A World Of Thanks We Give You…
For Supporting The Becks through YFC World Outreach

Last month a pastor friend and I shared a meal, as he visited Honduras with a construction team from his church. Knowing that I worked with YFC in urban Memphis, he turned the conversation to the movie, “The Blindside”. Having watched the movie numerous times he had often wondered if I worked in “Hurt Village”, the housing projects in Urban Memphis that was the setting for part of the movie. Having permission to reminisce for a while I shared that I not only graduated from the same high school as “Big Mike”, but I had a few Hurt Village experiences, as well. One awkward situation happened one night just before a Christmas event when I found myself surrounded at gunpoint by a group of 5 young men. I was beginning to get that “there is no way out” feeling when the mother of the kids to whom I had been ministering came running into the circle pleading on my behalf. No harm was done… praise the Lord. But, another story spans from Hurt Village to very Honduran Mt. that my pastor friend came to work construction –a building where a new Tolupan Indian church will meet. One of the YFC youth from Hurt Village -of ~15 years ago- recently came to Honduras as a grown man to serve the Tolupan Indians. What a reward for me to have hosted this young man on a short-term mission trip here in Honduras long after our first meeting in the Hurt Village “projects” of Memphis.

You know… there is something else that spans the decades from our “Memphis years” to our present Honduras mission, and that is the faithful support from those who pray for us and from those who support us financially. It’s funny… when we are in a dangerous, potentially a life-threatening situation, it’s not your recent gift that crosses my mind at that moment. I’m strengthened that there are supporters praying for me. On the other hand, when our car “played-out” like it did last month… it’s nice to be prayed for, but I’m especially encouraged by those who gave financially to help us get our next car for our missionary work. Truly, we need both and are encouraged by both: prayer and giving. For nearly 25 years, now, a circle of supporters have kept us going strong on the mission field. It is to you that we owe a world of thanks. Thank you for praying for us and thank you for giving financially.

Our `91 Missionary Car
On Her Last Cylinder

Have you ever found yourself utterly helpless, when God demonstrated His strength in your weakness? That’s where we are, and that’s what we need God to do regarding the purchase of our next missionary car.

Youth To Youth Ministry
“Us” Training “Them” To Reach “Them”

The words, “us” and “them”, are quite interesting, especially in the context of missions. Throughout church history Christians within one culture group have sent missionaries to other cultures. Probably the 1st New Testament model of this was Paul the Jewish believer in Jesus Christ being sent to various gentile groups. In like fashion you have sent us, Rick & Kim (USA citizens), to them (Hondurans) to be missionaries. More specifically, you have sent us to the Honduran youth culture.

Our modern times have given rise to a phenomenon called youth culture. Many say that it started in the USA in the 1950’s with the “baby boomers” exploding into adolescence and having there own music, “lingo”, hang-outs, and for the first time their own economic market catering to what they wanted. Every generation of youth in the USA since then had its own unique “twist” of youth culture. Now, our electronic age (with cable television and the internet) has contributed to this youth culture phenomenon sweeping the globe. Countries where teen-agers had been just another age bracket to the main-stream culture are now forming their own music, fashion, “lingo”, etc… their own youth culture. The kids in Honduras, like the kids in the USA, have their own “hang-outs”, their own dress styles, their own vocabulary, their own music, and their own set of values. And, just like in the USA, the youth culture can be very segregated from the main-stream culture. It is to them -this Honduran youth culture- that you have sent us.

The goal of every missionary should be to raise-up those from the host culture to carry-on the ministry. The 1^st century missionary, Paul, invested his life into Timothy, the young man. Paul’s 2^nd letter to Timothy reads, “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” Here we see the Christian faith passed along 4 generations of believers starting with the “missionary to the young man” relationship. Following this model… Kim and I are investing our lives through discipleship into Honduras youth who are reaching others, who in turn will reach even more.

