New Blog Site

Here is a link to our new blog. Please check this one out.

http://together4transformation.blogspot.com/

Accepting an Invitation

Last Weekend, 20 people accepted God's invitation. I was privileged to be part of the beautiful ceremony where these individuals made a public decalartion of their love for God.

I have been part of some amazing church movements in the past including Washington Cathedral and Gainesville Outreach. Here in Honduras, it is different. I cant quite put a finger on the difference or even articulate it. It is just different. God is definitely doing something and I am glad to be a part of it at AFE and our church here, Amor y Vida.

About a month ago, I spoke at our church about baptism. In a nutshell, I explained that baptism was our accepting God’s invitation in a public forum. At our first baptism, we had over 20 individuals accept. We have already scheduled our next baptism. We started last year with 3 house churches in our community. We have since doubled and now have six throughout the community. And this weekend, we will launch our first house church across the street from the garbage dump. We are so excited because this has been our goal from the start – sharing God’s good news with those in desperate poverty.

Please pray as God continues to amaze us.

A Work of Art

My family has a tradition that has taught me the importance of a meal. Elise asked that Elijah and I would always have dinner together as a family. I used to bring everything from books to my laptop to the dinner table trying to multitask. Although it was a struggle at first to simply eat and spend time with the family, I have loved the tradition. Now I look forward to dinner when Elise and I catch up after hectic days and watch Elijah play with his food and babble incoherently.

Most of the students at AFE do not have the dinner time ritual because of broken families. Many eat with their brothers and sister while parents work. Yet, we wanted to offer the students a sense of family at AFE. This was the rationale behind the dining center. We wanted a place where the children and staff could sit and eat together as a family. Around the table they could pray, joke, laugh, and eat. Now we can do this as our dining facility is finished and looks beautiful. We still have to buy some tables but everything is ready.

We have an indoor kitchen that is also an outdoor kitchen. Meaning that our cooks love cooking over fire, so Melanie Miller’s dad built an outdoor stove (inside) with a chute so that the smoke would go outside. Now the cooks use both the fire stove and the electric stove. We have a large storage area for our perishables along with the refrigerator and freezer. We have plates and bowls for all of our kids and continue to feed them at least one full meal a day. Thanks to everyone that made this dream a reality especially Dr.Opp, Street Kids Direct, and Washington Cathedral.

Dia del Nino

Yesterday, we celebrated the Day of the Child at the Presidential Palace with the President and First Lady of Honduras. It was an incredible blessing. Every news channel and newspaper was at the event hearing our story and our hope.

Rene and Jocelyn sat in the Presidents desk! The President told them "If they study hard and follow God, they have a chance to be the next president of Honduras"

Please pray God uses this platform to finish the transformation work in the garbage dump.

What I learned from the Philly Team

We just spent one incredible week with a team from Philadelphia City Church who came through Orphan Outreach. They were 10 people divided into a medical team and a teaching team. The medical team attended every student at AFE and their families. The teaching teams taught science and VBS to all of our classes. Pretty typical right? Well for some reason, I feel I learned so much from them. For example -

A Smile makes such a difference – One of their members, Ethan, had the biggest and brightest smile ever. Every time I saw him, I felt happier.

Science can be fun – The science team had our students plant gardens and seeds for their science class. I have seen many of our kids returning to see if their plants have grown. They seem to like science which is awesome by atypical.

Just Serve and Love – This team did whatever was needed no matter what. We fed in the garbage dump, worked until late evenings, skipped lunches, painted and varnished and you name it. They barely took any breaks.

Everyone Matters – They brought presents for all the staff but we have two new staff members. You should have seen how concerned and worried they were. They promised to send something down for them. I would have just said “sorry but you guys gave us the wrong number of teachers. “

Language is not an excuse - Although most of the team could not speak Spanish they were always interacting with the students. During meals they did not exclude themselves but sat among the children and somehow communicated.

