of our time…

And as I walk with this family through a hard time of transition in their lives, it is a constant reminder to me that the Lord is a provider. He is reminding us of that over and over again as He shows us how He is going to meet each one of their needs.

Newsletter - October 2011

2011-10-26T13:41:00.000-04:00

October 2011

Just zoom

2011-10-26T09:10:00.001-04:00

Elijah (3yrs) : You have black pajama pants with spots. Do you have more pajama pants?
Me: Yep… but they are in Honduras, not here in Guatemala
Elijah: Oh, well you can get them when daddy takes you to get your bathing suit.
Me: Elijah, that would be really nice, but my house is so far away from here.
Elijah: Its okay… you can just zoom.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Downfall of being a laid-back traveler

2011-10-24T00:04:00.001-04:00

I have been in Cusco for the past few days visiting the Josephine house and getting to see some really sweet friends!

This morning I told Kristen that I was a laid-back traveler these days. That is what comes from being on a plane all the time. You stop thinking you have to be at the airport quite so early, you don’t stand up the first time they call boarding for your flight, you forget to clarify if you need a visa so that you nearly have a heart attack at the airport.

Well… I think my laid back traveling days are over because tonight, instead of being back in Honduras, I’m stuck in Guatemala City. And I won’t be home until November the 12th. What in the world?!? I did not pack or prepare to be gone for almost a month.

Apparently Honduras is the only country in central or north america where you have to have the yellow fever shot coming back from Peru… 10 days before you can come back in! I found this out at the check-in counter on my way home. Awesome. And totally my fault for not researching it.

I’ll admit there was freaking out, and a few (okay a lot of) tears. 10 days from today I’m supposed to be at a training in Mexico City for the pavement project, which complicated things even more.

So here I am, in a hotel, in Guatemala City. I’m so thankful for the kindness of the Messicks who are going to house me and hang out with me so I don’t go crazy with loneliness over the next week. And ultimately, my time in Lima gave me tons to think through and process and there are so many things I can start on from here. So it should even be productive.

And it just shouldn’t matter that much that I’m not sleeping in my own bed or that I have to wear the same clothes all month… I think I will believe that in the morning :)

Starbucks makes me homesick

2011-10-20T10:25:00.001-04:00

This morning I sat in a Starbucks for the first time in a long time. I had a jacket on, which is rare these days, and a hot chocolate in my hand. There was American music playing in English and the people at the table next to me were speaking English. I had my Bible and journal in front of me and I felt like I was home.

It didn’t make me sad, I think it just felt peaceful and familiar and I loved that. :)

Worth it

2011-10-19T21:20:00.001-04:00

This afternoon a baby fell asleep on my lap. There are few things in the world that I love more than having a little one trust me so completely to just sleep while I cuddle with him.

I have loved my time here visiting and learning about the House of Glory. I have been picking Amanda’s brain non-stop and she has been so patient. There are a thousand questions running through my mind non-stop… “What things did you do that you wish you hadn’t done when you started?” “What didn’t you do that you should have?” “How do you discipline?” “What kind of skills do you teach?” “Are the babies on a schedule?”… the list goes on and on and on. I have questions about staff and girls and social services. I just realize how little I know.

And paperwork… they have tons of it. I’ve maybe typed up 5 things total pertaining to Puerta de Esperanza. I’m nowhere near having a manual!

So… I’m overwhelmed. There is so much to be done.

But there is so much redemption. This is the theme of what I have seen in this place. The Lord has done amazing things! Right now there are 3 girls living in the home. I was talking to one of them today and she told me that none of them came into the home knowing God, but all have accepted Him as their Savior. They are passionate about the Lord and excited to share the Gospel. They go to an evangelism class at church and really love it. They share the Gospel with teachers and their families. They pray that their abusers would come to know Christ. Wow. Redemption. There is no other word for it. Only the grace of God can change hearts in such a radical way.

These girls come in angry and fearful, scared and hardened and then the love of Christ enters their hearts. And they are changed. Its amazing.

They were excited to hear that there will be a home like this in Honduras. One of the girls told me that she would tell any girl who had the opportunity to live there to go… she said, “I would tell her that it would change her life. She will be loved and supported and learn about Christ. And coming to know God is the most important thing.”

Its worth it. All the feelings of being overwhelmed, all the paperwork and the decisions. All the anxiety and fear. Its worth it.

Please please pray. I’m overwhelmed. Pray for personnel who love Jesus and will love these girls. Pray for a Social worker who loves the Lord and a physiologist as well who can work with them. Pray for a house abuela who can love them without getting burnt out. Pray for so much wisdom and discernment for me as I seek to form a team to do this ministry. Pray for all our paperwork to go through by the first of December. And pray that the Lord would bring girls!

