Good Works

As we travel around the country sharing what is happening in Honduras, people are sharing with us good works that are happening in their communities.  We are getting to hear about and see homeless ministries, feeding ministries, prison ministries, Augment houses, and so much more.  I am so happy to see that people are sharing God's love wherever they are.

Terri

Breaking News!!!

I have often quoted statistics about poverty and hunger.  Thousands in Honduras are hungry all the time.  Thousands of little children living in Honduras will not eat a single meal today.  People die everyday from starvation and malnutrition.  It is very sad.

Soon, there will be a new feeding center in Buen Samaritano, one of the villages near the dump.  About 200 children will receive a hot meal five days a week.  They also will be taught of Jesus' love. 

This feeding center will be used as a church on Sundays.  There are two young men working in this community.  They are setting up Bible studies and sharing God's love.  In addition to a feeding center, a church plant is on the way.  Food for the body and food for the soul.

Team Oklahoma in October will get to start this building by pouring the footers.  Bring your work gloves. You will be mixing concrete.

Praise God for this enormous blessing.

Terri

Small Texas Towns

The Texas panhandle is full of small towns.  Most of them are farming towns.  And some of them are very small.  My dad knew every back road to every one of these small towns.  As a child, I traveled these roads more than once.

As we have gone to family reunions, and other places like Amarillo and Childress, I cannot help but notice that many of these towns are dying.  Empty houses.  Abandoned, boarded-up buildings.  I do not know how small town people are solving the world's problems with most Dairy Queens no longer open. 

I have also noticed that everyone, no matter the age, in these towns support their high schools and Friday night football.  If we should pass through on Friday evening when there is an away game, the whole town might be empty.

There is a certain charm about these little towns and I hate to see their demise.

Terri

Memory Lane

When we visit in the Texas panhandle, we have to make at least one trip to Amarillo.  Today, was that day.  We lived in Amarillo for three years.  That was a long, long time ago.  We purchased our first house in Amarillo and our first child was born there.

We drove through downtown Amarillo, a nonevent.  We then drove out to the South Georgia area to see our first house.  When we purchased that house in 1978, it was an old house, in an old subdivision.  We cleaned and painted on that little house.  Then a year and a half later, we made a nursery.  Good, good memories.

Since the house was old 34 years ago, we both expected the whole neighborhood to be pretty run down.  We were pleasantly surprised.  Our house and the whole neighborhood looked good.  I noticed some of our favorite restaurants were no longer there.  New stores.  New malls.  Amarillo has changed just like everything and everyone else.

From time to time,  I love taking these strolls down memory lane.  But for the present, I am glad I am where I am, doing what I am doing.

Terri

August 2012 Newsletter

Casa de Esperanza

Making a difference, one child at a time

P.O. Box 9222

Columbus, MS 39705

cdehonduras.org/casa.acklenavenue.com

Amigos de Casa,

Rain continues to fall as we enter the heavy part of the rainy season. I get so

tired of rain, but we don't complain. It keeps us from running out of water. And,

so many parts of the United States need rain so deperately. The time is coming

soon when it will be hot and dry.

 

Emma Kate Fitzgerald was born to Matt and Nicole on July 11. This was about a

month early. Emma Kate's lungs and heart were not fully developed and she

was in ICU for a while after birth. She has had pneumonia and a respiratory

infection and has been back in the hospital, in ICU, again. Right now, she is

home and is doing very well. We pray for Emma Kate's continued good health.

When any one of us is out, for any reason, the rest of us miss that person. And,

we do miss Nicole. The Fitzgeralds are leaving for the States for a couple of months so that Baby Emma can fully recuperate.

Baby Josue was also in the hospital for about a week. He also had some

respiratory problems. He is so fragile. It required one employee to be at the

hospital at all times. Josue, too, is home from the hospital and is continuing to

improve. These babies that were born prematurely sometimes have problems

for a long time. Please pray for all the babies at Casa because all of them were

born prematurely.

 

Josue has also started physical therapy. This has been delayed because of his

illness.

 

Antonio was released from the doctor and put away the crutches. He is walking

well on that leg and soon no one will even know anything was ever wrong.

Antonio is now working at the coffee shop some.

 

Right now, except for Josue (four-year-old-Josue) having a sty on his eye, we

think everyone is well. Praise God for this.

 

We have had a lot of runaways recently. Fernando and Jackson left early one

Sunday morning. They hid as we left to look for them. They made their way to

Loarque, a good 15 miles away. Fernando cried because his feet hurt so badly.

They had to sleep with a piece of cardboard and a blanket and woke up hungry.

They were walking back to Santa Ana when someone found them. They were

glad to see a familiar face and even more glad for a ride home. This experience

was unpleasant enough that I don't think they will be repeating this adventure

anytime soon.

 

Adonis, too, has run away. He has left mulitple times. He has been brought back

every time but this last time. He left from the school and had a huge head start.

We looked and looked for him. And prayed and prayed for him. We reported to

IHNFA as required. We headed toward Sabana Grande and decided he was not

made for life on the streets. He turned himself in to a policeman and was taken

to IHNFA. We are glad he is safe. Because of his multiple attempts at leaving,

he will not be returned to Casa, but instead he is being placed in a boy's home.

