¨Vacation¨

First we took a boat like this from Guate. to Belize

Then we took the Hokey Pokey during the beatiful sunset.

We enjoyed the beach all to ourselves, took a long walk in which Beto found Goliath´s walking stick, and just relaxed in the beauty of it all.


Well, ok. Where do I begin? Beto and I just got back from a one week trip to Guatemala and Belize, but it wasn´t really a vacation. Now that I´m not working in the school where they took care of my passport for me, I have to leave the country every 3 months to a country that doesn´t border Honduras. Beto and I were going to go to the closest place, Belize, but Beto´s passport had expired, so last Thursday we left first for Guatemala and stayed with his family for 6 days. He ended up getting his driver´s license also for that future car we´re praying to God for. We took first the 4am bus 3 hours north and from there took a nicer bus, with a BATHROOM!, the 10 hour trip to Guatemala.

We had a good time in Guate and I ws happy that we got to eat at Taco Bell once! And they even had the USC football game on the TV!

I was supposed to technically leave the country Saturday but we had to wait for Beto´s license to get published Tuesday, and Tusday was the last possible day for me to leavet the country but we left WEdnesday at 4am and left the country without getting penalized. We took a 5 hour bus trip to the coast to Puerto Barrios. Luckily that bus stopped half way to go to the bathroom too!

The boat from Puerto Barrios to Punta Gorda, Belize was just a little 12 passenger one with a canopy and was really really jumpy and scary, and after one hour we made it. Then we took a school bus converted to passenger bus about 3 hours north to Independence , Belize. We waited 45 min. for the ¨water taxi¨, the Hokey Pokey, and took that on much smoother waters only 10 min. to Placentia, Belize where we stayed two nights.

This town was pretty dead as it isn´t tourist season right now. I think we were one of three people in the whole hotel and most of the restaurants were closed. We were getting low on cash but had budgeted just enough to be able to return directly to Honduras on a nicer bigger boat.

When we went to buy the tickets for this boat that only leaves on Friday´s at 9am, we were told that because of bad weather it wouldn´t be going. Great! We couldn´t return the way we came because of time and because the boat ride was so awful. And we couldn´t stay and wait another week for next Friday´s boat because of work and lack of money. So the only thing we could do was fly out, and we had to do it Friday even though I was supposed to stay in Belize three days and we only stayed about 1.5.

We went outside to talk about what we were going to do and were feeling prettty stressed when a local man came by and cut down some coconuts from the palm tree in front of us and gave one to Beto(I don´t like). That was a gift from God. And of course Beto was able to talk with him about God.

Through God´s provision we were able to fly out in a little 12 passenger propeller plane 1 hour into San Pedro Sula, only 3 hours from our house. Of course there were even more unexpected expenses like having to pay an Ënvironmental Conservation Fee¨, mandatory only for non-Belizan residents.

It had been a really stressful trip, one we don´t ever want to do again, and when we reached Honduran soil I really wanted to kiss the ground! But instead we had lunch and madeit home yesterday, so happy to see our doggies!

Thank you so much for your prayers because we were able to travel safely and I was able to cross back into Honduras without being fined for not staying 3full days in Belize. Beto and I now have 90 day VISA´s. In this time we are both going to try to begin the process of getting our Honduran residencies so we don´t have to leave the country again. Please keep us in your prayers about that.

If you haven´t received one of our update letters through snail mail or email and would like to sponsor us in our ministry here in Honduras, please leave me a comment o email me at

laura.speaks@yahoo.com

and we would be glad to send you the information. We are still in need of about $18,000 for our first year of ministry and cannot ¨officially¨ begin until all our funds are in, although we are already working here as missionaries, but right now as ¨tent maker missionaries¨. That is fine, we enjoy it, but we would like to be able to be full time for a least one year with World Gospel Mission.
Thanks!
Many blessins to you all.

