The last few months have certainly been busy and exciting
for the Butts family. While spending the
entire summer in Honduras was not part of our initial plan, being here gave us
many opportunities for good things. Rodolfo
had the opportunity to work the whole summer as a translator with the WGO Serve
Teams. Rodolfo did a great job and
received many high compliments for both his translating abilities and his heart
to serve the Honduran people and the missionary team members.
Being in Honduras gave Robert the chance to meet many of the
short-term missionaries who come in the summer months while we are usually
away. One of WGO’s most important areas
of ministry is actually to the North American team members who come and serve
with us. It is great to watch them as
their eyes are opened (often for the first time) to begin understanding issues
of poverty that we deal with each day and learn to see Hondurans not only as
those less fortunate, but as people created in God’s image and heirs to God’s
Kingdom.
The summer was full of work projects. I was able to become intimately involved and
educated in the workings of a septic system as we had to respond to a crisis
that involved rebuilding septic fields and all sorts of other horrible things. It was quite an experience, and I’m pleased
that everything is now working better than ever.
At Rancho Ebenezer, we undertook a major communications
project bringing internet access to the ranch.
For more than a decade, internet communication at the ranch has been a challenge,
if not impossible. We were able to
contract with a local company to bring a consistent internet connection that is
now providing opportunities to enhance education at Ebenezer Academy, improve
communication with other parts of the organization, and make it possible for
ranch families to connect with friends and family.
Jennifer's college roommate met one of our ranch missionaries (Ron Langejans) a few years ago and just got married to him this summer. Jennifer got to be a part of the wedding and will soon enjoy having Christy and her son living much closer to us. The photo is of Jennifer and Christy back in college...
Our adoption process is in the final stages. The Honduran side of the adoption is
complete, and we are now waiting to complete the U.S. side of things. All of our paperwork has been finalized, and
the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador now has it all to review. We hope to learn very soon that all has been
approved so that Rodolfo can receive his visa, followed by U.S. citizenship.
Thank you all for your prayers in these things. We consider ourselves very blessed to be
living in Honduras and witness to God’s work here. Thank you for being a part of this work
through your prayers and gifts. We
couldn’t be here with this support from you.
