Dan, the constructor, is progressing in his extra ciricular studies (home construction) very well, however. He is building on a bigger scale now. He asks Pedro, Esperanza and Michael for help sometimes, but only if he needs laborers. They had a strike one day when Danny failed to pay them their pretend wages. It was hilarious, quite a racket ensued. Danny gave in when I reminded him of possible future needs for helpers and the limited labor pool situation. He got it!

Thank the Lord and all of our supporters, the children are all in the same private school that Danny is in. The class sizes are so outrageous in the public school that Pedro’s and Esperanza’s grades were suffering last year. In the past they always made good grades but the increase in the number of students (38-40) per class is not a good learning environment for our two most timid children. Michael is doing better as well.

The children went on some field trips during their winter break. We took them to the hot water falls at Finca Paraiso a couple of times and they all had a wonderful time. Danny likes to stand on the boulders in the river and let the hot water beat down on his back. He will befriend anyone who is using “his” spot so that he can enjoy it with them. Amazing! Michael has graduated to jumping off the boulders into the river with Pedro and Jairon. Almost all of them have worked up to going into the little cave at the foot of the waterfall to enjoy a facial steam bath.

Teresa, a cruiser who lives on her boat in Rio Dulce, has been volunteering every Saturday here at the ranch. She is such a blessing! She brings ideas, supplies, patterns, and her expertise to work with the children. She has taught them how to make jewelry out of wire and beads, beautiful! They have sewed purses, glasses cases, and wallets. We are now learning to cross-stitch. Last year we entered two arts and crafts fairs and the children sold some of their things. It was a great experience for them to learn a little about business and was very motivating. They really like having some personal spending money.

We hosted a team from Sarasota, Florida that did a great VBS for the children in the community and the younger children of the ranch. Everyone on the team was a big blessing to Mike and me as will. Our older children were able to participate by helping with the different crafts and games groups. The team was wonderful and our children were so blessed to be able to work side by side with them. So were we!

Rebekah was part of that team and she came back months later with her son Jesse and they worked with our children to teach them the order of all the books in the Bible and had daily devotions with them. I was amazed when Rebekah attained her goal of teaching the kids every single book in order. She was only here for a few days! She also brought supplies and tools and taught the kids another way to make jewelry. We had a lot of fun and even adventure when we explored a wet cave not far from the ranch.

We have Bible study three times a week and church service on Sunday. It is a lot easier to follow pastor Benito to all the reference verses now that the children know where to find everything. If I don’t know, I look to one of them for guidance. Note: I wasn’t able to make it to Rebekah’s classes, maybe next time!

We are so blessed by the children’s’ love for the Lord and their serving hearts. Angelica, Suleidy, Maria (Francisca), and Lucia still lead worship on Sunday and do a good job. Idalia (Benito’s wife) and Angelica teach Sunday school for the children. It is wonderful to see the Lord at work in their hearts through the decisions they are making and the morals they display. Some of the teenagers at their school refer to them as “Karen’s Angels”. It is meant as a put-down (like goody-two-shoes) but we take it as a complement and trust that they will continue to be beacons for Jesus Christ.

We would like to thank each and every one of you for all your prayer and financial support. And with your love, involvement, and encouragement, Rayo de Esperanza continues to be greatly blessed by God through you all in so many different ways. We are truly blessed to be a part of the Body of Christ with you. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. With Him, all things are possible. All praise and glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Be blessed and joyful in the Lord!

Love always,
Karen, Mike, Angelica, Maria, Suleidy, Lucia, Esperanza, Pedro, Danny, Michael, Vilma, Benito, Idalia, Nataly, Idania, Fabiola, Fernando, Don Oscar, Oscar, Chivete, & Anibal

Please Note: You may have to refresh your browser to bring in the video on screen. If you are unable to view the presentation from this site, you can view it directly on YouTube by clicking here.

July 10-17
Sarasota Calvary Chapel will be conducting our VBS Program.

July 25-30
Group from Lubbock, TX to help with repairs and hang out with the kids.

July 27
Wheelchair Distribution with Bethal Ministries

So…. A few updates on the ministry:
It is such a blessing to have all the workers join together for Bible study 3 mornings a week. Saturday night, the youth meet at 5pm and adults at 6pm. Then we do a little more in depth study on Sunday mornings. Now and then, we enjoy a meal together afterwards. The children have their own Sunday School and everyone seems to be enjoying our Sunday morning worship format.

As most of you know, we are not a typical ministry. We don’t have a stateside organization generating funds for us. We have a board that serves us well, but we rely 100% on God working through you all to meet these tangible needs. You can find our latest requests by going to our ‘NEEDS’ tab on this site, (or click here) to review these requests.

We also ask that you pray about how you may be led to join in God’s work down here. We appreciate all of your prayers and support. Without you, this project would not be. Feel free to contact us directly for more specific information or to even schedule a trip down. We love seeing new faces at the ranch!

