Thursday, December 29, 2011

Buen Esperanza update...

If you received our newsletter by e-mail you know about our new vision for Buen Esperanza; if not...we feel God has given us a vision to 'rebuild' a village where we've already done some work. It's an extremely poor village consisting of homes made out of sticks, mud, rocks, wood, and scrap pieces of tin...all with dirt floors. The villagers are great people and they and our entire family are great friends. We feel like God has challenged us to build each family a new home (approx. 15), build a church and disciple leaders for it, and a school which we will help to staff. We've networked with another ONG and it looks very promising that they will split the costs of the homes with us. That means we can build a cement floor, concrete block home with a bathroom, septic tank, jalousie windows, steel door and roof for $2800.00!!!

We put the request out in our latest newsletter for individuals, groups, and/or churches to make commitments to help us build these houses. Already we have a commitment for $250/month from one donor; now if we can just get 10 more to duplicate this we will be able to begin building immediately. With your help we can start our first house the first Saturday of the new year, Jan. 6!  Please ask God how He would have you get involved with the rebuilding and discipling of Buen Esperanza (Good Hope)! Would He have you commit to a monthly gift, yearly, or a one-time gift to get the Buen Esperanza project kicked off?

Here's a great opportunity to get one more tax deduction for 2011!!!

Friday, December 23, 2011

It's time; let the excitement begin...

Well, the presents are wrapped, a few are under the tree (the rest carefully hidden), the turkey is thawing, not a mouse is stirring (the kitten is keeping watch), and the kids are ready to explode! Explosions have been going on around here all this week and they are building to a climax tomorrow night. In Honduras they celebrate by opening their gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve and the fireworks are everywhere. I don't know how the second poorest country in this hemisphere gets them, but everybody...and I mean everybody (except us) has them. There will be no sleeping! It's fun to hear the middle kids debunk the theory of Santa Claus, while the younger kids stare in disbelief and the older kids try to make up a story to placate the younger ones. By the time they're done I'm not sure any of them knows what they really believe.

One of the kids teachers lives alone so they invited her to spend Christmas day with us...it's so neat because it was their idea. They have made cards for her and wrapped some small gifts we got for her and you can see the excitement in their eyes as they talk of her opening her gifts. Of course they can't wait to dig into their own gifts; but we believe they are really starting to "get it"!

We pray you all have a blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....
Love from the Coders: Fabiola, Mauricio, Rosa, Cesar, Angel, Pedro, Joyce, Bob, & of course, Will

Monday, December 19, 2011

Think we have had enough rain?

For the last week, all that has happened is rain, rain, and more rain. Here is a video that we took yesterday of how the rain has effected one of the routes that we take to drop the kids off at school:

Friday, December 16, 2011

Travels &"X Factor Honduras"...


The "airport" and dirt runway! Oh, the pick-up is to take the luggage to the baggage carousel! 

"Downtown" Puerto Limpera...I think John Wayne is coming round the corner! 

Our choir at the mall.

Last week Will and I took an exploratory trip to Puerto Limpera (end of the earth) to survey a sight for a possible well to help an orphanage there. Puerto Limpera is the very Southeastern tip of Honduras on the Mosquitia Coast in the Department of Gracias a Dios and is accessible only by cargo boat or plane! Our trip consisted of a drive to La Ceiba and then a 1-1/2 hour flight over the jungle to our destination. It's like stepping back in time and was a neat experience...and I think we'll be able to help them in the near future.

Last night we were treated to a great performance by the Good Seed Choir! They were the third act in a three act performance at our neighborhood mall... and they blew everyone else out of the water! They were great, fantastic, awesome. Fabiola & Mauricio were our family's participants and they helped their choir to shine. Tonight the rest of the family is involved in their annual Christmas presentation at a local theater. Can't wait to see it!


Saturday, December 10, 2011

Speed bump...

The kids got their 1/2 way progress reports for this semester and three of them had some "speed bumps"! Mauricio, Fabiola, and Angel had some problems with behavior and conduct this 1/2 semester and are now paying the price for their actions. Nothing extremely egregious, but unacceptable conduct nonetheless. Pray they see their actions for what they really are...acts of disobedience against God!

On the flip side Pedro and Cesar had excellent grades. Rosa is plugging along in her home school program. Cesar, in particular, is making great, great progress in both grades and conduct. You can almost see a relaxed look on his face and new sense of joy within him. Pedro continues to do well and just needs to practice his diction more. (He just lost one of his front teeth and from the feel of it he may be able to sing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Preparing for Christmas!

Bob, Joyce, and the kids this past Sunday put up the Christmas tree so we have some photos for you guys! Merry Christmas!

"The family plus one! Andrea!"

"The finished tree."

"Arranging the lights and looking at the decorations."

"Sorting throught the decorations."

"Let the work begin!"

Monday, December 5, 2011

Is this the Holy Spirit????

Saturday after our morning Bible Study with the kids Pedro came to me as I was sitting at the table eating my breakfast. It was just he and I, and he seemed to be very serious about something. Because of a learning disability Pedro has some difficulty expressing himself and he was clearly getting ready to share something of importance with me.

As he began he started to choke and tear up, and when I asked him what was wrong he stammered, "I want to be baptized!" I asked him why he would want to be baptized and he responded, "Because I want Jesus in my heart!" By now tears were streaming down his face! Again, I asked him why he wanted Jesus in his heart and he replied, "I want to go to heaven!" I was completely blown away by the depth and sincerity of his request...those tears were not faked!

Afterward I told him he needed to talk with Joyce and tell her what he was feeling. When she came into the room he turned to tell her what he wanted and he was completely overcome with emotions! Through tears he reiterated what he just requested of me...he wanted to be baptized, to have Jesus in his heart, and to go to heaven.!!! Praise the Lord!

When we came here to take custody of the children Joyce announced to the churches in our home area that our goal was to have each of the children saved and baptized within 5 years. Well, Pedro is the last of the group to make this incredible step and it's happened in just under 3 years. God is definitely alive, well, and working!!!

Thank you all for praying so diligently and faithfully over the past years...here is your fruit!!!

A birthday guest and a startling statistic...

