“Reconstrucción Total” (Total Reconstruction) was the theme of our Spiritual Emphasis Week this year at the ranch. It was named after the Spanish version of the TV show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition.” During this week we explored four different types of relationships we have: our relationship with God, our relationship with others, our relationship with ourselves, and our relationship with the world and its resources. We discussed how each of these relationships is broken by sin and needs “total reconstruction” through our relationship with Christ.
During this week, we cancelled school for the week and had somewhat of a “retreat” here on the ranch. Every morning we opened the day with an hour session including a time of worship, an icebreaker and a brief message regarding the theme of the day. Each day we focused on one of the aforementioned themes. After the morning session, our preschool through fourth graders participated in various activities related to the themes while our older kids and some of their families attended workshops taught by teachers, parents, and a couple of our guests. After the workshops the whole family came back together by a time of activities designed to explore the dynamics of the family and help them figure out how to work through various problems they may be having. Each day was concluded by a short time of worship and reflection.
On Tuesday night, we transformed our meeting room by placing as many candles and oil lamps as we could around for an intimate time of worship. On Wednesday, we had day of service with groups going to the city to pour concrete floors and help another ministry with a feeding program, while our youngest kids stayed to do a gardening project at the ranch. On Friday, we ended the week with a fun party at a nearby pool. We enjoyed some typical Honduran food and ended the night with another time of worship and reflection.
It was amazing to see how God worked during this week. At least two of our children accepted Christ and several of them came to some meaningful realizations. I know God is doing even so much more than this. Please pray with us that the kids would remember what they’ve learned this week and that God might use this week as a milestone in their lives.
Blackberries are Everywhere!
We grow blackberries here at the ranch. There are berry patches lining the road between my house and the school. It’s currently blackberry season and I think this is the biggest harvest of blackberries that I’ve seen in the past 3 years that I’ve been here. We have workers picking them during the day. Once they’re picked, they’re taken to our “Casa Grande” where they are made into jam, jelly, juice, and dried to make teas. The jam, jelly, and teas are then sold to visitors and teams that come through as a fundraiser for the ministry. A lot of the families pick the berries and make homemade cobblers, pies, cakes, and smoothies. On the way home from school, the blackberries make a nice snack for all of us too!
New WGO Website!
Our WGO website has been updated! It looks amazing and has lots of interesting information on it. Even if you’ve read stuff on the old one, you should look at the new one. Maybe you’ll learn something new! Here’s the link: World Gospel Outreach
I would appreciate your prayers for these things:
• Pray for the transitions of the new teachers coming and old teachers and other missionaries leaving.
• Pray for the continued spiritual growth of all our kids.
• Pray for a strong beginning of the school year with teachers and students adjusting to their new classes. (School starts August 2nd)
Thank you so much for all of your prayers and encouragement!
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