Prayer Requests

 





Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

-Philippians 4:6




Please continue to pray for Karen (Daniella) as she recovers from pneumonia. She is doing much better and getting stronger every day.

 

 

 



Tio Marcos started Radiation treatment this week. Please pray that this treatment will rid his body of the cancer and he will have a full recovery.



 



Otoniel goes back Monday for the long awaited surgery. Please pray that God will guide the surgeons hands and bring Otoniel through the surgery and healing process quickly.



Iris is a beautiful 6 year old girl who lives near Faith Home. She has birth defects and is now suffering from severe malnutrition due to the inability to keep down food. We are helping her with meds and nutrition. Please pray that God will ease her pain and Iris can have a better quality of life.



This baby girl lost her mom during birth. She is living is a very poor -full house- with her grandma, who is struggling to survive. Please pray that God will help her to grow up safe and healthy.



Irma's legacy was helping others and rescuing children from the streets of Honduras. She was murdered in her home this week. Please be in prayer for her family, friends and all of her 'children' whom this tragedy will forever change.



 

 

Thank you for praying and supporting the ministry of Faith Home. It is because of people like you that we are reaching the country of Honduras for Christ, through our children.   Please continue to pray for our Faith Home children, as they grow to understand God's purpose for their life... to become the men and women God created them to be.

God Bless,
Christina Massey, Director
Faith Home Ministries -Honduras

 



faithhome.honduras@gmail.com www.faithhome.net

Donations can be sent to: GBIM 100 Stinson Drive Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

faithhome.honduras@gmail.com

www.faithhome.net

Donations can be sent to:

GBIM
100 Stinson Drive
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901





 

Lord Break My Heart....

I remember praying a few years ago "Lord, break my heart for what breaks yours". A sincere prayer of seeking God's will and a desire to join God's activity in the lives of others.  Today was a very real reminder of my prayer and of God's desire to show His heart for the broken through us.

Maria and I went to visit a family in San Manuel to see if we could bring them into a physical therapy program that we are working on for next year.  As we entered the gate of their home, I was admiring the beautiful flowers and shrubs that surrounded their house.  Then my eyes lifted to see a little girl run out and jump into Maria's arms, happy to see her.  She smiled and then we followed her inside the small block house.  I looked down to see two boys laying in the floor with makeshift diapers on and one larger boy leaning against the corner.  None of the three could walk and the two smaller boys couldn't sit up on their own.  The hair was rubbed off of the back of their heads from squirming around on the concrete floor and their bodies had numerous sores from the hard floor.  They turned and looked up at me with their dark sparkling eyes and incredible smiles.

Maria immediately got down in the floor and started talking to them and playing with them.  With my heart breaking, I choked back the tears and got down to visit with them also.  The boys were all born with a disability and haven't  developed the muscles needed to sit up and walk like most children. They are 8, 9 and 22.   There were 3 more siblings.  The 4 year old girl, Diana, I met as we entered, one boy placed in a childcare facility and one that had died.  The mom was scurrying around cooking rice on the stove while going back and forth between the kids, taking care of them.  Maria explained about the foundation that could help them with physical therapy and the possibility of them starting in February.  The mom's face was glowing with hope as Maria talked about the possibility of teaching them to walk.

I can't imagine losing a child, letting one go to be raised somewhere else, trying to care for a 4 year old -very active- little girl and caring for 3 more disabled children... especially in poverty stricken circumstances.   I can't imagine what kind of quality of life they will have.   I can't possibly imagine what their future will hold,  but I can see God putting together pieces of a puzzle to bring them hope.   So my prayer shall continue to be  "Lord to break my heart for what breaks yours" AND "Lord allow me to see Your glory shown in the lives of others."  Thankful today for seeing God's hope...in the midst of a broken heart.

More than a Sunrise to Me

I am always amazed at the unique new sunrise that God brings each morning.  The color explodes in the tapestry of the Heavens as I look up and get a glimpse of God's splendor.  Each day a unique combination of color and light, unlike any other day before.  A constant reminder of a new day and new, unique opportunity to see God create a work of art in us and in the lives around us. 

As I climbed the mountain this morning, I could see that rising over the other mountains was an amazing array of light and I knew another awesome sunrise was coming.  As I turned the bend to ascend to the top of the mountain, the scene was unfolding behind me.  I wanted to look back, but yet I wanted to get to the top in good time and turn to see the fullness of it all from the highest point.  I continued on with anticipation of what I would see when I got to the top, fighting the urge to turn and spoil the surprise of the precious new sunrise. 

