“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.”
– Psalm 68:5
It’s hard to believe another month has gone by. Our time in Honduras was devoted to several different ministries, but one in particular stands out above the rest. And that would be the ministry of our host, Tony Deide…
Tony has spent about five years in Tegucigalpa, Honduras rescuing young boys from their lives in the slums. These kids have only known a life of drugs and violence and have all come from broken families. Most of them do not know what it’s like to have a father around or any good male role model at all. So that’s where Tony comes in. He takes them into his home and shows them that they have more to live for, that they matter to him, and most importantly, that they are loved by their Creator. Tony becomes the hands and feet of Jesus by welcoming them home and giving them a second chance at life. And he does so beautifully. He gives them a place to sleep, a place to eat, wide open spaces to play, and finds good Christian schools for them to attend, along with the needed funding as well. But greatest of all, he brings them the Gospel! He preaches it, and better yet, he lives it. He personally tutors each of them and shows them how to live honorable lives, how to treat each other, and how to live for Christ. Watching Tony minister to these young boys has been an incredible inspiration. It has been a great model of how life should be lived. His selflessness and sacrifice represent the perfect example of what it means to live just like Jesus.
Observing Tony’s ministry has also been a needed reminder of my own story. I’ve been reminded that, after the tragedy of losing my own father, other Christ-like role models came to my side to show me that I matter and that I am loved. Between my mother, grandparents, other extended family members, and men from church and other ministries, each of them stepped up and became a father to the fatherless in so many ways. I was always surrounded by loving examples from the very beginning, and still am today. I am the product of men and women who saw a desperate need in my life, and who did everything they could to fill that void. And I know for certain that I am now reaping the rewards of their love. I am so thankful and will never forget how God rescued me in this miraculous way. I will do my best to do the same for others in the future.
With regards to raising support, I’m only $1,500 short of my January 1st deadline and only about $3,500 away from being fully supported! Praise God! Please pray that I meet my soon-approaching deadline over these next few weeks. If you would like to make any further donations, make checks payable to Adventures In Missions, mail payments to the following address, and be sure to include my name in the memo:
Adventures In Missions
P.O. Box 534470
Atlanta, GA 30353-4470
You can also make your contribution online at danlidwin.theworldrace.org. Just click the “Support Me” tab on the left hand column and follow the instructions thereafter.
I cannot thank you enough for your continued prayers and support. I am so blessed to have each and every one of you in my life. May the joy of the Lord be on your hearts this Christmas season!
For His Renown,
Dan Lidwin
