Heating up in Honduras - see important last line

Hi all. We have been to the beach with 47 children and 12 adults, 3 vehicles, all went well and it was a blast. Most of the children had not seen the beach, so it was all new to them. We did not lose any children, and everyone left well-fed and happy. Total bill was 375 US dollars, I can´t think of a time when money was better spent. Since this was not an official MOM function, we used our own resources, and were very satisfied. Pictures would just not capture the total joy or the total uncertainty on the part of some of the young un´s when they approached the waves for the first time. We kept them surrounded by adults at most all times, and got back safely, actually at 5:45 PM.

We had a successful surgical day last Wednesday, actually a successful day all the way around. My schedule was far more tight than usual, with cement block work in the morning (my own project, a front porch half-wall for the Biedelina house, then to Los Pinos in the noon hour, then back to the clinic for a surgery - removal of a very large benign tumor of the lower chest wall on a 25-year-old. Guess who my surgical assistant was. Hold on to your hats, it was Wanda!!! The patient made it through AND Wanda made it through. Right in the middle of the procedure, it began pouring rain, then lightening, then the lights flickered, and we thought that we were in real trouble, as the wound was wide open and I was just beginning the layered closure. Wanda prayed, and I continued to work, the lights stayed on, and we finished fine. The wound looks really good, almost a cosmetic surgeon job! If I do say so myself... Then, back to the mission house to see a patient, then to Peña Blanca with the welder to order supplies for the rest of the fence building. Finally, dropped the welder back at Santa Elena, and back to the hotel.

Here is a prayer request. Not much time to explain right now, but we are looking forward to having a translator on the Garden City team, as the Lord has been giving us some direct things to communicate to the Los Pinos folks, but we have been unable due to language barriers. There is a spanish teacher on the coming team, and I am hoping to use her for a long session with the families of Los Pinos next week, probably Friday. We have been ministering to, helping these folks for 6 weeks, and I feel strongly that we have earned the right to a fair hearing on the Gospel message, talks on the future of the Los Pinos children, talks on genetic problems with inbreeding, and talks on the needs of these families. Particularly, I feel strongly that a direct presentation of the Gospel, in the context of the relationship developed over these 6 weeks, will be very effective. They know that we love them, that has been clear. Now it is time to move to a more significant level. I am asking you to be in prayer for this Friday or Saturday, as we try to schedule such a meeting. Those of you who know me well know that this is not always a part of my M.O., as I do believe in the ¨ministry of presence¨concept, but I also feel that there is a time to move on to a direct presentation of the Word of Reconciliation (Jesus Christ). Pray for this.