Sunday, July 26, 2015

2015 - May.June.July Photo N Prayer Review

GOOOAAAL!!! The Beard kids enthusiastically show off their donated futbol digs!

Hola Friends,

It's time to catch you up the last few months
of ministry & life at Rancho Oasis for Youth.

Please continue to lift us up in PRAYER as we finish this season of ministry & prepare for our Fall furlough. We look forward to seeing many of you very soon!


"Nueva alba / new dawn" at the new RO4Y.

PRAISE: Life @ the new property is wonderful, but it doesn't come without a new series of challenges. Much work is left to be finished on our home and the ministry house, including running water in our home. PRAY for the wisdom & know-how to wrap up important projects before our soon departure, as well as God's provision for bigger projects, including our staff housing.



CC Morgantown (half of 'em") pose at the new, not-quite finished, round pen.

PRAISE: We've hosted two amazing large teams this summer.
View a more comprehensive collection of photos of their stay on our Facebook page: Rancho Oasis for Youth 



Some of the Gringo teens lead a great Bible study with the Rancho youth!

The first group hailed from Morgantown, West Virginia with Calvary Chapel Morgantown. These guys focused on work projects, including the round pen for the horses and miscellaneous projects in the homes & barn. They also assisted in leading Bible studies in our weekly outreaches. Bien hecho, hermanos!


First day of VBS with the Texas team & local translator Cristina!

The second team arrived from Valley Creek Church in suburban Dallas, Texas. These guys finished out the riding ring for the horses and also lead our first VBS outreach in the new community.


Some of the Texas crew work on the riding ring posts.

We were blessed to host both teams and our PRAYERFUL that God will continue to minister in their lives State-side! Each church has partnered with us over the last four years! Gracias, hermanos!



The "finished" round pen and riding ring. Very excited to get the equestrian ministry underway!

We continue to PRAY for our US non-profit status to be recognized in Honduras. According to the latest report from our lawyer we are less then two months away from being official! PTL! The final step also includes a final deposit of ~$800. (With this in hand, we can then proceed to import our 15-passenger van!) Also, continue to PRAY for the finalization of our electrical project; we are still waiting on our meter.



Without the 15-passenger van, transportation gets a little "creative"!

PRAY also for the Lord's provision for a new Ranch vehicle. The Durango is in the shop, again. This time with a $900 transmission repair waiting to happen. We'd like to sell the Durango and get a pick-up. (My understanding is that with the non-profit status in place, we can import a truck tax free!)


Felicidades! Celebrating our 12 year anniversary.

PRAY for our ministry partners (aka "staff"): 

USA or bust!
The Beard kids, Lucinda & Brooke head to the US 3-weeks early for some summer fun with the grandparents!

Lucinda has returned to the US with our three oldest children, Naomi, Tabitha and Tobias. They will be staying in the same town, but with Marillyn's parents, Wayne & Brooke Goranson. (FYI - Wayne had his hip replacement surgery on July 10th and is recovering wonderfully... thanks to your PRAYERS!) 

Feliz cumpleanos Elida: Oscar & Marlis' daughter turns 1-year!

Oscar enjoyed a few days off last week and even went to a marriage conference with his wife, Marlis.


Ilsy gets her jump-roping "on" with the WV team and girl's Bible study.

Ilsy is well, but is slowly recovering from a motorcycle accident while traveling with her brother and daughter. She is growing stronger in her ability to walk every day! (She had a deep bruise on her foot.)

We've let Jose Felix go and have tried to find a young man to come alongside Oscar, but haven't had much success. PRAY for Jonathan, one of the soccer boys to follow through. 

We still have our night guards, Kelvin, Ilsy's brother (M-F) and Anastacio, Oscar's uncle (Sat-Sun), so PRAY for their protection and strength. Finally, Dunia & Keyla have been faithfully helping around the Ranch, but have been spending much time with their ailing grandmother.

Greg & Clark, our Seattle based friends visit the Ranch for the first time in May.
We hope to partner with their church in the area of short-term missions in 2016.

  PRAY in general for staff health as we have had a barrage of illnesses over the last few weeks! Satan is relentless!


Tabitha's kindergarten graduation with the Theyel family and RO4Y "staff".

PRAY for the Theyel family! We met Kurt, Rebecca and their two girls, Jianna & Samara, years ago in Wisconsin and have hosted them while coming down with short-term missions teams. However, this time they have come as a family for the month with a heart for missions. They've been a great help with a variety of Ranch tasks and outreaches. PRAY for them as they seek the Lord's direction for their family and missions, as well as wisdom in making it through all of the cultural adjustments while living in Honduras! (FYI - our other team scheduled for August canceled.)

PRAY for God to send us the right ministry partners. We're processing/praying through some applications now and are hoping to meet some potential partners during the furlough travels.


Pre-game prayer with the U-15 team.
We finished the season strong making it all-the-way to the semi-final game!

PRAY for God's protection over our Honduran staff and property as we return to the States in August. More details to come! 

Saying good-bye to the old property with our "Six-stone altar". See Deuteronomy 27.


Saying, "Adios" to the old property.
Grateful for our time in the village, but excited for the future of RO4Y.

Also, PRAY for our furlough to be filled with Divine appointments with new and faithful support team members and times of refreshing for the Beards. We've been in Central America for seven years and are feeling more "burned-out" than ever before. This verse was brought to my attention this morning while listening to a message on my bike ride: 

The Lord said: "Forget what happened long ago!
Don't think about the past. I am creating something new.
There it is! Do you see it?
 I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands."

Isaiah 43:18-19 (CEV)

Girl's Bible study engrossed in the film, the Gospel of John.
A helpful tool as we study through the same book.

As always, thank you for your faithfulness in all areas of support! God is good!