Tuesday, December 6, 2016

2016 - November Photo N Prayer Review


Melody introduces the afternoon girls' Bible study to Zoeva.

After nearly seven years of living in Honduras,
the equestrian-Bible program is finally coming to fruition!

We combined a study in 1 Corinthians 12 with a lesson on horse grooming. Each brush is unique and has it's own purpose, just like each member of the Body of Christ. No brush is more important than the other, but each has a specific job!
What a fun way to bless these kids's with some spiritual truths!

PRAY for Melody as she works with the kids and the horses & Jon as he leads the Bible studies!



Zoeva is getting a full-body brushing from the boys' class!

First boys' Bible study in years that doesn't include soccer... yet!


One of the nice horses at a horse barn just outside of Tegucigalpa.
PRAY for us as we continue to seek a "retiring" horse from a nearby local barn. 
Melody and Marillyn recently made some connections, PRAY they work out!
The goal is to find a trained horse that has many years of life left in him/her.
PRAY these horses will not only be "bomb proof" (require less work) for the kids, but they'll also be in our price range!



U-25 team plays a "friendly" game with prisoners inside the prison!
The U-25 soccer team had a unique opportunity to minister to some prisoners. Jon had been praying for an opportunity to serve the community and the Lord provided through a Honduran pastor friend in Ojojona.

So, with the van full of young men we traveled almost two hours south to Nacaome, near the El Salvadorian border!

Once there we made our way through security then Oscar gathered those prisoners who would listen and shared his testimony of coming to faith in Jesus. We played a game (and lost badly! The heat was a HUGE factor! Oscar described it as an oven.)

Finally, before our departure, one of the inmates shared his story with the boys and how he has come to know Christ in prison. This man has 12 more years to serve of a 25 year sentence! What a teaching moment for our young players!

PRAY for these young men to fully give their lives to Christ and to avoid prison.
PRAY for more opportunities to serve the community. We plan to return!

Group photo outside the prison entrance and prisoner, Ulises, shares his story with the young men.

School vacations has started and the U-12 team has begun practice!
PRAY for Oscar as he both trains the U-12 team and teaches from the book of John!
PRAY also that the Lord will provide some volunteers from the U-25 team to help Oscar.

PRAY for these U-12 boys to gel as a team and grow in their walk with Christ!


Paper bead Christmas tree garland, anyone???
Though trade school classes have been greatly simplified in anticipation of Baby Beard being born, the students still meet weekly.

The Lord answered prayer and opened five different opportunities to sell the students work in Tegucigalpa this December. We're hoping to take advantage of the Christmas shopping season to bless these students! PRAY all goes well!

Also PRAY for Jon has he has been leading the weekly devotionals.

Can't make it to the sales events in Honduras, no problema!


Henry works on Christmas tree ornaments and Yahaira some garland!



Melody de-feathers a chicken at the Rancho Oasis homestead!

PRAY for our weekly adult Bible study in Colossians.
We've had some of the best discussions we've ever had at the Ranch! PTL!
(I'm honestly not sure why this particular prayer requests follows that particular picture! Hahaha!)


Poema: the kitten princess!


Lucinda, Melody and Marillyn enjoy some much needed fellowship and spiritual renewal
at the annual women's missionary conference in Tegucigalpa.


Mr. Mom takes the wheel while Mare is away at the conference!

Tabitha and Tobias are loving their "new" used adjustable b-ball net!

Family bonfire with Naomi's no-bake cookies and goat's milk.


Face-Timing Grandpa & Grandma:
The blessing of technology allows us to stay close to friends and family despite being thousands of miles away.



Nelson, aka "Machi" and his newborn daughter, Milagro (meaning Miracle).
PRAY for Machi to learn his spiritual role as father!


As I type this, Mare's due date, December 5th, has come and gone!
Vamos Baby Cinco!
PRAY for Mare... she's ready to be done!


Tobias and I, Jon, clean out the water tank with the close of the rainy season.
Though coming from the water aquifer that feeds Ojojona, the ground/rain water floods the pipes and brings a lot of "yuck" into the tank! Nonetheless, PRAISE for our water source!


Our first ever Thanksgiving in our own home!

Apple tart & chocolate silk pie - both with homemade almond crust!
AMAZING!!!

The meal was amazing & the fellowship sweet!
Gracias a todos!
PRAISE for our wonderful supporters!
For your words of encouragement, financial gifts and regular visits!
We are so blessed AND grateful for you!


Tobias rethinks his gift of a half-eaten paleta (popsicle) for the new born messiah!


Blessed to ride on DRY trails again!

Monday, November 28, 2016

Giving Tuesday 2016


Tuesday, November 29th is known as Giving Tuesday.

It is a day set aside to intentionally offer a financial gift to a ministry or missionary that you believe to be fulfilling the great commission to make disciples and bring the love & hope of Christ to the poor in spirit.

Rancho Oasis for Youth, in the mountains of Honduras, was founded to reach impoverished youth with the Gospel and through practical skills offer them a way out of the cycle of poverty.

RO4Y is at a point where our ability to reach even more of these young people and their families requires more hands and feet. We have many interested in coming to help, but there is nowhere for them to live... yet!

This past summer we began construction on our new staff house, Casa De Apoyo, which means Support House! 

We have completed the walls and the roof and then, due to extenuating circumstances, the funds to finish the rest of the building had to be used elsewhere. 

Our prayer and hope is that God would restore these funds so, that by Spring of 2017, we could complete Casa De Apoyo and fill it with missionaries and teams desiring to reach the youth with the love of Christ.

