Mount Horeb Puzzle

On April 1 our friend Mike from Catalyst Church returned to present us an amazing gift!  A one thousand piece puzzle of the view of Mount Horeb from the "rock".  We have been diligently working on this puzzle since April the 15th.  Mike and I will go down there and sit for maybe two hours at a time and get maybe three pieces into the one thousand piece puzzle.  But one thing I can say we have enjoyed every minute of our time around that table with our staff especially.  Naun rocks the puzzle and hopefully this week end while he is here for Rudy to sleep during the day he will finish it!!!  Manuel helps organize the pieces by shape and color.  Rudy comes along and mixes all that hard work Manuel puts into it and forms a big mess.  But that is all okay.  Because once in a while when Rudy scrambles everything up he may just get one in and the look on his face when he does is simply priceless.  Rudy surprises himself when he accomplish such a feat.  This past week I was praying there would be some folks on this team who could help with the puzzle.  Well Diane helped the first night and said "When you said it was hard you were being very truthful."  Jerry sat with me one evening for about five minutes.  But here came Jared and he helped a whole lot while David sat back and supervised making sure puzzle pieces did not hit the floor.  Maybe one day we will finish this one thousand piece gift and hang it up in the multi-purpose building for all to enjoy!

Naun preserved all week on the last 100 plus beige puzzle pieces.  Martha pitched in and put one in with a lot of help from Naun.  Martha got mad at Naun when he did not give her the chance to mash her puzzle piece completely into place instead he did it for her and we all just laughed at her and Naun just kept right on working on the puzzle and ignored every word coming his way.  Rudy, Mike and I just laughed as the event unfolded.  Mike and I came in one day from Choluteca and Naun was waiting on the porch for us with a smile.  The puzzle was finished.  There was one piece that had not been put in yet.  Naun jokingly said he did not know where it was.  I said hand it over and graciously Naun showed me the last piece.  It was truly a miracle we did not loose pieces to this 1000 piece puzzle.  All the many hands which touched it, God is good.  Naun humbly offered Rudy to put the last piece in but Rudy said no way this is your baby here.  Naun literally put about 900 pieces of the puzzle together.  We are so glad this is done.  Martha and Naun said at the same time now we need one that is green.  So our next project is to wait for the rainy season and get one of the campus nice and green with the Honduran dorm sitting on it as well.  Thank you Mike from Catalyst for providing us such a joyful time around this table for the last month.  

VBS

The team set aside two days to do VBS with about forty children from the church and community.  They started out in song with Meida leading the way.  Mark on the first day did David and Goliath and second day Terry shared the Prodigal Son.  There were coloring sheets each day to match the Bible story told.  They later went outside for some jump rope and soccer.  Thank you all for bringing some joy to these little ones who do not get a lot of coloring or jump rope.  Thank you for getting down there on their level and enjoying them as you did.  

Last Day Traveling

This week is slowly coming to an end.  Each morning Lassie sets up on our porch chilling but the last few mornings she has found a new friend.  Jarod comes out on the porch and scraps the small pieces of eggs onto the porch for Lassie's pleasure.  Yesterday morning Lassie was at our house chilling and heard Jarod down at the kitchen scraping the eggs out of the frying pan.  Lassie took off to greet Jarod with a wagging tail and an appetite for his eggs.  Thank you Jarod for loving our baby girl.

The team sitting on the porch their last morning drinking their Honduran coffee and talking about their day ahead with the Sanchez family.  They have become attached to this family in their short visit in Orocuina.   After breakfast Mark gathered his team to sing "Because He Lives" before heading to the project.   Interestingly Tino and Pastor Carlos joined in singing in Spanish as well.  This morning is Labor Day in Honduras and so to be safe the team rode out into the project in the Land Cruiser, just in case of some celebration protesting.  Praise the Lord we got there and back very safe.  It was a quiet journey to Orocuina and back home to Mt. Horeb.  God is so good.

Putting Down the Floor With Team Effort

Pastor Carlos did not have to do this floor alone. Everyone pitched in and carried buckets upon buckets of mud mixture for the floor into the foundation.  This was after bringing in loads of sand to bring the foundation up to where it needed to be and then tamped the floor into a perfection of smoothness.  As you can see it took numerous upon numerous buckets of mixture for this floor to get completed.  Pastor Carlos and Jarod smoothed out the mud with the metal pole as the mud kept coming. Finalizing the floor and getting ready to put the roof on the fifth day.  Great job family.   