You are receiving an exciting report of a new group of Honduran youth who are being discipled in the Christian life of faith. Last spring, our Honduran foster daughter (Michell-age 18), lead 2 of our new neighbors to faith in Christ. (Remember: we moved into a new rental house last March) These 2 new believers, Jaime and Jairo, began to go with us to the city-dump throughout the summer to hand-out food and water. After several weeks of going with us I challenged these new believers to share their testimony of their new relationship with Christ, or to pray publically giving thanks for the food. They respectfully declined asking me to teach them how to do so. Their request lead to the formal organization of a new disciple group for them, but also includes my 2 Honduras foster sons (Kevin & Jimmy), and 5 other new disciples who come with a fellow missionary friend. We have been taking them to church and we have been teaching them the basics of the Bible, but more than this we are working a plan to teaching them through “on-the-field” experiences how to pray, how to share their personal testimony, how to present the Gospel story, how to lead someone else to faith in Christ, and ultimately they will know how to lead a discipleship group of their own. Already others want to join the group, but we’re not interested in growing this group right now, but, rather in training this group of youth to reproduce (or multiply) their faith in the lives of others with a long-term goal of growing the Kingdom of God. This is youth to youth ministry that is the goal of our missionary work; this is the vision of YFC, “… to communicate the life-changing message of Jesus Christ to every young person.”

2 Groups Hosted This Summer

During our furlough (June 2009-Feb. 2010), we were asked not to spend our “state-side” time & energy recruiting the next summer’s interns and short-term missionary teams. So, we haven’t had the usual super-busy hosting schedule that we’ve had before. However, it was as if the Lord “pulled-together” 2 special small groups for us to host this summer of 2010.

On July 9 I welcomed 2 young interns, Cole and Aaron, from the Memphis-area. They were a first for us… they were high school interns. Previously, Kim and I have only hosted college and seminary students, or young adults. Cole and Aaron did great during their 3 weeks in Honduras. Much of what I usually teach interns formally with paper and pen in a class-room setting was disguised as casual dialog. The plan with them was that more would be “caught” than formally “taught”. Whether we were driving Honduras’ back roads, walking a Mt. trail between villages, resting in hammocks, or sharing a meal, they learned of “missiology”, “cross-culture living”, “language acquisition”, and just before their return we “debriefed” and discussed “re-entry”. Furthermore, the beauty of an internship is that the intern experiences in real-life that which no book, sermon, or lecture can provide.

A few days after the interns arrived, and for the next 10 days, I was able to experience another “first of its kind”… a “father/son” short-term missionary trip. 3 fathers and their 4 sons arrived from Germantown Baptist, from TN. Leading the team was Jason Fisher who ministered with me on staff with Mid-South YFC in Memphis. That was back in the 1990’s, so it was especially good to again “bend knees” and “lock arms” with Jason to pray and work together. Our mission was to travel to the remote Mt. de la Flor region to share the Gospel with the mostly unevangelized Tolupan tribe; specifically the village, Hierba Buena. This village has a few believers that are requesting a church be planted there. I anticipated the record rainfall this year in Honduras to impede us crossing the 4 rivers between us and the Tolupan. Remote and primitive mission trips have their challenges. But, the irony of the trip was that our rustic travel through the rivers went fine, but the modern airlines (for some unknown reason) split the group and didn’t let one of the “father/son” teams travel with the group. This delayed the arrival of 2 of them by one day. Once again we had to practice the golden rule of missions, “blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” In his mission trip report Jason Fisher wrote, “Overall, we were blessed to have the opportunity to be used by God to share the Gospel with all of the villagers, many of them accepted Christ, and we left 280 Bibles in homes and schools in the mountains. In the end it is God that works in the hearts and uses His Word and His Spirit to teach the people.”

State-side Time Ends

How Nice To Have Been Home

We have just finished our 1^st furlough. It was 9 months. This “state-side assignment” was very much needed and enjoyed. Our time in the states ended as we returned to Honduras the 4^th of Feb. We saw family, friends and supporters from Atlanta to Denver, but most of our time we spent in Memphis. Having never taken a furlough, I feel that we had a good balance between work and rest. We were able to:

• visit with many supporters speak to 9 different churches
• present our 1^st dinner banquet
• lead 2 mission trips (Kingston & Mexico)
• receive training at the YFC national office.

Regarding “rest” we saw many of our family & friends over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. One of the highlights was taking our Honduran friend, Karla, with us to Denver for her to see snow for the first time.

Jesus Came To Seek & Save The Lost

Aren’t you glad that that our Lord came to seek and save the lost. Where would we be without Him? This is truly the Christmas message… the Father sent His Son as a gift to seek the lost… the Son sent the Holy Spirit as a gift to seal those saved… the Holy Spirit has set us apart with the gift of eternal life and with the mission to join in this great gift giving tradition.