more details

just to say...
When we crossed the border from honduras to guatemala i got called in to the migration office..oooooooo...never happend before. the customs agent said that i was late in crossing the border becuse i only have 90 days to be in honduras and i went over. i said, but it´s three months from july 21 till oct.21. that´s how every other customs agent ever counts it that i´ve ever met. but this guy was a stinker. he gets out his calendar and starts to count and add up every day on his calculator. when he gets to october he counts till the 21st, and i said,´But today is the 16th¨. And he looked at me and said, öh yea, i´m sorry.well you only have two more days. you really should get your residency. how long have you lived in hondruas?¨ like i don´t already know all this. we think he was just hoping to get some cold hard cash in his hand.
please pray for us though as we attempt to get into Belize on Tuesday or WEdnesday. Beto needs to stay till tuesday to pick up his license which is the day I should leave, but sometimes (usually)the agents are merciful and will waive the fee if i´m only a few days overdue. Then we will return to honduras from belize but there has been tons of rain everywhere in Central America and flooding in Belize so we are going to try it but it may not be fun to be at the beach this time of year.
Thanks for your prayers.

Teguc. and Women´s Retreat

As I mentioned in another blog I made a trip to Teguc last week. Some people don´t like the big city but I love it! I got to see old (young) friends that I came to know and love by visiting where Amber worked a lot when we lived together. I got to stay with Steve and Jeanne at Baxter. They are my Honduran white Kentucky parents. So multi-cultural! They really spoiled me and I am so grateful to them. I was in Teguc. for the World Gospel Mission Women´s retreat which was a lot of fun. We made scultptures out of bubble gum ! So creative, and went out to eat, shopped, but had great devo times using the book by Stormie Omartian, ¨The prayer That Changes Everything...The Hidden Power of Praising God¨. I highly recommend it. The furry little creature was stuffed and put on display in the hotel where we stayed. It just cracked me up.
I also stayed in Teguc. after the retreat to work on my residency, which was a little successful, but the best was spending time with friends like the Whites and Amber!
I went home for one night and Beto and I left the next morning at 4 for Guatemala. I have to leave the country every three mo. to a country that doesn´t border Honduras until my residency starts to process, so we decided to go to Belize, but first we had to come to Guatemala becuase Beto´s passport had expired. Praise God he got that renewd quickly and even applied for his car license which we hadn´t talked about but while he was out and about I thought it would be a good idea for him to get it once and for all while we´re here instead of having to come back again when we do get a car, which we don´t know when taht will be but we are believing in faith it will be very soon! We are having a great time with the fam and will leave for Belize on Teusday hopefully and stay three days before heading back to Honduras! I havn´t been home in so long!

Dump Ministry

Last Thursday I got to go visit a ministry of our mission in Tegucigalpa. I got a ride from La Esperanza with a group that was working there from Missouri, and went to Teguc. their last 2 days before flying back to the States. The name of this ministry is ÄFE¨....Amor, Fe, Esperanza, or Love,Faith, HOpe. It is an amazing ministry that has been in operation for about 6 years. One missionary would go to the dump around 6 years ago to dump medical waste that he couldn´t put in his trash when medical brigades would come to work. He took his young 6 year old daughter with him at the time and she asked her daddy why there were people working and even living in the dump and why no one would help them. She said that if no one was helping them, that HE should start to help them. After much persistance, he finally started taking food three days a week and now they have a school for children who have lived and worked in the dump. It is across the street from the city dump and has preschool through 9th grade. The fist picture is of the beautiful surroundings but if you look closely you can see 100´s of vulchers hovering overhead. The surrounding neighborhood is called the dump neighborhood but this ministry is beginning to revitalize it. They´ve started a church there and have a lot of great plans and vision for the future. It was really encouraging and gave us a lot of ideas of what we can do in the future in La Esperanza.