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we hosted Andrea, the older sister of Fabiola, Mauricio, and Angel. Friday was Andrea's 16th birthday and Fabi invited her to spend the weekend with us...normally Andrea lives in an orphanage, El Refugio, about 5 miles outside of the city. Friday evening we had a birthday dinner complete with cake and gave Andrea her gift from her 'adopted' family. On Saturday they (mostly Andrea & Fabi) just hung out and did girly things! Sunday it was off to church and then the family put up and decorated our Christmas tree. After that we took Andrea out to eat with us before taking her back to her home at El Refugio. They had a great time together and we got to sow some good seeds of Jesus into Andrea.

Now for the startling statistic...you think unemployment is high in the U.S.? La Prensa (the largest paper in the country) today announced that the unemployment rate for 20ll in Honduras is at 51%!!! No wonder violence is so high. Also in the paper today...we have a great political cartoonist named Banegas who literally has to hide to guard his life, today his cartoon was off a man on his knees, bleeding badly with spears sticking out of his back much like a bull at a bull fight and the back of our president was seen dancing away holding a bullfighter's cape. There were flags on the spears reading: Third most corrupt in the Americas, Poorest in the Americas, Most violent in the Americas...kind of says it all, doesn't it?

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Will's Honduras Update 12/4/11

Some pretty cool things have happened since the last update here are some highlights:

A. After Bob and Joyce returned on the 15th, we picked up their daughter, Nicole, and her family from the airport on the 17th and they stayed with us until the 26th. It was fun having them around and pretty cool seeing Bob and Joyce having fun with their family. With them, we went to Buen Esperanza and gave them some hygiene bags and explained to the children of the village what Christ had done for them. We also returned to the Tilapia farm (where we worked with the DC team) for a day of work but had to leave due to an incoming storm. Another day, we helped Manos Unidos En Cristo at their feeding shelter for the homeless of San Pedro Sula.

B. For thanksgiving, we all returned to Buen Esperanza with the children's school, Good Seed, and the school performed VBS, handed out baskets of food (which were very heavy may I add), and had a time of prayer with the adults while holding activities for all of the children.

C. Pedro had to have surgery to extend his Achilles tendon. He has Cerebral Palsy due to abuse as a toddler so his entire right side is lacking in the area of motor skills and developement. A surgeon that attends our church here in the city noticed that Pedro was starting to walk on his toes again so he offered to perform the surgery on him. Pedro had that performed on the 18th and as of the 30th his cast is now off. At this moment, Bob has Pedro at a doctor's office having a brace made for his foot.

D. God has laid Buen Esperanza on Bob and Joyce's hearts but also has planted them in mine. There are a ton of missionary organizations (large scale and private) in this country and these organizations have given the people of Honduras so much in terms of worldly goods that they have unknowingly caused the people to just want more and more of the world and less of the Gospel. There are alot of organizations that bring teams in and perform outreach after outreach but really do not pour Christ into the hearts of the villagers through personal relationships. The people in Buen Esperanza don't have that mentality. They have hearts unlike any other village I have visited thus far. What God has laid on my heart is this:

To visit them on a regular basis and just spend time with them. I talked with Alba and we agreed that we will start to visit them at least twice a month at first and just spend a day with the villagers. This, I believe, will open up alot of doors in alot of areas:

1. I will grow even closer in my walk with Christ!

2. I won't be performing "humanitarian" duties (in terms of just handing gifts out and then leaving), I'll be pouring Christ in to that village via my heart, my actions, and my words. I will be, in essence, doing what every missionary should be doing....making disciples. When Christ had the disciples he didn't just give them goodies and leave them...he poured his life into them. He spent time with them, taught them, laughed with them, walked with them, worked with them, dined with them, he did everything He could do with them. That is what Alba and I will attempt to do with them. Yes, my ministry is to disciple these children but I am also called to advance the gospel and what better way than to become intimate with an entire village!

3. This will further strengthen Alba and I's relationship. What better way to further develop a relationship than while serving Christ together!

4. I will probably learn alot more in terms of using my hands. I hope that the more time I spend with the villagers, the more I will be able to work with the men when it comes to tasks around the village.

5. I will become even more fluent in my Spanish!

6. AND MUCH MORE!

As you guys can tell, I am super jacked to start this with the villagers.

Sorry for the long one guys!

ALSO:

I just got a report from the treasurer of Wellspring last night that I only had $1000 for the months of October and November. I would really like to ask you guys to please pray about supporting me on a monthly basis. At the moment I am only receiving $500 a month. I need in reality at least $1000 just to stay here. Wellspring provides my food, deodorant, and toothpaste. Everything else, comes out of my account. I rely on your support to live here and to extend my visa. At this rate, my account will dwindle to nothing and I will have to return to the States. I need 15 more people that would be willing to support me on a monthly basis. PLEASE HELP ME. For those of you who have helped me to stay here and fulfill God's calling on my life, I THANK YOU SOOO MUCH! I PRAY THAT GOD BLESSES YOU GUYS A HUNDRED FOLD!

DIOS TE BENDIGA!!!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Good Seed's Outreach To Buen Esperanza

Thanksgiving day we took the children's school, Good Seed, out for an outreach to Buen Esperanza (a.k.a La Sabana, El Dordito) and they brought alot of food! The school had baskets of food for each family and each basket weighed close to 50 lbs. They also performed skits and songs. They then closed the day with a time in prayer in which all of the adults took part in one at a time. It was truly an awesome day........except for Bob. The Dengue Fever had just hit him that morning in the village so from 10 a.m. and on....it was a pretty bad day for him.

Here are some pics and a video!
"The school preparing for the skits and songs"

"The principal (Mrs. Trejo) starting the praying session"

"The baskets of food for each family"

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Weather update...and more...

I'm wearing a sweatshirt in San Pedro Sula, Honduras; that's right a sweatshirt! Refreshing!

Pedro's cast is off, now we need to obtain an "AFO" (formed plastic brace) to wear under his shoe. The first stop told us to come back next year and the second one said, "We'll call you." He gets 15 minutes of stretching exercises on his foot each night, but other than that he's on his own.

The kids are all busy practicing for church Christmas plays, school Christmas plays, and dance recitals. Not to mention reminding of us of their 'lists'! Rosa is full into a 8 month home study program (ABEKA) to get her through 4th grade so she can enter 5th grade at Good Seed in August.

