Prayer Requests: September 11

Buenos dias friends and family of the Micah Project!  Thanks for your prayers and encouragements, they really mean a lot to us!  This week please pray with us for the following:

-Over the weekend Hectorcito suffered the loss of his father due to a heart attack.  It was a sudden and unexpected death and his father was his last remaining immediate family member.  Hector has suffered so much loss in his life.  Continue to keep him in your prayers.  May he experience the peace and comfort that comes from our Heavenly Father.  May the boys and staff continue to show love and support to Hector in his time of great loss.

-Becca is coming to visit this week!  We are excited to have her with us for a little while.  She will be accompanying us to La Ceiba this weekend for the boys soccer tournament.  Pray for safe travels for us this weekend and may fun be had by all!

-We are excited to celebrate the completion of the adoption that Matt and Amy Darr have been working on for over a year.  (Matt worked with Micah in 2004 and helped to open the Timothy House.)   After spending most of August in Honduras working on paperwork, they were finally able to take their little baby girl Lily home to St. Louis just a few days ago.

-Yeison Pavon is celebrating his 19th birthday this week (Sep. 10)! Happy birthday Yeison! We are very proud of him and his accomplishments.  He continues to do well in school and will be graduating next year.  Pray that the Lord will continue to use Yeison and shape him into a fine, young Christian leader.

-Marvin Morazon has been in Portland for a few weeks now and is settling into his life there. Soon he will begin classes at PCC. Pray that he will be dedicated and motivated with his studies.

We are so thankful for your outpourings of love, prayers, and support!
Grace and Peace.

Prayer Requests: August 28

Good morning from the Micah Project! This week join us in lifting up the following petitions to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:

-Last week Michael, Marlon, our engineer, and a few others met to discuss our building permit process for Micah 2.0.  Things are moving along and hopefully in the next two weeks we will have our permit and will be able to break ground! Pray that all will go according to God's plan.

-This Wednesday Michael is heading to St. Louis for a week.  He will be joined by John and Becca, Marvin Morazon, Oscar Amaya, as well as many Micah friends and family.  The reason for the gathering is the first annual Labor of Love 5K run in St. Louis.  We are thankful for all those who have helped to organize this event and for all those who are going to participate in the run/walk.  We pray that this may be a blessed time and that many people may learn more about the Micah Project through this event.  We also pray for safe travels for all those traveling to the event.

-John and Becca finally arrived in Denver, CO last week and are settling into their new apartment and life there.  John started classes at the seminary this week.  Continue to keep them in your prayers as they adjust to a new living environment, schedule, and life style of living in the US.

-As Psalm 147 says "Praise the Lord.  How good it it to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! ... Great is our Lord and mighty in power!"  We do give praise to the Lord for he has kept us safe in our increasingly dangerous neighborhood and city.  He has provided for our needs and also kept us healthy.

Gracias for all of your love and encouragement!
Grace and Peace.

Prayer Requests: August 14

Good morning dear friends and family of the Micah Project!  Join us in praying for the following things this week:

-We were very saddened this past weekend that David left the Micah Project.  We first met David on the streets in 2009, and in 2010, he joined the Micah House.  After some initial struggles with yellow glue, he had been stable in the Micah House since October of 2010.  Sadly, he came from a family with strong ties to the illicit drug trade, and despite hearing the truth and seeing it lived out daily here at Micah, he was constantly pressured to rejoin that lifestyle.  He constantly walked that line between light and darkness, and was never able to choose Light.  Finally, this past weekend, through some threats he made towards other Micah boys, we discovered that he indeed had chosen to go back to his old lifestyle.    He was actually jailed briefly over the weekend because he was in possession of an illegal firearm, but was released to his mom’s custody.  His mom is a very poor woman who lives in a small room near the outdoor market district.  Although David is currently living with her, she has little authority over him.   Please pray that he would come to understand that the richness of God’s love FAR surpasses any riches that you can earn on the streets!

-Last week Hector Licona's younger sister passed away unexpectedly.  Hector was able to come to Tegucigalpa (from La Ceiba) to be with his family during this difficult time.  We ask for prayers for Hector and his family, his younger brother Jose Luis is studying at Micah this year.  May God grant them peace and understanding as they process their sisters death.

-We are very thankful for the new job that David Almendarez has at the Manuelito Project.  He graduated with a Psychology degree which helps in his position at Manuelito.  David teaches some classes, plans activities for the boys, and helps with the everyday running of the project.  May God continue to use him to be a light to all those around.  

