Zuly Yajaira Rodriguez Hernandez

September student of the month

Zuly is one of my favorite students in the scholarship program, because she has such a bright future on the horizon. She faithfully attends Bible school classes and is a willing participant. Last November she graduated from 6th grade with a 96% GPA. This year, she also doing very well with her transition into high school. She is a very sweet and respectful 13-year-old. She lives with her father Carlos, who is only able to find temporary, seasonal construction work. He often struggles to put food on the table. Her mother, Evangelina, takes care of her 3-year-old daughter, Carla. Zuly’s 10-year-old brother, Carlos (Jr.), also attends school.

The following is a letter from Zuly:

Trujillo, Colon, Honduras

I take pen and paper to let you know that I am grateful to you for giving me the opportunity of this scholarship. I thank God that there is this ministry, the beca program. I am a faithful Christian. I like to study the Bible and I hope that the Lord blesses you so that the other young people could have resources provided to them as well. Thank you for sponsoring me. My parents have very scarce resources. I hope to meet you.

I am entering my first year of middle school and I want to get my high school degree. I am very grateful to God and to you for your help.

My GPA is 96%.

Sincerely,

Zuly Yajaira Rodriguez Hernandez

Nohemy Urbina Torres

Nohemy Urbina Torres is a non-traditional student. She is a 31-year-old mother of two who has been married for 13 years. Her family attends the church of Christ in barrio Limonal. She and her husband, Mario, are both in their second year of the business administration program in a private school. She maintained an 82% GPA last year.

The following is a thank you letter from Nohemy:

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

I hope that you and all that surround you are well. Brothers and sisters, I feel very happy and grateful to God and also with you all for the help that you give us. We are brothers and sisters of limited resources. Without your help, we would not be able to get by. Brothers, I ask God to bless you always so that this good will will always be in you so that other people, like me, can also have this blessing that you offer.

Thank you for being so good.

May God always be with you.

Nohemy Urbina Torres

Update July/August 2007

On June 29th, I left for Honduras to work with/translate for a group from Georgia. The group’s congregation sponsors the Christian school in Trujillo. During their time there, the men constructed a wall for a bathroom so that a watchman can live on the premises because thieves were stealing metal from the school to sell. At the same time, the women were calling students to the multi-purpose room to write letters and paint pictures for their sponsors. Toward the end of the week, the group held a VBS for both children and adults. The adults watched a video on the life of Jesus, while the children rotated to stations in which they sang songs, watched a puppet presentation, did crafts, played games and had a snack. On the last day, the group put together a Power Point presentation set to music that was shown in the auditorium. The crowd really enjoyed the presentation. I really appreciated the group’s organization and enthusiasm. They will do great things for the school.

In between the group’s departure and my mom’s arrival, I took Carmen Garcia and Osladis Romero to doctor’s appointments. After 3 1/2 days of running around we were finally definitively told that Carmen could not be operated on due to the condition of her heart. Though she was initially disappointed, she arrived back in Trujillo in good spirits. My mom and I had a Bible study with her. She believes in the Lord and is open to Him but sees commitment to Him as a big and important decision that she wants to be ready for.
*Please pray that she will continue to study the Word and find the answers she is looking for.

Osladis has sickle-cell anemia that she is going to have to learn to manage. The results of an extensive blood test came out quite positive, but she continues to have pain in her stomach, the cause of which is still undetermined. She wants to take classes at the local university next month but her inconsistent symptoms make it difficult to do so.

*Pray that she will be able to finish the trimester.

I picked up my mom, Mary, on July 11th and took her to the public hospital where Carmen and Osladis were waiting. She was shocked by the long lines and wait time. Their system is really quite unbelievable. We were both grateful for the health care that we have in the States, but at the same time lamenting the fact that such health care is not available to the Hondurans. Thankfully, Mom’s health was good during her stay.

Because of a donation by Ambria Johnson, we were able to buy beans, rice and a variety of other household items to deliver to the Little Hands families and other widows in the church. Mom also purchased “roofing” sheets for a widow’s home. Her house needs many repairs, so we have our next construction project planned for 2008.

While living in Honduras, Luke 6:30 challenged me to “give to all who ask.” (Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.) When I was living in Honduras, I practiced this, but during my last visit the requests exceeded what I was able to give. There are always people who need health care that can’t afford it, and people who are willing to work but can’t find jobs in the poor economy of Trujillo. As a result, I have a few special requests that I would like for you to prayerfully consider.

