Dean's word.

2012-01-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

Last night, Melissa was having fun with frends and I found myself alone eating Chinese. I don't usualy like to do things alone especially eat. But this was much needed down time.How refreshing it was not to have the cell going crazy or the computer on. I just sat there. that was nice.Then I read the cookie. lots of times it says things that is superstitious or fortunetelling; but this was just truth. it said.
The eyes believe themselves but the ears believe others.
How often do we jump to conclusions that create offences and not seek to understand by listening. I find myself doing this and it is sometimes hard to realize I am doing it.

Fayetteville Missionaires Help Provide Medical Care to Those in Need

2012-01-17T06:59:00.000-08:00

Fayetteville Missionaires Help Provide Medical Care to Those in Need

Problems are not failures. They are challenges with solutions.

2012-01-02T19:42:00.001-08:00

After four years of working in Honduras on Sustainable Agriculture and Sustainable Healthy Living. I have realized a challenge that others would consider a problem. Ironically this (problem) challenge brought me back to Springdale, Arkansas praying for a solution.

The Challenge: to produce organic fertilizer so the (farmers) Lenca Indians do not have to purchase chemicals with money they do not have to produce the food they desperately need.

Springdale, Arkansas is considered the chicken capital of the world with Tyson Foods, George’s Poultry and Cargill all having plants and offices here. Springdale also have a chicken festival recently renamed Feather Fest. I got reacquainted with an old acquaintance the other day that opened my eyes. The solution to my challenge is Chickens. Producing fertilizer, eggs, and can be eaten. The Incredible eatable egg hatches into the incredible organic fertilizer producer that I will use to solve the challenge.

God is good!

Heaven’s Reach Ministries is poised to announce a Great New Project. Stay tuned.

The Human mind.

2011-12-19T14:11:00.000-08:00

The Human mind is like a ball of clay. When it is dry, it is hard as a rock. When the water of the Holly Spirit flows over it, it begins to soften. But if we do not add good things to the soften clay (like reading the word, praying, and worshiping God) that clay will return to its dry hard ball. But if we renew our minds through reading the word of God, pray, and worship him. He will make us rich and fertile soil that will remain soft, producing fruit, and prospering.

If you are not prospering or producing fruit. Maybe it is time to renew your mind by reading the word of God, praying, and worshiping God. The bible says seek after God and all things will be added unto you.

Start today find a reading plan at http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/. if this is your first time reading the bible by a plan, let me suggest starting with the New Testament in a Year, NIV - 365 days.

Bumps on a page.

2011-09-16T13:32:00.001-07:00

The other day I was stopped in the street by a local teacher who was asked to teach blind Honduras youth how to read Braille. She asks if I had any or could get some materials for her to teach from. I started my search just by asking on Facebook if anyone had any or new where I can get some. I looked and found a Braille Bible in spanish. Lutheran Braille Workers are sending it to me. Each Bible takes up 5 feet of shelf space. These precias hand made Braille Bibles. These bumps on a page will not only help a teacher teach reading but show the way to Christ. Bring the lives of the blind to salvation and open opportunities for those who would otherwise be dependent for their entire lives.

2011-09-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

Finding good dirt is hard. It take a lot to be good dirt, no rocks, no weeds, no contaminates. With good dirt the see will grow. are you good dirt? Are are you holding on to some rocks or weeds you know you need to let go of. If you are ready to let go of those rocks, He will help. just ask. He is waiting for you.

"Praise!"

2011-07-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

We are the orchestra and God is the conductor. He has a grand plan of a symphony. And we all have a part.

Sometimes we feel like we are all alone. But we must not forget that there are others working in this grand plan. We make our music and hope it is the best and lives up to what God wants.

And sometimes we are called to be a soloist. And we feel we are not right for the job.

But God knows what he is doing and there are always others helping. We just need to keep our eyes on the conductor and he make the symphony out of all the individual interments.

Come and make music and hear the symphony of God. The name of the symphony is "Praise!"

When you want a harvest.

2011-05-29T15:52:00.001-07:00

When a farmer wants a harvest, He prays for a harvest. He gets seed. He prepares the grown and puts the seed in to the ground. Then, he waters there the seed is. He keeps the weeds from growing faster than the seed. He watches that the insects do not eat the plant. He makes sure that the frost doesn’t get too close and kill the seed. Then by the miracle of God, the farmer sees the fruit of his labor and reaps his harvest.

