Things don't always go as planned... welcome to honduras

I would like to begin with a side not to Cynthia White: I read your comments to your family, and Don, Andy, your dad, and Larry were able to go to Los Pinos on Sunday via truck. Also know that block laying is definately not the same without you here.

This morning we began at devo by presenting pink toolbelts to the six ladies from Borger, TX because of their hard work throughout the year for a mission that only one had ever experienced. These ladies were able to raise almost $10,000 to go towards benevolence. They also earned all of their money to pay for their expenses to get here. Great work ladies!

This morning we sent several groups in many directions. One group led by Terri Tindall stayed at the Mission House to spend the day packing food. Althogh this at first sounds like a very easy task, it is not. When food is packs beans, rice, sugar, and flour are carefully packaged from the huge bags that they are bought in into gallon sized ziplocks. Also in the food boxes things of spaghetti, tomato sauce, lard, some coffee, and most importantly, a Spanish bible. The contents of this box can typically feed a family here from anywhere between two weeks and a month. Tomorrow, several hundred families will have their prayers answered when Jesus sends people to them with a box of food.

At Nueva Oriental... Here all of the construction crews experienced one of those "Welcome to Honduras" kind of days. This expression is often stated when things don't go exactly as planned. The plan was to build four houses in this village today. Mark Connell and some of his interns arrived in the village early to find the sites that needed to be built. None of them were very easy to get to, and none of them were very close to the road in which the wood is delivered. Some people were surprised at where the sites were chosen, but if we didn't make the trek across the mountain to build these people's houses, then who would? The first load of wood arrived shortly after the group, so one group was able to move the wood and then get to work on this house. The people at the other three sites were all promised that a semi carrying enough wood to construct the other three houses. Sometime between 12:30 and 1:00 we found out that the man driving the truck drove the wood to the place where houses are supposed to be built tomorrow. In many circumstances, most people would become impatient and frusterated at the 2 and 1/2 hours they waited, but instead, we saw people on each house site getting to know others better, and taking time to play with and love on the children. Over the years I have learned here that losing my cool on a day like this does no good; I end up yelling at things that I cannot control, and nothing changes. It sure is nice to no that God is in control of everything. When we found out that the woo was not coming today, the three teams that had no wood loaded up on a bus to go to Santa Anna. So that they could get started on the houses that were supposed to be built tomorrow. Guess what? That did not happen.

While the construction, or should I say lack of construction, was happening, evangelim teams were all over the mountain. These groups scaled the mountain for hours telling people about the afternoon Bible study and also to tell peoplle about the VBS that was going to happen the same tie as the group study. The evangelism crew is led by Billy Ferguson and Cisco Vega. The VBS team is led by Paul Bennett. Paul was told that probably only 40 or so kids would be joining the VBS; however, closer to 140 kids showed up today. Fortuneatley, Paul and his crew rolled with the punches and handled the many extra chil . Throuout the day, 7 ladies in Nueva Orientasl decided to became Christians today.

Santa Anna... Here Don White headed up the crew to build the church building. This morning there was no back hoe, nor were there footers dug for the building. Yet again, welcome to Honduras. People here still found plenty of work to take part of today. All of the block needed for the church was moved to the church site. The side walk here was extended more. (Sidewalks here are going to wind through everything.) It looks absolutely beautiful. Dirt was hauled all day long, and cement was mixed for various projects.

In Santa Anna, a Bible study and a VBS also took place here today. I wish that everyone could have seen how intently the children were listening to the team toing the VBS; it was wonerful. Another group held a Bible study here too with a group of women. Three people were added into our family in Santa Anna today. Praise God!!!

Hospital Escuala... This group was led by Oscar Mansana, one of our translators from El Salvador. Here, many people were shared God through smiles, hugs, small gifts, and prayers. Days of visiting the hospital are always very emotional and heart breaking.

Everyone arrived back to the Mission House both exhausted and pumped for God. Tonight's devotional was led by Ray Wood, who gave testimony about his life and how he became a Christian. We all were touched by this and moved to tears.

As soon as devo ended, our own Holly from Vicksburg, MS told Kirt Hunt that the time had come. She was ready to be baptized into Christ. We all immediately gathered around the fountain in front of the girl's dorm What a perfect way to end the night. It's been another great day here in Honduras. Keep praying for us.