What Motivates You?

Whenever we have teams come for a visit, we usually take the first day to give them a tour of AFE and give them a short history about how the school started. During the tour, we take the group into a few classrooms to meet some of our students and ask them what they want to study when they graduate from AFE and move on to the University.

We always receive interesting responses. For so many years, the greatest dreams of many of our children were to become a Dump Truck drivers. For them, that was the highest they could dream. Now we have students with dreams of studying medicine, becoming lawyers, engineers, teachers, and so much more! God has truly brought HOPE into the lives of these children.

On one particular occasion, we had a group who not only asked what...but why? There were several good responses, but the best came from a student named Douglas.

Douglas is 18 years old and is looked at as an example among his classmates.He is hard working, humble and always has a gentle attitude. His goal is to become a Mechanical Engineer. He loves cars and feels free when he gets the chance to work on one. When asked this question, he did not direct his answer to the group that asked the question, but rather to the rest of his classmates in the room. He encouraged them to continue in their studies, but that their motivation should not be to do it for themselves or their families, but first and foremost for GOD. He also told them that he wants to continue in school so that he can be a positive example for those that come after him.

He along with the other male students at AFE are a wonderful example of what it means to live out Romans 12! They are not conforming to the patterns of this world! So the question that remains for all of us is: 
    
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Growth Through Participation

One of the amazing things we can see in the Gospel Narratives is just how quickly Jesus decides to send out his 12 disciples with his mission. In the Gospel of Matthew, he begins the process of selecting his 12 disciples in chapter four, and sends them out into the world in chapter 10.

The fact that Jesus made this leap so quickly is shocking.

How could he possibly think that these men were ready?

How could he be confident that they knew what they were doing?

Sure they had seen a lot up to this point, but it is not possible that they could have fully grasped the message of Jesus.

The more time I look at this passage and timeline, I start wondering if maybe the point that Jesus is trying to make with his actions is that there is a great deal of GROWTH that can come from PARTICIPATING.

Maybe he is saying that preparation does not only come from listening.

As many of you are aware, AFE celebrated its first graduating class last year. In an effort to allow our graduates the opportunity to give back and to also grow in their own maturity as adults in this world, AFE has provided the opportunity for several students to teach in the afternoon for our adult education. Although it has been a big step for them, they have welcomed the challenge and are finding GROWTH through PARTICIPATION.

From Their Perspective

A big part of what makes the ministry at AFE possible is the many teams that come to participate in the miracle of GOD rescuing these wonderful children. We recently had a team of NINE AMERICANS come down for such an experience and we thought it would be great for you, our readers, to hear a first-hand account of what goes on.

MISSION TRIP [MAY 8-14 2012]

I wanted to write to you to tell you all about our experience in HONDURAS. There is too much to tell in one short email, so to keep this short and simple, I will point out some visible and invisible things that happened.

//VISIBLE

-   We taught classes to all grades for two days.  This included Bible stories, learning how to start a business, and doing dissection of cow body parts in biology. 

-   We put a fresh coat of paint on three of the school buildings.

-   We helped host a Mother’s Day lunch at the AFE School for the moms living in or around the garbage dump for about 110 moms.  We helped host a Mother’s Day breakfast for about 60 moms at the church where Jeony is a Pastor.  He told us this was the only Mother’s Day celebration most of the moms would have.

-   We hugged about 1,000 kids and many moms.  We prayed with many moms and children with special needs.

//INVISIBLE

-   Our lives were changed by God as a result of seeing extreme poverty up close.

-   Our lives were enhanced and challenged by those who serve at AFE…both Hondurans and U. S. missionaries. 

-   We witnessed God meet human needs in many miraculous ways. 

-   For many on the team - found some clarity and direction in exploring God's calling on their life. 

-   Tested and stretched ourselves in scary situations.

-   As a group, we learned the importance in being a small part of God's larger plan of changing individuals, families, and a community. 

-   We developed life-long friendships with others on the team.