It made me think of all the times in my life that I have wanted to look back and just 'check' to make sure I hadn't missed something.  All the times I have had to will myself to continue on, trusting in God's amazing plan and anticipating the splendor of His glory.  There are times when we see His plan unfolding before our eyes and there are times we must just continue on, moving forward and trusting in Him. He will reveal something unique, beautiful and amazing...in His timing.

Today I enjoyed a refreshing walk, a wonderful time of fellowship with God AND the bonus of a gorgeous sunrise!

 

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.    Psalm 145:3

The Things We Don't Talk About

 

 

I have learned over the past year to write my to-do list in pencil. The list changes frequently, especially in order of priority. What I think is top priority, quickly gets replaced by the set of eyes in front of me at the moment, as I have to decide what needs taken care of now and what can wait. Sometimes I have to look a little deeper into those eyes to see that it's not really about whatever the latest request is. That is usually an excuse to come around, because something deeper is going on behind those eyes. Sometimes they end up sharing and sometimes we sit in silence for what seems like an eternity and I quickly forget my to-do list and pray for whatever it is that they can't talk about. Our children have stuff buried deep inside their hearts and minds that sometimes their smiles can't hide. Sometimes I feel guilty sharing about our beautiful, peaceful Faith Home and leaving out the stuff that hurts. The reality of raising children who have been abandoned and abused, breaks my heart and often brings me to my knees in tears. We have been taking several of our children to a psychologist and have many more who need treatment as well. We don't want to just put a bandaid over the gaping wounds of their hearts, we want to help them find healing. We have found a psychologist who has agreed to come and work out of our clinic on the weekends to evaluate our kids and give them the best course of treatment. This is something that will be an ongoing priority for this ministry and it will cost money. About $750 a month that we don't have in the budget. I don't know who or where the money will come from, but I am trusting and knowing that God will provide. So as I look at my unfinished to-do list, I think of one of our girls who now has eyes filled with hope instead of defeat. I think of the amazing youth service we had last night after hours of a porch full of kids practicing for a drama that spoke of 'not waiting until its too late'. Some of those kids who a few months ago could care less about anything. I saw them come to life and work together as a team and minister to others. I also see others with empty eyes, full of pain and despair that I so desperately want to help. I pray that we can get them all the help they need to live life to the full, the way God intended them to. I pray that we can help them become powerful witnesses to the world around them. Please pray with us as we seek healing for our children. May we always remember to write our to-do lists in pencil and the needs of the person in front of us on our hearts.

God Bless, Christina Massey, Director Faith Home Ministries -Honduras

GOD IS MOVING

God is stirring hearts at Faith Home and drawing the children to Him!  We had 5 children accept or rededicate their hearts to God this week and tonight 14 more came forward!  Please pray with us as we continue to disciple these young souls and help them to stand firm in their calling.  Glory to God!!!!

24 Hours - A View from Above

For the past month I kept feeling like God was calling me up to the Bible Institute to pray.    But every time I tried to go, it seemed something came up and it just wasn't possible to leave at that time.   Friday morning, the pull was stronger than ever.  I was up early praying and I gave God every excuse of what all I needed to do that day and why there wasn't time.  But then my prayers changed and I wanted to know what God was trying to tell me (that I was too busy to hear).  So I packed my backpack with my Bibles and journals, flashlights, roll up mat and jug of water.   I sent messages to our capable staff, covered things for 24 hours, turned off my phone and took the hike to the top of the mountain.  

I prayed and tried to clear my mind of the million things that I find myself worrying about.  Then I sat still....for a long time.  Nothing.  So I asked God, why am I here?   I want to hear from You.   Still nothing.   So I decided to just "Be still and know that He is God".  I just sat there on the balcony looking out at the Faith Home campus for hours, seeing EVERYTHING.

I saw the older kids board the bus with Javier to go to school.  I saw them stop before the gate to read the morning devotion as they do every day.  I heard the younger children singing as they had their morning devotion and breakfast.  Then I watched them laughing and playing as they walked to school.  I saw Mauricio gathering up the older boys and working all over campus, the Tios hanging laundry and cleaning the yards.  I saw Brayan leading the little kids in P.E. and then walk up the hill to take care of the office.  I saw Hector leaving to take care of our errands in San Pedro and return to help Mauricio work on the team house.  I saw A.J. Coming and going as he took the Henry and Josue to a band concert and the technical boys to their afternoon school.  I watched everyone return to have lunch together and then dart off to homework and computer lab.  I saw everyone gather again for supper as the clouds start to darken and blot out the sun.  

