Wow! What a great start to the New Year. We were able to go Home awhile for Christmas and it was WONDERFUL. Jesus and Jennifer loved being able to spend time with Grandma. Plus they were able to meet with some of their friends. It was nice to be back at Holly Springs Baptist Church and finally be able to share, in person, some about what we have been doing here. While we were Home my mother’s side of the family had their family reunion, so that was really great to be able to spend some time with them. And my daughter, Ashley, her husband Ben, and their two sons Evan and Alex were able to come and be with us all the way from Ohio. I was able to make it around to see a few of my friends, but the time there passed so quickly. It seemed as though we had just got there and it was time to head back to Honduras again.
For Medical Brigades, the 2009 season started off at fast pace. We have had some really great teams here so far, and look forward to an awesome year. We have been installing A LOT of concrete floors. On a normal week we install 2-3 floors. Some weeks we do four, depending on how many of the team members want to participate in the floor ministry. But for the fir
st week of 2009 we installed SEVEN new concrete floors. And we have kept going strong ever since. Last week we did five, and finished the day Friday by building a stove out of brick. The family had been cooking on a stove made from a barrel (like you may have seen in some of my photos), but team members donated money and made it possible for us to build a new stove for the family.
Jesus and Jennifer were out of school last Thurs. and Fri. for a “Spring Break”, so they went out and worked the Brigade both days. Jennifer sat in on “evangelism” on Thurs. while Jesus worked concrete. They both worked concrete Fri. morning (Jennifer’s first time working with me on a floor). Then in the afternoon Jesus worked at his second favorite area, optical (concrete is his favorite). He likes giving people their new glasses and seeing what a great blessing it is as people can now see more clearly and even
read for the first time in years. Jennifer worked in the pharmacy for the afternoon, getting the prescriptions together. It is awesome to see people looking over the bag some times full of medicines. I love to see the expressions on their faces. Many times they are so happy. They are looking at the medicines as if in disbelief. Medicines they may have needed for a very long time, but they could never afford. And now, because of God, and people that answered His Call, they have it.
Being here, seeing God work in peoples lives every day, is a greater blessing to me than I could ever have imagined. Some times I think I have had some tough times in my life, but I thank God for each and every one of them. Because every one of them, helped me mature in my faith to the point that I was ready to surrender my will, and began to try to live in accordance with Gods Will for my life.
Several families we have ministered to this year have been touched by violence in recent years. One widow we worked with, her son had been killed on the path right in front of her Home, for not paying protection money to gang members. Her other son moved away, in fear that they would kill him too. When they want to visit, they meet in another area of the city.
Two weeks ago we worked with a widow who has scars from a bullet wound on her face. She was shot, and her husband was killed at the front door to their Home. There are still bullet holes in the house.
The family last week, one of her sons had been shot and killed standing in the fenced in area of their yard.
When we go out on Medical Brigades, we interact with some of the most loving, considerate, humble people. I still can say that in all my time here, I have never even seen so much as a person raise their voice in anger. We go into some of the poorest neighborhoods, and meet with people who need basic medical care, and who are open to hearing about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The real reason we are here.
I love being here in Honduras, making myself available to serve God every day. One does not have to look far to see people in great need. You may have read about the family we built a Home for in our spare time. Now we have started another project. A group of American teachers from a bilingual school here heard about the first house we built, and they approached us to see if we would help them with a similar project. They have been helping a family for some time now, but they really wanted to build them a Home. The teachers raised the money (just over $1,000.), and we started yesterday. FIFTEEN people showed up to help for the day. When the sun went down, it was framed, the tin roof was on, and a concrete floor was installed. It was an AWESOME day. One more like that and the whole house will be finished.
(A typical Home, 10’ X 14’, concrete floor, wood siding, one door, one window, and a tin roof, can be built for right at $1,000.)
We don’t get much spare time except for some weekends, but it is great when we do get the opportunity to participate in other projects.
Recently my attention has been called to the Book of James. The theme of James can be said to be:
True faith can be seen in actions. The Gospel changes lives. And if we truly have faith in Christ, from our living faith should flow deeds of love, and kindness.
James 2:14-18
Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well good-bye and God bless you: stay warm and eat well”-but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all-it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith, others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.”
2:26
Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds.
4:17
Remember it is sin to know what you ought to do, and then not do it.
1:1-4
Dear brothers and sisters, “whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”
We still very much need your help with financial support. February 12th marked our eighth month anniversary here in Honduras. And we still struggle to get by on just over 1/3rd of the amount of support WGO requires us to have. I pray that the people God is calling to make our service here possible, will soon answer that call. If you look at some of our earlier posts they list in detail the different ways that contributions can be made. Please keep us in your prayers.
