A late update

Hi everyone, once again sorry for the time between updates. We did finally get our newsletter completed. We are trying to send the majority of them via email to save on some of the costs. If you would like to receive it in the future via email and you are not on our email list, please send you email to mgrathome@yahoo.com If you receive it by mail it should be there sometime in the next week. By the way, our family is featured in the newest (August) WGO newsletter. Go to wgoreach.org to see it or sign up to receive it.

We are adjusting to life here slowly but surely. There have been some frustrations, esp. with getting things fixed at the house. But it is God's way of teaching us patience and dependence on Him.

This past month I have been taking Spanish on Mondays and Wednesday for 2 hours. A lot of my high school Spanish is coming back better than I thought it would. I enjoy learning it and have told all of the bi-lingual Hondurans here at the office to try and only speak to me in Spanish. My Spanish is still a work in progress, but at least I am providing them some laughs with my attempts. Dana, AJ and Jordan start their Spanish next Wednesday. Please pray that God opens our ears and loosens our tongues to learn the language.

AJ finally caught a snake, it promptly escaped, he recaught it, then it died in captivity. We also had a vinegaroon in our house that he caught. If you don't know (I didn't) that is a tailless scorpion. Here is a picture from the web of one.

School has started at Rancho Ebenezer. WGO has welcomed some new teachers recently and so far they have adjusted well and are doing great. Please pray for the kids, teachers and the school year.

We have a couple at the ranch currently that are a prospective teacher and admin staff at the ranch. They will be here until Aug. 1st. We then have another couple that will be here from Aug.5th-Aug. 17th for their final interview to become house parents. Pray that through their visits God's will is made clear. Pray that God raises up more teachers, house parents and staff to join Him at work in Honduras.

WGO has extended an offer to join us to a couple that will work at the ranch in construction and admin. Also we have extended an offer to a couple of teachers for this fall and next year. Please be in prayer for their fundraising efforts and preparation for coming to the field. God gets the Praises.

As always we cannot express fully our thanks and gratitude for your prayers and support. We definitely feel that prayers lifting us up in times of frustration and struggle. We give thanks for the sacrificial giving to support us on the field. We are humbled by everyone's' grace, love, thoughts, prayers, and support. We love you.

---Alan