Right now all are healthy...thanks for your prayers and support!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Pedro needs a retrofit...

I'm taking Pedro back to the hospital in a hour or so to get a new cast on his foot and ankle. It's just been a little over a week and he's annihilated the old cast. It's held together right now with duct tape. Actually Pedro looks pretty good in duct tape!

Visitors...

We've been blessed the past 10 days to two weeks with some new visitors...wild toucans have been stopping by to perch on our porch roof! We've tried to get pictures, but they're pretty spooked and getting close enough to get a picture that you can see just hasn't happened yet. They are beautiful and just make you smile at God's handiwork when you get a chance to observe them.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Many thanks...

Thanks to all who prayed for my speedy recovery from Dengue...I was blessed to have a lesser strain and it passed through my body much quicker than previous bouts, and for that I am very grateful. It was no doubt due to your faithfulness.

I also request prayers for Joyce and I on a personal basis...we are undergoing spiritual attacks unlike anything we've ever faced and we believe it is a result of our attempting to stir up interest in what we believe to be a new vision from the Lord. The enemy caused us to stumble a bit today, but by the power of the Holy Spirit we're back on track and resolved to see this through to completion. Pray for the 'rebuilding of a pueblo' - Buen Esperanza!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Prayer Request

Please pray for Bob. Currently, he is very sick. He and Joyce fear that it may be Dengue Fever (which is contracted through mosquitoes). He has aches all over his body, bloodshot eyes, high fever, cramps, etc. Please pray for healing.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Will's Honduras Update 11/19/11

As of this past Tuesday, Bob and Joyce have been back in Honduras. While in the States, they worked, and worked, and worked. In other words, they didn't get much time to just enjoy each other's company or to relax (which is what they needed to do). They were repairing the house and fixing it up so they could rent it out. They did get to catch up a little bit with some of their friends in the States and they really loved those opportunities. They were truly homesick....and still are. They could've easily stayed there but because they love Christ...they continue to do what He told them to do even if they are fed up with the way the things are in this country, or the fact that they are tired (physically and mentally). Pray that one day...they will be able to just have time together.

Jay and Jen were such a great help for me. In many ways. They were encouragers, examples, and much more. They ministered to me in many ways they will never know. For me, it was hard to see them go. From the very beginning, they supported me and believed in me even when some of those close to me thought I was crazy. I knew what God told me to do and they believed me. In terms of parenting, what really learned from them was the process of discipline. Before, I would just address the situation then carry out the punishment. Now, I've realized the importance of showing love during the act of punishing and the restoration after the punishment is carried out. I also learned how I could improve my devotions with the children when I do conduct them in the mornings.

Something else that I've learned is the fact that the kid's do not view me as a figure of authority but as a big brother. That is in one way very heart-warming (because it shows that I have won their hearts finally), but in another frustrating (especially when it comes to the oldest child) because they think they can just run over me and do what they please or, because it is not from Bob's mouth (gospel to their ears) they do not necessarily have to obey. Those two weeks were by no means difficult for me physically because Bob and Joyce had taken care of alot of things prior to leaving and had me put some things off until their return. It was however, very hard for me mentally and emotionally. I probably would have gone crazy if I did not have the Sipes here with me. I now have a TON of respect for the single mothers (or fathers) that singlehandedly raise children. It is hard and it just tears you down in ways you never thought it would.

The last couple of weeks, I have found myself missing my friends, family, and church back in Tellico. I miss playing college football with Brandon, laughing so hard with Tim and Katie that I couldn't breath, Hanging out with Patrick and Paige, hearing Chris' corney jokes, throwing the football with Josh after church, talking with Jonny, seeing Richard, hearing Danielle's laugh, my mom, my dad....and the words "I Love You". I hear them from Alba and everytime I do it makes my day brighter....but sometimes, it is hard saying those words and not hearing "I Love You Too" from the children. I pray one day, that I can hear those words come from their mouths. I know they love me (their actions show it) but how much sweeter would it be if it came from their mouths! :)

Finally, I just want to thank all of you. It has been almost a year now and I have been here all because of YOU. There is so much more I want to say but this update is long enough. HAHA.

Thank you all for making me a better man. Because of you praying for me and supporting me...I am experiencing things both spiritually and physically that God is using to grow me into the man He wants me to be.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Pedro thanks you...

Pedro had his surgery this morning and he came through it with flying colors and he wants to say, "thank you for your prayers". He walked out of the hospital in his new knee-high cast which he will have to wear for the next 6 weeks, but he is relatively pain-free and in good spirits.

Thank you for blessing Pedro with your prayers.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Reunited...

We're back 'home' in Honduras and reunited with our children...and Will. The kids were as excited to see us as we were them and they made a great banner and hung it inside the house to welcome us home.

It's funny that after being out for only two weeks the heat seems to be oppressive to us...and it's really quite nice. Just too much change I guess. We don't have much time to drag our feet...we have a meeting a school today for one of the kids, tomorrow our daughter Nicole, son-in-law Bob, and their children Page, Celia, & Noah arrive for a week; and on Friday Pedro has a repeat surgery on his Achilles tendon. And of course, there are all the bills to be paid...that will take a day of running around. Next week we're doing outreaches with Nicole and family, taking the children's 5th & 6th grade classes to do a Thanksgiving outreach in a remote pueblo and helping two other ministries in the area.

We got tons of work done on our property in TN while we were home, but we're still experiencing a problem with our well. Hopefully it 's being worked on today...pray for our well.

All the kids are in good shape thanks to the Sipes, Will, and Miss Louie (one of the kids teachers who helped out after the Sipes left). Mauricio will get his braces soon, hopefully this week and then we'll start thinking about Rosa.

Thanks for blessing us with your prayers, your labors, and your financial sacrifices!


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

More Smokey Mountain news...

Last evening Joyce and I picked up our daughter, Nicole, at the airport as she arrived to spend the next week helping us get 'rent-ready'. Today my pastor and I cut down a very large tree that was severely hung up in other trees and a danger to our power lines. It took some work but it's done now. We also got another load of stone for road and it's starting to look pretty good. Tomorrow I hope the get the culvert cemented and the 'spillways' to direct the run-off.

Joyce and Nicole spent the morning doing some needed shopping and came home with the pavers for a new sidewalk. Tonight the three of us got the ground leveled and pavers set in place. Pretty good day.

