SCRIPTURE VERSE

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Joshua 1:9
PRAYER REQUEST
Guatemala
Praise God for the amazing Mother/Daughter trip to Guatemala in late July. Everyone on the team stayed healthy and was able to serve the children. They were also able to raise the money to purchase 6 new bunk beds for Mama Carmen's so that children do not have to sleep on the floor. Mama Carmen's is a small, private orphanage that cares for 60 children full-time and 40 children during the day, with only one full-time staff and a small home that receives little outside support. Orphan Outreach started sending teams and support to the home in 2009.

Praise God for His work among another team of 14 individuals who had a great trip serving at Mama Carmen's Orphanage, Mrs. Arzu's Preschool, Manchen Girl's Home, and the Baptist Preschool in Guatemala City. The team taught English everyday, did VBS, and brought school supplies, medicine, hygiene items, and food to these sites.

Lone Sheep Ministries provided $40,000 for Bibles that will be distributed to orphans and vulnerable children in Guatemala through Mrs. Patricia Arzu's foundation. Mrs. Arzu is wife of the Mayor of Guatemala City. Pray for the children receiving these Bibles, that God's truth would be implanted in their hearts and minds and that they would come to know and love God.


Honduras
Pray for the City Church of Philadelphia team traveling to Honduras August 16-22. The team will be working with AFE School and providing medical care. Pray for safety, given the current political situation, and for the Lord to use these 10 individuals in the lives of the children at the dump. Also, continue to pray for the country and leadership of Honduras during this difficult time.


India
Pray for a team of seven women from Hillsboro, Oregon, as they are currently serving in India through August 20. Pray for the Lord to use them in a great way for His glory. Click here to follow the team's blog.

Praise God for the water wells, provided by Westport Church, in the slum area where Grace Academy School is located. These water wells will enable children and families to have access to clean water.


Russia
Pray for the staff of Hannah's Hands at Crisis Center #15 in St. Petersburg as they minister to children who have been abandoned, abused, or neglected. Pray that Christ's love would be evident in this place. Many of the children who are brought to the Crisis Center are newborns and infants, and so we are thankful for the money provided for much needed diapers. To read more about this program, click here.

We give God glory for all the gifts received for Hannah's Hands in memory of Samuel Lars Larson. If you would like to make a donation in memory of Samuel, click here.

Pray for the transition of the orphan graduates this month as many of them are leaving the orphanages. These teens face many challenges as they set out to live independently. Pray for their protection and for guidance as they make decisions on their own.

Please pray for all the children
in Honduras.
The following fictional story is based on a true story. It highlights the conditions many children are facing in the city dump in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where Orphan Outreach is partnering with the AFE School. The students at AFE live in extreme poverty in the dump community. They go to school in the morning and collect trash for recycling in the afternoon to earn just a few pennies for their family.

"Wake up! Wake up, Donnie! It's time go to school! We can't be late!"

"But Roberto, I did not feel like washing my clothes last night and all I have are dirty."

"I know you have asthma, Donnie, and can't breathe good, but there is a nurse coming to AFE today and maybe she will have some medicine for you. And here, I found these shoes in the trash yesterday, and they look like they will fit you."

"Thank you, you are a good friend. We're eight now and you have been my friend since we were two." The boys start walking the 40-minute trip to school.

"Roberto, you have always helped me and I want to help you more. Sometimes when I can't breathe, you have carried me on your back. When my father was at home, you would give me some of your plastic bottles so I would have enough to sell so my father would not beat me. When we choose teams at school, you always choose me. I know I am smaller than the others and can't run very much because of my asthma, but you always choose me."

"No, Donnie, you have done more things for me. Remember when Pastor Jeony told us how to become Christian. I didn't want to do it. But when you became a Christian I wanted to do the same. Now we are brothers in Jesus even though we don't have the same parents. And remember when Juan was going to hit me and you jumped between us and you were hit instead!"

"We're here now,and there's the nurse. Here, Donnie, get in line."

"Nurse, Donnie here has asthma. Sometime he cannot breathe and he chokes real bad. Do you have any medicine for him?"

"Yes, here is an inhaler. I will show you how to use it. Roberto, you remind him to use it when he can't breathe," said the nurse.

Later that day, Donnie said, "Roberto, you do not have to stay with me and walk slow because I feel better. Maybe we can get our plastic and cardboard quickly to sell and have some time to play before dark?"

"Donnie, every day we walk this same way from school; what will we talk about today?"

"Well, let's talk about what we want to be when we grow up. Remember what the teachers at AFE told us, we can be anything we want to be. In the past, I just wanted to be like Louis and be able to work hard and get lots of trash, but now I know we can choose anything. So, Roberto, what do you want to be?"

"I want to be a teacher like our teachers at AFE. They tell us about Jesus and we learn a lot too. Or maybe I will be like Pastor Jeony, but I don't think I could speak in front of people. What do you want to be, Donnie?"

"I want to be a doctor so I can help other people that have asthma and other problems. My teacher said if we will pray for God to help, we can be anything! But, we have to stay in school. If we quit school, we will never get to be what we want."

Many months went by and at the age of 9, Donnie continued to struggle with breathing and many times the medicine was not available. Sometimes Donnie could not go to school. The boys were inseparable. Whenever Donnie needed help, Roberto was there. Whenever Roberto needed a friend to encourage him, Donnie was always there.

One day Donnie was not able to go to school.

Roberto thought, "I can't wait to get to Donnie's house and tell him he made an 'A' on the test yesterday. I wonder why his grandmother is standing outside crying."

"O, Roberto, I hate to tell you, but Donnie quit breathing today. He died in my arms. But he left this note for you."

"Roberto, you are my brother and friend. If you do not stay in school, I will hit you when I see you in heaven."
Signed,
Donnie

Written by: Robert Beams (August 2009), from the viewpoint of a 9-year old child.

What a beautiful picture of God's love extended towards us. We thank God that just as Roberto chose Donnie to be on the same team at school, God chooses each one of us to be adopted as His beloved sons and daughters and to carry on His love by being the hands and feet of Jesus to a lost and broken world. 

This story represents the many children who lack the means to basic resources, such as healthcare. According to the World Health Organization (2006), Honduras' health system is fragmented and "roughly 30.1% of the population receive no health care, 83% are uninsured."

Given the circumstances, we have reason to praise our Father for His work among the teachers, staff and students at AFE to rise up young men and women to be faithful servants for Him in such a dark place.

Please join us in praying for the students at AFE, for the Lord to continue using the opportunity to receive an education so that they may be built up into leaders in their own community. Pray that they would be freed from working in the harsh conditions of the dump, where disease, crime and prostitution are rampant.
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