But wait... there's more!

Hello out there! I received lots of e-mails responding to last week’s update. I am very glad that you guys enjoyed the pictures and the other info. I am in the process of responding to those e-mails asap. E-mails from home do the heart good, so keep them coming! This week did not seem quite as eventful as last week, but it was fantastic nonetheless. Our group Bible study is going well and the community outreach program is doing awesome.

PICTURES! http://jsu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2026565&l=a765d&id=

The New House is awesome… we are really enjoying the extra space. We do not have a tv there, so that is an adjustment, but we do get to watch movies on our computers, which comes in at a close 2nd to tv. Jokingly, we have an entertainment donation box where we would like for a tv to be, and so far we have about 10 lemps, or 50 cents… hmmmm.

Group Bible Study with all of the singles and some of the married couples is going great. The study is through the book of the Song of Solomon, and is a great thorough look at courtship and dating. I truly wish I had been through this a LONG time ago. It is a great study for any singles, but especially teenagers. Each night we watch a 20-30 segment on DVD and then have a discussion. Most nights we split up into guys and gals, but this week we joined together for our discussion over what is expected at certain stages of a relationship, what commitments are at certain stages, and proper lengths of time of dating, courtship, engagement, and marriage. It was a pretty neat discussion to be a part of.
Also, Mrs. Kymm cooks for us on Bible Study nights. She is a wonderful cook!!! This week we had enchiladas and they were delicious. Makes me miss home cooking-- that is to say, Old Mexico (Geneva humor).

The Community Programs are absolutely incredible. This week we had about 10 more kids and I think someone said 6 more adults. The story for this week with the kids was The Prodigal Son. It is one of my favorites and I got to be the son’s father when we acted it out. This week we were allowed to bring more of the ranch students to help us with the program, so two of the students acted to be the two sons from the story. Our goal in the program is not only for ourselves to be involved, but to teach the students at the ranch how to use their gifts to be an active part of helping their community. As time goes on, we hope to have more students participate in this area of the ministry in every way- from leading prayer to playing the music and helping to plan the week’s lesson.
Please look at and enjoy the pictures from this week. These are some of the most adorable children you have ever seen and they are so fun to watch because they love to participate. It makes me think of times back home when it was difficult to get students to participate in different things. I would love for them to see these kids because the simplest of activities means so much to these children here. They listen so intently to the message that is being shared, they sing so loud during songs, and they are so eager to share prayer requests when we are getting ready to pray. Most of them request prayer for their parents and grandparents. It is usually because they are sick or because they need work. This time of sharing with the community kids is so much fun! We continually pray for more and more kids and adults to come to the program. It would be awesome to see this continue to expand.

School has also been going terrific. This week finished up our 8th week in school this year and finishes up the mid-semester tests. I am very excited that none of my students have below a C average in any class, and there are only a couple of those, and in very tough subjects. I know it is hard to think about someone without a degree to teach core subjects in the states teaching those subjects, but here that is better than most anywhere else in Honduras. For me, Grammar has been the hardest thing to try and teach. I love teaching Math but in my Geometry class I am having to teach proofs, and that has been a challenge, but I am starting to enjoy them. I can remember back to my school days and how much I disliked proofs in math. Anyhow, my students are doing really well and I am very, very proud of them all!

I apologize because I do not have pictures from anything else this week. I discovered on Sunday that my memory stick for my camera has gone bad, and will not work any more in my camera. So, while we were in town Sunday, I went ahead and bought a new one that was not as large as my other one because they are more expensive here, but it was big enough for what I needed. Well, Monday morning I start to open the box that I thought the stick was in and there was no stick, anywhere! I tore the box to shreds trying to find it with no luck… and then I see it… in really small letters at the top of the box it says, “Take to cashier,” which meant that the cashier was supposed to take the box and give me the memory stick… and he didn’t… and I had no idea I was supposed to because I had not seen the message. So, right now, I have an expensive shredded box in a plastic bag with the receipt, and I can only hope that they will still give me the memory stick. Sometimes they will take advantage of us foreigners, so I’m hoping I will be fortunate. So, my lesson for you this week, is if you are ever in Honduras, read the fine print or you may end up with a very expensive styrofoam and cardboard box.

This week has spiritually been an amazing week. I continually feel very blessed to be here with these people, and I am only here because of the support of so many of you. Because of the need to find new teachers for next year if needed, and to start their process, we are being asked to make a decision by November 15 on whether we will stay a second year or not. I feel very strongly about staying here for at least another year and ask you to join me in prayer over this decision. If I do stay, it will mean raising support again for a second year, and asking churches and individuals to continue support. Please be considering this over the next month or so as so many things are being considered, including being away from family and friends for an entire year possibly.

THANK YOU for your love and kindness. God Bless!
-Jesse Tiner