Brad and Mary Kay Phillips

help or HELP!

2009-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Alzaré mis ojos a los montes, ¿De dónde vendrá mi socorro? Mi socorro viene de Jehová, Que hizo los cielos y la tierra. Salmo 121:1 (Reina Valera 1960)

I look up to the mountains--does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! Psalm 121:1 (NLT)

I share this verse in Spanish as well as English. I have been thinking about how sometimes I have difficulty saying something in English because a Spanish word says it so much more vividly. I have always loved this verse as it is such a reminder for when I get my eyes off Jesus that I need to return to Him since He is my HELP.

In this case, the Spanish is so much more vivid. Yes, Jesus is our help, in the small things as well as the big. But, I love the contrast, because ayuda is the common word for help while socorro is used in more serious or desperate situations.

Let me explain. Ayuda, which is not used in this verse, is for when I ask my daughter to help me by setting the table or a child to help me pick up the puzzle pieces when we are done playing. Socorro is when the EMTs come quickly in an emergency!

Sometimes I take Jesus for granted in the little things, but I am so grateful that He cares about them, too. Those bigger, deeper needs are the ones that require socorro, Jesus helping us when we are hurting so deeply that all we can do is groan or cry out. That's when Jesus takes our groanings and presents them as requests before our heavenly Father. I am truly blessed to have the peace of knowing that my help comes from Jesus.

Family update

2008-07-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

This summer has been quite busy so far. Brad continues to be VERY busy with Samaritan's Purse. A couple of projects have been completed, but funding has been found to continue some other projects that had ended.

Our kids are happy, busy, and healthy. Ryan, Andrea, and the boys moved back to Virginia. They just purchased their first home. It does require some repairs, but we are excited for their achievements and transitions. Grayson is 2 1/2 and loves to be momma's helper.

Jack will be 1 in August and really has personality plus. He loves his peaches!!!

Julia is working full-time in the emergency room as a nurse. She did have an opportunity to spend a week with us mid-June.

In this picture, she is breaking an egg on her friend Gwen's head for her birthday, a Honduran tradition. She ran her first marathon and wants to train for the Boston marathon.

Sarah and Josh continue to live in Louisville. Sarah enjoys working in the orthodontic clinic. Josh continues to work through the steps to enter the police academy.

We are very blessed with our family. Keep watching for updates from Brad.

Graduation Julia and Sarah

2008-05-13T18:05:00.000-07:00

We just spent the last 2 weeks in the States travel to see our 3 children. But the main reason for our trip to the States was to participate in Julia's "pinning ceremony" as she graduation as a nurse and Sarah's graduation in criminal justice. Between the two went to Florida to see Ryan, Andrea and the 2 grandsons.

Visitor during Holy Week

2008-03-29T09:24:00.001-07:00

When you live outside of the US for years as we have, one of the things you miss most is family. God has blessed us with many friends here in Honduras. We have both Honduran and North American friends.

During a few of the days that the office was closed for Holy Week, we had the joy of hosting a good friend of ours from Catacamas. Dr. Sheree has been a special friend for several years. This was her first chance to spend a few days relaxing up here on the North Coast.

We went over to the nearby beach to be met with cool, misty weather. That, however, did not stop the Hondurans from keeping their Holy Week tradition of going to the river or beaches. The small port city (Puerta Cortes) had over 300,000 visitors during the week with less than ideal weather.

We then were blessed by taking her to an English speaking service to celebrate in Christ's resurrection.

We ask for your continued prayers as changes keep happening, and we pray for God's guidance in all that we do.

Easter

2008-03-20T05:55:00.001-07:00

Mary Kay and I had the chance to work with a workteam from St Louis helping one of the orphanages that SP works with in Tegucigalpa. They came to help build a concrete wall to help protect their property. But what they saw was a Christian orphanage in need of many things. Their generosity had them buy mattresses for all of the kids.

They came and had activities for the kids. The kids made their own backpacks and Mary Kay and I had the chance to take them to a hands-on children's museum.

This team was so excited to see how they were making a difference that they are already looking at dates for next year.

Easter is all about Christ's love for us. That is what we saw this week from a workteam - love.

Children's Heart Project

2008-03-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

In Honduras, sometimes complicated life threatening surgeries are not able to be performed here. Those children eligible for the needed heart surgeries are evaluated, and each year several go to the US for needed surgery through host families, churches and hospitals donating their resources. This includes time and love as well as all surgical procedures and care. I recently had the chance to visit with 3 small children who have had surgeries in the States in the last 4 months. They are all doing well. The parents and families could not thank us enough through their hospitality in having a part in saving their child's life. Their thankfulness sent me home several pounds heavier.
Please continue to pray for this unique ministry.

Animal micro business

2008-02-29T15:37:00.000-08:00

Mary Kay has had the opportunity to go out several times with the Samaritan’s Purse Animal Project. Through the use of egg-layers, meat pens, goats, pigs, etc., poor families are given eight courses on how to raise their animals to help the economic needs of their family. This project opens the doors to other programs of evangelism.

Orphanages get help through SP

2008-02-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

Through the Santiago Project in Honduras Samaritan's Purse works with several orphanages throughout the country.

They have a staff of three Hondurans that work full-time with these homes. I have had the priveledge to visit 4 and Mary Kay has been with me for 2 of those. One of the homes in Tegucigalpa has completed their first 10 talks, advanced to a new series and has now started a bakery to teach more skills and responsibilities to the kids.

The Santiago Project takes food to help these centers, but more impotant they take pratical life skill lessons that are tied to Bible stories.

If you want to have your heart broken for the forgotten ones come and visit.

Christmas in the States

2008-02-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

When we left Honduras mid-December we were praying about what God had in store for us. Brad had a meeting scheduled with a VP of a university for an administative position in the States. As we kept praying, God kept leading us back to an offer from Samaritan's Purse. So, instead of a year in the States to visit churches, friends and family, we were in the States for only 5 weeks.

Mary Kay's folks along with our daughters, Julia and Sarah, had the chance to go with us to visit our son Ryan his wife Andrea and our grandsons, Grayson and Jack. Time with family is so precious, and we enjoyed every minute.

Mary Kay and I both had a chance to see our parents, our brothers, several aunts and cousins and Brad's grandmother.

In those few days we managed to be in 9 different States. We got to see snow, and, most importantly, celebrate the birth of our Savior with our family.

Brad's side of the family

Josh (who didn't get to go to Florida) and Sarah

Mary Kay's folks, our kids, daughter-in-law and the boys

We had the chance to spend one week at Samaritan's Purse headquarters in NC with a wonderful group of others going out to serve - they were all going to several countries in Africa.

Daniel Figueroa and family

2008-02-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

As Mary Kay and I were getting ready to leave El Sembrador in mid-December one of the industrial arts vocational teachers, Daniel Figueroa said he wanted my counsel.
Having worked with Daniel for many years I was glad that he felt comfortable to seek my opinion. He said that he felt that God was leading him into the pastorate and was trying to figure out how he could get his theological training while needing to meet the needs of his family. I asked him if he was willing to pray and wait a few weeks. He said he could wait but he needed to know something soon as the classes were scheduled to start in less than 2 months.
When we decided to leave WGM a few of our friends and family asked if they should transfer their support to Samaritan's Purse. We suggested that Daniel would be a good candidate for their help. In the few weeks that we were in the States we had the funds raised to pay Daniel his current salary to be able to support his family while he studies in the Bible Institute at El Sembrador.

Classes have started and Daniel is following his dreams and the will of God.