Honduras Missions

The Ritchie Family / Children's Lighthouse

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Goal...

Made it to the goal. All spent and still owe a lot but made it. The roof is on so the church can meet in a dry place instead of a tent. Still much to do but must wait on the Lord's timing. Need to build a retaining wall so water from the adjacent property does not flow through the building and needs doors and windows and fencing so drunks and kids do not use it as a bathroom, game room, drug hang, out ect ect. After it is secure it needs electric as well. Then the first night services... Baptisms in about 2 weeks...

Wing and a prayer



Not sure why but it has been a very hard task completing this church project. It has drained us in so many ways. It has been more like building the Children's Lighthouse years ago. And things in far away places make it harder, like US weather canceling church services, closing banks, slow mail and giving down ect. We always fly to the limit of the gas we have with no reserve. Like today, No money left in bank, no food left in house and not enough fuel left in truck (not incl many others issues in dire need). Had enough fuel to pick up the men working and return them, but no extra. I called our home church pastor and asked him to make a special trip to the city. He had to dig himself out, drive to the city and hope the post office and banks were open and that there was a deposit to make. There was a small one, enough for 3-4 days food. Because of an error, he had to make it in 2 smaller deposits which kept the bank from holding most of the funds. Amen! I check funds available and Lisa goes to buy food (ie extra trip to town). She returns empty of fuel. I load up materials, equipment, and men and try to coast back to town. Had to call my sister in The USA to put enough fuel in the Kia just to get home. Weee...I always say when the LORD returns or calls me home I want to be spent/used up leaving nothing not given to Him. Amen! Side note--
(True story) I know of a pilot who was to deliver a small plane (Piper Tri Pacer) From the USA to Ecuador back in the 1960s. When he got to Honduras the decision was made to fly the last leg straight down over the pacific ocean rather than country jump. The plane had no instruments except a stick on compass and an oil light, it also needed 50 gal more fuel capacity to fly the distance over open ocean. So he strapped a 55 gal barrel in the front seat with a hand pump in it. He ran a hose out to the fuel tank in the wing and tied it in. The plan was fly and pump fuel as he thought he needed. He thought no problem with 5 extra gal to spare. He made it, just barely on fumes, and more luck than skill with the compass. He arrived drenched in sweat, though the plane was cold, and empty of fuel and empty of prayers. The last leg of his trip was even worse. He took off in low clouds surrounded by tall mountains. He could not climb out of the cloud cover fast enough and did not know where the mountains were. He got confused in direction and flight angle of the plane. In other words he could be flying right into the ground or level into the mountain, he did not know. He did something very hard to do. Let go of the controls, power down the engine, and let the plane fly it's slowest natural level way. He stuck his head out hoping for a hint of the ground in time to react, it worked, as the wheels began clipping tree tops, he was able to keep them in view and followed the conture of the mountain back down to the runway and land. Lived to try again the next day. That reminds me much of ministry in Honduras. Wing and a prayer.

Monday, February 17, 2014

12 hour day... not much comment..

Photos from today... 12 Hour day... Roof going on. Another long day tomm.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Prayer mode...

Thought we had poor cell phone coverage before. Now it is worse and more expensive. Honduras has had a rash of criminal activity coming from the prisons by way of cell phones, everything from false telemarketers stealing to threats and actual murders. So the president ordered cell towers in range of prisons turned off. I now know we shared a tower. Seems like there could have been a better way, but likely more costly for the government. We also had a good run on electric till today. Been out most of the day. And the machine shopped called about kia. They have it apart but need $1800 to fix it, mostly parts mix of new and used. Not going to happen at the moment. Only have about 10% of that in bank and other things are also in need. Also caused us to miss an appointment with a child court judge. Not good. All there was left to do today was sit in the heat, play with the kids and be in prayer mode. Amen.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Beyond control