What a harvest the farmer receives.

Why then do Christians pray for a harvest and plant the seed and then do nothing expecting God to do everything. Maybe God has something for us to do while we are waiting for the plant to grow. Maybe we should have prepared the ground by praying before we sew the seed. Maybe we need to water the ground or pull the weeds. Maybe we need to keep praying and keep our mind clean. And, maybe we need to wait while the harvest ripens before we take the harvest.

Are you wanting a harvest? Have you prepared the ground (prayed about it). Have you sowed your seed where he wants you to sow it? Do you continue to water it (pray for it) Do you for opportunities God might be giving you to have a harvest? Are you preparing for the harvest by keeping the commandments? Keeping a pure heart?

When you do, maybe then God will give you the harvest for which you have been praying and waiting.

Is life a roller coaster?

2010-08-01T08:33:00.001-07:00

Roller coasters are scary until you realize that you are on secure tracks that keep you safe through the twists and turns of the ride then it becomes fun. Let God be your tracks. Then no matter how your life seems to be going you will know that He will keep you safe and have some fun. How knows where God will take you.

Are you making a mark or a shadow?

2010-05-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

In this world we all try to leave our mark. We put together a life that we think will stand the test of time. We build houses that are made of brick or stone instead of wood because it lasts longer. We plant shrubs and lawns and trees thinking everything will last and look pretty. But how long does it all last. Sure bricks last longer than wood and trees last longer than lawns but even so how long will it lasts. Most of us go to work earn some money to go home and spend it. a car or two a house maybe a boat. I was along with everyone. Working 11 months so I can take 1 to vacation enjoy my house and thought I was doing all I was supposed to do. I went to church so I would not go to hell. Took the children in my life with me so they wouldn’t go to hell too. That was my “outreach”. Good! Right?

Yes, it is good. But is it enough? God sent his son in hops that no one would be lost. But how can they be found unless someone goes and tells them. When I finally, really, understood that scripture; I found my purpose in life. When you follow Christ you call others to Him. Not just save yourself, but reach those around you for Him. Everything else is temporary. Only discipling the lost lasts forever. Only seeing a lost soul find Christ is eternal. Everything else is like our shadow. It makes a difference as long as we are here making our mark. But when we leave so does our impact; so does our mark.

Don’t leave a shadow make an eternal difference, disciple the lost.

Having a good time!

2010-04-05T14:17:00.001-07:00

I wake up and feel good and clean. Get dressed and go to work. When I get off work, I go traveling, camping, playing, and having a good time. Little by little I start to get sweaty. Little by little I get dirty. When I am having fun I don’t realize how dirty I am. How my appearance has changes. Sleeping outdoors and eating junk food having a great time. Then I get home and I start to relax and feel dirty, sticky, and gross. I take a shower and start to feel great. Eat some good food and drink some water. Now I am really feeling better. Hum, is that how it is when you start to miss a service? State to live a little in to world? Listening, watching and believing what the world says? You don’t even realize how your appearance has changes. How your attitude and speech has changed.

It is time for you to have a shower and eat some of God’s good food? Is it time for you to turn back to Him? He is waiting right by your side. He has been there all along.

Read the Word, eat some of God’s good food, and renew your mind.

Birth Pains?

2010-01-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

Mark 13:8-10:
8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

As we have seen many earthquakes near and far last year and starting this year off with a large one in our back yard. Only minutes after the earthquake in Haiti we had one here in Honduras. In fact, we have had more than 35 smaller earthquakes in/or near Honduras in 2009, over 14,000 in the world. Thanks God the largest at 7.3 was off shore and 6 miles below the service. It was felt in all of Honduras and Belize as well as some parts of Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Our hearts go out to Haiti and the people there; this is truly the first of the birth pains.

What more will come?

Peaceful Elections

2009-11-29T19:39:00.000-08:00

The people celebrated all week in election rallies around the country. Today Pepe was elected with over 55% in a peaceful election process. Now everyone in Honduras has high hopes that everything will go back to normal.

