Honduran John

yay update

2010-07-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

sorry i haven't been able to keep one on one contact we finally got some email service down here that actually works so now i can keep in contact. But still find my time lacking to get on regularly. But yes the big day is the 24th and things are a green light, so please keep praying for us. And i hear that the church has moved, sounds like attendance dropped a little. BTW i asked sandals for a little help/support and they basically told me to go fly a kite lol. But just another message from the lord saying "you depend on me not on man".. Which is the best way to go about it, because i have a great God story for you.
Well you know that me and Jenny got a pair of rings donated to us. Nothing fancy, but it was the green light from God to get married. Well when i came back this last spring, i picked up a little engagement ring, also silver nothing fancy i think i spent $50 on it because i didn't have any money to purchase anything super nice. Well last week, jenny's engagement ring broke, and she was to scarred to tell me. But God was already on the job, he had spoken to the same couple that gave us the silver rings and called the wife, and asked her to give up her real set of wedding rings, not the silver, but her gold and diamond set.Now they didnt know that her ring broke and neither did i. But as i received the news about the ring breaking God provided the new set, as a surprise for jenny when we get married. Now that's how God provides, now i share that to say this. That although i doubt, and sometimes feel like i dont have as much as most missionaries do here at the orphanage, I know that God, Jesus, and the holy spirit are with me. Its a good reminder for all of us that God knows and cares. And loves us beyond all measure. But for anyone to personally experience Gods love and blessing, we need to submit in all our ways. And little by little God is teaching me to submit and lean on his understanding not my own. So i hope that lifted your spirits up a little and feel free to share that with your group. You can add and take out as you please. I know i am not the best writer in the world. and that's mainly why i dont write so often
but i miss yall and love you
john.

Alexis

2010-07-06T19:31:00.001-07:00

06-30-10_0844-2
Originally uploaded by cojik999

This is Alexis, the reason I put him as one of the boys of the week is that he is one of my favorites. This boy is the craziest dude I have ever meet. He have a stomach of steal and a head full of bricks lol. This little dude will get out there and play with the biggest boys in the orphanage and its nothing to him, even though he is half their size. And if you put a raw egg (or any kind of food) around this guy forget it, cause its gone, he just ate it. Alexis is one of those kids you will never forget cause they are loud, and sometimes obnoxious, but you know deep down that he is a good kid. He’s a fighter, I know he will do well because he never backs down.
the best story I have about this kid is, one day he and I where wrestling on a cliff, one side a small pond, and the other a straight fall about 12 feet. Well as we where messing around, he decided to take a dive, and the upper half of myself as well. ( i tried to keep as dry as possible but the little dude grabbed on to me as he fell into the water.) Good news is, he was fine. Bad news, my radio went in as well (cost: $350). But as soon as he came up out of the water he noticed my radio gone and went back in for the radio. And he found it for me, but i gotta tell you this pond is not just any pond, its pretty grows, i wouldn’t have gone in after it lol. But he did and because of that he will always be one of my favorites.
Hes been working for me for about 1 year now. Him and I are good friends and really never have any problems. He’s just another little brother i have that one day he will leave or i will and i will be sad when that day comes to pass.

Snake its a snakkkeeee

2010-06-08T05:23:00.001-07:00

05-18-10_0901
Originally uploaded by cojik999

LOL dude this kid loves snakes!!!! His name is Noel!
He is the Kid of the week.
Noel, we a miracle in my eyes, because i have been working with him for about a year now. And when i first started working with him, no one could get him to do anything. But with the love and patience of the Lord i finally got him to smile and then he began to work and now, his is one of my best workers. Right now he is in trouble with another staff member but still my favorite little worker. He is very trustworthy and wants to learn all he can about the farm.
He has a sister here that helps out staff members with their children. And she too is just at stubborn as him. Guess it runs in the family. I don't know very much about his past. He doesn't talk about it much. But i can tell that much has passed in his life and he needs a ton of love and friendship. So he was my first to write about, and let you all see that these kids are very real and all have good and bad points in their life and need our love and prayer. So pray for Noel this week. Pray that God would teach him that respect is very important and to learn to ask for forgiveness. love yall, and next week will be another new boy for you to see and read about.

Rain days

2010-06-08T05:12:00.001-07:00

05-24-10_0708
Originally uploaded by cojik999

Hey everyone! Dude did we get some rain this last week. It was a huge change from the constant sun we have had. As you can see this lagoon we have is overflowing with water to the point it is spilling over the side. The grass is growing uncontrollable, so for the next few months i can expect an extra portion of machete and lawn mowing.
But the house is still chaos, holes everywhere and the kitchen is the worst of them all. But we are getting along.
Well, ill send some more pics soon keep checking back!

05-17-10_0603

2010-06-05T16:14:00.001-07:00

05-17-10_0603
Originally uploaded by cojik999

Dude this is my friend Bob. He decided to stay over last night... in my work boot. Now he might seem like a small fellow, but hes must weigh 10 pounds lol this is one of the biggest frogs i have seen at my house. Freaked me out to put my shoe on and have him start freaking out, i tossed my shoe off the porch and about had a heart attack. Imagine, your cup of coffee in your hand, about to slip on your shoes and BAM! attack of the frog! well thought it was cool and wanted to share!

Scorpions attack

2010-05-13T18:31:00.001-07:00

05-13-10_1904
Originally uploaded by cojik999

these are just a few of our little friends that have decided to stay a while. the ones that bit me are no longer with us as they have decided to party with a few fire ants. looked like a concert and the scorpions where riding the wave lol

coffee plantation

2010-05-13T18:29:00.001-07:00

05-09-10_0823
Originally uploaded by cojik999

Read the blog its a good one!

Rainy day

2010-05-13T18:28:00.001-07:00

05-11-10_0934
Originally uploaded by cojik999

we where gunna ride the horses today but no luck.... Raining, hope we can get some more rain cause we need it.

MOOOOO

2010-05-13T18:27:00.001-07:00

05-13-10_1105
Originally uploaded by cojik999

4 new caffs all bulls waht luck!!! = ( maybe next time it will be 4 females!

Abel Planting seeds

2010-05-13T18:25:00.001-07:00

05-13-10_1108
Originally uploaded by cojik999

this is Abel planing seeds right now, we currently have 4000 chillies, 3000 or more onions, few hundred tomatos, and other stuff on the way!

Coffee Plantation

2010-05-13T18:18:00.001-07:00

The Coffee Plantation.
Here are a few pics from the coffe plantation we have been gowin up into the mountains for the last few weeks cleaning and cutting coffee. After having been up there a few times I do know how coffee makes it into that nice tin can waiting for you in the grocery store. It is a beautiful area and very humble work.
Brings to mind how Jesus spent most of his time with the people who worked the land for a living. Many of the parables are directed towards this class of people. And if you have ever plowed a field you know that you have to keep looking forward, if you look to the left or the right you row will become crooked and you have to start over (Luke 9:62). We have to keep looking forward and moving toward the goal. The end of the line (heaven).
Making fishermen, fishers of men (Matt 4:18-19). Jesus spoke to us in very simple terms. We all should be the fisherman, trying to capture who ever we can with the love of Jesus. Follow him, with all our hearts and loving him uncondtionaly.
Having faith like a mustard seed (Matt 13:31). With a seed so small, it can grown and become a tree to house the birds of the skies. If you have ever seen a seed grow it’s a beautiful thing, to see it struggle through the dirt to become a sprout, not feering the huge world around it, spreading out its roots to become what God has designed it to be. To grown, to BE! BE a big tree! Be a home for others! Be shelter! Be beautiful… That was one of Jesus’s mission statments for humanity. He took a group of Gentiles, the lowest of the low and made them princes’s in heaven. People, who today are famed for there wisdom and knoweldge. We to are no different from them we are sinners covered by the blood of the lamb.
Looking out from the top of the mountain God has shown me just how powerful he is. He is mighty, he is magical, he is above all else alive and real. We can touch him and feel him. He is always around us, we just have to look. Open our eyes, see what God has made for us.

