November Newsletter and more gifts...

I don't think I have done this before but here is a copy of our most recent newsletter for those of you not on our mailing list.  If you would like to be on our list just leave a comment with your email address and I will add you to the list.

Coconut Wire Jungle News - Tom & Alida Sharp - November 2011

Belize, Central America

Greetings!  We pray that all is well in your life & you are in good health.  Hopefully you’ve enjoyed Veteran’s Day & are already getting your Thankful Groove on in preparation of the next US holiday.  Our weather is cooler & overcast but still a very pleasant 80 degrees daily!  Our lives & service in Belize are going smoothly.  Here’s the latest:

Tom IS the 1%! - No, certainly not a reference to the ‘Occupy’ movements that are happening in various places, but the 2010 Belize National Census is out.  In this country of 312, 971 people, Tom is part of the 1% of white people living in Belize!  The racial breakdown is 50% Hispanic; 21% Creole; 10% Mayan; 6% Mixed Race; 4.5% Garifuna & 3.6% Mennonite.  Average age is 22, with 56% of the population under the age of 24.  There is a 23% unemployment rate.  31% use an outhouse & 65% have a flush toilet.  33% own a private vehicle & 23% have Internet access. This truly is a very young, developing country with many needs, which covets your on-going prayer & support!  Alida posted additional facts on her blog at:  2010 Census Overview For Belize

Spencer arrived from his stint at YWAM Kona.  He is resting, enjoying Alida’s cooking & praying about the various serving opportunities here in Belize.  He met the YWAM base director in nearby Banana Bank last week & is trying to hear from God if he is to stay here & serve or go somewhere else.  It’s been a great two months having Spencer with us!

Sixteen ‘Intro to Christian Counseling’ students completed the 1st semester of classes!  I (Tom) designed a 2 year college course - the first of it’s kind here in the country - & we are thrilled that 16 students passed the initial semester course.  Counselors are practically non-existent here, & even more rare are Christian counselors.  We’ve had people from various cultures, back grounds & parts of the country in the training!  Please pray for these students to impact their cultures, communities & churches as we wait for the second semester starting in January 2012!

Our serving focus solidifies.  Weekly we are hearing reports of physical & sexual abuse in the Belizean media, as more people are being educated about what abuse is, that it’s vital to report it, & there is help available. Tom appeared on a local tv show discussing child sexual abuse & the following week Alida took her turn on the one hour follow up program to talk about good touches, bad touches and unwanted touches along with how to keep children safe online.

At the Child Development Foundation Alida & I primarily counsel abuse victims.  It is difficult yet rewarding work.  We are seeing young girls make remarkable progress in dealing with their traumas & horrific abuse.  God is at work!   Our clients seem to get younger & younger in age every month.  We are using Play Therapy theory & techniques, plus a Play Therapy kit donated by supporters in New York.  It’s ironic that Tom started in the counseling field learning & doing play therapy twenty three years ago, & is now coming full circle!

Met with the UN High Commission for Human Refugees. Several representatives from NGO’s here in the area were invited to a meeting to discuss the status of refugees here in Belize.  This is connected to those we see who are rescued from trafficking as many victims of trafficking have had their documents taken from them as they are moved from one country to the next and they qualify for refugee status because in some cases it would be dangerous for them to return to their country of origin.  Tom and Alida were able to give input as to what types of training should be made available to the NGO’s to help them be better equipped to work with those seeking refugees status in Belize.  

Tom speaks at University of Belize.  A televised Family Focus Forum was held at the U of Belize recently, for Christians to address the efforts by some to decriminalize the sodomy laws in Belize & throughout the Caribbean.  At this point, the law is being challenged in court by a homosexual advocacy group, but that law is the only legal protection minor males have when they’ve been violated sexually.  I spoke about the need to protect children by closing the many loopholes in Belize law, which don’t even provide basic protection to boys from molestation by adults.  I will speak again at the next Forum in Belize City later this month.  You can see the news coverage of the Forum here in it’s entirety or my part starts after the six minute mark. Clink on the link to check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/embed/Wy2r9Jr-TNI

For a few months we had been helping a young pastor at a small church in Roaring Creek.  Tragically he recently pled guilty to charges of molesting  a young teen in the church.  The church has now been closed but there is so much pain in the community regarding this awful situation & such hideous behavior by a Christian leader.  The court ordered the former pastor to pay a fine within six weeks or face prison.  This was the only punishment required by law.  Now he has relocated to another part of Belize, possibly putting other young people at risk.  There is a sex offenders registry in the country but no money to hire a registrar, so offenders whereabouts are not tracked.  These are other areas that we are advocating changes for in the laws by the Government.

