Well, nearly 6 months later, 2020 post March 15^th still does not look like what we expected. The impact of the global response to the Covid-19 virus continues to have dramatic impacts in every facet of our lives. We are so thankful for our ministry partners who continue to be faithful in supporting us and the growing ministry the Lord has given us. So, thank you for praying and rejoicing with us in the following:

Please continue to pray for La Casa De Rubén, specifically for the staff (Maria, Angela, Marcos, Emilson & Prudencia) and for Rubén and Rosalina.

Please pray for the Lord to provide the funds that we need to continue operations, and more importantly, for Him to provide capital donations to purchase the home and make it the permanent location for La Casa De Rubén.

Please pray for the people and nation of Honduras as the virus and the economic, social, mental and emotional impacts due to the response continue to have serious negative impacts in people’s lives. The hospitals are overwhelmed and supplies are running low. Many are not receiving the treatment needed, not only for COVID but for other things as well. You can read more about this on our blog as we just posted an update there.

Praise God for His continued favor given to La Casa de Rubén during this crisis. The needs continue to be met and everyone at the house remains healthy and virus free. Rubén and Rosalina continue to gain strength, flexibility and mobility as a result of their being at La Casa de Rubén. Please pray for this to continue as even a mild respiratory virus would be very dangerous for both Rubén and Rosalina in their circumstances.

We are giving praises to God for the continued healing that Rubén and Rosalina are receiving. Rubén continues to gain upper body strength, flexibility and mobility. The last of 5 serious skin ulcers he had is almost healed. When Rosalina came to the house she was so hunched over that she had to eat from a plate that was in her lap. She is now sitting upright and eating at the table with everyone else!

The physical therapy center (CRILE) has not reopened. We have met with the president of CRILE multiple times but the path forward is very difficult for them. At this point it is not clear when CRILE will open or how they will function once they are open. There are many new biosecurity measures required in response to COVID that will impact their operation significantly. Please pray for us as a ministry and CRILE as we explore options and opportunities to work together so that this vital service continues to be available, not just for our patients, but for the population of two entire states, Lempira and Intibuca.

Praise God for the continued studies of our sponsored university students. Using online platforms they have continued their classes so they are not falling behind. Both recently received their grades for the most recent trimester and they continue to excel!

The schools were closed in March and the decision was made that there will be no campus classes offered for the rest of 2020. The school year is different here (February-November) so this was a really big issue. The new platforms and methods have evolved and Marlen (Marlen is Rubén’s sister who is being sponsored and is living at La Casa de Rubén with him) is actually doing very well. She has grown a lot this year and has received many compliments from her teachers about her improvements. Please pray for Marlen to continue to adapt, overcome, and continue to grow and develop academically. Please pray for all of the high school and grade school students as they and their families now have to deal with the impact of these changes.

Please pray for a new Bible study that we have begun at La Casa De Rubén. After just two Bible study times together we are seeing changes.

The economic impacts of the response to the virus are having much worse and longer lasting impacts on families in the mountains of Honduras than the virus itself. There are so many who have not worked for the last 5 1/2 months. As a result hunger has become a much larger problem. In response a new ministry opportunity opened up for us to address this situation. Please join us in praising God for the generosity of so many people who are continuing to make it possible for us to provide food for both the bodies and souls of people in need. You can visit our website to learn more about our new food bag ministry. Please pray for the Lord to continue to provide resources for us to be able to help meet this need as long as the need exists. At the same time please pray for things to change so that hunger does not continue to be a problem.

Praise God, everyone’s crops are planted and He has been sending us rain. The rains have been sufficient to yield a plentiful harvest so many of us here have plenty of beans and corn to eat now.

Please pray for resolution of our immigration status. The borders have opened but we are still trying to finish our permanent residency process. The government office that handles this is still closed so nothing is really happening and right now we have no idea when this might start moving again.

We are so thankful for how God has provided for us. We are grateful that our water, electricity and internet have been extremely reliable and that our computers and telephones continue to work enabling us to stay connected. Please pray for the technology to continue to work so that we can stay as connected as possible. We are most thankful to have a reliable truck and a comfortable home and the multiple other blessings from God that are ours. While the lack of freedom to move about has impacted us and our ministry in so many ways we are grateful for the times that we can move about and for the opportunities to serve, although differently than we expected. Even with God’s abundant goodness towards us it has not always been easy coping with the lockdown and the resulting circumstances. Please pray for us personally as we cope with many of the same things that so many of you are coping with day to day, and for the things we face that are more unique to our situation here in Honduras.

Please pray for us as we try to figure things out and plan strategically, from both the personal and ministry perspectives. Because of our residency situation primarily we don’t know when we’ll be able to return to the states to give updates and raise needed funds.

Please pray for us to live moment by moment in ever increasing faith, remembering how faithful God has been to provide all of our needs personally, for La Casa de Rubén, for our new hunger relief ministry, and for all of the other ministries that He has entrusted to us. Please pray for us to be wise and courageous in these challenging times, and for us to make decisions that are obedient and honoring to Him.

Please pray for us to grow stronger mentally and emotionally as the ongoing crisis with its restrictions and unknowns continues to take its toll on us.

Please pray for Pastor Emilio, his family, and Ministerio Torre Fuerte here in La Campa. Please pray for peace, protection, wisdom, and continued spiritual growth and impact in the churches and communities represented by this ministry.

Please pray for Pastor Jorge, his family, and his ministry in Caiquin, Coalaca and Mataras de Caiquin. Please pray for peace, protection, wisdom, and continued spiritual growth and impact in the churches and communities represented by this ministry.