Rainy Day

2010-05-13T18:17:00.005-07:00

Rainy day!
Its been a rainy day today. We where gunna ride some horses for the afternoon, but decided not to. Sad but its cool. Took a few pics and a little video. JUTS FYI Jenny got me a new phone so I have been able to take pics with it and stuff and post them up for the blog hope that might give it a little more pazzaz.
And got that H1N1 shoot, lets see how it works lol I hate getting those kinds of things but hey what ya gunna do, they got a virus on the move that is killin people lol. But hey how about them lakers!?!?!?

Honduran John Update

2010-05-13T18:17:00.001-07:00

Honduran John update
UPDATE MAY 2010
Its already been a month since I got back to Emmanuel and everything went back to full swing the first day back. So I haven’t had much time for anything. Actually as I am typing this I am cooking my dinner, getting cleaned up from the day, and getting ready to head out to help Wade put up some blinds. Busy busy busy.
But I wanted to sit down and update yall on how things are going here at the Orphanage. First off the Orphanage is running smoothly and looking very sharp. We have a bunch of new roads on the farm, the 4 new homes as well, and most of all my crops just ripened and everything came out great. Tons of onions, bell peppers, and cantaloupe. And at this moment we are seeding more seeds, right now we have 3000 chilies, 2000 onions getting ready to go into the ground. Thank to David Ball, (a new staff member in charge of growing food) we are actually going to grown on a massive scale. This has been my vision since the first time I get here, and God is putting things together and soon we hope to have vegetables for all the orphanage every day of the week.
I am still doing the same things I had been doing before I left:
• I have my chicken coups with 300 egg chickens and every 6 months I get batch of 500 meat chickens to use as food for the children
• 4 horses that I take care of and use to teach a biblically based horse riding class
• And the 2 green houses/ fields where we grow vegetables, fruits, and decorative plants.
All that keep me pretty busy, it’s a ton to do especially when you have to take care of the inside and outside of the facilities, animals and plants. But no complaining here I am happy as a clam and I am very blessed to live here and work here.
Yenni and I are doing great. The greatest part is that we have grown a lot since our engagement. And God is really working in our lives to straighten us up before we enter marriage together. I can’t wait until the big day comes. We are both excited and a little nervous about how everything will come together. But I know God will help us.
A few quick updates for Yenni are:
• She found her mother today. I had called her and she had just gotten off the phone with her mother. What a blessing this is for her, she hasn’t heard from her mother for 14 years. God is so good!!!
• She has found her dress for the wedding, and is getting it sized now.
• Yenni is training her new replacement, and I know she is looking forward to giving that responsibility to another person. Although she still will be working at the toddler house, it wont be full time.
God Story (If you don’t want to read please skip to the break in the page.)
When I heard that Jenny had been talking to her mother, I had been praying that day for a miracle and God sent me one. The funny thing is that I don’t test God but I love to see how he hears my prayers and answers them. I was picking coffee that day with the boys and was looking at the beautiful view off the side of the mountain. And I asked God to give me a miracle. To please show me a column of fire, make water come out of a rock, knock a stone wall down with the shout of a voice. And he answered in style. I give God the glory for that great blessing. It is a miracle that Jenny found her mother and that, her mother is doing well, and we look forward to visiting her as soon as possible.
OK! Back to the Big Day. We have just about all the plans set, and just need to put them in action. Jenny is so great, she is taking care of most all the planning and I get to take care of the honeymoon and the fun stuff lol. Some times its hard to believe I’m getting married. But I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I know that she will make me the happiest man on the planet. Ok enough of the sappy stuff. Well if any of yall where wondering the date its July 24th, Ill post pics as soon as I have them available. And I have had a few people ask about online registry, so I signed up at Target, under Johnathan Perez, check it out if you like, we are missing a few things for our new home and most of the stuff on the list is hard to find here in Guimaca Honduras.
But like I said all is well here at the Orphanage . David just left to Denmark for a week; so the orphanage will me on lockdown as I like to say. But we all will do fine. But we will miss him and Lydia a bunch.
PRAYER REQUESTS AND NEEDS
That’s it for my updates. But I have a few prayer requests:
First prayer request/need is someone stole all our lassos and halters our from our barn (which was under lock and key, but they fished them out with a big stick), makes me soooooo mad that people do that kind of thing. So we are going to need 4 halters and 4 lassos for our horses. Please be in prayer about this and if you know anyone that can help out please let me know!
Second prayer request is, as we start up our vision to bring fruits and vegetables to all the children of Emmanuel, we have old equipment mostly used, old, broken and jimmy-rigged into working. We need new tools, hoses, drip lines, seeding dirt, chemical sprayers, and donation money to buy seed, and items that are needed to start the farming process. And if you are interested in helping us please let me know and I can forward you to David Ball who is the head of the program. But please PRAY, that is what I want more than just asking for help!
Please keep all these things in prayer. Daily prayer is the key to a good relationship with Jesus. And if you have any prayer request please feel free to respond, I would love to pray for you and know what is going on in your life.
Thank you for reading and I hope all is well with you. But if things aren’t going well flip to James and start reading. It always lifts me up when I am down.

Blessings Upon Blessings

2010-05-13T18:16:00.001-07:00

Blessings upon Blessings

Well if God wanted to make himself real to me, he’s doing a good job.
I say that because i have seen God move these last few months in ways that are very new to me. The people God is putting in our path have been a huge help to me and Jenny. Did you know that as of right now we haven’t spent a dime on the wedding, and almost half of it is done.
I’m am not writing to brag, but to share God’s blessings in my life. I want to share so that not only you can read but so that i can reflect. I never want to forget these last few months, to acknowledge that God has blessed me with a beautiful woman and prepared the way to spend the rest of my life with her.
God has been a true blessing to many many people around the earth, working through man to help others. I write this letter to you, to say thank you. To say thank you even though you might not know it, you are helping. To read this testimony is a blessing.
God will move mountains for all of us. If we only put our trust in him. Believe that he will provide. I have no idea what God is doing right now at this moment, but i know God is good and only wants the best for me.
I rest in that fact. I believe that God real, that he has taken care of me and will take care of me. And he does the same for all the people of this world. So let God rain blessings on your life like he has mine. He isn’t a piggy bank, but He's my maker and He loves me.

