Blog Archives

This Blog link has become our Archives Library for our 2006 through Dec 14, 2007. Feel free to look around and check out some older missionary stories, some will tear at your heart. Some will leave you in awe of God's working. Some are humorous. Please read what you can and keep us in prayer.
Posts that stand out in my mind are the first post Jan of 2006 and Nov of 2006 listed to the right of this Blog in archives.

The NEW 2008 BLOG looks the same but has an easier name to remember. "Childrens Lighthouse"
Just Click on the Link below...

www.childrenslighthouse.blogspot.com

Thank you all for your faithful prayers and support
Unworthy Servant to a Worthy Saviour
Barry Ritchie

Life is but a Vapour

Some urgent Heavy duty prayer requests for our praying friends.

Our container with Christmas Shoeboxes and hardback Bibles is in Tegu customs and they want to move it before friday. They have rejected our attempts to bond it out and wait for paperwork. They say our tax numbers are no good right now. They want to charge the commercial rate of 35% of the declared value of $25,000…Near $9000. No way we can pay that for things to give away for free. Our lawyer is revising the senders paperwork to devalue the contents in hopes to drop the price to $2-3000 Still difficult amount….And it needs to be paid by Friday or $100+ per day storage will be added. So it is in the LORD hands I know. $3000 will build near half a church in Colonia or LaCruz Baptist….We struggle so hard with funds, for ministry, right now we are stretching funds to the limit to start projects in hopes the LORD continues to provide…. So giving money to the government is a hard thing to swallow, simply because a lawyer did not do their job right months ago and assured us up to the moment the container arrived we were all set and would have no problems importing for non profit. Need help, advice and prayers quickly….


Another somewhat urgent request, Bessy and Iris may be coming back. They are the 2 little girls whom their mother tried to sell but was caught by the authorities. What is hard to believe she is not in jail… but now a traffic policeman. The authorities left a message and pleading with us to take them back. Whoever the institution that was suppose to take them backed out...Why I do not know. On the way out of the city their mom saw us and flagged us down. She began weeping uncontrollably and apologized for all the problems she caused last time and plead with us to take them back. Not sure why the change of heart or what is the total story is right now so I need a hedge of protection and an abundance of wisdom. We are scheduling a meeting with the judge with all present, so that everyone is in total understanding.


Another need is Ana Cristina. She and her family visited last night in church. She was the baby who received the heart surgery a year ago that saved her life. She was only days away from a point of no return with just a very short time to live...1-2 weeks according to the doctors. It is now a year later and she is due to be reexamined. She looks very good, beginning to grow and develop more normally, talking now, and the parents take her to phy/therapy weekly.... but the doctors who did the surgery in Guatemala want to run tests to be sure. To make sure no other surgery is needed. They said this a year ago as well. It has the parents worried because they do not have funds to get her there, or for the Guatemala state hospital fees (the doctor is free)...Hence the plea. After much pleading from the parents, I told them I would put out the plea and see what happens. I do not know the exact costs but know they are less than $500 for the exams and transportation. Do not feel obligated..(Unless it is the Holy Spirit) I am not expecting anything from anyone, but needed to fulfill a promise of intercession and let the LORD work.

Still need lots of materials to begin building church buildings both in the city and out. A long list but highlights are: Aprox 8000 blocks, 5000 roof tiles 300 roof panels, 500 bags of cement many truckloads of sand and gravel(all mixed by hand)100’s sticks of rebar. No one item is expensive but when you need 1000 of something not expensive…suddenly its real money. Then there is the backhoe… Plus we plan on starting the Children’s Lighthouse in January. So much to do and so little to do it with….Must be God’s Work …Amen!

Thank you all, your prayers availeth much!
Unworthy Servant to a Worthy Saviour
Barry Ritchie
603-397-0606

Send Forth Labourers

Lord, please send forth Labourers…. with hearts for your work.

Plenty of Irons in the fire. We closed on a property in the city for La Cruz Baptist Church…finally. Amen! It has issues but it now belongs to the church so we can build as funds are available. It needs alot of site work first. But everything we do to it is for the LORD and benefits the church. While I was in the lawyers office Jenny waited outside in the truck. She left me a note on the visor that touched my heart. When I got in she asked how do you spell forever in English?...when I pulled the visor down I saw the note she had written in English and Spanish because she could not spell forever (I love dad forever)….the picture found on the camera as I did this post makes it even more touching….Her in the rear view mirror was an accident I’m sure….precious moments "para siempre".

Barry, Javier and Omar installed a water pump on the new Children’s Lighthouse property. Put up a outside light and the children picked fruit…Which Lisa fried up part for supper, fried green bananas with coconut and fried rice, grapefruit for tomorrow's breakfast. Amen! Need to build a garage/storage/security house on the property to start working the property.

We have lots of projects ahead of us and no idea how the LORD is going to do it… just it needs to be done. If anyone feels the LORD touching their hearts to help in any way please let me know…any kind of help, prayer, funds, muscle, would ease the burden…Amen.

Unworthy Servant to a Worthy Saviour
Barry Ritchie

A Day of Rest

A day of rest…When your spirit is at rest all of you gets rested Amen...

Sunday was one of those days you wish you could have everyday. One where from the first moment awake, the LORD showed his presence. Everything just falling into place.

The children awoke with a sweeter than normal spirit and gave double hugs and good mornings, with a desire to help. The weather was near perfect 80, sunny and a slight breeze. We shuttled out food, chairs, pulpit, bounce house and 76 La Cruz Baptist Church people to the new Children’s Lighthouse property for church services and a day of fun, fellowship and relaxation. Lisa prepped 7 gallons of turkey soup on the home made stove and pot, Barry Jr. had installed the tire swing on a tree. Families played, walked, explored the land, picked fruit, relaxed and bonded with no pressures of life for a moment. Bro Sabas preached a stirring message, several volunteered to sing specials. All open air under the big tree in the “Garden of Eden”.

One lady in our congregation is not the best at watching her young children, here it did not matter for there was always someone like Alba ready to sweep them up in her arms and play with them. Families kicking the soccer ball around on the lower field, Families throwing a ball around in the fruit trees, children in the tire swing, boys exploring the “unchartered” woods, children exploring the old stick bridge. Some just taking the time to sit in the grass (a rare thing here) and talk. The sound of laughter and joyous voices filled the air. Ending with a time for the little ones in the bounce house.

Sleep came quick and easy after prayer Sunday night…The question I ask often to those around me…Was Jesus pleased in this? On this day it was a resounding “yes”. Then nothing else matters because our joy is a side effect of his good pleasure…Amen!

Thank you for your prayers.

Many things on the near horizon.

*Container will be here soon.

*Christmas
*Children’s Lighthouse construction planned for January. Many needs in this that we do not know how they will happen just the need is there. Mower, backhoe, blocks, cement, wood, fixtures, laborers, wellpump, electrical, plumbing, ect.

*The monthly expenses just to “dress and keep” the property is about $200

*Need 300 more roof tiles for pastor Santos to finish the SS class roof

*New work in Colonia…long list in previous post.

*Property needed for La Cruz Baptist Church…Really need the LORD to intervene.