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.