Genesis 15:3,5 “And Abram said, You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Vs. 5 “He took him outside and said, look up at the heavens and count them. Then he said to him, so shall your offspring be.”

After being in the mission field for a little more than 9 years and being married for 19 years I must admit the surprise I received on Father’s Day in Honduras was one for the memory books. It was a typical day for me and I gave our normal Bible study to my boys youth group, but deep inside I had a feeling they were up to something. Boy was I surprised when in walked  Glenda and her girls youth group with 2 banners filled with cards that each youth wrote to me in praising God for being their second Dad. I never thought the words of God spoken to Abraham would become true in my life some 11 years ago. I only knew that there was a purpose for us and it involved helping those who were lost spiritually. Each card spoke in how God has blessed them by giving them a Dad to look up to, be able to hug, be able to talk to and share their feelings, and to be their friend. Some of these kids have a father in the States and they never have even met them so they don’t know their real dad. Other’s sit with their drunken dad in the streets looking for affection and guidance. Others have lost their dad to the violence in Honduras. Whatever their story they knew they have hope in Christ. It took all I had to hold back the tears of love for these young adults as each girl gave me a kiss on the cheek and telling me, “Te quiero mucho.” (I love you very much) Giving these kids hope and reinforcing their purpose in life that they can make it and they don’t need to become a statistic is one of the reasons God gives us children. It is our responsibility to encourage, teach, and be present in their lives. Our prayer is, they will take these memories and share them to their children. This will put an end to lack of fathers being present in the children’s lives.