We receive over 25 teams a year and all of them are special in their own way. But this team had something that I cant quite put my finger on. I just know that I thoroughly enjoyed their presence and feel blessed to have known them. I hope they return and become partners with AFE.

New Babies

Earlier this year we formed a nursery for babies who would be cared for in the garbage dump if they were not safely in our nursery. We began with the younger brother and sister of some AFE students: Daniel and Yoli. In the couple of months since they started with the nursery, they have changed right before our eyes. They wear clean clothes, clean diapers, and have washed hair. There is a new sparkle in their eyes. They are loved and cared for by many of the capable, loving staff at AFE while their parents work in the garbage dump.

We knew that once we started, God would bring the right babies into our nursery. It did not take long for God to act. We have tripled in size and now have 6 beautiful babies. The 4 new babies are – Angel (11) months, Scarlet (5 years), Carlos (1 year), and Abigail (5 months).
I am amazed at how vulnerable these children are to the environment. I am so grateful we have a place of safety and security for them. Due to 4 new babies, we have had to hire a new full-time staff member for the nursery. Now Johanna and Claudio work full-time in the nursery although you can always catch some other staff members cuddling with the babies or praying for them. It is hard for the teachers to resist the cute babies

Please pray for these new babies. Pray they would never know the garbage dump. Pray they would be loved and know God’s plan for their lives. Thanks to so many who have helped make this dream come true.

A Disquiet Peace

Once it became apparent that Mel Zelaya´s political posturing was nothing more than hopping back and forth over the border, yelling ¨Na-na-na-na-nah!¨ to the press, Rey and I decided that we could safely fly back into Tegucigalpa. When we arrived and began the drive through town, most of the walls and street corners were marked, painted over, than marked again: evidence of the many demonstrations. I looked with interest at the graffiti, correcting spelling errors in my mind, and chuckling at some of the more creative artists: “Pinocheletti,” “Fuera Golpistas” It all seemed a little one-sided. ¨That´s because Mel´s supporters a rag-tag bunch and very poorly behaved,” our driver commented.

The opinions here are as varied as our August weather. “The political protestors are paid off, with Chavez´s money!” “Both ‘presidents’ are ladrones!” “The news is wrong. It wasn’t a coup d’etat. The removal of Zelaya was done legally, in line with Honduras’ constitution, not the United States’ constitution”. I, personally, don’t know what to believe. History will tell, perhaps, what really happened.

In the meantime Honduras enjoys a disquiet peace. Life goes on as normal, giving the weekly political demonstrations a wide margin. The curfew keeps people off the streets at night, when it is in effect. We look forward to the November elections, hoping they will bring back international aid to this poor country. I try to put a happy spin on it to my Honduran friends: at least the world now knows of this small country, south of Mexico. “Yes,” they reply, “they know that we are politically ailing…not of the beauty and greatness that lies within our people.”

Time, Talent, and Treasure

I just finished reading an incredible book I recommend to everyone – The Hole in My Gospel by Richard Stearns. There is so much I can say about this book because it is simply amazing and challenging.

One of the main questions the book wrestles with is, “What does God expect of us?” What a great question. It forces us to come face to face with our God. It makes us read afresh his words in scripture. And most importantly, it allows us a chance to dream about what God has in store for our lives.

God has saved us. He has chosen us. What does he expect of us now? One thought is the idea that God wants our time, talents, and treasures. These are very real ways we can respond to God. We can give time to his kingdom work. We can invest our lives and families to make sure those around us know the truth and love of God. We can also invest our unique talents to serve alongside God. I believe there are things which only we can do through the unique calling, personality and gifts God has given us. Finally, we can give God from much he has given. Aside from tithing, which is basically giving 10 percent of our income back to God, we can also sacrifice and give offerings. We can give to support God’s kingdom.

Time, talents and treasures.

Dance Video

Here is the video I promised

In All Things God Works for the Good

Many times I have had the experience of chatting with my hair stylist and dentist about what I do only to encounter the response: “Honduras? I’ve never heard of that country before. Where is it located?”

