1 Peter 4:12-14 Rejoicing !

It has been a long, hard, hot, emotional week. Everyone worked non-stop all day in the sun digging a fence line, welding and unloading a little more of the container, printing ect.(inside the container is about 150 degrees) We had gotten into to the really heavy stuff and hired a little teenage help. They finally unpacked a good generator, whereas to weld the container shut again. What a pain, the fence really needs to get finished, then build a small home for someone to live there. It is the only way to keep from being robbed. The other container floor is bad and cannot be shipped due to water damage; about 1/2 the contents were saved. This changes the design for a warehouse distribution center. Basically, we now need to build a complete 40x40 concrete building, instead of just enclosing in 2 containers. Barry Jr got out the torches to cut open the container and found the tip was damaged. So we ran around 2 hours looking for a cutting tip... not avail in S. Honduras. Instead a feeble attempt to repair it was made, then off to the property to torch open the door only to find the new tank of Oxygen purchased in the USA is empty, leaked. After more running, it too is only avail in the capitol...which means I need borrow a truck. To get into the container I used a grinder, took a while but worked... The guys working at the property said they were unable to work the previous 2 days(we had not contacted them due to the wonderful birthday present I got for Lisa ops...keep reading) because they needed more material.. ie concrete. So we took what we had and picked up some. I got there and they said no we don’t need concrete we need to dig holes first....why could they not do that yesterday?...Its been one of those days.
While printing Lisa ran out of ink and masters for our risograph (cross between a copier and printing press) today while printing the Bible Institute, 60,000 pages so far. So the morning was spent in 5 minute intervals stopping at the house to track down supplies to get mailed to a pastor who will be coming down in about 2 weeks. Its funny I can buy things in the USA and have them sent to a 3rd party...but I cant get the money for us here...You can’t help but laugh and praise the LORD. Believe it or not it was a very productive week ...And Sasha gave a witness to 6 people while following me around. At least her eyes were 100% on the LORD.....
I took Lisa out to eat for her birthday, to a restaurant we were told was safe, three hours later bad food poisoning...Happy Birthday!

Pastor Santos came down the mountain to talk about the Institute and gave him a coleman lantern, Bibles, Discipleship books, tracts ect. He also told us about 2 children 4 & 8 he took in, because their parents both died and they have no family. We will be profiling them for sponsorship soon (Pray more people take on this idea, only a few folks have ever even looked at the childrens profiles link to the right of the blog) and may take them into the Children’s Lighthouse. We met with Maura, the INFA Supervisor(Child Services Here) this week about some of the children we work with. Maura has scheduled a meeting for us with the President of Honduras’ wife who runs INFA, they really want us to take in more children, this requires alot more funds than what we operate on now. Not sure what to make of this but pray it opens doors.
Friday Night thieves attempted to break into the container AGAIN. They broke our expensive locks again, but the welds held the doors shut. Two attempts in two weeks, but nothing of value taken, hmm. It all belongs to the LORD and he is caring for it. Guytan convinced me to finally hire a security guard because they will keep coming back. But the area is not safe for a man to be alone without protection. We asked Manuel to help. The first blog entry called Pure Church was in his home. So to keep Manuel safe, so he can keep the container safe, we built a guard shack on top of the container. I gave him Lisa’s mace, stun gun and a flashlight, as well as put a bunch of large rocks on top of the container. (All he needs now is a moat, boiling oil and a metal suit. With just a little more rain the moat will be provided…ha,ha.) Some of the money God’s ministering saints wired for us to live on….well, did not get spent the way I though it would. God knows best, we could have done nothing, and been left unprotected, had God not given them the insight to help when they did. Thank you ALL!
There are some various gospel events planned in the not too distant future now that we have some tools. It will be much more pleasant to be on the offence again, rather than the defense as of late.
Unworthy Servants to a Wonderful Worthy Saviour,
The Ritchies
PRAY: souls, vehicle, church plants, property, security, health, wisdom, supply, shipments…