Attack of the scorpions

2010-05-13T18:09:00.001-07:00

Attack of the Scorpions
I'm on a beach surrounded by palm trees, it’s cool out today, and the waves are small but crystal blue. The sand is warm to the skin, no... Very hot.... wait its burning. What the heck!!!
SMACK!!!
As I hit my head on the bunk bed, and slapping my hand as if it were on fire.
OUCH OUCH (CURSE WORD) WHAT THE HECK (CURSE WORD) WHAT WAS THAT?!?!?!?!?
As I pull out of my sleeping state and literally jump off my bed I realize that I have just been stung, and instantly I can tell it was something really big because I feel like I just had a nail forced through the side of my hand.
As a get the light on to search for what just stung me, I can’t stop thinking about how much that bug hurt me. I begin ripping my bed apart. Not there, under the bed, not there. Maybe it’s in my dirty clothes? Yup, a big freaking scorpion.
Heck ya I killed that thing without discretion.
Dude that was a crazy night I killed the fool and tried to fall asleep and maybe got an hour lol.
But that’s not all! The following night as I roll into bed...BAM!!!!!!!!! Another freaking scorpion stings my other hand, this time much worse and the pain over takes my entire hand. I know what it is now and go on the hunt. Yup under my pillow... lill bastard got me good. This time, I can’t go to sleep at all. I am scared to even get close to me bed now lol. I think I’ll move rooms.
But the cool thing about the night was, while I was waiting for the pain to subside I opened my bible to research scorpions. And turns out they are up there with the worst of them, they are grouped with snakes and said to give there sting to a swarm of locust for five months in the time of revelation, and that all men will be begging for death, but won’t find it. Also that God would never send a scorpion to his children. And demons have control of them to some extent.
So as I am reading I am thinking about, why me? So I start writing, and praying and writing and reading, 4 hours later, I have it. And a bunch of wonderful time with my savior, Jesus. I learned a lot in that time and I know what Jesus wants me to do. It’s not easy but I have to do it.
A painful experience, but Jesus wins again. My strength is in him. Now let’s hope I can get back into a bed tonight. I’m still freaked out about it; don’t know if I can do it lol. Pray for me.

Back to Honduras~

2010-04-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

Well i am back in Emmanuel, and took off running. It has been a little hard to get my butt in gear but i think i am about another week away from adjusting to the heat and the fat stuck in my arteries from eating all those double cheese burgers.
I knew that i missed Jenny, but i never realized that i missed her this much! after returning from my vacation i really feel a wall has been broken down in my heat, don’t ask me what it is or what happened, but i feel different. But i guess it could also be that the wedding is only a few months away. CANT WAIT!
And boy did the boys grow over just a few weeks, they all changed a little since i was gone, its crazy how we change so much over time. I am very very excited to be back and that the greenhouse and my chickens are all alive and doing well! OK!! ill write you all later!!!

BAD BAD BAD PICS

2010-04-02T15:17:00.001-07:00

Dude i gotta say that all these pics people are posting on face book of me are horrible lol. I really need to cut my hair when im down there lol. if ur interested go check them out. I think i look like a total gubber lol

Ending of my vacation!

2010-03-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

Well my time back here in the states is coming to a close and I can only look back and say that I am blessed by a truly awesome God. My time here has been great. Some times I got a little board, but for the most part I have been able to see just about everyone I wanted to see and talk to all the people that I miss so much. I hope this next year I will be able to stay in contact with more of my church family.
I think that was the toughest part about coming back was to see that everyone was so happy that I have returned back home but they never gave a thought to writing me or trying to stay in contact with me. But a big part of that is my fault, I think. I am going to be a little more aggressive in trying to get the word out about what I need and where I am at.
But God has shown me a few things during this trip back home:
First, God is very real and wants me to be the happiest I can be
Second, I never want to be away from Jenny for more then 3 weeks at a time
Third I can eat a ton of junk food but I miss rice and beans
Four The love of Christ shown to me through others, is much larger and grander then I could have ever imagined. (thank you everyone for taking care of me and giving so much)
Fifth My parents where chosen for me to lift me up and support me through all the good times and the bad.
Sixth Grandmas rock
Seventh I love Thai food, Chinese food, panera bread, frozen yogurt, and Cadbury eggs.
Eight I love Jesus!

none of these are in any particular order. lol. But those are just a few things God has shown me!!! LOVE IT!!!!!!!! BUT CANT WAIT TO GET BACK TO HONDURAS!

Back in Cali! Storms are raging.

2010-03-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

Well it has been 2 days back in California, and I am having a great time. It is hard being back home. Living in my old home, seeing my friends and family. And all the time wishing I could have both worlds together (Emmanuel and Cali). I guess that was the hard decision with all the disciples. Brings to mind the event that weeded out the true followers of Christ and the ones that where just along for the ride. It was when Jesus set out to sea to preach to those who have not herd the good news. And while Jesus set out for another land many others did as well. Everything was going great until... until the storms hit the boats. And if you have never been on a boat in the middle of the ocean when a storm starts, it is probably the most scary thing you will ever experience, The strongest force you will probably ever experience moving with no regard for life, waves so large and so fast that makes you fill like an ant as someone pours a 5 gallon bucket of water on your head. Much like life we have storms that scare us, and while the storm raged on the sea, Jesus pushed on, but many others turned back to where they came from. My time back in the states is my storm. I know there where probably many great people that had to turn around that day, that storm was not a normal one, it was a test of faith, a test of what is really in their hearts. But for me, I am going to push on and keep going, this is hard but I know that the testing of my faith produces endurance. Endurance to face even more difficult storms. I will keep my eye’s on Jesus and not look around me. I don't want to fall into the water. I am fully committed and cant turn back now.
We all have this point in our lives as Christians, what are you going to do? Be a leaf blown around in the wind or a tree planted firmly in the ground?

Back in cali!

2010-03-01T16:05:00.001-08:00

Hey yall back in cali hit me up i wana see everyone! but i dont have a car and i am broke! so if you dont mind picking me up im yours lol

Peanut Butter Miracle?

2010-02-13T12:44:00.001-08:00

Peanut Butter Miracle?

Monday, February 8, 2010 at 7:35pm
There’s a story going around about an orphanage in Central America where nine young boys got full one Saturday afternoon. People are saying it was a miracle because it hardly ever happens. Orphans being full? Doesn’t even sound natural. They are saying that God did it. When I heard that I knew I had to set the record straight. God nudged me and told me to. You see I have three friends named David, Lorrie and Brittany and they were eye witnesses to this miracle. They came from Canada to serve at orphanage Emmanuel and asked these young men if they wanted to go on a picnic. They had never been on one and boy were they excited. They knew one thing happened on a picnic. Food would be involved. David asked them if they could have any kind of sandwiches, what would they want? Immediately they said peanut butter and jelly. Sounds like a simple request. Only problem is, there’s hardly any peanut butter in Guaimaca, Honduras and there was none now. But on this Saturday there was peanut butter at the orphanage. People were saying that God had sent it, but I knew better because I received it! Oh God certainly wanted these boys to go on a picnic and have peanut and butter jelly sandwiches, but He couldn’t send them himself. He tells us in James 1:27 that WE are to look after the orphans in their distress. Psalms 115:16 says “The highest heaven s belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to man." You see, God chose us to do his miracles through. Now it wouldn’t be like God to go back on His Word. God spoke to David about a picnic; David nudged me about some peanut butter. Story has it, some believers at the church at Grace Point got nudged to give and boy did they ever give! These nine young boys had their peanut butter, and not just any peanut butter, but peter pan crunchy. They gave their best! 33 sandwiches from one jar. The way I see it there are 66 more to be made. You see I was an eye witness to this miracle, but I had already experienced a miracle from these same people and some other friends of mine. That’s how I got here! I’ve learned that God doesn’t respond to our needs; He responds to our faith. "Mark 5: 21-34, Mark 10: 48-52 and Matthew 15:27, 28. These young men asked for a miracle and never doubted! They didn’t give a second choice. David said while at the river they started to talk about Jesus as they so often do. All had been saved by our Lord but two had not been baptised. I wasn’t at the river, but my friends tell me they were sure the two boys weighted more when their leader John (of course his name would be John) raised them from the water. You see, God dearly loves us and always will. He can’t love us anymore nor any less. But we don’t always please Him. “Hebrews 11:6.” Like when he nudges us and we don’t respond. Is he nudging you to do something? Maybe you just need to buy a jar of peanut butter. Like the gospel, you never know how far it will spread. I know, I was a witness to it. By the way the boys got full 29 sandwiches and 4 left over. The boys said no mas. To God be the glory!