When Rey and I first learned of the alleged coup d’état in Honduras, my dad quoted the verse to me: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). I was skeptical. Really Dad, good can come out of a coup d’ état in Honduras, in a region where such military takeovers have been connected with violent oppression, civil wars, and mass disappearances? How could God possibility use the corruption on both sides of the “democratic process” in Honduras to bring forth good?

Well, two weeks, “stuck in the United States,” have brought about very fruitful meetings and times of organizing for Project Transformation, and opportunities to meet with key players in the development process.

And, two weeks later, Honduras is on the minds and hearts of all America…perhaps even the world. What prayer support will grow out of this crisis for Honduras and its people? What new resources will be inspired by this great media attention, brought about by a tragic circumstance?

God can truly work good out of bad circumstances.

Exiles

Psalm 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
Since last Sunday, the Diaz family has been in exile from their home in Honduras. President Zelaya was arrested and deposed as the leader by the supreme court and congress. The embassy has restricted travel unless it is life or death. At first it was only for a couple days. Then the restrictions kept getting longer. And longer. While we wait and wait.

It is not that we don’t like spending some quality time with family and friends. It is not knowing what is going to happen or when we are going back. We are in limbo. Most of our stuff is in Honduras. All of all work is in Honduras. Our calling is in Honduras. Not knowing when we will return has been difficult for us this last week.

Then yesterday, there was a showdown between military and 20,000 protestors. 2 or possibly more were killed and 30 injured as the heavy gunfire was used against the crowd. I don’t know what the best course of action is. I don’t know what will happen between the two sides. I don’t know when it will be safe to return. Thanks God Jeony and all of AFE are relatively safe. There have been no demonstrations or violence in that part of town.

I am praying for Honduras and I invite you all to pray with me. Please pray for peace. Pray for this situation to be resolved quickly. Pray for the students at AFE and their families. Pray for the families in the garbage dump. Pray that God’s will be done.

Psalm 137:4 How can we sing songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

I can sing because I know God is in control. May his will be done.

Mother´s Day

Last year´s celebration for Mothers of the Garbage Dump was an amazing outreach event, difficult to top. However, with expanding numbers of participants, delightful additions to the program, and new gifts for the mothers, we may have just done it.

I believe word went around last year about what an incredible experience it was. This year we did not have to go up to the dump and encourage mothers to come. They came voluntarily, by the hundreds, on bus and on foot, some an hour early to get a good seat. 247 mothers showed up, not including the friends and children they brought with them. Some mothers cried with joy when they saw their children perform. They all heard the gospel message, many for the first time in their lives. It was a special day. The mothers had changed from their work clothes and dressed up the best they could. We took a picture of them, with beautiful trees swaying the wind behind them, and printed it out that day to adorn their humble homes with the only photograph they have.

The mothers of the Tegucigalpa Garbage Dump would like to thank Robert Beam, Orphan Outreach, and Washington Cathedral, who worked together to provide this beautiful experience for them.

Turn their Mourning into Dancing

This afternoon AFE had a dance contest. It was Pastor Jeony´s idea. The kids love to dance and are always looking for excuses to choreograph a “good-bye” dance for mission teams, or an interpretative dance for worship services. They formed their own groups…some called themselves “I can do all things through Christ,” others, “Rockers,” and they began to practice. They danced to Christian songs, some slow and worshipful, others with a Regaeton beat.
When the anticipated day finally arrived, everyone at AFE and friends from Linda Miller filled up the assembly room . Excitement permeated the air. Rey served as the host of the performance, and Vanessa, Fradner and I were the judges. The teachers each had a vested interest because most of them had helped choreograph a team, and they would stop at nothing to butter up the judges.