Kid’s Cement Swimming Pool
The little swimming pool is also a hit but will not last much longer, it is rubber and can not hold up to all of them playing in it. For now it has been a life saver, it has been extremely hot and dry for the last month or so. It is our desire to build a cement pool that would last for a long time. Estimated need to fulfill: $1,000

Vehicle Repairs
The rainy season is coming. As it is now I have to pull the van up the driveway 2 out of 3 times. When the rains do come, it will no longer be possible to get up the driveway. Because of this, we are in real need of help repairing the van. Estimated need to fulfill: $3,000

We also need tires for the truck. We got 30,000 miles from this set, however, now, they are like slicks. We were able to replace the rear tires on the van but will need fronts soon also. Estimated need to fulfill: $1,000

Additional Living Quarters
We have been praying about the direction and timing of the next house. It is started but we have not done any construction for a long time. Estimated need to fulfill: $20,000

And…. A humble request for your continued support
Monthly gifts are what keeps us afloat with food, clothing, and daily items. Any amount helps, but the general fund has dwindled a bit with the economy. If it fits in your budget, we would greatly appreciate your monthly support. Hopefully it would also serve as an opportunity for you to check our website to see what’s new here at the ranch. Would you prayerfully consider $25/$50/$100/month?

We would ask that you pray about how you may be led to join in God’s work down here. We appreciate all of your prayers and support; without you this project would not be.

God is blessing us here at Rancho Esperanza in so many ways. I love how He uses different people and organizations in various ways to provide for His project and to touch all of our lives. He gives us all different gifts and abilities and urges us to use them in His service. We want to thank you all for being there when and where we need you most and for affording us the privilege of being here with the children and our community.

Because of the things you do, the children feel loved and cared about by you, and they often speak of those of you who have visited, usually asking when you will return. To them, and us, there is no such thing as a casual friendship or acquaintance. We are one big “familia loca”. The children are growing and continue to move forward in the healing process.

Danny just turned 8 years old and has been participating more in his bathing and dressing routines for a while now. He also enjoys and even demands the company of others. He is no longer stuck in his own private world. Danny hasn’t had any seizure activity for over two years and his Tourette symptoms are a little milder. Praise God! He is our own little “Bob the Builder”; drawing, building, and talking houses constantly. In the past Danny was so afraid of water, even in the bathtub. But now he is a fearless little fish in the pool. He is very intelligent but school is another chapter so please continue to pray.

Michael (6yrs.) really doesn’t like kindergarten, but puts up with it and does his work and homework. He’s in it for the social outlet, recess, and snack-time. He has mysterious illnesses on school days sometimes but never on a weekend. I remember that from my childhood too, therefore, it doesn’t play out very well for him. He loves to dress up in home-made costumes and become Zorro or a super hero or a cowboy. One time he ran out of the bedroom yelling UNDERWEAR-MAN! We were all laughing so hard because he had a pair on his head and of course one in the normal place, socks on his hands and feet and nothing else.

Esperanza turned 12 this month and is still pretty quiet but always has a smile for everyone. She is doing very well in school and loves to spend a lot of time in the swimming pool. Esperanza is our “dog whisperer” and is in charge of the pack (4). They love her and she loves them very much. It is important for her to care for them and have a special role that is hers alone. She is very creative and surprised me with an embroidered servieta (tea towel or tortilla wrap) for Mother’s Day. It is beautiful!

Pedro (11 yrs.) is doing well and is much more responsive. We no longer see the deer-in-the-headlights expression on his face. He doesn’t freeze up under the slightest pressure at home or at school anymore. He is learning new coping skills. He continues to be my shadow and will do anything that I am doing in order to be with me. I won’t complain about that! Okay, well, occasionally I have to ask him to remove his head from my close-work . Just so you know, in Guatemala it is traditional for boys and men to sew and embroider. Pedro also embroidered a beautiful servieta for me. He pays attention to everything and soaks up information like a sponge. This only gets him in trouble with the other children when he shares his comments and opinions on everything, at the table during meals and they call him “chute” (busy-body). This only serves to encourage his commentaries.

Lucia (14yrs.) recently had a school assignment regarding world peace. It started with writing something about whether or not there was peace at home for her. She wrote, “We have peace in our home because Jesus is the center of our family.” I was so blessed by reading her work, especially the beginning. She finds it difficult to express her emotions, although she has a dry wit and can be very funny. She has found a safe outlet of expression in her art, crafts, and writing. She is extremely talented at whatever she puts her hands to.

Francisca (16yrs.) is doing very well in school and she is doing double-duty. Last year she was in a 4th & 5th grade combo course through a private school in order to catch up with the other three girls her age. We thought she could be in 6th grade with them this year but the public elementary school system will not recognize the private school combo diploma. So we unofficially put her in public school with the other girls (thanks to the principal) and also had to enroll her in the private school to receive a 6th grade diploma. Supposedly the junior-high school will accept it. Chivete is tutoring her in math and she just took her mid-term exams in San Luis Saturday. She felt very good about them and was grinning ear to ear when we walked out of the office. It is so good to see her self-confidence soar!