-   Gained some insight into some Bible verses such as:   

§  "You can do nothing without (Jesus) me." [JOHN 15:5]

§  “You can do all things in Christ." [PHILIPPIANS 4:13]

§  "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” [PHILIPPIANS 1:21]

We want to thank our families, our church family, and friends for you LOVE, SUPPORT, and PRAYERS.

Family Planning comes to AFE

The AFE Clinic proudly welcomes the new addition of family planning to services provided. As you might know from another recent blog, family planning is essential in controlling family size, and in turn, breaking the cycle of poverty.

Through another NGO clinic/hospital located in Tegucigalpa called ASHONPLAFA, we are able to provide a reduced cost of 25 lempiras for a 3-month injection or 1-month injection or pills. So, for about $1.50, a woman can receive birth control. ASHONPLAFA is an organization that specializes in women’s health, and is the one that recently provided the tubal ligation surgeries for moms at AFE. They are a pleasure to work with because they are heavily invested in health education and prevention instead of only providing the treatment itself.

Our prayer is that through this connection with ASHONPLAFA, we will be able to continue to work towards breaking the cycle of poverty for our children and their families in the Trash Dump.



Johanna is a mother and student at AFE who is
participating in the Family Planning Program

Honoring Mothers in the Trash Dump

Not too many of us could imagine a life without celebration. Even if we miss a few each year, our lives are filled with all kinds of celebrations.

- Birthdays
- Christmas
- Thanksgiving
- Valentines Day
- 4th of July

For many of the families that surround the trash dump community, the years pass by with very little to celebrate. Since AFE's inception, the goal of it's leader has always been to offer a holistic approach to ministry. This simply means that AFE attempts to reach these children and their families in every aspect of their lives.

That includes celebrations.

This year will be the 5th year that AFE will have the opportunity to offer a celebration for the MOTHERS IN THE TRASH DUMP. Each year, AFE dedicates and puts aside one day in order to honor these mothers with a nice lunch and gift baskets. For the past 5 years, there has been a team from the United States that has come to provide the funds for the lunch, but we are looking for people willing to donate funds to help us purchase the GIFT BASKETS.

We are looking to create 50 baskets this year and each basket will cost around $16. If you or anybody you know might be interested in helping, please click here to visit AFE's website and make a donation. If you decide to give towards this event, please make your donation under "Special Projects" and designate the funds for "Mother´s Day".

New Building, More Growth

Construction on AFE´s fifth building has continued to progress and it is almost time to begin the second level of our new three story building. While the details of this project are still undecided, the overall dream has been put forth by AFE´s founder, Pastor Jeony Ordoñez. His vision for this building includes…

-          A new library

-          Larger clinic space

-          Classrooms for K-6^th grade

-          Space for an open-air café

This new building, number five, is such a wonderful reminder of all that GOD has done in these communities surrounding the garbage dump. It is so hard to believe that when AFE started just 11 years ago, Pastor Jeony and his wife, Jesy, were holding classes in the garbage dump with only a handful of students.

GOD continues to do amazing things through this ministry and it has continued to expand and touch the lives of so many young people and their families. Please continue to pray for AFE´s expansion and vision of no more children in the garbage dump.

Three lives rescued from the Trash Dump

AFE proudly welcomes three new babies to the nursery this week: Jefferson, Genesis, and Angie.

Jefferson is a 2-month-old with a full head of hair that came to AFE’s clinic a week ago severely dehydrated. His mother is 14 years old and has been leaving him in a cardboard box in the trash dump while she scavenges and collects trash to recycle. After less than a week in AFE’s nursery, Jefferson is drinking milk more regularly, making wet diapers, and all together is recovering from his dangerously dehydrated state. His mom is now an afternoon student at AFE and is learning how to take care of her baby through personal health education classes.

3-month-old Genesis and 2-year-old Angie are adorable sisters. Their mom is also young and works in the trash dump. Under the loving care of nursery workers Jenny, Claudia, and Suyapa, these precious babies will receive daily baths, wear clean clothes, eat regular meals, have nap time, and begin to learn and experience God’s love for them.

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.

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.

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.

