A few weeks ago Gordon & I returned from a prosperous trip to Honduras. Our goal for this trip was to find a rental home, vehicle, and furniture in just a week & 1/2 time! God blessed and we were able to do just that. Once all the preparations were made, we started to anticipate our arrival as a family and start the work God has placed before us.
However, since our return from Honduras a few weeks ago, our time back in Charlotte has been rather eventful to say the least! What started out as a quick, but much anticipated ski trip to the mountains, landed one of us in the orthopedic clinic with a torn meniscus, wearing a boot for the next six weeks.
Days later, one of our mother's fell and broke the bones in both of her heels. She is now wearing boots and she is refined to a wheelchair for the next six weeks. There has also been some sickness within our family as well, all coming at an unwelcome time. Yet, even in that, we recognize God's hand of care. And what satan means for evil, God can use for good. His hand is on each one of us so we will rest in Him!
Please be praying for each one of us (including our families here) as the time to depart approaches in less than a week. We are scheduled to fly out this coming Thursday, March 1st on a early flight! We wait in anticipation to begin this new chapter in our lives as we serve alongside Forgotten Children Ministries in Honduras. Pray also as we adjust to the culture and all that living in a new city entails.
Thanks for your continued prayers & support!!
love,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
*Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."
Friday, February 24, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Upcoming needs & prayer requests...
Soon Gordon & I will be flying to Honduras to look for a home. Please pray specifically for a house (with a yard--ha, any type of yard!) close to other families with children our boys' ages. One of our biggest concerns is for our boys to make a new circle of friends and to have a place for recreation. Making new friends made all the difference for our family during our adjustment to Costa Rica, so finding the right neighborhood is important.
We will be staying for about a week and 1/2 stint. During this time, we need to find a home to rent (hopefully under $1,000 a month ~ it's expensive even in a 3rd world country!), purchase all the major appliances (refrigerator, oven, and washer/dryer), purchase vehicles, and possibly home furnishings as well. If time allows, we also hope to meet with an attorney to start the process for our residency. It will prove to be a fast & furious week, but we are excited to take this next step! Please pray for wisdom & the Lord's guidance with all the decisions that need to be made during this time.
Please also pray for traveling mercies & safety. We fly out on January 31st and we will return on February 9th. Pray also for our boys while we are in Honduras and for their caregivers.
THANK YOU so much for your prayers & for all the encouragement we have received over the past few weeks! We appreciate you all more than you know.
In His grip,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
*People ask how they can help. Perhaps financially you cannot support us on a monthly basis, but if you would like to, you can donate a monetary gift through purchasing an item from our registry both at Walmart & Target on-line.
We will be staying for about a week and 1/2 stint. During this time, we need to find a home to rent (hopefully under $1,000 a month ~ it's expensive even in a 3rd world country!), purchase all the major appliances (refrigerator, oven, and washer/dryer), purchase vehicles, and possibly home furnishings as well. If time allows, we also hope to meet with an attorney to start the process for our residency. It will prove to be a fast & furious week, but we are excited to take this next step! Please pray for wisdom & the Lord's guidance with all the decisions that need to be made during this time.
Please also pray for traveling mercies & safety. We fly out on January 31st and we will return on February 9th. Pray also for our boys while we are in Honduras and for their caregivers.
THANK YOU so much for your prayers & for all the encouragement we have received over the past few weeks! We appreciate you all more than you know.
In His grip,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
*People ask how they can help. Perhaps financially you cannot support us on a monthly basis, but if you would like to, you can donate a monetary gift through purchasing an item from our registry both at Walmart & Target on-line.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Preparing for our next step...
We hope you & your families all had a wonderful Christmas! It's hard to believe that 2012 is just around the corner and that at this time last year, our family was in the middle of learning a new language. We pray God will bless each of you in the upcoming new year!
Since the end of August, our boys have been attending Grace Academy twice a week, as well as, being homeschooled in our home. Gordon was able to return to his job at Visionworks. We continue with our language learning through a tutor via skype, and our boys have a tutor that comes to our home twice a week for conversational Spanish. We also have been doing some fundraising as God has opened doors. This time back in the States has been wonderful visiting with family, friends, & supporters but we are anxious now to move forward to do the work that God has placed on our hearts. To be able to participate in such a wonderful ministry is a blessing. God is doing an amazing work with the children of FCM & the people in the surrounding communities.
