New logo for a new decade

In January, the Micah Project celebrated our tenth anniversary. This has given us the opportunity to reflect on the amazing ways that God has worked through this ministry over the years…and to be THANKFUL to Him! But this milestone has also caused us to look forward and to seek His will for the next decade of ministry. 2010 has seen the inauguration of the Micah Project technical school, which is led by Brian Wiggs. We have also begun plans for Micah 2.0…a new-and-improved Micah House that will provide the space to take boys off the streets and raise them in a more intentional way.

Above:  First group of Micah boys in 2000.  Top row:  Miguel (currently working in Tegucigalpa), Danilo (currently studying in a Honduran seminary), Marvin (2009 graduate from Missouri Baptist University), Jarvin (studying psychology in Costa Rica); Bottom row:  David (studying psychology in Costa Rica), Olvin (will graduate from the University of Houston in December) and Tino (graduated from MBU in 2009).

With these exciting new directions in ministry, we felt that we needed a new logo to express in a fresh way the vision of the Micah Project. While we have lovingly retired our first logo which was created by Aminah (Al-Attas) Bradford, we are very excited by the new logo created by Jenna Miller. This is what Jenna has to say about the new logo:

When thinking about the design for the new Micah Project logo, a hundred different ideas ran through my head. The final design, however, I feel best captures the ideals and goals of the Micah Project and thus symbolizes what we represent.

Most importantly, the cross is in the center as the base of the tree, reminding everyone that looks at it that Christ is the center and the reason the Micah Project exists. The cross symbolizes Christ’s ultimate sacrifice of love for us, and inspires us to love others in the same sacrificial way. But this cross, as you can see, has new branches growing out of it, reminding us that Jesus did not stay dead on that cross. His death on the cross gave way to the most excellent miracle of all time – the Resurrection! At the Micah Project, our purpose is to see the truth of “life-out-of-death” in each and every person we minister to. We see Christ’s resurrecting power each time He calls a young man to come off of the streets and out of addiction into a new life of hope and purpose. We see it every time a child who was doomed to be a “nothing” graduates from college. The Micah Project is a place of new beginnings, of second chances, of “resurrections” if you will. And each leaf on the tree represents one of the many miracles we have had the privilege to be a part of. And, just like a tree, the Micah Project is always growing and changing. The project has several branches of ministry all working together as one whole as we seek to live out our mission of forming Christian leaders in Honduras.

We thank you all for helping to nurture and grow this tree as it continues to flourish in this new decade of ministry! Please pray for discernment as we seek God’s will for the new Micah House. And, please keep praying for our young men by name as they begin to produce great fruit in God’s kingdom!

Muchas gracias,

Michael Miller
Executive Director

Weekly Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from yet another rainy week in Tegucigalpa! I (David Hawthorne) have just returned from a trip alongside of several older Micah guys and participants in the Micah technical school into the Honduran mountains.  There, we were blessed enough to accompany the Gracepoint Church from Portland, Oregon and to minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ by helping construct a small church in a remote mountain village. However, life in Teguz wasn't any less stressful, even with over half the guys gone. Little Hector contracted a bad case of hemorrhagic dengue fever, which put him in serious condition and left him in the hospital for several days. Thankfully, though, Hector has been released from the hospital and has returned to his normal goofy self! Additionally, we are grateful for our safe return to Tegucigalpa and are looking forward to having a good week here at home! Please join us this week in praising God for a safe trip and Hector's return home and in praying the following requests:

* Safety and tranquility in the neighborhood
In the aftermath of the fatal shooting in front of John and Rebecca Bell's apartment last week, rumors and threats have been swirling in our barrio. Several of the most prominent gangs members have temporarily left the area for their own safety and there is a great deal of uncertainty hovering in the air. Please be praying that there are no further killings and that peace will come to our barrio. Also, please be praying that we, as Christians, are able to be lights and peacemakers in this troubled barrio.

