The best DMV story ever.........

the waiting has begun

Living in another country means lots of new things....including residency cards and a new drivers license. I see post all the time of friends who talk about how much they dislike the DMV. You go and wait......then go  and talk to the person behind the counter and pay for your needs. Maybe you are there for an hour or so. Well, we wanted to share with you about our DMV ordeal.  It all started last week when we went to get our license. When we arrived at the police station the power to that side of the city had been turned off and we could not do anything that day. However, they told us the things that we needed to do to be ready. So, yesterday we went to the bank to pay for our "cita" our appointment to go to the station. It was a huge line of maybe 30 people waiting outside of the bank....not including the people inside. We decided that we would check out the bank downtown to see if it was any better. Yeah...not so much and the people had to wait outside in the heat. We decided to take our chances and head back to the mall. We got in line and waited and waited for more than 1 1/2 (standing) hours but we finally paid for our appointment L500 about $25 or so. Today, we woke up and went to the station to complete the process. We were told that we needed to have an eye exam, a blood test, a physical and so on. So, we headed across the street to get the things we needed. As we were waiting.....we were then handed a drivers test that we had supposedly taken, and our completed eye exam that gave us both 20/20 vision. We then had to have two pictures made and copies of our residency cards. Now, it was time to pay. So we have about $60 this time and headed across the street to finish the process. We walk into a small air conditioned room (which we were ever grateful for) and started our wait. For the first 30 minutes or so....not one person went back or left the room. I had to go and use the bathroom....however this would be a true adventure. I get up and walk out one door to discover not one policeman or women in sight. So, I enter the room again and go out the front door. Look around and find no-one. So, I walk into the actually station to find 3 police officers and I asked them if they could direct me to a bathroom. Finally, one women was able to help me and she led me out the door and to another building...but here it was just to get the keys for the bathroom. Then she takes me to another building and opens the door. I look inside and see three toilets...yeah...she shuts the door....no lights, no toilet paper and no sink and only the first toilet works. It is a good thing I go prepared.  ugh......just another link in the adventure.


this is 3 hours later

 Well, waiting and waiting and waiting. Then, they took 12 people back. We continued to wait and then they took about 8 more people and told the rest of us we would have to wait until after 1. (yeppers, it was only at 11:30) So, we waited and waited...........then the man came to collect the next 10 or so...and we were first in line. Once we got back it was pretty fast but I had to wait while the women helping me got her bills and money together so she could send her friend on errands to pay all of her accounts. After, giving all of my info, giving my finger prints and getting my picture made I moved to the next window to wait for my little blue piece of gold.....my new license....Mark then started his process and after more than 3 hours of waiting in one day...we finally have our Honduras license and only need to do it again in 2 years


we paid for the grade we could of at least got an 90%



Thankful for a new toy

Anthony reading the instructions

With 10 acres of property here in Honduras you would think that there is a lot of room to run and play. This is so very true. However, not much for the kids to actually do but run. We were recently blessed with the funds to purchase a trampoline for the home. This is the very first time almost all of them have seen anything like these. These are rare treats here and we are very blessed to be able to have one here on property. We are hoping that in the future we can have someone/or a church/volunteer group donate the funds and help construct a playground area and maybe even a clubhouse as well for the children to have more things to enjoy outside. Thank you to those who give and help us continue to make Esperanza a home for these kids.

A trash can + 1 little boy = ?

I noticed that Micah had emptied the bathroom trashcan in the other bathroom. Then I watched carefully as he turned it upside down. So, what does a trashcan and 1 little boy equal.....a stool for a little boy who has more brotherly love than I thought any kid could have. The next thing I know he is in the pack-n-play with Jose and they are both having the time of their life. He loves them as much as Hunter, Taylor and Josiah love him. He hugs them and kisses on them and tries really hard to always make them laugh.

AWE.....she caught me!

loving Micah!