I saw it all.  In fact the daily activities of Faith Home was the only way I knew what time it was, as everything continued like clockwork....without me.  God was in control.   I  could sense this was part of God's message as I continued to watch the sky change and the clouds move and everyone heading to church.    I prayed as they prayed and listened to the heartwarming music drift up the mountain side.  I could even hear Tio Marcos preaching and knew God was moving in the Chapel as He was in my heart.  Finally I watched as everyone returned to their houses, lights went off and I whispered 'good night everybody' and decided to lay down for a bit.  I prayed God's safety over the sleeping souls below and asked that He continue to speak to my heart.

The night was long, the floor was hard and the unknown sounds around me at times were disturbing.  I missed the sounds of Faith Home as the storm tormented outside.  I was definitely not comfortable, but yet I felt safe.  I could feel God's presence all around me as He spoke to my heart and reminded me that HE is in control.    The sights of the day ran through my mind as I saw where God was in the every day happenings of Faith Home.  He doesn't need me to accomplish His plan, but I am so thankful that He allows me to be a part of His plan.  As I continue to pray for wisdom, I know that He goes before me...every step of the way.

I stood on the balcony as the sun tried to break through the clouds and began to light the sky.  I saw once again, the peaceful Faith Home campus below about to come to life.  My mind went back to years past, standing on this same mountain with teams in awe of God's beauty around us.  I am still in awe of that beauty today, but with an even greater appreciation of all it entails.  

With a full heart and a refreshed spirit, I packed up my things to head home.  Just as I started to put on my shoes, I jumped as I saw a huge spider AND scorpion.    It's like they were waiting to jump on me.  Then I noticed the spider was missing a leg and I thought back to stepping barefoot  on something like a string in the dark.  His leg?  Maybe.  And I was laying in the floor most of the night!  ugh!  As I killed them with my bug spray, I thought 'God  protected me from what I didn't even know was there'....as He always does.

Thankful for my 24 hour break and thankful for God's refreshing voice of encouragement and His protection.  I feel that He took me up to see Faith Home for a day the way He sees it - the big picture, not the tiny problems.  I am encouraged and renewed as I get back to work as part of God's amazing plan at Faith Home knowing HE is in control...Feeling Blessed!

O HAPPY DAY!

Faith Home received two new boys today!  Maynor, age 11, and Wilder, who is 10.  As with all of our children, these boys have quite a story, but the greatest part  is how they came to Faith Home.  It was our Faith Home children along with Hector and Maria, who found the boys and asked if we could take them in. 

 

In this country, we are faced daily with the sight of children in need of a home and their faces haunt me at times, because I know that we can’t help them all.   We know that each and every child who has come to Faith Home, is here because of God’s calling on their lives.  Since I arrived last year, we have been busy getting several older kids transitioned out of Faith Home and waiting to be stabilized to take more children.  I often prayed that God would tell me when and how to know which children to bring here and anxiously awaited His timing for the next children to come.  How would I know it was God’s plan?  His voice? 

His voice came in the form of a group of Faith Home boys, asking to bring these new precious souls to Faith Home.   As God always does, He lined everything into place for the process of getting the boys and within just a few days…they are here.  The first thing they did was start running across the green grass with the other children, their faces aglow with excitement.  The other children surrounded them and started telling them all about Faith Home.  I choked back tears as I saw their faces absorbing their surroundings and no doubt feeling the love flowing from the other children.  It is exciting to see our children having the heart to help other children experience the blessings of God in this place. 

I am so very excited for Maynor and Wilder and anxious to see what God has in store for their future.  Now we just need sponsors for them.  A sponsorship is $20 per month and it takes around 17 sponsors per child.  As a child sponsor, you are an essential part of a ministry that encourages children to be God's Hands, Feet & Heart to the country of Honduras. Your child sponsorship goes to pay for the overall care and education of your sponsored child.  It covers food, electric, payroll of the house parents and teachers, medical expenses and daily clothing and household needs, etc.  

If you would be interested in sponsoring Maynor or Wilder, please let me know and we will help you start the process of becoming a part of making a difference in the life of these children, this ministry and this country...for Christ.  

 

God Bless,

Christina Massey, Director
Faith Home Ministries 
faithhome.honduras@gmail.com