June Photo Album

Honduras is an extraordinary country. It's rich and diverse natural beauty matches a culture and a people that share a strong cultural heritage. It has been my honor and deep privilege that Hondurans have allowed me (Michael) to live among them for the last eleven years. The people that have allowed me to call them my friends have been deep in faith, resilient in spirit and sacrificial in the way that they treat their friends...and even towards a stranger like me. Though I came to Honduras to dedicate my life to working with street kids, what I have learned from Hondurans and received from them far outweighs what I have given.

Despite all of its beauty, Honduras is still a poor country and has been prone to political instability throughout its history. Another round of upheaval began on June 28, when the army arrested the sitting president and removed him from the country. Since then, there have been daily protests as the powers that be are divided on the best course for the country. As I publish this (on July 8), there is as yet no solution to the political conflict. Please join me in praying for Honduras; that God's justice would reign in the hearts of her leaders and that the people, who have so much to overcome on a daily basis anyway, would experience peace rather than escalating conflict.

Above: one of many breathtaking vistas just outside of Tegucigalpa. Below: Some beautiful children from the Villa Linda Miller community smile for the camera in June.

Below: A group of friends from the First Presbyterian Church of Houston joined us for a weeklong mission's trip in June. This is the ninth year that folks have come from FPC and many on this trip have come for several years in a row. This year's trip was particularly special because three of our dedicated board members joined the trip as well. Here: they pose in front of the church in Villa Linda Miller after Sunday services. Pastor Jeony Ordonez is in the back in the blue shirt facing left.

Below: Micah board member Mary Floye gets a hug from Hector on the way to a fieldtrip with the Micah families. Behind them is Jose Daniel, a boy who lives on the streets. Mary Floye has been a longtime member of the Micah family!

Below: Tino's back!!! Tino moved back to Honduras in June after graduating from Missouri Baptist University. We are very happy to have him back! Please pray for him as he begins to look for a job and an apartment. Currently, he is living in the Leadership House while he gets re-acquainted with his country. Above: we had a welcome-back party and a graduation party for Tino when he got back!

Oscar and Marvin drove up to Chicago in the beginning of June with Micah board member Dianne Becker (not pictured) in order to see the U.S. play Honduras in a World Cup (soccer) qualifying match. Below: Oscar and Marvin (both in blue jackets) smile with Micah board member Erin MacLean in front of her city's skyline. Above: Marvin prepares to root for his team at a packed-out Soldier's Field in Chicago. Sadly, Honduras lost to the U.S.

Below: Marvincito kicks a ball around during a Friday soccer practice. Marvincito has struggled with his addiction to yellow glue since joining the project in July 2007. On June 26, he left the Micah House to go back to the streets and to his yellow glue. Thankfully, he came back to the house a week later. Please pray for this 14 year old as he continues to fight against his addiction.

Below: The Micah Project's activities' coordinator Roger Figueroa has developed a soccer tournament at Proyecto AFE at the city dump. The boys play in an official game every Saturday and practice on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They have also invited some of their friends from the neighborhood to be on the team. The Micah boys pictured are: Back row, far left: Axel; fourth from right: Jason; third from right: Axel's brother Joel; second from right: Fabian; far right: Cristofer (goalie). Front row: far left: Wilmer, third from left, Hector (goalie), third from right: Maycol; second from right: Miguel, far right: Pedro Luis.

Below: Maycol, Jason and Wilmer pose with Megan Yarrington after dinner at the Micah House. Megan has a beautiful voice, which we found out when she sang a very soulful rendition of "Amazing Grace" at the Villa Linda Miller church for their Sunday service. She grew very close to the boys during her week here!

Below: The FPC team visits Gloria, a longtime friend of the Micah Project who owns a souvenir shop near the Micah House. Left-to-right: Susan Ray, Sonia Townsend, Gloria, Mary Floye, Jan Parks, and Luke Townsend.

Below: John Yarrington, the director of music for First Presbyterian Church, leads the children of Villa Linda Miller in a song (Dios es mi roca...) at the Villa Linda Miller church.

Above: The FPC team spends some time in the bustling market district of Tegucigalpa while on their way to visit Axel's house. Left to right, in front: Dianne Yarrington, Susan Ray, John Yarrington, and Jan Parks.

Above: One of the projects that the FPC team undertook was to begin to build the wall around the Villa Linda Miller school. They worked hard under the hot sun (and sometimes in the driving rain!) to get the wall finished. Here, from right to left, James Kearly, Bill Marshall, Becca Herbold and (at far left) Chris Herbold work on the top layer of the wall.

Above: Maycol takes a nap on the bus after a long day of ministry with the FPC group!

The last night of the FPC team, we had an open mike night at the Micah House. Above: Jose sang one of his best songs, "Dreams". Below: Danilo sings a popular praise song for the group. Danilo was home on a short break from his studies in Costa Rica.