Will you join my ARMY?

Hey, Friends! It’s been nearly two months since I’ve written, and I hardly noticed the time flying by! Everyday here is a gift and I can’t believe I’ve lived here for over five months now. These last couple months have been the most fulfilling thus far and many days when I wake up I can’t imagine waking up anywhere else besides this sweet little village. 

 

 

MINISTRY UPDATE: 

We have a little update in our ministry at the school! Working in the younger grades doesn’t give us much of a chance to get to know the older kids that don’t live in our village, but we are now involved in a weekly girls’ Bible study! Our Bible study meets every Tuesday after school at one of our fellow missionary’s house. She started the Bible study and we have come alongside her to help. The first few weeks, only one girl came. We invited the high school girls often and they never seemed interested, but God must have worked a miracle in their hearts because the last two weeks we have had EIGHT girls! This study is on identity and purpose in Christ and is so needed in this culture that doesn’t respect or take women seriously. Please pray that their hearts are opened and we have opportunities to share the Gospel with them. 

 

 

WILL YOU JOIN MY ARMY?

I have spoken of my fourth graders in every blog, but this time I want to do something different and invite you all to join me. Something I love to do is pray for each of my students specifically by name. Below is a list of my students’ names along with a short description of each one. I am asking for each of you to choose one of my kiddos that you can commit to praying for by name. I recommend writing their name in your Bible or mirror or somewhere you will see it and be reminded:) Please pray for your kiddo’s safety physically as well as his/her understanding of who Christ is. 

Out of the seventeen students I have in my class, I am semi-confident in the salvation of only one. Very few of these kids have both a father and mother present in the home or come from Christian homes. Some were left with distant relatives because their parents left them to pursue better lives. Human trafficking is an ever-growing industry, and 9/10 kids   in our school (boys and girls combined) have been sexually abused. Many of these precious kids have seen things that I never could imagine. 

 

This would mean more to me than I could possible express to you, and as I only have three and a half months left on this battle field, I ask you: will you join my army? 

 

Girls: (10)

1. Marjuri - soft-spoken and shy but always does her work and sticks up for her friends 
2. Angelica - athletic and often beats the boys in relay races yet is humble and laid back 
3. Alexandra - usually keeps to herself, but has good grades and gets along with all her classmates 
4. Abby - small and spunky and almost never stops giggling and beaming her million-dollar smile 
5. Naydelin - struggles to keep her grades up but almost always stays positive; loves to give big hugs 
6. Nohemi - outgoing and constantly laughing and spreading joy to her classmates 
7. Emily - helps her family run a small ice-cream shop in a neighboring village and always looking to make sure everyone is included in every game 
8. Estefani - a sweet overachiever who works extra hard in school & doesn’t have a lazy bone in her 
9. Sofia - having a tough time mourning the death of her father yet still keeping her grades up and smiling a smile full of joy 
10. Jeymi - quiet and has a harder time making friends, but is loyal to the bone once she’s connected with a fellow classmate 

 

Boys (7)

1. Joseph - amazing at soccer and a faithful friend to his buddies 
2. Daniel - a shining light to his classmates and easily one of the most patient kids I’ve ever known
3. Jose - definitely thinks he’s a teenager already haha but loves to get involved with school activities and secretly loves hugs
4. Victor - loves to draw & always ready to lend a helping hand 
5. Jedrik - has to work extra hard in school but always has such a sweet spirit and a smile on his face 
6. Joan - you may think he’s not paying attention in class, but often has the highest grades on the hardest tests; also a sweet cuddle-bug 
7. Tony - the boy I have an extra special relationship with; often looks out for others and shares his food despite being such a tough kid that has life experience beyond his years 

 

COMMENT which student you chose to pray for specifically and I will direct message you a photo of your kiddo! Thank you so much for joining me in the spiritual battle for their hearts. <3

 

 

THE RANCH

Cornerstone Christian Academy cannot exist without Cornerstone Christian Ranch. The Ranch is a multi-acre ministry that blows my mind every time I visit. The Ranch supplies all of the food and meat for the school lunches along with jobs in the community. This ginormous ministry ranges from growing papayas and tomatoes to raising pigs and horses and everything in between. Each class at the school visits the ranch and has their own class project; for example, one of the options they can choose from is the tomato plants. The students get to learn how to grow and care for the plants throughout the year and then take home their own tomato plants to grow themselves. They are able to use this skill to make money to help feed their family. It is through this ministry that the school can be funded and tuition can be kept as low as possible for the students. The Ranch is changing lives and giving hope for the future of so many of these kids. 

 

 

THE WORK PROGRAM

The Ranch has a special work program that students 6th grade and up can join. Think about $40 and what that can do... maybe fill the gas tank half up or buy eight drinks from Starbucks? Here, $40 can sponsor a student in the work program for an entire month. Many of these underprivileged high schoolers work at the ranch after school just to be able to get an education. Half of what they make goes towards their tuition and they get to take the other half home to help feed their families. If you feel led to sponsor one of these inspiring kids for $40 a month, please don’t hesitate to message me for more details or with any questions:)

 

 

PRAYER REQUESTS

• As many of you already know, about three weeks ago, Mac (the “brother” of the team) suffered a grand mal seizure in the van as we were driving into town. Since then, other serious health issues have popped up and while the doctors here did a great job taking care of him, it has become necessary for him to return home where he can get testing in the States and be cared for by his family. Please pray for the team as we adjust to a new dynamic without him and for him as he prepares to say goodbye and return home in a little under two weeks. 
• Please pray for our girl’s Bible study as we would love to see more girls join us and hear about the love of Jesus.
• Continue to pray for Brent & Anne Ozanne as they run the school and ranch.
• Next week is “Parent Week” for us! Please pray for safety for all the parents and siblings that are flying in this coming weekend and for us to have an amazing smooth week showing them our Honduran home & life!
• The fourth grader you chose to pray for by name ;)  

 

 

STORYTIME

Latin America’s most famous birthday tradition: cake made over the head! When someone has a birthday, you smash flour and eggs onto their head to “bake” the cake. Of course, as soon as school let out on my birthday my team and Honduran friends got me good—I was covered in flour and egg and found eggshells in my hair for several days! Celebrating a birthday in another culture was a cool experience I’ll never forget. 

 

A few weeks ago we started working out three days a week with our crossfit-loving friends Debora and Pavel. They are our “trainers” and push us to go beyond what we think we can do. I have come to look forward to our sessions and always feel refreshed and healthier afterwards. The first time we went to their house, they hid behind bushes and threw ground fireworks at us! Needless to say, we screamed and scattered like panicked pigeons. What a sight we must have been! Now it’s become a running joke—they’ve even chased us in the village with those things, all of us laughing and having a blast. 

 

 

 

THANK YOU for reading all the way down! I hope you enjoyed “meeting” my sweet fourth graders and learning about each one! Don’t forget to COMMENT your kiddo’s name:)

 

Mucha alegria, 

Allee <3