Baladas

A week is not complete until the team has their baladas.  Mike assisted Jarod and Diane in making the baladas.  Mike fired up the wood stove to warm the shells up as Diane cooked her bacon and Jarod scrambled up the eggs.  Lassie also helped her daddy warm up the shells in hopes of one small bite.  You see Lassie helps Ingrid each morning make up the tortillas for the teams by receiving a small pinch of the dough so she expected her daddy to return the favor.  But not this time little girl.  These shells were for the North Americans so everyone could have two to three each.  The buffet was laid out as everyone came through making their own balada to their own taste.  YUM, YUM.  Thanks breakfast crew for yet the best breakfast of all.

Jarod, Jerry and Diane got to enjoy what a real Honduran Balada taste like.  Jerry had at least two as well as Diane and Ginger.  Mike came along later and enjoyed one as well.  All the Hondurans enjoyed a very special treat which is baladas.  Now this was the best breakfast yet.  This treat came on the last morning of our stay in Orocuina.  What a delightful gift provided by the ladies of the church.  Thank you so much for your genuine hospitality.  

Roof Up and Final Touches

Mike and his assistant Mark, team leader, got up there and put up the roof.  Jerry, Chris, Dexter and David were busy bringing all the tin so it would be ready when Mike shouted "Otro por favor".  Jarod and David also carried it up there to Mike and Mark.  All the team work got this roof on the home in record time before the heat starting pressing down upon Mike and Mark.  

On the ground level there was other activities going on.  David and Diane cleaned the doors and the windows for Vilma so when she moved in it would be just right.  Also they cleaned up around the property with all the trash they had accumulated this week.  Chris sat back with a little friend and watched all the last minute touches unfolded.  Jarod got up there at the end with Mike and Mark to put the final touches on the roof.  This was one beautiful the North American and Honduran friends work together this week to completion.  Thank you God for allowing this to take place.  Christ shared I don't know how we did this in five days, I said you all did it with the help of our God who gave us all we needed.

Home Dedication

The time was coming where we have to say our goodbyes to our new friends in Orocuina, Isaac, Vilma, and Marcos.  This week was absolutely a blessing and now we are about to celebrate with their home dedication.  Vilma went to change her clothes from making all those baladas to something more presentable for her special day.  All Isaac could do was smile all morning while each piece of tin was going up and floor was being completed.  But now the time had come when they would receive their home officially.  Mark, team leader thanked them for allowing the team to come and work beside them to make this house become a home.  At this time Terry prayed an amazing godly prayer over this couple, where he shared Isaac will be the leader of his home and in his community and Vilma will open her home up to others and share the love of Jesus with her genuine hospitlality.  He prayed how this home will be a beacon and light up this entire community of Orocuina. Terry what a humbling and sincere pray which truly came from your heart through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Mark read encouraging words out of Psalm 119.  At this time Dexter shared a few words and quoted Joshu 24:25 "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord".  He presented the family with their keys and wished them well.  Mark presented the family Bible to Isaac and Vilma.  Mike gathered the team and family and friends around the house as they sealed this home with one more prayer of dedication.  Well done good and faithful servants.

Reunited with Roseboro and Lillngton Baptist

This year for the first time in the history or coming to Honduras this church combo team could not get fifteen people to come and serve beside us.  Mr. Dudley due to health reasons was not able to return but felt responsible and calling us to let us know they were struggling this year to make a team of fifteen.  We asked him how many at this time had committed he said seven and we told him perfect.  This is the perfect team for the project we had in store for his team.  For this particular project we needed no more than seven people on the team because of the location of this project.  This project was for one of our staff members, Rudy, who lives in a quant little village called Las Uvas.  So God is good all the time. This team of seven came on down and joined us for what was about to be one amazing week serving our Lord.

They all pitched in and helped each other get all the job duties completed.  The three ladies found out upon arrival they did not have to make sandwiches all week.  So they pitched in and helped the men cooked breakfast each morning.  Amanda and Robin always made sure the coffee was brewed up for everyone bright and early each morning.

  Amanda enjoyed her quiet time over a cup of Honduran coffee up on the multi-purpose porch each morning before the sunrise.  As you can see from the pictures the men cooked breakfast and loaded the truck each day as well along side of Rudy who was eager to get each day up and running.  Because of the distance and the rough terrane on the  road going up to Las Uvas the team rode in the Kia and the Land Cruiser.  There journey lasted about an hour and a half one way each day.  They ate breakfast and loaded the materials onto the Kia and was on the road each day by 6:30.  This team was committed to this project because they shared it was helping someone who has protected their team for four years by guarding at night twelve hours at a time.  We are forever grateful for Rudy and his commitment to Mt. Horeb.  This team exemplified their gratitude this week as well as they all worked side by side doing whatever it took to provide Rudy a home.