2009-11-15T18:19:00.001-08:00

I started thinking about a visit to the mountains a year ago. I went with the outreach pastor, Jorge. We took the bus from the farm town to La Esperanza about twenty minutes away to catch the bus to Monte Verde. We spent the night is a wood shack of a building with a tin roof. It was mostly air tight and didn’t leak much. We hung hammocks from wall to wall to sit and sleep. As a lay there I began to think of the people on the top of the mountain with sticks as walls and thatch as roofs. A heavy rain came early that night and I thought, ‘I am glad that I had a tin roof to keep it dry in side. Then I thought about the people with thatch roofs mostly leaking and making mud out of the dirt floors. After the rain stopped the wind started blowing it was chilly and I was very glad to have the nice wood plank walls. I was tucked into my sleeping bag nice and warm. I was praising God that I was dry and warm. Then my mind turned back to the people in the mountains four hours hike from where we were sleeping. I know they were cold in the stick huts. Some put mud in the cracks to try to abide the winds but that doesn’t last for long. And the wind in the mountains is strong and cold. The people are friendly and open to the gospel. Providing better housing and knowledge to improve their crops brings a chance to share knowledge to improve their spiritual lives as well.

Despite the accidents it has been a great month!

2009-11-08T23:12:00.000-08:00

Poor Melissa! Read all about her accidents at http://www.heavensreach.org/newsletters/200911.pdf

Mudding for Jesus!

2009-11-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

In the US most truck and suv owners do not off road. Others look for places to go and test their stills. Some even go to a course that is designed with that in mind. Here in Honduras we do not have to go looking. We do mudding on the roads and test our skills just to get to a location to build a church or have a medical clinic.

If you enjoy the outdoors and want to enjoy great sensory think about coming to Honduras instead of Colorado next summer. You will be blessed while you help the people of Honduras.

Going as fast as you can and still only going 30 miles in 2 hours to reach a village for Christ.

That’s mudding for Jesus……..

For more information about trips to Honduras go to http://www.heavensreach.org/shorterm.htm

Total Immersion

2009-10-13T18:36:00.000-07:00

We started language school 2 weeks ago and I’m amazed at what we’ve learned. I’m also amazed at how different it is than I thought it would be. We chose a language school in La Ceiba Honduras for many reasons, but the 2 primary reasons were that the school was a Total Immersion school and that it had a medical program which would allow me to learn the medical terminology and work with local doctors and hospitals.

My thoughts of being in Spanish school were that we would be in class 4 hours a day, do homework for a couple of hours in the afternoon and then we’d hang out at the (click here to read the rest of this story)

Getting caught in the rain.

2009-10-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

There are lessons in life almost everywhere if you look for them.

The other day Melissa and I were in Spanish class. It was about five minutes before class was over when the teacher said “let’s leave now! Quickly! The rain is coming!” So we started home so we would not get soaked.

Two or three times that morning I thought, “we should take the umbrella to class, it looks like rain. Well I argued with myself and decided not to because it was going to be hot and the sun would be out when we walk home.

Do you ever wander, "was that God trying to help me out?" Those times when you hear that still soft voice?

The lesson:
Listen to that still soft voice. I may be God speaking to you. Do you know his voice? Are you too busy handling things on your own that you’re not listening when God is talking?

He leads them and they follow because they know his voice. John 10:4

Back at the farm.

2009-09-24T18:09:00.000-07:00

Here at the farm, we are looking out on the beautiful Honduran country side. Wow, this is a great place to be. God’s creation is wonderful.

Back in Honduras again!

2009-09-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

After two months of waiting for the political unrest in Honduras to subside without event, we returned to Honduras on Sunday. On Monday the deposed president returned under the cover of darkness in an early morning dash to the Brazilian embassy.

The deposed president speaking from the roof of the embassy sparked of a demonstration. Fears of violence the current president called for a curfew as we made our way to San Pedro to pick up a team that was unable to come do to the closing of the air ports until further notice.

Aww, it is nice to be back in Honduras.....

Traveling: business or pleasure?

2009-08-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

I like to say that I love to drive, even better when there is a destination to the journey.

I also love to meet people. Visit with old friends and making new ones, I love to be with people.

In the attempt to gain prayer support and engage those who are interested in missions I travel a lot when I am in the States. For the most part I do love it. But, I am a workaholic sometimes scheduling meetings too close together. This only makes what is usually a pleasure, in to work. This is the bad news.

The good news is all of the people I get to meet and the resources I have discovered. Such as a church in Temecula California that has put us on their prayer list. As you know prayer is God’s weapon on the spiritual battle field. I also got to meet the friendly people at “Faith Comes by Hearing”. What a great organization. They go into the world translating the bible into other languages. Then they put this bible on mp3 players using national speakers recorded in the field. They put this mp3 into a box with solar, A/C, and hand crank charging capability. This player is designed for group listening by illiterate nationals.