Wee... Was hoping the kia would hold out till friday so we could get the roof on the church. It did not. Been babying it for water temp, need to pull the motor apart again for a head gasket. Picked up Pedro and his tools to do the roof. Got to the church building and worked all day returned to our house drop of equipment and take the men home. Did not make it. The rear end locked up. I managed to get it across town to the machine shop/mechanic place by putting it in 4wd and dragging the rear end. Lots of stares but secure for the night. Not sure how to fix the situation. Needs a rear end to move, and we need it to continue the church. No funds to do so. I have all of Pedro's tools so he cannot work elsewhere since we will not be working on the church (he does not drove or have a car). And we still must pay the Gov to start school. Was suppose to be the 1st of Feb. Add to this Julie tried to ride a neighbors bike down our stairs...and did not make it. Fell and scraped up her face . Need to pick up some meds for it but that too is difficult. And many more more minor situations as well... Need prayer, like always, it is all beyond my control.
(Added) No water this morning from our new well. Pump not kicking in. Not sure yet. And no cell service because the new president decreed all cell service close to jails to terminate. Have had a rash of jail sponsored murders by cell phones.  I guess we share a tower...

Friday, February 7, 2014

2 Minute Limit...

Photos from today. Kia getting worse like last time, getting hotter quicker. Had an "emergency" that required a run into town. Turned out not to be. But used it to pick up a few needed blocks we were lacking. As I returned, I was trying to  keep temps down in kia and was a bit of a rush to shut it off. The kids ran out to open the gate. Gate opened and bounced back closed as I was entering and I clipped it. Bending it. Jr to the rescue and he was able to straighten it to a functional level with tie straps. Need to make a new one. Kind of rusty so no great loss, just another need on the long list. The women living across from the church ran out to help unload the blocks, putting 3 on their heads. I watched them walk up the road the other day carrying a 2 liter pepsi on their head hands free. I've seen worse but that has to be hard to do. I took Jr's wife with me to town, on the emergency that wasn't, and learned something about Jr. :) Did you know if you are in a hurry to dry your freshly cleaned wet underwear you must take them out of the microwave every 2 minutes and air them out or else they burn holes in them? I learned something today. Not that I would not do it, just never occurred to me or had the need to do so. Why did this come up in conversation? Because one of the kids who went to town with us had only wet clean shirts, so we dried it hanging it out the window on the way to town. It was sunny and near 100...
 Was able to get materials to start the Bible Institute up again for the second year in one of our mountain churches. They have 10 young men continuing it starting today. Amen! The church building in San Geronimo will be ready for roofing on Tues. Need kia to hold out. I think we will be baptizing there at the end of the month in one of the first services. Amen! Ojos de Agua wants me to go there as well to baptize, but need kia running right for that long of a distance. Lisa and the kids finished painting the sidwalks for different games for the kids and they are getting good use. Keep us in prayer please.
Thank You

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Amen!


   A few photos from today. The church is nearing time for a roof. Should be ready by sat or Monday plus a few days to harden then put on the roof in plenty of time for rainy season. Still much to do, window security bars(no windows here) and doors and finish the septic and bathrooms, fence ect. we were out of funds in Jan. always amazing watching the LORD work. In June we will be having a visiting evangelistic eyeglass clinic team here. The kia is not doing so good. Ran good for 2 months, but overheated the other night and has continued to do so. Will need to take the motor apart yet again... The kia is needful and ministry almost stops without it, but it is eating every extra dollar that comes our way. The kia is our 4wd dump truck, tow truck, school bus, water hauler, transit bus for visiting groups, grocery getter, ambulance, hearse, daily driver, ministry outreach hauler, generator, and my office most of the time. Sometimes all of these in the same day... 
   Got word a ministering Saint wants to help purchase a motorcycle for one of our pastors AMEN! Will be posting later about that. Anyone else want to help a pastor be more efective spreading the Word? Could really use several more, and at least two being the 3 wheel kind. (Ie double as mini bus routes when in the mountains).
   Had a ta-da moment yesterday, for the first(hopefully last) time I slipped and fell getting out of the shower. As I lay there hurting yet thankful because it could of been much worse.(head just missed the tub as I fell between the toilet and tub). Like a slimmy wet glob slipping around trying to get up. Even in pain I had to laugh, wanting one of those help lifeline buttons. You know "Help! Ive fallen and I cant get up" commercials. Still feeling it today... I am no longer getting old, I arrived a while back.  Need prayer for the obvious. Souls, provision, health and transport. Thank You...  


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