Michael D.

I did IT!

2010-01-23T15:17:00.001-08:00

OK! So i asked Jenny to marry me yesterday and she said YES! To cool! Thought i would let yall know that i am going to get married some time in July. YAY!

More on the way!

2010-01-17T06:12:00.001-08:00

Hey yall i have a bunch of stories on my laptop but i dont get internet and i dont have a jump drive to put them on so what i get in the states ill make shure to put up pics and stories!!

Taking the Dive!

2010-01-17T06:11:00.001-08:00

So last week i was praying about me and Jenny. And i pretty much gave God the relationship. I knew that if this was "Gods will" that we would put us together. I basically said that i dont have the money for anything such as rings, tux, dress, and wedding, and neither does Jenny. And that he would have to take care of us. So what happens the very next day? A volunteer comes up to me out of know where and hands me $100.00 and says that good put it on his heart to give me that money. I could not believe it, this wasn't the first time this has happened to me but what an awesome God we have... or so i thought. Then the next day... I was talking with another Volunteer about jenny and I, and told him how much i love her and i want to merry her. And then i asked him about his wife, and after that we moved on to others conversations. And then that afternoon he asked me if i wanted to marry Jenny, and i said yes i do, and proceeded to tell him about my prayer and then he says "well i have a surprise for you."
I said "what?"
"i was praying today and God told me to give this to you"
"what is it?"
And he pulls out of his pocket 2 rings...
The volunteer told me "God told me to give these to you."
"where did you get them?"
And he holds up his finger and says "this one is my wife's wedding ring, and this one is mine."
I was dumbfounded, all i could do was laugh, I was so happy. God came through, and not only with just a little, but BIG TIME and he gave my priceless rings that money could not buy and with a story that will live with me forever.
And not only that... the hundred bucks i was talking about... YA God provided the money to get the rings sized as well.
And then yesterday i went up to Davids house told him the story and asked for Jennies hand in marriage. And after a 45 second wait from him, that seemed like 10 years, he said YES!!!!!
So jenny and I will be getting hitched, but i have asked her yet, although i know she will say yes =) I am planning the engagement party now.
You all are welcome to shar the good news!!!
Love yall!

Back in Emmanuel

2009-11-22T05:41:00.001-08:00

Hey yall back in Emmanuel. And dude is it nice to be back. After an 11 hour buss ride alone, with out my i pod i can honestly say i am not looking forward to the next time i have to do that again.
After looking back on it all, i can say i grew alot. Traveling alone isnt easy it realy makes you have to look at where you are and what you are doing, because your alone, there is no one there to help you out if you get into trouble or make a bad decision.
The realy funny part of the whole vacation was when i went to check out my budget for the last 3 days of my vacation i realized that i had run out of money... SO i had to make some tough decisions. what do i do? i have enough money to get me home but none to eat. I realy was stuck between a rock and a hard place. so i made my decion, i would tottaly pig out on one dinner and would not eat for 3 days. lol so thats what i did. And i gotta tell ya it sucked!!! 3 days without food it tought and escpecially while traveling. Dude and seriously everyone i sat next to was eating the entire time they where on the buss, fried chicken, pizza, yada yada yada. And i was getting so hungery. So i finaly gave up and i spent .50 cents on some fruit and eat it like it was going out of style. I sure all the people next to me thought i was a pig but who cares i was freaking hungery lol. Then when i went to go and buy my ticket to tegus (in honduras) i was short .50 cents. And the guy wouldnt let it slide, so i was like WTH do i do now? so i rip open my bag infront of everyone pour out all my stuff and search every pocket, whole, zipper that i had for .50 cents. And after it was all said and done i didnt find anything and all my stuff was on the floor. and so i said well what do i do know. Well i reach into the pocket of my jeans and pull out my passport, and what falls out... $10 i put in there the other day, i put it there for emegencies but tottaly forgot about it. lol freaking funny. so not only did i get the ticket, i could actualy find a place to stay for the night. cause i was going to sleep outside the station. long story short i tall worked out! thank god! well hope you liek that one. I have so many more stories but so little time to tell them. Well i hope emmanuel will give me back internet soon pray for me. cause thats one thing i would like the most right now. Well ttul!! bye!

Last night in tamarindo

2009-11-18T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well i have spent most of this vacation in my room or in the lounge of the hostel. Surf was down and the days went by quick. But forsure if you looking to spend a boat load of money head down to tamarindo. Its a pretty cool place once you get used to the groves of greengos and constant traffic. I am sure i would have had a better time if i where more into the night life but as it stands i realy dont enjoy partying and getting drunk. the beach was awesome, but again a ton of people lol. I leave tomorrow back to honduras ready to get back to work. Ready to see the kids and staff. So hope all are well and sorry i have not been calling alot. Tigo changed there rates and its pretty pricy to call the states anymore.

Dude i suck

2009-11-17T11:50:00.000-08:00

Has it realy been a month since my last post? Just goes to show you all how busy i have been here at Emmanuel. Seems the only time i ever get to check my email and make up a wuick post is when i am on vacation. Well here i am again, on vacation its been a quick 3 months. In costa rica now, on a beach named Tamarindo. Friends recomended this place to me said it was nice place to stay... they are crazy, this place is off the hook crazy, i have never seen a tourist location so messed up. People are building on top of eachother and tourists and surfers out of the ying yang. Man i should have just gone back to Baliz lol. But other then that this place is cool. Definatly no at beautiful as Rowatan. But on the up up side i got this realy crapy room with nothing but a bed inside so i get plenty of time to read my bible and think of how board i am. Free internet kind of off sets the nedgatives, but i am going to look for a new place for tomorrow, maybe something with cable lol. Well hope yall are good. ill be home in feb. see yall soon! love yall john

Hey everyone!

2009-10-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

Well here in an internet cafe just wanted to give you all an update on everything that has been going on in the life of John. Everything here is great.

It has been a roller coaster ride with God. I realy have been looking for who God is and how i can love him more then i already do. Many times your love is so one sided. And when i look at my realtionship with God i see that many times i am so self centered. And that deffinatly effects my walk with him and with outhers. Mainly the children. Since that realization i have realy been looking for more insperation in the word of God and he has been showing me just how selfish i have been. It has been a very eye opening experiance. Once i opened my eyes and realy sought after God i seem to be able to remeber scripture better and am able to talk about him more and see God moving in big and little things in my life. My worry and fear are slowly fading and i am able to see God for who he realy is.

The kids here have been super helpfull and very patient with my spanish. I have been realy trying to speak properly and it is helping me out a lot. No realy stories to share right now, but i did fall off a horse that went crazy and took off on me and tried to run my into a tree, and i also fell into a septic lagon and lost my $200 radio in there and a kid jumped in after it for me and recued it for me. And it still worked, But let me tell you it was a act of bravery i have never seen before lol that lagon is not a nice place to be near especialy in lol. So you know hes my new fav kid here and i bought him a huge pepsi and chips lol. But thats about it! talk to you all soon! love yall!
John

YO! back in Emmanuel!

