Some of you will have the opportunity to hold this newsletter in your hands next week, but until then I’m trying out various forms of getting our newsletter in front of as many people as possible. If you would like more info our the ministry of LTW or would like to be added to our mailing list please send an email to info (at) louderthanwords.org.
Archive for the ‘Honduras missions’ Category
Louder Than Words Ministries Fall 2010 Newsletter
September 2, 2010Favorite photos from Honduras 2010 . . .
September 1, 2010
This is the first of a few photos that I plan on sharing on the blog that are among my favorites from our summer ministry in Honduras. I don’t know how many pictures I took this summer, but I’m certain that it was over 4000. I’m not sure this one is my most favorite, but it is certainly in the top 5. This photo was taken in the small village of El Rosario, Intibuca, Honduras. I met Maura because we were putting a floor in her home. She was a very bashful young lady who liked to have her picture taken. Not unlike most Honduras she didn’t want to smile for the camera.
Last week I was confronted with an intriguing question about this picture. ”What is she saying?” was the question Erick Sanchez asked as he looked at this photo last week. So, I ask you the same question this week. When you look into those dark brown eyes what is Maura saying to you?
Marlon can hear . . .
August 31, 2010It’s been amazing around our house for the past couple days. On Wednesday of last week Marlon received his hearing aids. For the past several weeks he had become so excited about getting them. He would take Mariah’s cochlear implants and try to stick them on his head and then tell me that he couldn’t hear anything. When we would tell him that his “ears” were coming he would start jumping up and down and grinning from ear to ear.
It has only been a couple days and he’s already learned to say “bye-bye” and “poo poo” and use them appropriately. I taught him one of those words and Amy taught him the other. I’m sure you can figure out which one was my word. For those of you who don’t know much about hearing aids and hearing disabilities, it will be a long road for him as he learns to hear and to speak. If you think about a baby learning to communicate, it sometimes can take two years before they learn to communicate using verbal language.
We are grateful for the help Marlon has received from Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates (CEENTA), Phonak and Terry Jordan (audiologist) for facilitating all the help Marlon has received so far. CEENTA and Terry Jordan have donated their time and services and Phonak donated the hearing aids and an abundant supply of batteries for them. Marlon would have never had the opportunity to hear if it would not have been for these generous donations!! (BTW, the Don King hairdo is gone . . . I wish I would have cut it before the doctors appt.)
For those of you who know Marlon, please continue to pray for his hearing. It’s already amazing how much he can hear and I know that as smart as he is he will progress rapidly. It’s been fun to witness him hearing things like music for the first time. He was amazed at a friends house over the weekend to hear a dog bark! He even started to “bark” back at the dog!! Even today, he came running down from the upstairs to tell us that David and Mackenzie scared him with a loud noise while he was playing with his matchbox cars. He was so excited about being startled by noise! I’ll update again soon with a video so that you can get a better picture of his hearing/speaking abilities. Until then, we would appreciate your prayers for Marlon and our family.
Marlon in NC Update #5 – Post Surgery
June 7, 2010Well, he didn’t hate me, but he lost it when I put that backless gown on him! Marlon’s surgery went very well. It was difficult to explain to him what was about to happen, but he did better than I would have done. Dr. Parsons was incredible. He prayed with Marlon before the surgery and even came in on his day off to do the surgery! Terry Jordan, Marlon’s audiologist was with us and helped comfort him before and after the surgery.
A couple weeks before surgery I would ask him occasionally to breathe through his nose. It was extremely difficult for him and sounded like someone sucking air through a straw that was being pinched off. After the surgery Dr. Parsons said that Marlon’s adenoids were so big that they had forked and were growing into his nasal passages! When we got home and he became coherent, I asked him to breathe through his nose. When he drew air in his eyes widened and a huge grin came across his face. It was like, “I’ve never done that before!” Later that afternoon I asked him to do it again and as he expelled the air he said, “aaahhh.”
On Wednesday, I’ll head back to Honduras with Marlon. I have mixed emotions about it! We still don’t have his hearing aids and are exploring options to move the mountains to get him back for more hearing treatment. I’ll write more on that later . . . .
Marlon in NC update #4 – Surgery
June 2, 2010“I hope he doesn’t hate me after tomorrow!” That’s my thought as I think about taking Marlon for his surgery tomorrow morning. It’s hard to explain to a deaf kid that doesn’t have a language that he’s going to have surgery. I’m praying that all goes well with the procedure to open up his nasal passages and take out his adenoids goes well. I’ve also been thinking about how he will tell us if he’s in pain. I guess that should be evident, but I’m a little nervous. So, I know a couple of you will read this before 6:30 a.m. (06/03) If you are one of those please say a prayer for him and for Dr. Parsons. If you read this after 8:00 a.m. you can pray for a speedy and pain free recovery. I’ll give an update tomorrow afternoon.
Oh, by the way, Marlon learned to ride a bike in the past couple weeks!
Headed to Honduras . . .
March 22, 2010In less that 24 hours all seven of us will be in Honduras again. I am excited about the opportunity to provide a camp for two orphanages in Honduras. I’m not at all excited about our TACA adventure on the way down to Honduras, but I’m never excited about traveling on airplanes with 5 children!
For those of you who pray and are reading this blog post please say a prayer for our travels tomorrow. I know Daniel is a little nervous because the last leg of our trip is on a turbo prop jet! I’m a little concerned that all our luggage gets there with us. We do, however, have a few days before the first team arrives so as long as we make it we’ll be fine! I’ll write more this week from Honduras on our upcoming camps for orphans until then enjoy a picture from last year’s camp.
Video – Honduras Orphan Camps 2010
February 24, 2010I admit it’s not the greatest promo video, but when all you have is iMovie HD it works! I made this video to promo a special project for the children’s small groups at our church (Bethlehem Church). If you have questions about this year’s camps or would like to sponsor and orphan to go to camp you can email me (info (at) louderthanwords(dot)org). You can sponsor an orphan’s trip to camp by giving securely online here: SEND AN ORPHAN TO CAMP.
Body Shop Bible Studies
February 11, 2010A couple months ago while in Honduras I had the opportunity to attend a bible study at a local body shop in Tegucigalpa. The bible study was started by two of my friends in Tegucigalpa (Esdras and Daniel). One of the guys at the body shop asked them if they would come once a week and teach a bible study. They whole-heartedly agreed and began going each Wednesday at lunch. The news must be spreading because a few weeks ago another body shop approached the guys about doing one at their place. I’m excited for these guys because they are “taking the Gospel” to the streets. Well, maybe not to the streets, but out into the public workplace.
This is a challenge to me because too many times we as North Americans build buildings where the Gospel is proclaimed. If you don’t come to the building then you don’t hear the message of Jesus. We don’t intentionally think that the message of Jesus can only be taught in a church, but too few of us talk about Jesus in the places we work or the stores we frequent. The Good News of Jesus cannot be contained in a building! This is challenging to me. If people are going to see Jesus in me then I’ve got to go to places where they need to see Jesus. I’ve got to talk about Jesus. If we only talk about Jesus in church then many who need to hear the Good News will likely miss it. I may not have access to a local body shop in which to teach the bible, but I certainly have opportunities each week to share the Good News of Jesus. What about you?