In spite of such tragic news, we are very grateful for your prayers & financial support!  God knew what He was doing when He called us here & we are thrilled about equipping the Christian community to better address abuse issues & provide hope & healing to young victims.  May God continue to bless you as much as your help has blessed others!

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and continuing to count to 1000 and beyond...

After all the busyness it feels good to slow down for a bit to acknowledge the blessings amid the hectic days.

391.  visiting LifeNet Church and seeing all that they are doing with the young people there.

392.  finishing up the first semester of the Christian Counseling course at Belize Bible Center.

393.  Spencer and I both getting A's in the course.

394.  the camaraderie among the students as we feasted together after class was over.

395.  seeing Jonathan and Jehieli.

396.  watching The Amazing Race with Tom and Spencer and getting excited when we see somewhere one of us has been even if it is just an airport.

397.  meeting Santee and Liliana at YWAM

398.  Butterfinger Brownies.

399.  God's faithfulness and the peace He provides.

400.  29 years, 11 months and 1 day of marriage...counting the days until our 30th wedding anniversary!!

joining Ann Voskamp and the gratitude community:

Hiking in Belize

We went for a short hike on Wednesday through Guanacaste Park.  

The trees provide an awesome canopy as you walk along the trails.  This park is listed in Frommers Best Hikes in Belize.  So far we have only done one of the trails...next time we will take the longer route.

After our hike we drove Spencer over to the YWAM Banana Bank base in Roaring Creek to meet the base director, Santee and his wife Liliana. 

To get out to the base you have to cross this hammock style bridge that is suspended over the river...

it was definitely a walk of faith for me as it began to sway with the weight of our steps!

2010 Census Overview for Belize

Here are some of the highlights from the Belize 2010 Census...it is interesting how much the country has grown and changed over the past 10 years.

Population
• Belize's population is 312,971, up 30.2% from the 2000 Belize Census
• Belize's population in contrast to most country's, is in the countryside, 55% rural, 45% urban
• Average Belizean age is now 22
• Average household size 3.9 persons
• Sex ratio is 102 males for every 100 females
• 35.6% of the Belize population is age 14 or younger
• 55.8% of the Belize population is age 24 or younger

Largest Population Centers
Belize Population By Towns & Cities
1. Belize City 53,532
2. Twin towns San Ignacio and Santa Elena in the Cayo District 16,977
3. City Of Belmopan (capital of Belize) 13,654
4. Orange Walk Town 13,400
5. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye 11,510
6. Corozal Town 9,871
7. Dangriga 9,096
8. Benque Viejo Del Carmen (Cayo District) 5,824
9. Punta Gorda (Toledo District) 5,205
Belize Population By District
1. Belize District 89,247
2. Cayo District 73,202
3. Orange Walk District 45,419
4. Corozal District 40,324
5. Stann Creek District 32,166
6. Toledo District 30,538

Notes: The Cayo District was the fastest-growing district, with population increasing 39% since 2000, followed by the Belize District with a 34% increase. San Pedro, Ambergris Caye was the fastest-growing urban area in Belize, with the population increasing 156% since 2000,

Belizean Ethnicity
Belize's population is: 50% Latino / Hispanic, 21% Creole, 10% Maya, 6% Mixed Race, 4.5% Garifuna, 3.6% Mennonite, 2.1% East Indian, 1% White/Caucasian and 0.9% Asian

Marital and Family Relationships
• 33.1% of those 15 and over are married and living with spouse, 23.3% have a common law relationship, 6% are in a visiting partner relationship and 37.3% are not in a union
• 65.8% of children 18 and under are living with both parents
• 22.6% of children 18 and under are living with mother only and 2.5% with father only

Belize's Foreign Born Population
• Almost 15% of the population is foreign born, of which about 4 in 10 are from Guatemala and 3 in 10 are from El Salvador or Honduras
• 3,279 Belize residents or about 1% of the total Belize population were born in the U.S. (almost double the number in 2000) and 1,567 or 0.5% in China and 667 in Canada

