Wednesday, August 22, 2007
3 Days Left!
We have been traveling and visiting friends and family for the past couple of weeks. We are moved out of our apartment, and packed for our trip. We got to spend a week with my family, and this week we are hanging out with Alden's family. We leave Saturday morning at 7 am for our adventure, so please keep us in your prayers!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
17 days and counting
I can't believe that it is already August and we are moving to Honduras in just 17 days! The last 17 days (or so) have been quite busy, and I expect the next 17 will be twice as busy. I finished my job about 3 weeks ago, and have been traveling and spending time with friends and family. We had a little college reunion a few weeks ago with my HRH girls, and had a great time hanging out with them. I also traveled over to Arkansas and see Stacey & Sarah Kate. I've gotten to spend a lot of time with my family, especially my Mom, and I am grateful for that. This week we are packing up our house, and will begin living out of a suitcase.
The most exciting update is that I spent 5 days in Honduras last week (July 27-31). I had a last minute opportunity to travel with a group, and Laura Beth even got to go with me. I had not anticipated such a trip, but God did promise that He would do more than we could ask or imagine! This trip was such a blessing to me! I wish Alden could have joined me, but unfortunately he had to work. These weeks leading up to the move are stressful and emotionally straining to say the least. It is frustrating trying to think of everything and get everything together before moving. The hardest thing by far is telling friends and family goodbye, even though it is only for a year. We've told pretty much everyone bye already except our immediate family, which of course will be the hardest. During my trip, I got to spend 2 days at Jovenes En Camino with my boys, and it was certainly a recharge for my soul. I needed to be reminded of why I had decided to move to Honduras in the first place, and to have the sweet memories of the boys to recall during difficult times. The boys are so excited about us coming. I would tell one boy that I would be back in 2 months with my husband, and that we would live there for 10 months. Then later, another boy would come up to me asking when I was coming back because they had heard it from another boy. One boy, Christian, asked when we were coming, and I told him the end of September. He said, no what day?! September 25. Ok, but how many more days until then!!?? I told him it would just be 60 days, and he just got a huge smile on his face. It's good to feel wanted! Several staff members made me feel very welcome also.
We have several big tasks in front of us, and I ask for your prayers. First and foremost, we need your prayers as we move, say our goodbyes, and adjust to a new culture. We will spend 4 weeks in language school, so Alden can learn Spanish and I can hopefully perfect mine. Besides that, the board has given us several things they want us to do. They are needing to buy some land adjacent to the JEC campus to build the fourth and final dorm. They want us to talk to the man who owns it, a Honduran General, and persuade him to sell it to us. (They've been trying for 5 years, with no luck yet). Secondly, they need help with their agriculture property. It doesn't seem like the crops are growing like they should be, and they want us to look into that. Lastly, they want us to research the school system there, and come up with some better ideas/solutions for the current schooling of the boys. They go to public school, and their resources are maxed out, and they don't think it's high quality anyway. They want to look into private schooling, but are unsure. Please pray for us on these matters.
We don't know how reliable or easily accessible internet will be once we get to Honduras, but we will keep this blog updated as much as possible. We look forward to hearing from you, and we thank you for your prayers.
The most exciting update is that I spent 5 days in Honduras last week (July 27-31). I had a last minute opportunity to travel with a group, and Laura Beth even got to go with me. I had not anticipated such a trip, but God did promise that He would do more than we could ask or imagine! This trip was such a blessing to me! I wish Alden could have joined me, but unfortunately he had to work. These weeks leading up to the move are stressful and emotionally straining to say the least. It is frustrating trying to think of everything and get everything together before moving. The hardest thing by far is telling friends and family goodbye, even though it is only for a year. We've told pretty much everyone bye already except our immediate family, which of course will be the hardest. During my trip, I got to spend 2 days at Jovenes En Camino with my boys, and it was certainly a recharge for my soul. I needed to be reminded of why I had decided to move to Honduras in the first place, and to have the sweet memories of the boys to recall during difficult times. The boys are so excited about us coming. I would tell one boy that I would be back in 2 months with my husband, and that we would live there for 10 months. Then later, another boy would come up to me asking when I was coming back because they had heard it from another boy. One boy, Christian, asked when we were coming, and I told him the end of September. He said, no what day?! September 25. Ok, but how many more days until then!!?? I told him it would just be 60 days, and he just got a huge smile on his face. It's good to feel wanted! Several staff members made me feel very welcome also.