This is the heart of missions: to join the Lord in seeking the lost and to watch Him save the lost. In keeping with His example we must, also, become incarnate; that’s why Kim and I physically moved to and now live in Honduras. In keeping with His example we must sacrifice. The Lord’s great sacrifice is ever before us, but we, too, must sacrifice. Kim and I have sacrificed to be sent, and you who send us must also make sacrifice to keep us on this mission field. This word “sacrifice” becomes very real to us in this challenging economy. In years past, much was given to missions from our “plenty” or from our “surplus”. But, now, giving to missions is more and more a sacrifice, which is in keeping with the model that the Lord has laid down for us.

Our season of state-side furlough time is going well. We are continuing to meet with supporters, speak at churches and somehow find a little time of rest and renewal. Our first banquet (Dec. 3^rd), since being on the mission field was good. Sixty attended, many of whom made remarks of truly enjoying the evening and now better understanding our mission. After paying the expenses… a little over $1,000 was the net amount in gifts. Friends who have volunteered there time in Honduras alongside the Becks are who brought the banquet program, sharing testimonies of their Honduran experiences. The food was traditional Honduran and the entres pleasantly surprised everyone attending. There are plans to put onto DVD the banquet and offer it to you as early as Jan. or Feb. It would be a great tool for you to use to host a dessert in an effort to help with support-raising for Rick and Kim’s mission. We could personally visit your “mini-banquet” via an international phone call.

Honduras Military Prepares
Our Children Safe In The Midst

Inevitably, since Kim and I arrived into the USA, June 20, our friends and supporters have greeted us with this question, “How are your kids in Honduras?” Please know that our 4 Honduran foster-kids are fine. There were many days during the civil unrest that they called us from Honduras in fear, several times crying… wondering what was going to happen to them. But, praise the Lord, they are fine.

During the days before and after the controversial vote in Honduras, scheduled for June 28, Tegucigalpa became quiet volatile. Friday, June 26, was “heated” as president Manuel Zelaya (that is known by his nick-name, “Mel”) terminated without any communicated reason the Secretary of defense. Saturday, June 27, became even more “heated” as president “Mel” attempted to intercept the ballots, as they arrived at the Tegucigalpa airport. This vote was so controversial because it was deemed as unconstitutional by both the judiciary and congressional branches of the government. Since, there is no impeachment process in Honduras, “Mel” continued to publicize the vote and to even seek control, as to how the vote would be administered. The world learned of the news Sunday morning, June 28, that the president of Honduras was taken captive early morning by the Honduran military, he was escorted to safety to Costa Rica. The unconstitutional vote would not take place. The democratically elected representatives of Honduras from both major parties all agreed to defend their republic and its constitution. The controversy lies in the means through which they defended their constitution… with military force. Initially, world leaders, including top USA leaders, verbalized that ex-president “Mel” should be reinstated. This situation escalated as an international affair as Chavez pledged Venezuela’s military backing, as did neighboring Nicaragua. The saga thickened throughout the week, as there was talk about ex-president “Mel” reclaiming the office of president by force. This was countered by the newly appointed Honduras president; “Micheletti”, as he promised that “Mel” would be arrested on-site and tried in court. Incidentally, both presidents are from the same party.

Our Honduran house is on a main street within walking distance of the presidential house. During this crisis our children experienced nearly 5 days of military maneuvers, police groups rushing by our house with sirens screaming. Our kids constantly heard helicopters and fighter jets flying just over the roof-tops. They listened to local news reports day after day telling people in Tegucigalpa to leave the capitol city and spend the following days, weeks, or even months in quieter, safer country-side villages. Our nannies that we hired were all talking of leaving Tegucigalpa… adding to the anxiety of our kids. We talked with our children sometimes every hour comforting them, praying with them, and forming a contingency plan should they be left alone or should they need to leave Tegucigalpa. But, after 1 ½ weeks of turmoil… there is civil peace in Honduras, although under a cloud of high anxiety. A curfew continued for weeks during the afternoon hours, then the evening hours, and finally only the night time. Schools have resumed and there are no more black-outs. Electricity, water, cable, internet, and cell phone services are all back to normal (almost constant).