We pray that they have the resources to help this very troubled child. We did

not have those resources. Pray that this child gets the help he needs.

 

Groups continued to work at Casa the whole month of July and into August. All

the painting inside of the big house was completed. Everything looks and smells

so fresh. The roof was painted white. Daytime temperatures are much lower

inside the house, making lunch time and nap time much more bearable. Also,

the new chicken coop was finished. Thanks to all the groups that worked at

Casa this summer. Your work is very appreciated.

 

The group from Antioch, California made a huge donation to the preschool.

Books and toys were donated that will help some of our little ones that are so

far behind. Nicole and Christina, especially, are putting this donation to good

use.

Teachers are striking frequently, causing the children to miss many days of

school. As elections approach, we predict that will only get worse.

 

Remember, every child at Casa is there because something in their families was

not working properly. As you pray, call the children by name: Pamela, Brayan,

Antonio, Jackson, Cindy, Rosy, Daniela, Ana, Fernando, Jose, Katy, Sisi, Reina,

Doris, Nohemy, Maryury, Guadalupe, Josue, Cris, Any, Yair, Olman and Josue.

And remember, Korbin, Haley and Emma, too. All of the staff would appreciate

prayers as well. We need wisdom and patience as we try to teach God's love in

all things.

 

Please feel free to share this newsletter is anyone you think might be interested.

If you have questions or concerns, please email me at

terriltindall@yahoo.com

Sincerely,

Terri Tindall

Sonic Date

Marc and I have always enjoyed going to Sonic.  Once, in a particularly stressful time in our lives, we would often go to Sonic.  We would order a drink, sit in the car and visit, and try to forget about what was going on for a few minutes.  While in the States, we always do Sonic a couple of times.  Or more.

While we were in Jackson, and Camille was at swim practice, we went to Sonic for a coke.  We missed happy hour.  But as we were drinking our cokes, we noticed half price shakes after 8:00 p.m.  Marc promised we would do a half price shakes soon.

Today, it was 105.  Hot!  I always have deadlines and I have worked all day.  I was secretly thinking, "it would be a good time for the half price shake."  Marc must have read my mind.  About ten minutes til 8:00, we left for Sonic. 

Unexpectedly, it had cooled.  Clouds were forming and a pretty good breeze was blowing.  We actually got to Sonic two minutes before 8:00.  We waited.  It took that long to decide what I wanted.  At exactly 8:00, we ordered our shakes.  Marc had hot fudge.  I had caramel.  We sat in the car enjoying the coolness of the evening and watching the glorious sunset.  With the clouds, the sunset was purplish.

I will soon be working again, but that little trip to Sonic was a great break.  I hope we do it again.

Terri

Reunion Weekend

We nearly always are in the States in September.  We nearly always are in different churches every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night.  This year we decided to take Labor Day Weekend off so we could reunion.  I am so glad we did.

Marc's family has had a reunion every year for 80 years or so.  That reunion is always held Labor Day Weekend.  The church in which I grew up was also having a reunion at the same time.  Marc and his parents left Friday afternoon for the family reunion.  I refused to choose.  I did both.  Saturday, I did the church reunion.  Sunday, I did the family reunion.

The church reunion started at 10:00 a.m.  My cousin and I arrived about 10:05.  Quite a few people were already there.  I visited and visited and saw so many people I had not seen in years.  People came and went all day.  We left around 1:00 so my cousin could get her hair done.  We returned about 3:30 and I left with the lock-up crew.  I walked down the history hall.  I visited every Sunday school room in which I was first taught about Jesus' love.  I sat in the sanctuary.  I went to the approximate pew in which I was sitting the night I decide to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior and be baptized.  I sat in the pew where Laura and I sat almost every Sunday.  I remembered my wedding.  In that building, many of my first friendships were formed and have lasted a lifetime.  I remembered the people that have had a huge influence in my life and helped to make me who I am today.  In many the ways, the little church in which I was raised is the same. And in many ways, it is very different.  But it will always hold precious memories for me. 

I had so much fun and was so excited at the end of the day.  I had trouble settling down and going to sleep.  And that 4:00 a.m. alarm seemed to go off before I was ready.  But I jumped up, showered and got myself ready to leave for Lake Murray, Oklahoma.  I am a morning person and I am use to daylight breaking around 6:00 or earlier.  I left at 5:30 and had driven many miles before I saw light.  I was so ready.  I had to keep stopping for coffee and coke.  And the bathroom.  I arrived at the lake at 11:00 yesterday morning.  Again, I was seeing people I had not seen in years.  And, again, I had so much fun.  Marc and Don and I left the lake at 11:00 last night to head back to Ardmore.  After breakfast, we drove back to the lake to say our "see-ya-laters."  I don't like good-byes. 

We were blessed yesterday in many ways. 

It has been a long, busy week-end.  I don't regret one thing I did or the way I chose to do it.  I can always rest later.

Terri