We have several big tasks in front of us, and I ask for your prayers. First and foremost, we need your prayers as we move, say our goodbyes, and adjust to a new culture. We will spend 4 weeks in language school, so Alden can learn Spanish and I can hopefully perfect mine. Besides that, the board has given us several things they want us to do. They are needing to buy some land adjacent to the JEC campus to build the fourth and final dorm. They want us to talk to the man who owns it, a Honduran General, and persuade him to sell it to us. (They've been trying for 5 years, with no luck yet). Secondly, they need help with their agriculture property. It doesn't seem like the crops are growing like they should be, and they want us to look into that. Lastly, they want us to research the school system there, and come up with some better ideas/solutions for the current schooling of the boys. They go to public school, and their resources are maxed out, and they don't think it's high quality anyway. They want to look into private schooling, but are unsure. Please pray for us on these matters.
We don't know how reliable or easily accessible internet will be once we get to Honduras, but we will keep this blog updated as much as possible. We look forward to hearing from you, and we thank you for your prayers.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Ready and Waiting
Our trip plans are all coming together! I booked our plane tickets today and made our reservations for language school.
We leave on Saturday, August 25. We will spend a month in language school studying Spanish intensively. The first week we will be in Utila, the smallest of the Bay Islands. The second week we will study in Copan, which is known for its Mayan Ruins. The last two weeks we will spend in La Ceiba, a coastal city near the Bay Islands.
We will arrive at the ophanage on Tuesday, September 26 and begin our 9 month stay. I will be teaching English to the boys, and I think Alden may help with that also. Our main job is to just love the boys. Many of them have been abused in such terrible ways, and left to fend for themselves on the streets. They are attention starved, so our most important task is to just spend time with them. We will be like assistant dorm parents, and will help with typical parent duties- helping with homework, laundry, getting them ready for school, etc.
On Saturday, December 29, we will come home for about a 2 week visit. I am sure that we will be ready for the break and to see our families. After we return, our plan is to stay until June or July. After that, Alden wants to continue his education and get his doctorate. Where is still to be decided.
We are very excited about this opportunity. I have missed the boys since I first met them last summer, and I can't wait to get back with them. Despite the frustrations that I expect will come from living in another country with 80 Spanish speaking boys, I am confident that they will be blessings to our lives. Speaking of frustrations, telephone calls to the US are expensive, so we will have to rely more on the internet. However, we are unsure how frequently we will be able to use the net. We are hoping that we can get internet access for the orphange so we can keep in touch with all of you better! We have a new email address: aldenandcandace@gmail.com. We will send out updates, so let us know if you want to be on our mailing list.
We appreciate all of your prayers and encouragement! Dios le bendiga!
We leave on Saturday, August 25. We will spend a month in language school studying Spanish intensively. The first week we will be in Utila, the smallest of the Bay Islands. The second week we will study in Copan, which is known for its Mayan Ruins. The last two weeks we will spend in La Ceiba, a coastal city near the Bay Islands.
We will arrive at the ophanage on Tuesday, September 26 and begin our 9 month stay. I will be teaching English to the boys, and I think Alden may help with that also. Our main job is to just love the boys. Many of them have been abused in such terrible ways, and left to fend for themselves on the streets. They are attention starved, so our most important task is to just spend time with them. We will be like assistant dorm parents, and will help with typical parent duties- helping with homework, laundry, getting them ready for school, etc.
On Saturday, December 29, we will come home for about a 2 week visit. I am sure that we will be ready for the break and to see our families. After we return, our plan is to stay until June or July. After that, Alden wants to continue his education and get his doctorate. Where is still to be decided.
We are very excited about this opportunity. I have missed the boys since I first met them last summer, and I can't wait to get back with them. Despite the frustrations that I expect will come from living in another country with 80 Spanish speaking boys, I am confident that they will be blessings to our lives. Speaking of frustrations, telephone calls to the US are expensive, so we will have to rely more on the internet. However, we are unsure how frequently we will be able to use the net. We are hoping that we can get internet access for the orphange so we can keep in touch with all of you better! We have a new email address: aldenandcandace@gmail.com. We will send out updates, so let us know if you want to be on our mailing list.
We appreciate all of your prayers and encouragement! Dios le bendiga!
It's official
I posted this on Facebook on November 16, 2006. This gives a little background for our trip.
It is finally official! Alden and I met with the president of the orphange today and we are moving to Honduras in July/August. We will be going back to the same orphange we worked with this summer, Jovenes en Camino. Currently, it houses about 70 boys ages 3-14. There will probably be 90 boys there by the time we arrive.