2009-09-15T13:21:00.000-07:00

Hey yall!
Back in Emmanuel! I wish i could put up some pics but i cant because i am always using someones comp lol. All is well here. I am back to work and loving it. Coming back from vacation, things feel a little different, i feel so much more relaxed now = ) good feelings to have, wouldn't trade it for the world.I love this orphanage so much = ). well i gotta go other people are waiting for the computer here and i have been on it for a while now.

Thanks Mom for sending the package! Miss you a ton!
Hello DAD! Grandma! Friends and Family I miss you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ITS been a while!

2009-09-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Wow its been to long! I miss you all and hope that you all still remember me! sorry for not staying in contact more, The net @ Emmanuel has been down, i washed my cell phone, and i have been on vacation for the last 2 weeks.

So my official update is coming to you at Rowatan Honduras. What an amazing place. The most awesome beaches and best of all we got a 2 bedroom house fully stocked for $50 a night. split between 4 people that's only $12.00 a night to b 2 min away from the beach. (long story short, we stayed in Copan, Honduras for a night and meet this gall that owns a restaurant and she told us that she has a place in Rowatan that she needs rented and she gave it to us for CHEAP!!!)

To catch you up on all that has been happening, i first want to say that everything here in Honduras is fine. It got a little hairy there for a second, but all is well, and things are back to normal (or as normal as they can be).

Emmanuel is still awesome. and i cant wait to get back. But on the other hand, i want to break some new news to yall. I haven't told anyone this @ Emmanuel or back home yet. But I have been feeling God trying to talk to me these last few weeks about something new, and there has been a change in my plans, I may be coming back to the states to go back to school. I have been praying a lot about this and its not set in stone yet but if it all works out like i think it will ill be heading over to Pensacola christian university to get my degree in the missions field. I spoke with a volunteer that came with me on vacation and she said i could go there work for the college at the same time as i study and leave there with zero debt and maybe a few bucks in my pocket! So i am going to check it out, because i always prayed to the Lord that if we got me the funds to go to school i would go. And wallllaaa here is my answer. I am excited to see what will come out of this. SO look out for my next update!
Love yall! got to go!

MY new ride

2009-06-21T13:54:00.000-07:00

This is my new ride that i am using for the time being, beats walking everywhere. But its broken right now hope to have it fixed soon so i can get back on it again. Its a ton of fun to ride around lol

Just a quick hello

2009-06-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well this last message was written some time again it has been a few weeks since I wrote that. The internet has been acting up and I haven’t been able to post a single thing lol. But like me last message said I am doing well and could not ask for anything better. I feel a little tired today only because I have been fighting off the flu for the last week.
On another report, I just finished a new project last week. What we where doing was laying down new grass in a park. It was a huge job but we got it all done, we had some officials from the Honduras government helping us out with a dump truck full of grass and dirt to spread out and lay down. 4 boys, 9 girls and some Honduran jimmy rigged tools lol. It was a muddy mess for 5 days but we got it done.
That’s about it for now ill report back to yall soon!
Love yall!

Old update, new update? same difference!

2009-06-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, sorry it has taken me so long to write but life never stops here at Emmanuel. I come back to my room after a long days work and find myself doing everything to avoid this computer lol.
But I have to say it is reliving to write you all what has been going on these last few weeks.
Lets start with my trip into Tegus. While we are all sitting on the plane getting ready to land the captain comes in on the over head and starts talking about our decent into Tegus, well I have done this a few times now and it’s a pretty scary ride. For starters Tegus airport is the 2nd most dangerous airport in the world. It is set in a valley and the plane actually does a nose dive into the mountain range and banks left, then right, then up then down, something like a roller coaster. And lands on the shortest runway ever!
Well while the captain is doing this, he starts to get off on a rant about how you cant trust pilots anymore, and how they make you use auto-brakes and how computers are taking over and soon he wont be needed anymore yada yada yada, lol.
Then as we start to land this little rash I had starts to act up and starts to itch pretty badly. Well in 20 minutes this darn rash starts to freaking take over my arm, so we hit the runway and dock into tegus. Well when we get off and they scan you with one of these infrared cameras for the flu… LAME, what a hold up lol. Well at this point im itchy and ready to just get underway to Emmanuel. So I meet up with Jordan (a staff member at the orphanage) and we take off to Emmanuel. Now I picked up some medication in tegus for this rash. And all of a sudden that night the rash spreads all over my body. I wake up in the morning, freaking out. Now not only is my arm swollen and red but its moved to my face, back, legs and torso. What the hack!!!!!! I run to our clinic getting stopped by every person along the way… Least to say I wasn’t in the mood to talk lol. Well then Jenny comes along ( my girlfriend) Im like ohhhh great!!! Here I am back from the states all red and puffy and really not wanting to talk at all. So I say hello but tell her I cant talk now I gotta go… she wasn’t very happy lol but hey im in pain and im thinking I got the swine flu and my skin is turning into pig skin!!!!
Well I get a hold of some medicine and in a day most of the redness goes away and im in pretty go shape.
Ok so that adventure is over now time to get back to work, well I go have dinner with the boys after a good days work and dang don’t you know it I get flippen food poisoning. Im stuck head in the toilet for 11 hours.
I honestly thought I was dying, and that life could not get any worse.
But then it did get worse YET!
So all of a sudden a urge storm moves in at starts pouring down water!!!!!!! And the home we are in is brand new and man where there holes in the roof. All of a sudden my entire bed is wet!!! The floor is wet, the kitchen looks like a pipe busted, and the only place that’s not leaking is the bathroom, where it wouldn’t matter if it was lol!!!!!!
Well as you can see I am alive and kicking but it was a rough start for me.
But now things are back to normal and my days are coming back into where I left off with them.
But one good thing that happened to be was that lately God has really been speaking to me about is love for me and my faith in him. I have been reading Hebrews a lot lately and it has been really opening up in my heart. I love it!
The horse program in full swing and moving right long!!! Although someone broke into our tack room and stole a saddle, and all our reins. So now I cant let anyone ride the horses!! Sad stuff, so if anyone know a person that is looking to donate old horse equipment send them my way cause we are hurting for some new equipment. I have a class going now and we are ready to move on to mounting the horses and cant lol. I know God will provide but doesn’t hurt to ask around.
Other then that life is good, Jenny and I are doing very well, and Emmanuel is busy and beautiful as ever, hot days with rain storms at night. Very cool place to be right now.
Thank you all for your love and support! Miss you all sooo much!!!!

AHHHH its raining cats and dogggssss

2009-06-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

HEY i think i just saw sassy hit the ground!!!

It is raining so hard down here its crazy i knew they had a wet season but i didn't think it was anything like this a river has formed in front of my house i just caught a 3 pound trout!! too cool!!
Ok just joking maybe its not that bad but right at this moment i am typing in the rain on my friends computer. I wanted to say hello and that i have many posts ready to put up but cant post them right now cause the weather is so crazy and the internet follows suit!!!!!!
Thank you for your comments! and thank you for your love everyone!! i miss you and love you all lots!!!!
Talk to you all soon! look for my calls!
John

Hey yall im safe and in Emmanuel

2009-05-29T08:54:00.001-07:00

Hey yall just want to let you all know that i am safe the earthquake did not affect our area and that i am @ Emmanuel safly and that ill give an update soon!!!

YO

2009-04-17T16:31:00.001-07:00

hey yall dont have much time! coming home april 30th!!! see yall soon!!! love you

Baby Chicks!!! And Jenny! And fire! And others!

2009-04-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

check this out!