In just about 6-8 weeks, we will finally be on our way to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to live and serve alongside Forgotten Children Ministries. As most of you know, this path hasn't been without it's trials & spiritual warfare, especially during our time in Costa Rica. Times that brought us to our knees in prayer, many tears, and even made us question our call, especially as we watched the difficult adjustment of our own boys. We continued to seek the Lord and He was faithful to strengthen our resolve.
However, we recognize that another adjustment phase is coming. We ask that you pray for us daily as God prepares our hearts. This move will be even more challenging knowing the permanence of this home and because we are expected to use our new language skills for everyday life. Pray for a new circle of friends for our family in Honduras. Pray for us as a new missionary family, that we will be received well by the Honduran staff & children of FCM. Please also pray for the Womacks, the missionary couple that we will be working with, as they help our family get acclimated to Tegu and to the ministry as well.
Next month we will be traveling back to Honduras to find a rental home and start the process of setting up house keeping. Pray for God's guidance as we look for a home in a safe neighborhood & make preparations for the upcoming move. Our plans are to move in mid February (Lord willing!). As independent missionaries there will always be the need to raise support. We will continue to work on raising funds here in N.C. until we leave. Please pray that God will continue to raise up more people to come alongside us as monthly partners. No contribution is too small, God will bless any commitment that He places on your heart! He has already graciously brought more supporters to join our team since we have been home. We praise Him for His provision and we trust that He will still send more!
Thank you for your continued prayers & support!! We are finally ready for the final step to the mission field, which is due in part, to the many ways each of you have stood with us. We appreciate you all more than you know! Your commitment to our family will be making an eternal difference in the lives of many children and people in Honduras. God bless you!
Because He first loved us,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
Psalm 9:18 ~ "But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish."
*For those of you who have asked about giving a monetary gift or contribution, we are registered at both Target & Walmart for items needed in our home.
Since the end of August, our boys have been attending Grace Academy twice a week, as well as, being homeschooled in our home. Gordon was able to return to his job at Visionworks. We continue with our language learning through a tutor via skype, and our boys have a tutor that comes to our home twice a week for conversational Spanish. We also have been doing some fundraising as God has opened doors. This time back in the States has been wonderful visiting with family, friends, & supporters but we are anxious now to move forward to do the work that God has placed on our hearts. To be able to participate in such a wonderful ministry is a blessing. God is doing an amazing work with the children of FCM & the people in the surrounding communities.
In just about 6-8 weeks, we will finally be on our way to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to live and serve alongside Forgotten Children Ministries. As most of you know, this path hasn't been without it's trials & spiritual warfare, especially during our time in Costa Rica. Times that brought us to our knees in prayer, many tears, and even made us question our call, especially as we watched the difficult adjustment of our own boys. We continued to seek the Lord and He was faithful to strengthen our resolve.
However, we recognize that another adjustment phase is coming. We ask that you pray for us daily as God prepares our hearts. This move will be even more challenging knowing the permanence of this home and because we are expected to use our new language skills for everyday life. Pray for a new circle of friends for our family in Honduras. Pray for us as a new missionary family, that we will be received well by the Honduran staff & children of FCM. Please also pray for the Womacks, the missionary couple that we will be working with, as they help our family get acclimated to Tegu and to the ministry as well.
Next month we will be traveling back to Honduras to find a rental home and start the process of setting up house keeping. Pray for God's guidance as we look for a home in a safe neighborhood & make preparations for the upcoming move. Our plans are to move in mid February (Lord willing!). As independent missionaries there will always be the need to raise support. We will continue to work on raising funds here in N.C. until we leave. Please pray that God will continue to raise up more people to come alongside us as monthly partners. No contribution is too small, God will bless any commitment that He places on your heart! He has already graciously brought more supporters to join our team since we have been home. We praise Him for His provision and we trust that He will still send more!
