Micah Project Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

Blessings and best wishes from the Micah Project! For us, the summer season has definitely set in, with sweat-inducing high temperatures every day for the past week, and extremely dusty/smoggy conditions. These days, when we aren't running around or playing, you can find us huddled in the air-conditioned computer lab or near a running fan! Despite the heat, we are staying active and doing our best to keep our guys busy. We have been reminded again of the growing crime in Tegucigalpa, as several staff members were involved in robberies on the streets near Micah in the last few weeks, but we are thankful that any losses were only material. Thank you for your prayers for us as we seek to minister to the guys and our neighbors in the midst of so much darkness. This week, please especially be praying for us in these areas:

* Axel Lopez
Axel has continued to struggle over the past week. Please be praying for this young man as he works to stay on a forward path and fight against the darkness of his past. Please also pray that instead of running, that Axel would turn to the Lord for healing.


* Safety in our neighborhood
After the robberies of the past week, we have been extra careful in our neighborhood. Please be praying for safety for the Micah staff as we travel between our homes and the Micah Project, as well as throughout the city. Also, please be praying for peace of mind for us as we continue to live our lives here in Barrio Buenos Aires.

* Safety in the city
Last week saw large and sometimes violent political demonstrations in Tegucigalpa. Several of the main streets in Tegus were shut down on a daily basis and regular activities have been disrupted. Please be praying for peace in the city, and that those who have been protesting (mainly teachers who have been on strike and members of la resistencia, a radical political movement) would be able to reconcile and settle peacefully with the government.  It is the students of the public school system who are mainly being affected, as their classes are continually canceled.

* Peace in the Micah Project
Michael has been in the United States this past week and will be gone until next Thursday. We are grateful that he is able to find some time to visit friends and family! While Michael is the US, please pray for peace here in the Micah Project. We are so thankful for the stability of the boys right now, and are enjoying a good period of routine and activities.

* And, of course, PRAISES!!
- For Oscar Amaya's acceptance at Wheaton College for fall of 2011 and for the full-ride scholarship that he has received. Wheaton is a very academically challenging Christian university - and one that rarely gives out large scholarships. Praise the Lord for providing so bountifully for Oscar!!  He has proven himself ready for the challenge, as he has done amazingly well at Houston Community College for the past year and a half.
- Despite several robberies of staff members, no one has been physically harmed. Praise the Lord for keeping us safe!
- For fun times with the Micah guys. We praise the Lord for giving a wonderful (although often challenging) and joyful ministry!!
- For "Paco," the new Micah van. It is so much easier to move about the city now that we actually have enough seats for everyone, with two vans!!
- For wonderful friends!! Thank you to all of you who so consistently support and encourage us!

This has been a challenging week for our city, but we are thankful to have been protected by the Lord and always encouraged to see the guys continuing to grow. Thank all of you for your prayers and we will be continuing to update all of you on our lives here in Tegucigalpa!!

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

Micah Prayer Requests

 Dear Friends and Family,

Our best wishes from Tegucigalpa! The Micah Project has continued to flourish and thrive this past week, and we want to thank all of you for your prayers and encouragements. They really do help us and mean a lot to all of us! However, each new week brings a new challenge and each new challenge leads us before the Lord in prayer. This week, please pray with us for:

* Negotiations for Land for Micah 2.0
This week, we have a meeting with the people who own the plot of land by the Villa Linda Miller that we want to buy for Micah 2.0. Please be praying for this meeting and that this stage of the process would be smooth and quick. Also, please be praying for the lawyers as they sort out the various titles and paperwork that we need in order to move forward.

*Axel Lopez
Axel has continued to settle back down into a normal routine in Micah. However, his forward progress was checked this past week by a conflict that ended with him being sent home for the weekend. Now that he is back with us after the weekend at home, please be praying for him. Pray that he is able to learn and grow and continue to work hard at thriving in Micah.

