What an exciting year we’re having! God is doing great things, expanding our ministry and changing lives of our students and staff alike!Â
It was so good to be able to meet with many of our friends and supporters over the winter. At that time we were able to share the vision for expanding the ministry by building a bigger training Centre on another property the ministry owns. While the building plans are still underway, it seems God is helping us to prepare by allowing the expansion to start this year in our existing building!
Our living and dining rooms have been filled to overflowing as our ministry has swelled to double the number of students! With the 28 beds in our our original residence filled with first years, and our second years still to return, the Lord has enabled us to rent additional space next door, giving us four additional dorm rooms. We even squeezed three sets of bunk beds into the kitchen! Interestingly, the apartment we’ve leased is actually in the former home of our founders! The second years and their supervisor are thrilled with their new digs. A gate connects the two properties, and the girls stream back and forth between the buildings!
A full house! We were at nearly double our capacity when we started
with over 40Â girls this year!
Having so many more students has meant adding more classes, more staff hours, and of course increased expenses for food and accommodations. Higher costs of living and additional students has strained our budget, but we are confident that where God guides, He provides. We are especially grateful for those of you who have given consistently over the years, sent additional gifts at this time, or increased your regular donations to keep pace with growing costs. Thank you so much! If you have been thinking of joining our support team, now would be an excellent time! Sowing into God’s mission field will guarantee you a mighty harvest of rich, eternal rewards!!
An increased student body is an ideal time to review our own capacity to minister to more students. Traditionally we have kept to smaller classes because of the family atmosphere and mentorship component of our ministry. By keeping the classes small, we have found that we are still able to discern the strengths of different girls, as well as recognize areas of concern in their characters or behavior, and give them personal attention.Â
Our second years moved into new rooms this year. We're now renting dorm space next door, where our founders once called home!
Just like Peter ran to tell his brother about following Jesus, after a couple of weeks at the Centre, one of our first year students, Yohana, was eager to tell her cousin about the opportunities we offer. The next Monday,15-year old Blanca joined us, full of enthusiasm. She worked hard to catch up in the classes and is well-loved by staff and students alike. She is the first to offer help if anyone is struggling, and always offers to carry textbooks to and from the classroom. Blanca actually has no church or Bible background, but is so eager to learn. At first, she was so concerned about being able to memorize a short memory verse. A month later, she can recite the six verses of Psalm 1 as well as several other verses, and can explain their meanings too.Â
Yohana and her cousins Blanca, both in orange in the middle of the pic, are thriving at the Centre!
Many other girls are thriving also. Some come from very isolated villages and don’t have the resources to pay for school supplies or transportation. They are delighted to attend our Centre and their parents are so appreciative. For example, each week 16-year-old Greisy travels an hour or two on the bus and then 2 hours up a mountainside, by horseback or moto-taxi to her parents’ humble home. The weekly fare is C$18 round trip, totally out of reach for her family. Greisy is a smart, capable, spirit-filled girl who deserves the opportunity to learn and help fulfill her potential. (She is pictured below, in the front row, third from the right.)
Our first year class just finished their first sewing projects - chef's hats and aprons, that they use in their cooking classes too! Such practical skills, coupled with intentional discipleship means these girls' lives are changed forever!
We are convinced that even if a student is just with us for a short time, her life is changed. Just this week we heard from one of our second years who did not return this year. She has moved to another department (province) with her mother and is working in a store. She wanted to thank us so much for the encouragement and counsel we had given her last year. We watched her surrender to God, learn to speak up for herself, and break free from an abusive family situation. She says she is not afraid anymore and can stand up straight and look customers in the eye. Thank the Lord, she knows her worth!Â
This week as we break for Holy Week, we pray for all those associated with the ministry - for you, our students, staff, supporters, and their families - that all would take the time to reflect on the true meaning of Easter, that once-for-all sacrifice of our substitute and Saviour Jesus Christ, and that all would come to personally know the power of His resurrection to heal our wounds, fill our longings, and enable us to live victoriously!
These are some additional prayer requests too please:
Spiritual breakthroughs for the girls who are struggling with trauma, temptation, and teenage rebellion; protection and growth for all of them.
Health, strength, wisdom, and anointing for all of our teachers and staff
God’s blessing on our Honduran and Canadian Board members, some of whom need His healing touch
An additional live-in supervisor for the Centre - a mature woman to guide the girls and help manage the houseÂ
Favor with government officials in some legal mattersÂ
Additional financial support for our growing ministry!
With much love and thanks,
Kimberley Hodgkiss
From Canada  PAOC, 2450 Milltower Court, Mississauga, ON L5N 5Z6 Â
From US or International "Choose Donate, Fund Global Workers, Sub Fund Hodgkiss, Kim"  RPEC International, 27758 Santa Margarita Parkway #186, Mission Viejo, CA 9269
To directly support the operational costs of CMCA in Honduras, please use Canada Helps Donate Button above or simply mail in your contributions to the following address:
Christian Ministries to Central America - CMCA
PO Box 49011
Royal Oak PO
Victoria BC V8Z0G2
Canada
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