Accent

2011-10-19T12:26:00.000-04:00

Last night I got laughed at for my Honduran accent... Hmm I didn't know I had one, but it makes me excited! Apparently my Spanish is more sing-songy than the monotone Spanish of Lima. Interesting...

One of many things I learned yesterday, and probably the least important:)

Great Opportunity

2011-10-18T09:49:00.001-04:00

I’m wearing sweatpants :) And I love it.

This morning finds me in Lima, Peru visiting with MTW missionaries the Rosses. I’m so thankful for their generosity to let me stay with them and share with me the wisdom that they have. The Rosses started a girl’s home here for pregnant girls and young moms called “House of Glory”. It is the most similar thing that MTW does to what I’ll be doing in La Ceiba with “Puerta de Esperanza”. And you want to hear the best news… they didn’t really know what they were doing when they started either? So there is hope :)

I’m really thankful for this opportunity to go visit their girls, learn how the home functions, what kind of rules they have, how counseling with the girls works, etc. It is going to be so helpful.

Please pray for my time here. Pray that the Lord gives me vision and wisdom for the future in La Ceiba. Pray that I will feel renewed and excited about the work that He is doing and will do. Pray that I will return to La Ceiba and see that He has been at work in my absence preparing an abuela for the house and the girls that will live there. I’m praying that he brings these people into my life in the next month.

Thanks for caring what is going on here and lifting me up to the Lord. I know that He is doing this and moving us forward. And I know that know very little about what I’m doing :) So… keep praying!

Panic Attack

2011-10-17T07:46:00.000-04:00

Me: good morning
Taco lady: good morning where are you headed?
Me: Lima, Peru
Taco lady: do you have your visa?
Me: ummm no, what? Don't I get it when I get here?

And then I started freaking out...

Taca lady: let me check. (minutes tick by) Okay seat or aisle...
Me: wait what about the visa?
Taco lady: oh sorry... You don't need one.

Nothing like a heart attack to wake you up at 5:15 in he morning.

To be known…

2011-10-16T23:14:00.001-04:00

This week I had a dream that one of my close friends told me they hated me. I woke up knowing that it wasn’t true… but it struck a chord.

Maybe it’s a lack of time with Jesus, maybe it’s a lack of faith, maybe it’s human nature.

I want to be known, and loved. I want to know that I’m not forgotten about while I’m off living in a foreign country. I want to know that when people do things that I used to be a part of that they notice the fact that I’m not there. I want someone to eat a fried dough at the fair in my honor, I want someone to say that the Thanksgiving gravy doesn’t taste as good b/c I wasn’t there to make it. Maybe I’m selfish.

But I think it’s who I am and the Lord knows that. He knows it because He put it there inside of me. And He reminds me that He knows me… and loves me… better than I know. He knew that I would need Him because people wouldn’t be enough to fill that need that I have to be loved.

And then… not only did He look at me, see all my mess, know me perfectly and choose to love me… He also gave me blessings, and so many of them. A friend who reminds me that she doesn’t hate me, but really loves and cares. A family who comes and invests their lives to know my life and share it with me. A grandma who prays for me every morning. Friends who put up with skype when the internet is terrible just to be able to get caught up. People who support me with money, prayers, cards, emails.

I think the Lord knew that every once in awhile I would need someone with skin on… He is good to me.

Its really happening…

2011-10-16T22:59:00.001-04:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you… to everyone who donated stuff, bought stuff, or gave money to help with the proceeds of nan’s yard sale. Puerta de Esperanza is really happening! Look at all this fun stuff we were able to buy!

Refrigerator, stove, washing machine outside…

Kitchen stuff!

My favorite part :)

beds beds beds

2011-10-16T22:51:00.001-04:00

About a month ago I called dad and asked if he and Rick could build beds when they came down to visit. I really wanted each girl to be able to have a bed/dresser that they would use in the home and then be able to take with them when they leave. Most of these girls have never slept on a good bed with a real mattress before, much less had anything to call their own. So, a plan was born.

Don’t they look awesome? And everyone also gets a bookcase! Love it. Thanks dad and Rick for all your hard work! (and John, and Xan, and Jeffri, and mom, and Patti…) :)

Nan in Honduras

2011-10-16T22:24:00.001-04:00

It was only the second time she has ever left the country. Lets be honest… nan has friends all over the world and could travel just about anywhere and have a place to stay. I mean, she even has people that would probably pay for her to come if she would just give the word. But… I think I must just be her favorite of them all because last week found my grandmother here in Honduras. :)

I know it killed her to not be able to talk to the kids. Although she was making good use of her Spanish… “Donde esta el bano?” And she made a great effort with all the other phrases I wrote down for her as well. And I will say, the Bette McGee look translates because I think even little Honduran kids knew when they were being disobedient just by one look at her face.