* Planning for the new Micah House
Even as we seek to be lights in the darkness of a crime-filled neighborhood, we are continuing to seek a safer area were we can raise the Micah guys while retaining our current house as an outreach center. Please be praying for this exciting process as we look for land and begin envisioning a capital campaign!

* The visiting missions team from Gracepoint Church
After spending last week in Gracias, Honduras (about nine hours outside of Tegus) with several Micah guys and Micah Technical School students, the Gracepoint missions team is now here in Tegus! They'll be continuing the repainting of the Micah House interior as well as putting a new roof on the Timothy House. Please be praying that the Gracepoint group has a blessed week of ministry, that we are able to teach them about life here in Tegus, and that they have safe travels here in Honduras!

* Future Plans for older Micah graduates 
Daniel, who is currently attending Central America's leading agricultural engineering school, is looking to start a six-month internship, possibly as far away as England! Please be praying for wisdom as he starts the planning process. Also, please be praying for Olvin Funez, Marvin Morazan and Danilo Guevara as they start looking into their futures beyond school and graduation!

* And, let us not forget to PRAISE!!

-  For Marvin Morazan's and Olvin Funez's visits to home. As Marvin heads to Costa Rica and Olvin to Houston, Texas, we want to express our gratitude to both of these young men for being marvelous examples of God's love for our younger guys. Praise God for bringing them this far and praise Him for using them to minister to the newest generations of Micah guys!
- For God's faithfulness in providing for us here at Micah. Even though sometimes finances can be tight, our God has always provided for us and we have never gone hungry! Praise and thank for Him for being so generous with His blessings!!

As always, it is my privilege to bring to you the prayer request of the Micah Project and to share just a small glimpse into our weekly lives. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers, support and love. They are greatly appreciated!!

Peace,
David Hawthorne (on behalf of the Micah Project)

Weekly prayer requests

Dear friends,

Greetings from rainy Tegucigalpa.  We had a wonderful week last week with the youth group from the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church of Houston!   We were able to continue to build the retaining wall around the Villa Linda Miller school, repaint the Micah House and participate in street ministry with the group.

This week, we have a few prayer requests that we'd like to share with you:

1.  14 year-old Hector (right) has contracted dengue fever and has been in bed with a high fever for four days.  Dengue has reached epidemic proportions in Honduras this rainy season.  It is a mosquito-borne disease similar to Malaria, and can be dangerous if not treated.  We're keeping a close eye on him!

2.  Most of our older boys are in western Honduras with Brian Wiggs and a group from his church in Portland, Oregon.  They are helping a Honduran pastor named Victor Almendares build a church that he planted in an indigenous village.  Pray for safety, health and unity as the group and our boys work to advance God's kingdom!

3.  A young man in our neighborhood was shot and killed on the steps of our missionary apartment building last Thursday, just three minutes after Becca and John entered the building.  Please pray for the continued safety of our staff and boys in a situation of increasing violence and instability in our area.

4.  We have begun a process of searching for a property to build a new Micah House, in part because of the situation above.  After ten years in our current home, we have initiated a plan to build a new facility that would promote our boys' success in a more intentional way.  For our new generation of boys, which has come from harder backgrounds and more time on the streets, we firstly need some outdoor space, where they can kick a soccer ball around and burn off their boundless energy.   Our new house also needs a better kitchen, appropriate living space for group home parents, more storage, and a larger communal space for meetings and worship times.   We have been looking at a property out by the Villa Linda Miller neighborhood...a twenty minute drive from our current location.  Please pray for wisdom and discernment as we begin this huge transition in our ministry!

(Above:  this burro stands guard on a piece of property that we are looking at for the new Micah House!)

We have posted our summer letter and a new photo album on our website, which you can access at www.micahcentral.org.  We are so thankful for your continued prayers and support in our eleventh year of ministry!

Su hermano en Cristo,


Michael Miller