Program named in honor of Beto

Last week Nuevo Mundo, where Beto teaches Bible, had their annual Christian Music Concert where students participate. Each year they name it in honor of one teacher and this year they chose Beto! In the first picture you can see the banner in front of the church with his name in the last line. Then he is with Arturo, a leader in our church and our Pastor Raul(the taller one) who came to see the program.
There are a lot of students in this school who mostly are not Christian but were definately ministered to at the program.

blabbing

Right now I have a few minutes to write and for maybe the first time on my blog will just write what's on my mind and not plan too much what I'm going to say.
first of all can i just say that i cannot believe how hungry i am ALL THE TIME while being pregnant! It's unbelievable! When i was sick with nausea the first three months i seriously couldn't imagine ever "having hunger"(translated directly from spanish) again!
I have been in Teguc.almost a week staying with my lovely friends Steve and Jeanne on Baxter's campus and visiting with Amber. Over the weekend I went to a ladies missionary retreat, but most of the time has been spent on the phone with my lawyer(sounds sooo grown up!) and some other key people trying to get my Honduran Residency process started. Things never go the way you'd like or think they should go in Honduras. I don't officially have an employer right now since we are not officially with World Gospel mission until we have all of our funds in. This has made it difficult to get the necesary papers needed from them to hand over to my lawyer, and i'ts been difficult raising funds from the States through letters adn emails sent from here in Honduras.
I've been on the phone so much with contacts here in Teguc and La Esperanza but it's frustrating that there's not much I can do until I am called back. I am really enjoying staying with my friends, watching American TV (LOVE the news!) but I miss Beto and he misses me and i am also anxious to get home. But I'm just sure that if I go home before signing any papers that as soon as i finish the three hour bus ride back to my home i will get a call asking me to return to Teguc again to just sign some documents.
All this has caused us to wonder if I should leave the country every three months like I'm supposed to for my 90 day VISA here in honduras or if we should just move to the States and raise funds until we have them all and when that happens, move back to Honduras. But my husband, being a bit more (ok, a LOT MORE) calm than me, asks a a great question,"What do we do with all our stuff, and our dogs?(yes we have two now, the new one i've not met yet!) So we're going to see what happens.

So, now you know why the title is what it is.
Please be in prayer for us for all of this...raising funds and getting our residencies. Thanks!

Missouri Group, Brother Ronys House

Here are some pictures of the group that was here last week from Missouri. They were a joy to get to know and hang around with. We got to work with them a little bit during the day, cooking...me, and welding new chairs for the sanctuary and some other construction projects...Beto. One Sunday a friend from our church and his family...in the picture with the three young boys, invited us all to their mountain retreat house for a cookout. The view and food was amazing. I took a picture of one of their three dogs, the ultimate guard dog who is very dangerous. He actually took a bite out of one of their horses bellies one time, so I took this picture from far away.
We were very blessed by this group and pray all God¨s best for them!

A day trip

Last weekend we went with our friends Brian and Jessica to the town of Siguatepeque about an hour away. We got to eat at Wendys, buy maternity clothes, shop for machetes, and I found brown sugar! So exciting, I know! Brian and Jessica are missionary teachers at the school where I was working and are really fun people, although they were trying their best to be very serious in the picture, which is difficult for them.

Grow up!

The little latino is growing quickly! And this was taken BEFORE I ate all those brownies!

Second month pregnant

There´s not really anything to see since at this point I was nauseated and losing weight. The next picture you´ll see a big differernce!

Yes, so many blogs, so little time

I go so long without blogging becuase I think...¨Today, nothing really happened. there´s nothing to write about.¨but then I get to the end of a few weeks and think, ¨Wait! I have so much to write about!¨

Here´s a picture I´d like to dedicate to Miss Dani, becasue I can totally hear her cracking up at the Mateo picture. One day the house got very quiet while I was in the kitchen, so after awhile I went to investigate. Our bedroom door was closed and upon opening it Beto´s face pops up with a surprised look on his face like a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He had been trying to get a shirt onto Mateo. This was the second one that seemed to stay better. We left it on him for about an hour and then I could see that it was starting to really annoy him. Upon taking it off I realized he had peed on it! Poor guy, what could he do? He couldn´t move the fabric out of the way! So needless to say that was the last time we dressed him.

