Micah in the News!

  Dear family and friends,

  Recently, a widely-viewed Honduran news program called "Hoy Mismo" (The Same Day) approached us about doing a ten-minute video documentary on Micah Project! After a week of filming all aspects of our ministry, from the streets to the technical school to the Micah Moms to the Micah guys, they showed our video segment last night during their 7:30 news hour and today at 12:30! Be sure to check out the video below.  The first minute or so are some interviews with some Honduran officials, but then the good stuff starts!  You will enjoy seeing the footage of the project...and practicing your Spanish at the same time!

  Peace,
  David Hawthorne

P.S. All of our interviewed guys gave thanks to God on national television! We're very proud of them!!

Prisoners

Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord: "The LORD looked down from His sanctuary on high, from heaven He viewed the earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death."

Psalm - 102:18-20

I can't think of anything much sadder than seeing someone imprisoned who thinks they are free. Addiction is an awful form of imprisonment. I have witnessed firsthand too many people chained to their addictions. By leaving the structure and rules of the Micah house, they consider themselves "free" to do what they want (which usually involves some form of drug abuse), but they don't see that it's the drugs themselves that are hindering their freedom... their freedom to change, to do something with their life, to study, to enjoy true friendships and experience genuine love. They choose to trade all of this in for the high and excitement of no rules, no chores, no homework, and all the while they are handcuffed to their captor (a 50 cent bottle of glue).

The day I wrote the last post about Marvin and about thriving, another one of our young men, Hector, age 13 couldn't bear the anxiety any longer, and chose to hit the streets as well, falling back into the false satisfaction of the glue bottle. A couple days later we were able to convince him to return, but it has been a rocky couple of weeks for him. Yesterday, he again returned to the streets and the glue. The devil would love nothing more that to reclaim this young life from the path to freedom he has been walking for the past year and a half. But, I remember that we have someone so much stronger than the devil on our side. Christ's power is infinitely greater than the power of addiction.

AND we have it right there in scripture: He looks down... to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death. Satan has condemned Hector and Marvin to death. But Christ has come that they may have life and have it abundantly! Please join with us in claiming these promises over these boys' lives. PRAY for true freedom.

Jenna Miller

For the Micah Project

Weekly Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

We have been talking as a staff recently about how important prayer is for our ministry.   Our guys suffer so much before they come into the Micah House, and in many ways, we feel that their lives were on the frontline of the spiritual battle between good and evil while living on the streets.   As they come into our home, they have to let their guard down and begin the healing process.  Often, in the battle to leave the streets behind, they lose some skirmishes and take steps backwards.

We believe that your prayers can have a miraculous impact on our young men's lives.  Specifically, pray for:

* Marvincito (15)
Marvincito left the Micah House three weeks ago, chased away by his demons that don't allow him to accept our love for him.  He is living with a friend in one of the most violent and drug-infested neighborhoods of Tegucigalpa.  Since coming off the streets in 2007, Marvin has continued to struggle with addiction, with anger, and with issues related to abandonment (his mom left when he was a little boy; he thinks she lives in Guatemala but no one has heard from her in years).

* Hector (13)
Hector has been undergoing drug withdrawls, making him very moody and irrational. He went to the streets for two days last week, consuming glue the entire time.  Early this week,  he paced the house, pleading with us to open the door so he could leave, demanding the right to return the streets, and generally seeking to satisfy his craving for glue. We love this young man with all of our hearts, and we plead with you to help in liberating him from the darkness through your prayers.

* David (13)
Our newest Micah guy has been adjusting quite well to life here! He has proven himself to be a surprisingly good soccer player and has a generous heart (he is one of the few guys who will treat Micah staff to soft drinks or a snack!). However, we do ask you to keep praying for him as he continues to detox and adjust to life in a family structure. Also, he has been diagnosed with rheumatic fever, which leaves him with rather severe joint pain and also, if left untreated, opens the door for the disease to scar his heart. Please pray that he stays with us, as it is very important that he takes his medicine regularly. Also, please pray this disease will not prevent him from living a normal Micah guy life.