Here are some favorite moments caught on film… well… disk.

Helping Erin at kid’s club

Some of the kids who come to the house in the mornings

The beach of course!

Sorting things at Puerta de Esperanza

So excited about all the stuff we were able to get with the yardsale money!

priorities

2011-10-13T00:32:00.001-04:00

I guess the blog gets a backseat when family is in town :)

There are so many reasons I love having my family here, you would be bored if I told you all of them. But I’ll tell you just a few. I love that my mom and dad have been learning some Spanish and are not afraid to try it out with all the kids. Mom is actually confident enough to go in stores and do things on her own! They do dishes, feed kids, play games, help cook, fold laundry, and they know me. They came during rainy season so mom decided I needed a dryer, and bought me one. Dad has fixed everything in the house and car stuff because he is amazing and I wish he lived nearby all the time. Nan is frustrated that she can’t talk to the kids, but just keeps loving on them all the same. She is full of energy for cooking and shopping and she is excited to the point of tears over the way things are coming along for the house! Xan is a good sport and helped build beds and bookcases and shopped with us today… and of course beat us all at Ticket to Ride last night.

I am SO BLESSED that my family loved me, but more than that loves Jesus and supports what I am doing here. I am so thankful for their servant’s hearts, their loving support, and their love for the Lord that comes out in everything that they do.

Here are some more pictures… more to come! Please note… we have girls! There are now some sweet little girls coming to our house in the mornings… we really love them :)

A glimpse of our week

2011-10-06T02:55:00.001-04:00

Sunday night Mom, Dad, Rick, and Patti arrived in La Ceiba to a dinner of pupusas from a new found restaurant… they arrived without all of their luggage, but it has since been recovered.

Monday the guys went straight to work with John getting started building beds for Puerta de Esperanza. They have been working near 12 hour days to get these beds done. Each girl will have a bed/dresser that they made. Here is the work in progress. They look awesome and the mattresses should arrive tomorrow.

Monday night we were able to give the Clow girls some fun birthday surprises! Becca got a massage table that Patti brought and massage lessons all week. And Abi got a new sewing machine and sewing lessons from my mom. She’s already working on a new skirt!

Tuesday I woke up to this game happening on the dining room floor. I’m not sure the rules were ever spoken out loud, only communicated through actions… but everyone got to play.

Then the boys went over to help with the bed construction for a little while… and ended up helping some and doing a little bit of playing…

Yesterday and today, Caitlin, mom, Patti, and I did lots of shopping for stuff for the house, errand running, and loving on boys. And mom and Patti are teaching their afternoon classes of course.

We are tired, but really enjoying our time together! And getting lots done all at the same time :)

Here we are!

2011-10-05T09:49:00.001-04:00

Our team was finally all in the same place at the same time last week. Well, that’s not exactly true :) We now have one new family on our team who is starting support raising and another family that just needs a site visit before they’re official.

But the rest of us were here! And by Christmas we will all be living in Honduras together :)

The new faces are Kate Defuniak and Mike and Ashley Troxell

Its that time…

2011-10-05T00:55:00.001-04:00

Time to start thinking about a new school year. I know you’re thinking “school just started”, but not in Honduras. We are currently collecting school supplies for kids in Armenia Bonito who can’t afford them. They kick off school in February, so we need supplies before December 31st to have time to sort and hand them out. If you’re interested in helping, please mail donations to…

Mike & Erin Pettengill
P.O. Box 1090
La Ceiba, Atlantida
Honduras
Central America

It takes a village…

2011-10-05T00:44:00.001-04:00

Some people say it takes a village to raise a child. And I think its true. I am so thankful for the many people that supported my mom and dad as we were growing up. They really were like second parents to me and loved on me, taught me, and showed me Jesus.

I say this right now because my team is looking for some volunteers to come and help with our team’s kids. I am not personally raising children here, but I can see from the outside that it can be difficult to raise kids outside of a big church (as in bigger than 3 families), safe neighborhood community, or extended family. And sometimes we get sad for the kids that they are missing out on things like Sunday school and youth group. We know that the Lord has put together our team, including these precious kids, and this is exactly where they need to be. And we are also interested in their Spiritual growth.

All that to say… Team Honduras wants to host a VBS for our kids! Mike had a great idea to try to bring someone down with leftover VBS material to run a VBS for our 5 Missionary kids. It needs to be December 19-22 when they are out of school. Let me know if you are interested!

