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Dear sponsors,
I hope this newsletter finds everyone doing well. First, I must apologize on this being a late 3rd quarter newsletter. Many life changing events have happened in our family in the last few months. Back in July, Kim and I purchased a beautiful little farm with a house built in 1925. Needless to say it has been a work in progress, but we are very excited to be there in the not too distant future. Also, in August, Kim’s sister and family came on furlough from Africa and stayed with us for a few weeks. It’s been one year since they left for Africa to began their mission work, so it was great to spend time with them again. And finally the hardest event this past summer was the passing of Kim’s father. Kim’s parents moved to Oklahoma City this past Spring to be closer to us and after many years of battling with Parkinson’s, her father was laid to rest last month. It’s never easy losing a loved one, but we are comforted knowing that he is in a much better place. Many of you have reached out to us and we are thankful for your thoughts and prayers.
Now for our student update.
We are very excited to announce the recent graduation of two of our college students that many of our sponsors personally know, Ruth and Lucia Mendoza (pictured above). We first met these two young ladies, who are also cousins, when Kim and I began our mission work in Nicaragua over a decade ago when they were still in grade school. Ruth and Lucia grew up in a rural farming community where most kids never make it past high school. Now both have accomplished a nearly impossible dream by earning their degrees in psychology. Below are a few words from these two graduates…
Ruth - “First of all I give thanks to God for giving me the opportunity to complete my college degree after four years. There were difficult moments as well as good times, but this is a big accomplishment for me because I never thought I would be where I am today. One of the hardest moments this past year was knowing that I was done with all of my requirements with only the defense of my thesis left. I was very nervous but once I began I felt a sense of calmness. Out of a 100, I earned a 96 on my defense and was congratulated by my professors. This was a wonderful experience and with God’s help it became a reality. However, it doesn’t end there. I know that there is still much to learn and more goals to accomplish. I am so thankful to my sponsors, for being apart of this program, and knowing that this legacy will continue for the next generation of students.”
Lucia - “It is my pleasure to share with you my graduation experience and wishing you all many blessings from our Lord. I had the privilege to be a part of a four member group to defend our thesis, which included my cousin Ruth. Thankfully we had a very interesting case to defend and we all worked long and hard on understanding the ends and outs of this case. The panel asked us many difficult questions, but we all were able to respond confidently and correctly. Our group could not have been happier when we received a grade of 96. I am thankful to share this accomplishment with all of my sponsors and it makes me happy to know that through this program other students will be able to accomplish their dreams as well.”
Thank you all for playing a major role in their lives. Their accomplishments are a testament of what your support is all about. Their journey has just begun, so please keep them in your prayers as they continue to seek God’s guidance for their future. There will be more to come for the Way Foundation in the next few weeks, so stay tuned.
Blessings,
David
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