Feeding Program

 Some of you might remember my dream of starting a feeding program here in Puerto Lempira for poor and street children. Well that dream is very quickly becoming a reality with the launch of the feeding program set for December 30th! We plan to work with almost 200 poor and street children in Puerto Lempira. This program will provide a sports time, worship time, a lesson about who the Lord is and how to begin a relationship with him, and then a meal.

 

A group from Auburn is coming to help kick off the program but we need your help to continue this program as a Saturday program throughout the year.We are stepping out in faith believing that the Lord has provided everything thus far and if this is His will He will continue to provide.

I can not wait to share all the cool God stories of how this program has come together.

 

  

Haley Harvey a volunteer wrote this letter to help raise funds. I wanted to share it with all of you.

 

As some of you know, I spent part of last summer with my good friend Morgan Hayden in Puerto Lempira, Honduras. Since I can't get there to see her this Christmas break I'm trying to help her out in other ways. (If I've already driven you crazy with stories about her and such, skip to the ** part!)

Morgan graduated from Auburn University this past year and is now a missionary in Puerto Lempira, Honduras. Last summer when I went to live with her, Hondurans even told me I was crazy for wanting to visit there. This is the only "city" in the entire region of Gracias A Dios.  The region is separated from civilization by jungle, mountains, and rivers-Google Map it and you'll see no roads. The only way to get here is by boat or plane. The first language of most people here is not Spanish like the rest of the country, it is Miskito. There are numerous tribes of indigenous peoples in the region that live hours up river and have no access things I consider basic human rights, such as basic medical care and education. Some of the Miskito Indians relocate to Puerto Lempira. The only reason this town exists is because of the drug cartel; it is extremely secluded from the rest of the country so the "narcos" don't have to worry about much interference while trafficking. At night gun fire and the occasional grenade explosion can be heard as the top drug families fight each other.

During one of her many trips visiting this region and numerous signs from God, Morgan fell in love with a baby girl dying from severe malnourishment. The grandmother of the baby brought her to Morgan and pleaded with her to save the her. No one besides Morgan would touch her; people thought she had AIDS and was a lost cause. That little girl is now chubby, happy, and thriving. Morgan aptly named her Grace and is now in the process of adopting her. Soon Morgan is going to begin the process of building a home so she can take in more children and show the love of Christ to many more. (Reminds me of Matthew 25:40)

**My college ministry at First Baptist Church Opelika is sending a group of students during Christmas break to live with her and help her kickstart her street kid feeding program. Along with this, we are collecting money to get these children in school. Elementary school in Puerto Lempira is free but uniforms and shoes are expensive. I'm talking about kids that are diving in trashcans to find food and addicted to huffing glue to take away the pains of hunger- they don't have spare cash to buy uniforms. We want to get these kids in school. Most of these street boys are recruited by the Drug Cartel and end up murdered or in prison. We want to provide them with an education so that another brighter future is possible.

The goal is to feed as many children as possible spiritually and physically and get as many as we can enrolled in school ( starting in February).

We are looking for sponsors to commit to a one time donation ranging from $10-$50.

10 dollars supports a child to come to the feeding program for one month (300 needed)
 15 dollars buys a child a pair of shoes (150 needed)
20 dollars buys a child a Bible (150 needed)
25 dollars buys a child school supplies for one year (150 needed)
30 dollars buys a child a uniform for one year (150 needed)
40 dollars supports a woman to cook for the feeding program for one month (12 needed)
50 dollars provides fruit for the feeding program once a month (12 needed)



Morgan is only 22 years old and has already found God's calling for her life. Living with her made it apparent to me that God's hand is on her ministry. If your heart is leading you to help financially, great! If not, praying for her and these kids is just as important if not more important.


To make a donation you can write a check to 100xmissions and in the memo write Root Ministries and mail it to 1228 Carmichael Way Montgomery, AL. 36106

OR if you prefer to donate online you can go to www.100xmissions.org but BE SURE TO TYPE "Root Ministries" in the memo box.

If you have questions and would like to talk to me further about the program feel free to email me at morganlhayden@gmail.com

This is an update of all the new in our lives

like...

A computer and internet in my house! Thanks for this big surprise to my amazing brothers, Amanda, the Women of Purpose,

and Laura (the coordinator of it all).

excuse the crazy hair... I live in La Moskitia ( that justifies everything right?) The picture is to show Grace using the computer for art!

A stove has been built to cook the meals for the Feeding Program that will begin in around a month! ( email me if you would like to help sponsor a child to come)

We have a faithful watchdog.. well kind of. Meet Puppy!

Grace is starting to potty train on her new potty a gift from a sweet friend in the States.

THANKSGIVING TREE

Yep that is what you see. Thanksgiving is not something Hondurans celebrate but this year the kids in my english class in a way celebrated Thanksgiving with a twist. We traced our hands and in ENGLISH wrote something we were thankful for and then cut them out and decorated our classroom with a tree.

So since you probably can't read those what are they thankful for?

Family they named different family members (probably because that is the latest thing we learned) and playing soccer. Gotta love them!

What am I thankful for?

I am thankful for the families of Americans here who have become my family in Honduras.

I am thankful for each of you who dedicate so much of your time to simply be my voice and the voice of the Miskito people in the States. I am thankful for those of you who give so that we can simply be the ones who get to love on these children daily. I am thankful for those of you I have never met face to face but you continue to collect items so that these hands will have something special to open on Christmas.

I am thankful that even though I said I would never be a teacher I somehow stumbled upon teaching almost 200 street children English and I LOVE it.

I am thankful for the hours spent lifting us up in prayer. I am thankful for the words of encouragement that keep me going when the going gets hard.

I am thankful that I get to be mommy to the spunkiest Miskito princess around.