We're all pretty whipped, so I suspect it will be an early turn-in tonight.

Blessings to all......

Monday, November 7, 2011

Will's Honduras Update 11/7/2011

Things here have been good. The Sipes have been a TREMENDOUS help and I am really learning how to handle some things (in terms of working with kids) just from observing them. Since I haven't really had to think about doing what I can for Bob and Joyce I have been able to focus more on the children and I have begun to pick up more on their personalities. It is so cool to see how the kids have changed for the better in some areas of their personalities and in their lives.

Tuesday: I dropped Bob and Joyce off at the airport

Tuesday-Thursday: From lunch until late in the afternoon the Sipes helped the kids focus on their studies while I tried to put together a sermon for Sunday. That was a HUGE relief off of my back.

Friday: The kids finished their tests which meant.....NO MORE STUDYING and time for some well earned fun! That night, we all took the kids to the nearby mall and let them play games for a little bit and they all had a great time. Alba joined us and she had a fun time as well. After, Jen and the kids watch a movie called "Hotel for Dogs" while Jay and I talked for quite a while about Christ, God's Sovereignty, our testimonies, and much more.

Saturday: There was a lot of driving back and forth. First, I had to take Mauricio and Rosa to art class, then I picked them up from, after that I took Fabi to her class and picked her up an hour later. After all of that, Jay, Jen, and I took the kids to their play practice and after that, a family from the church we attend took the kids out to pizza hut to give the three of us a break (which was very kind and nice of them). The three of used the time to relax. I grabbed Jay and Jen a pizza then Alba and I went out for a quick bite to eat at Baleadas Express. Pretty neat when you can get a bite to eat for $3!!! It was a time that Alba and I really needed together and we were able to talk and she was able to encourage me so overall it was great. After, Mauricio and I played with the cat then went to bed.

Sunday: I preached for the second time and it was on Mark 14:3-9. After Church, we took the kids out to lunch then came home, the kids then helped Jen make tye-dye cupcakes, We then ate tiny hamburgers and watched the movie "Blindside" that Jay and Jen had brought down for the kids to see.

Overall it has been a good time. Bob and Joyce are hard at work in TN so please pray for them that they will have some time to relax as well.

Here are some pics from throughout the week:

"The cat dishing out some of Mauricio's own medicine"

"Celebrating Angels birthday (again) on Thursday"

"There was so much studying that the cat was even wore out!"

"Jen playing Uno with Rosa while Cesar is performing a wordsearch"

"A very deep game of cards going on here!"

Friday, November 4, 2011

In the Smokies...

Joyce and I are back home in our TN. mountains and loving the beauty of the fall colors. It's a lot colder than we're used to, but actually from the middle of the morning on it's pretty enjoyable. We'
re getting rain today so it curtails my outdoor work around the house. Not to worry, Joyce finds lots of 'honey-do' lists for me whether it's inside or out. We're making progress on the house and the grounds, but still have a long ways to go...we'll get there with God's help.

Missing our children...we spoke with them last night and they're all doing well. They have bonded instantly with the Sipes and that's a big relief for us. Will, Jay, and Jen are being kept busy conducting 'study halls' all this week for mid-term testing. I'm sure they and the kids are glad it's Friday!

Please continue to pray for Robin Demboski to receive a kidney transplant!!!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Heading home...

Tomorrow Joyce and I will be heading to the airport and then on to our home in TN. It's our first trip home together in 2-1/2 years and it's made possible by Jay & Jen Sipes, who along with Will, will be watching the children during our absence. Please ask God to bless them in ways beyond their belief for their sacrifices on our behalf!

Pray also for the children...they have mid-term testing all this week and they're used to us helping them with their studies...of course they'll have Will, Jay, & Jen, but it's not what their used to. Also, it will be the first time they've been without us since we were awarded their custody and although they don't voice it directly we're sure deep down inside of them is the wonder if we are just the next couple to desert them.

We'll only be gone for two weeks and have tons of work to do on our house in TN and then we'll be back home in San Pedro Sula with our new family. Thank you all for your support and your faithful prayers...and PLEASE REMEMBER JAY, JEN, & WILL, as well as the kids, in your prayers!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Pray for Pedro...

We took Pedro back to Cure International today to have his foot and leg checked out. The new surgeon there is attending the same church as us and he noticed Pedro's limp and asked us to bring him back for a check-up. You may remember that 1-1/2 years ago Pedro had surgery there on his right leg...they cut his Achilles tendon and stretched it so his foot could strike the ground in a flat position.

Due to a growth spurt in the interim his foot is contracted again causing him to strike the ground toes first, so...

The result is he has to have surgery again and have his foot in a cast for 6 weeks. Then he will have to wear a brace for another year. He's a tough little bugger, but he doesn't know about this yet and I'm sure it won't make him very happy.

Please pray for Pedro...and pray for Dr. Jay and Cure International

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Rains, flooding, cold front, and more violence...

Like most of Central American Honduras is experiencing severe flooding, damage, and deaths from the recent rains. Yesterday the only North/South route from Teguicagalpa to Choluteca literally fell away leaving the road impassable! The central and Southern sections of the country have many, many people displaced and many homes destroyed. One of the problems associated with prolonged rains is that the homes of the very poor literally 'wash away'! Made of mud, sticks, and stones, continued rains simply wash away the mud that is the bonding material and the homes collapse.

Here in the North of the country we're experiencing a cold front (we love it) (cold means 75 degrees) with lots and lots of rain. Here the streets are taking the brunt of the damage with many manhole covers washed away and thousands of new potholes appearing. Thankfully we have no flooding in our area.

The violence just continues to grow without checks despite the government's vows to control it. The gangs here are very sophisticated and that coupled with the police corruption makes it very difficult to stop. We remain safe and use the prudence God gave us to keep us out of harm's way. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Difficult times...

Please pray for our family as we continue to face deceit, delays, threats, and out-right lies from the authorities concerning our situation with Antonio. Last night was the straw that kind of broke the camel's back for Joyce and she had a bit of a melt down. She's fine now, but the stress levels involved with promises of help and then broken promises are making it extremely stressful for everyone in the family...even the other children are showing signs of being affected!