* Jenna and Megan

 Jenna and Megan have made the decision to help out Axelito's family by taking in his younger sister and cousin and giving them a home for a few months until they have the chance to apply for admission to a new group home for girls. Please be praying for Jenna and Megan as they seek to balance their desire to help these girls with their responsibilities and duties with the Micah Project. Also please pray for calmness and peace within their household as these two girls are coming from a very poor, disorganized home and are having to learn what it means to live in a more "normal" home.

* Jobs for the young men from the Timothy House
Hector Licona and Jarvin are currently looking for jobs here in Tegucigalpa, but have not met with much success so far.  Please be praying for these young men, as it is exceedingly difficult to find steady work here. Also, please be praying for Juan Carlos Ortiz as he was recently downsized from his job at the Tegu Toys factory and has had little success in finding a new job.

* For Safety
Three members of the Micah staff were mugged in two separate incidents within the past three days while walking between their apartments and Micah. While no one was hurt, each time that someone is mugged, it takes away part of our peace of mind, not to mention that there is always the possbility that something will go wrong and someone will be injured. Please be praying for safety for us and for wisdom as we revise how we move about in our neighborhood.

* And, let us PRAISE!!!!!
- For Daniel Benitez. Daniel has continued to flourish and grow during his internship in England. Praise the Lord for giving Daniel such an amazing chance and for working in his life through it!
- For Danilo's new job. Danilo recently was hired by Proyecto Manuelito (another street kid organization here in Teigucigalpa) to run a new group home that they are opening. Praise the Lord for giving Danilo this wonderful job!!
- For Miguelito and Axelito! This week, the two "little guys" are celebrating completing a full year in Micah! Praise the Lord for bringing us these two to us and for steadily working in their lives!!

We are happy to see the Lord working in the lives of the Micah guys and in our own hearts as well this week. We want to thank all of you for your prayers for this past week and for all the prayers that we know that you will offer up on our behalf over the course of this next week. Thank you all very much and God Bless!!

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

Micah Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

 Blessing and best wishes from the Micah Project! We are happy to tell you all that we are doing well and flourishing here in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The guys have finished almost a month and a half of classes and the long grind of the school year has set in - however, they are in high spirits and putting all their efforts into their studies (for the most part - everyone has an 'off day' at times!). We pleased with the growth in the lives of the Micah guys that we have seen, yet we are continually laying them and their futures before the Lord in prayer. This week, we would like to ask you to pray with us for the following requests:

* Cristofer Cruz
Cristofer struggled a great deal in the end of 2010 and even left Micah for a few months at the end of the year. However, we were able to get in him a place in a school called El Sembrador, which is located about 5 hours from Tegucigalpa and all his old habits and friends. Those of you who have known Micah for a few years probably recognize El Sembrador as the school that Arle attends and which played such a large role in helping him turn his life around. Sadly, El Sembrador was unable to help Cristofer, as he quickly made friends that once again led him into old habits. After he was found smoking pot with his friends, he was expelled from El Sembrador and sent home. As this time, we are unable to help Cristofer, but we are still holding him in our prayers. Please be praying for this troubled young man and that he would repent and genuinely seek help in turning him life around and leaving the downward path that he is currently on.

* Axel Lopez
Axel is another young man in Micah who struggled greatly in the end of 2010. However, unlike Cristofer, he has made great strides towards rejoining the Micah Project this year - he just successfully finished a month-long probation period and moved back into Micah last week! However, please be praying for this young man, as he still has a long road left to walk. Please pray that he finds peace in Christ and that he continues to work with us in finding a path forward out of the darkness that consumed him last year.

* Maycol Meza
''Little Maycol,'' as we sometimes call him, is currently with Youth with a Mission in Guatemala. The Lord is doing a great work in his life at the moment, and we are proud of the growth that we are seeing in his life. However, we would like to ask you all to be praying for Maycol, as this is his first time being so far from home and he is continually challenged by being in a new place, far from family and friends.

