WEEK 8
Jon & Oscar hand out the most faithful player awards in the U-12 Reserve team to Anderson and Fernando (Oscar's son). |
One of the most fun & rewarding events of the soccer season is our annual Parent-Player Soccer Awards dinner. We emphasize awards in four areas for each of the three teams:
Golden Boot Award - highest goal scorer
Most Faithful Player - highest combination of attendance in both practice & games
Most Valuable Player - a combination of high attendance, humble character
& skill on the field
& skill on the field
Most Improved Player - a combination of improvement in character & skill
U-12 Players:
Dani (left) wins Most Faithful and Marlon (right) Most Improved
Dani (left) wins Most Faithful and Marlon (right) Most Improved
It is exciting to bless these young men with recognition & awards
in a culture that generally only awards futbol talent
or applauds everyone for a status quo performance.
in a culture that generally only awards futbol talent
or applauds everyone for a status quo performance.
Dani doesn't have the greatest skill, but was a humble, faithful addition to the 2nd place team.
Marlon's attitude changed throughout the season, especially after he was disciplined and had to walk home from our "away" game! His temperament softened and even his confidence on the field increased!
U-14 Most Faithful Top 12 players received a special T-shirt for their commitment to the team! |
One of the most successful stories from this year's soccer tournament was the U-14 team. We struggled during the first round of games discovery team chemistry with one win / one tie / three losses. This was an identical mirror of our record last year, at which point many of the boys left the team; we struggled to have even eleven boys show up for a game!
This year, the exact opposite happened! The boys rallied and sharpened their focus and team effort and actually were contenders to win a play-off birth: two wins / two ties / one loss. Oscar & I were very proud that the boys did not give up, but finished strong!
A trait that will help them be successful on and off the football pitch!
Fernando Joel, aka "Chino" wins the U-14 Most Improved Player award! |
Chino has had quite a history with Filipenses FC. He was actually expelled from the team for behavioral issues his first year. This year, his third season with us, he started training WITHOUT permission from his mom. Nonetheless, he anxiously approached Oscar & confessed his error. Fernando and I met with his mom and she agreed on a two week "No Soccer" trial period. If Fernando improved his attitude in the home and was more faithful to his chores, he could return to the team. Well, not only did he pass the test, he became one of the natural leaders on the team and helped rally the boys to finish the season strong!
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
3 new trade school students opening savings account at the local co-op in Ojojona: Keyla, Cindy and Monica. |
Jon has added music class with Naomi & Tabi: they are all three learning to play the piano! |
Celebrating Popi Wayne's birthday. Tobi chose the Lighting McQueen pinata!!! |
The Beard's new home foundation |
The additional work has been a huge blessing for many of the young families in the property's new location. Our foreman, Jose de la Paz - the local Baptist minister, is using the opportunity to share Christ with the unbelievers on the crew. Jon & Oscar are planning to start a men's Bible study once we move to the new location!
WEEK 9
Calvary Chapel Morgantown - February/March 2014 |
It was wonderful to share the week of ministry with our friends...
Left: Visiting Oscar's home was extra special because Pastor Lonny helped lead Oscar's mom to the Lord a few years back!
Right: The ladies help prepare lunch for the team. Effective ministry begins with solid prayer and good food!
Right: The ladies help prepare lunch for the team. Effective ministry begins with solid prayer and good food!
The team created four different workshops for the trade school students. Here the team teaches some basic sewing techniques with some recently donated machines! |
Left: The team helps Lucinda with her weekly English class at the local elementary school.
Right: Team members work on the new property projects - the guys are prepping to install sky lights in the new ministry house.
Team members pray with the young adults in the Youth Group Bible study. |
Muchisimas gracias, Mountaineers!!!
Many more photos and descriptions of the team's ministry week
can be seen on our Facebook ministry page:
can be seen on our Facebook ministry page:
WEEK 10
Annual Honduran Fellowship of Missionaries & Ministries Retreat |
Left: Mare discusses her student's jewelry with some missionary shoppers. It was an unexpected blessing to sell at the retreat.
Right: Tobi buddied up with this little guy during the retreat. I'm thinking its a request for a little brother. LOL!
Tabi & Naomi, front and center, rock out with some new Jesus songs! |
Guitar Basics w/ Fernando, Luisito, Mauricio & Lysse |
I made an unannounced visit to some of the students in the trade school. Guess what they were doing? Rolling beads! How cool is that? Good to see the students doing their homework! |
"He likes it! He likes it!" Geovany demonstrates that he learned how to read the patterns in the friendship bracelet instruction book; now, the sky is the limit! |
Adobe brick walls going up on the Beard's new home! |
Left: Jose de la Paz (aka Pazito) & Wayne discuss window sizes
Right: Jose, one of the local, young fathers, lays adobe bricks... two rows a day!
Wayne works on an art project for the new house: glass bottle windows. Here, he is cutting the bottle in half, he will then join the two bottles to be put in the adobe walls as "windows". |
Left: Cut or halved bottles / Right: Heating the scored bottles to be immersed in water to again be warmed until it evenly/smoothly breaks.
WEEK 11
Blessings all
We thank you for your prayer support!!!
Once a month grocery shopping in the capital, Tegus ,with Poema! |
With the help of our intern, Andrea, Mare has begun working with the horses more consistently! PTL! Here Naomi, Lysse and Tabitha learn how to lead Zoeva. |
Tobi & Andy spends some quality time coloring. |
Bible study with the Trade School has been exciting as God's Word begins to penetrate their hearts & lives! |
The local men on the job site begin to clear the land (level it) in preparation for the next short-term team to build the Ranch's new stable! |
Blessings all
We thank you for your prayer support!!!