Our phone and Internet service is not always reliable, but please feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you.
Phone us at (919) 521-8051
Email us at rmorton@wgo-hn.org
God Bless you All,
Roy, Jesus, and Jennifer
For Medical Brigades, the 2009 season started off at fast pace. We have had some really great teams here so far, and look forward to an awesome year. We have been installing A LOT of concrete floors. On a normal week we install 2-3 floors. Some weeks we do four, depending on how many of the team members want to participate in the floor ministry. But for the fir
st week of 2009 we installed SEVEN new concrete floors. And we have kept going strong ever since. Last week we did five, and finished the day Friday by building a stove out of brick. The family had been cooking on a stove made from a barrel (like you may have seen in some of my photos), but team members donated money and made it possible for us to build a new stove for the family.Jesus and Jennifer were out of school last Thurs. and Fri. for a “Spring Break”, so they went out and worked the Brigade both days. Jennifer sat in on “evangelism” on Thurs. while Jesus worked concrete. They both worked concrete Fri. morning (Jennifer’s first time working with me on a floor). Then in the afternoon Jesus worked at his second favorite area, optical (concrete is his favorite). He likes giving people their new glasses and seeing what a great blessing it is as people can now see more clearly and even
read for the first time in years. Jennifer worked in the pharmacy for the afternoon, getting the prescriptions together. It is awesome to see people looking over the bag some times full of medicines. I love to see the expressions on their faces. Many times they are so happy. They are looking at the medicines as if in disbelief. Medicines they may have needed for a very long time, but they could never afford. And now, because of God, and people that answered His Call, they have it.Being here, seeing God work in peoples lives every day, is a greater blessing to me than I could ever have imagined. Some times I think I have had some tough times in my life, but I thank God for each and every one of them. Because every one of them, helped me mature in my faith to the point that I was ready to surrender my will, and began to try to live in accordance with Gods Will for my life.
Several families we have ministered to this year have been touched by violence in recent years. One widow we worked with, her son had been killed on the path right in front of her Home, for not paying protection money to gang members. Her other son moved away, in fear that they would kill him too. When they want to visit, they meet in another area of the city.
Two weeks ago we worked with a widow who has scars from a bullet wound on her face. She was shot, and her husband was killed at the front door to their Home. There are still bullet holes in the house.
The family last week, one of her sons had been shot and killed standing in the fenced in area of their yard.
When we go out on Medical Brigades, we interact with some of the most loving, considerate, humble people. I still can say that in all my time here, I have never even seen so much as a person raise their voice in anger. We go into some of the poorest neighborhoods, and meet with people who need basic medical care, and who are open to hearing about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The real reason we are here.
I love being here in Honduras, making myself available to serve God every day. One does not have to look far to see people in great need. You may have read about the family we built a Home for in our spare time. Now we have started another project. A group of American teachers from a bilingual school here heard about the first house we built, and they approached us to see if we would help them with a similar project. They have been helping a family for some time now, but they really wanted to build them a Home. The teachers raised the money (just over $1,000.), and we started yesterday. FIFTEEN people showed up to help for the day. When the sun went down, it was framed, the tin roof was on, and a concrete floor was installed. It was an AWESOME day. One more like that and the whole house will be finished.
(A typical Home, 10’ X 14’, concrete floor, wood siding, one door, one window, and a tin roof, can be built for right at $1,000.)
We don’t get much spare time except for some weekends, but it is great when we do get the opportunity to participate in other projects.
Recently my attention has been called to the Book of James. The theme of James can be said to be:
True faith can be seen in actions. The Gospel changes lives. And if we truly have faith in Christ, from our living faith should flow deeds of love, and kindness.
James 2:14-18
Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can’t save anyone. Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well good-bye and God bless you: stay warm and eat well”-but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?
So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all-it is dead and useless.
Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith, others have good deeds.” I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.”
2:26
Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds.
4:17
Remember it is sin to know what you ought to do, and then not do it.
1:1-4
Dear brothers and sisters, “whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.”
We still very much need your help with financial support. February 12th marked our eighth month anniversary here in Honduras. And we still struggle to get by on just over 1/3rd of the amount of support WGO requires us to have. I pray that the people God is calling to make our service here possible, will soon answer that call. If you look at some of our earlier posts they list in detail the different ways that contributions can be made. Please keep us in your prayers.
Our phone and Internet service is not always reliable, but please feel free to contact us. We would love to hear from you.
Phone us at (919) 521-8051
Email us at rmorton@wgo-hn.org
God Bless you All,
Roy, Jesus, and Jennifer
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