Team Arrives At A Little Piece of Heaven

Off the North Americans and Hondurans traveled to a place called Las Uvas, The Grapes.  The village is at the very top of the mountain in the picture above.  It looks like a peak at the top of the big mountain.  This dusty rocky and narrow ride took these people to a very special place where simply you could feel the Presence of God.  The beauty and grandeur all around them was breathtaking for our North American friends.  Rudy and his future bride Hilsi have no clue what a beautiful view their home would set off of each and every day of their marriage together.  Mountains just rolling and rolling all around their property which was up an incline to get to but once you got their it was nice and rocky, actually very similar to our last project.  Rocks everywhere and just enough room to build the home with no room to spare.  

We arrived safely the first day up to this little piece of heaven called Las Uvas.  We gathered around the foundation to introduce the North Americans to their new family and friends. Rudy introduced his family which was Hilsi, her mother Marie, and Marie's husband, a gentle and quiet gentleman similar to our Rudy.  There was some grandchildren there as well and Wendy Hilsi's sister in law.  The team found out quickly this was a strong family unit Rudy was marrying into and they all loved him a lot.  Telfair introduced his team and asked Pastor Carlos would he open the week up in prayers.  

The Door

This had to be the most amazing experience ever for us.  The team had to carry they doors up an embankment which was straight up rocks.  I could not do it without the help of Mike or Meida for fearing of falling.  So I was most concern about the team carry the supplies up this embankment.  Team effort kicked in immediately.  Mike, Jon and Telfair got the door up to Rosemary, Amanda and David who were waiting at the top of the hill for it.  Praise God everyone did fine and no one slipped or fell.  God is so good to protect us when the task is sometimes not so easy.  After they got up there with the first door Mike was standing at the bottom along with Telfair and Jon when here goes Rudy with the other door over his head and he bounced on up the embankment with the door.  We all just looked at each other and said "Really, he just didn't do that?"  Rudy also carried two bags of concrete on his shoulder up the embankment and all the 800 blocks you see in the foundation were brought up by hand as well.  Rudy said there was a lot of children from the community and church who helped him get all the materials up to the top unto the property.  Rudy was blessed and loved by many during this endeavor of a new home.  This truly tells me what an outstanding young man we have working at Mt. Horeb.

Prayer Over First Block

I inquired the important question with Pastor Carlos, "Where are you putting the first block?"  So we gathered the two future homeowners and their family to gather around the first block.  The North American team gathered around too everyone touching someone.  I turned to Telfair, the team leader, who do you have praying over the first block.  Telfair and Rosemary both at the same time said we want you to Ginger.  Well I was humbled very quickly and got my composure as I laid hands on Rudy's shoulder and Hilsi's shoulder.  First I prayed God bless this pray and use the words You would have me say to honor this young couple starting their life out with you at the center of it.  As I prayed over these two young people I felt the Spirit of the Lord surround the foundation of this home and I felt the Presence of our Lord up there on this little piece of Heaven.  The beauty of God's creation and love for each of us that moment was ever so real.  I prayed for their future as they start their family together with Christ at the center of it.  I thanked God for His provisions for this week even down to the seven people on the team.  God had ordained this week long before we even thought about it.  God's plan is always perfect when we are obedient.  I was humbled and honored to be able to pray over the first block of Rudy and Hilsi's new home.  I am so proud of you Rudy and grateful Mike and I have been apart of this journey with you.

Prepare for the First Block

The cornerstones were going into place and it was quiet the challenge for a couple of the corners but Pastor Carlos succeeded without prevail.  He stayed on it until he got it as he wanted.  As he was working along side of Cristobal and Tino, Rudy, Robin, Amanda and Yobani were working on mixing the mescal.  Rosemary carried the water to help mix the mescal.  Everyone pulled their weight to get this first block up and running. This small team was very strong and never back down the whole week.  They came to build Rudy's home and this is just what they did.

