July- September 2014 ministry Update

Hello everyone! Praying that each of you had a wonderful fun filled summer. Hope you had time to share Jesus with family and friends. Being home in the states for a few weeks in June was one of relaxation, refreshing, reflection and loving on our children and sharing the love of Christ. We enjoy and cherish the time with our loved ones holding the wonderful memories dear to our hearts.

This year has defiantly been one of change some bad and some good. Even still, in the month of July, the Lord brought more changes into our lives. He truly has us on a great adventure. Now to give an update on things that has been happening here since our return.

When we returned to Belize, we were contacted by the department of Human Services, telling us they had 3 maybe 4 girls they would like for RRV to consider for residents in the transition home.  After pray- fully reviewing each profile our board came to the conclusion we were not adequately trained nor did we have the right facility to accommodate the girls that were recommended.  This was such a very hard choice for us and was not taken lightly. 

On July the 25th we were contacted by another ministry, telling us of a University student that needed our assistance.  We agreed to meet Silvia, and almost immediately a bond was made. Silvia was placed in RRV on a trial basis, she came to live with us on July 28^th, (her trial period is over and she is now a resident at RRV).  She is currently enrolled in the University of Belize majoring in Computer Science. She is an awesome Christian young lady full of spunk and life. Silvia has accepted a job, where she will be working at the Art box. Please pray for Silvia as she faces life challenges.

A week later we had a call from a counselor in Belize City, introducing us to another young lady, Kamesha. Kamesha came to RRV on August 4th. Like always when the girls transition in, it is for a trial period.  She was a University student as well, her major was in accounting. Kamesha was with us for 2 weeks, during that time she turned 18 and decided to return to Belize City, where she is continuing her education, living with her aunt.

August 1st the Lord brought some very dear friends back into our lives, Kathryn Hardy and her sons David and Stewart, and John and Linda Lewis, they came in a few days before all the weeks’ busy-ness and ahead of the team Stewart was leading.

John and Linda told us they felt the Lord sent them to minister to us … little did they know just how and what that would be. The two of them were sent by the Lord to help us during a very busy and emotional time and with the girls. Gene and I are so thankful for them and the time we were allowed together.

I was blessed to see my dear friend Kathryn again; saddened by the reasons she was here.  Gene and I helped with hosting the Fishers of Men team. Stewart Hardy led a basketball camp and one of the board members, Greg Stephenson led the construction team as they added an addition on to one of the dorms at Cayo Deaf Institute.

 On August the 3rd, a memorial service was held for our dear friend and mentor Buddy Hardy. Many of our fellow missionaries as well as locals came to share in the celebration of this awesome man of Gods life. For the many years of service here in Belize and for his faithful service on the board of the Baptist Training Center one of the buildings was named the “Hardy House “in Buddy’s honor.

Even in sadness the Lord brings forth miracles of joy…Gene and I celebrated our 40^th year of marriage on the 3^rd. The both of us are praising the Lord for such an awesome accomplishment.

We had such a wonderful time with John and Linda before they left on the 22^nd. Then a few days of down time before the next guests arrived. 

The 29th RRV/ FOM hosted a young lady from Riceville Iowa. Hannah, (a high school student) came to audit classes here at a couple of the local High schools.  She attended Belize Christian Academy and Cayo Christian. While here she was invited to tour the American Embassy and meet the US Ambassador. Hannah was honored to have such an invitation. We totally fell in love with Hannah, she and Silvia became fast friends and had a great time of fellowship in the time allotted.

On the same day as Hannah’s arrival, another young lady came. Jennifer came to work through Child Development Foundation here in Belmopan. CDF specializes in educating people on the issues of abuse of all kinds, human trafficking and counseling for those individuals who have a need. Jennifer will be working with them and staying with us until the middle of October.  As I write this Jen is in Dangriga town with CDF. Their goal for this visit is to make sensitive the topics of abuse and trafficking to the schools and the teachers the police officers and those in places of authority.

September 9th, only for one day we were blessed with some very special folks from Newport Tennessee. Gene and I are so thankful that we were able to see (uncle) Jerry and Sharon Bryant.  These two are very dear to us. While they were here they visited the two students they sponsor for school. I always receive a blessing when I see the faces of the children and the sponsors light up when they see each other.

 

On September 12th, Gene and I through FOM welcomed Parrie Lakes Church from Cedar Falls Iowa. PLC is Hannah’s home church. Upon their arrival she joined with her team. Their team consisted of a Dental and Construction team; working in the school of Blackman Eddy.

 The construction part of the team was able to bless the school in building a new class room, while the dental team ministered to the students, to their families, as well as the teachers, the team saw around 100 patients for the week. Such a blessing to serve with this team!

Now we are at the end of September and still the Lord has many new adventures ahead for us. Many of you know that back in January of this year we lost the lease to the house RRV is currently in. Gene and I and Redemption Road Village will join with Fishers of Men, as the two become one for a season of time. The joining of the 2 ministries will mean that we will be moving into the FOM ministry house. Along with the girl (s) we have in RRV.

 As we have been doing for the past months we will continue to do; hosting teams and assisting Fishers of Men in the daily activities of the ministry, and continuing to minister to the young ladies at Redemption Road as the Lord places them into our home.

We are seeking the heart of our Savior as the future unfolds. Please keep us in your prayers that we would prayer- fully and obediently follow the Lord’s guidance in both ministries.

Blessings Gene and Liz Watkins         Gal. 2:20

 

Present times...

 

 

 

 

In February 2014, our landlord returned to Belize and informed us that our lease would not be extended and that we must relocate by January 8th of 2015.  This was a shock to us since we had a verbal agreement that we would be at our present location for at least 5 years.