1) Leonidas

I met Leonidas and his family in 1999, when I stayed with a neighboring family. We spent a lot of time visiting and formed a dear friendship. Leonidas attends the congregation in barrio Limonal. He works as the watchman at a local school and earns little. He often has health problems that keep him from going to work and then, he is unable to purchase the medicines he needs to manage his health problems. For example, one of his prescriptions costs around $35 and he cannot afford to buy it every month.

In the last few months, his daughter, Denisse, was diagnosed with chronic neck pain. She was teaching in a small village that required two busses and a one hour hike up the mountain to arrive. The doctor recommended that she take a year off of work, but her work granted her 6 months of leave. After having rested, she is feeling better but her condition is being aggravated by the walking and constant bending she must do in the classroom. She also has several prescriptions to purchase each month. This month, she needs to go to Tegucigalpa for a check up. Transportation and lodging costs about $265.

*Please pray that her request for a transfer is granted so that she can work closer to home.

2) Jorge
Jorge is a native of Panama who is a missionary in Honduras. He was the first full-time Bible teacher to be hired at the Honduran Bible School (EBH). Recently, Jorge married a girl whose father threatened his life. Because the director of EBH was working in Trujillo when Doctor Tony was murdered, he took the threat very seriously and decided that Jorge needed to leave the state. Jorge never imagined that he would be newly married and jobless. To meet his cost of living, he needs about $150 per month. Jorge has a heart for the teens of Honduras and is currently working with a congregation in that capacity.

3) Mario
Mario is a multi-talented person. He has a Bible degree, he is studying business administration, he works construction by trade, has a good head on his shoulders and has a great heart. Mario is able to do a lot of things, but because of the poor economy in Trujillo, he consistently has trouble finding work. Many of the construction jobs require that he works on Sunday, which he will not do. He is a great asset to the church in Trujillo but they are in danger of losing him because of the financial difficulties he is having.
He and his wife, Nohemy, are on course to graduate in December 2008. He is concerned because the last year of school is the most expensive and he is barely making ends meet as it is. His options are: dropping out of school, coming to the States to work, or receiving help until he and his wife graduate (or until he obtains a reliable full-time job). That help could come in the form of a start-up fund for a small business or in the form of $160 per month to work with the church. He is willing to work in whatever capacity is needed.

If you have any questions, ideas or would like to give to any of these three special cases, please contact me at naytay78@hotmail.com.

Mario’s wife, Nohemy Urbina Torres, is this month’s student of the month.

June 2007 update

I hope you all are enjoying your summer.

I am making preparations in my final week before returning to Honduras for about a month. I leave on Friday, the 29th and will return on July 22nd. During the first half of my time there, I will be working with a group from Georgia that is overseeing the sponsorship program of the Christian school in Trujillo. They have organized a VBS, among other things, to be carried out. Then, on July 11th, my mother will fly in (for the second time!). We plan to purchase food and supplies to be distributed in Trujillo and to take Carmen Garcia and Osladis Romero on a doctor’s visit. Please pray that these appointments yield definitive results and a clear and viable treatment plan.

Carmen and her grandson, Luis.

On June 16th, the Cadillac Church of Christ had a garage sale to help the scholarship program. Over $500 were raised! $1,300 including individual donations. I was very encouraged and blessed that the congregation I grew up in chose to work together in such a giving and willing way to make this fundraiser happen. Many thank yous!

Please read about June’s student of the month: Vanessa Lizeth Ponce Roman.

Exciting news…In addition to the car and the reinstatement to my job position, I have another blessing to add to the list: my first home. It is located only a few blocks from Craig and Stephanie’s house. The transaction is currently pending. I hope to close when I return from Honduras. I’ll pass along my new address once all the paperwork is signed and official. I would love for you to come visit!

Life in Detroit has proved to be interesting. Curiously, there are some striking similarities to life in Honduras. For example, Hondurans and Detroiters have a similar level of regard for traffic laws and courtesies. Ice cream is a hot item to sell on the street in both places. One day, I saw a boy sitting in the back of a truck holding a megaphone, two adult men on a bike together, random dogs in the street, and heard firecrackers. If the temperature had been a little bit warmer, I might have been confused as to where I was. Ah, the cultural anomalies…