Thank you for your continued prayers & support!! We are finally ready for the final step to the mission field, which is due in part, to the many ways each of you have stood with us. We appreciate you all more than you know! Your commitment to our family will be making an eternal difference in the lives of many children and people in Honduras. God bless you!
Because He first loved us,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
Psalm 9:18 ~ "But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish."
*For those of you who have asked about giving a monetary gift or contribution, we are registered at both Target & Walmart for items needed in our home.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Need of MONTHLY partners!!
We just wanted to take a few minutes to explain what being a monthly partner means, because it's monthly partners that enable our family to work alongside FCM to minister to the 75 children that are housed by FCM and to the people in the impoverished communities in & around Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
A partner is someone who faithfully contributes to our support on a monthly basis, regardless of the amount of the contribution.
Each month the partner mails in a check (or you can contribute on-line) to Forgotten Children Ministries and they keep all of the contributions in an account for our family. From this account FCM allots us a budget to enable our family to live.
But remember...as independent missionaries on staff with Forgotten Children Ministries, we are required to raise 100% of our funds in order to serve. And even though we are members of a Southern Baptist Church, we are not with the International Mission Board nor any other mission board, therefore, we are not given a salary. ALL of our support must come from individuals, like yourselves, or churches in order for us to do the work God is calling us to do.
With that in mind, please prayerfully consider becoming a MONTHLY partner! It doesn't have to be a large amount; it can be $5, $10, $25 month or as much as you believe the Lord is leading you to do, but if every one gave just a little, then we would have the support needed for our family to do God's work in Honduras.
THANKS so much for considering to partner with us! Just think, your contributions to our family will enable you to have an active role in changing the life of many street children, & people who otherwise would have no hope apart from Christ. We pray God will bless our efforts and the efforts of this ministry so these children & the people of Honduras in turn can make a difference in their own country for Christ.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
A long awaited trip back to Honduras...
We recently returned from an amazing, Spirit filled week in Honduras! Again we needed to give all the praise & glory to God for how He allowed our team to be His hands & feet during our time in Tegucigalpa. We were privileged to work alongside a wonderful team of North Americans from Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi too.
Our week started out with nine of the boys from the ministry being baptized in a river on Sunday after church. Each one of us felt blessed to be a part of such a special time in these boys lives. We see the result of God's hand in this ministry as we witness their baptisms and by the active role many of the boys are taking in the church services where one of the boys shelters is located. The Experiencing God Bible study, which many of the FCM boys are a part of, is also being led by one of the older boys of the ministry. I stand in awe of how God is working here within the ministry walls!
We were also very excited to finally meet 11 of the girls that are a part of the ministry now, which is called Grace girls. Each one is beautiful in their own unique way. We look forward to getting to know them better in the coming years. The women of the team did VBS, devotions, crafts, and we even got to teach the girls a dance, which they performed at team time that
evening. What a fun week with the FCM girls!
The feeding ministry during the week is one of our favorite aspects of the ministry. We bring food & clothing to meet their physical needs and we share the Gospel/talk to them about the Lord to take care of their spiritual needs. There are about 60 families or more that FCM has adopted & these familes are often visited to keep them enouraged.
This elderly woman is now one of our sisters in the Lord! Gordon had the privilege of leading her to the Lord during our time in Honduras. Please pray for her as she grows in her relationship with the Lord.
A few boys watching as we ministered to the people in their community.
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| Natalie & Christy |
It was great to finally be back in Honduras again working with the ministry. There were many days while in language school that we longed to see the kids of FCM again, but the year in Costa Rica was a good transition year for our family. It enabled us to start getting accustomed to the Latin American culture and at least have a basis of the spanish language. It was a tough year, but a year we are thankful for.
During our year in Costa Rica, we discovered that our support level was not adequate for a family of five to live on. Therefore, during our time on furlough, we are focusing on raising more support to enable our family to not only get on the mission field, but to remain as long as God wants to use us there. And for this reason, we are home in N.C. until we reach our support level.