 

 

April 2014,

 

we are confident that Our Father has much bigger plans and feel that He wants us to establish a more permanent base for Redemption Road Village. We ask for your prayers as we seek His will. Once we better understand Our Father’s Will, we will be better equipped to inform you of our financial needs.  Right now, we ask that you keep us in your prayers as we seek that Will based on His timing.

 

 

 

Many have ask how can we help RRV and what are the current and ongoing needs?

Please see the top of the blog page that says "Our Needs Are"

Financially....

Attached you will find a copy of our Sponsorship list.     This list does not include the cost of our relocating. We are prayerfully seeking the Lord, as whether He would have us purchase a home, to build, or lease.  We are trusting fully in Him as he leads.

Prayerfully...

Please join us in prayer for a very dear friend and founder of RRV, Buddy Hardy.

Buddy has been having some major issues with his health, and is currently in the hospital in Birmingham Alabama. Pray for Kathryn, their 2 sons and their family, as we all face and go through this difficult time.

For updates on Buddy please see Fishers of Men Face book page.

thank you for your prayers

Blessings



January 2014 Another Adventure begins

 

 

 

January 2014, yet another adventure begins.

The Lord brought to us Diane, 22 and her young son.

The two of them have been out of the children’s home since Diane was 18. This case, a little different than what we thought we would be doing.

They had already been living on their own, Diane has a wonderful job and the fact we were bringing in a 9 year old boy.

 We were ask to help in encouraging and helping in enriching her parenting skills, and assist in budgeting her finances.

Diane was in her own transition time. It was our job to help her through this time.

We have fallen in love with these two precious people, and in the future hope to remain a large part of their lives. 

 

 

We are expectantly excited about what the Lord has next. 

For Diane and Manuel their exit strategy is to be living in their own apartment

by June 1.

Please pray for them as they are still looking for that perfect place.

 

 



Updating November & December

Each week RRV host a ladies bible study group.  Each of the ladies comes from different cultural back grounds. It is such  a pleasure to get to know everyone and share the word of God together.

 

 

November of 2013

 Some of these dear ladies in our bible study group along with some of you in the states jumped on board in the planning stages of our open house. It was such an encouragement to see the support we have locally. Some of you, Gene and I met in the beginning of our move to Belize. But until now had no idea how and where you would be in our lives. Our Lord is awesome in putting things and people together.

 

 

 

 

Praise the Lord!!

In December of 2013 a very important milestone was crossed.  We received our Foster Parent status.

 We were asked to provide respite care for a few of the girls from Marla’s House of Hope girls’ home, during the Christmas break. When all was said and done we had 2 wonderful young ladies to share our Christmas with. Several of the girls from Marla’s came on the weekends before Christmas and helped in the decorating of the house and the tree. Excitement filled RRV.  The laughter and the joy of the girls brought us much joy as we shared the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior.

 

 

 

Over the next several months

 

 

Over the next several months ...

 

 

 

We were lost in time, filing paper work for permits,

obtaining our foster parent status and just waiting for answers and watching how and what the Lord was doing.

 Individuals locally and abroad are began to donated time, money, talents, advice, encouragement and lots of prayer and love. This was confirmation to us that we were on the right path.

 Just to let you all know you all are a great Encouragement to us along this journey.

You all are a large part of Redemption Road Village.

 

 

May of 2013, the Lord led to us a young lady who was in a troubled relationship. She was our first young lady that would stay with us for a couple of weeks.

 

 

That same week Fishers of Men’s “morality Matters team arrived. Gene and I along with the team of FOM began to teach in the local schools. We partnered with Child Development Foundation of Belize in sensitizing the students on human trafficking and abstinence. It was a blessing to teach the students on this subject using biblical principles.  Evelyn worked with us during our “Morality Matters team”, it was after the team left she went to live with her parents. Evelyn is now employed full time and wishes to return to University to finish her degree.

 

 

Armenia School Morality Matters
 

 

 

 

 

We continue to work with Fishers of Men and the medical, dental and construction teams as well as the Morality Matters teams that come in. Truly a blessing!

 

 



Then....

 

RRV

 

January of 2013 Redemption Road Village opened its doors at the present location. Several teams from Fishers of Men came and helped prepare the home for living.

Walls were moved and others reinforced. Paint was placed on all the walls, but the most important and impressive was the prayers of each person that entered. As they entered some went from room to room praying over each area, for the residents that would one day fill the rooms.   

  

 

 

Donations came in that helped in furnishing the house making it a home. The shipment arrived; the furniture was unloaded and placed in the rooms, the vision…now a reality.                               

 

The container arrived...

The Family group” from Fishers of Men prayed and helped unpack the bedding. Some made beds as they prayed and others finished painting. What a blessing it is to be a part of new birth in ministry.

Times Past ...

Since the Lord opened the door of opportunity

 and Redemption Road Village was founded,

we have had some miraculous and exciting times.

 

 

 

November of 2012 Gene and I watched and waited... we knew that the Lord was closing one door of ministry and opening another. Not realizing even the direction we were headed, we began to help a group of friends form and plan their new ministry.

The deeper we got into helping the more we realized what the Lord was doing in and with us. We were to be a part of this ministry, we call Redemption Road Village.

We all moved  prayerfully forward as a house was placed into our path, we gathered information; papers were signed and filed for legal purposes. A program was adopted, along with so many other things that put this ministry together in just a short time. Short time! No it was an eight year dream of two very incredible men of God. Who patiently waited for just the right time, God’s time!