Fire in my back yard

2009-04-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hey had a little fire today! No worries im cool! But i wanted to let yall check it out. Its the dry season in Honduras and its super hot and dry which means fires! lol here you go! see yall in a few weeks!

New Male Volenteer home

2009-03-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

Hey yall this is what i was talking about when i said God provides. This home was built by God for God, and i am happy to be one of the first people to stay in this home! And that God has given me this opportunity to serve him! and that I can serve others. The movie was longer but i had to cut it down due to internet upload speed! so here it is!

Dude i have internet?

2009-03-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Totally radical! i just got internet at my house! I can finally read my emails and chat on the web!! YAY i am soooo stoked! Ok so lets get down to business!

First! everything is going well here at Emmanuel. Every day i am beginning to see why God has me here. I have such an awesome relationship with the boys now and I am beginning to see who they really are. Its cool to see that part of there lives, which ones have bad attitudes all the time, which are the helpers, and the leaders and so on. I have learned all there names which has taken me 3 months but i think i have them all down!

Second! I have been in much prayer lately and see that i know where my home is after all. What it comes down to is that I have no home except the one that Jesus has for me when i go home to him. I don't desire to own a home in the states or anywhere for that matter. I don't desire to live or work for an earthly boss. I want to work for God, and i believe that where ever i go i will have a place to lay my head at night, and have food in my stomach "i have seem many things sent from God, and i know that he loves us more then we will ever know, and God doesn't provide the bear minimum but the very best, i will make a movie about this in a few minutes to show you what God provides for those who live for him." And that life isn't about what you have here on earth, its hard to understand that and i know that many of you will say that it is lunacy, but i believe in a big God that knows every hear on my head and will never forsake me or let me go. So I know that where ever i God with God i will be working for him from know on. What ever i do and, where ever i go I will be totally sold out for him. Something i wish everyone would feel and know in there heart.

Third- I want to say thank you everyone who has left a comment and had me in there thoughts!! It means a lot to me being so far way and that people are interested in my life and want to know how things are going and what i am up to. I want to send a shout out to my family for there support and love! What an awesome blessing that is! thanks a ton!!! miss you all! love you all!!!!! and sorry for my spelling in my blogs i write these very fast and don't get to spell check very much not that it really matters my spelling is not that great anyways lol = )
love you all!

blog in process!

2009-03-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

hey just want yall to know im alive!! ill post a blog soon!

New pics

2009-02-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

2009-02-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay!! the week has been full of fun and adventure!! the group from TN arived last week and the new male vol. house is being built! it is 1 week away from colpletion i am so stoked ill post pics asap! But back to God and what he has been teaching me. I recently read the story of Martha and Mary! And how many times we as Christians get so cought up with work we forget the be with Jesus. And its that our many goal? Its that what we all strive for is a relationship with him.
So i have realy been applying that thinking to my work and my life. And what a change it has made. I have had 3 awesome days and nothing has realy changed except my heart and attitude about everything that i do. it is amayzing to see that change in my self and it being reflected to the kids! I really enjoy the time that i have spent with them all and thank the Lord for that as well! More over i have found more great new friends Jack, who lives in No. Cal and man he looks liek jack sparrow he has dered locks and a shaggy beard and walks funny, but has the love of Christ in him! and he sings like john mayer as well its crazy this guy is cool. And my other new friend Cory, just a young guy after Gods own heart. This kid thinks and lives in the spirit. Goofy lookin dude =P J/K but hes awesome and thank the Lord for him!!! Other then that all is well here in Honduras!! love yall!!!!

No title

2009-02-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

Couldnt think up a title for this blog today. I am really conflicted right now. I cant seem to get a grip on my mind. I have so many feelings and thoughts i have no way to explain. Many of you know how complicated i am. And I think lack of prayer and rest is taking its tole lol. So i am getting as much rest today as i can!
I hope yall are doing well. Miss yall mucho and thinking about everyone all the time!

Its hard to even write because i have so much in my head! i am going to journal tonight and get some of this out of me. I thinks its been long over due for me to pour my heart on to a piece of paper. I usually write God often but haven't lately.

Am as far as pics go i dont know what to say. I want to put my pics online but its so slow here its hard! I dont have the time to do it lol. Maybe ill burn a Cd for someone in the states to upload to a flicker account.

things on a whole have been going really well! We are preparing for this huge group that is coming down in a week. over 100 people in this group! And its funny to see the staff getting all pumped up for them to come. LOL its funny ill take pics of the team at work! should be awesome!

But i am glad to write you all! i hate not being able to update the blog often! And MOM! can you please get me joeys number!! i don't have it! And make sure they are checking my blog i know they have internet!
Ok well i gotta run! miss and love you all
Love and Peace
John

PS if someone could tell everyone @ Sandals i said hello that would be awesome!!!
Thanks!!

Huge cockroach! and Staff position

2009-01-25T16:38:00.000-08:00

Hey yall!
So i was sleeping last night and got up cuase my noisy neighbors would not go to sleep and i noticed something on the floor and it was a huge cockroach. So i had nothing to kill it with is i grabbed my charger for my laptop and hit it a few times and it started chasing me around the room. I thought it was going to eat my foot. and i jumped off my bed and body slammed it and smashed it all to heck! and it was something like you saw on Men in Black! white guts and broken legs everywhere! it was a mes to clean up in the morning!

But on an up note! I was asked to come to staff meeting today! and that i will be a staff member from now on! Very cool!!! Its not often people become a staff member! I feel God is really blessing my time here!

Hope i didn't grows all out to much!!!! Have a good Monday!

No internet!

2009-01-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

So its been about 2 weeks without internet and i have 120 new emails!! lol junk mail is horrible.
Well let me fill you in on whats been going on.
For starters life is great here at Emmanuel. The Kids are awesome and hope to soon know all there names (in the older boys section of emmanuel), ill be a name memorizing fiend when yall see me next.

and i have started working with the horses on the farm and its been really cool i get to teach about Jesus and handle horses. but even better!!! I got my first tick!!! It was so weird see that little thing stuck to me leg lol. freaked me out at first! Then i ripped it out and smashed it lol!

i got to go to Catacamous, thats about 2 hours south of emmanuel to register a kid for school. Man that was an adventure lol. Me and 2 Honduran kids trying to get around different towns and buses lol to cool. we about missed our buss back home. we where running like mad men through the streets to get the station. lol the reason we where late was wWe had to sit in a clinic for 4 hours for a 10 second interview of the kids health records, i read an entire book sitting there lol. My Spanish is getting better, and i can understand a lot now thank you Lord!

the male volunteer house is about 1 month from completion. heck ya! cant wait!

Leo and Lauren from my church are hear and they really boosted me spirits! i was very excited to see them arrive!

Day by day i am gaining new responsibilities at emmanuel and with the kids. I now have 3 boys working for me full time and sub for a staff member, when ever hes out of town. which means i run his house for him. He has about 15 kids, they all are very awesome, a little on the immature side but good kids.

Other then take all is well! i started growing my beard and haven't cut my hair for about a month so im looking extra hot. I have the worst farmers tan you have ever seen, its actually kind of embarrassing lol but its cool ill get over it! And a blister the size of texas on my big toe lol.

Keep praying for me yall! I need all the prayer i can get! Love yall! miss you all 2

What to buy from Itunes!

2009-01-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

Dude, Sandals church hooked it up! $15 gift card for Itunes. But what to buy? i don't know i cant decide! I am looking at a movie... but i really don't watch movies, then again it would be nice to have a good movie on my ipod lol. Oh well, decisions decisions.
Reading the comments i see life is moving on! I am glad to hear that you all are doing well!