*We are just about $1,500-$2,000 away from our goal. Our biggest need is monthly support, and even the smallest gift will help us reach our goal. So we ask that you prayerfully consider becoming a part of our team. And if you are unable to support us financially, then please support us through your prayers.
Thank you for your earnest prayers & support!!
Because He first loved us,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
Psalm 82:3 "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed."
Prayer Requests:
Preparation of our hearts to move to Honduras
Monthly support
Finding a home in Honduras
New friends in Honduras
Spiritual growth of the FCM boys & girls
God's anointing on the FCM staff in Honduras & in the States
More pictures of the kids of FCM...
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| Christian & Delmer |
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| Carlos & Edwin |
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| Duglas |
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| Rossel (in College now!) |
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| Gordon w/Deby, Nicolas, & several other boys in the ministry |
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| Joel & Christy |
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| Christian, Caesar, & Luis |
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| Anny, Julie, & Estefani |
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| More FCM girls :) |
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Back in the States ~ more fundraising!
"Lord make us like Thee. Mould us into Thy likeness."
The purpose of this past year in language school was for us to learn the Spanish language in preparation for the work God has for us in Honduras, but during this time, it was just as much about God moulding us...which at times, felt more like pruning. As we left the comforts of home and all that entails, we were launched into a new culture & a new way of "doing life." The challenge was greater because this new way of life, included not only Gordon & I, but our children as well. The change was big but this transition period proved fruitful as we witnessed how the Lord has worked on our hearts.
God says in His word that He will never give us more than we can handle, yet at times this change, felt like more than we could handle! There were days we thought how nice it would be to go back to the comforts of home and life as we once knew it. But we were convinced that we were exactly where God had lead us, which brings peace in spite of the difficult days. We imagine as we move forward onto Honduras that the most difficult of days have yet to come. Although Costa Rica is considered a third world country, it's the nicest one, where as, Honduras is much more depressive. This is due to the extreme poverty, unemployment, and gang activity. The only light we recognize is located within the walls of the FCM shelters that house the boys & girls of the ministry. And it is for them that God continues to draw us to Honduras.
We returned to the States about 4 weeks ago, and we all were anxious to exchange the sounds of motorcycles & car horns of the city for grass hoppers & lighting bugs :) And to be able to just hop in a car again to drive wherever we wanted rather than hailing a taxi was just as exciting! One of our boys first requests when we arrived was to eat at a Chick-fil-a followed by Dairy Queen, so those where some of our first stops shortly after we returned. (It's the little things you miss!) Since then the boys & I have started another school year so we are getting back to our old routine. Now as we look back it doesn't seem as though we have been away for an entire year, time just continues to race forward.
Gordon has already been practicing his spanish with his co-workers at work (free tutoring!) and I started back with one of my former teachers in Costa Rica a few weeks ago via skype. Technology is a great thing! We also hope to tutor one on one while we are here since we will not be moving to Honduras until after the New Year. Between home study & meeting with a tutor on a weekly basis we can continue our language study. Please pray for us as we fit this in to an already busy schedule!
In just 2 days, Gordon & I will finally be returning to Honduras to work with the ministry alongside a team from Florida. We are excited about getting to see all the boys again, meet the new boys who have arrived since our last visit, and finally meet/get acquainted with the FCM girls. Please be praying for us & the team during the week of September 24-30th ~ pray for God's annointing on each one of us, preparation of the hearts of the FCM boys & girls and all those whom God places in our path, Gospel sharing opportunities, traveling mercies, protection, and good health. Please also pray for all our families & caregivers while we are away as well!
Thank you for your continued support & faithful prayers!!
Because He first loved us,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
Prayer Needs:
Increase in monthly support/partners *
Mission trip ~ Sept. 24-30th
Finding a future home & purchase of vehicles in Honduras
Boys & girls of FCM - spiritual growth & protection from spiritual warfare
FCM staff Stateside and in Honduras
*People have asked how they can help and we know at times people want to give a monetary gift so we have registered at both Walmart & Target for things we will need to furnish our rental home in Honduras.
