Honduras Missions

The Ritchie Family / Children's Lighthouse

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Footprints

Sometimes you just gotta make a few footprints. The kids have been bugging me to go out and do something for days. After the clean up time for inspections, set up for church services, school exams, ect, they wanted to get away. Hard to do when school is at different hours and days for part of them and weather or funds don’t cooperate. So Friday was the day, no school and a bright sky, just loaded them up with the makings of ppj lunch and off we went to the beach. Tono brought a hymnal and they were singing all they way out. It was a perfect day only about 90 degrees with a steady 10mph breeze coming off the water. And since it was not a holiday or anything, we were again all alone, the only footprints on the beach for as far as you could see. I never have figured out how this much work can be relaxing but it does have that effect. I might be confusing exhaustion with relaxation. Work you say? Yes watching 21 children 4-15yrs old mostly 10s as a lifeguard alone for 8 hours is tiring, as well as for the kids. A church that visited 3-4 years ago made modest swim wear for the girls. Its the clothing we have gotten the most time out of. The girls have outgrown and passed them around but they're the only clothes that have lasted more than a few months and have been a real blessing. Could use more... The only hiccup of the day was on the way home with all the wet ones in the pickup bed, it began to rain… hard, but hey it only served to rinse a little more salt and sand off them before they got in the house. Today they are all too tired to play and just want to rest…great news for me. A $15 dollar day worth every penny…or centavo

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Some listen, some learn the hard way...

Jr and the men were working on the poles and running the electric today at the Lighthouse property. Did not quite finish before some needed to leave for church.(different nights). They got all the insulators in place and the cable run, also borrowed a line pole to turn off the main power 25,000v. Been hemorrhaging(seems like that when you dont have much) what funds we have on this little project. Hope to get working soon, need water hauling water for a household of 26 is not fun and uses up alot of your day. Still more to do and purchase to reroute the meters to the highway like the electric company wants.

We need to get Lisa from Indiana to New Hampshire for dental work the 1st week of August after her visit with a cancer specialist. If anyone in NH wants Lisa to visit, or help getting her to or from NH, let us know. She needs someone to stay with and a way back and forth to dentist Wend/ Thurs. She needs a lot of work done so not sure what she will be up to doing, but she said she wanted to try.

Honduras national holiday "Day of the Indian" was today. And all the schools celebrate it. I picked up a little traditional material and had the sister of one of our new church "members" sew a few dresses in the time-honored manner. And Tono dressed as a baquero (cowboy) and won the schools grand prize voted on by applause, the other girls also won in their grades.

Had to run to hospital with Duman this evening to get stitches, He picked up a power tool the men were using to cut bolts and cut his leg. Not too bad but definitely in need of stitches, Thankfully not an artery.

The ER doctor prescribed antibiotic injections and tetanus shot. So picked them up on the way home. I just gave him the lecture and the shots. Not sure which was more painful….

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Just Making Memories




Do you want good memories to keep when in heaven or ones where tears must be wiped away? One full week with no water, many trips to the city with a tank to pick up water. During devotions last night, Jenny, our one child who really likes to stay clean (personally anyway), made a comment to the kids; who stinks? Then she began to sniff out the problem smelling each kid. Her face was priceless as she discovered it was her… And ran into my bathroom and bathed with the bucket of water I had saved to flush my toilet. Hmm what should be my illustration for devotions now?



