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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty

Recently, there have been some exciting new developments at AFE related to healthcare.

Hollie, the school nurse, continues to treat patients from the trash dump community in a small room located at the school, but there is a new clinic building in the making. This clinic will host a small waiting room, bathroom, office, exam room, and pharmacy. In a few months, there will be efficient use of space to see more patients on a regular basis with the help of a Honduran doctor.

During this construction project, God continues to direct and bless this ministry.
Two weeks ago, AFE hosted a visiting doctor and two nurses from a health center in Tegucigalpa who performed Pap smears for mothers and family members of AFE students. The day was a success with a total of 17 women who came for appointments. As you may already know, Pap smears are crucial in the detection of pre-cancerous cells that lead to cervical cancer. It is extremely difficult to convince women from this culture of the importance of this exam due to fear and embarrassment. However, the turnout was exceptional according to the doctor. He normally expects no more than eight or nine women when visiting communities, and was surprised and pleased at the great turnout.

Because of the partnership with Pap smears from the health center, Hollie is now able to provide free birth control methods for women of AFE families and other patients from the community. As AFE continues to work toward breaking the cycle of poverty for our families in the garbage dump, family planning plays a large part in this. As mothers have more babies, this only complicates existing poverty and health problems.
In addition to family planning, AFE has recently provided free tubal ligation surgery for interested mothers at AFE. Tubal ligation is a form of permanent sterilization for women who are ready to have no more children. There are four women who have overcome the social pressures and stigmas and have taken this brave step in improving their life and the lives of their families.

Please continue to pray with us as we continue to support the women of AFE and continue clinic planning.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Men at Work

Cristian Diaz is in 9th Grade
Over the past 10 years, AFE has continued to expand. Every year presents new challenges and one of the consistent challenges that continue to arise is the need for more buildings at our school. Last year was the first year that AFE has had a complete school…nursery and preschool all the way through high school.

Growth is inevitable from now on.

Since January, our classes have not only been filled with students, but also with the noise that comes with construction.

Our fifth building is well on its way!

In addition to the many workers who put in a full day of work, we also have several of our male students from high school putting in extra hours after school in order to contribute. Their efforts will go toward their required hours of social work. It is so encouraging to see the guys, who could be doing so many other things, taking the time to give back to the ministry that has given them so much. This time of year, the conditions outside are extreme (to us Americans).
Douglas Rodriguez is
in 10th Grade

Temperatures in the high 90s
Dry and dusty
Acrid smoke from the trash dump
Direct sunlight with little to no shade

In the midst of all of this, the attitude from these students is nothing but positive. It certainly would be easy for them to complain, but instead they choose to offer a positive example for their peers that taking responsibility and working towards a goal is how we move forward in life. Praise GOD for these young men and for the example they set not only for the younger students behind them, but for all of us as well.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Diaz Family Leaving Honduras

For the last four years, Rey and Elise Diaz have been an integral part of life at AFE.  Rey has helped with fundraising, donor communication and hosting visiting mission teams. Elise organized the sponsorship program at AFE and supported volunteers. When they came to live and serve in Honduras, it was without an end-date in mind. But their home church in Washington State has asked them to return and to take on more leadership.

Thus it is with heavy-hearts that AFE says “hasta luego” to the Diaz family. It is indeed “see you later” because Rey and Elise will stay involved in AFE, but from a distance. Elise will continue to provide admin support to AFE operations from the United States, and Rey will continue to help with fundraising.
Adam and Hollie Macenczak will take over some of the things Rey and Elise did, such as organizing teams and providing support to volunteers.
Rey, Elise, and Elijah are sad to leave but thankful that there is such an excellent team in place to take over their responsibilities.  AFE will, as it always has, continue to thrive under the leadership of Jeony and Jesi Ordonez, Hondurans committed to rescuing children from the garbage dump.