Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Stop & Pray: August 17th, 2011


Copa de Lodo

Pizza & Watermelon
All activities with the kids at Rancho Oasis came to a conclusion the final week of July. We had a few celebrations over the weekend for both the boy’s and girl's soccer teams, aptly named “The Mud Cup” and a Sunday school party with home-made, healthy pizza. Pray that the kids will continue to seek after Christ during our furlough in the States. Even though we return to Honduras in October, our plan is to begin activities in November. (This coincides with the summer school break in Honduras.) Thus, Rancho Oasis will be closed for 3 months. 


7 stitches below the knee

Praise that Pepe's machete injury is healing well. Continue to pray for his salvation, as well as the discipleship of all the children.







Final Day @ Rancho Oasis


Our friend and helper Gaby and her daughter Victoria headed back to Mexico, August 10th. We are so grateful for her friendship & service over the last few months. Pray that her time in ministry will continue well and that God will bless her in Mexico as she plans to live with her widower brother and help with his two kids. Carlos is deaf and is a pastor at Calvary Chapel Ensenada. Also, pray that God would raise up more bi-lingual staff to serve with us at RO4Y.

Ingles with Ilsy

Naomi's kindergarten teacher, Ilsy and daughter Lissy continued to live with us through the first week of August. She had been a huge help with chores around the house and Gaby had been able to disciple her a lot in Bible study. Continue to pray for her salvation and that God will provide a home for her and/or she will be able to raise her daughter without family interference. Ilsy and Lissy have moved back in with her mother, Rosa.


We were blessed with a few surprise short-term missions teams a few weeks ago. They completed a one day medical brigade and built a house for Oscar, our worker's mother. Praise the Lord! Read the full story here.


Installing Turn-out Fencing
New Wooden House!
Pray that God would continue to give us opportunities to minister to the physical and spiritual need of our new "squatter" neighbor, Marisela and her six kids. Praise the Lord that our friend’s ministry came and built them a new wooden home! The teens had been sleeping on the damp dirt floor and begin to well up with tears of joy when I told them Mark and his team were coming. The following week the two teen girls, Lorena and Laura, helped us on the ranch with installing a fence for a turn-out area; Oscar took the opportunity to witness to them. We were all blessed!


Pray for our worker Oscar and his family (wife, Marilyn & daughter, Genesis) as they watch over the Ranch during our furlough in the States: August 12th - October 18th. So far, I’ve received excellent reports about the animals, property and the family from our phone conversations while we are is the US.


 
Marillyn & Nyssa


Continue to pray for the health and safety of all our animals (Horses - Zoeva and Nyssa; Goats - Bugsy, Gigi, and BK; Dogs - Duke & Daisy; and numerous chickens - unnamed) LOL!





 


Fernando, our local “farm-intern,” and I completed our work together in July. Pray for spiritual growth in this teen’s life. Also, his mom, Lupe, is expecting her fifth child in September.


Beans, greens & herbs!

 Continue to pray for our outreach projects to better the life of the people in our community. Our first project is the raised bed gardens. Oscar and his family are going to reap the benefits of the first harvest, but we did get to enjoy some lettuce and sweet peas before we left.


Continue to pray for our pine tree. We applied "natural" pesticide, cut the bad limbs and are hopeful the tree will survive.


Praise the Lord our mastiff, Duke, is well. A visit to a vet in Tegus, some antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds did the trick.


Kids with Jon's parents, David & Marsha, at the Zoo

Continue to pray for the Beard family and our marriage. We’ll have a lot of time on the road together as we travel the States. So far, we’ve had a wonderful time in the US. Not so much a vacation because we are running around, but it is nice to do something different. Also, both Naomi and Tabitha celebrate birthdays the first week of September – pray for a blessed time!


Praise the Lord for his provision of money for the tickets for our furlough this fall!!! Pray that God would bless us with times of refreshing, fellowship and increase the awareness and enlarge the support team for Rancho Oasis!!! We arrived August 12, depart October 18th! Review our four goals and see our tour dates by clicking this link.


Continue to pray for our residency application. Praise the Lord all the government fees are paid (for now); we owe less than half of the total lawyer’s fees ~$460. As of July 29th, all our paperwork was turned in. Pray that the file will be ready to go and nothing will be needed during our two month absence from Honduras.

