Honduras Ponderings, Perils and Praises

The LORD always seems to bless most when we are weakest. A short list of blessings:
*A food shipment has been donated and paperwork is now in the works to get it here.
*A 900 lbs donated shipment of medications was approved and shipped. We had been working on this for another missionary’s medical team next month.
*Honduras Missions was also selected for a large team of Ind. Baptist, evangelical, medical doctors, dentist and eye doctors to visit and work. Tentative for July next year.
*A supporting church is planning a group visit in June 2007
*Visa paperwork was approved…Should not be long for actual visas.

Saturday night was an outreach out near Cedeno; A gospel movie, candy cannon and preaching. Easy I thought, oops must be getting senile. I was even told they had electric so we did not bring a generator. As you would expect, a bad storm rolled in as we set up, and CRACK-pow… lightning strike, no more electric. A 50 minute drive in the wind driven rain for a generator, only to return to find the lightning also zapped our amp and speaker system. Honduras is really rough on things. Thankfully a local had one that was made to work. During this time the last natural light began to disappear, so we chose to shoot the candy cannon for the children to buy a little time. Proceeded to pack it full of candy, stuffed animals, and trinkets; go into the dirt road, gather all the kids, boom, shoot it high into the air; only to have a big wind gust carry it all into the adjoining muddy sugar plantation field. Oh well, looked cool, a few persistent boys got a lot. While waiting for the generator, lots of songs were sung in the sweatbox, and the only light anywhere was my single led penlight flashlight shining at a movie screen. How many people can fit into a 26x26 foot space? Now add 50 more to your number. It was a packed house with pouring rain, leaky roof, with mosquitoes swarming like flies on rotting meat. Each person has at least 100 bites(Americans even more) then presto, movie is rolling. I asked Carlos to preach and do the invitation; he did well and a few others even joined in to plea sinners home. Each time one came forward there were cheers and applause. That was a new experience. 13 came forward, 2 men ….and Jeny! I had not confronted her with the gospel yet, just watching her for the right time…The Holy Spirit won out in spite of the difficulties. When we are weak…


Sunday’s church service had its own excitement. All was well until another old drunk man came into the children’s tent swinging a machete. Lisa gathered the kids and ran away with all the kids screaming; over it all I heard Sasha yelled “DAAAD!” I can’t remember the last time I heard Sasha yell. I rushed over and took his machete away. Lisa gave him some bananas and water, then I had to physically walk him down the street. Only to have him return across the street, lay down on the gate of our house and go to sleep in the rain. Oh joy.
Santos, the visiting man saved last week, returned and came forward today for baptism. AMEN! Added to that senora Erica( Aug 22 post) received 10 large sheets of tin to help keep her house dry. It was donated by a local businessman. Thank You LORD.

Sunday evening we had a special service with a movie outreach under the tent. It was a film about salvation and the rapture. At intermission time right after the trump sounded in the movie… we stopped the film and fed everyone popcorn. During this, I hid behind the screen and blew a shofar as loud and long as I could. Stepped in front of the screen and said… “uh oh, why are you all still here!”; This opened the door to teach a bit about the rapture and warned them not to wait. It was a fun way to talk on a serious subject. It rained most of the day so taking the tent down is 2x the work… has to be put up again Monday just to dry out. As we were drawing to a close another drunk with a Big machete sought refuge under the tent as Barry Jr. and I were dropping it. He was big, mean and everyone was afraid of him because he had been yelling and swinging the machete at them. I walked over shook his hand very firm, held it to turn him around and just like a child, told him he was in the way of the Lord’s work, and to go home… so he did. Carlos’ mouth looked stuck open in amazement. He had been so scared "for me" he had the numbers dialed to call the police,(not that they would come) and locked himself in his car with Lisa and Sasha standing outside as Jeny ran screaming into the house. Jeny asked later if I was scared of the bad man. “No” stunned she said “why?” “I only fear the LORD like the Bible says.” Jeny had a look on her face that is hard to describe but gave me an extra tight hug this evening….AAAMEN!
To say we need your continued prayers at this point is an understatement….Thank You

Unworthy servant to a Worthy Saviour,
Barry Ritchie

Needs:
Purchase Church property/building-Souls
Build the Whensawe warehouse
Purchase another year curriculum for institute
Purchase a vehicle
Get more proficient in Spanish
Stay healthy enough to finish the course set before us.
Ability to care for more abused and orphaned children