Thank you for praying for our Honduran kids. This is a hard time for them (aside from the civil unrest), as we take our mandatory furlough. Their personal experiences are such that our departure stirs-up feelings of abandonment. They know in their heads that we are coming back, but they feel in their hearts very similarly as they felt when their fathers abandoned them, or when their mother died. Please pray for them. Should Honduras hit the news again, as it certainly will… please let the “headlines” and “top stories” serve as reminders to pray for our family and ministry there.

Also, in addition to prayer, we need funding for our Honduran foster-kids. Our operating budget for them is as low as you will find for any foster, residential or child-sponsorship program. Simple math ($10 per day X ~30 days per month X 4 children) reveals a monthly need of around $1,200 for the 4 of them, which includes healthy meals, clothing, medical/dental, transportation, private education, church attendance and youth activities, and nannies (while we’re away), etc. Kim and I are strongly committed to raising these kids. It is the Lord who brought them into our lives. However, our YFC accounts are negative so we have not been able to receive our foster-care funding. By default Kim and I personally pay the short-fall, even at the expense of not paying other personal obligations, and we wait to be reimbursed. This cannot continue for long. Please give financially toward our foster children during our state-side assignment. They are far away from us during our furlough, but so very near to our hearts.

YFC Advances Across Central America
6 Countries Represented at Leaders’ Retreat

An annual event offered to the YFC staff & volunteers of Honduras has been a leaders’ retreat every Easter week. When Rick & Kim Beck took YFC into Honduras’ capital city this retreat was an encouraging time for the volunteers from the 2 Honduras chapters (San Pedro Sula & Tegucigalpa), as they prayed, worshiped and received training together. Last year was even better as YFC/Guatemala attended the event for the 1st time. But, during the 2009 gathering (April 5-8) God did a “new thing”… 6 countries were represented! This was a “grass roots” effort that has to be attributed to the movement God. It is not surprising that leaders from the 2 established YFC countries (Guatemala & Honduras) attended, nor that the leaders from the 2 new chapters, Costa Rica & Nicaragua, attended. But, young leaders who want to start YFC in Belize and El Salvador attended, as well. A new synergy could be felt at the retreat!

Rick along with 8 volunteer leaders from the Tegucigalpa/YFC chapter traveled nearly 5 hours to Honduras’ YFC camp at “La Entrada”, Copan. There, they met with 66 other leaders from 3 other Honduras cities and 5 other Central American countries. This year’s retreat was especially strategic for the Tegucigalpa team and their leadership development, since Rick & Kim will be leaving Honduras soon for ~9 months of furlough in the USA. It would be tragedy for the missionaries to leave and the mission work to come to a halt. Praise the Lord! This will not be the case; the Tegucigalpa volunteer team is not just interested in continuing their 4 established ministries. But, now the team has vision for new ministries and new growth.

It’s encouraging to know that during a time of global economic crisis, God on His throne is calm. It’s good to know that as we hear about bankruptcies and there is panic, God’s economy is “booming” and there is peace. As we experience cut-backs & lay-offs, God’s work force continues to grow and advance. It is times like this… when the world’s way of operating so diametrically opposes God’s way of operating that our faith and our testimonies shine the brightest!

Through The Eyes Of A Volunteer

Aben Loves To Help At The City-Dump

March 11, 2009

Today 5 of us went to the city-dump. Something really interesting happened to me that never happened before. Like always, we had our devotion & we began to give the food and water. But, today… this one little boy about 8 years old said something to me after I gave him the plate of food. What he said that impacted me was, “Thank you, so much”. I could feel that he said this from his heart. For me that was the best reward that I could have, while I am working there, because kids like him haven’t been taught to say, “thank you”. They haven’t learned this because they haven’t received gifts, much love, or understanding from others. Their lives are filled with abuse, kicks and hits from others, even from relatives. So, they are full of bitterness.

Later, several of the older youth, also told me, “thank you” and “God bless you for what you are doing here”. It was another normal day at the city-dump, hot, sunny, disruptions by those who always push and break in line. But, today it was especially good because we had enough food for everyone (200 servings), and I feel that some of them are changing a lot… and are truly thankful and are beginning to express their gratitude.