Today after a morning of work, i got to hang out with the kids in the gym, and we played 3 hours of basketball. Man was i beat, i have never ran so much in my life. But these kids just don’t quit, and they are pretty good lol. i had to bust out some old school moves just to keep up = P.

then we had a going away party!! = ( sad because most of the other volunteers are going to be leaving Friday. School is starting so everyone bails! Figures!!

And now i am hear tired and ready to go to bed! But, God is showing him self to me more and more each day, at a bible study we had, we spoke about many things, but 1 thing in particular was Gods ability to use us at any time. and the main subject was when God wakes you up in the middle of the night, and you should pray for what ever is on your heart. An my friend and i have been putting this into practice, and Man i wake up 2 or 3 times a night with someone God has put on my heart. and it has been so amazing. To see that no matter how many times i wake up and pray, i get up in the morning and feel great.
One thing David (the owner of the orphanage) said was, "how can God trust you to be diligent for praying for people in the day if he cant use/trust you at night. Because it is not easy to pray at night, and the fruit of the spirit really shines when you deny your flesh and surrender to him in this way. So during the day i have been seeing many new things and the spirit has been convicting me in many different ways. Very awesome to see such work being done in my life. Well that’s all i had to share! good night yall!! Love you very much!!!

*and if you want to send me something let God put my needs in your heart! Pray about it = ) He knows that i need better then i do.

New Idea... God is this you? Or is this just me?

2009-01-13T17:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, so i have been working with the Kids for a little over a month now, and seeing the potential in these kids i believe that God has really put a great idea on my heart, which i will present to the staff next week.

The idea is, Team building and leadership development. Many of these kids have no idea what it is to be on a team. Sure, the have been on a soccer team for a month, and from what i have herd they loved being on a team...
So God has really put on my heart, to start a team of about 20 kids and teach them about accountability, team work (in regards to working on the ground of the orphanage, school work and studies, team sports, and God), leadership and friendship.

The biggest problem i see in these kids is that they have no structure or accountability, they play really well in groups when it comes to sports, they work together they build each other up and so on. But off the field they lose that. So my goal is to create that environment all the time. So wish me luck as i start this new side project!
OH! And good news! the new male volunteer house should be done in February! YAY! cant wait!
Ill try and get some pics of my self soon! i have lost some weight and gained some muscle! =P that what you get when you eat beans and rice, walk all day long, and work on a farm lol

time to share

2009-01-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

Hey just a little shout out before i start my story. I made a really good friend here at Emmanuel. He is a full time volunteer that grew up here at the orphanage. He is an orphan and works very hard here at Emmanuel and God gave me a heart to get to know him and after i spoke with him i realized that he is almost def and the hearing aids he has aren't very good. So if anyone has a contact that might be able to get some hearing aids at a reduced price please pass along the info. So i can try and work out getting this kid a new pair of hearing aids. Thanks!! (anything helps)

Well i have been very eager to share with the kids lately and prayed the God that when the time was right i would share with the kids during bible study. Well today was the day.
and it was quite sudden. Wade (the man that is dicipiling me) asked if i would like to share anything, so i said of course not knowing what i should share. So after some thought and prayer God laid on my heart that i should share about my recent victory with cleaning out this huge garage that i wok out of. Now to give you some incite to this garage it was the dumping grounds for just about everything Emmanuel has extras of after a building is complete or a project is finished. a quick inventory of what i found in there was 5 pallets of tile strung all over the place 2 of which where junk and i gave it away or trashed it. 24 toilets, 30 metal sinks, 20 ceramic bathroom sinks, 4 entire counter tops, sinks included, enough pvc to cover all of Emmanuel twice, and nails, screws, extra parts to things i have never seen before lol. It took me a month to organize and clean the darn thing. OH DANG I FORGOT TO CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR BRB.......
Few, it all was still there lol writing this made me remember i forgot to close the door before i went into church today.
ok where was i...
ok so what i said to the kids was this garage, before i arrived at Emmanuel, is like anyone who doesn't have God in there life, It looks bad it smells bad and when you don't have Jesus in your life that is what happens.
you begin to fill the space with things, useless things, and clutter your self with broken and disorderly thoughts and memories.
And when you put God in your life all those things begin to find a place and or thrown out all together, god begins to clean up and sort out the broken pieces of your life and make them new again. And i went back and forth about what the garage has to do with the kids at Emmanuel and altogether i felt very good about sharing and happy that God waited until i was finished with it. because yesterday we put the finishing touches on the garage and now its looking real good. So ya God!!! = )

Want to send me a letter or package?

2009-01-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Hey Yall!
for everyone that wants to send me a little something here is the address you need to send the package or letter to, maybe yall can figure out how to get me some In and Out,
Orphanage Emmanuel
For John Perez
C/O Dr, Don R. Reynolds
4611 Hixson Pike
Hixson, TN 37343

The package is being sent to him, and will be up on a container with other mail and things sent to Emmanuel every month = )

And here is a pic the others are taking forever to load and i gave up lol

Live From Emmanuel

2009-01-06T17:56:00.000-08:00

more Christmas Photos

2009-01-05T19:05:00.000-08:00

Day 2 into a new year and its already moving too fast!

2009-01-02T05:16:00.000-08:00

Thank you all fro the comments!
Karen, sounds like you have a wonderful Christmas! I want some pics of Lee, if you got any! =P
Thanks Daniel, missin yall!!!!!
Dad, Grandma thank you and ill be looking forward to the chicken! And ill get u an address to forward stuff to me.
And for everyones knowledge i am only like 1 hour ahead of yall in cali, so call me any time after 6 pm, your time and i should be able to talk. Dad should have my number = )

Well new years was awesome! I feel so spoiled, i have had a hot dinner for 5 or 6 nights in a row! I can get used to this kind of thing.
The fireworks where nuts lol, it sounded like a war zone out in the town. and smoke filled the valleys as the fire crackers went off.

Had a ton of fun with the other volunteers and cant wait to get back to work though.

Yesterday, the 1st, we had church in the morning, and then we took out 2 inflatable pools for the little kids and played some games with them, very fun! even if i did cut my foot on a rock, and got tackled by 5 kids and thrown into a pool. then later on in the night we all went to church for the night worship service.
And i am beginning to feel what these orphans feel on a weekly basis. As the service came to an end, i hugged all those volunteers that will be leaving in a week or two and couldn't help but shed a tear because i have grown such a great relationships with these people and they will leave this place and ill probably never get to see them again. And i cant imagine how these kids deal with volunteers coming and going, i guess ill have to figure it out for my self.
But until then ill embrace every moment with my new friends here at Emmanuel.

Christmas Time!

2008-12-26T10:40:00.000-08:00

Very cool to see all those kids so darn happy to get presents, it was hard being away from home and not easy to see all those presents and not want to jump into them like Scrooge McDuck would do in his money vault.
but it wasnt all that bad = )
I was happy not having to see the commercial end of Christmas. But i do miss Grandmas cooking!!! Man what i wouldn't give for some of that chicken curry she makes!! Well i hope everyone had a blessed holiday and that everyone has a safe new year = ). But the best part of my new year is i get to plan the party!!!!!!! YAY!!!! Where are some pics of what went down on Christmas day! And of a family i really like here and a group of volunteers i really like as well.

Week Recap!

