Kathya.....a lil princess!

Yesterday, we wrote a post about Kathya, baby soft and headbands. Today, we wanted you all to see the transformation into a lil princess. Below is the before picture.

This was Kathya the day we placed her in the home.



 Here is Kathya all dressed up and ready for church this morning.  She looks so pretty.

God can change everything..........

She was so happy! and now has hope!

Sea Creature or Exotic Fruit

Well, living in another country means you get to see lots of interesting things. We came across the sea creature looking thing when we were studying in Costa Rica. It quickly became a family favorite. This red spiny looking thing is none as a Liche fruit. Here is how to eat and enjoy such a thing.

The sea creature like fruit

tear a tiny end off to expose the white fleshy grape like fruit

Pull out the fruit and eat...careful not to eat the seed.

These tatse just like a peeled grape! We love them and thanks to Hermano Gato we got to enjoy some today!

Baby Soft and Headbands..................

Today, was one of the sweetest and most special days here in the ministry. Karla and I were trying to get the remaining lice out of Kathya's hair and get her ready to go get her shot. After I washed her hair we decided to give her some "Baby Soft: spay. I remember when I was a little girl and my momma gave me this as my perfume. I felt so special and it smelled so clean. Today, we sprayed that on Kathya and she just smiled and said "gracias". We then combed her hair nice and pretty and placed a new pink headband on top. I asked her if she wanted to look in the mirror. She said yes......she looked at herself for a few seconds......her face lite up and she grabbed me and hugged me and with the sweetest most sincere little voice said......"muchas gracias Hermana Amy".(thank you very much Mrs. Amy). Tears started to flow as I thought of this poor little girl looking at herself and seeing herself beautiful for the first time. It is the little things like headbands and baby soft that can make a difference....but not only that..........but that someone actually took the time to love her and brush her hair and make her feel beautiful. I know as a women I need to feel pretty what is the difference in a child hearing those words and having those feelings. Today Kathya felt like a pretty little girl! Here she is.....(I can't wait to see her tomorrow ready for church...)

**************If anyone would like to send pretty hair bows and decorative headbands...we can always use them. The girls love to have pretty bows and things for their hair***************

And we are now 20..........

Today, was a day unlike any other. Mark and I know that God has placed all the children in Esperanza for a reason. Each one of them have a different and unique circumstance. However, today....we with the Lords help have truly rescued a little girl. We really are full considering we have 8 boys and 4 girls. However, the Lord knew that this little girl needed help. Yesterday, we drove by to talk with Kathya's mom about placing her in the home. When we approached her house we found a chicken coop. Friends I am very sincere when I say it was a chicken coop. She has been sleeping on the ground in her house. She also was recently taken to the doctor with a fever and severe infection. She had so many lice and so many bites that it has infected her body. One side of her face is swollen and she has severe pain in her ear. She has been getting antibiotic shots now for a few days and will continue for the next few days. Kathya is nine years old and has never been to school. She can not read she can not write. She does not know how to spell her name or know when she was born. Today, was a new beginning for her. She has had a hot shower, we have cleaned and had her hair cut and she gets to sleep in a nice soft bed that she has all to herself. Please be in prayer for Kathya as she now has hope for the future.

It's Officially ......OFFICIAL.......

I know some of you might be wondering what is all the news about "official". Well, it is officially official that we are Honduran residents. We have received our cards and now life can be a little easier here. See, if you don't have a residency card then you can't have a phone, a drivers license, buy anything big such as a house or land. Now, granted we don't need that right now but it is so nice to have. We can go and get out drivers license which is one of the number one things as well as put our cars in our name. This is a huge answer to prayers...so here is the picture of being official......

To Be 11 years Old...................

Do you remember when you were eleven years old? What your life was like? What you did for fun? I so remember when I was 11 years old. I was in between the stage of kid and teen. I still loved to play with dolls but I had a hobby of drawing and just playing outside with my friends. I had no worries....knew no burdens and had a care free life knowing that every night I would sit around a table eat dinner, shower and then it was off to bed.

