Brother Ford and seller (holding clear deed) with two attorneys in front of seller's home.

WITH GOD AT WORK... NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!
Although I FULLY EXPECTED the money to come in... I never expected $40,000 to come from one ministry. But then... that's just the way God does things, isn't it? He often answers our prayer in a way and manner we were NOT EXPECTING!!!

On Friday afternoon "one CARING ministry" pressed a button... and wired not only the $37,000 New Hope lacked, but $40,000 (to help New Hope cover any additional expenses). In a matter of minutes... this money was being DEPOSITED in New Hope's bank account in Birmingham!!!

I always do my best to never try to second-guess God and whom He will use to accomplish HIS PLAN. I also FOCUS ON GOD... for the answer. I learned a long time ago... if I LOOK TO MAN... the need WILL NOT BE MET... as God MUST ALWAYS BE MY ONE AND ONLY SOURCE! NOT ANY MAN... nor ANY MINISTRY... nor ANY OFFERING PLATE. It must be GOD... and HIM ALONE!!!

All day Monday...
Sister Iona and I SCRAMBLED to make the right contacts so 7 checks could be written to bring the needed CASH here to Nicaragua to complete the purchase. Having the money in the bank in Birmingham was great... but, Alabama is a long way from Nicaragua!

Getting the money here to Nicaragua was no small feat! If you had $47,500 in your checking account, and you were to write a check for this amount in another state, would a bank in that state give you cash for your check? No way - not even in another bank across town in your own state. And yet, that is EXACTLY what happened to us here in this 3rd world country!!!
FINALLY... late afternoon... Our PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED... and our 7 checks had been CASHED!
(Special thanks also to Moses who interpreted for us. Without his valuable assistance, and insights, this would have been even more difficult. Moses is Vice-President of New Hope of Nicaragua.)

Then all day Tuesday the race was on...
From a BANK (that would only exchange $20,000)... to MONEY CHANGERS on the streets of Managua... almost one million cordobas (Nicaragua's currency)... were EXCHANGED into U.S. dollars (to add to the $12,000 New Hope already had in Nicaragua for this purchase)!!!
Then we RACED with the money (as it's especially dangerous here to carry this much money with you)... to the seller who was waiting... to put all the $100 bills and $50 bills on his coffee table so he could count them.
What a story!!! What a GOD... only He could pull SUCH A FEAT off... just in the NICK OF TIME!!!
(Thanks this time also goes to Leo's sister Jinny. She interpreted and helped count all the money like a "money changer." Jenny is on the board of directors of New Hope of Nicaragua.)

However... MANY of you ARE ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS MIRACLE!

1) We want to thank the handful of you who gave to made THIS MIRACLE possible!!!

2) We want to thank THE MINISTRY who REFUSED... to SIT IDELY BY... and WATCH... the children's home close... and see these precious Miskito Indian children sent back to the rainforest if New Hope had not received their gift... right on time. This is what could have happened... without this FINAL GIFT... New Hope could have lost the home!!!

3) We want to thank... ALL OF YOU WHO PRAYED!!! Many of you WANTED to give... but, you did not have the money. A number of you would have gladly written the check... but you did not have the funds. What you did have was FAITH... And you PRAYED... and God ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS!!! (Some of you didn't even know you prayers were answered... until you received this email.)

Here is a precious email I received this afternoon...

Dear David,
I have been in prayer & pursuit concerning the orphanage in El Crucero. I assume, since I've not heard anything, that the financing did not come thru? My heart has been heavy, as I've tried to come up with money also. Please advise me.
In Him,
Barbara

And needless to say...
4) We want to give... ALL THE GLORY AND PRAISE AND HONOR AND THANKS... TO THE "KING of kings and LORD of lords"... who being "moved with compassion"... MOVED ON THE HEARTS of all of you... who were a part of this miracle!!!

The truth is... my heart is OVERWHELMED this evening!!!

FOR THE CHILDREN... my heart (and I believe God's heart)... IS SINGING!!!

To top it ALL off... SOMEONE sent enough money to give these (former homeless children)... a REAL CHRISTMAS dinner with all the trimmings!!! Just wait till these kids sit down on Christmas day... they have never seen anything like it! (The Lord willing, I will send you some pictures of the children enjoying their new home.)

Yes...IT'S TRUE... "New Hope Is Closing Doors On... our MORTGAGE... by PAYING "IT" OFF!!! Good riddance!!!

And a NEW DAY is DAWNING... for some of the HOMELESS CHILDREN here in Nicaragua!!!

This part of New Hope's destiny here... IS FINISHED!!!

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

For the Children,
Brother Ford