We feel sometimes as if we're treading water in quicksand and the more we strive to get out the deeper we sink. It's difficult to know how to get the word out to you that we are seeking your prayers without making it sound as if we're having a pity party or that we're giving up. Neither could be further from the truth, but we do need the reinforcement of your prayers!

Thank you, Bob, Joyce, Will, and Kids


Sunday, October 9, 2011

Thanks for your prayers...

Yesterday Joyce and I officially received permission to leave the country together! So, thanks to Jay & Jen Sipes who coming down to relieve us (and Will), we will be leaving on the 1st of November and returning on the 15th of November. It's a short stay and will be jammed with hard work, but we are eagerly looking forward to it. It will be our first trip out of the country together since we came in June of 2009!

Thank you again for being faithful in your prayers for us and for the children God has given us charge of. They are growing spiritually as fast as they are physically...thanks be to God!!!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Symptoms of a nation in chaos...

Today we were supposed to have had an appointment with the judge handling our daughter's, Fabiola, case according to our lawyer. Also, according to our lawyer, she was to meet with the IHNFA officials this morning to assure that we (Joyce & I) had permission to leave the country together.

This we know for sure: while driving to our scheduled (by our attorney) appointment with the judge we received a text message from our lawyer telling us that the judge would not be available today, but maybe she would be available tomorrow. We had previously told the lawyer she needed to be certain about the appointment because we would have to take Fabi out of school. So, obviously she never attempted to make an appointment prior to that very moment! This is supposed to be a lawyer that is well-versed in the child welfare laws and one upon whom we could rely! When we texted her back to ask about the permission to leave the country she only replied, "I'll call you later." Does that tell you what it tells me? She didn't talk to the IHNFA official either!!

This is so typical of everything here in Honduras...nobody stands for their word and the response is "that's just the way things work here." Everybody expects everybody else to lie!!! How can a country, a business, a ministry, a family ever move forward in this atmosphere? It is just one frustration heaped upon another and it makes it difficult to not lose one's Christian walk. Nothing can be corrected here, because nothing is anyone's fault! There is always an excuse for every failure so you are supposed to just accept it and move on.

Please continue to pray for God to intercede on our behalf and on behalf of Fabiola and the other children. Only He can make in-roads in a country that is so steeped in falsehoods and rationalizations.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Prayer Request...

Tonight our lawyer finally showed up at our house, but her news was not good. She told us that the judge turned down our request to get a passport and Visa for Fabiola. After much discussion she agreed to take Joyce, Fabiola, and myself to speak to the judge in person. It is our hope that we can get the judge to listen to Fabiola and not be led by the petty politics that plaque this country.

There is no other route from which we can demand accountability, so we must rely upon the prayers of the saints to encourage God to intercede on Fabiola's behalf. Our meeting is at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow our time...4:00 p.m. Eastern time.

Another prayer request...the lawyer told us tonight that IHNFA may not allow Joyce and I to leave the country together. We are attempting to come out for two weeks so we can get our home in TN. rent-ready. Since we've been in Honduras our personal finances have been drained to the point where we must rent our house or lose it! Please pray we will get the clearance to come out for these two weeks. If we get to travel it will be the first time we've been back to the states together in 2-1/2 years...and we need a breath of fresh air.

Honduran time lines...

The registration for our Chevy expired and when we went to pay it we were told they couldn't find the car in the system; ergo, we couldn't renew; ergo, we were illegal; ergo, if stopped the police would take our licenses' and tow the car! Ergo, I was upset!!!

So, yesterday I went to the dealer and told them of the problem. They said, "Oh, it's our fault someone didn't complete their job, but we'll fix it. It will take two weeks!" I told them that wasn't acceptable that we had paid for the car in full and now because of their error we couldn't drive the car. We needed either a document to allow us to drive, or another vehicle. "No problem," they said. We'll call you by 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. Do you think they called? NO, THEY DIDN'T CALL! So, this morning I called the manager, but mysteriously he wasn't answering his phone; so we went to the dealership. They called for the manager, but he wasn't in his office...they called his cell phone, but he didn't answer. Finally they reached him and he told us he now had the problem solved and we could go to the bank and renew our registration. Finally, we have it!

Case No. 2: Our lawyer told us she would travel to Teguicagalpa on Thurs. to check on our carnet, residency card. She didn't go and told us she would go on Friday. She didn't go and told us she would go on Monday, but...Monday was a holiday, so she said she would go on Tuesday after stopping by our house to pick up her memo book which she left here last Thursday. She said she would be here between 11 & 12...she hasn't come yet! She told us she would send a letter to IHNFA on our behalf last week; she didn't send it. She told us she would get us an answer concerning Fabiola's passport and visa...she hasn't!

Case NO. 3 Our Honduran partner told us they didn't have the money to pay for any more wells, so I asked for the e-mail for the gentlemen in charge from the states. I was told I would have it last week...still don't have it. My personal contact has decided to not answer my phone calls...although last night he did and he told me he would send me the address last night...I still don't have it!

Case No. 4 IHNFA told us a month and a half ago they would find a place better suited to deal with one of our children...we still don't have an answer; although every time we inquire they tell us, "just wait, we'll know something soon."

It goes on and on and on....I think their deal is to lie enough to cause you to beat your head against the wall until it turns to mush. I think I'm next in line!

Saturday, October 1, 2011

It's a holiday, let's celebrate....

The kids are off school on Monday and so the celebration begins...




Student send-off ...

Friday was my last day of teaching and my 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th grade math classes all surprised me with hand made cards. They were very touching for me. It's amazing to me how much we connected in such a short period of time especially considering I had to be their strictest teacher. I thank God for the opportunity!

The first card is from Fabiola and you can see from the name that it means a lot to me!

This is a composite from my 4th graders and the smaller cards around the bottom are their individual good-byes.

These are my 5th graders who completely surprised me since I had to do more disciplining in their class than the others.

The sixth grade class actually said they learned some math...PTL!

The seventh graders are the larger individual cards on the table.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Will's Honduras Update 9/30/2011

It's been awhile since the last update so I will fill you guys in with as much information as possible. Today was Bob's last day of voluntarily teaching at Good Seed. When he came in today he asked me to help him unload the van. Unload the van? Turns out, all of the kids he taught for the last month had made him goodbye cards. It was pretty cool watching him go through them all. He actually almost started to cry! I never thought I would see that! It really sealed the deal when he got to Fabiola's card. In the card she wrote: "I love you daddy". Haha, the was it. Hook, line, sinker. you didn't hear anything but when he went into another room you knew what was going on.