* Travels
John and Rebecca Bell on the road, once again, visiting a conference in Southern California. Also, Jenna Miller will be traveling soon to visit the older Micah guys in Costa Rica. Please pray for safety, the opportunity to relax, and for safe travels for all of our hard-working missionaries!

* Oscar Izaguirre
One of our oldest guys, Oscar will be graduating from college in the U.S. in just two months and will be transitioning back to Honduras in the following weeks. Please pray for a smooth transition, the ability to quickly find a job, and for his life as he enters a new stage.

* The Technical School
The Technical school is up, running, and flourishing! Brian is teaching six separate sessions of welding three days a week, with three students in each section. Many different guys from varying backgrounds have entered the school and are seeking to change their lives even as they learn new skills. Please be praying for the success of the school, for strength and wisdom for Brian, and for the guys involved in this program. God be praised for the way in which this ministry has simply exploded in the past few weeks!

 * And PRAISES!!
-David. It is so awesome to see a young man leave the streets behind him and begin growing! Praise God for the beginning of the process for yet another young man.
- Axel. While Axel has struggled and has had his fair share of issues, he is showing a new level of maturity. His normally compassionate and tender heart seems to have grown in the past few weeks and Axel is really growing into a potential leader here in Micah. Axel has also taken David under his wing and can usually be found teaching him about Micah life, accompanying him on errands, and simply being with little David. It is amazing to watch Axel grow in front of our eyes!
- God's grace. Even as we have wept and felt frustration over the decisions of some of our guys, our God has always strengthened us in order that we can press on. He has been our foundation, even in the face of difficulty.
- Our prayer network. We are fighting a tough battle for the lives of our guys, and prayer is our strongest weapon. Many thanks to all of our supporters who are fighting alongside of us!!

- We are truly grateful to be in this fight for these guys' lives, for all those who fight with us, and for all that our God does in strengthening our hands to fight. Many thanks for all of your support, and we look forward to another week of pushing ahead in God's strength!

 Walking in Mercy,
 David Hawthorne

Thrive

Our missionary Jenna Miller has written an update about our troubled young man named Marvincito who has been on and off the streets.  You can read it at the link below; it will help you know how to pray for him!

http://www.ilovehondo.blogspot.com/2010/02/you-only-get-one-life.html

Weekly Prayer Requests

 Buenos días,

  This week will bring about another important change in the lives of all those who live in the Micah House:  we have accepted another child from the street into our family! We have spent the past year or so building a relationship with 13 year old David, and now he has made the decision to step off of the streets and onto the path towards the future. As we anticipate this change and prepare ourselves for this week, please join us in prayer. This week, we especially lift up:

* David
Please be praying for little David and his transition into Micah house.   Pray that he will be able to resist the urge to use yellow glue through the detox process.  Pray that our other guys will continue to accept and support him, especially during those times when the desire to consume creates great anxiety.   (Below:  David holds his bottle of yellow glue in the market district of Tegucigalpa).

* The school year
We are finally back the blessed routine of our school year as classes began again in last week.  Please pray that your guys are all able to dedicate themselves to classes and that they have a hunger to learn.  Also, please that we are able to teach them well and that the Lord is continually glorified in this year both inside and outside of the classroom.

* Axel and David
Ok, THIS time I am talking about "our" Axel and myself. At the end of the week, I'll be traveling with Axel and his family to Guatemala. We have an appointment with a medical center in the city of Antigua in order to have Axel's arm and his brother Julio's foot examined (Axel's arm was broken and never healed, and 10 year old Julio's foot was run over by a bus). If all goes well, they'll both have corrective surgery this coming Monday. Please pray for safe and smooth travels, for the guys' surgery, for a quick recovery, and for incident-free travel across the border.

* Strength
Please pray for refreshment, both spiritual and physical, for an extra dose of mercy and love and for the grace of God to shine in our lives as we put in long days and nights in our effort to raise these boys in a way that pleases their heavenly Father. In our weakness, He is strong!!