When the dancing began the whole event became a melodrama. Kids were holding up signs for their favorite performers, cheering and throwing confetti, booing at the judges, and getting up to dance spontaneously. The stakes were high. The grand prize was 1,000 Lempiras! (I´m not sure where the prize money came from, but I suspect Pastor Jeony´s pocket).
It came down to three groups or performers: five third graders, surprisingly talented for their age, the older boys of AFE (who were blessed with Jessy Ordonez as their choreographer), and some of the older girls, who had designed their own dance.

As each group danced, the teachers and leaders laughed with delight to see their shy students breaking out of their shells. I looked around the faces and saw pride glowing from the pastors, who remembered these young people when they were small children, and carried heavier burdens. Some of the dancers were the first to be rescued from the dump. Their faces were once set as stone, due to their work that no child should have to do. But now they were dancing, smiling and laughing. And then, wiping tears of joy from their eyes when they won. (Appropriately, it was “I Can Do All Things Through Christ” who won first place).
It was a day full of joy and fun. And I can´t wait until next year when I can also serve as a choreographer!

March for Non-Violence

The students at AFE are the future leaders of Honduras. This is our dream and mission – to take the children of the garbage dump and allow them to become what God intended: successful leaders of their country, standing as pillars of all that God is capable of doing.

One of the most exciting aspects of this ministry is the opportunity to see the students grow up right before your eyes, and to begin to become these “pillars.” This is especially true of our older students. They participate in a leadership class in a special afterschool program. As the final project for this class they had to practice leadership in a concrete way. By their own initiative, they decided to organize a march in the community against domestic violence and abuse.

On Sunday afternoon around fifty of AFE´s students walked around the Linda Miller community, united against violence. Other people from the community saw what they were doing and joined the march. It culminated in an informal town meeting as that addressed the issues involved with domestic violence. We are so proud of our students. During the meeting, the young people spoke eloquently against the violence many of them had seen firsthand. For one day, I was able to glimpse the potential of our emerging leaders at AFE: young people who had come from garbage yet will soon change the world.

US Ambassador Visits AFE

On March 24th, AFE was privileged to receive a visit from the United States’ ambassador to Honduras, Hugo Llorens. Llorens has an impressive track record of social and economic development in the Americas and officially became the US ambassador in September 2008.

AFE feels extraordinarily honored that Ambassador Llorens made it one of his early priorities to visit and help build a partnership between AFE and the prestigious economic-assistance organization, US Aid. Bill Brands, the mission director of US Aid in Honduras, accompanied the ambassador, and was particularly excited about the possibility of aiding AFE’s vocational school.
Both Ambassador Llorens and Brands seemed touched by the program that the AFE kids put together to thank them, and also appeared inspired by the educational milestones these children had achieved. Ambassador Llorens plans to visit again in the spring to donate sets of classic books, in Spanish, to the literacy program at AFE. He also intends to bring the media with him and draw local attention to AFE’s work. Additionally, Ambassador Llorens hopes to help AFE network with the manager of a private recycling company with whom he has a connection.

Thank you to Michael Miller, who helped to facilitate the visit with the ambassador, and of course to Ambassador Llorens himself and Bill Brands, who took time out of their busy schedules to get to know the children of the Tegucigalpa city garbage dump.

Bringing Peace to the Paz Family

A year ago Washington Cathedral raised money to “finish” the nursery – the structure was up, but we still needed interior elements such as flooring, windows, etc. For a year the room was used miscellaneously, as we had no money to staff the nursery. Finally, our dream of caring for babies in soft, comfortable beds instead of cardboard boxes in the dump came into fruition thanks to some help from Orphan Outreach and Street Kids Direct.

Last week we checked in our first two babies: a brother and sister of a family involved with AFE. The “Paz” family is deeply entrenched in garbage dump life. Both parents work in the garbage; so does each of their children when they leave AFE’s doors: except for these two new inductees to the nursery.

Lilobeth is two years old and though she hasn’t “worked” in the dump, she has spent all of her life there, beside her mother, learning the trade by observation. She bears the ramifications of this life. Her toddler skin is already leathery from overexpose to the sun, and her hair looks like dirty straw pulled into a pony tail. But now is in AFE’s nursery during the day, lovingly cared for by Johanna, who has young children of her own.

