Honduras Missions

The Ritchie Family / Children's Lighthouse

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Two New Features on the Blog

If you look to the right and scroll down you will see links to Weather and Google earth maps of the Children's Lighthouse project and Choluteca.
Click view larger map and zoom out to see where we live and where the ministries are. Click on the blue dots for brief titles or descriptions. Enjoy

Saturday, March 29, 2008

How and Why?

The crate of donated electrical supplies arrived. AMEN! But how do you get a 2000+ lb box off the front of a delivery truck and into an old Datsun pu? No forklift no pallet jack… Find a pipe and boards and lots of grunt. It would not fit all the way into the datsun and hung out the back, but with 3 people sitting in the front seat the front wheels stayed on the ground :) So we’re good to go. Now deliver it to the Children’s Lighthouse property…slowly…still broke a u-joint along the way though.

The Children’s Lighthouse project is still moving forward. Kinda feel like I have an elephant by the tail, if I let go I get trampled by the other elephants startled by the commotion, but if I hang on his tail the elephant keeps running… So I just wait till he runs out of gas.

The walls on the kitchen side have begun going up. The men putting the retaining wall started the 3rd of 5 levels. The tie beams above the windows on the dormitories are being poured. It is a race to get the site stable with drainage and roofed in before the rains start and/or funds run out… At this point really not sure what will win. So much to do still. Contacted the electric company to get permission to connect to the high voltage lines; they said we needed and engineer’s study…more money. We don’t have funds for the transformer nor to connect it, now we must pay someone to tells us it's ok to do so... hmm. Talked to a man about drilling a 4" drinking water well on the property. He said it was a difficult area to drill lots of granite and rock but when you get water it is very good at 150-200 feet. Even so he offered to work with us on the pricing… $3-5000 depending on how deep He also said it too would have to be before the rains start in a month or so because the ground will be too soft for his rigs afterwards till next year.


Still have not paid for our resident visas yet just waiting on the Lord. So many more hidden expenses in all this.

Carlos and Omar are doing the Bible Institute now. Omar runs the equipment and Carlos takes charge. They are in 3 area teaching plus they are going to Colonia evey Saturday to preach… Finding people with a heart to serve the LORD is key in any ministry, what a blessing. Ermita has taken on the Ladies class/ministry and teaches every Saturday, then they all go visiting. When you see the impact of the ministering from an infant church that doesn’t even have a building to meet in…it is humbling.


The richman that tithes is only fulfilling his duty, but the widow who puts in all her living….that is glory for the LORD…amen. To see folks "first give their own selves to the Lord," as in 2 Cor is a reward in itself.


The children visit the Lighthouse property as oft as time allows Recardo rode Reese the pony. His first time ever on a horse. Mangos are in an abundance on the property and the children workers and horse all like them. As of yesterday the bodega bathrooms are now fully functional…which makes time at the Children’s Lighthouse property much more pleasant…We are heading out today to pick more mangos to give to the church folks tommorrow
Thank You all for your prayers!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Dia De Padre

Dia de Padre in Choluteca. Honduras celebrates Fathers day today in the midst of another holiday called Holy week, just prior to Easter. If anyone still wonders why we would take in so many children with all the issues and problems built in…well here are two reasons.

Jenny put this note in my pocket during church. Translated reads " Dear Father, My dad is a carpenter and I am a little carpenter. Dad makes 10 and I make 1 cent. Happy Fathers Day. I love you very much daddy with all my heart.
Your daughter Jenni Anabel Cruz"



Nanci gave me one this morning along with a hug and kiss that says "Daddy I love you very much... This from a child that has only been here less than 3 weeks.... Amazing how flowers grow when in a good enviroment...



I have 14 other reasons that came with and hugs and kisses all day… Amen.

Sunday, March 16, 2008


10 saints from La Cruz Baptist church went in a 40 year old datsun p/u to share the gospel and over 300 people showed up in the dark on the side of a mountain to hear preaching in Colonia....
The fields are still white...
Amen!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

More Progress!


Children’s Lighthouse- More Progress…
Amen.

The back retention wall is now on the second level. The dorm side has blocks to the window height. A cement roof is on the bodega outside bathrooms. Day by day till we run out of time, energy or funds…all seems in short supply.

As I write this ten people from our La Cruz Baptist ministy loaded up in the 69 Datsun for the trip to Colonia (Road is ok right now) to preach again. They have seen many led to Christ and would like to see a church built there...Amen. I find it amazing our baby ministry meets in a tent for 2 years, but still is working to start 2 other churches...one already built in Los Tererros.


Had a problem at our scheduled immigration appointment yesterday. We loaded everyone (all 17) into the KIA for the 2.5 hour drive up to the capitol; thinking all we needed to do was pick up our new residency visa cards. We paid everything asked of us before Christmas and just waiting for them to print the new cards…Welcome to Honduras were nothing is that simple. We were told we needed to pay $1600 again because out time expired Dec 31st and now it is a new year…Had we NOT paid in Dec we would only have to pay one time…arguing with government and lawyers here is futile.



We need prayers on many monetary fronts. I still do not know how this family army we now command keeps running. Or where the needed funds to finish the Children’s Lighthouse construction will come from, or how to build 2 more churches, or how to pay for this years surprise payment of our visas, drinking water well, electric transformer or ?….

All I know is the LORD is in control and he knows our needs…In this I sleep well at night.

Amen!

The yearly update video is now done. Honduras Missions 2007 “Things that Last Forever”. It's about a 12 minute long DVD and is very moving. Our 9yr old, Iris(the one feeding the horse) watched it even without knowing the words and began to cry, pray then turned and gave me a very tight hug. Great for devotion, missions, Church or SS class viewing or just to enable you to pray more effectively for us. We will send it to the USA to make copies and distribute… If you would like one please let us know and give a mailing address. Our email is britcompel@msn.com


Thank you all for your prayers…Our family army runs on them…

Unworthy servant to a Worthy Saviour,

Barry

Friday, March 7, 2008

AMEN







Fernando, our newest double handful 4 year old now asked if he could pray and give thanks.... speaks volumes to me.
First pizza-inset photo





Other Highlights from this week:

Omar has been studying in the Bible Institute Classes and was given an opportunity to preach Wednesday. The nervousness showed, yet still one trusted Christ. Amen!
Karen turned 7 and chose to celebrate with her church SS class. The men started on the foundation for the Children’s Lighthouse (orphanage) and the back retaining wall has begun. The Whensawe Distribution warehouse has a floor, roof, and as of today a large metal door… Amen time to empty our house! Much yet to do and it is only being done through prayer and the LORD's ministering Saints listening and obeying the Holy Spirit. The LORD is good!
Here is a mountain view of the Children's Lighthouse project....
Double click any photo to enlarge and see the detail or print larger ect.
Thank you again!


Unworthy servant to a Worthy Saviour
Barry

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Food?


What is not in view;
100 gal. of water, 10 gal milk, 15-20 loaves of bread, 25lbs rice, 25lbs beans...
and a 55 gal barrel of mangos/oranges from the property


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