Recycling the Dream

Dreams are not an uncommon part of what it means to be human. Although many might have a hard time verbalizing what their dreams are, it would be difficult to find someone who did not, at one point in their life, dream of something bigger and greater.

Ten years ago, Jeony and Jesy Ordoñez had a dream, but not the kind of dream that can be realized overnight. Through years of struggles and victories, their dream or rescuing children from the garbage dump slowly became a reality, and this reality exists at AFE. However the great thing about the vision of AFE is that it is both complete and incomplete.

Both realized and unrealized.
The dream of rescuing kids from the garbage dump has happened, but there is still more to be done. Each year, we are able to recycle the dream. In December 2011, AFE watched as nine students completed the first stage of their new adventure in life by graduating from AFE.


Yorleni Avila. Yorleni is currently in 11th grade
and is preparing to graduate this year.

Nine students whose lives will be forever changed.

As a new school year begins at AFE, the attitude seems to be a little different. No longer is the goal of moving kids from a life in the garbage dump to classes at the University a dream…it is a reality.

Now, we must look forward to the next class. From here on out, each year will bring a new group of students who are prepared to take that next step just like the nine pioneers before them. Each new year brings a new group whose lives can be transformed and who can become positive examples for those students who will come after them and for those in their communities.

Although the dream is now a reality, the reality is that the dream is not complete.

Please continue to pray for God’s guidance as we continue to recycle the dream here at AFE.

LA GRAN PÉRDIDA

Por Pastor Jeony Ordóñez

Cada vez que entro a las aulas de clases o cada vez que hablo con un niño les pregunto qué quiere ser cuando sea grande,  algunos me dicen ingeniero, otros abogado y ha habido algunos que me dicen que presidente de la república. Kevin era uno de los estudiantes que le preguntaba y él era uno de los tres que un día quería ser policía y al otro quería ser bombero, este era el sueño de Kevin por lo menos hasta que llegara a un grado superior, donde nunca podrá estar  y lo que pienso al respecto es que Honduras perdió un gran bombero o un gran policía pero de lo que si estoy seguro es que Honduras perdió un gran ciudadano.

Cada Día después de clases Kevin entraba en la oficina de la directora esperando que le preguntaran ¿Como esta? O que le vaya bien lo quiero mucho o que Dios lo bendiga, sin contar las veces que se quedaba  en detención, antes de ir a despedirse por supuesto había estado en el comedor de la escuela y seguramente había pedido otra porción de comida por lo que AFE perdió un gran estudiante.

Cada domingo en la reunión de la iglesia mientras estaba el tiempo de alabanza él se  sentaba junto a mí y yo le levantaba las manos y lo empujaba para que aplaudiera después pasaba a  sus clases dominicales por lo que la iglesia también perdió un futuro gran líder.

Kevin era el mayor de seis hermanos él sabía que tenía que trabajar para apoyar a sus abuelos a conseguir algún dinero pero él también sabía que el era el responsable del resto de sus hermanos por lo que la familia perdió un gran miembro: El funeral de Kevin estuvo repleto de sus amigos y las personas que lo queríamos pero ese día vi a los muchachos de secundaria conmovidos por la perdida, los mire llorando por lo que los muchachos de AFE, perdieron un gran compañero y amigo

La biblia nos habla de muchas paradojas y una de ellas es si el grano de mostaza no  muere no habrán grandes cosechas, La muerte de Kevin representa una gran  pérdida para nosotros, pero para  el cielo es la ganancia de UN ANGEL llamado KEVIN.      

AFE is on Vacation

The school year in Honduras runs February to November, giving students December and January for winter break (roughly equivalent to our summer break in the United States).

During this time, AFE students spend time with their families, hang out at home, and some work...either in the garbage dump or at paper factories, sorting paper. AFE teachers use the time for lesson planning for the year.

Thus, AFE's blog will remain quiet in January...but look forward to more exciting stories and updates in February! Also, if you have emailed your sponsor child, you will not hear back from him or her until mid-February (since AFE's computer lab is also closed this month).