* Our neighborhood/Micah 2.0
Negotiations are underway for the land for Micah 2.0! We are very excited about actually starting down the path to building a new home for our guys! However, even as we rejoice (and ask for your prayers covering this whole process), we would  like to ask you to be praying for our current neighborhood. With two more recent deaths and the dumping of a body in the dumpster by the Bells' apartment, our barrio is increasingly becoming more and more dangerous. Please be praying for safety for the Micah guys and the Micah staff (some of whom have been troubled by dreams of violence and death in recent nights) and that we would have the courage to continue to reach out to people in the midst of so much darkness.

* And, regardless of the darkness, let's PRAISE!!!
- For the great work that the Lord is doing in the life of Maycol!! We are so thrilled to see this young man learning a new passion for his faith and his Lord!!
- For the safety that we have had in Micah! Despite hearing gunshots many nights and news of new outbreaks of violence on a daily basis, we have been blessed with a supernatural protection. Praise the Lord for taking such good care of us!!
- For the lives of our older guys! Many 'First Generation' Micah guys, such as Olvin Funez, Danilo, Marvin Soto and many, many others, have continued to flourish and push ahead in pursuit of the Lord and a path forward and away from the streets and their painful beginnings. Praise the Lord for raising up such faithful and mature young men!
- For Danial Benitez! Daniel has been doing an internship in England for the past few weeks - and he is flourishing there! Let's praise the Lord for providing such a wonderful opportunity to Daniel!!

This has been a time of growing strength and maturity in the hearts of the Micah guys, even as the neighborhood and city around us grows darker and darker. We are thrilled to see the Lord working so powerfully in the lives of our guys, even as we continue to try to stand faithfully as lights against the encroaching darkness all around us. In these times, we are especially grateful to all of our faithful friends and 'family' who have stood by us and encouraged us through all the highs and lows of this ministry. Thank you all very much and God bless!!

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

Micah Project Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

 Greetings from the new (Honduran) school year! Uniforms have been purchased, school supplies are lined up, lessons planned and the Micah Project has rung in our school year! We are excited about the return to classes and the routine that it brings with it. The guys are also excited about their new classes, school supplies and books (of course, everyone knows just how fast that feeling wears off!). Still, we are grateful for the fun that we had during vacations and happy about being in classes once again. As we start classes and settle into a normal and regular routine, we ask that you be praying for:

* Hector Mendez and his family
Hector received the news last Sunday that his older (and only) brother Osman had been stabbed to death. He has been grieving the loss of his brother as the two were close and we ask for your prayers for him and his father in this difficult time.  

* Axel Lopez
Axel has returned to Micah with a month-long probation period. During this time, Axel will be studying with us and at Micah in the mornings, but will not be living in Micah House. Our hope and prayer is that he able to demonstrate a renewed willingness to work hard at being in Micah. Please hold this troubled young man in your prayers - especially pray that he is able to surrender his heart to the Lord and receive His supernatural aid in succeeding during this trail phase.

* Arle and Cristofer
Arle has started classes once again at El Sembrador (the boarding that he attends in Eastern Honduras), and he has been joined this year by Cristofer Cruz. Please be praying for both of these young men, as their school, while excellent, is very strict and full of hard work. Please pray that Arle will continue to thrive there and that Cristofer will experience some of the live- and heart-changing aspects of El Sembrador that Arle has experienced.



* Maycol Meza 
Maycol, one of our 2009 graduates, left two weeks ago for Guatemala in order to spend three months in a Discipleship Training School with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). In 2009, Micah graduate Oscar Amaya passed a life-transforming 6 months with YWAM, and our prayer is that Maycol is able to experience the same work of the Lord in his life. Please especially be praying for him as he will be spending a long time away from family, friends and home.

* For scheduling for the Micah Staff
Many members of the Micah Staff, especially Michael Miller and Rebecca and John Bell, have been working long hours and are need of some rest. Please pray that we are able to have a season of calm here at Micah and wisdom in scheduling so that we can give them the time off that they need.

*And, let us always PRAISE!!
- For the start of a life-impacting adventure in Maycol Meza's life. We are excited for him and for the work that the Lord is doing in his life!!
- For the start of classes! We are excited about what this new school year holds for our guys and how they will grow and learn. Praise the Lord for bringing our guys into another year of life and growth!!
- For our guys current mental state. Almost all of the Micah guys are currently (mentally) far from the streets and are fighting hard to move forward. Let us praise the Lord for having worked in the guys' lives so mightily!!