I have met many fiends during my travels the last few months. I have been able to introduce some of them to other friends that need to collaborate and share resources. I have also met several people who serve in and around Honduras.

And now I am off the road for a while.

Mom Day

2009-05-12T18:23:00.001-07:00

I love mom. It was great to be with her on Mother’s day. Going to church and having a great dinner. It made her day.

Arriving back to the US, we needed a

2009-05-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

Arriving back to the US, we needed a place to stay and a car to drive. We had given away our cars and sold our house. A local car dealer offered us the uses one on his lot. So we had a car. But we flew in on a Tuesday not knowing where we would be staying. Melissa needed a place for while she renewed her nursing license. I will be using the car to drive around and talk to pastors and friends. We stayed in a hotel for a few nights and then we got the call. A couple from Springdale offered a house for us to use while we are in the US. Praise God for his provision. All the time, Every time he is in control.

2009-03-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Today I taught keyboarding and mousing around. The kids love the class and look forward to each session. They are starting to catch on to the concept of not moving your hands... but only moving the fingers.... believe it or not this is a mile stone.

The accident that closed the Highway!

2009-03-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

We were on our way back from the city yesterday. about half way back we ran into traffic. we were at a stand still for 2 hours before understanding the extent of the problem. the traffic was backed up 5 to 10 miles on the main highway. We just now got home at 5:00 pm today. here is a link to the paper talking about the accident. http://www.latribuna.hn/news/45/ARTICLE/58952/2009-03-14.html

2008-12-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

To day, I was honored to be one the Padrino for a child who was graduating the sixth grade. Melissa was the Madrina. He name is Delmar. He is 12 years old and his mother ties fishing lures for Mercy International. A Padrino is one that stands in as a witness that the child did graduate. You get a gift for them and during the ceremony, you walk with them and sign the paper that you know him and that you witness his graduation. This is a very special honor for me.

I was also honored at the same Graduation to be the Grand Padrino. This is one that sits at the front speaks and helps give out the diplomas. This is the same school where I have worked on the computers and where I will begin teaching the teachers how to teach computers. What a day. God has truly blessed me today.

Graduation!

2008-11-29T08:58:00.001-08:00

This time of year is a great time of celebration for all students in Honduras, the end of school. Some are moving up to a new grade or school. Some are graduating High School looking forward to college or beginning life without school. Others are graduating the sixth grade and hoping for a scholarship. See, in Honduras they have to pay to attend secondary school. Like the kids in this picture, most do not have the ability to pay. For as little as twenty-five dollars a month a sponsor can help a child continue in school and give them a Hope and a Future. For more information, please email me at dean@heavensreach.org.

lights! yes please......

2008-11-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

I find myself thinking back to when I called the US home. It was very predictable. turn the faucet and water...... turn the knob and gas lit....... flip the switch and wallaaaa.... light...... But here you never know when you will have either of these. Today we had electricity when I left the house in the three minutes it takes to get to the farm the electricity went away. The last time it was out for three days. This time it was only out for seven hours. Thank God for the little things.......

Living in slow motion!

2008-11-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Living in Honduras is sometimes living in slow motion. Time is one thing that is not worth much here. Not to say that it doesn’t matter it dose. They have not put a price tag on time like the US has. Here time spent building friendship is beyond a price. It is invaluable. Time with family is invaluable. In the US time is money. Here time is people, relationship. It is nice to think that people and relationship is worth more than money.

They are life.

Teams! They are great.

2008-10-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Teams are a great help to the ministry they provide friendship, funds, and man power. We can do 10 to 20 times more with teams than we can alone.

Blue Skys

2008-10-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

Blue skys before me. Nothing but blue skys do I see. this might be a dating reference to a song from my youth. but it sumes up the beauty I see all the time here in Honduras. God's Creation is wonderful. It seems I take as many pictures of nature "God's Creation" as I do the people also "God's Creation".

Driving Jim

2008-10-10T18:18:00.000-07:00

It sounds like a little thing, to pick someone up at the air port, until you realize it takes three hours to get there and then three hours back. But is was a pleasure for me. Jim is a friend and a confidant. It was about honoring a returning friend and visiting him on the way home.

They will follow someone.

2008-10-09T18:24:00.001-07:00

I have found that everyone follows someone. That is not a question. the question is who will they follow. I have come to Honduras not to be followed but be the arrow that points to Christ.