Living here in Honduras this is not the life of many11 year olds. We see many who have no future but to follow down a path of a broken life where survival is the only way. This weekend we are having our team planning meeting for 2013. We traveled to a small town about an hour from where we live. This little town is near a lake which means it is a huge fishing community.

After our morning session we decided to head to one of the local fish houses for some freshly caught and fried fish. Just like in any area here in Honduras you are greeted with people and children trying to sell you something. Many have sunglasses, cell phone cords and holders, cheeses, sweets knick-knacks and so -on. We had about 5 or 6 people ask us if we wanted anything and we nicely said "no gracias". Then a little girl approached selling bags of cut up suagr-cane. We told her no thank you and continued with our lunch. She stood a little ways off. When we were done with our lunch the little girl approached the end of the table and looked at the skeleton of a fish on Brother Matt's plate and asked if she could have it. He said yes and she pulled out a small plastic bag and raked all of the leftovers inside. She then passed on over to 2 other plates asking for the same. It broke our heart. Here was a 11 year old girl who worked selling sugar cane strips and asking for scrapes of food. How sad is it to think that a 11 year old has no future...she does not go to school...she has 3 siblings at home and she helps work to take care of her family. Her name is Elisia. We might never ever see this young girl again.....but little girls like her are the reason that God has put Esperanza de Honduras here. To give hope to children that otherwise would be without a future.



Elisia 11 years old



Sin...Satan.....Heavy Heart

Tonight I write you with a heavy heart. It saddens me to see that there are still so many people in the world that are living a life where they are tormented by their sin. It pains me to think that the devil can get a person so low and so beaten down that they think and feel there is no other way but to end life. This week I watched a sad video of a 15 year old girl whose mistake her sin tormented her everyday. Where people showed no compassion but constantly beat her down and told her that she was worthless. It reminds me of the story of the women at the well. You know she was not a "good women". She had had many husbands...many men in her life. But I know she was ever grateful the day that the Lord spoke to her and changed her life forever. I am sure that the Lord was trying to talk to this young girl but she felt she had no-one in this world that she could run to. I can't say whether or not she had trusted Christ as her Savior before she ended her life but without Christ she has no hope. It is a shame that we live in a world that is so cruel and selfish and a world where parents do not care enough to control their children. This is just one story.

Over a month ago we were approached by a friend here in Honduras who has a young co-worker who found out she was pregnant. This young 20 year old women was raped while at the beach with her friend. She decided that she was going to have this baby and give it away. That is where we came in. Our friend told her all about our home and the opportunity that she had by placing her baby ...her little girl in our care. She was 7 months at the time. Due to the fact that this was a situation that the girl did not care to remember she did not want to have anything to do with the girl and was going to sign her into the home for 18 years. We talked back and forth to our friend and the girl wanted to be tested to make sure that her and the baby had no communicable diseases before she was born. Last week we were informed that the mother took some pills to abort the baby. Tonight, we learned that at 8 months and 7 days pregnant that little girl died and went to be with Jesus. It breaks my heart to know that the devil got into this young girls head and made her think that there was no other way. She  was almost full term. This little baby girl almost had a home. However, a life with out Christ....leaves a void that the devil jumps right on into. Now, this poor young girl not only has to live her life everyday with the fact that she was taken advantage of but she has to live her life everyday knowing that she killed her own baby. Friends that is exactly what the devil wants you to do...he wants you to get so low and so weak that you feel you have no hope. I am here to tell you friends that there is HOPE...his name is Jesus. He was born, he died and he suffered so that we could have eternal life. If you are a Christian it is your job to reach out to the hurting...to the needy...to the poor......don't be a by- stander.....you will have to answer for that one day....all those people who witnessed that poor teenager getting slammed and bullied everyday....you will have to answer for that. I don't want to think that I had a role in someone taking their own life. How sad it is to think that we live in such a society where there is no remorse. If you are saved.....I challenge you all to do a Pay it forward.....reach out to someone that you would normally never talk to.....it might be that little thing that you do that keeps that person from making a mistake that would forever change their life....give HOPE!