Forced Family Fun

2011-10-03T08:10:00.001-04:00

This is what we used to say when mom and dad would make us do things with the family that we didn’t want to do… play a family game, eat dinner together, whatever. But I think we usually secretly loved it.

I could not be more thankful for my family, extended family, and psuedo family. Yesterday Patti said, about me, “yeah we helped raise her”. And its true. They did. And so did about 8 of my other favorite people in the world. Not everyone can say that they have so many second sets of parents!

All that to say… I’m so excited that my family is here in Honduras to visit, safe and sound and ready to work and help me get the girls’ home ready. Mom, Dad, Rick, and Patti are here for the week. Dad and Rick will set out with John early this morning to get a good start. So pray for us this week as we are diligently working on getting beds made and appliances bought and all that stuff that you need to live in a house.

Family picture from Christmas

Oh the bonding…

2011-10-03T07:38:00.001-04:00

I am so thankful for these women.

Last week we were all in the same place at the same time for the first time ever. And it was great. Mike gave us a gift… some time off from ministry to refresh and rejuvenate, study the Word together, and just grow in unity and purpose through a time of fellowship and getting to know each other. I would go so far as to say that it was much needed. And I know I can say that we all loved it. The new faces are Ashley (in the back) and Kate (front row). Ashley and her husband are finishing up language school and will get here in December. Kate is coming in about 6 weeks and will be my roommate!

In all honesty I’ll admit that the first afternoon we were away I was anti-social and napped for 2 1/2 hours. If you know me, you know that is super weird. But I guess I really needed it! And I feel much better now :)

I’m just so thankful for the team that the Lord has brought here to La Ceiba. I am truly blessed to be a part of it.

Rest

2011-09-26T00:51:00.001-04:00

The Lord is good and knows exactly what we need. Its true. He knows my breaking point and when I need some time to be and rest and not have the doorbell ringing or papers to fill out or meetings to go to or hungry mouths to feed.

Tomorrow I am going on a retreat with the women on my team. Its such a huge blessing that we can all be here together, even those who aren’t on the field yet. Kate is here and Ashley is here and Erin and Kathy… its going to be great. And with all those amazing women, I think I’m going to need one afternoon to talk to no one at all. Yep, I need it.

I have been preparing for the session that I will share this week with my teammates and I was assigned the topic of the Lord’s sovereignty and perfect will. Light and easy :) But its been so good for me to prepare. I’ve been reminded of the Lord’s character and His great goodness to His children. What a blessing it is to be called a child of God and to be able to delight in knowing the Father.

Its been an overwhelming week. We’re in transition like crazy and I’m preparing for a really busy fall. We have more boys coming to our door every day and are trying to seek the Lord’s wisdom in every step that we take with them. There is so much to do and teach and get set up for the boys at the house, Puerta de Esperanza, etc. etc. But I have to say…

I love my life and wouldn’t trade it for a thing. Yesterday I paid three of the boys $1.50 to wash my car. We had to run by the mall on an errand and the boys saw ice cream for sale for about 45 cents and were so excited to use their hard-earned money to buy some! Except that one of the boys with us hadn’t been there for the car washing and was just standing by my side as others ate their deliciousness. Well, not much time passed before Jeffrey noticed Jose’s plight and without so much as a word handed him the other part of his money to go buy ice cream. I could not have been more proud.

I want these precious boys to know Jesus and to want to give their lives away for each other and love each other the way that the Lord has loved them. And its starting… we see glimpses. Tonight we took 8 of them to church with us. And people think we’re crazy I’m pretty sure. Anytime they see the gringa girls with a car-load of Honduran boys. But we’ll take the title if it means we get to love on these kids and talk to them about Jesus.

All to say. I love my life. But I’m overwhelmed and so thankful for a break :) I’m praying for rest and good time with Jesus this week! And I’m so thankful for those of you who read this blog and keep up with our crazy life here.

Goodbye to Bethany

2011-09-25T10:55:00.001-04:00

Although TACA tried everything to keep Bethany in the country (you would have thought we were paying them to cancel the flights), she flew out yesterday to return to life in the US. It was a stressful couple of days trying to get flights sorted out, but in the end she got home safely with all her bags and big hugs from her family.

Leili and Sairi came to town on Wednesday to help us shop for baby stuff for Puerta de Esperanza. It was a huge help because they know exactly what the necessities are for having a baby here. Afterwards, we took some goodbye pictures.

