Watercolors

It started as an art project designed to show the difference between cool and warm colors. But, as they always do, the students in El Nido made this watercolor experiment their own. They were enthusiastic and I had to run to town to purchase additional paint to accommodate our budding artists. But the result is a new art installation on the rec room walls.

This was the example I made to show the boys how to use the different colors to make a pattern stand out.

They went to work drawing the grids.

Many of the kids decided to forego using the grids and created their own watercolor paintings.

  

And some kids used the grids as a background for some pretty awesome pieces.

We certainly discovered some talent with this project.

The finished works of art have become decoration for our wall.

Chain Reaction

Steve found a fun video on YouTube that gave him a great idea for the boys in El Nido (the rec room). So he spent this weekend teaching them how to build a chain reaction using popsicle sticks. And we have our own fun video to share. Enjoy!

The saddest thing you've ever seen...

...sort of. I was stopped in my tracks by this pitiful display this afternoon.

In all fairness, we did have a tetherball at one time. But those things get pretty battered and it eventually disappeared altogether. Now the kids are left to their own devices. And while I applaud their ingenuity, it just isn't quite the same.

As you can imagine, tetherballs are rather difficult to come by in Honduras. So we're reaching out to our friends, family and supporters in the U.S. to help us give hope to a new generation of tetherball champions. Will someone not step up and help end this terrible injustice? Contact us to find out how!

And check back soon for the equally heartbreaking saga of the ping pong net.

Baby Love

It's been several months since I first visited the public teaching hospital in Tegucigalpa with my good friend and co-worker, Gaby. She has started a powerful ministry delivering much-needed baby items to moms and their families in the maternity and children's wards. Ever since I first shared the photos of our morning together at the hospital, this ministry has managed to capture the heart of the ladies in my family. And they've taken action!

Check out these photos of a recent get-together at my grandmother's house where she and other members of her church gathered to sort and pack all the baby items they've collected, many of them handmade.

I am so proud of my mom for introducing this project to her sphere of influence and coordinating a response. She, my grandmother, my aunt and their friends have answered a call placed on their hearts and have sacrificially given of their time, talents and resources to show the love of Christ. I am humbled to be part of this incredible family.

A special thanks to Calvary Full Gospel Church in Rockaway Beach, Missouri for taking on this project. Thanks also to the Umbaugh family for coordinating shipping to Honduras. And, of course, thank you to Gaby Umbaugh for using her unique gifts and passions to glorify God in Honduras.

See photos of my mom's own visit to the hospital here!

It's not too late! This project needs funds, donations and people willing to coordinate efforts in the States. If you would like to be part of the "My First Warm Christmas" baby project, let us know!

Full House

This weekend, the Molbilization Team from WGM headquarters in Indiana made a trip out to Escuela El Sembrador along with some of our missionary co-workers. And they took the time to stop in El Nido for a little game time with the students.

These folks are responsible for bringing new teams, volunteers and missionaries to fields all over the world and we couldn't be prouder to have them as part of the WGM-Honduras team. Thanks for playing guys! 

Talking with Our Hands

We got a little silly in the rec room with the the little kids today when we made hand puppets.

Ancient Nuggets of Truth

For Spring Break, we finally got visit one of the most popular tourist destinations in Honduras—the Mayan ruins of Copán.

Walking around the ruins, I was reminded of the book Eternity in Their Hearts by Don Richardson. His theory is that God has revealed Himself to every civilization on earth. Even ancient, pagan and unreached cultures have nuggets of Truth that serve to make Him known to them. As the tour progressed, I couldn't help but search for those little nuggets. I didn't find definitive proof, but it's I found it hard to escape the notion as I surveyed the remnants of ingenious technologies, beautiful art and a rich sense of community.