Tuesday, July 27, 2010

About Tara...

My name is Tara Beth Oates. I am a 25 year old native to Columbia, South Carolina. About 5 years ago, I was a junior Clemson University majoring in Sociology with an emphasis in Social Work. During this year, Jesus began seriously molding my heart for kids who happen to not have a home, food to eat, clothes, parents, education, consistent love, attention, affection, or opportunity. I began asking the Lord about this. Shortly after I graduated in 2007, I went to Nicaragua; where I volunteered for 13 weeks in two different orphanages. I saw how children were provided for and loved; children who had been abused, discarded, treated as if they were nothing, in an environment where they could thrive and be who Father God created them to be. I knew this type of work is what Jesus had planned for me. In 2009, I went to Honduras to be the third grade teacher at Lake Yojoa Bilingual School. My heart was completely won over by the culture, language, and people of Pena Blanca, Honduras and the Lord was confirming me to remain in Honduras. In March 2010, I met Peter Hogencamp. I met Peter through Chris Rivera, who pastors Calvary Chapel, the church I attend in Honduras. Peter shared the vision the Lord had given him about "Mountains of Dreams: A Children's Village" and my heart began to understand why (in December) Jesus was confirming me to remain in Honduras. After the school year ended in June, I came back to the U.S. to raise funds and support. I plan to return to Honduras in September.
The Lord is very clear in Scripture about how He feels for orphans and children in general. He says, "let the little ones come, for Heaven belongs to such as these," and "you must become like one of these children". He goes on to say, "do not hinder a child of mine" and finally, a verse that Peter holds strong to, James 1:27 "Pure, undefiled religion is taking care of orphans and widows in their times of distress." We feel this is the Lord's vision and He asked us to be a part of that vision. Please pray with us that the children will come!!!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Honduran Street Children

Honduras, the second poorest country in Central America, has an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and high unemployment. The economy relies heavily on a narrow range of exports, notably bananas and coffee, making it vulnerable to natural disasters and shifts in commodity prices; however, investments in the maquila and non-traditional export sectors are slowly diversifying the economy. [The World Factbook, U.S.C.I.A. 2009]
Most street children are boys and leave their homes around the age of 12. Market children are in general younger and the gender distribution is more equal. Overall, street children face more and more severe risks than do market children. They suffer from physical violence and arrests. The number involved in prostitution is increasing and is estimated that up to 90% of the street children sniff glue. Illiteracy is widespread and only around 8% of the street children of Honduras attend school. The lack of education among street and market children prevents them from earning a steady income in the future and hence they are trapped in a vicious circle of poverty.

Please pray with us and intercede for these children. They are precious in God's sight. "He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. and when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." Mark 9:36-37

Saturday, July 10, 2010

There is a great need

There are over 180,000 orphans in Honduras. Many of these orphans are called "social orphans." They are being abandoned by abusive or poverty-stricken parents with no resources to provide for their children. Therefore, these children either end up living on the streets or a state run orphanage. Many boys get caught up in a drug ring or a gang and many girls turn to prostitution or factories with less than adequate conditions and meager wages.
The mission of Mountains of Dreams:  A Children's Village is to seek to change the above children's statistics by building homes and creating family units. The vision is to provide these children with God's love, shelter, food, clothing, medical attention, education, affection and opportunity for a hopeful future.
The village will be stationed in the mountains of Pena Blanca, Honduras. In these mountains, children will discover that they can live out their dreams.


Future Children's Village Site
dome home example
possible future resident of the children's village