United Families

This has been an amazing time with my family this month.  I usually spend about 3 weeks in the States when I come home from Honduras.  Usually 3 weeks are about all the girls can do without them getting a little antsy.  However, this time, we had Ken and Katrina Bethea stay the first week I was gone.  Mr. JOE, the granddad of the farm came also. I don't know what I would do without Mr. Joe, that steps in, when I have to step out.   We had Kelsey McHugh who helped with the girls and the director of the girl's new private school, Jake and his wife, Rachael and some of their teachers, who would fill in as needed, keeping the girls focused.

 This was the longest time I have been home to the States in years.  I was to go to my niece's wedding, and be with my mom and dad, stayed with my brothers and sisters and my kids. I got to spend a few days solid, with my grandchildren, going to the movies, picking and boiling peanuts, watching movies and having sleep overs at the family's log cabin. We stomped around the farm and went to Wild Adventures and it was pretty wild.   WE had a large time together.  I loved it and I needed it.  

The Grands

  I saw a lot of my friends and just missed seeing others, but at least I got to touch base.  I met new friends, who are planning to come down one day on a mission and checked in at my church, with Crosspointe's Missions Pastor, Deron Roberts.  I bought school shoes for the girls, who are attending the private bi-lingual school, (Abundant Life Christian School),  at Payless shoes with their by one get the other half price.  People brought in a plethora of very nice dresses and jeans, through my sister-in-law, Susan Steel.  People sent books and other things for the farm to be shipped shortly from the States to Honduras.  It was a very productive time for the ministry, but mostly to me getting to spend time with so many special caring people. 

All that was wonderful, but the best time was preparing for the wedding of my daughter Charisa.  All my girls are list oriented.  I don't know where they get that, but that was not a skill I passed down the family tree.  She and her fiancee' , Mark Lakin, had most of everything under control.  I just had some small jobs to do.  

It was a beautiful wedding to be sure. My dear life long friends, Robin and Kendall Noethe, have catered all my girl's weddings and my son's rehearsal dinner.  They out did themselves yet again. I can not say enough about the gift of service and the  heart of this couple.  Charisa's florist did an amazing job of decorating the venue, called the Peach Barn.  There were a few hiccups in the planning, but Charisa was the most even tempered bride.  She was amazing.

 I have been so blessed at each one of my children's weddings.  I have the best sons-in-laws and daughter-in-law ever.  But what made this wedding different is that it incorporated my family in the States with my family that we raised in  Honduras, with Mark's huge family.   We had two of the girls, who are now women, from Honduras that now live Stateside with their husbands, attend the wedding.  Pat Schaer, Corrie and Daniel came.  They were part of our Honduran family for years.  They played an important part in getting us started on the mission field and of the raising of our girls at PTC.  When we all were assembled along with other family members, board members, and friends of the ministry, that started the first buildings at PTC and people who are very involved in so many ways helping us get the girls raised now. 

We were the group who the Scripture tells us, "that they will know us by the love we have one for another".   It was clear, we had so much love in that room.  So we had our big family and friends united with all of Mark's big family and his friends.  I was on an emotional overload.  I was so blessed, and am still reveling in the sweetest of our time together.  It is going to be like that on a grander scale one day when Jesus gets back.  It is going to be a grand wedding and everybody will joined as a huge family.  There was no Honduran or American group, just family.

My girls and their families

After the newlyweds left, we all jumped in and got the place where the wedding was held at the Peach Barn, back in order.  Nobody was in a hurry to leave really, but we slowly started getting things cleaned up. While cleaning up, I remember yet again how God told me that if I would take care of His kids, He would take care of mine.  God is so faithful.  He has and He continues to take care of me and mine.

The morning before the wedding

The thing is that the "mine"  (which are really His) is growing.  We have a 15 year old girl who is going to have a baby in January.  Her nine year old sister came with her to Project Talitha Cumi.  We have other girls who are on the way.  WE have other interns beside Ken and Katrina that will be walking with us.  We have Suzanne and Wesley Jarrard that are bringing building teams. We have already 13 teams that have planned to come January- June in 2016, who are coming to do medical outreaches and to build house number five.  The vision for the farm has always been for 6 houses.  We wrote down the vision and others have helped us run with it. 

Mary is going to St. Louis to study for the next year and a half!  While I was home I got the tickets.  She has her visa and thanks to Jake and Mirian, Andrea Durall and her husband,  she will be in St. Louis on the 8th of December.  I am amazed at all of the blessings God is sending to our family.  Pray for Mary to adjust to the snow and to life in the States and that God will keep her safe and secure and that in this time that she will grow in Him even more. 

Estephania and Lizzy graduate the first year of the 2 year LPN course.  WE have 5 girls graduating from High School on the 4th of December.  WE have so much to be thankful for.  Thanks to all of you that have helped us get to this point in the lives of the girls.  Thank you for being faithful, by you sacrificial giving and coming to invest into the lives of these wonderful girls.  Pray for all of our new girls and the girls who will be transitioning to college.  

A scripture that I have been hearing and praying,  is that everyone that I know, will know Him, and that they be filled with the fullness of God. I pray that scripture is incorporated in your families.   Blessings, from the Totally and Thankfully Full, Honduran MOM 

Mark Lakin,husband of Charisa