End of 2012 - A Year of Change

Another year approaching its end!
It has been a year of change for Lise and I.
Just a bit before the year began, we moved to Drummondville, Quebec, while awaiting our departure for Honduras. During that time we had the joy of visiting several churches in Quebec and Ontario, and connecting with long-time friends.
On the morning of March 6th, we boarded the plane for Honduras, arriving in early afternoon. We stayed for a few days in the home of Dr. Nasrallah, an MD who works in the evangelical hospital of Siguatepeque.
On March 9th we moved into our present home, a nice little house with an aluminum roof, a nice yard – sometimes invaded by noisy roosters :) .

John
During this time John visited Guatemala, San Salvador, and La Ceiba, in Honduras, to participate in facilitating BILD courses. He also joined our local pastor, Hector Villatoro, in facilitating two BILD courses for the pastors in our department (province) of Comayagua.
In our local church he gave a Homiletics course to two different groups of members, and a course on Inductive Bible study to one group. It has been timely for one of our members, Oswaldo Enrique Melgar, who announced in the beginning of this month that he will be leaving for the island of Roatan, where he will be planting a church. (We might go out to visit him for a week some time during the year, to teach a course). John had him help teach Homiletics to the second group.

                                           Oswaldo, Explaining his project for Roatan

Lise
Lise has not been idle during this time. She has been helping out with the local AWANA program, and did a series of Bible studies for the workers at the Vida y Libertad children’s Home. Several ladies expressed their appreciation, and at least one shared with her how she was trying to put in practice what Lise had been teaching. Lise has also been developing a relationship with some local children who come to see her every week. She has them practice reading, gives them a snack, and has them play some table games.  Francis, a little girl who has been repeating grades and seemed to be a hopeless case as far as being able to read was concerned, was the first of this group. Lise had her eyes checked, and then had her come and read to her regularly (at first, almost daily).   Last week, we learned that she has passed her grade! (Honduran public schools end the school year in December, and begin again in February). Francis’s success was attributed to the time Lise spent working with her. I think one thing that helped greatly was the way Lise instilled confidence in the little girl.
She also worked with two Saturday "brigades" going out from the church to very poor areas to give out free medical attention, as well as clothes. It was shocking to see how little some of these people had.
In the new year, Lise will be teaching a Sunday School class in our local church.

Our Other Interest
Roberto, one of the boys we sponsor, has spent a fair bit of time in our home. He is having a good deal of difficulty in school, and apparently will be changing schools again in February. He’s a good boy, with a lack of confidence in himself. During the holidays, he is working in a sawmill. He and another boy, Orlin, are staying with us for a couple of days at Christmas.

                                                       Roberto

Prayer Requests
When you pray for us, please remember:
1. Our next move into another apartment (closer to town, and a bit safer) in February.
2. Oswaldo, as he begins a new ministry in Roatan.
3. Roberto, as he starts once again in a new school, that he might develop some self-confidence.
4. A new group of members who will be starting in the BILD courses in the new year. They will begin with the First Principles series. A few will have a crash course in how to facilitate these, early in the year.
5. As always, safety as we travel, and even as we walk into town.

We wish you all a merry Christmas, and a happy and prosperous new year! Thank you for praying for us!