While the corners were going in and mescal being mixed Mike had his own hired crew working beside him to get the blocks cut and ready for the next two days.  David taught his brother Jon how to take good care of Mr. Mike while he cuts the blocks for them.  David was forever grateful Mike was willing to do this for the team.  Telfair and Doug fell right in there as well. Mike was cutting and they were pulling them out making a stack near the foundation of the house.  Jon learned quickly how to knock those nubs out and to remember to save them because he would use them again later in the week.  We throw nothing away here in Honduras.  We use everything available to build a home.  We try very hard not to be wasteful with God's resources.  All this to prepare us for the first block.  It takes so much effort to get that first block laid out on the solid foundation with level and perfect cornerstones and the mescal which holds it all together.  

This is kind of like our relationship  with Christ Jesus. Jesus is our Cornerstone and if we have a relationship with Him through His Word, which is our firm foundation, we can do anything He ask us to do.  Jesus' Word is also the mescal which forms the blocks into a home.  The Word grounds us and secures us through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is what holds us together in our relationship and our service to Jesus Christ.  Without God's Word applied to our lives daily we cannot stand firm and our foundation will be very rocky and also not firm at all.  Praise God for His Son, Jesus Christ, our Cornerstone who came for all of us to have eternal life through His blood sacrificed on the Cross for our sins.  If today you are reading this and you do not know Jesus Christ, The Cornerstone or you may not even read His Word on a daily basis to build your solid foundation then please please Jesus is our only hope in this world.  We cannot have a firm foundation unless we are grounded in Jesus Christ through His Word and we cannot do this without the power of the Holy Spirit which dwells inside of us.  I pray today you accept this Jesus who has given His life so we can have eternal life.

Rudy and Hilsi

Rudy and Hilsi grew up in Las Uvas their entire life.  They are twenty six years old.  So Las Uvas is all Rudy knew until Pastor Carlos became the preacher of Rudy's church around five years ago.  One day Pastor Carlos comes to Mike and I to say he was hiring a young man from his church to be one of the security guards at Mt. Horeb.  We always trusted Pastor Carlos' judgement on who to hire and who to let go.  So Rudy came on board and had never even been to Choluteca.  Pavana is the first town he came to and left his home of twenty two years to provide income for his family.  At this time we did not know there was also a girlfriend in his life.  I had a women's conference at Mt. Horeb about two years ago, Rudy shared his mother and his girlfriend were coming.  So I was very excited to get to meet the young lady who got so blessed to be called Rudy's girlfriend.  Oh my this young lady was super shy and very quiet as was her mother, Marie.  Rudy's mother name was also Marie.  So I named Hilsi's mother Marie Uno and Rudy's mother Marie Dos.  At this time I did not know the connection between the two families.  So as time passed Rudy would come by while on duty some evenings and sat and discuss his "novia" girlfriend.  Mike and I always joked with him and told him girlfriends were not anything but trouble.  He just smiled.  Well about six months ago Rudy came to our house while on duty as security guard and said he wanted to get married.  He told us at that time they had been dating for six years which Mike and I did not know.  So I said well it is about time you were getting married.  We asked him at this time would he like a home for he and Hilsi to have once they are married.  It simply said, "You are the boss."  So I said well let's pray about it and find just the right team to build your home and then we will plan your marriage.  Well when all this was said. Rudy got very nervous and said let's take our time.  I said, "Rudy are you in love?" " Yes jefe I am in love."  Well I said, "What are you waiting on?"  He simply smiled and off we went praying and preparing for first his home and well now we are planning a wedding for these two childhood lovebirds. They are in the process of getting everything take care of for the civil wedding which will cost Rudy money so he is doing it as he gets the money raised.  Then after the civil wedding there will be a church wedding at Mt. Horeb. Our first wedding on Mt. Horeb.  So stay tune for the blog on this wedding.

What is so humbling about all this is if I had told God no ten years ago like I had plan on doing look at all the blessings I would have missed out on.  Rudy is definitely our family.  He respects us as well as the ministry of Mt. Horeb.  He serves his Lord first and foremost which is why he is such a solid young man.  He will make an amazing husband and father to his family.  I would have missed out on this special moment in his life if I had chosen to stay in my comfort zone and said Lord I am doing just fine serving You in North Carolina.  As Mike and I are in our tenth year God has truly blessed us with not one family but two families.  We have our natural family back in North Carolina who we love with all our heart and it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit I can be so far away from them but God has entrusted us with yet another family, our Honduran family of ten years.  Thank you God for choosing Mike and me to be your hands and feet of your Son Jesus Christ here in Honduras.  My life has forever been changed for the better.  At this point in my life I am not sacrificing anything by being here I am being changed daily for the better because of how my brothers and sisters in Christ live out their daily lives.  What a gift from God!!!!!