May, 2012

Hi All!  Here is our May of 2012 update, blessed to be doing the Lord’s work in Honduras.  You are receiving this email since you have supported us over this last year, thanks!

Highlights here, details below:

• Our furlough (fund raising trip) has been scheduled for July 12 to August 14^th.
• Bikes, if anyone has some gently used bikes that will fit Nick and Lily, please let us know. 
• Please join us in praising God for his provisions, still hear and funded completely where God wants us.
• Pete’s HR role has been extremely busy.  The Lord has blessed WGO with fifteen new missionaries in fund raising plus four more couples being interviewed for house parents and another for the social worker position.
• Medical brigades: We are enjoying a year of blessing, so far 48 medical brigades close to 1000 team members.
• Our patients in medical brigades are growing as well.  We will see close to 100,000 patients and evangelize to them.
• Mission house staff devotions are done each Wednesday morning at 8am.  If you happen to be in prayer during this time please lift us up. 

Details:

Bible reading:  Since September Pete has been reading through the Bible.  He did skip the first few books and started in Exodus.  He is now in 2 Chronicles.  Many of the bible stories have been used as staff devotions at the mission house.  Here one recent old testament reading:  2 Kings 6:15-17,  When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.  “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet (Elisha) answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.   

Elisha had seen Elijah carried up into heaven on chariots of fire, so Elisha knew the power of his protection and wanted his servant to see what Elisha knew and God allowed his “sight” to become able to see what surrounded them and the army of 10,000 around them.  We and the other missionaries here live in a relatively dangerous city, but have been protected each day.  We are blessed to live and work in a country that does not persecute Christians, yet danger still abounds.  But fear not!  As Isaiah has said in chapter 41 verses 9 and 10 -- I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  No, Pete has not prayed for God to open his eyes so that he can see the angels that protect his family, the ministry, and fellow missionaries.  However, God truly has protected us and guided us.  We believe that His protection is daily.  Through answered prayer and His protection and provision we are still here.

Our market basket for the month:  Just some sample prices that we pay for well-known items.  Bulk pack of napkins, the 100 pack of napkins is 56 cents and to buy the exact same in a five pack is $1.55 more.  Gas price has now reached $5.19 per gallon.  When Nick fractured his wrist last month, the X-Ray was $19, the Dr. who put the cast on was $50, and the materials and room fee to put the cast on was $48.  We realize that the medical bills are nothing compared to the states; however when you think about a typical Honduran who only makes $342 a month and if one of his children breaks their arm, how do they pay for it?

We will be heading south and west to visit supporters before heading into the Chicago land area.  Pete, wearing his Human Resource hat, also needs to stop and meet several new fundraising missionaries in other areas of the country.  Please let us know if you live west of the Chicago area and are willing to see us for a day or two.

We will be driving through Little Rock at the end of our furlough and can take bikes with us to be loaded on a container.  Due to the conditions here these bikes must be very sturdy.

If you add our time in fundraising to our four years in Honduras you have been with us for close to five years.  In the four years that we have relied on support we have come up short only one month -- praise God!  In our latest report over the first four months of 2012 we have been blessed with 64% of our minimum monthly budget.  We pray that the summer will bring in some extra support and hope to have several meetings in the Chicago land area.  If your bible study, small group or home group would like to meet with us to help us raise funds, please let us know.

Regarding the new missionaries, WGO currently has 39 missionaries.  Now some are leaving at the end of school but 15 new missionaries is a blessing.  At this point, not including the interview time, Pete needs to get out ten documents to each person; some need to be signed and some need to be filled out.  God is blessing the ministry and I pray that I do not drop the ball and forget something.  Each morning Pete prays that God helps him remember what needs to be remembered.

We will host 48 medical brigades this year, most summer weeks have double teams and our current count of brigade members coming from the states is up to 975.  This is up from 787 last year and 729 in 2010.  As you can see the growth is occurring as God has promised through prayers of the mission house staff and others.

Medical brigade patients: Over the last three years we have seen 76,000, 66,000 and 60,000 patients, but this year, due to many blessings and prayer inspired management decisions, we will cross the 100,000 patient plateau in 2012, barring any unforeseen political stuff.

Nick and Lily still continue to do well in school.  Their 8^th grade retreat is coming up this weekend, so we ask that you lift them and all involved in prayer.  Nick and Lily will be 14 this August, and are now being invited to Quinceañeras regularly.  A Quinceanera is a girl’s 15^th birthday and is a very big deal in Latin American cultures.

Recently, Pete had the blessing to be contacted by a friend on facebook on a Wednesday afternoon.  The friend stated that God had laid Pete’s name on his heart earlier in that day to pray for him.  It was that Wednesday that Pete was leading the staff devotion.  The devotion was on throwing rocks and insults and the power of gossip to destroy ministries.  The devotion was based on David’s fight with Goliath. 

Angie recently attended a Ladies Retreat Weekend hosted by Women of Purpose.  She has become a primary team member for this twice a year retreat by running all of the multi-media necessary.  At church, she continues to help in the multi-media area as well as volunteering in the nursery.  She attends her Ladies Bible Study every Tuesday morning, and as a couple we continue to host a Bible Study in our home every Thursday evening.  Angie’s gift of organization has continued to save money for the ministry of WGO.  She enjoys time spent in the Pharmacy helping to manage the large inventory of medicines and supplies that come in with the weekly brigade teams.  She is seeking the Lord to see if she should further her studies in a Medical-based profession.

Thank you again for your prayers and your support we are blessed to be here with you.