AFE's "Gran Fiesta de Navidad 2011"

There were fond, familiar faces. There were new faces. There were faces we have not seen for a while. Here a few snapshots of AFE's Gran Fiesta de Navidad, 2011....revealing the success of our labor in the garbage dump, and the great deal of work that is left to do.

A Night to Remember

December 10th was a night to remember at AFE. It was a night to remember the past, and how far the graduating seniors have come, and simply to remember the evening itself and the beauty of an unfolding miracle.



A diverse crowd of roughly 50 loved-ones gathered in a salon in Chiminike, the beautiful children’s museum and meeting facility. A slide show presented pictures of AFE’s seniors when we had first taken them out of the garbage dump. They were skinny back them and malnourished. Their faces with darkened with grim determination instead of the light of innocence children’s faces should reflect.

But God had has his way in their lives….thanks to donors like you and the committed staff of AFE.

When the music began, nine handsome young adults walked confidently down the aisle to the sound of ringing applause. Now their faces betrayed hope, self-confidence, purity and grace.

Rene Daniel Elvir Giron was the student chosen to give a speech to his fellow graduates. Rene was the first child Pastor Jeony rescued from the garbage dump.

When Rene stood up to speak, his did so with his usual confidence and teenage-boy bravado. But then something happened when it came time to thank the people who had invested in his life.Rene’s strong face melted into tears. His hid his face from the audience and his began to cry. Rey and Jesi stood beside him to give him support. After many moments of silence in the auditorium it became apparent that Rene could not go on. But he did not need to. His tears of gratitude spoke more than his words could have.

Pastor Jeony then addressed the graduates. He charged them to remember what God had done in their lives, and that their feat was not accomplished by their own power and strength. He encouraged them to always remember where they had come from, and where they are going. His final charge was to remember this night forever. I think I can speak for the graduates when I say: they (and we) always will.

Rene with his parents, garbage dump workers
who supported his education at AFE.

Count Down to Graduation

The clock is ticking. 20 days remain. In 20 days, something the community never expected will occur. In 20 days something WE at AFE had hoped in faith was inevitable will be...

On December 10th nine excited young men and women will throw their caps in the air, and they will graduate high school.

Graduating high school may seem a small thing to us in the United States. It is almost expected of us and our c

hildren. Not so here. Not in a community with a third-grade education on average. Not in place of hopelessness like the garbage dump.

It will happen in the ballroom of a beautifully constructed science museum dow

ntown. The affair will be formal. Their parents will receive a hand-made invitation, delivered to their door any week now.

The young men and women, with the world at the feet, and the light of aspiration in their eyes, will walk in front of their friends and family with pride and receive their diploma.

It will be an event unlike any other. In the spiritual realm, it will be a huge victory. Because children and parents who have given up, have thought: “Why should I continue in school? What´s the point?” They will know that it is possible to

go to college and better your life, because of the courageous stance of these young champions.

*** If you would like to contribute to this event to make it EXTRA special

for our 11th graders, you can do so with your credit card online at: AFE´s Cart. Please write choose the option of "You Choose" and write AFE Graduation in the note.

A Place to Lay Your Head

---Report on 121 Community Church Mission Trip with Orphan Outreach, by Bob Beams---

Several months ago, the leaders at AFE discovered the Castro family (see blog: "You Are Not Alone") To review, the alcoholic father of this family had burned down their home and abandoned the family. They were all living in the garbage dump using old plastic or anything they could to keep out the rain. They ate what they found in the trash and felt constantly threatened by the men in the dump. None of the kids were in school and all scavenged through the trash daily to find recyclable to sell to middlemen.

AFE found a business group from the United States called "LMSPI" to come and build a home for the family. Additionally, all of the Castro children are enrolled at AFE, learning in the after school program, and attending church on the weekends. When we arrived on our trip we found the family had no furniture and were sleeping on the concrete floor without even one blanket. We built three bunk beds with new mattresses, a table and some benches and shelves. It was a huge joy to see them lay down on their beds, flip around to find a comfortable position, with big smiles on their faces. It was so wonderful to know that tonight, for the first night in ages, they would have a good night's sleep. Believe me, the impact of this experience--and also the experience of the whole week---will never leave us. Our lives have been enhanced richly, deeply, and eternally.