-Pedro Luis will be returning to Honduras this week (Friday August 17th)!  He has been missed greatly and we are excited to have him back with our big crazy family again.  Pray for safe travels for him this week and that his transition back to living at Micah and in Honduras may go well.  May he feel confident and comfortable to be able to share his experiences with the other boys.

Thanks you SO MUCH for your continuous love, prayers, and encouragement that you send our way.
Grace and Peace. 

Prayer Requests: August 7

Hello! Wow, I can't believe it's August already- this year is flying by! Life continues to be busy as usual at the Micah Project.  Take a few minutes and join us in praying for the following:

-Olvin Funez is heading to Egypt today (Tuesday August 7), via Houston, TX.  He was asked to join a group from First Presbyterian Church Houston that is going to do mission work there.  We pray for safe travels and health for Olvin and the group.  May this be a blessed time of growth and may the hearts of everyone involved be open and willing to learn what the Lord desires to teach them through their experiences.  May Olvin enjoy being able to spend time with his friends from Houston.

-Continue to keep John and Becca (and Mocha and Macky) in your prayers as they adjust to life in the states.  In the upcoming weeks they will be traveling, visiting family and friends, before settling in Denver later this month.  May God give them the wisdom, strength, and guidance they need.  May they feel loved by all of us here and by their friends and family in the states.

-Our school year is slowly winding down, well there are still three months left, but we are beginning to talk about final grades, recuperation tests, and graduation.  We are so thankful to all of our teachers and all of their hard work, time, and dedication they have given to Micah.  We are especially thankful to our friend, and now co-worker, Joaquin.  He started attending our Sunday night worship time with Eduardo Barahona awhile ago and recently took over a few classes for us.  What a blessing he has been!  The boys love having someone else to hang out with and play soccer with.

-We are still anxiously awaiting our building permit to get started on Micah 2.0 buildings.  Soon hopefully!

Once again we thank you for your love and encouragement.  May God bless you and your families this week.
Grace and Peace.

Prayer Requests: July 31

Hello dear friends and family of the Micah Project!  Things have been a little crazy around here, well really what week isn't a little crazy around the Micah House! Join us this week in lifting up the following petitions to our Heavenly Father:

-Praise the Lord Marvin Morazon received his Visa! He is still working on figuring out details, but will most likely be traveling to the US (to Oregon) in early August.  His classes at Portland Community College will begin in September.  Keep Marvin in your prayers as he begins another chapter of his life and transitions to living and going to school in the US.

-This week our dear friends John and Becca Bell (as well as Mocha and Macky) will be moving to the US.  John will be studying at the Denver Seminary and Becca will be working as a US representative of the Micah Project.  We are sad to see them go but know that the Lord has great plans to use them in Denver. May they continue to shine and share God's love with everyone they come in contact with.  Pray for peace and strength and wisdom for them in this time of transition.  Also keep the rest of the Micah staff and boys in your prayers as we transition as well.  For some of the staff members this means taking on new roles and responsibilities.  Pray for guidance and strength for us as well.

-Last week for our "Day of Light" activity we helped Ana move furniture and things into her new house in Villa Linda Miller.  Ana has been such a huge part of Micah since 2000 and it is great to be able to bless her with this house.  (She has been living in one of the most dangerous parts of the city and is a single mom raising two kids.)  Ana was overwhelmed with joy at seeing her new house and is excited to finish moving in soon!

- We are still waiting for our building permit to break ground for Micah 2.0.  Pray that this may come through soon!

We thank and praise you for your continuous love, support, and prayers that you send our way.  We are so grateful for all of you!
Grace and Peace.

Prayer Requests: July 17

Good morning friends and family of the Micah Project! Please join us this week in praying for the following:

-The Micah boys continue to work out on the new land every week.  They are making great progress.  We are still anxiously awaiting the building permit.  Pray that the permit will come through soon, as we are excited to start building!

-Next week Monday Marvin Morazon has his Visa interview.  He has been accepted to Portland Community College in Oregon and is looking forward to moving to the states in the next month or so, God willing.  May he not feel anxious or nervous about the interview and know that everything is in the Lord's hands.

-This past weekend we were able to spend some time with friends from another ministry, Links of Hope.  We had a mini-talent night during which some of our boys performed the songs they have written.  It was a great evening of worship and fellowship!

-Danilo, one of the boys from the first Micah generation, as started learning the ropes of staying the night at Micah.  This will allow Michael more time to rest as well as work on things for Micah 2.0.  So far the boys have done a pretty good job of being respectful and obedient to Danilo.  Soon he will be staying the nights by himself.  We are proud of him and it's neat to see him giving back to Micah.

