Thursday update!

Steve sounded so encouraged last night as he could NOT stop talking about what God is doing in Honduras.

More on all of that in a minute. As for me and Laura Beth, we are missing daddy (Steve) so much. This is the longest he has been away from us. Laura Beth has grown so much since he left. Laura Beth is now saying more and more words. Her favorite is still "ball" and she will say "ball" whenever she sees any ball. For example, I turned on the TV yesterday and was not looking at it. Laura Beth was looking at it. She said, "ball, ball...ball." So, I am looking at the floor trying to see if I see her ball (or any ball) and did not see anything. Then, I look up and a basketball game was on TV. I was so surprised at her "carry-over" of the word. Then, I turned it to a football game (which was on ALL day yesterday) and she saw the quarter back pass the football. Sure enough, she said, "Ball" and looked at me for reassurance. Steve is just not going to believe it. Laura Beth also eats alot of different foods now, which she wasn't doing last week. She is alot more receptive to the word "more" at meal times, pulling her hands together with very little (well, still some) cueing. She also "dances" now. I don't have the camera this week, so I can't show much of her growth, but we'll put pictures and video up soon. :) She is also cutting some more teeth. She has the top two central teeth and the bottom 2 lower central teeth (Upper and lower central incisors, for those who know teeth. ha!). However, something else is coming in...I just can't decide which tooth it is. I am hoping it isn't the molar yet. I hear those make babies very uphappy. Ok, enough about Laura Beth. Let's talk about DADDY!

God is revealing himself to the Hondurans and also to MANY people on the team from the states. Last night, Steve talked about how the holy spirit was moving and how things seemed to be falling into place. He talked about how people were saying, "You are doing so well, Steve, putting people where they need to be, sharing God's word, and making all of this so successful." Steve said it was hard not to take the compliments, but he knew that he (Steve) wasn't why all of these marvelous things were happening. To God be the glory.

Steve said that he loved how they are doing bible school. He said that they have crafts like most bible schools, but mostly the "Bible SChool" was building relationships with the villagers so that they could show Christ love and tell them about WHO Christ is. So he describe the scene of the "bible school" not as crafts and songs (which did occur), but rather as a sixteen year old American girl braiding the hair of a sweet Honduran child while sitting in the grass of a very poor village. He further states the youth guys hanging out with the Honduran boys playing soccer for 6 hours and then later talking about Christ and how He can save them.

Thank you for praying for him and the team. Today (Friday) is their last day to be in the village with the Honduran people that they have come to love. Tomorrow they will be in another city as they begin to travel back to us.

BELOW is a "Thursday Update" from Steve:
Thursday, today, is New Years Day. People were slower to come down to see us. The streets seemed empty. Yet as the day went on there were more people in La Colonia than in previous days. This afternoon we had a large soccer game going on. This included many Hondurans and a few of us. After 30 minutes of soccer two of our 17 year old guys stopped the game and asked the kids to "circle up." Our youth told the Honduran boys that soccer was fun game but this soccer ball we were playing with had a much deeper meaning than just fun and games. They explained that the reason they were here in Honduras was because of Jesus Christ. They also said that their relationship with Jesus was the most important thing in their life. They held up their soccer ball colored in Gold, Black, Red, White, and Green. Through their translator Rafael they explained that the Gold color represented God in Heaven. That he was perfect, all powerful and desired a relationship with us. The black represented our sin and the bible tells us that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." The red represented the blood of Jesus. The White represented how through Jesus blood our sins can be forgiven, and the green represents our growing in Christ. At the end of their presentation the translator asked who there wanted to have their sins forgiven by God and to trust in Christ for this. Twenty-two sweaty soccer playing Honduran boys from the ages of 8 to 14 prayed to receive Christ in this one moment. We were able to catch much of this on video from a distance. This will forever be one of the many memories for those who were there.

Tomorrow is the day we will tell our friends goodbye. Please pray for us as we finish the race and accomplish the task that God has set out for us tomorrow in La Colonia. This task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

Acts 20:24
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.