Hello everyone, God is good. Everything is fine here. I will do my best to write more often in the coming weeks.

We got into Puerto Lempira on Saturday a week ago, after checking into the hotel, we spent the day visiting the property and then some time catching up with Alex and Laura at IVA. When we arrived back at hotel Yu Baiwan we were greeted by one of our boys, Arnold (a very street savy 15 year old that we’ve known since he lived at House of Hope when he was 9 yrs old) not really quite sure how he knew we were coming but they seem to always know when I’m coming to town. He’s still with us.

Sunday was spent visiting places like Mama Tara’s orphanage, our freind Walter, House of Hope orphanage and then ended the afternoon with Pastor Ludy and his home church. We then went to Ludy’s new property where he is building his family home and church to do some prayer walking. When we arrived back at hotel Yu Baiwan we were greeted by two of our other boys, Marco and Jerbin. Marco has been doing amazingly well after his first year at IVA and will be starting his second year at IVA next week February 7th. Arnold and Jerbin have been accepted into the IVA program and will be starting 7th grade this year as well. The three amigos have been with us night and day – these boys are a big part of why we felt lead to build Casa Del Camino, a place for these boys to feel loved, and encouraged to have a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and savior, as the one true authority in life.

Monday morning we all got up and ready to spend the day at the property working. Alex has been very accommodating and gracious, picking us up every morning and delivering us back to the hotel every night. Our days are spent at the property 6:30-4pm.

The work has gone as well as could be expected in La Moskitia, with the typical setbacks like materials not being delivered as scheduled or the fact that not all the wood beams have been delivered as promised and some that were, needed extra milling, as they had begun to be chewed by termites. (Simple fix with a good table saw and some termite killer).

Most all the roof beams are in place now, waiting on the remaining 15 – 4”x6”x25’. We are also expectantly awaiting the delivery of 400 – 1”x12”x16’ tablas (boards) that go on top of the beams. Going to property tomorrow in hopes of them being delivered tonight or mid morning as they will all need to be set out to dry under the home for about 5 days before being ripped into straight 12” boards.  Many have live edges and are greater than 12”.

The guys are working the last top part of the walls in the bathrooms and the others are finishing the window openings in preparation to receive windows. One good note, all the roofing tin and 100 of the 300 bags of cement were delivered to our container Thursday afternoon.

There is still much work to be done but at this exact time last year we were forming the top section of the water tower, mind blown! All praise and glory be to God. 

We have also been blessed with a crazy good cook that has been preparing the team lunch everyday. I am fairly certain Casa Del Camino has found its first cook.  She also has a sister that will help in any scheduling problems as they both cook well.

Thursday, Patrick, Paul and I left the property early so we could visit the prison by 3 pm. We usually have pastor Ludy go with us to share.  Please pray for Ludy as he just lost his brother and needed to travel to be with his family during this difficult time. We asked our local Miskito freind Walter to please come and help translate, which he graciously did. Thank you Lord. We went around and greeted all the prisoners and asked for them to come and hear Paul’s word in the book of Galatians. About 20 men showed up for chapter 1 and we will try and finish a quick study of Galatians in the next several weeks. Please pray for me to be full of the Spirit and to share God’s word clearly.

Something else, Lisa had a short bout with some kind of virus or demon as she was bedridden for about 24 hours saying it felt like someone had taken a baseball bat to her body. Thanking God for brother-in-laws who happen to be doctors! His support in many ways of this ministry is also appreciated and grateful for his participation on this trip. Lisa is at 100% now so no worries.

Our friend Paul has also been a true blessing and a delight to travel with.  His expertise in all forms of construction has lightened the load dramatically and the kids and work crew have been blessed by his freindship and are enjoying his presence as well. 

I think this could be one of the hardest things in ministry, is leaving the relationships behind that you have built and shared with others.  We think at first we are going somewhere to do something to help someone else in need, but really it’s the work God does in us through our contact with others that changes us and allows us to see, we are the ones who are being blessed.

Wishing you all to have a chance to feel the power of God working in your life, I pray for us all to boldly share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ and to continue to walk closely with Him.

Saved by Grace,

Mike