Education
• 87,991 Belizeans are enrolled in formal education of which 70% are in primary school and 19% in high school, and over 8% are in some type of tertiary program
• 2,364 Belizeans are in university

Religious Affiliation
• 40% Catholic; 8.5% Pentecostal; 5.5% Seventh Day Adventist; 4.6% Anglican; 3.8% Mennonite; 3.6% Baptist; 2.9% Methodist; 2.8% Nazarene; 1.7% Jehovah's Witness; 10.2% Other; 15.6% None

Belize Labour Force
• 131,000 Belizeans are in the labour force;
• 23% of the Belize labour force, or about 30,000 Belizeans are are unemployed.
• Of those employed, 57% work for a private company, 25% are self-employed and 15% work for the government or a para-statal organization
• Women in the labour force are twice as likely as men to be out of work – 33.1% for women versus 16.7% for men

Housing
• Belize has 75,848 housing units, an increase of 46% since 2000
• 82% of homes are houses, as opposed to apartments or condos
• 64.1% of Belizeans own their own home, while 33% rent
• Of those who own, almost 79% do not have a mortgage
• 50% of homes have concrete floors and walls and 80% have sheet metal roofs
• 11% of housing units do not have kitchens in the building
• About 83% of households cook with Liquid Petroleum Gas LPG), while 15% cook with wood or charcoal and about 1% with electricity
• 48% of Belizean households have municipal garbage collection, while 27% burn garbage and 11% take it to a dump
• 85% of households have potable water
• 51% of households use commercially purified water as their main source of drinking water
• About 65% of Belizean dwellings have flush toilets, while 31% use an outhouse and 3% have no toilet facilities
• Of those with flush toilets, 80% have septic tanks while 20% are connected to public sewerage systems
• 62% of households have tubs or showers
• 83% of households have electricity from Belize Electricity Limited, while 9% use candles or kerosene lamps, 4% have a connection from a neighbor, 2% have generators and 1% use solar
• 83% of Belizean homes have stoves, 66% have refrigerators, 65% have washing machines, 42% have microwaves and 8% have air-conditioning

Telecommunications
76% have a cell phone; 75% have TV; 75% have radio; 50% have DVD player; 26% have computer

INTERNET Usage
• About 23% of Belizeans  have Internet access

Motor Vehicles
• 33.7% of Belizeans have a private motor vehicle

Read more: http://www.belize.com/belize-2010-census.html#ixzz1dLKXVsXm

thought for today...

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward:

 Just go ahead with what you've been given.

 You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him.

 You're deeply rooted in him. 

You're well constructed upon him. 

You know your way around the faith. 

Now do what you've been taught.

 School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! 

And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7

The Message

This photo was taken in Springfield, a Mennonite community, here in Belize.  As we drove through there last Sunday afternoon we came upon these flowers growing wild near the side of the road.  I knew they would make a beautiful background for a scripture.  Especially for this time of year.  As we get closer to Thanksgiving let us remember that giving thanks can be a way of life and not just a day on the calendar. Count your blessings throughout the day...the big and the small...and you will be surprised by the joys you will experience as you pay attention to the gifts from Him that are present all around you.

 May we truly let our living spill over into thanksgiving!

Tasty Tuesday

Oh my word I have to try this!!!

Red Velvet Cheesecake

Yesterday as I was browsing on Pinterest I saw that someone had posted this recipe and now I cannot stop thinking about how yummy it must be.  Gotta check the pantry to see if I have all the ingredients.

You can find the recipe here or here  and if you try it before I do let me know how it turned  out!!

Linking up with For the Love of Blogs

One thousand gifts

Thanks for the seemingly insignificant...this is the seed that plants the giant miracle in the midst of it all.

~Ann Voskamp

373.  the gift of life...seeing growth all around.

374.  our Women's Bible study with expats from various countries around the world.

375.  our trip out to a Mennonite community

  No Sunday Sales

Please Drive with Caution

Come Well Dressed

376.  groups of families sitting in wagons chatting with one another.

377.  little girls in long dresses and bonnets playing near the side of the road.

378.  freshly plowed fields near plain wooden houses.

379.  a new appreciation for the simple life.

380.  time spent with our youngest son.