The purpose of this past year in language school was for us to learn the Spanish language in preparation for the work God has for us in Honduras, but during this time, it was just as much about God moulding us...which at times, felt more like pruning. As we left the comforts of home and all that entails, we were launched into a new culture & a new way of "doing life." The challenge was greater because this new way of life, included not only Gordon & I, but our children as well. The change was big but this transition period proved fruitful as we witnessed how the Lord has worked on our hearts.
God says in His word that He will never give us more than we can handle, yet at times this change, felt like more than we could handle! There were days we thought how nice it would be to go back to the comforts of home and life as we once knew it. But we were convinced that we were exactly where God had lead us, which brings peace in spite of the difficult days. We imagine as we move forward onto Honduras that the most difficult of days have yet to come. Although Costa Rica is considered a third world country, it's the nicest one, where as, Honduras is much more depressive. This is due to the extreme poverty, unemployment, and gang activity. The only light we recognize is located within the walls of the FCM shelters that house the boys & girls of the ministry. And it is for them that God continues to draw us to Honduras.
We returned to the States about 4 weeks ago, and we all were anxious to exchange the sounds of motorcycles & car horns of the city for grass hoppers & lighting bugs :) And to be able to just hop in a car again to drive wherever we wanted rather than hailing a taxi was just as exciting! One of our boys first requests when we arrived was to eat at a Chick-fil-a followed by Dairy Queen, so those where some of our first stops shortly after we returned. (It's the little things you miss!) Since then the boys & I have started another school year so we are getting back to our old routine. Now as we look back it doesn't seem as though we have been away for an entire year, time just continues to race forward.
Gordon has already been practicing his spanish with his co-workers at work (free tutoring!) and I started back with one of my former teachers in Costa Rica a few weeks ago via skype. Technology is a great thing! We also hope to tutor one on one while we are here since we will not be moving to Honduras until after the New Year. Between home study & meeting with a tutor on a weekly basis we can continue our language study. Please pray for us as we fit this in to an already busy schedule!
In just 2 days, Gordon & I will finally be returning to Honduras to work with the ministry alongside a team from Florida. We are excited about getting to see all the boys again, meet the new boys who have arrived since our last visit, and finally meet/get acquainted with the FCM girls. Please be praying for us & the team during the week of September 24-30th ~ pray for God's annointing on each one of us, preparation of the hearts of the FCM boys & girls and all those whom God places in our path, Gospel sharing opportunities, traveling mercies, protection, and good health. Please also pray for all our families & caregivers while we are away as well!
Thank you for your continued support & faithful prayers!!
Because He first loved us,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
Prayer Needs:
Increase in monthly support/partners *
Mission trip ~ Sept. 24-30th
Finding a future home & purchase of vehicles in Honduras
Boys & girls of FCM - spiritual growth & protection from spiritual warfare
FCM staff Stateside and in Honduras
*People have asked how they can help and we know at times people want to give a monetary gift so we have registered at both Walmart & Target for things we will need to furnish our rental home in Honduras.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Graduation quickly approaching! Saying our good-byes...
Graduation is quickly approaching and we are just about 2 1/2 weeks (& 11 days :) away from finishing a year of language study. We have already been saying good-bye as several families are either heading back to the States for a short time or they are going to their prospective country to start the mission work they have been training for.
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Although this year has been extremely challenging, we are so thankful for this time in our lives. The community of believers that God has encircled around us and the new friendships we have made, have truly enriched our lives. We could not imagine not having known these wonderful people! It will be difficult over the next weeks as we continue saying our farewells. For some of these friends/fellow classmates, this will be the last time we see them on this side of heaven, which is hard to imagine after all the time we have spent together this past school year. What a blessing each of them have been to the lives of our family! God has encouraged us tremendously through this community of brothers & sisters in Christ.
Please be in pray for continued perseverance as we finish out our language training over the next few weeks, and for each family as they start the work God has placed before them. Please also be in prayer as each family once again adjusts to a new home & for new friendships to be made.
THANK YOU for your earnest prayers & support!!
In His grip,
Gordon, Christy, Jared, Zac, & Wil
* People have asked how they can help our family and one way is to purchase an item(s) from our registry, these are things we will need in Honduras. We are registered both at www.target.com and www.walmart. com *
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