To learn more about taking a mission trip with Orphan Outreach, visit: OO Mission Trips

Online Yearbook

Many have asked if there is an online database with pics of every AFE student. This is harder to do than you would think :)

However, here are our most current pictures of our current AFE students: AFE Yearbook on Picasa. Enjoy, and remember to pray for them!

Why Books IN SPANISH are the Greatest Treasure

By Adam Macenczak

Last semester, I was given the opportunity to teach PUBLIC SPEAKING to our High School students. To make it more interesting (and less intimidating), I decided to mix up the assignments and have them speak in front of different crowds. One of those assignments required them to read a children's book to our kindergarten class at AFE. Yet, as the teenagers at AFE went through our library here to find a book to read to younger children, they encountered a surprising difficulty. Of all of the books we have at AFE, the majority of them are in English!

What has happened is that when teams visit from the States, they often bring donations in the form of books---but in English. The motivation has been to offer books that can help our kids learn English, but these books have quickly taken over our library. And in Honduras, children’s books are unfortunately, a scarcity.

This need has been weighing heavily on my heart. I think back to when I was a child and all of the books I had at my fingertips. These children are missing out on such a wonderful and necessary component of their education. We want to offer them the kind of library that we had growing up and give them the opportunity to open their eyes to a new world. The love of reading is often where the love of learning begins.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP!

AFE does not have the funds to makeover the library. At this point, we are lacking the most basic need...the books. We want to ask you to consider being a part of this project and help our kids receive new books in their language. WE NEED BOOKS FOR ALL AGES: beautifully illustrated books for children…more challenging books for early readers, and classic novels for the older children.

If you would like to participate in this way and donate books, we currently have two "drop zones" where you can bring them (or mail them):

MOUNT CARMEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
6015 Old Stone Mountain Rd.
Stone Mountain, GA 30087

SNELLVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2485 Scenic Highway South
Snellville, GA 30078

Or, if you are further from Georgia, you could bring them with you on your mission trip! Even just one book will be able to help many of our children.

Filming of AFE Documentary In Progress

In 2010 a moving documentary rocked a film festival in Southern California. The twelve-minute film showed footage of Hurricane Mitch (which struck Honduras in 1998); it explained how many families were forced to scavenge when they lost everything, and how AFE began in response to the growing number of children in the trash dump.

Awaken Honduras, 2010

The producer of “Awaken Honduras” took footage in the dump and spent the night with the Paz family to see first-hand how an average family from the garbage dump lives. Viewers were aghast when they saw Jefry Paz sleeping on the floor, his head propped up against a cement wall, and his younger sister sleeping on top of garbage bags.

In response to this film, the Paz family was one of the first AFE families to receive new, dignified housing. The mother of the Paz family has become a leader in AFE’s women’s co-op, Luz y Esperanza, and does well enough to provide for her family. The tanned toddler who sat in the dirt has become a sweetheart of AFE’s, charming everyone with brilliant smile. And the oldest daughter in the Paz family makes the best marks in the eighth grade.Not only has the Paz family prospered from their participation in “Awaken Honduras,” but the film has been instrumental in AFE fundraising across the country.

Now JJ Starr, Awaken’s producer, is back to shoot a longer documentary and tell more of AFE’s story. His new project, loosely titled “See You at the University” will be 50 to 90 minutes and highlight AFE’s first group of students to go on to study at college. He is focusing the story on two extraordinary students: Rene Elvir, the first child Pastor Jeony rescued from the garbage dump, and Merlin Valladares, who has gone to great lengths to continue studying at AFE.

JJ Starr and Lindsay Jernigan have donated their time and expertise to make this movie.

The documentary is scheduled to be completed in 2012, depending on whether more footage is needed. In its completion, this film will be instrumental in the long-term fundraising task of finding college scholarships for AFE students as they graduate high school.

Look for it on JJ’s website, Falling Kid, and see some of the other amazing projects whose stories he has told through film.