Aben

Rick & Kim Visit Home For The Holidays

Mission In Honduras Continues Strong

Eight years ago Rick & Kim left Memphis for their year of language school before entering YFC’s mission field in Honduras. Just months ago was their first time to spend the holidays at home in the USA with family and friends. Needless to say, it was a time of encouragement and support for Rick & Kim; it was a special time for Kevin & Jimmy, and it was a significant time for the YFC mission in Honduras.

The travel home was a time of support for Rick & Kim. Usually when one reads the word, “support” in a missionary newsletter…. one thinks of “funding”. Indeed, being with donors during the end of the year is important, especially during today’s economic challenges. However, I intend to use another definition of the word, “support”. “Support” can be synonymous with “encouragement”. The encouragement / support that we received, as we visited with family and friends, was much needed. This type of support renews the heart and strengthens the soul. The privilege to be at home (and to feel at home) is appreciated in a special way by missionaries, soldiers, and ex-patriots. After living cross-culturally for 8 years it was support much needed.

The trip to the USA was a special time for Kevin and Jimmy, 2 of our Honduran foster children. They traveled to the states for the first time… a process that began in May of 2008 and was completed the day before we left Tegucigalpa, Nov 23rd. And, it was a process that impeded their 2 sisters from traveling. Michelle & Nuri encountered countless problems at the Honduran “registry of persons”, as we tried without success to correct erroneous birth certificates. Such mistakes kept them from ever receiving Honduran passports. It was back in July that we knew that US visas for the girls was “out of the question”. But, we all watched and accepted the way that God “worked-it-out” for Kevin and Jimmy to receive USA visas. Our foster boys anticipated meeting the “gringo” side of their new family. Also, it was a time that broadened their world view, as they left home to fly over the Caribbean Sea, the island nations, communist Cuba, and into Florida. They experienced what it was like to legally be in the country where nearly all their Honduran family and friends could only dream of being. They experienced cold weather, snow, sledding, ice-skating and seeing their breath in the winter air. But, more importantly, they experienced how a team, a body, of people from various walks of life, from different churches, and denominations have sent 2 missionaries to Honduras… to them, and the youth of their country. They saw how God has orchestrated a mighty work to the benefit of their young lives. It was a very special time for Kevin and Jimmy.

Our time in the USA was a significant time to our mission work back in Honduras in that the ministry continued strong while we were gone. We, as a team, learned how to communicate “long-distance” with cell phone calls, text messaging, and e-mails. This was the first time for some of our Honduran team to use such modes of communication. We learned how to wire money and disperse it to the right persons to cover on-going ministry expenses. And, we learned that as we make plans for our much needed year of furlough, God’s work that was started in Honduras nearly 7 years ago will continue strong. This is reassuring to know.

No More Mystery!

“Behold”, “Look”, “Notice”,

“Surprise”, “Know This”,

“Consider”, “Be Sure”,

“Take Note”, “See”

Roughly speaking, it was about 2000 years before the birth of the Christ child when a certain son asked his father on their way up a mountain,

"Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together. (Genesis 22:7b, 8)

Now, as we sit, roughly speaking… 2000 years after the birth of the Christ child, we read the acclamation, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” We have a 4,000 year vantage as we consider this father-son conversation between Abraham and Isaac. God’s direction to Abraham was clear. Abraham knew “what” to do, with “whom”, and “where” to do it. But, God had woven into His instruction “mystery”. The Lord said nothing concerning “when”, “why”, or “how”… leaving a “mystery”. 4,000 years later, our tendency is to minimize the mystery of God’s direction to Abraham, because today we know what happened. However, back then, Abraham exercised great faith and experienced God’s divine “twist”, as Abraham realized that it was all a test. But to us, it is a great foreshadowing of the Messiah, even prophecy about God’s Messianic provision. For nearly 2,000 years the sons of Abraham lived in the mystery, asking, “When would God provide a lamb?” and “Who would the lamb be?” The mystery, like a crescendo, added to a growing anticipation.