Change in scenery on the drive to Rancho Oasis: 25 electric generating windmills in Santa Ana

Continue to pray for the completion of the construction of our personal home. We are working on phasing the work so mission teams can finish the project throughout 2012.


Continue to pray for the importation of the bus.


Continue to pray for the purchase of the property! We have agreed on the price of $18,500 and have to finalize the details in writing for the purchase agreement. The goal is that upon our return to Honduras we can sign the paperwork and make the “compra-venta” official!


Continue to pray for young Breisy's healing from leukemia. 

RO4Y Family May - August 2011

 Thank you, all!!!
We can't wait to see many of you!!!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Newsito: Top 4 Reason We are Visiting the USA



RO4Y Fall US Tour Dates

Jon, Tabi, Mare, Tobi & Naomi

Friday, August 12              Arrive in Chicago                        USA

Sunday, August 14          RO4Y Open House                        Bloomingdale, IL

Sunday, August 21         Calvary Chapel Morgantown        Morgantown, WV

Saturday, August 27         RO4Y Get Together                                Ankeny, IA

Sunday, August 28        Heartland Christian Fellowship         Des Moines, IA

Sunday, September 4            Freedom Fellowship                     Freedom, WI

Monday, September 5          Labor Day Beard-be-que                Freedom, WI

Sunday, September 11        Calvary Chapel Ark City         Arkansas City, KS

Wednesday, Sept. 14   Camp Verde United Christian Sch   Camp Verde, AZ

Wednesday, Sept. 14     Calvary Chapel of Camp Verde     Camp Verde, AZ 

Sunday, Sept. 18               Calvary Chapel Yuma                              Yuma, AZ

Wednesday, Sept. 21     Calvary Chapel Pacific Coast       Westminster, CA

Sunday, September 25    Calvary Chapel Cypress (Español)    Cypress, CA

Wednesday, Sept. 28      Calvary Chapel Cypress (English)      Cypress, CA

Sunday, October 9           Britt Evangelical Free Church                    Britt, IA 

Sunday, October 16       UPDATED - Bloomingdale Church      Bloomingdale, IL

Tuesday, October 18          Depart for Honduras                          Ojojona, F.M.


 While in the USA, the Beards can be reached at: 515-868-6725

Reason #1:  
To raise awareness of the ministry happening


          God’s Spirit is changing the lives of children, teens
and their families in the rural mountains of southern Honduras.


          Your friendship, partnership and prayers are critical for our success!
Will you join our support team?


          [Paul & Barnabus] called the church together and reported everything God had done through them. Acts 14:27 (NLT)




Reason #2:  
To increase our financial support so we can influence more lives


          The Ranch’s current giving covers our basic monthly expenses as a family and the bare minimum for ministry. More money is necessary in order to expand the services we offer to the youth of Ojojona and Tegucigalpa.

We trust that God will provide for the ministries needs; Is He calling you to be involved financially?


You Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News. Phil 4:15 (NLT)



Reason #3: 
To call the body of Christ to come along side us
by organizing short-term missions teams


          The majority of the Ranch’s construction projects are completed by groups and the money & labor they put into the buildings. Completed projects means more opportunity to share the Gospel.


          We also recognize the dynamic spiritual change that can happen during a missions trip. Marillyn and I are serving full-time as missionaries because of our short-term experiences. 


It’s a kingdom building investment at the Ranch and in your life. Is God calling you to invest a week of your life for His kingdom in Honduras this year?


The Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2 (NLT)




Reason #4: 
To recruit short-term (3 month) and long-term staff & families


          In the field, Rancho Oasis is a family of five that includes one Spanish speaking adult, a deaf woman and three children. We are stretched to the max and amazed at all the God is doing. We’ve seen God move even more when another adult or young person joins us in ministry.


          Reality is we can’t accomplish what God has called us to do on our own. God is preparing each one of us in the body of Christ to serve and advance His kingdom. Will you test God’s faithfulness to you at Rancho Oasis?


God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

We look forward to seeing you this fall!!
Keep these goals in your prayers!!!