First things first, for those of you who haven't heard - we had the baby! Last Tuesday at 1:43 pm, we welcomed Eliam Zion into the world! He weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 21 inches long. He was born at home and his daddy caught him! Eliam means "God's people" or "God's kinsman." Zion is referenced many times in the bible, but one particular verse we have always liked is Hebrews 12:22, "But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly." We pray that Eliam Zion walks faithfully and joyfully with the Lord!
Now to switch gears: Formula for the Philippines is in a time of transition. We are not entirely sure what this means, but we are waiting on the Lord to direct the next steps of the program. Hopefully I can give you an official update soon! One thing that has been on my mind is prayer. We are often over-budget by quite a bit every month due to rent, utilities, and the salary of each employee. So I am asking you to please be covering those needs in prayer. Beyond that, I would love to have volunteers partner up with us regarding specific prayer requests. I am going to be starting a email group for private prayer requests. I am going to be starting a private email group for prayer requests involving our program and families in the Philippines. If you would like to join, please shoot me an email at sehodgie@gmail.com so I can add you to the next email going out. I am super excited to start this, it's always encouraging to know others are praying!
There are two specific prayer requests that I would love to have people praying over right now. #1 is to be praying for a young woman that just delivered her first child. Many of you may remember Jossa; we sent her to school last year. She has since dropped out and the other day delivered her first little one. While this is not ideal, we are always thankful to God for the gift of life! Please be praying that God protects the new little one, and softens Jossa's heart towards Him. Pray for her to make wise decisions regarding herself, her little one and her education.
I also ask that you pray for a sibling group of three sisters that we cared for at the house for a few months. Their parents returned about 2 months ago and took them home; we have not heard from them since. It was a hard transition on the girls and on our baby house staff. Please be praying that the girls have adjusted well, that they be protected, and that the skills and lessons they learned during their stay at the baby house will continue to impact their young lives! Please also pray for their parents- that they will begin to make wise and healthy decisions regarding their family.
We are so thankful for your financial and spiritual support. For the families and individuals that have prayed over the program and the families that participate in it. Words can not express how thankful we are, or show you the impact you have had on these families lives!
Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