I know all the kids are going to miss Bethany. She has really invested in the girls in Armenia, but also in the boys that come to our house every day. The boys are already talking about talking to her on the computer (they think skype is the best thing ever and I agree!). I’m really going to miss Bethany’s sweet spirit and servant heart that balanced me out so well in the time that we were roommates! She’s a blessing, no doubt about it. :)

Wendy’s Dance Party

2011-09-23T22:59:00.001-04:00

Remember how I always talk about Jeffri and Kevin? Well… I’d like you to meet Kevin and his real personality that we’ve seen come out in the last couple days.

The funniest part is that he was dancing in time to the music playing in Wendys, you just can’t hear it in the video :)

This was our goodbye breakfast for Bethany this morning. We took Jeffri, Kevin, Ever, and Christopher with us to Wendys and the airport to say goodbye to Bethany. But her flight was cancelled, so we get one more night with her :)

The Pit

2011-09-21T09:19:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I, not so affectionately, named my car. I’m not really a naming kind of person for inanimate objects, but this one is so fitting that I just cannot help myself.

Introducing… “The Pit”

As in, the money pit.

Seriously… as I was sitting on the side of the road again yesterday waiting for the mechanic to come rescue me, I found myself really asking the Lord what the lesson is that he would have me to learn in the face of constant car repairs and a dwindling bank account. I’m ready to learn it and move on.

Or could it be that the Lord is working to bring my mechanic into the family of God and this is just a very expensive evangelism experience?

I will say. I’ve taken quite a hit financially and emotionally while dealing with this car that seems to be in the shop once a week. It really makes me anxious whenever I hear a pop or a squeal or see smoke rising from the hood. How much is it going to cost this time? When is this going to end?

Although maybe I’m getting used to it… yesterday all I could think of while I sat baking by the side of the road was…
“Why did I take this compost from Erin’s house? Is this basil plant worth it? It smells SO bad in here!” :)

All that to say… please pray. It has been one thing after another with “The Pit” and I am just praying that the Lord would allow me to trust Him to provide for all of my needs. And praying that the Lord would send mechanic-type angels to guard all the working parts and keep us out of the shop for awhile.

So very proud!

2011-09-21T09:18:00.001-04:00

I’m like a proud mama. This was the best part of yesterday…

Sadly, I taught Christopher to spell his name in a very English fashion and didn’t realize it ‘till it was too late. I’m pretty sure its more like Cristofer. But I’m not sure…

And also Caitlin was a hero and brought this home…

So a close second to the best part of the day was our 3 on 2 soccer game in the garage :)

Revolving Door

2011-09-20T01:16:00.001-04:00

I think the reality is… I don’t know any other way to be. My family has shown me an amazing example of what hospitality looks like and I think its just ingrained in my heart. One of the most frustrating things about my time in Costa Rica was not having a home where I could invite people in and cook them and meal and just visit and be together. I am LOVING that about living here in Honduras.

Recently the Lord blessed us with an amazing house. The spaces are perfect and exactly what we needed. There is plenty of space in the kitchen for multiple cooks, not to mention little hands trying to help and/or supervise. There is a good dining room with a table for playing bananagrams or Uno or Jungle Speed. Today the living room was a cinema, a schoolroom, and a place to rest all the in the space of two hours. The garage is huge and this week its been a dining room and a place to take a nap when it’s the safest place that tired street children have to go. And the upstairs… well, that’s mostly ours. :)

The Lord just keeps bringing kids to our door. New kids every week, sometimes every day. Right now we have 7 regulars and then the others who come by at times. All boys for now. I’d love to have a little girl to hang out with, but maybe the Lord knows she couldn’t take all the boys! We have 4 that went to church with us Sunday, for 3 of them it was their third time. I just found out there is a Sunday school program, so I’m going to see if they are willing to try it next week… but they might rather sit with us.

I’m determined that apart from learning about Jesus, learning to read and write is one of the most important things that these boys can learn. So to that end, I bought some school books. I don’t teach elementary school, never have. I don’t really know what I’m doing. But today we wrote letters and tried to learn all of the letter names. The boys today were 10,11, and 13 who were learning. Can you imagine not being able to write your own name by that age? I need some pencils… mechanical pencils don’t cut it when you’re learning to write. Found that out today. Also found out drawing circles and straight lines has to be taught. So that’s the next order of business.

You can pray for me. I’m overwhelmed. I cannot possibly teach these kids all that I want them to know. I cannot possibly give them all the attention that they crave and ever get another thing done in life. And then I’m a little overwhelmed in my personal life with a hectic fall schedule, finances, and so much transition. But… there are so many things that I know.

I know that the Lord is GOOD and perfect in His timing. I know that every day he brings these boys to our gate for a purpose. I know that ultimately their hearts are in His hands. And beyond that… their education and emotional state and family life… that’s all in His hands too. And I know that He is using us. Even on the days that I feel I haven’t done enough… its true. But He is using us and He is doing it… everything that needs to be done. And He has ALWAYS proven Himself faithful.