This is an exciting time in the Micah House! We are enjoying the return to classes, the maturing process that is happening in the guys' lives, and we are looking forward to continuing to work on Micah 2.0 and developing the future of the Micah Project. Thank you all for praying us faithfully!! God bless you all!!

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

Weekly Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

Those of us who went to Copan and Tela are back in Tegucigalpa! This week, the older Micah guys and most of the Micah staff are in Copan assisting a medical brigade while Michael and I just returned from a road trip around Honduras with the younger guys. We appreciate all your prayers for safe and fun travels, and we are happy to say that the guys loved getting to know even more of Honduras! The rest of the guys and the staff will return late Saturday and next week we will host a small, four-person group. As we rest over this weekend and prepare for next week, we would like to ask you all to be praying for a few brief items. Namely, please be praying for:

* Safe Travels for the rest of the Micah guys and staff
Copan to Tegucigalpa is a long drive over narrow mountains roads. Please be praying for safety in the travels of the rest of the Micah Project and that those who are struggling with stomach issues, both from the brigade and from Micah, will be able to rest and heal quickly.

* Axel Lopez
As we try to discern how to best help Axel in 2011, we ask for your prayers. Please be praying that the Lord works in Axel's heart and that we receive His divine wisdom as we make a complicated decision.

* For the last few weeks for vacation
Please be praying for the end of our school vacation time. Please pray that we are able to use this time to plan for the next year and that the guys are able to enjoy this time to the fullest.

* And PRAISES!!
- That we were able to meet with Erik and Cristofer Cruz last week and set down a productive and workable plan with them for 2011. Praise the Lord for giving us wisdom in this meeting!!
- For a wonderful weekend on the road! The guys (and to be honest, neither Michael nor I) didn't want to come back to Tegus! Praise the Lord for giving us a fun and safe time!!

We are grateful for a fun trip and for the big smiles that everyone is wearing after our return. Once again, many thanks to all of you for your prayers and support!! God Bless!!

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

Weekly Prayer Requests

Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings and Blessings from the Micah Project! We had a relaxing weekend last weekend and a smooth week so far - however, we are gearing up for a slightly more intense weekend tomorrow! This weekend, a group from the U.S. arrives in Honduras and will take over half the guys and staff with them to Western Honduras. The rest of the project is also planning to go with them for the weekend before heading up to Northern Honduras and then the beach for a couple of nights. We are very excited about the trips this weekend and the chance to break out of our normal routine! However, even as we plan a bit of fun, we have several items that we wish to lay before the Lord. We are praying for, and would like to ask you to be praying for:

* Violence in our neighborhood
Violence in the neighborhood surrounding Micah has continued to grow worse in the past few weeks. As threats and rumors of potential violence continually swirl, we ask you to please be praying for safety for the Micah guys and for Micah staff. We also want to ask you to please continue to pray that we can somehow be a beacon of light and Christ's love in the midst of so much darkness and violence. Please also be praying for a cessation of violence and that peace would rule.

* For Axel Lopez and Cristofer Cruz
Both Axel and Cristofer struggled in 2010 and finished the year living outside of Micah. Please be praying for them in this coming year; that the Lord would be working in their hearts and that they would both begin to seriously fight against their personal vices. Also, we ask you to be praying for wisdom for us as we seek the Lord's guidance in how to best help these two young men in 2011.

*For safe travels this weekend
As we all travel to Western Honduras this weekend, we would ask you to please keep our safety in your prayers. We look forward to having a fun weekend, and we hope to also have a safe one!!


* And, regardless of our circumstances, let us always remember to PRAISE!!!
- For the successful Board of Directors meeting this past weekend. Michael and the Board had a successful time discussing the future and planning for this coming year. Praise the Lord for blessing them with His wisdom and patience throughout their long meetings!!
- For several birthdays this past week! It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the lives of each of these young men and to joyfully wish them another year filled with growth and life!!
- For the Lord's current work in the hearts of the Micah guys! We've seen the Micah guys growing emotionally and spiritually in the past month, and we wish to praise the Lord for working so mightily in their hearts and minds!!

