2012 - Week 17 Photo Review

This last week was a little strange at Rancho Oasis. Our schedule was shifted around by visitors, important errands in the city, and poor health. Despite all this, God was glorified at the Ranch! Thank you for interceding for us last week!

Joel & Chad discussing plans for our unfinished home with Mare

Our week begun by picking up founders and directors of Finish the Wall ministries in Tegus. Joel and Chad run a ministry that focuses on helping third world ministries complete unfinished projects. They came to Honduras for the first time to determine if our home (sitting since June of 2010) will be their project for 2013. We visited hardware stores, favorite Honduran eateries, walked our home's construction site and read a lot of books - at least the guys did with Naomi and Tabi! It was a wonderful two night, three day visit and we sensed a strong connection and interest from the guys. The interest of Finish the Wall in RO4Y is a another reason we desire to see the negotiations for the purchase of the property come to a close. Please continue to pray that a final price will be determined and God will provide!

Tobi helped me run errands in Tegus; however, he wanted to drive

Normally I try to limit my trips into Tegus to three times a month; however, I hit the city three times this week to pick-up and drop off the Finish the Wall guys, as well as run some important errands concerning the bus. Trips to Tegus can actually be pretty fun, but a full day of shopping, smog and endless traffic can leave me pretty drained! Please continue to pray that all the paperwork for the bus will go through!

Six months before arriving at the Ranch, electricity was installed on the property. For nearly 18 months, we were literally the last property on the line. However, the electric project extended to the next property over and now is running to several homes "behind" the Ranch. So, the current electric poles are being changed out for taller ones to hold not just the secondary lines, but the primary-high voltage line as well. Unfortunately, the engineer placed one of the new poles in the exact spot we were planning to put a secondary entrance for the property. However, upon our request, he changed things up and moved the post up the street - in rock. So, to say the least, Oscar was insured some work for three full days digging two, 3 ft holes in "sandy" rock! Continue to pray for Oscar and his wife Marilyn as they are becoming even more an important part of the ministry and our lives!

Nyssa and her momma, Zoeva hauling "mule" across the property.
Love is in the air and some suitors were getting our girls stirred up!

Mare has been able to spend more time with Nyssa over the last few weeks. She is fun loving and pretty frisky, but Mare's horse-whisperer talents help calm this little filly down. She turns 1 year on the 30th of April and she is already the size of her mom of 13 years. Please pray for the horse aspect of Rancho Oasis, Mare really needs an assistant!

Salt...

... and pepper!

I was sparred sickness as a typical climate-change-cold swept through the Beard home this week. Mare's pregnancy made her recovery almost non-existent, so I cancelled Friday's regular scheduled RO4Y event (girl's Bible study) and an unregular event (showing the film Courageous to my friend, Jose de La Paz's church) and took on the kids for the day. While Tobi and mom were napping, the girls and I announced the cancelation of class at the elementary school then went on a hike. What kind of idiot parent would take his two toddler girls hiking in dresses and crocs? Yep, that would be me! Please continue to pray for the girl's homeschooling and existence in Honduras - blue eyes and blond hair is pretty rare in Ojojona! Also, pray for more interns at the Ranch who can come alone side Mare!

Jairo, Ever, Chanel and Eric fight for the ball!

Three weeks ago I lost my cool with the soccer boys after a "friendly" game. They were being stupid on the ride home from the game, but I acted stupider (intentional poor grammar for emphasis!) Well, God uses everything for good and Oscar and I revamped our discipline structure with the boys. (We had been using a three strike you're out policy, but it wasn't working to focus on the negative. God showed me, via my lovely wife, that Oscar and I are essentially the only godly-male figures in these boys lives and that if we want to impact them we have to be a whole different level of parent! These boys want to please, but are never given the opportunity to do so. So, we initiated a point system to earn playing time during games. Be good, helpful, attentive, disciplined, etc. during practice and earn points to play. The more points you have helps secure a starting position, not enough points sits you on the bench!

Our experimental week was excellent, but the boys were on strike. Only 8 showed up, 6 of whom weren't there during my meltdown! Again, God uses everything for good and allowed the small attendance to give Oscar and I a week to adjust to the new system (we have to be more attentive to reward the boys during practice).

Jose Daniel (aka Chanel), in the white, was one of the boys who returned to practice this week. I actually called the police on him and two other boys last week for interfering with our practice. He came apologetic and even offered his apologies before the whole team. A huge feet culturally here in Honduras.

This week, 26 boys came! Do you have any idea how amazing that is? A fellow missionary in the community was sharing via their blog that in their ministry, once boys finish elementary school, most stop coming to church events. Saturday, 15 out of the 26 soccer boys fell into this church drop out group. Oscar and I are bringing the gospel to them - Pray for us as we are on the front lines of battle for the souls of these young men! Pray for Oscar as well as I have him teaching through the Proverbs about wisdom.

New Testament Survey with the teens;
meditating on 3 sermons in the book of Acts

This week I asked the teens what the purpose of their life was? I also asked them what God had assigned for them to complete in this life? Then I emphasized what Paul emphasized to the Ephesian elders in Acts chapter 20:

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. -Acts 20:24 (NLT)

We discussed that whatever God was calling them to be in the future (parents, workers, etc.) he wanted them to share the Good News! We discussed the simplicity of this as seen in Peter and Paul's sermons in Acts: essentially, emphasizing repentance and the resurrection of Jesus! It was truly eye opening for all of them! Continue to pray for these teens to have a hunger for God and His Word!

Top Row L to R: Crisna, Kevin, Tani
Bottom Row: Sarai, Eyli, and Lesli
(Missing Jose and Maria)
Pray for Eyli as she moves this week to nanny for her aunt in another part of Honduras.
She turned 16 on Saturday!

How many boys does it take to close the gate?
This was taken from inside the Durango as I was leaving the Ranch.
(It actually took four boys, but this was the best shot! LOL!)

The raining season brings beautiful sunsets at the Ranch.

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary.No one can measure the depths of his understanding.He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.They will walk and not faint.

      Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)