* And, of course, we shouldn't forget to: PRAISE!!
- For Jeremy's arrival. Jeremy Tolleson was a HNGR intern with Micah in 2003.  He worked as a soccer coach and player for several years before heeding the call to return to Honduras.  Jeremy will be living in our Leadership House (until the name change - more on that in a moment), assisting Marlon Castellanos in his duties regarding the care of the guys who live there. We are very excited about having Jeremy here!!
- For new visions. While we have been rejoicing over the new Technical School (Brian gave his first class today - clutch repair on Micah's pick-up truck), we are also moving forward in other areas. For example, we are changing the name of Leadership House to "Timothy House." We are excited about how the this new name and its implications will challenge the young men who live their lives after the model set down by the Biblical Timothy. This is truly an exciting time to be here at Micah!

Below:  Brian Wiggs (under car) teaches four street boys how to change a clutch on a manual transition.

- For the grace of God in meeting the challenges of each new day. Our God is faithful and good, and we should praise Him for it!!

As always, we give thanks to God for you and your constant support. As we push ahead into the next few years of ministry and raising up the newest generation of Micah guys, we look forward to partnering with you and in sharing the challenges of the future. God bless!!

 Peace,
 David Hawthorne

Weekly Prayer Requests

Dear Friends and Family,

We are looking ahead to starting classes in the latter part of the week and are slowly moving over to our school schedule. While the guys are adjusting to an earlier schedule, the staff is planning classes and gathering supplies. It's an exciting week of change, and one that we wish to lay at the week of our God. Please join with me in prayer for:


* A new school year
 This week marks the start of another school year here at Micah. The staff is preparing lesson plans and gearing up for the next several months of teaching while the guys are purchasing their school uniforms and handling their own preparations. Please pray that this year goes smoothly, that the guys apply themselves to their studies, and that we are able to continue showing God's love through classes and homework.

* The technical school
 These past two weeks, Brian Wiggs and a variety of helpers have been constructing the first stage of the Micah Technical School right here on the terrace of Micah house. Brian and company have been constructing a small workplace for metalworking and carpentry on our rooftop terrace , and the technical school will be open soon! Please pray in this exciting time that construction finishes smoothly, that the Lord blesses Brian's outreach to the neighborhood guys and the older street kids, and that the Lord's will is done through this new aspect of our ministry.

* Arle
After leaving Micah in December of 2008, Arle Mejia has struggled to progress and grow. However, this past week, Arle made the decision to enter El Sembrador, a technical school located in the countryside outside of Tegucigalpa. While he has struggled in the past, please pray that Arle is able to use this opportunity to its full extent and that he is able to move forward. Also, please pray that he is able to adapt to life outside of the city and that he is able to thrive in his new situation.

* The continuation of strategic planning
As we gear up for the new school year, Michael is continuing ahead with Micah's five-year strategic plan. Please continue to pray for this entire process.

* David and Axel
No, I'm not referring to "our" Axel and myself. Rather, I ask you to join us in praying for two street kids that we have recently met. Both David and Axel are young street children, and thus, prime candidates for Micah! Please pray for our relationship with them to continue to grow and deepen and that someday, they will be Micah guys!!  Below, Deno Fabbre, a firend of the Micah Project, poses with little David!

 * John Bell
John has had health issues this past week, and is currently taking some time to rest. The doctors haven't been clear as to the cause of John's issues, but they have suggested that it is an infection. Please pray that they are able to identify the cause of John's health problems and that he is able to rapidly heal.

* And Praises!!
- Safe travels. Praise God for keeping us all safe as various Micah staffers have been traveling around Honduras for a variety of reasons.
- Micah technical school update: stage one, complete!! It's an exciting blessing to see the new workshop on Micah's roof. Praise God for bringing this to pass!
-  Wonderful friends here in Honduras. From the teachers at the International School to Eduardo to Pastor Edwin, there is a wide variety of people here who support and encourage us. Thank God for bringing them into our lives.
- Wonderful friends in the U.S. and elsewhere. Many, many thanks to all of you for your prayers and messages. It SERIOUSLY helps and encourages us!