For me it was pretty cool to see the letter. "I love you" is easy for her to say but to mean it...that is extremely hard. Those words in that letter were for real and you could tell. Mauricio's written words were "thanks for teaching us math and correcting us". Seeing that showed me how thick Mauricio's walls are. He will mess with you and everything but as far as letting you in 100%....that is almost impossible.

In the last update I mentioned that I wanted to recruit a married couple to come down and relieve Bob and Joyce so they could return to the States for a MUCH NEEDED break. God provided! Jay and Jen Sipes answered the call and I can not tell you how stoked I am about it. Jay and Jen Sipes are two good friends that I met through Zad Tomberlin who discipled me. From the very beginning of trying to get toHonduras they were two of the very few that stuck with me and encouraged me. Since then I have wanted them to meet the children and God is finally allowing that to happen. Right now they are trying to raise the funds to get down here. If you would like to help them in any way please e-mail me and let me know.

Also, I can tell you that I am extremely happy Bob is finished teaching because 3 or 4 times a week we had to grade papers....and that took FOREVER! For Bob's last day of papers it took us 5 hours! I'm glad that is over! I never expected that I would be grading school papers here in Honduras. Pretty neat how God throws surprises at you huh!?

Since I mentioned "teaching" I just want to tell you how much I appreciate Dahlia. She is the tutor of the children and it is amazing with how much patience she has with these children trying to teach them. She took a week off so you know what that meant. Bob, Joyce, and I had to teach! Bob had Mauricio and Fabiola and they are pretty good by themselves. Plus Bob was real busy trying to grade papers that week as well....by himself. Joyce had Pedro and Angel while I had Cesar. I know well enough now that I can never teach elementary school. I would want to slit my wrist. When Dahlia came back, it was like an angelic being walking in. I was so relieved!

Whenever Bob was in school, the tasks fell on me. Which I was glad they did. God has really used this month to mold me into the man He wants me to be. Whether it be from repairing things around the house or by running errands. One such errand was this week. I had to go to Galdamez's shop to power wash all of the clay from the last drill off of the rig. That was interesting. When I arrived to the shop I noticed the rig had a tire with no air in it. I had to take the "llanta" off then find a "llanta" repair shop to place more air in it. Once that was taken care of I had to figure out how to lower the feet that held the rig off of the ground. I figured out how to do that. Then the fun began. I had to back the truck up to the rig so I could hitch it up to the truck. That took forever as well but, I got that accomplished. I backed the rig up without a problem to the area I needed to take it in order for me to wash the machine. After 2 hours the mission was accomplished and I headed back to the house so I could wash up and pick up Rosa and Antonio from school. The 2 hours surprised me because on the way to the shop I had no clue as to how I was going to get this done. Praise God!

In terms of my residency, up until 2 days ago I would not be able to get the paperwork to renew my visa for another 4 months! That left me with 2 options, try and drive to the Guatemalan border or fly to the States at last minutes notice with little to no funds. Today however, God came through and worked it out to where the lawyer can bring me the papers tomorrow morning at 9! Yes! So that was a big sigh of relief! It is so cool, because since moving here you can literally see how God provides for everything. Even the impossible!


Prayer requests:

1. The Sipes.

2. Pray that God will bless Fabiola with a passport and a visa so she can go to the states in November with Bob and Joyce. This would be huge if this would work out. It would give Fabiola an opportunity to meet those who have been supporting her and praying for her the last 2 1/2 years! It would also be great for the individuals to see how much God has changed the lives of these kids!

3. Bob and I may be able to drill next week. Pray for that and for the drill site.

4. For the first time God has blessed me with the opportunity to preach His WORD! I have had the desire for a long time now and He opened the door! I preach on October 9 so pray that I am taken completely out of the picture and for my preparation, because if we drill it will be interesting seeing how I will be trying to prepare.

5. ANTONIO.

Trauma in the night....

Pedro, our Chinese missionary from yesterday, had a rough night last night. Before we were awarded custody of Pedro he lived in a nearly starved condition all the four years of his young live. He never knew anything other than hunger and that fear and pain is so deeply etched in his mind that to this day he can't control his eating without supervision. As a result if he is left to his own devices he will eat until he makes himself sick; much like an animal left in an over-rich pasture for too long a time.

Yesterday the school had a party to celebrate "Missions Day" and there were cupcakes, large cupcakes, at the party. With no one to tell him to stop Pedro gorged himself with four of the large wheat bran cupcakes. The result: during the night he vomited all over himself, his bed, and his bed clothes...and then slept in it. This morning was not a pleasant one for Joyce....Pedro with a bed full of vomit and Antonio with a bed full of pee...again!

Of course, the real sorrow of the story is what Pedro had to endure as a baby and a toddler. Who knows how many years it will take to erase all the fears that life period have sown into him?

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Missionaries from around the world...

Today was missions day at Good Seed school and we awoke to find a mission team assembled from around the world right in our very own home.

Now that's a worldwide mission team!!!

A Geisha Girl...in Honduras?

This cowpoke looks a little to happy to me...

All the way from the island country of "Mauricio" that's right, that's Mauritania in Spanish!

This cowboy bears watchin'!

From the underground church in China?

Friday, September 23, 2011

Praises & Prayers...

Praise the Lord...Fabiola now has her braces for a full day and so far, she has experienced absolutely no pain! She's not too crazy about me calling her "metal mouth", but it insulates her from any abuse her fellow students might drop on her. She is really grateful for being pain-free!

Praise the Lord...Mauricio had the first two of four molars pulled today, in preparation for getting braces,...the dentist told us he would be in extreme pain, but we have been bathing him in prayer and up to this moment he has ZERO PAIN! Keep praying for him; he's still bleeding and next week he gets the other two pulled.

It's neat to see and hear them both acknowledging that "prayer really does work!"

Thursday, September 22, 2011

School schedules and loooong study halls...