Angelica (16yrs.) is also doing very well in school and has been an honor guard (for flag) in the acto civico at school. Only the children with the highest grades are given this honor. Lucia, Esperanza and Suleidy have also been honor guards this year. Angelica is very close to Michael and is his mother-hen. She is very thoughtful and is interested in natural science and communication. She always costs us the most at the paper store for school projects. She goes the extra mile to have the prettiest whatever-the-project. She is our take-charge girl at home and away. Who would have dreamed of this three years ago? God is great!

Suleidy (16yrs.) is doing well and has really been concentrating on her school work for the first time. It is such a blessing to see her study more and actually be proud of her achievements. And being the one to say to me that she couldn’t learn to crochet, she now crochets purses without so much as a pattern! Which is a lot more than the teacher (I) can do! Suleidy has had some hard knocks this year regarding her status in the system, broken dreams and disappointments. We are working through them and she continues to make progress. While we are not her blood-relations, or her fantasy-only-child-perfect adoptive family, I feel that she is beginning to understand that the love offered her here need only be accepted in order to be complete. Jesus explains this to us in so many ways. It is up to us to accept His love too.

We changed elementary schools this year for all the children and it has been very good for everyone. The new school is much more formal and more challenging. I have to transport them but its worth it. And with Jairon in junior-high, Ilda in college, Michael in kindergarten, and the rest in elementary, I spend a lot of time in the van Monday through Friday. We give thanks every day for the van and those who bought it.

We give thanks and remember you all because we have a beautiful roof over our heads, good food on the table, clean clothes to wear, good safe transportation, good equipment for building and maintenance, a computer for the children and two for us, sewing machines, craft supplies, toys, fruit trees, dogs, cows and horses, all of which help to create the environment in which the children are thriving. Your love and support is priceless. We are forever grateful and we thank God for you each and every day.

Love always,
Karen (Mike & Family)
Yee-hah!!!

I was welcomed with open arms and joyful faces. Right when I walked out of the car, I was embraced by a child I have never seen before. I was overwhelmed with love! A love that has no boundaries. A love that is driven by Christ and not by the world. When I felt this abiding love, my heart was seized by a family; a family with no pre-assumed judgments or possible grudges, but a family that accepted me because I am a child of God.

I had felt at home in a culture that only looks to oneself for satisfaction and comfort. This home, however, has been knit together by the love of Christ. It was started with children who were burdened with the terrors of the world, but now they have a new life. The two people that have accepted their mission from Christ (Mike and Karen) are making it possible for these children to accept, and also, to give love. I have not only been embraced by the children, but also by Mike and Karen. They have shown me perfect humility and patience in times where both almost seemed unattainable. It is incredible how Christ works. He provides love for us so we can then give that same love to others.

Thanks Mike and Karen for opening up your lives to me and sharing God’s love with me! I’ve enjoyed my stay and cannot wait to be in contact with your lives again!

Please Note: You may have to refresh your browser to bring in the video on screen. If you are unable to view the presentation from this site, you can view it directly on YouTube by clicking here.

LISTED BELOW ARE OUR CURRENT NEEDS FOR RAYO.
Thank you for considering how you might help us keep the project moving forward!

Regular Monthly Expenses (This list shown PER MONTH)
Livestock food and meds $100
Employees pay $2,435
Electricity $450
Propane $150-$160 (per 2 months)
Food $800 (one week per child $25×8 = $200×4)

One-Time Expenses
2 pairs of shoes for all 12 kids (1 for school, 1 for regular) $600 ($20-$25 each)
Dryer repair $100
Large capacity dryer
Ceiling fans (4) $400
Driveway repair $1,200
20 gallons of paint $300
Tires for pick up $800
Refrigerator for Leti
Tables and chairs for Sunday school
Shelving $100
Bedroom air conditioning $100

House Construction:
To finish the walls:
Block $1,350
Cement $1,250
Sand and Gravel $770
Steel $1,500
TOTAL: $4,870

We hope you will be able to take some time and browse our new website’s features and updates. We have just added a ‘Needs’ tab that will keep you posted with any current prayer and financial needs. Right now, you can view our educational needs for Silvia. Please don’t forget to visit our Friends and Supporters links as well. And for your convenience, we have our Facebook link on our blogroll. It means a lot to us that you are visiting us through this means…and don’t forget, you can sign our new Guestbook, too! We will be updating regularly now that we have a platform to do so. Again, thank you for all that you have done for RDE to this point. We are excited to see where God takes us!

Enrollment, once a year=Q320 $42.66
Tuition for 10 months=Q5400 $720
Books, 1st year = Q880 $117.33
Uniforms, 1st year = Q550 $77.30

Funds can now be received online through our donation page. An optional memo line is available during the checkout process.

Thank you!