This ought to be our backdrop as we read what John the Baptizer (Jesus’ cousin) shouted-out, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” At last… the answer to Isaac’s question from 2,000 years earlier… Mystery revealed! The angels heralded it; the star illuminated it; even the magi unraveled this mystery. But, no better words, than these 5 words from cousin John, could reveal the mystery of the Messiah. And, what a shout it must have been. We’ve all leaped to our feet and shouted to express an emotion. Picture a heated argument, a defending attorney in court, or sports fans at an arena. It is as if John’s chief purpose in life was to express with all his being who the Messiah is, for his expression also started with a leap. John, while in his mother’s womb, leaped when the 2 expectant mothers, Elizabeth and Mary, greeted one another. John leaped, but retained the shout for nearly 30 years. So, when he shouted, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” I imagine it echoed off all the surrounding mountain slopes. It still echoes today and is the mission of YFC: “…to communicate the life-changing message of Jesus Christ to every young person…”

Thank you for your prayers and gifts as we together reveal to the youth of Honduras, and around the world, and as we point to Jesus and acclaim, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

Our Most Recent Mystery

Could Our Honduran Foster Kids Spend The Holiday Season In The USA?

Last year Kim and I announced to our family in Memphis that after 8 years in the foreign mission field we will be home for the 1^st time for Thanksgiving, Christmas and `09 New Year’s Day… and, we’ll try to be here with our Honduran kids for everyone to meet & know. We knew that the process for them to travel with us would be complex. Birth certificates had to be corrected (they had multiple errors). Honduras passports had to be obtained. Then, visas from the US Embassy had to be granted. Our prayer was that if God wanted them to travel with us, then He would make it happen. My 4 Honduran children and I entered the registry of persons in Tegucigalpa in May, as the starting point to this process 7 months before Thanksgiving, so that we would have plenty of time. And, for 7 months we lived in “mystery”, as to whether or not God would make it happen. We prayed faithfully and we asked others to pray with us through this process. As parents, Kim and I “coached” our kids to have faith and to trust God regardless of the outcome. If we can travel together God is good, but if we cannot… God is still good and worthy of our praise. True faith is trusting God during seasons of mystery and trusting Him when He does something different than what we want.

Indeed the process was complex. In a word, our 2 oldest foster daughters (Michelle & Nuri) could not obtain Honduras passports. Being without living mother or father, their maternal grandmother has legal custody of them. But, her last names are different than the last names of the girls, so Honduras immigrations would not let the grandmother sign for their passports. There was no solution to this problem, so they could not travel with us. The 2 younger boys were able to obtain Honduran passports and eventually visas to enter the USA. But, the 7 month mystery continued until 1 day before our travel day when we received in-hand the visas.

The Lord taught me some life-lessons through all this. Allow me to briefly share one with you. Don’t confuse faith in God with optimism. Consider, again, the Abraham/Isaac story (refer to front page). Before Abraham and Isaac headed up the mountain Abraham said to his servants to wait here and the boy and I will return. Hebrews 11 is a commentary for us that Abraham thought that he would kill Isaac and that God would raise him from the dead. That is not what happened. Abraham was optimistic in the midst of a mystery, but God did not “fill-in” the details. There was no “Thus saith the Lord…” Now, faith comes from a Word from God. When God is silent and mysterious we must optimistically trust him. But, just like Abraham’s conversation with his servants keep your optimistic ideas to yourself. They are not to proclaim as “the word of the Lord”. Abraham did not say what was in his mind that they would go up the Mt., he’d kill his son, then God will raise him from the dead. Faith is reserved for the “word of the Lord” because it will come to pass. This is not to be confused with our optimistic thoughts, because we might be wrong.

I was in a similar position for 7 months. I know that God would have Kim and I raise these 4 kids, but to travel to the USA for the holidays… we had no “word from the Lord”. We were tempted to change our optimistic thoughts into the “word of the Lord”, but this would have been wrong. I even had to buy airline tickets based on optimism, based on what I thought would happen, but I could have been wrong and could have wasted our much needed money.

Praise the Lord! Kevin and Jimmy were able to travel with us to the USA and spend Thanksgiving, Christmas, and soon New Year’s Day with us. Thank you all for praying with us and for supporting us as we minister to youth in Honduras (the kids in prison, the youth at the city-dump, the Tolupan Indian youth), but especially to our foster kids during this very exciting time for them.

This Morning's Headlines Were Of More Gang Killings

This Time It Was Our Isabel

Sadly enough we become accustomed to headlines of youth violence and gang killings. But, me and my 4 Honduran kids gathered around the paper today and did no more than just stare at it. It was their sister who was photographed face-down in the street. We had received the news yesterday, but seeing it in the paper today seemed to authenticate the news and opened the emotions that for some reason were dammed-up initially.