We managed to purchase 4 power poles, as a few of you who helped know, they’re hard to put in by hand. Three got upright Sat. before the rain started. But we had help, when some of the folks in the neighborhood found out, 8 men show up with shovels, all hoping we would allow them to run a line across the highway so they could run off our transformer too… Suddenly our transformer seems small. The big question for me is who comes to church Sunday? Still need enough electric line to run it all. Maybe a shower by next week. It doesn’t matter how strong the deodorant or perfume one uses they can all be overpowered if given enough time … Hmm sermon illustration.
Sitting down to a movie and popcorn with the kids. I did not grow up with TV in Alaska, just a special neighborhood16mm movie time once or twice a month. Nor do we have it here other than what we put in a machine. So to me, movie time should be a special family time. Making the popcorn takes a while. For most, they toss one or two bags in the microwave and a minute later eat. We do it the old fashion way in a 10gal pot over an open flame and make a big garbage bag full… We did the same thing for the church on Thursday. Since no one had power, we were the main attraction in the neighborhood running the video equipment and lights off the kia like in the mountains.

In other news -

There are 240 suit quality belts available in the USA hand made by the New Jerusalem Baptist Church in St Teresa up in the Mountains. Believe it or not, made on an old peddle sewing machine. You will think they were made in a big factory when you see them. I am still amazed. They are quality leather, sizes 32-40, black dress belts. These will sell for about $15 plus whatever it takes to get it to you (from Oh or Fla). (we are not the ones setting prices stateside they may chose to sell them at cost or with a markup to cover their costs too) All great quality and will last years, best of all your helping a local new testament church survive, grow and propagate the Gospel. AMEN! This batch will buy cement and other materials needed to prevent their adobe walled church from washing away. Your abundance supplies their need and their abundance supplies your need… All things in Common, and Biblical Amen. This is our first shipment of many we hope. So if you are interested in great belts please let us know. Maybe for your church bookstore, missions conference, college or school, a special one for someone special a pastor or missions director, husband ect. Maybe you know of a chain store that might stock and sell them or??? If you want something different made also let us know as well, Special request, Bible covers, Harnesses, hair/keychain almost any leather item. The plan is to send them back in suitcases for now. I checked UPS, shipping a 50 lbs box with about 120 belts from here was $700+ dollars….yikes, so returning empty suitcases are fine for now, and the cheap mail within the USA is best.





The last things.. Playing with the kids, I printed off a bunch of paper airplanes patterns for the children to make. For a while we were a busy paper airplane airport…
For some reason I was given many notes today from the kids. Some color pages some hand written notes. I even got two from Jenny and Julie which has become rare as they matured. They would normally rather tell me and hug, than write a note. But still nice.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Simply Sweet...

Last night was a special reward for this broken down old warhorse. One of our children here in Honduras, Lenin, gave me the privilege of watching the miracle of a new birth. I was at my desk last evening listening to Jr tell about his project of cooling his computer in oil using car junkyard parts (ie modifying things, Father like son) and Lenin(Le-neen) had come in 6 or more times asking if I needed anything. When Jr left Lenin came in again and said “Papi I need to talk to you, I want to change and be like Jesus, I want him to save me.” I shared a few things but then said you know all this, all you need do is pray. He took my hands and began to pray, all I did was listen. This young boy prayed a prayer of humility, repentance and profound wisdom that would shame a veteran preacher, it was breaking my heart, all I wanted to do was take him up in my arms, which I did when he finished… as did our heavenly Father. To understand the full view of what I was witnessing you must understand that Lenin and his sister Kathern are from a home where the prostitute mother had abandoned them and where father repeatedly told them they were not his, he did not want them, and left them at child services. It is hard to explain to people that we are not an “orphanage” rather we are a family. I often get a deer in the headlights stare when I do. When the Children’s Lighthouse began taking in children I searched the scriptures. I could not find the model of an orphanage, but I did find that we were suppose to take the fatherless into our homes and care for them as our own… this was the bible model. So we have set out to do so, the risk to the heart and life are much greater. There is no turn off switch or time clock where you quit and go home to another life, no separations of "us" and "them". It has been hard and it may seem only a minor difference to some, but to our family it makes all the difference.



Psalms 68:5
A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:




As Lenin left a new creature, I pick up my camera to take a picture….Uh Jr…Why is my camera covered in oil?? Oh well not important right now… :)
Andy preached the last service thursday here at the Lighthouse and a teenage boy we have had helping Tono do a few things trusted the LORD as well as a mom... Line upon line precept upon precept is a church built..