So tonight I can go to bed and rest and trust that the Lord is enough.

Welcome to Honduras Caitlin!

2011-09-17T22:36:00.001-04:00

Its possible that we were more excited about finding funfetti cake and rainbow sprinkle icing in Honduras than Caitlin was about eating it. But Bethany I have been saving this treat for a special day. And this was definitely it!

We are so excited that Caitlin is here to love on the people of Honduras with us! She’ll be working a boy’s home in Armenia Bonito and a small private school.

One of my favorite things about new people coming to Honduras is hearing all their random insights about things that have become so normal to us :) So… to hear from Caitlin’s point of view, you can read her blog.

The man with the giant umbrella

2011-09-17T22:28:00.001-04:00

Thanks to my new camera that Caitlin brought down for me

I was able to document the following…

Yes, he is walking us to the car holding a lawn umbrella so we didn’t get wet. Very thoughtful… so random. Where did that even come from? I paid him 50 cents. Although, he speaks PERFECT English and should really go and get a real job.

Sidenote: Randomly, Caitlin and I have exactly the same camera, down to the color. I spent 4 hours researching mine and she picked out the one she liked best at Walmart. In the end, I think we both made a good choice.

No I will not marry you…

2011-09-16T21:20:00.001-04:00

Today Caitlin got to Honduras! And I got a marriage proposal. It was a big day.

On the way to the airport I got stopped by the police because I didn’t have my front plate on my car, but I had it in my car, I think that should count. He didn’t care about that, but did inform me that my registration was expired, but told me to just go pay it at the bank, no big deal.

On the way home from the airport I got stopped by the police because I was going to drive through their cones (which I was not going to do, by the way). So he also tells me that my registration is expired and makes a huge deal out of it. Tells me I’m going to have to leave my car there until I pay for it. Tells me that it will be super expensive… and about 99 other things I didn’t understand. Then he gets bored waiting for the other guy so decides to look around in the back at all of our suitcases and pricesmart food… awesome. So we get to talking and he’s being super nice. He wants to learn English, wants to go to the states. So, of course, he has a proposition.

“You could help us get to the states.”
”I live here in Honduras for the next couple of years”
”Well, after that”
”How would I help you”
”Well…… you’re single so you could marry one of us”
”I don’t think so”

Yeah… I’d rather pay the ticket. Which I did not end up getting. I paid them $15 to put gas in their car and they let me go.

Poor Caitlin was in the car sweating the whole time. But they did try to get her to help us communicate b/c apparently she looks Honduran… it was a great welcome to the country :)

Before and After

2011-09-13T00:53:00.001-04:00

One thing that I find interesting about working in the areas we do here in Honduras is the before and after pictures. If you could see these girls on a day to day basis, they look nothing like this. They don’t have their hair up or make-up on, they are wearing old worn-out clothes that look like pulling one loose string might unravel the whole thing. But when its time to go downtown… well, this happens…

On the other hand… maybe its not such an anomaly… I mean my favorite clothes are my pajamas and my old worn out grey sweat pants. I just have to leave the house too often to stay in them all day… well most days :)

Anyway… back to the point. Meet Dunea. The girl on the right in this picture is one of the girls that I’ve been talking to about joining Puerta de Esperanza. I almost didn’t write this post to introduce her, because I have no idea whether or not she will end up walking this road with us. But I decided that whether or not you ever hear her name again, you can pray for her and the sweet little baby that will soon be making an appearance. She’s convinced it’s a girl… but never having had an ultrasound makes that a little hard to confirm :)

If I could show you a picture of her house and the other kids who live there you would understand that this picture doesn’t do her situation justice. They are suffering malnutrition and neglect. They have never been to school and cannot read or write. Their moms have less than honorable professions and are never around. And she’s supposed to figure out how to be a mom herself in the middle of all of this? It’s a cycle… a terrible one.

So we talked a lot today about an opportunity for change and a different life. But when you’re living the life that you’ve always known in the house that you’ve always lived in its hard to see that you could have anything else. Our whole conversation reminded me of this CS Lewis quote…

“Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

And I know that this is my life. I am slow to give up what I know to follow the Lord in complete obedience trusting that what He has for me is so much better.

So I get it. I know the fear. But I do pray that the Lord would lead Dunea to whatever He has for her, whether that be Puerta de Esperanza or not. But more than anything that she would know HIM and learn to give up the life she knows to experience infinite joy!

