One Year Later & Still Smiling!!!

We have intentionally taken a years' hiatus from posting on this blog - as we wanted time to mature and "cure" under God's purpose and timing without injecting any of ourselves into the process. Per our last posting - our trip to Costa Rica was greatly enjoyed; however, no doors opened and extended any long term possibilities, so we returned to the states and decided to discontinue our roles as "Houseparents" at the children's home. Within the same week an opportunity (door) opened to experience life as full-time rvers and workampers at a RV resort in Kerrville, Texas. So within the week, we purchased an RV, packed all our belongings from the Children's Home into the RV and "hit the road".

We have now been living the full time RVer lifestyle for almost a full year and are so happy we made this decision. The picture at the top shows us sitting by a branch of the river (with our Niece's puppy dog - Abby) at the campground we have worked at this past winter
(http://www.bytheriver.com/).

It is always interesting to see whom God crosses our path with and how He orchestrates the relationships to benefit and challenge each one of us spiritually. The lower picture is of a neat couple we are currently "workamping" with - Bill & Cheryl Fitch. They are retired Christian Counselors and we help keep their Psychology tools sharp as they get to know us better! :-) They have been a real blessing and a lot of fun to work and grow with. And some times we actually get a little work done around the campground!

We will finish our year in Texas campgrounds this April and depart for a summer and fall season in the Pocono Mountains of NE Pennsyvania. Not quite sure what our plans are for next Winter, but are excitingly looking forward to see which doors open and what they contain! We will try to do better at keeping you in the loop during our travels.

Thanks for hanging in there and tagging along!!!

Remember - - - our only truly security lies in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is soverign and knows what our true needs are and how to meet them - - - if we will only trust Him and let go of the controls.

In His Service-based Love,

Henry & Terry

Costa Rica - Here we come!

We depart this Thursday for a two week visit to Puerto Viejo, Limon, Costa Rica.

The primary purpose of our visit is to check out a grass roots ministry called "The Bridge". This is a grass-roots group of retirees from the U.S., Canada and Europe who are ministering in practical ways to an indigenous indian tribe called the Bri-Bri's. Nutritional assistance, Education Encouragement & Support; and, Micro Loans to encourage continued self sufficiency are the major three areas of helping at this time. More is in the works - which is where we may fit in. Check out their existing efforts at www.elpuente-thebridge.org

There will also be plenty of time for R&R on the beautiful carribean sand beaches and/or in the neighboring rain forest where howler monkeys, sloths, dart frogs and many other interesting creatures still thrive in the wild.

We will post an update upon our return.

Thanks for your emotional and spiritual support.
Henry & Terry

New Year - New Decade - Ready or Not

The new decade began with a blast of Artic Air than desended all the way to the Houston area. We didn't recieve any snow (to the chagrin of our boys) but we did have a couple of heavy frosts, which led to the creation of "Frost Angels" in our front yard. We left a couple of our water faucets running through the night and had running water the next morning with no frozen pipes! Yeah.......hot showers!!!! Warm air has now returned and we are back into the 60's daytime and 40's at night. That was a short winter!

Change is in the air with more than just the weather, as we are nearing the end of our first year as Teaching Parents. This has been a true culture change, certainly exceeding our comfort zones and energy capabilities. "Growing" times are never without some pain, but the end product is hopefully worth the efforts. Working with six ADD/ADHD boys who also have many emotional scars has been more than difficult at times, but infiltrated by rays of hope from time to time.

We are currently assessing our position/situation, as other options for ministry have presented themselves to us. More on a later post, please keep us in your prayers and feel free to give us your insights and/or personal advice.

We pray your Christmas-Holiday season was filled with the Peace and Love of Christ as your created many new memories with loved ones to savor over the future years.

Blessings in 2010,
Henry & Terry

Culture Shock Re-Defined!

(Houston's summer rains bring out the fierce crawdads and brave crawdad hunters!)

"Voluntarily choosing to leave a peaceful, relaxing home where everything happens stress-free, as expected, on a regular time basis - - - moving to a chaotic, loud, stressed-out home where everything happens when someone else decides and without any warning." What does that definition describe? Insanity . . . Stupidity . . . Masochism? We choose to think of it as willful culture shock!

Moving from our quiet residence and nearing retirement roles in Tulsa to an extremely active children's home in the Houston area as Houseparents for young boys has been much more of a culture shock than we could have imagined. Much more so than our months spent in Honduras! Thus the delayed updates to our blog site. We are just now getting adjusted physically, emotionally and spiritually to our newest chapter on our journey.

Now, with school out, we have our boys to share life with 24/7. (Be careful what you pray for!!!!)

Our new family is extremely healthy and on-the-go. Most of our boys have some form of ADD & ADHD diagnosis, which tends to increase the intensity level of everything we do together.

These boys are basically very loving and accepting - especially considering how many times adults have let them down during their young lives.