Daniel, her brother, is three months old, and the nursery opened at an opportune time for him. His mother took a “maternity leave” of three months when he was born, and was about to go back to work in the dump when she instead decided to put he and Lilobeth in the nursery. Daniel’s skin has a healthy glow, and his smile is easy. He is the eighth child of the “Paz” family and the first to grow up outside of the dump. “Paz” means peace. Daniel will be the first to crawl on tiled floors, sleep in clean blankets…with the sound of twinkling mobile instead of garbage trucks.

Thank you to all of those who helped bring peace to the children of the Paz family. Our prayer is that little Daniel will be the first in the Paz family to never know the garbage dump. The cycle of working in the garbage dump ends with Daniel.

A Little Boy's Dream

Daniel is a young boy who has never walked once in his nine years of life. His mom and dad are dedicated Christians who have been praying for their son their entire lives. They come faithfully to Amor y Vida in Linda Miller. Daniel’s father has a sewing shop out of his house where he is going to teach some of the young girls from the garbage dump to sew. Daniel’s parents have always kept a good attitude about the state of their son despite the difficulties. They have praised God through it all. They still dream of seeing their son take his first steps, walking and running.



God has worked a miracle. There is a new procedure available that will give Daniel the opportunity he needs to walk. After the procedure he will need some physical therapy as his muscles learn the nuisances of walking. This procedure will cost 28,000 L ($1,500.00).

Daniel mother and father both work to provide for their family. They have saved all they can but there is no way they can afford this procedure. They are asking God for one more miracle. Please pray with the Daniel and his family that God will provide the funding for the medical procedure. If you feel led to help with some or all the procedure, please email me at reyangeldiaz@gmail.com.

The Miracle of Pollito

If anyone were a poster child for project transformation, it would be Pollito. You might recognize him from his picture – four and a half feet of dusty clothes worn too big, and a grimy smile that spreads from ear to ear. I had heard much about him before I first saw him. He is well known among the garbage sorters as the little boy raised in the trash. His mom is a drug addict and he has been in the garbage every day without fail since he was one year old. Now that he is eight, there has never been a harder worker. The older guys call him “Pollito,” which means “little chicken,” because they think of him as sort of a pet. You can see he takes pride in being allowed to hang around them. I suspect no one gives him attention “at home” – wherever that is.

How long, little Pollito, will you grow up in garbage? Will you ever learn to play instead of lift heavy bags twice your size? For seven years, since AFE began, Pollito has been the subject of our hopes and prayers. Every time we encounter him, he promises to come to school the next day. But for seven years, the next day found him in the trash once more. Until last week.
On Monday, and mouths dropped open when Pollito and his little sister walked through AFE’s doors, clean and ready to learn. They were not alone. Their mother, sober for the first time, brought them and enrolled them in classes immediately. Since that day, Pollito and his sister have not missed one class, have arrived promptly every day, and even came to church on Sunday! There is no other explanation than God’s timing, and we can do nothing but thank God for this miracle.

We thank God…but we still fervently pray for Pollito and his family. While he and his sister are enrolled in AFE and showing good intentions to change, it is still an uphill battle to rescue them from the forces that keep generations in the dump. In fact, Pollito has a particular challenge in education since he has never learned the motor skills to even hold a pencil. He is receiving special tutoring for this, but please continue to keep their family in your prayers. We will keep you updated as to Pollito’s progress!

Incarnational Living

In a week we will be able to practice a fundamental law of mission work: incarnational living. It means that just as Jesus put on flesh and moved into the neighborhood (John 1:14), so are we to do everything we can to live with and like the people to whom we minister.

