A word or two on our thoughts of late ...

We are considering bringing our time in Madera to an end, probably some time later on this summer. The main reason for this is that we no longer feel the need here at the children’s home that there once was. With the change in directorship there has come a much closer cooperation with, and more support from, the covering organization in Juarez. Also, the increase in interest and support from the local businesses and people here in Madera for the home has been encouraging; not overwhelming, but seemingly steady. This is a good thing; this is why we came here. Our goal from our arrival here has been for Mexican nationals and the local people here in Madera to take the lead in running and supporting the home. Another factor is the number of children now at the home. We don’t work here in view only of the present circumstances but also in view of what may develop in the future, and we work on projects with the hope that the home will some day be operating at full capacity; this being said, the number of needy kids at the home the past months has been consistently low, requiring less resources. While there will always be projects and jobs that can be done, we have felt lately that the long-term need for someone in our capacity here does not warrant the resources we need to live and work here.

A secondary reason that might have kept us here in Madera, that of our commitment to Eduventure, has disappeared with the announcement a couple weeks ago of the closing of Eduventure’s Mexico campus. Enrollment has been low for several semesters; this year it was substantially below the cutoff point for holding a semester and the decision was made by the leadership to pull the plug. This is a sad, but not at all unexpected development for us.

And so as we look forward to a new chapter, we would covet your prayers concerning the decision of what to do next. At this point we have two options we are considering. The first is the most simple – to re-enter the workforce somewhere and return to life as we knew it. This would mean looking for work over the next months in the US and also potentially in Mexico and other countries.

The second option involves moving south and joining forces for a time with a missionary family in Honduras that we have come to know. Allen and Trish Sowers are with Missionary Ventures International (MVI) and have been in Honduras since 2001. They are involved in supporting more than 200 protestant pastors in western Honduras, building a bible training center, starting a feeding center, and a myriad of other projects. They have been begging for help for several months as the evangelical growth and request for teaching and discipleship in the area is mushrooming but they don’t have the personnel and resources meet the potential. Our roles there would be primarily related to construction, logistics, and potentially office help. Our plan initially would be to move to Honduras for a period of several months and see how things go, how we and our abilities fit. If things look good, we could potentially stay there for years, possibly joining MVI in the process. The Sowers have a website that gives more information about their work in Honduras : http://www.sowers4pastors.com/.

At this point we’re not really sure which of the above options we would prefer. During our time here we have come to love the Latin American culture and would love to continue working here, especially moving further south into new regions. On the other hand, there are some benefits to returning to the US, particularly related to our children and extended family.

In the end, a great deal of our decision will be made for us by the level of financial support we find for the work in Honduras. To this end, we are asking our supporters to communicate to us their intentions and anticipations concerning support for the foreseeable future. Whether people are excited about the Honduras potential and can continue to be involved, or if economic hardships and cutbacks are on the horizon, please let us know. Whatever the direction we find ourselves moving in the months ahead, we are confident that God will direct, and He will provide, and we ask for your prayers in following His leading.

Alan and Faith Hayes