Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from ROHI!
December was filled with celebrations, many of which were thanks to your generosity and also of some Honduran churches and individuals.
Leading up to the anticipated graduation and Christmas celebrations, students continued attending ROHI daily and continued in their normal activities of devotional time and meals, but also rehearsed for their Christmas program, participated in Christmas crafts and played games. The students thoroughly enjoyed the craft time and were proud to share their creations with their families and use them to decorate their homes.
The ROHI 2023 graduation celebrated four kindergarteners, two ninth graders and three eleventh graders. (Eleventh grade is the final year of high school in Honduras.) It also honored the four technical students who finished their cosmetology and gastronomy courses. At the close of the program, the graduates and their families enjoyed a dinner together. Thank you to each donor who made it possible for all students from the youngest to the oldest to successfully complete their studies in 2023.
Christmas arrived early at ROHI, as they celebrated Christmas together on the last day before Christmas break. Parents watched with pride as their children performed Christmas specials together with their classmates. After 15 performances and after gifts were handed out to each student, the long-anticipated moment of the Christmas gifts arrived. They counted down from 10, and 175 students tore into their tissue-paper wrapped gifts, unveiling a brand-new outfit and a brand-new pair of shoes. Looks of delight filled the students’ faces, and one little boy held his shoes up to his nose, inhaled deeply and his eyes beamed—the smell was indeed that of new shoes and not used ones. After opening her gift, sweet little 10-year-old Jaqueline approached the TMP staff member on hand for the party and asked if she could please thank the donors that had given so they could have gifts. On behalf of Jaqueline and all the students, thank you to everyone who donated to make the party and the gifts possible. The party concluded with tamales for everyone.
Blessed by some local donations, they celebrated a few more times before the 25th as local entities shared the joy of the season with them. They attended a Christmas concert put on by a local church that also took up a collection of diapers, clothing and toys for the ROHI families. Another church provided lunch one day and shared God’s word with them. A local doctor and her friends visited, providing food provisions, pizza and lots of hugs. A North American family that has recently reached out to ROHI also visited and shared provisions, tamales and fellowship. As promised back in July, the students were also rewarded by the former interpreter and his friends for their scholastic efforts and were able to purchase some items with the “currency” they earned from their grades.
THANKS and PRAYER REQUESTS from the ROHI staff:
Thank God and every person who has donated this Christmas time so that the families at the garbage dump have food at home and can also enjoy this beautiful time of year.
- We ask God for a 2024 full of his favor and blessings for the entire population of the municipal garbage dump and the ROHI Project
- We pray health for every child, mother and father who works in the garbage dump
- May the students and families follow the Lord at all times
- We pray for the beginning of classes that the Lord would take control in the planning and that all that is done be for his glory
- For every high school student—may the Lord guide their steps and help them make good decisions
- We pray for each teacher that the Lord may guide their lives and their families
- For every donor who makes this year possible with their support—may God multiply your lives and take care of your families
- For Trash Mountain Project—may the Lord continue to bless this great project so that they continue to carry out this work of love for each child