The house in the Miller community will still be a step up from the poverty of the people of the dump. But it will be closer to them, in geographic and economic distance. Electricity comes and goes, and water may prove to be an ever scarcer commodity. It will be much easier for our weekly Saturday visitors (the young people of AFE) to find us and I hope the visits will become more frequent. But just as importantly, it will easier for us to share life with the Honduran community around us. I dream of starting a Bible study for mothers of the Miller community, who will then reach out to the matriarchs of the Tegucigalpa Dump. And I know that Rey is especially looking forward to the Sunday evening kickball games!

I am certain that my family will be tremendously blessed through this move. Children greet Elijah in the streets and we will have the best neighbors ever! (The Ordoňez family). Shane Claibourn once said: “I believe that the great tragedy of the church is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor, but that they do not know the poor.” We feel so blessed that Elijah will have the opportunity to know the poor, who are also our friends. Thank you so much to Michael Miller who has helped us find housing in Honduras, become acquainted to the country and culture, and made this move possible.

First Week of Class

We just finished our first week of classes. It was an incredible experience. We registered 49 news students all connected to the garbage dump. We were all surprised by the sudden interest in many of the new students. To think that these 49 new students will experience love unexplainable and hope of a new future is really exciting. We all believe 2009 will be a pivotal year for the garbage dump. We plan on starting the nursery this year along with a special education class. We will have a fulltime teacher who is helping the children with learning disabilities. We also started 9th grade this year. We have an English class which will help with speaking the language and a new literature class where we will be reading Honduras authors along with classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. We also started another year of our discipleship program called Impacto Total. This program was such a success last year as the students learned how to practically apply their faith to everyday life. The testimonies were so beautiful as many students spoke of incredible growth in different areas.

Along with the 49 miracles God gave us, he provided another miracle for AFE. Due to the increase in our students, we have had to hire new staff. The problem is we do not have any funds to hire new teachers. All of us were feeling the pressure and stress of not having any funds. I would wake up every morning at 5 am with the weight of the world on my chest. Where would we get about eight thousand dollars in such short notice? One of the students saw me worrying and asked what was wrong. I decided to use this opportunity to grow in faith. I told the student, “I am looking for some money but can’t find any. But let’s pray and God will provide for us.” We both prayed asking God to look out for us. That was Tuesday. On Thursday, I got an unexpected email from Mike Douris of Orphan Outreach which is a partner organization. He told me a group from Florida Baptist Children’s home was giving exactly $8000 towards operations! I was stunned. I know all the stories of George Mueller and William Carey praying and living by faith. But this might be the first time I experienced it. It has taken us a while, but I am realizing how much God cares for this ministry.

We have new prayer request so please don’t forget about us.

Graduation 08 - Slideshow

Please keep these students in your prayers.

Josue, Milton, Carlos, Paola

Selena, Jackson, Maholy, Gerson, Edwin, Douglas

Graduation 08

On December 5, 2008 we had a graduation at AFE. Four students finished kindergarten and are moving into first grade. Six students finished elementary school and are moving into middle school. It was the first graduation for AFE I had attended. I was moved by the students who have overcome so many crippling obstacles to reach this moment. Some of the graduates live in the worst conditions imaginable. Others are dealing with serious family problems and abuse. Others have been abandoned by their parents and are being raised by aunts and grandparents. Others have had to work every afternoon in the garbage dump afterschool to provide food for their family. Yet these students have graduated and there were many people congratulating them.

In Honduras, the graduation is dedicated to a person and named after them. The graduation is usually addressed to some who gave a large donation or passed away or did something special for the school. Our graduation was named after Jeki Suge Roca. She is actually a made up person. Instead she is the acronym of all the teachers we have on staff at AFE. This graduation was dedicated to our teachers because for many years they have done all the hard work at AFE. I feel honored to work next to these heroes. For many years they donated all their time to teach our students. They paid for all their material and transportation. This year, we have been able to give them an ‘offering’ for their work. They tremendously gifted and love all our students as if they were their own. These teachers serve as proof that God has the garbage dump in his plans because he assembled an all-star staff of teachers to love and teach these students.