2008-12-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

Wow i cant believe that it has already been 4 days since my last post! Sorry yall. I have been very busy and and when i get into my room i just want to go to bed!
But let me bring you up to date on whats been going on!
First of all i have having a great time working and i am beginning to understand what it means to work onto the Lord. Lately i have been feeling very overwhelmed with everything that has been going on in the orphanage. And work seems like there is no end. BUT the truth of the matter is that i have been working in the wrong mind set. I have been working solely for me, but now i get up and say to God i am going to work as hard as i can and as much as i can and then i will retire from the day knowing that i did as much as i could and wont feel like i got nothing accomplished. Its been helping and i feel a lot less stressed.
I think the last post was on Saturday night so...
Sunday- Went to church had a great time worshiping, but the best part was waking up to the church choir and the piano. It is so amazing, ill have to put it on my webcam. then i went into town looked around for a few things but didn't find much. Had lunch and tried to go to bed.
I guess one of the staff had there family come down for Christmas and put them up next to our dorm room. and i don't think the staff member told them that we where right next door to them. So they kept me up until about 1 am lol.
Monday- Went back to work and had a very chill day nothing huge, but leme tell ya this night it was Tylenol PM all the way lol GOOD NIGHT! Didn't hear a thing!
Tuesday- was another chill day, if you call slaughtering 5 pigs chill. I have a few pics and videos i am going to put up. It was crazy, But i got to slaughter and cut up my first pig. It was great. I actually did a great job. Thanks Brandon for all the lessons on cutting up those birds. It helped me out a lot when in came to cutting off the legs and the loins =P
Wednesday- Today, it is a slow morning today is the Honduran Christmas day. So we get to sleep in and relax all morning. I think they are preping us for this afternoon, we are going to feed the kids and then try and have an organized chaos trying to get 400+ kids open there presents.
here is a pic i took yesterday of the day before of the church in the mist.

Thank you all for the comments, I feel the love!

2008-12-19T16:59:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! just wanted to say thank you for teh comments you write. You have no idea how it makes me feel, i am stoked to look on my blog and see that you all are reading it. It warms my heart and puts a smile on my face!
thank you mom and Dad for you comments as well, i love you and miss you and hope to see you soon!

More over, today was an awesome day, I had my first opportunity to work with the kids alone, and although they really didn't listen to me, i think it was cool to practice my Spanish and try to get them to work, lol. tomorrow should be a nice day. and i hope to get some much needed rest and hang out with the kids out side of work.

love you all!!!!!!

God provides!

2008-12-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

So, ya i had a long day today, i was running around and worked right through dinner, so i got to my pad and saw that it was a mess, clothes needed to be washed, the floor need to be mopped the shower needed to be cleaned, and im tired, and hungry! So i do everything that needs to be done, and keep focusing on the fact that God provides and that some time tonight i will have dinner provided for me. So i get into my bed answer a few emails, write a blog or 2 and open my bible to start reading, i figured if i cant fill my stomach i can fill my soul = ). Well time goes on and im about ready to open my buddy's peanut-butter jar and start eating, and then a knocking rattles our door, a head comes around the corner and says " hey are you guys hungry?, Because i have 2 plates of food that need to be eaten if you want them.
"heck ya!" we reply. and every bite of that food was more delicious then the next and I thanked God for ever second of it. And i about cried when i told our buddy how much that meal meant to me. Because, when the day is over and you have had just about all you can handle, a warm dinner does the trick and really energizes you for the next day! Thank you God!!!! now im ready to go to bed, and start tomorrow with a rejuvenated body, mind and soul!
Night everyone!

Pictures of chrch service last night

2008-12-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

Hey here is the church service that moved me to tears last night. It was so awesome! God was everywhere i actually looked over my shoulder a few times because i could feel him standing behind me listening to all of us. (to put this in perspective, this night was a bible study that Emmanuel has that really opens your heart and enables God to step inside your heart, it was so awesome)

Home sick already? Impressive!

2008-12-18T16:18:00.000-08:00

Well as i lay in my bunk and check my emails, and ready about whats going on back home i cant feel like i am so distant from everything that is happening. I have never felt like this before i guess the realization of my commitment has just hit my heart and my head. I feel that piece of home missing from me, i look at my grandmothers picture she painted for me and i feel a little more at home.
Its really different here then i expected, its a little harder then i had estimated and God is bending me a lot more then i have anticipated as well.
But i must move forward i cant get suck here feeling like this, what good what that do for me or my new family here in Honduras.
Every day must be a new adventure and i must rely more on Jesus strength every day.
I hope everyone is doing fine back at home and i hope that everyone misses me as much as i miss them. I had a huge break through last night at church and I feel to me knees weeping and thanking God for all of you, and thanking God for everyone he has put in my life, that has brought me to this point. Its a hard realization but Gods work is not for the faint of heart. So i must push forward, i must move on and remember that God is bigger then this and he wants to make me happy so i will give all i have to please him and pray for the best.
Miss you all very much
John

2008-12-15T19:25:00.000-08:00

Emmanuel, a different view a diffrenet feel

2008-12-15T19:10:00.000-08:00

As i lay in my bunk, i look back on my last visit here an it seems all to familiar in the sense of the kids and staff, but David was right when he said that coming in a group is like a vacation. Because there is a ton of work that we don't see going on every day.

It is a blessed life, to work and to live at Emmanuel but moreover it is a very hard life. Looking deeper into what God has put before me, there is a lot of things that i don't know about full time ministry. The selfless dedication and the endless hours of work and patience. And the hart to know that this is for Him, today i prayed very hard for God to give me the strength to keep working, and to keep my mind focused on him and not my self. It is exactly like David had said it would be. hard work but very rewarding = ).

I love being here and being apart of Gods work here, I cant believe i get to wake up to this every day. It is so awesome to know that if i wanted to i could spend my life here.

Now here are the little things that i miss:
A hot shower, we don't have a water heater in this place = (
Dunias cooking, beans and tortillas (i eat with the kids everyday), yummy = P
everyone at home
Grandma
Sandals church
but other then that everything here is awesome = )
Well until my next update!
Love and Peace everyone!

Update 2

2008-12-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

This is just a quick view around my new pad = P

LAX YA!!!

2008-12-12T22:24:00.000-08:00

Honduras pics

2008-12-11T14:37:00.000-08:00

2008-12-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! Thank you for checking out my Blog! this will be the new way that i will be updating everyone and letting yall know what i am up to while i am in Honduras. And you can check out my face book for my Video blogs as well. Which will be coming soon, i need to get a web cam first.
So it is one day from take off and i am so excited! everything is almost all packed! i still feel like i am forgetting something important lol.

I hate that feeling, i have done trips like this before and every time i feel like this, but i have to trust that if i leave it behind it was for a reason! Lets hope its not my socks or my toothbrush. To give you all an idea what Honduras is like i have posted some picks above for you to check out so take a look. these where taken from the last time i have there in August.

And the web site for OE (orphanage Emmanuel) is www.orphanageemmanuel.com

Honduran John

2008-11-21T17:16:00.000-08:00

As many of you know i will be heading down to Honduras for a while, on a global out reach trip. I want everyone to know that i Love them very much and i am very excited to go to Honduras. I know that God will have great things for me there and i know that my time there will be very beneficial to my walk and life in general.

Some times, i wonder how i got to this point. Where my life went so right. Its not every day that I hear about a individual that is following there heart in this way. I feel very blessed to be in this position.

It still hasn't hit me yet i can feel that i am running out of time. just over 2 weeks left before i leave. And every weekend is packed and the weekdays are filling just as fast. So since this is my first blog in regards to Honduras ill keep it short.

Keep praying for me everyone!
John