Church

2011-09-11T10:56:00.001-04:00

Last Sunday I was in my room getting ready for church when I heard a familiar shout outside the front gate… “Buenas!” There were Jeffrey and Kevin waiting to talk, get some food, and hang out with us. We didn’t have much time, so I gave them food and invited them to go to church with us. They came, and really loved it.

I think this was a turning point in our relationship with them as we showed them that we wanted them to really enter into our lives. Its has led to dinners around our dining room table, games of uno, paper airplanes, and requests for a return visit to church.

So tonight the group is growing and Kevin’s brother Ever is joining us for church. They have asked about at least 3 times… “what time are you coming?” “We’ll see you tomorrow for church right?'” I love it. I love that they are excited about going to church and that they get to hear the Word preached in their heart language and see that people in their city love Jesus and worship the Lord. So pray for the Gospel to penetrate and for them to really know the Lord in a personal way.

New House!!

2011-09-10T16:46:00.001-04:00

We’re settled :) Its so nice to be in our new house and feel like it is really home. Its safe and in a quiet neighborhood. And its cooler than our last house! What more could you want?

So here are some pictures so that you can get an idea of our new place…

Living room where we can actually enjoy our old-school box TV. In the old house you had to turn it up so loud to hear it that it was scratchy all the time.

For the first time in a year and a half I got to hang these verses back up on the wall… they are 5 of my favorites, my most favorite being… “I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free!” Psalm 119:32

Of course, the hammock and the huge garage!

We’re obsessed with the nice big kitchen where we can both cook at the same time without bumping elbows…

Dining room and Bethany talking on skype

Attempted creativity hanging trivets on the wall

Upstairs office/music room/miscellaneous… basically we don’t have furniture for this room, so it holds everything that doesn’t have another place to go :)

My bedroom! Mama J… please note the starry host blanket that you made me forever ago. Its is still well loved and used every night… sadly its starting to wear holes in it, but I just can’t stand to let it go!

Things I know about myself… I’m not a home decorator, or a good home photographer, or good at cleaning up the house for pictures :) But you get the general idea!

Yard Sale

2011-09-10T15:12:00.001-04:00

This is for all of my blog readers in NC…

Nan, my wonderful grandma…

is putting on a yard sale THIS WEEK to raise money for…

We are going to use the proceeds to furnish the first home here which will hopefully open in mid-November. And… my grandma will actually be here in October to help me buy things and make curtains and all that fun stuff! I’m really excited for her visit :)

But… all that to say… if anyone who lives near Cary is interested in helping, please consider doing one of the following.

1. Donate stuff! They are taking donations throughout the week, but also on Friday after 9:30AM at Peace Church (1777 W Chatham Rd. Cary, NC 27513).

2. Help at the yard sale or help price things on Friday

3. Buy stuff! The sale will be this Saturday, September 17th, at Peace Church (address above) from 8AM-1PM.

I know they have some beds, bookcases, dressers, couches, etc. as well as small stuff. I’m excited… wish I could be there!

*** sidenote… I really need to collect another pack and play for the home that they can bring down when they come. So if anyone has a pack and play that they don’t use anymore, please consider donating it. Thanks!

Back in my comfort zone…

2011-09-09T00:25:00.001-04:00

Who would ever think that being surrounded by 11-14 year old girls could ever be someone’s comfort zone once they have passed that terribly awkward stage of life. But surprisingly, it’s mine :) 5 years in youth ministry and I just really love these girls. I have missed teaching Bible studies more than I realized. It just love seeing the looks on their faces when something clicks for the first time and I love getting to know them and see them realize that God wants to be a very real part of their lives.

So… change cultures… but I’m back in my comfort zone, although Spanish is far from being comfortable. I’m doing a 4 week Bible study this month with these 8 girls where we have banned Abby and Bekah and I from speaking any English. Its been so much fun! We are going through a study on the character of God and how our lives are changed by what we believe to be true about the Lord.

We will be trying to get a better picture :)

Over the last two weeks I’ve also… learned a Spanish version of Pig Latin (FYI, I thought my Spanish skills had regressed to nothing when I couldn’t understand a word they were saying!), taken a very teenage trip to the mall riding escalators up and down about 8 times, and gotten set up with a pro-soccer player. Yep… back in the comfort zone :)

The Big Move

2011-09-07T13:41:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Bethany and I moved into our new house. We are SOOO thankful for our teammates who helped us all morning move all our stuff from one place to another. With 2 trucks and 1 SUV it took about 4 trips and we were done by lunch. YAY!

Bethany and I spent the rest of the day unpacking and we’re almost done now :) We’re starting to really feel settled and enjoy our new house. We love all the windows and nice breeze that we get and the big kitchen!