Urgent Need......

fan style needed for the kitchen/dining room

style needed for the kids rooms

With summer just getting started  here in Honduras the heat has really increased. We have had a few weeks now of temps in the high 90's-100's but actually feel like 111 with the heat index. With that said, we have no air condition in the house. We rely solely on fans. Two of our fan motors have stopped working and the boys fan has bit the dust. We are in need of fans. It will cost us around $400 to get the fans that we need to keep the kids cool and the dining/kitchen area cooled off. If you can donate any amount to help us purchase a fan that would be great. You can go online to the link below and donate and specify/ Coats/Honduras/Fan Fund or you can simple write a check to:
Hope Childrens Home
c/o Coats Fund(fan need)
11415 Hope International Drive
Tampa, Florda 33625

The Link is :
www.hopechildrenshome.org

then click the link that says DONATE NOW and follow the prompts (be sure to specify that this is for the Coats/Fan fund
Thanking you all in advance for your help. May God bless you all.

6 months later..........................

In October just around the time of "candy day" other wise known as halloween a very sick and lice infested Kathya came to stay with us. When she entered the home she had a severe infection due to thousands of lice bites and just a life of uncleanliness. She had never been to school, she did not know how to write or how to spell her name. She did not know her birthday and had never had her own bed. That day everything changed for her. God opened up a door and allowed us to place her in the home. Now, 6 months later this little girl has hope. She can now spell her own name, little by little she is learning to read and write. She has her own bed, new clothes and eats 3 meals a day without having to search for plastic bottles before her mom can go and buy the food. She has a different life. She accepted Christ as her SAVIOR and God has put a song in her heart and a smile on her face. She is learning English and she is really blooming in her spiritual walk with the Lord. You can tell this by her heart felt prayers. I have posted a before and after picture of Kathya from the day she came in, after she was cleaned up and a pictre from today. WOW! God is so good. You know this is a perfect example of how our Christian life should be. We come to Jesus dirty and covered with sin, we are broken and sad. Then, when we repent and ask him to live in our heart and change us......the world should be able to see Jesus through us and all over us. There should be a visible change. God's love and grace once accepted makes us new creatures in HIM. Just like these pictures of Kathya....the world should be able to see a change in our lives as well. Can the world see that Christ has made you a new creature....or are you still the same?

October 2012 when Kathya entered the home

Day after she entered the home 1st church service

This was Sunday April 7, 2013

Meet Sthefany

Sthefany is the newest member of the Esperanza Family. She is 6 years old. When she was two years old her mom left her with her grandma. She has lived her last four years with her, however her grandma has to work 6 days a week. So, her mom (which she has had very little contact with the last 4 years) signed her into the home today for the next 12 years or until she graduates high school. Please pray for her as this is a large and difficult transition. Pray for us as well for wisdom and guidance.  With adding her we are in need of a sponsor not only for her but for 4 others as well. We have 5 children who are not supported right now. If you would like to help give "hope" to a child please email us in regards to sponsoring a child. Thank you all for your love and prayers and support of our ministry.

Happy Easter 2013

 Thank YOU to all who gave so that the kids could have new Easter Outfits. They all looked so sharp and handsome at church on Sunday. We celebrated Easter with a special cantata at church. Many of the children sang in the program as well. Thank you again for giving to the children of Honduras. We are so happy that we can share the good news of A RISEN SAVIOR with the kids at Esperanza.

Pray For Honduras

While there are people everywhere that still need Jesus the country of Honduras desperatly needs your prayers. According to abcnews.go.com (The World's Most Violent Cities) Honduras has the 2 of them. Two of the world's 10 most violent cities are in Honduras. Pray that God will use the situation in Honduras for the furtherance of the Gospel and that His messengers will have a peace that passes all understanding. We do not feel that we need to leave but that the need is now greater that the gospel is spread here. Please be in prayer for all of the missionaries here that are trying to further the kingdom for Christ.



abcnews.go.com