381.  Tom and Jadine being interviewed about child abuse on the tv program Divaz Next Door.

382.  Tom being asked to speak at the Family Focus Forum.

383.  seeing three different types of dragonflies near our home.

384.  a drama free life on Sunshine Street.

385.  how a simple batch of sugar cookies cheers the hearts of Tom's counseling students.

386.  the gift of resiliency on this journey of faith.

387.  walking through the process of surrendering to the peace of Christ so that it may rule my heart.

388.  letting go of fears that no longer serve me.

389.  sunny days in the midst of the rainy season.

  

390.  The precious love of God.

joining Ann Voskamp and the gratitude community:

a just cause...

There was a Family Focus Forum held at the University of Belize on Tuesday. Tom was asked to represent the Child Development Foundation and give a 10 minute presentation.  The issue being discussed is the removal of sodomy laws here in Belize.

Our involvement is related to how the repeal of this law would affect male children and teens. As this sodomy law is the only law Belize has right now to charge pedophiles with who prey on young men.  There has been much in the media lately about teen boys being violated  and this part of the issue needs to be heard when the case about repealing section 53 goes to court in December.

Tom is introduced in this video at minute 6:52.  Please keep this issue in your prayers!

Free is good...

Just in time for the holidays there is a free book available for download on Amazon.  

click here to download

Even if you do not own a Kindle go and check it out anyway.  You can download Kindle for PC or Kindle for Mac or Kindle for Iphone and still be able to read this book.  I just started reading my copy and so far so good...and besides...it's free!  

Thought for Today

I took this photo at the CDF office...the grounds keeper has chickens and turkeys in his yard.

When I saw the chicks running in the yard I thought of this verse.  I knew the mother hen would be close by watching over her brood.  May we open ourselves up to His care.  Not just when we want it...but in those times when He reaches out to gather us close to Him.  

Tasty Tuesday

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger

I saw a Chicken Parmesan burger on Pinterest and was inspired to make a burger based on another dish that I love.  Besides that, I had the ingredients on hand and I didn't have to leave the house on our day of going nowhere to get anything.  I have not seen swiss cheese in any of the markets I shop at so I used mozzarella cheese instead.  It worked for us.

My recipe was simple:

1 lb ground chicken

1/2 cup or so of diced ham

1/3 cup of bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese (or swiss cheese if you prefer)

Mix all of the ingredients together and then shape into patties.  Lightly coat pan with olive oil or a cooking spray and cook on each side until golden in color.  Makes 6 medium sized patties.  Serve on toasted hamburger buns and garnish with your choice of toppings.  I used lettuce, tomato and honey mustard...yum!

Both of the guys liked these...they ate every single burger I made.

Linking up with For the Love of Blogs

a church in mourning and 1000 gifts...

Yesterday we got up and went to church. We picked up one of the youth along the way. After a month of being sick and getting adjusted to his new surroundings it was Spencer's first Sunday to see where we have been serving. As soon as we pulled up to the church we could hear the wailing. Rosalva had just found out that her youngest sister had suffered a heart attack.  If we understood all the details correctly...the sister was only 31 years old.

Tom and the guys got the cars ready for the trip and I helped the girls pack their bags.  Eight people crammed into our 5 passenger car and took off on the two hour drive to Orange Walk Town.

When we arrived Ritchel's mother had lunch ready.  She had expected to cook for us all later in the week...the plan was to invite us all up for his father's and his daughter's joint birthday celebration.  But we came five days early and unexpectedly.  We shared a simple meal of chicken, rice and beans, fried plantains, and cassava.

After the meal we went to Rosalva's other sister's house and they were already making funeral preparations. The husbands and brothers were setting up a tent.  The death certificate had already been prepared and was just waiting for the official stamp from the coroner today.

We were introduced to everyone in the house, the yard and anyone else who came through the door.  After a few hours we said our goodbyes so the family could grieve in private.  Silently driving home.  Still in shock.

Although our Sunday service didn't happen I felt God's hands on us during the drive.  I can still hear the questions, the denial...the wailing.  Reflections of my little brother's death at only 31 came to mind.  I could only answer her  cries by saying "it's not fair and it doesn't make any sense".  All I could do for Rosalva was rub her back, stroke her hair and listen.

And the counting of gifts goes on...

