REALLY, God healed the washing machine

Kendall picked me up from school yesterday and said, "we have a problem, the washing machine is broken, I need you to fix it."  Now I can fix a lot of things but washing machines are not an area of expertise.  Last time our washer broke in the states, I took it apart and didn't get it put back together and working for almost 2 months.  So I get home and our new nanny for Isaac, Paola, is there as well.  So we are all downstairs with the washer and all eyes are on me.  I open the lid, unplug it, turn some knobs, push some buttons and it doesn't work.  Well this was a tough situation because we sweat a lot here so our clothes get pretty nasty and I don't know who I would call to come and fix it.  Also, washing machine repair is not in the budget.  So, Kendall began to pray and I joined in.  With hands laid on the top, we asked God to heal our washing machine.  As soon as we said Amen, the washer turned on and started running without even pressing a button!

Paola, came in and asked (in Spanish), how did you fix it?  So I told her, we placed our hands on it like this and asked God.  She said, "REALLY."  I said yes, God cares about the small things.  We then shared a bit of our testimony with her and were able to ask about her faith.  Pray for Paola and the other people God brings into our lives here in Roatan.  We pray that God's name will be glorified and that those around us will come to know Him and have a relationship with Him.   Also, pray that we don't have any more washer problems.  God is alive and he hears our prayers even about the small things.   

Our Godson, Kendall

This is our Godson, Kendall! 

                  We met Kendall's family in 2009 and developed a strong friendship with them.  Kendall's brother, Pablo was a part of our mentoring and feeding program.  I met him and his friends begging on the street one day and our friendship took off from there.  We ate together, went fishing and worked on reading and writing.  Pablo eventually introduced us to his family of 4 brothers and 3 sisters.  Kendall and I spent time getting to know his mother, Francis and her husband Santos very well.  They all lived in a one room house with no plumbing, but were extremely generous and welcoming to Kendall and I.  Anytime that we would go by, they would welcome us into their house and just want to sit and talk for as long as we would stay.  Not long after getting to know Francis and the rest of her family, she became pregnant.  We were very excited for her, I was even invited to a baby shower.  I was the only male and the only foreigner.  It was my first baby shower so I was way out of my comfort zone,i didn't even know that I was supposed to bring a gift.  

                 

A few months before the baby was born, Francis asked Kendall and I to be the God parents of her new baby boy.  We were very honored and excited, and not knowing what that required of us, we said yes!  She then told us that she wanted to name the baby Kendall.  Names are very important in Honduras so we were extremely honored by her choice of names for her new baby.  When we left the island in 2011, Kendall was only a few months old and we have been eager to see how he has grown.  Yesterday, we were blessed to spend some time catching up with the family and seeing what a wonderful little boy he has become!  He loves to draw, only speaks Spanish and is always smiling.  

Here are a few pictures of us with Kendall in 2011: 

This is the newest member of their family, Nashley

Life in Roatan

Here is an update through pictures from our first 2 weeks back in Roatan!  

Sunset at West End Beach

Preparing for an intense relay race in PE

Cup stack relay

Football in PE

We spent this morning catching up with old friends and meeting some new ones in French Harbour.  We spent about an hour sitting on Carolina'a porch and then walked the community with Pablo and Jorvick. 

Kendall and Shenice catching up at the Sandy Bay children's home 

This is Sindy, we visited with her and many other kids at the Sandy Bay children's home.  Kendall lived there in 2010 and poured into the lives of these kids for a year.  

This is Jorvick, he was a part of our mentoring program when we were here between 2009-2011.  I now have the privilege of teaching him in my 8th grade classes.  He has become a great young man and Isaac loves him. 

Susana and Daniella, in Los Fuertes.  We met these girls in 2010 at the age of 13 & 11.  They were selling baked goods on the street to make money for their family every day from the time they got out of school until dark.  We got to know them and their family very well.  They lived with 12 people in a mud hut and one day asked me to help them get some cement to put down a floor.  With the help of many friends and family in the states, we were able to raise the money to build them a new home.  They are both doing very well! 

Isaac enjoying some play time

Isaac is adapting to the slower pace of life.

This is our neighbor, 'fresita' (little strawberry)

Trust in The Lord!

I arrived in Roatan 2 weeks ago to find out that we didn't have a home for my family to live in.  The home we had been told would be available had fallen through.  Knowing that Kendall and Isaac would be here in less than a week, I began to stress.  I began to get frustrated with the situation and with God.  We have left everything that we had in the states to move here, and now we don't have a place to live.  We had prepared our minds for a little two bedroom house that was going to be just right for our family but then it fell through and I couldn't figure how we were going to find something that fit our situation so well.  I began Looking at multiple properties, which were either way to small, too far away, too expensive or unfinished.  After a lot of prayer the Lord opened up the perfect place for our family.  My former boss on the island recently moved and had been looking for someone to rent her house.  She trusts us and we trust her so she has been able to bless us with a very good price on this 3 bedroom house.  We are now settled into our new home 3 miles from the school where I am working and have an extra room for visitors.   The house has everything we need and more!  The lesson in this situation has been that God has the perfect plan and place for us all.  We simply need to trust him and have faith when the process looks different than we expect!  Thank you for all who have been praying and supporting us!