Happy Birthday Carolina!

We returned back from NC in time to help Carolina celebrate her 10th birthday. She received a new bible and new church clothes along with a few other things. We made cupcakes to help celebrate.

Quick trip to NC

We headed to NC for quick trip to see family. It was a short trip and we did not get to see or do everything that we had hoped for. However, the boys were able to enjoy something we NEVER get to see in Honduras. Josiah had been praying that he would see snow while we were back and God answered his prayer and blessed him with a beautiful snow fall as we landed at RDU International Airport. The next morning Mark and Josiah threw a few snowballs in the parking lot of Walmart.

Needing something to play with........

3 girls and 3 boys on a homemade see-saw

We have such beautiful weather almost year round and the children live outside after we are finished with school for the day. However, we do not have much of anything to entertain them on the 10 acres of land that we have here. We recently purchased a swing for Micah and the babies to use at Christmas. The older kids are not as fortunate. They have constructed their own see-saw only using boards and have managed to make a swing out of an old waterhose. We would love to have a playground area that the kids could use to release some stored up energy. If you would be intrested in donating to this cause please email us. 

 

Merry Christmas.....

It was an exciting time here in December for the kids of Esperanza. So many reached out to us and helped to give the kids a wonderful Christmas. We started our Christmas on the night of the 23rd. Each child had a secret sibbling (another kid in the house) to buy a gift for. It is our family tradition to exchange sibbling gifts the night before Christmas. So, we started a day earlier. Then on Christmas Eve...we all woke up and had Christmas. The kids were so excited to see the living room full of presents and their stocking full. They each opened and with smiles of excitment and awe....studied each item. For lunch we had a huge Christmas dinner...Mark and the boys actually went and killed one of our chickens (which weighed about 10lbs) Yes, we (17 of us) ate one chicken...it was really like a small turkey. Later that evening we headed to church for our annual Christmas Eve service and then we sent all of the children off for the week with their parents. It was kinda a happy /sad moment for us as we see all of these kids like our own. However, they were all very eager to get back to the house and their bed and our normal life.

Investing in the future

We were able to place one of our girls here in the home along with Taylor in piano class through the institute at El Faro. We had our first piano recital last week where the girls and the other students could show off what they had been learning all year. We are so proud of the steps that Belkis has taken and the dedication that she has to piano as well as serving in the church and here at home. She has expressed that she wants to be a missionary. Please pray for her that while we invest in her and point her toward Christ that she will continue to follow HIM and invest her life into HIS service. Along with that we are proud of Taylor and her acomplishments. She had piano for two years back in the states and has jumped right back in at full force. We are proud of her and are so going to dread the day we send her off to college.

Elvin and Kevin handing out programs

Belkis playing

Taylor playing

Esperanza Kids Go to the Mall.........................

Sometimes we take for granted the things that we do everyday or at least once a month. For example, going to the mall, getting in an elevator or riding an escalator. Well, thanks to a couple in the states for giving some money for the kids for Christmas we thought it would be neat to let them actually spend it. So, we had a 4 part plan for the money. First, they gave a part to the Lord. Second, they each had a secret person to buy for in the house. Then, they could pick anywhere in the food court to eat for lunch and lastly the remainder was for them to spend. You are probably thinking wow how much did they have....Well, it ended up being $12 a person. It was so much fun. I wish I had taken a picture for everything we did that day....but well, when you are watching 15 kids it is alittle hard to break out the camera.


For any of you who have ever watched the famous Christmas  movie Elf......this clip is exactly how it was for some of the kids here in the home. However, once they rode the escalator and the elevator it was like the best amusement ride ever......They kept asking if we could do it again.


Everywhere we went we had eyes following us because here are two Amercians with all these children. However, it opened the door for us to share our ministry. Thank you to those who gave to make this day possible. The kids all had a great time.

On our way to City Mall in San Pedro Sula

Check out that group of kids......:)

HaPPy 9th BirthDAY......DAYTHON

WOW! Another reason for cake.....Daython turns 9. We had a great day celebrating and even had a family trip to the mall in San Pedro Sula. As you can see he was "caked"......but he loved it......