Many of you are familiar with our dear friends Mama and Papa Jones (Marie and Leonard) who operate Casa Cielo near Cacao, Honduras. Some of you are also aware that Marie’s nephew, Jaimito, was the victim of a kidnapping in Mexico in early June of this year. During one of our visits to Casa Cielo Papa had told us about how the entire family was so distressed. I just found out that the family did manage to pay the ransom, but the kidnappers killed Jaimito anyway. Mama is just back from the memorial service in Queretaro, Mexico.

Reflecting on this tragedy, Mama writes “We have made a commitment to the Lord that the 24 children that we have in Casa Cielo, the children in this village, and the surrounding ones WILL have an opportunity!!! We hope to make a difference and prevent the future generations from being polluted by delinquency that would lead them to commit crimes. The Solution is to create an environment:

WHERE the word of God is shared with children

WHERE they are educated to believe in themselves

WHERE they know that they have potential to do great exploits!!!

Mary and I have been so very blessed to have witnessed the wonderful work that is being done by Mama and Papa, and their daughter Joy and daughter Jeannie and son-in-law Dell at the Casa Cielo orphanage and the Christian Institute of Creative Learning (the bi-lingual school that is associated with Casa Cielo). Their dedication to the children in their care and their commitment to the Lord is a true inspiration. Mama’s response to the violence and corruption that plagues the entire third world is so consistent with her lifelong ministry. They will continue to raise up Christian leaders amidst the turmoil. Working through the “Touch the World” organization, you can choose to sponsor a child’s education. Go to www.touchtheworld.org  and click on donate, and choose Honduras child sponsorship. Or you may contact me directly. I have brochures that are child specific. You or your small group or Sunday School class can select a child and sponsor that child’s education for $40 per month.

PRAYER WARRIORS NEEDED

Mary and I are in the process of planning and preparing for our 2012 mission trips with the Alabama Honduras Medical Educational Network. At this point we expect to spend two weeks in March in the Garifuna villages of Limon and Plan de Flores on the northern coast. We’ll do eye clinics and oversee a project to install vented cook stoves and water filtration systems. We’ll then return to Belaire, Honduras, for three weeks during June to work with the people of the cloud forest. Our primary focus during the first two weeks time will be to conduct eye clinics. The third week we’ll be trying to facilitate the filming of a documentary. Our late summer trip is usually to the edge of the Moskitia but this year we think we’ll be traveling with an exploratory team for a couple of weeks. Our immediate task is to solicit prayer warriors. We need persons willing to commit to praying that God’s will be expressed and His love shown during these missions.  Let us know if you are willing to do this and we’ll put you on our list.