Our emotions were of sorrow, of course; we lost someone that we loved. She was one of the first of the girls in the youth prison who placed her faith in Christ when we moved to Honduras nearly 7 years ago. As a new believer in Christ, her request to Kim and me was to visit and help her brothers and sisters, so that they would not follow after the criminal, gang life that she had lived. Kim and I politely refused to go searching around some gang ridden neighborhood with our broken Spanish searching for children that we did not know. The risk would have been too much, but we prayed faithfully with Isabel each week for her little brothers and sisters. And, as the Lord would have it… they came knocking on our front door, begging for food, clothes, or whatever we could give them. Well, to make a God-story short… these 4 little brothers and sisters became a part of our home and our hearts.

Not only did we feel sorrow, upon hearing this news, but we all shared the surprising emotion of anger. It was not anger at the gun men. It was anger that seemed to be directed at Isabel for not taking what was offered to her by the Lord, and by so many others who wanted to help her live right. Shortly after her release from the prison nearly 2 years ago, we all saw a gradual redirection to the life-style that eventually lead to her death.

A pessimist would look-on and doubt our effectiveness… that there was no change and she died tragically like most other gang members. “Tragedy”, yes, it is a tragedy, but I believe that her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was real and that she was born-again as a daughter of the Lord Most High... the same Lord who gives tragic stories tremendous endings. I believe that just seconds after Isabel closed her eyes on that dusty curb-side path, she opened her eyes to see her heavenly Father, face to face. Not only would the optimist consider this, but would also consider the victory that is won in the lives of her 4 little brothers and sisters who are now my sons and daughters. They each have also placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They all just finished their school-year strong last week, as they all studied their hearts-out. Because of their history of years on the streets, they are all behind educationally. But, that has just given them each a gratitude for school and a desire to study all the more, and to be whatever the Lord leads them to be.

Regarding Isabel’s prayer from 6 years earlier and her request to Kim and me to help her brothers and sisters, it is being fulfilled. Her little brothers and sisters are not following in the life-style that so entangled her life. Accepting the Lord’s wisdom, Michelle, Nuri, Kevin, and Jimmy see through the lies of the devil and, now, know well the end result of the popular and glamorized gang-life.

Seeing Kids Changed... Forever!

What kind of change is it that we desire to see? Throughout our ministry schedule from week to week we give cool water to thirsty kids, but they’ll soon be thirsty again. We feed hungry kids, but they’ll soon be hungry again. Some we tutor and pay for private school education, we provide guitar and piano lessons, we teach English… but, none of these changes, as good as they are, matter in the scope of eternity, except that they help us earn the right to be heard as we communicate “the life changing message of Jesus Christ”. When a kid bows his head in prayer and yields his life to the Lord Jesus Christ… a change for eternity happens. When we give Bibles to kids who desire to follow Christ and we teach and mentor them, then we see change, a transforming change into the likeness of Christ that is eternal. Kim and I along with our many partners provide need based ministry, helping to change poor nutrition, poor education, aimlessness, But, it is only through a personal encounter with God that a kid’s live can be changed for the rest of forever. This is the kind of change that we desire to see.

Hosting Short-term Missionary Teams

Adding Partners… Multiplying Our Efforts

Living cross-culturally is like living in “the best of times” (international travel, exotic places, new foods, etc.) and also it is like living in “the worst of times” (feeling of isolation, not fitting-in, language barriers, etc.) Going to the airport to meet a missionary team is like a breath of fresh air. The refreshment goes deeper than simply spending a week, or so, with a group of people that talks like me, who eats like me, who plans, works, laughs, interacts, etc… like me. Hosting short-term teams is so exhilarating because we get to partner with other brothers and sisters of the same faith who share a like passion for communicating “the life-changing message of Jesus Christ” to young people. What is so beneficial for the Honduran youth goes deeper than a week of ministry in Honduras… they learn how to pray more fervently, share their finances more faithfully, and return again in the near future more friends. Their involvement is more than “addition”… they “multiply” our missionary effort in Honduras. Praise God for the short-term missionary teams that partner with us in Honduras. We may try to measure our ministry together, but only God knows the true dividends from these short-term teams. Teams that we have hosted have impacted multiplied thousands of youth here in Honduras, and to some families their impact will be felt for generations.