"This God - His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?" (Psalms 18:30-31)
Our God has proven mighty to save, protect, heal and grow time and time again in the ten years that the Micah Project has sought to carry out His work in Tegucigalpa. We praise and thank Him for being so faithful and generous with us, and we thank you for your continued support. God bless!!

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

Weekly Prayer Requests

   Dear Friends and Family,

   Happy New Year from the Micah Project! We here at Micah have had a busy and exciting holiday season with Christmas, a visiting missions team from Meridian, Mississippi and, of course, celebrating the New Year!! Now, on the other side of the holidays, the staff is working on giving everyone some much-needed time off and (although life is a little calmer) we are all now working on playing catch-up with work from before the holidays. Despite post-holidays tiredness and long lists of work, we are excited about this upcoming new year; we have many things to look forward to: working hard on Micah 2.0, finishing Roger's new house in the Villa Linda Miller community, welcoming old friends back to Micah as the missions teams visit, meeting new friends both in Honduras and from the U.S. and watching the Micah guys grow. We are praying, and we ask you all to be praying, for this new year and for all of the joys and challenges that it will bring. In particular, we ask you to be praying for:

* Micah 2.0 
As 2011 begins and we look ahead to the future, our largest and most exciting dream is start work on Micah 2.0 - a new home for our guys with LOTS of space for them to run and play, located in a small community just outside of Tegucigalpa - and we might have our first phase completed as soon as the end of the year! Still, even as the pieces continue to slowly fall into place and the details are resolved we continue to place Micah 2.0 in the hands of the Lord. Please be praying for wisdom for the Micah staff and the board of directors concerning this future dream, that the Lord provides the necessary resources so that this exciting vision becomes a reality in 2011!

* For the Micah Guys
2010 was a hard year for many of our guys, as they struggled with glue addictions, the false promises of "fun" and "liberty" on the streets and other issues. The Lord has won many powerful and amazing victories in the lives of these young men, but there are many more battles than need to be won. Please be holding the growth and the futures of each of these young men in your prayers. We also ask you to please be especially praying for Axel Lopez and Cristofer Cruz in this coming year, as these two young men struggled in 2010 and are currently living outside of Micah.


* The Upcoming Board of Directors Meeting
Micah's board of directors is meeting at the end of this week. They and Michael Miller hope to set an agenda and an operational plan for this upcoming year - not an easy or simple task!! Please be praying for wisdom and that God's guiding hand would be on this meeting.

* For Spiritual Growth in the Hearts of the Micah Guys
  As we have stated before, we do not win the battles for the hearts of these young men - it is the Lord, and Him alone!! Please be praying that he would work mightily in the hearts of the Micah guys and continue to make them more and more into His own image!!

* And, let us never forget to PRAISE!!
- For some VERY Happy Holidays in Micah! The Micah guys were excited about Christmas - and they definitely celebrated enthusiastically  (enough fireworks were set off in front of Micah to completely cover the street in burned bits of paper)! A week later, we once again covered the street in firework debris as we celebrated the arrival of 2011. Praise the Lord for fun (and safe) holidays!!
- For a visit from First Presbyterian Church of Meridian, Mississippi! FPC Meridian brought down a large group to work with us in raising Roger's new home during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve. We got a lot of work done - and we were also able to make many new friends and enjoy a very fun week!!
- The Lord's constantly moving hand in our lives! Our God has continued to protect, guide and grow us! Praise Him for being so faith to us as we seek to carry out His will!!


2010 was a wild year, with many highlights, many battles and many victories in the lives of our young men. However, despite the battles and struggles of 2010, we are excited about the future of these young men in 2011 and we look forward to seeing what the Lord has planned for their lives. We also look forward to walking through 2011 with all of you, our dear family members and friends. Thank you for all of your support and prayers in 2010, and we look forward to another year of ministry alongside of all of you!!




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