Hello friend! Our ministry in Puerto Lempira is doing well – Loving God and helping people.   Deneve, the 10th grade girl we sponsor at IVA is doing very well. Miguel, the 10th grade boy we sponsor at IVA has made it to the final round of a national physics competition.  Three kids in all of La Moskitia made it, and two of them attend IVA!  Miguel will be traveling to the capital for the next stage.  Pretty sure this will be his first time out of La Moskitia and I am very excited for him!  I’ve gotten to spend quite a bit of time with Marco after he gets out of school and band practice.  He is doing very well academically and he really enjoys playing the drums in the school marching band.

Puerto Lempira had the marching band competition today (Thursday 9/28) consisting of four schools, and the whole town was on hand.

Marco and Irias

It was a beautiful morning turning to thunderstorms just after the competition concluded.  Then, of coarse while I was in route to the Casa Del Camino property on my bike it poured down rain! I must say it did cool things down nicely though.Arnold has applied to start 7th grade at IVA next year, and he has been to the property several times already since I arrived last Saturday.  He has helped out as “the cleanup crew” and has tidied things up around the property outside of his school time.

Arnold 

Jerbin is also doing well in school and I have been talking to him about registering for IVA next year.  The teaching and learning the students at IVA experience is life-changing! Please pray for both Jerbin and Arnold to be steadfast in their studies and in the school application process, so they can attend IVA at the beginning of the next school year (Feb 2019).  

Jerbin 

I have also been by the House of Hope and all the kids there seem to be doing quite well too.  Pastor Ludy continues to meet with the Casa Del Camino work crew 4 or 5 days a week, as his schedule permits.  Pastor and I also went to the prison on Wednesday (9/27) and we spoke on the first two chapters in the book of Jonah. The men there really seem to be opening up to me, I even got beat in a game of checkers and I pushed a little weight around with a couple of the guys inside the walls – (I’ll take a 15 min. workout any chance I get).  My relationship with the work crew is growing nicely and I genuinely enjoy working among each of them.  I can’t wait to be able to communicate fully in their language.  I know I will have lasting friendships with a few.

Now with the rest of my time: I have tested the well water and am grateful and excited to report all 23 tests are in the good range and the bacteria is negative! Praise God! There is no need for any filtration system and the solar pump has filled both tanks to capacity. This means there is no more water expense – neither by time or financially.

Trees: We planted 17 more fruit and spice trees at Casa Del Camino property.  Thanks to a new friend we met in La Ceiba – Barb who owns and operates Rainbow Village Hotel. She was able to purchase them for us from the university in Ceiba and I picked them up from her on my way down to Puerto Lempira.  Even though it cost more to fly them to PL than it did for us to buy them we are excited – future nutrition for the kids and us!

We’ve purchased the remaining parts to hook up a small solar system to power the pila/bano as well as a couple outlets to the container.  The 4″x 6″ wood roof beams have been ordered and I was surprised to hear we will have them to the property before I leave on the 7th.  We have dealt with this gentleman before for some of the concrete form wood so I am confident this wood transaction will go well too. Some of the work crewmen have been doing rebar and setting bond beam forms for concrete.

We will be ready to pour the second casting above the windows Friday (9/29) with another casting above that for the veranda roof support.  I’m trying not to panic, while getting one end of home set in stone for them to have a reference to work off of once I leave again.  With every passing day I am feeling stress to focus on the correct things and at the same time there are plenty of tasks requiring attention.  I read this once and it comes to mind:

“The fuller a vessel becomes, the deeper it sinks in the water.  Idlers may indulge a fond conceit of their abilities, because they are untried; but the earnest worker soon learns his own weakness. If you seek humility, try hard work; if you would know your nothingness, attempt some great thing for Jesus.” (Charles Spurgeon) 

My time here in La Moskitia never seams to be enough – trying to remain focused on Jesus while He puts everything together.  Praying for wisdom in the construction of this boy’s home, and feeling blessed and grateful for the relationships that continue to be built.  Recognizing ALL of this is possible only with, and through the power of Christ our Savior.

The love of Christ controls us. (Cor. 5:14)

LORD, let your love set me free to live not for myself but for you. Amen.

Thanks for Reading and for Praying,

Mike

Casa Del Camino Mission Info & Donation page

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