Monday we are beginning our "Summer Program" which can best be defined as 10 weeks of day long Bible School that will keep us on the run and, at the minimum, well tanned.

A couple of our boys are returning to their birth families this month. (bitter/sweet emotions) We are told to expect two or three new boys to be added to our family this summer. (mixed fear & excitment)

Boys And Girls Country has a great reputation in the greater Houston Metro area. The children, as a whole, have all of their physical needs taken care of three times over. But, things do not replace love - and that is why we feel called here at this time in our lives.

Please be praying that our boys' tender, moldable hearts will receive the seed of Christ's love during our time with them this summer. They are so easy to love!!!!

Please also pray for our physical endurance as we attempt to keep up with our gang on bikes, skateboards, up trees and wherever else the wind blows!

Mostly we covet your prayer support for our ability to hear God's voice as we lovingly deal with and develop close-knit relationships with these little men. There is so much potential in those smiling faces . . . . but also way too much pain, fear and bad family experiences hidden behind those smiles of Brandon, Austin, Jared, Jacob, Michael, Harley and Kiewan.

Please keep us informed on what is happening on your journey this summer.

Foward on our journey,

Henry & Terry

Onward on The Journey

Wow! It's been 90 days since our last posting.......how time flies when you are unsure of which direction to proceed.

Six months ago we were certain of our direction - knowing it was God directed and therefore must be long term in essence of time. (The more I learn the more I realize how much I don't know!) The door to Honduras has closed.........and finally after 90 days of checking on many, many doors of opportunity, we found one Divinely opened. (Another one of those "God things"!)

We are now Houseparents for up to eight young boys at a Christian Children's home near Houston, Texas.

We were so tied up in the organized church when we raised our own children.......to the point of ignoring some of their needs in lieu of supporting church programming and traditions. That has left some guilt scars and regrets that cannot be erased. However, we are hearing God say - "I still believe in you........you are not expected to be perfect........just love them as I love you - now take this second chance and have fun with it!"

And that is exactly what we are planning to do! It helps being part of a group of like-minded Believers who are also Houseparents along side of us. There are a total of eleven cottages on campus; so there are ten other sets of houseparents who have the same heart and desire for God and His children. We are looking forward to learning and loving so much!!!!

Boys and Girls Country (BGC) is a working ranch that houses up to 88 children plus support staff, houseparents, horses, cows, pigs, goats, sheep and rabbits - but no chickens! :-)

Education is the key focus at BGC. The children attend area public schools and can earn priviliges to participate in various extra curricular activities such as 4-H, athletics, band, etc....... Privileges are based on scholastic and attitude grade averages. If the child remains with BGC and graduates from High School, they are gifted a college education at a Texas university of their choice.

High School Grads also qualify to move to a second campus that focuses assistance to college and vocational living. This gives a "home" to return to during semester breaks or when home on leave from the armed forces; or some needed structure when begining their first job of a new career.

This is a picture of the fishing pond located on the second campus. This gentleman is one of the other House-Dads from our campus. That is his baby in his arms, as many of the other House parents have their own children living with them.

By the way, there are currently two House parent couples who are from Central America! How does God do that? I know He loves to smile and laugh with us!!!!

Personal Disciplines and Spiritual Life are also major points of focus at BGC; which are the primary roles of the Houseparent team. Each cottage has a houseparent team that consists of a married couple and a single adult. We all live in the cottage with separate living quarters - just think of the Walton family on the old TV series "The Waltons" - several generations sharing one large home. Terry & I work eight days on and then have four days off - during which time the Single parent (Aunt Victoria in our case) is at "home" and keeping things running smoothly.

We hope to learn much from Victoria, as she already knows the boys and has great relationships in place with them and their birth families. What a blessing she will be for us! We hope we can be the same for her.

This is a poor picture of the swimming pool on campus - two years old......and in the background the new community life building that should be completed early summer. (The old one was a casualty of Hurricane Ike last November.) We are told summer is like twelve straight weeks of Vacation Bible School - 12 hour days of programming in every area you can imagine. Houseparents are strategically involved and extremely glad when school starts back up in the fall. Pray for endurance for these old bodies of ours!!!

I will get back on a regular schedule for posting updates ........ no less than monthly. We hope to eventually introduce you to our new family (first names only) so you can be in a better position to pray and make suggestions as we continue along this path of the journey.

Thanks for your interest and support! Let us know how we can best remain involved in your life!

Loving God and loving You,

Henry & Terry

Home Is Where The Heart Is

"Welcome Home".......was the message so genuinely expressed to us by several friends at the Tulsa International Airport. (Wish I would have been awake enough to think of snapping a picture.) Such precious friends who have endured our journey in searching for "home" over the past three years.

How do you define "home"? When asked - "Where is home?" - what is your response? Is it contained within a material structure or a geographic area? Does it refer to other humans who share the same DNA and bloodline? That seems to be the information most people are looking for when asking that question.

