Honduras Missions

The Ritchie Family / Children's Lighthouse

Monday, September 19, 2016

Rain on the just and the unjust...

Winding down our month long Children's day. Alberto took Julie and Lenin to our mountain church for the event. Jenny and baby were not up for the ride. As it turns out that was a good thing because I sent them 4 hours early by mistake... without enough money for drinks or food... my bad. But they were troopers and found a way. Julie and Alberto sang, Alberto preached, Lenin set up and ran equipment, Julie kept order. Worked out well. Near 200 kids arrived. More than 2000 kids have had candy rain down and were under preaching this month. Amen. The greatest blessing for me has been our Lighthouse family, ie our kids, did most of it solo. Amen. Went to our city church for pulpit fill. Was a good service. Then pick up a few folks on way back for church at Lighthouse right afterwards. Busy day but a good day. Good service at the Lighthouse as well. The institute grads have been reaching out to some hardened gang members. For a few months they have invited them to sleep in their home and church and they stay with them and "talk". They also take the half dozen out on outings away from other influences to "talk" and influence their thoughts. To show them there is another way. Are you secure enough in Christ to invite latino gang members over for a sleep over with your family to win souls? Minor led one of the most hardened to the Lord about 2 months ago. And he has been in every service since. They had 2 other members with them one night and Minor was witnessing, but thought he had pushed as hard as he dared and backed off. To his surprise his new convert stepped in and preached hard at his old gang friends... and led not one but both to the Lord. Minor was open jawed in silence. Keep in mind these are latino gang members. Some of the most murderous, thieving, drug influenced souls you can meet. But the LORD is greater and died for them too.  Amen. Minor was asking me if I had any extra 25 dollar mattresses so they could invite more of them. They need 6 to 8 so they can sleep in the church building at night... anyone want to buy a bed or two for a gang outreach ministry?  What is the price of a soul?

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Busy...

Keeping busy. Julie is our first complete HS graduate. She got her national diploma this past week. Three different tv news crews were there and out her class of 36 she was the first graduate of the first class of this program with the government. She received the same diploma as all other public and private schools here. The same day she had to rush and get all her certification to the university so she can start her medical school training in Jan. Her desire is to be a medical missionary.
Amen. Lisa was asked to "cater" (iè will you do it and pay for it, hard to say no when it is for Julie) the event and her wedding quality cake made the evening news and as the backdrop for many photos. Julie needs transportation in Tegu. She will be close the university but it is too dangerous to walk at certain times. And the bus requires over an hour and a swap (ie more costly and timely than a motorcycle) I have been looking for just the right thing and finally found it. A Yamaha Crypton new. Super high mileage, low maint, a girls motorcycle and had a price cheaper than the cheap chinese motorcycles... too good to pass up. So we bought it. Not sure what to do at the end of the month but it was very needed.
The 10th of this month was Honduras' national children's day. A big celebration time here. This year we were to be in 13 different (locations schools and churches)ministering to well over 1600 children. All heard the gospel. To give a scale each candy cannon shot launches 10lbs of candy 100 feet in the air... and the fuel getting to the locations is more than candy...weee. look on the kids faces when it rains candy...priceless... price for the look on the pastor's face when a few boys climbed up on the church roof to get a few stray candies... was cheap...free even..
Another little thing happening in our part of the world. Haitians have arrived. A large group caught a ship to Brazil and have been working their way to the USA by land.
Hundreds are now in Our church neighborhood. And Hondurans are willing to help... for a fee. Seems a place to rest your head out of the rain at night is $10 and a bank transaction from USA to Haitians cost $20. They are traveling as families and some have been coming to our city church. Beautiful families.
I was talking to our Nicaraguan preacher and his desire to visit Cuba. We have been pondering the idea of sending him for a while. He would take as much as he could and street preach where Americans cannot in a way few now days are willing. No hotel or restaurants, just knock doors and street preach till a new convert gives you rest and food, like he does here. He hopes to plant a new church in his month stay. His military training was in Cuba as a contra. His teacher and old friend is now a Cuban general. We would like to also bring in enough bibles for the active military in Cuba which is about 15,000. The general is willing to help with customs to bring in bibles. While at Julie's graduation I got promises of 15,000 J/R and another group commited 3000 whole Bibles. We have enough tracts at the moment. We are praying the Lord makes a way to send the preacher in Jan or Feb for the first wave, preaching and planting. Also firm up the decades old friendship and commitment from the general for sending Bibles.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Mountain vision

Already a busy week. Honduras celebrates a national children's day and most schools and churches do something special that day.
It is a single day for most but when you are wanted in more than a dozen locations...it takes a week or more to deal with over 1500 children. Jenny and Alberto have taken on much of this duty this week. The old kia had to be pushed out of the mud at one church, on another mountain it overheated and lost brakes coming down the mountain... but have already ministered to hundreds of kids 1-12 grade and week is not over yet. Our institute grades are sacrificing much to minister in 6 public schools. They have made themselves a wonderful ministry.
They give the schools the needed help they want and the schools in turn let them teach full time bible classes to all grades, to all students. They have seen many come to Christ and the church is growing a lot. Amen! Julie officially graduates high school Friday and has a gov issued graduation. They asked Lisa to "cater" it. Cake ect. The same day she graduates at 10 am she reports to the university the same afternoon last day to turn in her graduation papers...  talk about just under the wire. Amen!

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Little is much...

Our school year ended and is almost ready to start up again. Lisa and Julie are getting next school year ready while closing this one. Been raining hard as of late. This Sunday taking church folks home in the city during a storm the kia took an unexpected muddy dive in a 3 foot deep flooded area of the paved road. It has a 5ft working snorkel kit and a quick switch to 4wd kept us going. But now it needs a deep cleaning and lubricant change in the transfer case, trans, differentials ect. Wee. 
Managed to weld the frame on the old kia back together for the 18th time and put tires on it. This will allow Alberto and Jenny to visit churches for me and do some construction oversight. Hoping to break ground and do a foundation for a church building near the border. They will also help this month for our national "Children's day". Currently reb
uilding some of our old vbs equipment to do activities. Alberto was asked by one of our pastors to do a lesson in a house outreach. He did fine. They also dedicated their new baby to the Lord promising to raise him for Christ. Amen. We tend to hold tight to the sweet moments in ministry because if not the heartaches can be overwhelming. In ministry one must guard their heart, not let it harden, nor break and fail. Found out two things this week about kids that used to be with us. One had left in rebellion years ago and called begging for help to fix the mess they had made of their life. The second even more tragic. A young boy who was removed against our recommendation and placed with family, is now one of the half crazed young men here wondering the streets sniffing glue and paint. Children's ministry is often like being a lifeguard on a busy shark infested beach, who is required to work with both hands tied behind their back, and tape on their mouth...heartbreaking.  (btw the photo is not the same young man. I just took the photo earlier the same day I heard the news).
 Our support is always a surprise every month. By the time the 3rd and 4th week of the month come around money is tight. Yet God always provides, 10 years of providing. I received a surprise email from an old school friend who used to babysit me 40 years ago. We have had very little contact and nothing for 39yrs till they had a school reunion.  The Lord laid on her heart a love offering. The second was an out of work Honduran business man. He texted me and said he had something for me... humbling. Those 2 allowed us to buy food and finish the month once again... The LORD proves through those close enough to Him to hear His desires.... after a decade of this, I am in as much awe of God monthly as one seeing the grand canyon for the first time. Thank you to each one of our ministering saints for listening to the heart of God. 


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