Lisa is still state side hoping to get dental work done and maybe visit another Dr for ongoing care. Still need prayer on many fronts; health, finances, wisdom..... I would rather be dumb as a rock with just a little wisdom than the smartest man without wisdom... I think I am close to the former
unworthy servant to a Worthy Saviour,
Barry
Addendum; went out this morning to find our yearly migration of ants has begun. Normally they pass around the house, this year they decided to cut through. Not sure why they do this but there are so many its like watching a really scary moving carpet 6 feet wide. What do the boys do? Dare each other to run across barefoot... Boy are boys everywhere, like in the USA boys camp, daring who would touch their tongue on the electric horse fence or frozen flag pole... wisdom comes later I suppose... We are also giving a bycycle to a young man in the St Teresa church who is in the city studing. Pastor Augusto told him to attend LaCruz with Carlos, but it was too far and no money for bus fare. Brother Marc Antonio wanted him to work under him and train him in ministry... So a bycycle was an easy fix to the situation...

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Friends




The time for Bob and Andy is ending. Here are some random pictures of their time here. They visited Los Tererros, Preached in Lenaca, St Teresa, Choluteca, and Las Cabañas. Preach where you must scream over the rain, and walk in the mud, delivered supplies on the mountain and bounced in the kia. Ricardo was singing in church but the noise is the heavy rain on the tent. The kids as always touch the hearts more than the rest. From Fernandos grin covering up a real handful kid, to the hugs from a few to say goodnight or goodbye. It has been a time of fellowship of old friends. Last night was an emergency of sorts. Had a church member’s child fall and jam his teeth up into his gums. Jr had the Kia up in the mountain so I called other folks who came and took him to the Dr. Ermita left church and opened her office to pull 3 teeth and put in stitches…Never a dull moment even when we try…


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Friends Prov. 17:17



Some old friends came for a visit this week. Andy and his dad Bob are here. I picked them up at the airport Thursday and brought a dozen kids with me. Since the last names of Andy and his dad are similar to ours the kids automatically called them uncle Andy and grandpa. On the way back we stopped to stretch our legs at the roadside zoo the kids enjoy. We made it back just in time for evening service and Bob preached and several raised hands for salvation including our neighbor’s brother. Headed out yesterday to get food, drivers license, water, gasoline, and propane. To my amazement got it all done but the propane. I would have got that too but “grandpa” bought ice-cream for the kids and it would have melted had I driven all the way to get propane… So ice-cream and grandpas trump cooking fuel… We also visited up the mountain with Pastor Augusto and an order for 150 belts was placed. I thought he would almost cry for it was an answer to prayers for him because he did not even have the $5 for some medicine he needed for an infection. We are trying to market his leather goods in the USA to anyone who would rather buy a “Made by a local New Testament Church” label over “Made in China”. It is our “All things in Common” idea, to me it is a no brainer but getting it under the right eyes to see. Like a Christian organization, bookstore, college ect who might sell Bible covers, belts or other leather goods, We give them an opportunity to walk more circumspectly, biblically, and offer a quality product to sell that is not made in communist china whereas they are helping a local church propagate the gospel…win win on all sides. In other words; we supply their want and they supply our want. 2 Cor 8:12-15, Acts 2:44. Amen.

Lisa got the results back, It is kind of confusing to me and need to talk to her about it more. It was a negative result, which was great news. But, she was also listed as hi risk of reoccurring cancer? They tested the tissue around the lump and it was negative but the lump was not categorized. Nor do we know if any of the multiple others are at issue. And the grant she qualified for provided no more testing. So good news, but still in a quandary of unknown. All they said is she needs to be monitored frequently and have more test done Now we must figure out what else should be done, find a way to get her back home, and figure how to do it. So the prayers are working and we need more.


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