I’ll leave you with the story of Albert. I met Albert at a gas station. He appeared to be mentally and addictionally incapacitated. Nonetheless, he offered to pump my gas in an effort to get food for his girls. In his barely intelligible words, he told me his story, tears and saliva running down his face. I invited him into the store with me to buy him some food. He kept telling me how I was a good person and that God was going to bless me for this. At the cash register, he tried to light a cigarette and got a little mouthy with the teller, but when I told him to stop, he apologized and went outside to wait for me. While we were in the store, his backpack was stolen with his few belongings inside. I drove him to the intersection near the house were his girls were staying (only because Craig, Stephanie and my dad were with me). In the car, he continued to reiterate the things he had been saying, sometimes gratefully, sometimes with a laugh, sometimes angrily while waving his digitless right hand. I only pray that Albert’s daughters were able to eat that day and that he would find some way to overcome the situation his has found himself in. As Craig reminded me, “How do we know that we would not have turned out the same if we had grown up in the same environment?” God has chosen to bless us. Let us use those blessings as Stephanie says, “in the many ministry opportunities that surround us.”

Bless and be blessed,

Nadine

Vanessa Lizeth Ponce Roman

Vanessa Lizeth Ponce Roman is one of my favorite people to write about. In fact, she could be the poster-child for the program. Vanessa is a 15-year-old orphan. She lives with her 86-year-old grandmother, Maria, in a small cement room near the Limonal church building. The back wall of their small apartment was falling into the ravine behind their house until a group came in ‘06 and repaired it along with their bathroom.

Maria and Vanessa clean the church building every week. Vanessa is always willing to work, but as the sole caregiver of her grandmother, it is difficult for her to be outside the home for very long. The two live on literally pennies a day. She has attended the sewing class at Little Hands Big Hearts in hopes that sewing may provide a supplemental income someday.

Vanessa is currently in the US equivalent of 7th grade. She graduated elementary school with a 98% GPA. She hopes to go to college someday and I hope that together we are able to help her achieve that goal.

(This is the best picture I have of her right now. I will take and new one while I'm there and post it when I return.)

May 2007 update

On May 14th, I was approved to return early from leave and am currently teaching middle school music, the position I left two years ago. We have one week of school left! Though my position has been eliminated for next year, it sounds as though I will be teaching 4 sections of high school Spanish and one section of middle school Spanish. I trust that the Lord is leading this change.

I am still unsure whether to take some Spanish credits in the fall or to begin a Masters program. Still praying about that. Regardless I need to study something in order to keep my teaching certificate current.

Kevin Stewart is helping me look for a house. I have a couple great options right now, but am debating how to best serve the Lord with this new investment.

I have definitely been blessed but have had my struggles along the way. Please pray for wisdom as I need guidance on several issues and know that the Lord is the only One who can provide the answers.

It’s official! My plane ticket is bought for June 29th. I will be returning to Honduras for about a month to work with a group from Georgia and help with a VBS, sponsor/student correspondence in the Christian School in Trujillo, and work projects. Then, my mother will join me as we plan to distribute supplies, food etc. and take Carmen Garcia to a check-up in San Pedro Sula. Please pray that the Lord would oversee and bless these plans as details are often unpredictable and to a certain degree uncontrollable.

Because of the scholarship program, several students are now finishing the first half of their ’07 school year. Please read about May’s student of the month, Wendy Paola Rodriguez Romero.

I recently went to the And Still We Rise exhibit at the Museum of African-American History in downtown Detroit. I would highly recommend it to anyone. The exhibit takes the viewer through the sights and sounds that an African would have experienced before, during and after slavery. It is very well done and very touching, especially if you have been to Africa, but even if you have not. At one point, I said to myself, “It is amazing what men will do for money,” and prayed that we would never again allow such a travesty to occur.

This past week Susan Carter, Ron Carter's wife, passed away. They have been involved with the work in Honduras for years. Please pray for peace for the family. Ron has a very faithful outlook.

I pray that we would view whatever comes our way through the eyes of faith!

Nadine

Wendy Paola Rodriguez Romero

Valuable Sir or Mrs:

Receive on my behalf very sincere greetings and hugs to you and your dear family. The reason for which I am writing is in order to express my eternal gratitude for the generous help that is allowing me to do excellently in my studies.
Thank you for the willingness that the Lord has given you so that I may receive help. Now I will be able to attend my second year of high school.
I will always receive your help with a lot of benefit and dedication.

I hope to be in touch.

Sincerely,

Wendy Paola Rodriguez Romero

*Wendy is 15 years old and is studying in her first year at the high school (7th grade equivalent). She lives with 11 people, ie mother, siblings, nephews. She is always helping in the home and attends the Church of Christ in barrio Buenos Aires. She hopes to attend college someday.