In the midst of change and turmoil, we are pushing ahead and looking to see our God glorified in and through us. It is because of His grace that we can move ahead and be His lights, and it is because of His love that we yearn to see Him glorified in the lives of our guys. We ask our God to continue to be the heart, the strength and the director of this ministry, and we look forward to humbly serving Him in this coming year!


 The Peace of God be with You,
 David Hawthorne

January 2010 Photo Album

¡Feliz año nuevo! The Micah boys were very excited about the dawning of 2010 and all that God will do in their lives in this new year! At the stroke of midnight, we set afire the traditional Año Viejo (old year) dummy (above). It looks innocent, but the dummy is full of fireworks (the fire got so hot that the chair the dummy was seated on disappeared completely!) After it exploded, the guys had fun jumping over the leftovers. Below, Axel tries not to catch his shoes on fire!

Brian and Natasha Wiggs moved to Honduras in November to become full time missionaries with the Micah Project. Brian's vision is to set up a technical school, where our boys and other youth from the streets can get a technical education. This year, he is setting up a workshop on the terrace of the Micah House, so that he can begin instruction when the Honduran school year starts in February. Above, he teaches Erick how to cut a piece of metal with an oxy acetylene torch.

With Brian's new tools, the boys were able to undertake some service projects during our school vacation period. In early January, they helped put a roof on a house for Jarvin and Darwin's mom Yolanda. Above: Wilmer cuts the wood joists for the roof. Below, Pedro nails them into place.

Our street ministry is set to grow exponentially in 2010! With the arrival of the Wiggs, our Friday night street kid soccer event has been transformed. Now, the kids not only arrive for soccer, but they also get a homemade meal from Natasha, free haircuts and foot washings, and a Christian message from one of our volunteers. We are blessed to have many teachers from the International School (a Christian bilingual school) every Friday night to participate in the ministry.

Above: Marvin Morazan (white hat) poses with some street youth after the Friday night ministry. Below: Jenna Miller and Megan Scheumann (a teacher at the International School) smile with street boy Kevin at the Friday night ministry.

I (Michael) don't get to participate in the street ministry as much as I would like, since I am usually busy at the Micah House. Even so, it is one of my favorite parts of my job, and I do it whenever I get the chance! In January, I was able to take Elisa Roberts, who is a teacher in Tegucigalpa, and her mom Martie (pictured above) down to the market district to meet the street youth. Below: I get a chance to catch up with some of the street boys. I pray that God will give us the chance to do greater things in their lives in 2010!

One of the most exciting aspects of the Micah Project is watching God use our own boys as missionaries in their country. Above, Wilmer sings about how God has transformed his life during a performance at an institution in Tegucigalpa that works with street kids. God has done an amazing new work in Wilmer's life this year! Below: Cristofer sings his own songs as well at the same event!

While on vacation from his school in Costa Rica in December and early January, Marvin Morazán spent almost every day in ministry! Below, he sings a song with Marvincito at the same event for street kids.

Every January, we send a team to Copan, on the Guatemalan border, to help a team from Houston run a medical clinic in the mountains. Here, our team visits the Mayan ruins of Copan.

The Micah Moms' ministry continues to flourish in 2010! These women come to the Micah House every afternoon to practice their sewing skills. This year, we hope to establish a microenterprise so that these ladies, who are some of the poorest in Tegucigalpa, can begin to create a better life for their children.

One nice thing about living in Tegucigalpa is the ability to go to the beach in December and January! The Wiggs took the Micah boys to the southern coast island of Amapala for a relaxing Saturday. Here, the boys climb onto a banana boat for a ride around the island!

And...no month would be complete without soccer, which we play at least three times a week. Above: Jason stops a ball at a recent soccer game. Below: Maycol does a sideline throw-in!

Thanks to all of you that have been a part of the Micah Project for the last ten years! We love you!