I remember when that information did adequately describe "home" for us. We were wrapped up in our own God honoring little world, safe and content to self describe where, what and who "home" was. Boundaries were pretty easily defined as to what we were and were not responsible for.

However, after several years of "life challenges" and spiritual maturation our definitions of many things have changed, including what, where and who home is. The previous definition still remains as part of our view of home - but it has expanded greatly to include so much more. The most critical part of our definition of home is centered around the experienced presence of the Spirit of Christ.

Wherever we sense the Spirit of Christ can, and has, become home for us. Some times that can be sensed in a group setting - such as some Believers who do not understand our language (or us theirs) but, none the less, make us feel at home in their time of worship through warm smiles, genuine hugs and authentic spirits of Christ-likeness.

We have also experienced "home" when God has crossed our paths with individuals who have decided to live their life solely for the purpose of sharing the love of Christ in ways that are appreciated and welcomed by the less fortunate ..... such as a former Jazz Musician who now serves as an "unofficial" administrator for a dozen schools in the Honduras mountains - allowing God to use her as a conduit for others to give and provide basic educational needs such as paper, pencils, books, chalkboards, chalk, etc.......including a new toilet and paint for the school building. Also, a retired nurse who was burned out on the public heath care industry and moved to a Caribbean island to retire - only to start a community health clinic in her kitchen that has now developed into a large clinic/hospital dealing with 60+ patients every day. Then there is the couple who were business professionals turned full time pastors when they decided the religious rat race was no better than the corporate one - moved to an island for early retirement and are now the developers/directors of an endeavor that supplies the only drinking water available to an entire community of indigenous people....and more dreams on the horizon!

These situations and people all became "home" for us in the time God allowed us to share life with them. We continue to remain open for whatever, wherever and whoever Christ allows us to share life with. We are praying our "home-front" will continue to expand - for that is where we have experienced true fulfillment and purpose - sharing life with Christ-minded people on a daily basis, together serving those who are less fortunate.

We hope you had some great memory making and life-enriching experiences with those who constitute "home" for you.

We pray His Peace and Love will continue to infect all you come into contact with in 2009.

Happy New Year from our "home" to yours!

- Henry & Terry McCray
(pic of our grandchildren Kyle & Kendall)

Heading Back to T-town.

Our three month missions exploration to Roatan ends tomorrow as we fly back to Tulsa for the next leg of our journey. We are not sure what God has in store for us or when that may, if ever, become totally apparent. We are continuing to learn to lay back in His hands and enjoy the journey ....... we still have too many times when we find ourselves attempting to take over and just have to sigh and say - "Sorry, Lord.....old habits die hard.....please continue your work within us in your time and place."

As we look back over this past three months it is amazing to see how Holy Spirit has used every step along the way to knock off some of our rough spots and mold us more to His image.

Our first two months were spent in Helene, Roatan, Honduras - which God primarily used to slow us down from the "rat-race" pace we have lived in the U.S. for the past 55+ years. We learned from some Godly islanders what total trust in Christ looks like. We wish we could say we achieved that - but at least we are in process. It is amazing how many things we manipulate in our own lives and ask God to bless it.

Also on Helene, we learned from the islanders how much less we can live with. Less "things", "stuff", "transportation" other than our feet. (for Henry - less food and sweets!!) We also began to enjoy less time apart, less stress, less godless distractions, less religious expectations. Less focus on "doing" and major focus on "being".

For whatever reason, we were not lead to stay or return to Helene. Instead, we sensed God's leading to attend a Spanish language Emersion School on the mainland of Helene. After three hard weeks of homework and memorization we finally graduated Spanish Kindergarten!!! :-)

More importantly we began to sense the hearts of the hispanics on the mainland. Living in such poverty they were more content, fulfilled and thankful than we have been most of our lives in the States.

After "graduation" we returned to Roatan to help in a Mission Health Clinic and a Mission group who is providing water (physically and spiritually) to the newest residents of the island. Our hearts warmed within us as we spent time with these precious people. Most have such a firm resolution to Christ, family and neighbors. We were able to experience "community" at it's purest form.

Once again, for whatever reason, doors are not open at this time to return to Roatan. So ..... we remain committed to go through any open door Christ provides. At this time that means returning to Tulsa to look for doorways of minsitry. We think that may lead to ministry with Hispanics, but will not attempt to place limitations on Holy Spirit's plan of action.

So.....we head back to the states with trepidation, fear and trembling. We do not want to squander or lose the growth we have experienced over the past three months. Translated: we do not wish to re-enter the "career race", the "horde it for security" mindset, the "less time shared" structure of most U.S. married couples, the "compartmentalized mindset" that separates all areas of our daily lives. I'm sure most of you don't deal with those problems, but it took two full months on a desolate island for Christ to cleanse us and redirect our passions and priorities.

We are trusting Holy Spirit to place us in the midst of others who are "like-hearted" and will be willing to allow us to grow with them in the journey of Christ-like living.

Therefore, our journey continues . . . want to come along?

Blessings and Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Henry & Terry