These are three of our kids who we love! Jeffrey and Kevin and Ever helped take a first load over on Monday and then spent the day helping us on Tuesday as well. We’ve been spending more and more time with these boys and are getting to see more of their personalities come out! It was really fun to see them interact with the men on our team yesterday because they don’t have good male role models in their lives. So keep praying for these guys!

Unexpected Friends

2011-09-04T13:46:00.001-04:00

Bethany and I were pleased to realize on Friday that we have friends in this city. We were driving through the neighborhood when we saw some of our friends out and about collecting bottles. How exciting that Erin had just given us a load and we could stop right then and give these boys a bag of bottles to add to their collection. We kept on driving and saw our friend Jeffrey with the guys who always go car to car asking for money at the stoplight. His face lit up when we rolled down the window to say hello and offer him some work this week. Then yesterday we were driving one of the kids over to show him our new house when we passed two of our favorite little boys who jumped right in the backseat and came with us.

Its not conventional perhaps. We didn’t see any people we knew inside buildings or meet friends for lunch. But I think my heart rejoices even more knowing that we can be friends with these sweet kids and show them that somebody loves them enough to learn their names and spend time with them and tell them about Jesus.

Speaking of names, I have to tell you about our little buddy Kevin. He usually comes around with his brother or his neighbor, but his smile and manners have won our hearts. He gives us a grin and looks like he wants nothing more than to just run up and wrap his 10-year old arms around us. I drove them home the other day and he waited by the side of the road for me to go down and turn around so that he could wave to me one more time before I left. He loves when I read to them, and doesn’t know how to read himself. Yesterday he learned about Noah for the first time, he’d never heard that story before. Just this week we let him come inside and he got to meet Gary Hodge and Bethany’s mom via skype. Its like a whole new world when you’ve maybe never seen a computer before. He thinks its pretty cool, although he got frazzled when Gary talked to him and told him he was 15 instead of 10 :) Pray for us to love this little boy well and that he will grow up to love Jesus.

Taste and See

2011-09-04T13:36:00.001-04:00

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”
Psalm 34:8-10

I found myself reading this verse over and over again this morning just delighting in all the things that it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say that I will always get everything that I want. It doesn’t say that God’s job is to make me happy. And it doesn’t say that I will always know what “good” looks like.

But it does remind me that the character of God is GOOD. He is good, all the time, and by His very nature. And His goodness overflows in the way that He loves me and provides for me. And He knows me… so much better than I know myself. So He knows what is good for me and that’s exactly what He gives me. I will never lack that which is best for me.

Another step forward

2011-09-02T17:49:00.001-04:00

I’ve been praying for the Lord to provide a house for Puerta de Esperanza before the first of October. My mom and dad and Rick and Patti are coming down to help get the house ready… but we didn’t have a house…

until today!

Patient Lester, my realtor, has shown me quite a few houses and I have found something wrong with all of them and reasons why they really won’t work. Well… Monday he told me he had a house coming open on Friday that he was sure would be perfect. So we went to see it… and it is!

We’ll be able to start moving things in and making small repairs by the end of this month. Dad and Rick are going to make beds and small bookshelves, Patti and mom and I can paint and shop and it will be great :) The goal is to have the house ready for girls by mid-November when I get back from pavement project training.

Here are some pictures for you!

Obviously it will look better with stuff inside :) But this is a great start! And there are some great things about the house…

1. only .5 miles from INFOP so they can walk to take classes
2. only a little over a mile from IHNFA where there are also classes and childcare
3. a security system
4. some outside space for kids to play
5. the perfect number of rooms and spaces… just enough without being too much

I’m excited about this answer to prayer!

Still more great news…

2011-09-02T17:19:00.001-04:00

I’m moving :)

This didn’t originally sound like great news, I’ve just moved so much recently. But our landlord in this house has been difficult, the rent is too high, etc., etc., etc. So after fulfilling our 6 month lease, we’re moving next Tuesday. We signed the lease yesterday… and I’m so excited!

Our new landlord is repainting the whole house for us, doing other household repairs, and even put up electric security fencing because it will be just girls living in the house. She is taking care of us. She had been praying for North American Christians to move into her house… and we had been praying for a good landlord. I think the Lord probably had something to do with it :)

As we were looking for houses, we were sad that it would probably mean moving away from all the sweet children that come by our house for food and conversation. But our new house is about the same distance from where they live, just the other direction. So they are excited to come and visit us there! And just today I hired a few of them to come on Tuesday and help us with moving day. For $6 each they will help carry boxes, appliances, all kinds of things. And they may even get pizza for lunch! We’re excited to start to really become friends with them and know more about their lives as well as trusting them with little things like this. Please keep praying for ways to be invested in their lives and that these sweet kids would know Jesus.