This month has flown by!!! I cannot believe that it has been almost a month since I last blogged! My appologies!
We started out this month with preparing for the Malone Trip, headed up by Ashley! From ordering wood, to purchasing dinner foods the first week went fast. The group came and built two houses, held prayer groups in the feeding center of Nevo Orental, visited the sick and lonely, fed and showed the people at the Tegucigalpa Landfill the love of Christ, even after a camera was stolen.
While the group was at the dump, a younger Honduran child asked for one of the American boys shirts. After some deliberation, they swapped shirts soon everyone was exchanging shirts. I felt like it was a great way to show the people of the Landfill, that we are NOT above them!
While the group was here, we had the five brothers (who where taken back from Casa De Esperanza) come and help us! They brought lots of fun and great smiles to the week! While they were with us, at various different times, they told us about their lives at home. The brothers informed us that their father was drinking more and more and that was getting more violent. They had told us in the past that there dad wasn't so kind, but know it had became clear that we needed to do something different.
After hours of prayer Jen, Sam and I decided it would be best to confront the situation when we brought them back after the group left. We met with Chilo (the boys father) and Maria (their mother) at Wendys. We didn't go into detail about what we knew, we just informed them that it was time to change the course of actions. We offered to send Chilo to an Alcoholic rehab center, and offered to take Maria and the boys in while he was there. He said that he wanted to some time to think about it and asked us to come up to their house on Christmas and re-discuss the issue.
On Christmas day we made our way up the mountain to visit their family! Sam had some money donated from her church for boys christmas, so we were able to buy them a few things! After opening presents and eating Nock-A-Tamailas (i know i spelled it all wrong!)we sat down to talk. Chilo informed us that he was still on probation and that he owed his boss about $100.00 (us). We informed him that we would handle getting the paper work from the Judge and paying off his boss. He told us that he needed a few more days to think about it and this time we brought God into the situation. We had brought our friends, David and Janet Garcia, they are full time missionaries here from Miami Florida. Janet asked Chilo if Christ was an influance in his life, he replied no. After some talking and prayer, Chilo accepted Christ into his life right then and there!
A couple of days later, after they had time to pack up their things we went and brought them home! Sadly Chilo decided to hace one last Hoo-Rahh and drank about $100.00 worth of alcohol in about a days time. We brought Maria and the boys home and Jen and I brought Chilo to the treatment center. The center is very nice and would meet every standard in the states. ITs very similar to the 12 step program designed by AA. He will be there for two months. They boys and Maria have to go and visit with a counsalor as well, so that will be good.
So as of now our house consists of Jen, Sam, David, Maria, Carlos, Edwardo, Saul, Johnny, Jovanni, Marvin, Mario, Fransico, Antonio!!! Its a lot of mouths to feed! I feel like i have started my own children's home and I love it!
Maria had asperations to start the Mi Esperanza program soon and once the father is out we hope to find job placement for him too.
As you can immagine having all these extra mouths to feed is costing way outside my projected budget! God says knock and the door shall be opened. Well the Lopez family knocked on our door and know I am knocking on yours! Fincaial support would be greatly appericated! We are all broke and living by faith. God keeps providing as the needs araise! I am learning to lean soley on him. Its really hard! Considering I have been working since I was 13.
I love you all and thank you!
David