We thank you for your continuous love, support, and prayers that you pour out for us.  We couldn't do it without a great family that is behind us every step of the way.
Grace and Peace.

A Story of Hope

A Story of Hope-  written by Micah staff member Stephen Kusmer

Stephen and Luis Fernando last year
at street soccer. 

The first memories I have of Luis Fernando are of him begging for money in the downtown area of Tegucigalpa.  Like the other street kids there, he was often times inhaling glue or paint thinner.  At first I always recognized him by the huge scar that he has along one side of his face.  Later on, he began to ask me if I could help him start up a chiclera so he could earn some money selling gum and other candies.  In those first encounters, I had no idea the journey that God would take us on.  I had no idea that this 16-year-old street guy who I only knew as "the kid with a scar who wants to start a chiclera" would end up becoming a close friend and truly like a brother to me.

The truth is, I find myself having to strain to remember when I think back to those first memories.  Although I have known Luis Fernando for less than a year, it seems like years have gone by with all that has happened!  So many conversations, so many tears, so many setbacks, so many prayers, so many days of desperation.  And yet, through all of it, God has done something incredible in Luis Fernando's life.  That is the story of hope that I want to share with you.

When God first laid it on my heart to disciple Luis Fernando, I wasn't quite sure what that would look like or entail.  But I simply started by seeking him out on the streets and at our street soccer ministry.  Soon after, I began meeting up one-on-one with him and talking more, usually over a bite to eat; I would just say the day, time, and place and he would always show up.  It wasn't long before I got to know more of his story--the neglect he felt as a child, the instability and rejection of being sent from one street kid center to another, the pain of never knowing his father growing up, and the harsh reality of having to embrace the streets as "home."  In one of those first few meetings I had with Luis Fernando, I asked him what his goals for the year were.  He wrote down the following: 1) Seek God. 2) Quit using drugs. 3) Start up a chiclera. 4) Find a place to live... Given that he was using multiple drugs on a daily basis, sleeping on the streets every night, surrounded by bad influences, imprisoned by the pain of his past, and bound by an instant-gratification survival mentality, I had my doubts about him ever accomplishing all these goals... 

But God is stronger and His ways are higher.

The months that followed were marked by much instability for Luis Fernando.  Of all the injustices that he has faced in his life, I believe that his story is most deeply marked by his fatherlessness.  At several instances he reached a point of emotional crisis, where the anguish that normally laid tucked away deep in his soul came bursting out into the open.  In the more recent of these crisis, I found him lying on the street next to a nearby police station--fearful for his life, crying over and over that all he wanted to do was know who his father was, and thinking about running away to another part of the country where he could find a "fresh start."  I ended up spending almost that whole day with him, until I finally got him temporarily into another center for teenage street guys.

Then, after months of gradual change, Luis Fernando had a breakthrough!  He called me from that center's phone and shared with me the beautiful news that he'd been touched by God's love and peace, and it was radiating out of his voice in a joy that words can't describe!  He had just decided to pick up a Bible, and happened to stumble across the truth of Romans 5:8 and the incredible love that God has for us--even while were were still sinners!  His voice was quivering with joy as he shared with me, "Hoy sí tengo alegría. Ya no tengo miedo. Pueden destruir mi cuerpo, pero en mi alma hay una alegría. Ya entiendo por qué podés caminar en la calle sin miedo... Today I have true joy. I am not scared anymore. They can destroy my body, but there is joy in my soul. Now I know why you can walk the streets without fear."  He also sincerely thanked me for all my prayers for him along the way, saying how they meant so much more to him than the chiclera I helped him start.  That phone call was on the eve of my birthday, and was the best gift I could have ever received.  Luis Fernando had found his true Father.

Stephen and Luis Fernando
celebrating his birthday. 

Today Luis Fernando is earning money by washing car windows, he is drug-free, he has a good relationship with his mom (when I first met him he kept saying how he hated her and didn't consider her his mom), he is living independently in a room that he's renting, and he has a hope in Christ that is the anchor of his soul.  Just the other day I celebrated his birthday with him, and I asked him about his relationship with God; he smiled and told me, "I choose Christ, every day."  I can't express what a privilege it has been to walk alongside him this past year and see God work in his heart.  Luis Fernando's story and friendship will be forever engraved in my heart; God has brought our two radically different paths together, and the things I've seen and the lessons I've learned have forever changed me.  Glory be to God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!  He is working and restoring hope in this world that is so saturated by darkness and despair!  

"In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." [John 1:4-5]