Update #2 - Continued construction on new orphan facility

Hello friends,

It's that time again...to update you all on the progress we are making on the new orphan facility. I last made a blog post on September 10th and as you can see from these new photos, we have made significant progress.

I am not sure if I have made this clear, but we are praying toward the goal of being able to move the children into the new orphan facility by December 31 this year. We received another donation that was marked specifically for the building project and we are using that money to build the septic system for all the bathrooms on the property. This project should be completed around the same time as the new dormitory (second story stucture).

We are all so very excited about the reality of being able to move into this new facility. Four years ago, the orphanage held the first church service out on the property where a small group of members prayed that there would one day be the voices of numerous fatherless children filling the air. At that time he buried a bible near where this two story structure is being built as a "sybolic" gesture...a gesture that signified his belief that God would provide the way to complete the orphanage. After all, doesn't the old hymn make a point in reminding us that we should always be "Standing on the promises of God!!!!" Well, as of today we are much closer to that reality than four years ago. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness!

By the way, we are receiving ANOTHER true orphan tomorrow morning (October 12th). He is 10 years old and will be the 15th child that the Lord has placed here. Please pray that all goes well with his transition.

With love and thanks,

Lance, Sarita, Joshua and Caleb


This first pic was taken on August 28, 2009...one of the first days of construction on the second story dormitory



These next 6 pics were taken from August to October...

This is the latest photo and was taken on Friday October 10th...the only reason we haven't bricked up the front of the second story is because we are still waiting on a local architect to design a nice looking front to the building...

Various photos of workers and construction

Pouring the vertical concrete supports...

Carrying up concrete and/or gravel to the second floor....

Workers doing various things...

Various stages of construction...

Humberto's Baptism!

Hello everyone,

I sent out an earlier blog in September explaining how Humberto desired to build his own baptistry...which he did! You can find that blog by going to the September posts.

Then on September 27th, he was baptized in the baptistry he had made with his own hands...now that is pretty neat don't you think. His wife was also baptized as Humberto and pastor C have spent much time with her discussing her salvation and profession of faith in Christ. What a day...husband and wife baptized the same day!

Because we were having the baptism out at the property, we decided to hold the worship service out at the property as well so we all met in the almost finished first phase structure. There is a lot more room in the new facility than where we meet now and one day will be holding all of our services at the property.

Please continue to pray for Humberto and his family as they are learning to live their lives for Christ and not just for themselves. Pray that the Lord would continue to lead Humberto that he might be able to lead his family. Praise God for His awesome work in the life of this dear brother!


Some pics of that blessed day!!!!

Pics of our worship service....



We have about 30 children that come to service every week...including the children of the orphange...



Pastor C passionately preaching the glories of Christ!



Two pics of Humberto singing praises to the Lord...






Here we are making our way down to the baptistry after the church service...



Here we are carrying one of our members down to the baptistry...her name is Amelia and she is a widow...she can can barely walk as one of her legs does not function as it should



I spent much time trying to make the baptistry and surrounding area look as nice as possible for the baptism. I built up the area with the dirt that we removed from the hole for the baptistry and then I brought some nice gravel down from the facility construction site and laid it around the baptistry and then I cut down all the tall weeds and old corn stalks that surrounded the baptistry because I thought that all the spectators would be standing back a bit from the front of the baptistry...well boy was I wrong!

Everyone just gathered directly around the baptisty and got a bird's eye view of what was going one...but that is the way it is down down here so who was I to rock the boat and make everyone stand back...




Pastor C and Humberto in the baptistry!!!!

Oh, how sweet is this picture!!!!!

Here is Humberto giving pastor C a hand with baptizing Humberto's wife....

The two new creations that are walking in newness of life....

Humberto's immediate family....well most of them anyway...he has several more brothers that didn't come...

Me and my family with Humberto and his....

Just the guys...

Then we continued the celebration by having a special chicken dinner....mmmm, mmmm, good!!

that's all for now