With 5 children in a private Christian bi-lingual school and 2 more in a private Spanish school our school schedules are filled to over-flowing! I start by taking the "5" with me as I head out to teach at 6:40 a.m., then Will takes the other "2" at 6:50 a.m. to their school.

At noon Will picks up Rosa & Antonio and brings them home for lunch...in the interim I've returned to house and along with Joyce run the errands and pay the bills that are needed to keep us running day to day. At 1:00 p.m. we have a tutor who comes in to work with the kids; first with Rosa & Antonio, later with the others when they get home. At 2:10 p.m. we pick up Fabiola, Mauricio, Cesar, Angel, & Pedro and get them settled into 'study hall' at home. Joyce, Will, and I join our tutor and take the kids to different rooms to work with them one on one as much as we can leaving the old two to work on their own. The tutor works with the younger kids until 4:30 p.m. and then we take over sometimes studying until 6:30 or 7:00 p.m. (In between I do the dreaded 'paper correcting' that all teachers so look forward to.)

That leaves one half hour for the younger 4 children to have a snack, watch a little tv, and then head to bed at 7:30 p.m. (they're up at 5:15 a.m.); the older three go at 8:00 p.m. Then the next morning it starts all over again at 5:00 a.m.

Will usually hits the 'rack' around 8 p.m. and Joyce and I struggle mightily to make it to 9 p.m.; sometimes we're successful and other times we give up and go to bed. I guess we should be grateful...there's not much time for temptation to set in!!! Good ole school days????

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Home invasion???

This morning while I was eating my cereal and watching the news I was interrupted by blood-curdling screams coming from one of the boys bedrooms. It was Pedro and he was terrified because...as he was folding and putting away his clean laundry he shook out a pair of shorts out fell a large scorpion!!!

Not being the fastest person in the house I arrived on the scene after Will and Joyce and found Pedro still screaming, Will and Joyce holding everybody back, and scorpion trying to escape under the clothes basket. Just the look of a scorpion and the remembrances of what happened to the people in "Indiana Jones" movies when they were bitten are enough to elicit caution; not to mention fear!

In the end all is well....Pedro was not bitten, the scorpion is dead, and I got to finish my cereal! Now off to school to all my other "insects"! Just kidding...I love'em!

Monday, September 19, 2011

More medical news...

Friday Mauricio had the stitches removed from the operation on his gums and now is scheduled to have 4 teeth pulled (2 at a time) beginning tomorrow in preparation for braces in two weeks. Saturday Rosa, Cesar, and Pedro had the last of their cavities filled. Today Fabiola had spacers placed in her mouth in anticipation of having braces installed on Thursday.

We're still giving Pedro and Angel medicine via the atomizer/vaporizer and Pedro got up this morning with slight diarrhea. The rest of us just try to stay out of the way!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Will's Honduras Update 9/12/2011

Hola mi familia!

The past week was a week full of miscellaneous things here is a short list:

1. I finally started the process of applying for my residency. I had to obtain a few things and pay for a few things as well. One of the biggest hassles of obtaining what I needed was purchasing a "Certificate of Health" from a bank (weird huh? You have to purchase a form for a complete physical at a bank.) and then I had to hunt down a doctor to have him fill it out, stamp it, then sign it. Joyce knew a doctor in the Emergency Room that spoke English so we decided to pay him a visit. It took three hours but eventually he was able to fill it out. He took me into a room and asked me a few questions then told me to wait and he would return with the form completed. Half an hour later he returned with the form completed and a full health report and it was free. Pretty nifty huh? I had a physical and blood test without having to go through it! That saved alot of time and ALOT of money. Hopefully within a couple weeks I can go to immigrations and simply pay $20 a month to renew my visa instead of having to fly to the states every 3 months! :)

2. A month or so ago, Shari and Terry (the two missionaries that Alba lives with and that have a feeding kitchen for the poor of the city) asked me if I could deliver some donated cakes to an orphanage because they would be in the States during that time and I agreed to do so. Friday that is what Alba and I did. We stopped by the bakery, picked up the cakes, then delivered them to "La Casita" which is a all-female "orphanage". The orphanage ran by IHNFA and the orphanage is literally a prison like Alzira was for the children. When I was there a few memories came back from the first time I met the children. The lack of proper nutrition, proper utilities, the lifestyle, the hoplessness, etc. What made it even more difficult was the fact that it was an "all-female" orphanage. I could imagine what would happen to the girls in this "orphanage" when there was nobody around. When I was there, I learned there was a 13 year old girl that was already 7 months pregnant! That was hard. This country has such a dire need for children to be adopted but the country is too stubborn and prideful to do anything about it. That is why very few adoptions in this country is successful.
After La Casita, Alba and I then went to the orphanage that she worked at for four years to drop some clothes off. I visited this orphanage back in March with her, Shari, and Terry and I can tell that this one is a nice one. It is a privately ran orphanage owned by Alba's church "La Cosecha". The facilities here a much, much better than what Al Zira was or what La Casita is. When you walk in it has the entire story of Jonah painted on the inside of the facility. For me, it was cool to see Alba with the kids that she is close with. They all call her "Tia Alba". I watched as they all came to her one at a time giving her a hug when they returned from school. The smile on her face and the affection she showed them was great.

3. Sunday after church, Alba wanted to take the kids to the park so Bob and Joyce could have some quiet time and that is exactly what we did. Every time she spends a day with the kids I can see her growing closer and closer with them. It was good to watch her yesterday. Unfortunately, Mauricio and Fabiola couldn't go because Mauricio had stitches in his mouth and Fabiola had alot of homework to do and she was going to help Bob grade some homework.

4. For Bob's second week of teaching he is a big hit with all of the children but he can not stand to grad papers. It is pretty cool to see kids walk up to him out of nowhere saying "Hey Mr. Bob!". It shows that he hasn't instilled fear in their hearts yet. :) Truth is, Bob is a big goofball so kid's are naturally drawn to him and that is one of the reasons why I think they like him so much.

5. We continue to have many problems with Antonio and his conduct both at home and in school. Please pray for him. Angel has been battling a nasty cough since Friday. Rosa has made honor roll after just a few weeks of being bumped up a grade level. I sincerely believe that if she is pushed she can perform very well in school. Pedro and Cesar are loving their new school and you can kind've already see a change in them both for the better.