Pouring Into A Few Interns

Who Over-flow Into Many Lives

This was our 4^th summer to host interns here in Honduras, and our experience with college-age young adults keeps getting better and better. This summer for the 1^st time we hosted a group of interns, 5 came to serve in Tegucigalpa alongside us. They actually came though a “sister” mission organization, the Orphanos Foundation. The founder and president of “Orphanos” is Wayne Sneed who worked on staff with Kim & me at Mid-South YFC some 15-20 years ago. Even, then, Wayne’s heart was with international missions and specifically the ministry of short-term mission teams. As the Lord would have it Wayne hired Sandi Langley to head-up their internship program. And, as the Lord would have it, Sandi is a friend from “yester-years” as Kim and I were students together with her at the University of Memphis, also, some 15-20 years ago. Our recent reacquaintance with Wayne and with Sandi lead to a wonderful summer of training their class of 7 interns and the awesome privilege of hosting 5 of them during June and July. Our Honduran interns (A.J., Lora, Hannah, Crystal, and Julia) benefited from our formal classroom time. But, the greater benefit came as they experienced 1^st hand ministry in Honduras, as they experienced several Central American cultures in 3 different countries (from the high Mts. to the Caribbean islands), and as they visited or worked with various mission programs and missionaries, including our family. Together we were able to lead many kids to saving faith in Christ, give away hundreds of Bibles and gospel tracks, provide follow-up and discipleship. They arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica in late May ready to learn and serve; they returned to the USA in early August changed, as were the hundreds of kids with whom they invested their summer.

Visiting Short-term Missionary Teams

The 1st 4 months of the year have been full of travel. I mentioned in my last newsletter (Jan/Feb issue) about my trip to Haiti, then in late Feb. I traveled to my home town, Memphis, Tennessee. My home church, Bellevue Baptist had their annual mission conference. It is always good to see family and friends. I was able to see old friends and make some new ones as I attended my booth in the church vestibule, and as I visited classes. One of the highlights of the trip home was the missionary banquette where I heard and met Steven Saint and the Indian man who adopted him as a grandson (Photo above).

Shortly after my return to Tegucigalpa, my friend, Eric, with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (Austin, Texas) came with a team of 5 people. I took them to a remote, hard-to-get-to, village in the Mts. of Yoro only accessible via foot or horse back. They hosted a soccer tournament with 4 neighboring villages. They communicated the live-changing message of Jesus Christ to many, as several hundred attended the tournament.

Then, during Easter week, Kim & I hosted a team of 30 from the Boston area. The team was lead by Pastor Nate Hall and church member Michelle Brown from Pacific Union Congregational Church, however 2 other churches were part of the trip. Although several of the team members have been to Honduras for 4 years, now, we did several “new” things this year. We hosted a medical brigade for the first time. And, for the 1st time Kim & I divided the team and headed in 2 different directions. Kim stayed in Tegucigalpa with ½ the team, and I went to the Mts. of Yoro with the other ½ to minister to the Tolupan Indians. Hundreds were benefited by this team’s work. Social needs were met (feeding, medical care, clothing, etc.), demonstrating the love of Christ, demonstrating and communicating the love of Christ.

It is so good to “lock arms” with brothers and sisters from the USA. We feel so encouraged to be with others who pray for us and sacrifice to come be part of our ministry here. Praise the Lord for these short-term missionary teams that help us communicate the live-changing message of Jesus Christ to so many young people in Honduras.

Through The Eyes Of A Visiting Friend

On a recent trip to Honduras, my 13-year-old daughter Megan and I saw personally the impact Rick & Kim have with their various ministries. One of their avenues of outreach is the City Dump. Even though I read the article in the Miami Herald and heard personal testimony from the Beck’s about the dump, the first-hand experience will forever remain etched in my mind and Megan’s. With ragged, torn and dirty clothes, men, women and children ran expectantly towards our vehicle as we drove up. After a brief devotion we handed out plates of food, water and bananas to those gathered. The lesson learned while watching Rick & Kim, along with the volunteers, is that they express a genuine love for these people; it flows from their hearts. Their ministry is Matthew 25:35 in action.

Jack Sedory