I am thankful for a God who is so much bigger than I can fathom. For a God who has gigantic plans for Root Ministries than I could NEVER EVER dream of. For a God who loves us!

What are you thankful for this year?

At the end of October I had the opportunity to go to a Women of Purpose Conference for missionary women of Honduras in Tegucigalpa.  An amazing retreat I cannot even begin to put into words, a time to relax, and rest in the Lord presence, to feel that Love we try to pour out onto those we serve. It was so cool to watch the Lord work in getting all four of the missionary women here to that conference. A group of women in West Virginia put on a conference in West Virginia once a year that 600 women attend at that conference they ask the women to support a missionary to come to the same conference that they put on later that year in Honduras. The missionary women for all around Honduras are able to travel, eat, and sleep at this retreat because of those women in West Virginia.  Here is the problem number one… we live a little farther out than most. So where others simply had to take a bus all four of us would have to take a plane before we could take that bus. So the lady who organized the retreat sent us an email and said if the plane was paid for how many of yall could come.   Problem number two I was not about to leave Grace so she was going to have to be able to come and then I would need to find someone in a city I don’t know to watch her during the conference. A few days later an email saying that a donor donated 1000 dollars BUT specifically for travel of women who would not be able to come to the conference otherwise. If you are doing the math 4 of us at 250 a plane ticket is EXACTLY 1000 dollars. They had no clue about us.  Another email from the conference organizer that Grace could stay in HER own house and her nanny could take care of her. 

At that point completely blown away and amazed by the Lord we boarded the plane. We went up on a mountain to a retreat center and had a time I could talk about forever. We all came home on a “mountaintop high”.

A few days after we came home I felt like I was free falling off that mountain and the clear direction I had only a short time before was now all gone.

Before we left for the retreat several things that had been falling into place so quickly seemed as though they were the Lord’s will and they were good and it was happening so fast how could it not be the Lord. Everything was a done deal we would complete when I returned.

Well all of that GONE.

I sat in an office ready to pay for land and heard the words SORRY I can’t sale you that land.

What do you mean you can’t sale me the land you said you would sale me that land at that price as something you could give me to start out.  But the feeding program is going to be there and the house where I can raise my children is going to be there.

A simple Sorry I cant do that price. Was all I got.

I felt so confused stunned sad hurt and lost. I couldn’t even see where to begin again.

Then I heard the TRUTH loud and clear.

Get it together. I closed that door for a reason. TRUST ME. Follow Me. The Lord saying I have something planned and I can not wait to show you it is going to be so much more than anything that you could ever dream of.

I say all of this humbly coming before those of you who have supported the purchase of the land and asking that you stick with me. I am in awe of your support and do not take one penny of it for granted. I know the sacrifices each of you has made to provide for us and I am forever grateful. I continually pray that the Lord closes the doors on things that are not HIS will and while I feel completely blind right now I can cling to the Truth that He is who He says He is and He knows the plans. I have begun the process of looking for land yet again knowing that the Lord does have the perfect place for us and I just have to trust Him to lead me there.

I am asking all of you to cling tight to those truths with me and to come before the Throne and plead His LIGHT lead us.

Honduran experience #4

What is one word to describe your experience?
-Challenging

What was your first impression when you got off the plane?
-I've been on many different kinds of planes all my life and landed on all types of runways but that dirt, pothole filled runway was by far the worst. My first thought after stepping out of the plane was --Lord, Help me survive this experience. And then I saw Morgan and Grace and I felt a huge sigh of relief!

How was your experience diffferent than you imagined?
-I thought it would be more rewarding but instead I was angered and frustrated that I could not help everyone there.

Where did you see the Lord during your time here?
-In Morgan, Lily, and the Waits family. True believers who live for the Lord and want to spread the love of Jesus Christ.

What was your favorite part of your trip?
-I enjoyed the walking through the village and just enjoying each day to the fullest. It was nice not being in the hustle of everyday life with traffic and the radio and cellphones. Reminded me of what is important in life and what isn't.

What was hard for you to see or do?
-The hospital broke my heart. Healthcare is something we as US citizens take for granted. Also, the living conditions are pitiful. 10+ people living in a one room hut is hard to even imagine let alone actually see.

What do you feel like the Lord taught you during you time in PL?
-Patience. And He reminded me to treat others the way I want to be treated. And how you should not have to tell people you are a Christian, people should SEE the Lord in you through your words and your actions.

How did those first impressions change as you got back on that plane headed for the states?
-I survived and it was worth it! And I need to learn Spanish before I go back!

Honduran Experience #3

What is one word to describe your experience?
life-changing

What was your first impression when you got off the plane?
Dusty. Haha!

How was your experience diffferent than you imagined?
It was emotionally harder than I imagined. I wasn't quite prepared for the heartbreak I experienced.

Where did you see the Lord during your time here?
In Morgan and the Waitts. Despite the circumstances there was constant joy for serving and for the people in the community.

What was your favorite part of your trip?
Going to the hospital. Not. My favorite part was the children. Grace, Henry, the kids at Send Hope, the kids in the street.

What was hard for you to see or do?
Waching the papa K slice open a mothers uterus.
It was hard for me to hear the stories of abuse and abandonment of the children.

What do you feel like the Lord taught you during you time in PL?
God showed me his heart in a way. I came home very sad, confused, and pessimistic. I couldn't quite grasp why many of the kids have to live through certain things and lack many of the basic human rights such as love, food, and education. He gently reminded me that He knows. He feels all of the pain. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." God will one day bless the children struggling right now in Puerto Lempira and the surrounding villages if they come to the knowledge of Him. Like Psalm 27:10 says, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me." No matter how much I hate it, suffering is going to happen. God reminded me that my job is to spread His good name so that one day they may have no suffering and much rejoicing with Him in heaven.