ALSO: We are looking for a Christian married couple or woman that would be willing to come down from the 1st of November to the 15th to help me with the children so Bob and Joyce could return to the United States to conduct some business. If you are interested email me, or Bob at bcoder@tds.net for more details. You can also call us on skype via your cell or home phone (is a TN number) at: 423-546-4323. You will only have to raise funds for airfare. Everything else will be covered.

Thanks for reading and your prayers!

Friday, September 9, 2011

More medical news...

Mauricio just had peridontal surgery. He's getting ready to get braces for his teeth, but first he had to have some surgery done on his gums and the muscle that holds the upper lip to the gums. The muscle was growing between the front two teeth pushing them apart and creating a gap in his front teeth.

The doctor cut the muscle out and put in 5 STITCHES!!! He was a real trooper and didn't even flinch much. Next he has to get 4 teeth pulled to make room in his mouth for his teeth to align properly....and I thought his mouth was big enough to fit anything in there!

Anyhow, he's on his way toward braces...Fabiola escaped having to have any teeth pulled; seems her mouth is large enough. Go figure!!!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

School, Rain, Lawyers, and more...

After one week the 'school teaching' is going pretty well. Actually, I'm enjoying the kids...okay most of them. There are a few I've threatened to send home in a condition where their parents wouldn't recognize them, but for the most part they've been great.

Every night for the last two weeks we've been getting "mini-hurricanes". Anywhere between 8 - 12 p.m. a storm blows over the mountain with high winds, lightning, and intense rain. Our house has little floods with just about every storm. The windows in this house seem to be "un-caulkable"! San Pedro Sula is bordered on the West by high, steep mountains and when the rain comes it races down the mountainside creating 'white water' throughout the streets of the city and depositing a lot of mud and rocks in the streets. The street in front of our house floods about every night.

We continue our fight w/lawyers...we have our third lawyer now and she just returned from Teguicagalpa where she found that our last lawyer never filed anything properly on our behalf. Normally you would think you could just get your money back; but it doesn't work that way here...here you bite the bullet and continue to look for a lawyer who will actually do what you're asking.

The battle for resolution in the case of Antonio continues. As his conduct continues to deteriorate we get more and more promises and less action. Holding someone's feet to fire is not easily accomplished here.

Angel is mostly over his circumcision...although he told me yesterday that a ball him "there" and it hurt! I'll bet it did. Nearly all of our medical problems are behind us now, so we're looking forward to smaller med bills this month.

Pedro & Cesar and both adapting well at Good Seed...both of their teachers say they are trying hard, they are making friends, and they are both bright. It's a huge opportunity for them so we pray they don't get discouraged and will fight through their learning curve. Rosa just keeps amazing us as she went straight to the honor roll after skipping the second half of second grade and jumping into the middle of third grade.

Thanks for all your prayers and all your support...you are making a difference!

Bob, Joyce, Will, & Kids

Thursday, September 1, 2011

School Days...

Well, here we go...off to school. Lots of smiles: some with eager anticipation for a new school, some anxious to get back to old friends, and some.........well, one........going back after nearly 50 years away! Oh my, what have I done now? I'll be teaching 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th grade math for the month of September.




Will's Honduras Update 9/1/11

Hola mi familia en Jesus Cristo!

It has been a while since the last update and for that I apologize! Perdoname.

Since the last update it has been pretty busy around here whether it be from battling virus' or preparing the kids for a new school year! We now have Pedro and Cesar attending Good Seed which we believe will be GREAT for their development in every way! We especially believe that it will be very beneficial for Cesar!

As far as drilling is concerned we may not be able to drill until October. The reason being that for this month Bob has to teach math at Good Seed for the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th grades.

Thats right....***BOB IS TEACHING IN A SCHOOL WITH A BUNCH OF KIDS***. Pretty cool huh?

He was asked to step in because the new math teacher that was hired is coming in from the States and he will not be able to make it into the country until the end of the month. So, Bob teaches from 7 to 10 in the morning. Bob is pretty sharp with math and is pretty good at teaching it so he'll do a good job. When I try to imagine him teaching though all I can think about is the film from the 90's "Kindergarten Cop" ("Who said you could eat my cookie!", "It's not a tumor!", "Who's your daddy? and what does he do?") :)

Aside from those things...there were quite a few surprises along the way as well. We learned more about what Cesar has locked in his head from his past experiences in Alzira, Bob had to have a colonoscopy, Joyce had an ER visit due to dehydration and food poisoning (may I add that it was at the same time Bob was having his colonoscopy?), Angel had to have a circumcision performed, we have had three consecutive nights of HEAVY RAIN, had a small tremor, and I had a few personal surprises as well with my family back in the states. It has definitely been a surprising and interesting two weeks.

Here is what else has happened:

1. Fabiola turned 14 on the 15th of August.

2. On the 20th of August Bob, Joyce, and Fabiola went to a wedding of a young couple from the English speaking church we attend here in the city. They spent the night over at Tela where the wedding was held which left almost a whole weekend for me to be with the kids. Alba also returned from her 2 week vacation in her hometown of La Paz so she helped me with the children. It was a wonderful weekend, tiring, but wonderful. Alba and I took the kids out for the day and I believe it was also a great opportunity for her and the kids to start somewhere in terms of building a relationship. Apparently she clicked with Pedro because now the little guy is calling her! Looks like I have some competition!

3. For a long time I have had the desire to preach God's Word and He has finally blessed me with the opportunity (major fist pumpage ensues)! Bob and I went to Bill and Margy Hoff's (The pastor and wife of the church) house yesterday to pick up some letters and Margy had asked me if I have ever preached and I informed her that I hadn't but was waiting for God to bless me with the opportunity. She asked me if I wanted to on the second Sunday of October and I was surprised! I didn't know what to say because I was so nervous. Bob almost had to say "yes" for me! When I finally said "yes" I accidentally said "yes sir" instead of "yes ma'am". Great start huh?

4. Mauricio and Fabiola took their bike to a poor family down the street to give to one of the older girls in the family. Turns out that was God answering the little girl! The little girl had been asking the mother for a bike and a couple weeks later God gives her a pretty nice bike! Pretty cool how God provides huh?

Thank you all for your prayers VERY MUCH! You guys have no idea how much they mean to me!

Dios te bendiga!