My first lemon merengue pie!

A few months ago I sold muffins in front of our new house(the first and only time). One Canadian man passed by and bought some. He´s been here many years and heads up the hidroelectrical project in town. A few weeks ago he came by again and asked if I had anything for sale, but I only make when someone asks me becuase I don´t have time now to sell out front. He didn´t order anything then but a few days later he came by and asked if I could make Hot-Cross-Buns. ¨Well, I´ve never made them before but I have a recipe.¨So he ordered a dozen and loved them. When he came by for those he asked if I could make a Lemon Merengue Pie, and I told him the same, that I´d never made one but I could try. Well, last night I made it and for my first one it did turn out quit nice, if I do say so myself. I´m not sure if he´ll like it but we´ll see. I´m grateful to God for these opportunities to make money always at the time when we need it and by doing something I love!

National Bible Day

Yesteray, Sept.28,(also my sister Glenda´s birthday!) was ¨Dia de la Biblia¨. There was a ¨walk¨ from one end of town to the center. There were lots of floats, for instance the one in the picture with the blue and white baloons represents the fruit of the spirit, and people dressed up as the twelve disciples, and our churched marched, as others did, with banners. The man dressed up in his army uniform is representing the armor of God...he has his sword and shield, etc. It ended in the center where there was a big truck set up for speakers and worship. As Beto says, it´s a great day to show the world that God does exist and even though they may think we´re crazy, we do it as a praise to Jesus, that others may know Him.

Clothes giveaway

One of the people getting onboard with us in helping out Miguel´s family and his neighbors is Rony, a brother of our church and successful business man in town. We don´t know where he gets the clothes but he´s asking people he knows to donate children´s clothes. Last week he called Beto and Beto went to pick up the clothes and sorted them out into different bags to make the giving away easier. The picture of the mom with her kids is Fidelina, Miguel´s neighbor. We were able to give away a few articles to the parents but mostly this time it was for the kids. The mother holding her baby is Fidelina´s sister-in-law, and the other pictures are of Miguel´s sister and two young nieces.
We continue to ask for your prayers. It is encouraging to see how others are getting involved and how Lilian, the oldest sister, is growing rapidly in her faith. We look forward to seeing all God is going to do with these families.
Miguel´s mom has come to church once and we have prayed lots for her and with her, but she continues to drink everyday in the street. Even though the police threatened to take away her children and she was in jail on night last weekend, she is not willing to change...yet. We know it is a struggle and a process but God IS FAITHFUL.
We have plans with other brothers of ours to put the kids back in school in February when the Honduran school-year starts. They havn´t been in school in 3 years so they will all be the oldest in their classes but they probably won´t be the only ones in that situation.
Thanks for your prayers.

15th of Septiembre

Once again, Independence Day in Honduras. There was the biggest event of the year for this town...The Parade. There weren´t a lot of musical instruments, only drums. It spanned three day¨s: Friday only Preschool and Kindergarden marched. Saturday the elementary schools and Sunday the High Schools. The picture is of Beto marching with some banners from our church as part of the Bible class participation. It was a loooooooooong parade because at the end each school performs their entire prepared ¨drill¨in front of the city and department officials and TV cameras, and some schools had 30 min. presentations, so the whole parade has to stop and the other schools behind them end up just stopping in the street, going into different businesses to use the bathroom or buy snacks. I´m so glad I didn´t have to march this year! For the elementary they marched from 7:30am until 3pm and it´s only like one mile long the route! but then they got the whole week off of school after that. Most of the schools practice everyday from May until September. It´s like training for a marathon!
Beto did really well and had a little presentation prepared with some of his students as they carried banners declaring the Lord´s faithfullness and goodness and others with Bible verses on them. It was a great testament for all the town.