Just Hanging Around......

We are so blessed to be able to share the 10 acres of land here with the church. The kids can run and play and we do not have to worry about traffic. Right now, we have a field for the kids to play soccer and a nature spring for the kids to go fishing. We are lucky to have a few trees in the yard for the kids to climb. However, it would be so nice if they had a safe place that they could run, climb and swing on. We are hoping to be able to put up a nice swingset/playground for the kids to just "hang around" on. If you are interested in helping us construct a play area here in Honduras please send us an email. We know without a shadow of a doubt....the kids would LOVE it!

Out of Country Life..........

When I was a little girl we never had farm animals. I did have a rabbit once and a dog named Sandy. We also had  a cat that had  kittens. We had those until my little brother decided to teach them how to swim......yep kittens don't swim. So, when Mark and I got married we had the normal dogs and cats things but nothing like chickens and rabbits. Now, we have 4 rabbits and a whole bunch of chickens. The chickens are good in 2 ways. The first way is that it teaches the kids to be reponsible for something and at the same time we are able to benefit from the eggs. Micah and Josiah really love the animals. I love that my boys want to help take care of them and play with them as well.

Jr. helping Micah see the baby chicks

I love the excitement on his face....

Showers of Blessings...........

We have been blessed with a brand new piano thanks to Sue and John Leavitt along with some of her students who put on a play in efforts to help raise the funds.  We actually went an asked about the piano and were told that there were none in the country at all. We were a little diappointed that day but knew God would supply our needs. I left our name and number with the owner of the store for them to call if they got one in. We got the call on Monday that there was a piano in Honduras. Today, we got another call that said it was here in Progreso and we could come and pick up. When talking with the owner he said that this was the only one that came in on the shipment and it just so happened to be the "one" that we wanted to purchase. God is awesome I tell you. We are now new owners of a new Electric Piano. The girls are already trying it out and love it.  We are still in need of sponosrs to cover their lessons if anyone is intrested in a one time donation to cover that. If so please feel free to email us and we can give the information. Thank YOU to those who have helped Shower us with Blessings!

Feliz Cumple Junior!

Today we celebrated Junior's 12th birthday. He received some gifts from friends in the states(thank you Scott family) and we were abole to give him a brand new Bible (thank you Ryder Family). We also celebrated with giving him a new cool car that flips when it hits a wall and cake. Thanks to all who sent birthday wishes to him. He says; "THANK YOU!!!!"

Holiday Needs

With the Holiday's just around the corners comes the questions of "How can we help?"  Well, here are a list of things that we need for the holidays and a few things that the kids would like as well. If you would like to help out in another way or would like more information please feel free to email us.

Items with a * are items that we can purchase here if the funds are donated

Donate Funds to have a THANKSGIVING Dinner


* Christmas Trees Pink Christmas lights 6 sets
Jungle Themed or Sports Christmas ornaments

Donate Funds for a Christmas Dinner

Christmas here is not traditional about toys: we would like to be able to get each child a brand new church outfit and play-outfit complete with shoes. Funds can be donated or we can send you names and sizes of children for you to ship gifts here.

The kids have been wanting a basketball court. We would need to pour concrete and purchase a goal here. This would also give the kids a place to use their scooters and skates.

If you would like to know more specific items please feel free to ask.

Jose says; "Muchas Gracias"

Having little babies in the home comes many new needs.....many have asked how to  help out. Here are a few things that we are in need of here.

We are in need of a the following: (if it has a * we can purchase here if the funds are sent)

*formula
*diapers
*wipes
*baby hygiene products
*Infant car seat
*Bouncy Seat
*crib
*crib mattress
*toddler bed

Gas drops
Baby Tylenol
Teething tablets/baby ora-gel
baby sunscreen
teething toys
Diaper Rash Cream

Oscar says "Thank YOU for helping us"