363.  a full tank of gas
364.  seeing Rosalva's and Ritchel's 6 kids support their mom.
365.  Spencer entertaining the youngest with games in the back of the car.
366.  Ritchel's mother feeding 14 extra people with only two hours notice.
367.  Tom and Desmond driving the two cars safely there and back.
368.  the blessings of a small church family

369.  getting an A on my first test in Tom's counseling class at Belize Bible Center.

370.  most of the students doing well on the exam.

371.  seeing success with using the technique of having the person draw three simple pictures of a house, a tree and a person to get a shy reluctant teen to open up and share in the counseling office.

and finally:

372.  no matter how many things come our way...I am so grateful for all the things He has spared us from.

joining Ann Voskamp and the gratitude community:

a day off and an interview

Today is a day off for us...the plan is to truly rest. 

 Last night before falling asleep Tom and I had this exchange...
 Tom:  "You know where I want to go tomorrow?"
Alida:  "Where?"
Tom:   "Nowhere! And you can come with me if you want."

This week has been long and we don't have another day off until Tuesday of next week.  I had plans to do the floors and clean the bathrooms but I doubt that will happen.  I may just finish my book or watch a movie.  And of course Tom and are going nowhere...and that will be a great trip.  We might even take a few pictures!

Oh, and I was interviewed by a blogging friend I met last year as she was preparing for her wedding...you can check out the interview here:  The Adventures of Team Pancakes

Have a great weekend and if you can... get some rest!!

What is in the news here in Belize?

Sadly, we continue to hear stories of abuse in our counseling office and more stories from the community are in the news.  While we cannot talk about what we hear in the office we can share with you the news from the community.  Please keep all of the children involved in your prayers.    Two Disturbing Sexual Assaults; One By A Step-Father, One By a Pastor

Mon, October 24, 2011

There are two disturbing stories of sexual assault to report tonight.  A 42 year old man who allegedly committed a sexual assault on his 11 year old step-daughter, was denied bail after he appeared today in the Magistrate's Court and was charged with aggravated assault of an indecent nature. The man pleaded not guilty but the prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that the defendant is on parole for a conviction of indecent assault on a previous step-daughter. When asked to give a good reason why he should be granted bail, the man said he met his common-law-wife about 2 years ago and she did not tell him she has 3 children.  He said the 11 year old does not like when he disciplines her and she comes home late at night and sometimes she comes home with money.  But because he is on parole for a similar offence, Chief Magistrate Ana Marie Smith remanded him into custody until November 24. The incident occurred on September 29. The child reported to the police that her step-father fondled her private parts.  And a student of Belmopan in the presence of his mother reported that sometime in the month of June of this year, while at his pastor's house - namely Jason Neal- in Roaring Creek, he was sleeping on his sofa when he was awakened by Neal who was touching his private parts.He also reported that in the month of July of this year, Neal had touched him inappropriately.  As a result Police arrested 37 year old Pastor Jason Neal of Roaring Creek Village and charged him with 2 counts of Aggravated Assault. ___________________________________________________________________ We have not heard any updates about the step-father but regarding the pastor we have heard that he was fined $3000 for each count and that he has until December 16th to pay this fine or he will have to serve jail time. CDF has done sensitization training to make the problem of sexual abuse and exploitation known in all of the high schools here in the area and also some of the elementary schools.  For the little ones there is a Yell and Tell campaign and for the teens there is the "My Body, My Future" project. Valley of Peace We at CDF have spoken at churches, and to women in  villages and to youth.   Since September when a four year old was raped there have been more people who are willing to tell their stories and more cases are coming to light.  This does not mean there is more abuse going on than in the past...just that people now have the courage to talk about it. Orange Walk Town Pray for us as we seek to understand the existing laws and help make changes in these laws regarding how these cases are handled and the penalties involved.  Pray for the funds to continue doing outreach to various communities on this issue.  Pray for continued bravery for children, youth and adults to speak out when they or someone they know is being abused. supporting one another in prayer in Esperanza *clicking on the highlighted words will either take you to a news story, website or a blog post that will give more information on that subject.

thought for today...

Like these butterflies each one of us is uniquely beautiful and  have a place in His garden.

Father, we praise You for Your green thumb...You help each of us to grow and flourish under Your care.  May we willingly yield to wherever You choose to  plant us and to Your design and plan for our lives.

Tasty Tueday

Found these on Pinterest...my favorite hang out!