Our goal is to raise $6000 which will complete the building and furnish the rooms!! 

Perhaps God will move on your heart to give your gift to RO4Y.

You can give on PayPal
Find donation button on the sidebar --->>>
or


Thank you for considering Rancho Oasis for Youth.

 God bless you as you give to bless others.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

2016 - October Photo N Prayer Review

Melody trains with Nyssa in the round pen!
The pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together for the Ranch's equestrian outreach ministry:
Horses - check!
Barn - check!
Riding ring - check!
Round pen - check!
Someone to assist Marillyn and head-up the program - check!
Equestrian Program - In Development & Practice!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!



Melody teaches the girls' Bible study one of her favorite games:
"Go Ninja Go!"
With Melody's direction & input, we are excited to make some new changes with the girl's Bible study on Fridays. Melody will be transitioning into leading the girl's into a simple equestrian program that includes Bible teaching. 

PRAY for us as we begin this new and "long-time coming" adventure and that God will use the animals for His glory.

PRAY also that God will direct us to find a few more horses before the year's end. Melody is touching base with some local horse stables as we search for some older, experienced and "kid proof" horses!

With the Honduran school calendar coming to an end in November, we will also be duplicating the Friday afternoon study in the morning with the local boys! Exciting times! 
PRAY that God will capture these boys' hearts!


Oscar continues to teach the soccer team through the book of John:
a great source of discipleship and evangelism.
PRAY for these young men (ages 13-25) to know & serve Christ. The raining season is coming to an end and we are planning to participate in a nice, long tournament in Ojojona. 

PRAY that God would draw the right boys to the team and for wisdom for Oscar and I as we lead them. Before the season starts we are coordinating some local and travel friendly games, as we now have the flexibility with the 15-passenger van! PTL!

For those of you who know Nelson Omar, aka "Machi", he and his girlfriend are expecting their first child any day. PRAY for a good delivery - Saleni has some hip issues, so they are planning on a Cesarean. Machi has played with us for many years and now works alongside Oscar at the Ranch. They have also expressed an interest in some marital counseling!

PRAY also for the boys team (ages 8-12), as we will be starting up this month because the Honduran school system will be on break for half of November, December and January. 

PRAY that we can reunite the boys and have a great tournament, as well! We will begin to meet with them twice a week when there are no classes.


Yenny opens her new savings account at the local co-op!
She is one of five new students in the Trade School this year!
The students in our trade school were blessed with the sales from our mini-furlough in August and are hoping for increased sales on our website as we approach Christmas! 

PRAY for the sales to be an encouragement & blessing to these young people. 

Also PRAY that the Lord will open up some doors for local sales over the next few months - we are looking into a few options.



RO4Y Adult Bible study - an inductive study through Colossians!
PRAY for God to change lives in this study;
all Ranch workers, minus our night guards, are in attendence! PTL!


Such a blessing to have the ministry van legal and usable!!!
PRAISE THE LORD!!!
(Our first girl's Bible study of the season.)




Zoeva wants to move into our staff house project: Casa de Apoyo!
Recent expenses importing the van and finalizing the non-profit status of the Ranch left us with nothing in the account for construction. (Not to mention our pending eight month electrical bill... still working with the electric company to get in the system!) 

PRAISE the Lord our day-to-day is covered, but our hope to finish "Casa de Apoyo" in January 2017 is being threatened. 

PRAY for God's provision and timing to finish this important project. Lucinda and Melody are anxious to get into their new digs and Marillyn is ready to convert their room into the trade school workshop studio! (We also have some potential interns and new staff coming next summer!!!) 



"Que Rico!!!"
RO4Y team lunch: Monday - Fridays!


The Beard kids have art class with Marillyn:
making piñatas!


Feliz Cumpleaños, Poema!
This newly celebrated 4-year-old struggled blowing out her final candle!
Hahaha! Too cute!



Honduras is not known for it's efficiency... case in point!
The Ranch's non-profit status is near completion. Just a "few more steps"!
PRAY for God's provision as this "non-profit" adventure continues to rack up expenses/fees!

Also, PRAY for us as we transition into more administrative responsibilities that the Honduran government requires of NGO's. Most of this will fall on Jon!
(Any admin-missionaries out there interested in the Ranch???)


Baby "Cinco" is on his/her way!
Due date is December 5th: PRAY for a great birth & a healthy baby!


Guess who's back?
This dog is a mystery! After 18 days of "adventure" he returned to the Ranch, kinda. 
"Wanderlust" is a major issue in this Great Pyrenees / Great Dane mix. He comes and he goes... as I'm writing this post we've haven't seen him for two days. PRAY that God would rewire his little brain!


Not all are a success story... a trade school student quits the school.
A "tough love" philosophy of ministry at the Ranch builds character and godliness, but not all respond positively to correction. PRAY for all the youth to have a soft heart to learn from God's Word and put it into practice. PRAY for us to received them back graciously when/if they return.


Long-time friends and supporters, Laurie and her daughter, Karina,
overlook Tegucigalpa from Parque Picacho with Tabitha and Naomi.


October Missionary Fall Fest
A great gathering for food, fellowship & goofiness!

What a joy for our "kids", big and small, to have some fun with local members
of the Honduran Fellowship of Missionaries and Missions.


"Kiddin' around"
Two of four new baby goats!


"You know when you're a MK when..."
Power outages don't even phase you.


Big sister Poema preps for the upcoming birth!


Beard Family "Seven" Photo!
Thanks to a fellow missionary for her great work:
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL ALBUM


"Share The Road"
Always an adventures mountain biking in Honduras.