Beverly and Diane

Last week my very favorite Beverly came to visit with her cousin Diane (who is now my favorite Diane). We had a lot of fun with them. Beverly is the one in the background of the foto. They are washing my dishes with HOT WATER!(aren´t you so happy mom?) I couldn´t believe it. It was such a blessing to have them here. Beverly lived in the Southwest School apt. complex with her husband Ken who is recovering in the States from a nerve illness. They have been there for about a year and we are praying they can come to Honduras to work at the school again soon.
We had them over for lunch and there were so many dishes they took over the whole small kitchen. But because the sink is so low their backs, like mine, got sore fast, but they were troopers and finished them all!
We got to go out to dinner and another time go to have a snack. They really blessed us wiht thier presence and some presents...tons of kids´books, chocolate chips(so important!), maternity clothes!, other things and even let us borrow thier TV until they get back so we don´t go blind watching movies on our computer.
Beverly and Diane, we love you and miss you! Come back soon!

Quick update on Miguel´s family

Last week Beto and I were ¨downtown¨when another street kid came up asking for money. Beto recognized him and asked him where Miguel was. He said the cops came and took he and Jorge to some kind of juvenile detention center. So we called Lilian, the oldest sister right away. She explained that the police escorted them to their house and told them that they were going to come back to put them in the government social services, but so far that hasn´t happened. We mentioned to Lilian about the possibility of sending them to a local Christian orphanage with people that we know personally. She was very excited about the idea because there they would have 3 meals a day, clean clothes and an education. It would also put them in a much healthier environment, but there are also the two young girls who don´t hang out on the street as much but need a safe place just as much.
Please pray with us about this that with God´s leading we can find a solution and finally begin them on the road to a better life.

Tuesday night at church

Every Tuesday at 7 we have a prayer time at church. It´s always very uplifting as we have worship, then a devotional, and then time to give prayer and praise requests and then pray together, where most go up front and kneel. Our church is growing and great things are happening.
So you can imagine our surprise when Wednesday morning Beto gets a call saying that in the middle of the night the church had been robbed and he needed to get there ASAP. A few other leaders met at the church to pray and take inventory of all that had been taken. A sound equilizer, some microphones, Kathy´s keyboard, a new electric guitar, and some other sound equipment. Kathy and Bob´s bedroom window was open and faces the church, but they didn´t hear anything nor did their dog´s bark( although if you knew their dogs you may not be so surprised, but that´s another blog). They took off the kitchen window of the church to enter and we think they may have gotten scared off when Bob got up at 4am to go pray with the men´s group. (I thank God I´m not a man for if no other reason, THAT ONE! The women pray at 4.30PM)
The police came and took fingerprints but I don´t think anyone´s holding their breath to see the items again or figure out who the thieves were. In that area, and really in all parts of town, there have been many house robberies lately, mostly in the middle of the night while the people sleep, and they take heavy stuff, like stoves, fridges, etc. I don´t know how they do it.
Like I said, it came as a surprise but then again it´s not surprising that when God´s church is on fire the Devil isn´t happy and will do whatever it takes to discourage us.
Please keep us in your prayers.
On a lighter note, as I mentioned, the women´s group is growing and thriving, thanks to God. Last Wednesday we had about 16 women meet to pray at one sister´s house. It was a very uplifting and powerful time of sharing and praying together.

May God bless you today. Thanks for all your prayers.

Educatodos in Gracias

A couple of weeks ago Beto's students and other teacher's, along with some chaperones Bob and kathy and our pastor, all took a day trip to a town about 2.5 hours from La Esperanza, on a very bad dirt road, which is why I didn't go. It was a plan Beto had had for a long time. Some of the studetns had never been out of our little town. they went on some hikes and saw a good view of the city, and at the end of the day got to swim in the hot springs. At one point our Pastor Raul also gave a devotional. Most of these kids don't attend any church and come from very difficult family situations. It is great that they had this experience with 4 very mature Christians and that Beto is also giving devotionals every Friday afternoon. We are praying that through this program many youth will be raised up as leaders for Christ.