We had these cookies Sunday night after dinner and we all really loved them.  The recipe makes two dozen and the three us devoured them.  If you like oatmeal and peanut butter you will enjoy these yummy cookies!

Instant Oatmeal Cookies

1.5 cups quick cut oats

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (unpacked)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 350°. Mix the dry ingredients then add the eggs, vanilla extract, and peanut butter. Mix by hand until well combined.

Spoon onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper with 2” between each cookie. Bake 15-20 minutes until slightly set. Let cool to set completely.

Enjoy!

Linking up with For the Love of Blogs

1000 gifts...

We experienced some hard things and some wonderful things this week...isn't that how life goes?

342. being able to appreciate the beauty of God's creation!

 343.  grateful for the services provided by Belize Council for the Visually Impaired

344.  resulting in new glasses for Spencer at an awesome price!

345. and the eye clinic is right here in Belmopan! 

346.  fresh produce at the market

347.  this year I am not shocked to see green oranges and lemons.

348.  the smell of fresh bread 

349.  a beautiful service for the homegoing of Diana's father.

350.  a heart wrenching song performed by a brother and sister in Spanish.

351.  renewing our visitor's permits and Spencer's with no problems.

352. showing up late enough to avoid the line that usually wraps around the building but early enough to get everything done.

353.  finishing up two craft projects inspired by Pinterest!

354.  finding a new and easy recipe for cookies that we all enjoyed.

355.  watching dragonflies circle over our home and the fields nearby...

356.  grateful that the dragonflies take care of us by getting rid of the mosquitoes.

357.  incredible sunsets

358.  sleeping in after an exhausting week.

359.  new counseling clients...

360.  which means more people hearing about our work...

361.  and that people are willing to make changes in their lives by trying something new.

362. words that inspire me to live a full life.

joining Ann Voskamp and the gratitude community:

What's in the news in Belize?

As I was reading the news online last week I came across a story that is absolutely disgusting to me.  It involves a missionary accused of sodomizing three brothers who is currently in prison awaiting trial.

The organization we work with here in Belize is fighting to eradicate the exploitation of children. Most of the people who come into our counseling office have been sexually abused.  We have been in the schools here in our area teaching the little ones to Yell and Tell.  We have been in the high schools speaking about purity and sexual exploitation.  Not long ago we were in the area about 40 miles from where this missionary was working.  CDF held a National Youth Rally and we had over 120 youth come out to hear about sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and purity.  This case is one of exploitation.  This man was providing for the family and was in turn exploiting the three boys.

We have heard about girls being abused but girls are not the only victims.  Boys are being violated as well.  Boys are vulnerable here because of the lack of father figures in the homes.  Men leave to go find work in the U.S. or have other families and then abandon one family to start another.  It is sad.  There are men who are standing up and we are excited about that.

I tried to find more information about this person.  I found a Facebook page and a few words here and there  online about his work.  According to his Facebook page this missionary had a heart for the teens he found here in Belize:

Belize churches are in trouble. So many teens are spiritual orphans. Churches here are weak and stability and unity are not their strengths. Most pastors have no spiritual covering, accountability or training. Another missionary from Nicaragua and I have declared it our mission to share the doctrine of spiritual paternity and our visions are so equal it is amazing. God is going to do great things in the next few years here!

Such a stark contrast to what was written about him just a few years later...

It came to light on Saturday - and a doctor has since confirmed that they were sodomised. The man accused of the crime is Bryan Sears - a missionary who had been in the community for three years - and that's what makes the already hideous offence even more disturbing, that he used the cover of Christianity to gain the community's confidence and prey on three brothers.

I agree with the reporter that what makes this story truly appalling is this missionary using the cover of Christianity to prey on the spiritual orphans he felt called to serve.  He is now in Hattieville prison awaiting his next court date.

I realize that he has not been sentenced yet...so I should say allegedly and things like that.  I tried to write about this last week and was just too angry and appalled to put a coherent sentence together.  At first I wanted to write to the church he came from or send a Facebook message to his mother.  But, I didn't do either one.  I prayed and waited to see what would happen next.  Since then the story broke in his home state.  We have heard that he now has a lawyer and his next appearance in court is November 15th.

I pray for these young men and for the churches in the area.  I pray that there won't be an aversion to all Americans or all missionaries because of this.  And I pray that sexual abuse and sexual exploitation comes to  an end.