This whole experience has taught me so much about relying on God, and trusting in Him to guide our lives. I had been interested in Spanish, and Hispanic culture since I don't know when. We became interested in working with an orphange in Latin America right after we got married. I contacted about 10 places, and only one responded back: Jovenes En Camino. And the president of the orphange is American, and lives in Nashville! We met with him, and signed up to go down for a week long trip this past July. God was really making this easier than I expected! The moment we landed, I felt at home. Even though I was a foreigner, I didn't feel that way at all. We went to the orphange, and of course, the boys won my heart.
In Honduras, like many places, have a huge problem with men and the family. When we worshipped with the mountaintop communtity, there were about 60 women, and about 5 men. So there is a problem within the church, of not only men not being leaders, but not even being active with the church. An even bigger problem is that men are often absent from their families. I saw hundreds of women with children in this poor community, and hardly any men. The boys learn this role of a man, and most likely will follow in their father's footsteps. Another problem in Honduras is education and poverty. It is a terrible cycle. Children have very little education, and thus can't get a well paying job. Then they stay poor, and their children are uneducated, and they grow up and be poor too.
I truly believe in the work at JEC. I believe that this orphange could change the face of Honduras. Their primary goal is to teach the boys to be good & responsible men: good fathers, good husbands, good Christians. Secondly, they not only send them to school, but train them for a trade. It is amazing the transformation that these boys go through. They have been abused in all ways and left to fend for themselves on the streets. I could see the physical scars on them from their pasts. And I know that after I am with them longer, I will see their emotionals scars as well. But while I was with them, I saw boys who longed for love and attention, absolutely hungry for it. Boys that were respectful, and didn't complain. Boys that independently would lead a prayer before they ate. Boys with a hopeful future, despite their grim past.
I think about my boys all the time. I miss them so much. I keep a picture of my little amigo, Christian, on my mirror. I can't wait to return and be with them.
It is still a little unclear what our role will be. Most likely we will be houseparents, either full or part time. I know that God will direct us and use us. He has made the path clear so far, and I am confident that he will continue to guide us. I am so thankful for Alden's support, encouragment, and commitment to this work. I am thankful for all the encouragement and the prayers offered on our behalf and for JEC. Please continue to pray for us, and the work at Jovenes.
It is finally official! Alden and I met with the president of the orphange today and we are moving to Honduras in July/August. We will be going back to the same orphange we worked with this summer, Jovenes en Camino. Currently, it houses about 70 boys ages 3-14. There will probably be 90 boys there by the time we arrive.
This whole experience has taught me so much about relying on God, and trusting in Him to guide our lives. I had been interested in Spanish, and Hispanic culture since I don't know when. We became interested in working with an orphange in Latin America right after we got married. I contacted about 10 places, and only one responded back: Jovenes En Camino. And the president of the orphange is American, and lives in Nashville! We met with him, and signed up to go down for a week long trip this past July. God was really making this easier than I expected! The moment we landed, I felt at home. Even though I was a foreigner, I didn't feel that way at all. We went to the orphange, and of course, the boys won my heart.
In Honduras, like many places, have a huge problem with men and the family. When we worshipped with the mountaintop communtity, there were about 60 women, and about 5 men. So there is a problem within the church, of not only men not being leaders, but not even being active with the church. An even bigger problem is that men are often absent from their families. I saw hundreds of women with children in this poor community, and hardly any men. The boys learn this role of a man, and most likely will follow in their father's footsteps. Another problem in Honduras is education and poverty. It is a terrible cycle. Children have very little education, and thus can't get a well paying job. Then they stay poor, and their children are uneducated, and they grow up and be poor too.
I truly believe in the work at JEC. I believe that this orphange could change the face of Honduras. Their primary goal is to teach the boys to be good & responsible men: good fathers, good husbands, good Christians. Secondly, they not only send them to school, but train them for a trade. It is amazing the transformation that these boys go through. They have been abused in all ways and left to fend for themselves on the streets. I could see the physical scars on them from their pasts. And I know that after I am with them longer, I will see their emotionals scars as well. But while I was with them, I saw boys who longed for love and attention, absolutely hungry for it. Boys that were respectful, and didn't complain. Boys that independently would lead a prayer before they ate. Boys with a hopeful future, despite their grim past.
I think about my boys all the time. I miss them so much. I keep a picture of my little amigo, Christian, on my mirror. I can't wait to return and be with them.
It is still a little unclear what our role will be. Most likely we will be houseparents, either full or part time. I know that God will direct us and use us. He has made the path clear so far, and I am confident that he will continue to guide us. I am so thankful for Alden's support, encouragment, and commitment to this work. I am thankful for all the encouragement and the prayers offered on our behalf and for JEC. Please continue to pray for us, and the work at Jovenes.
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