January went by like the wind, we have been so busy. Last week we joined up with a TLC team from Hobe Sound, Florida. They came to work with one of our H.I.M. pastors in Nicaragua. Boy, did we ever have fun. It was a great group. Pastor Julio has one main church but then he has about 3 outposts where he meets and hold services. We visited all of his groups and held services with them and then after the service the group distributed blankets to all the families. The people really appreciated it.

Here is Joseph on the bus getting ready to go to Managua to pick up the group at the airport. He loves riding buses.








Our first service was at Santa Rosa one of Julio's outposts. This village is almost 100% communist sympathizers. Nevertheless we had a really good turn-out and we were able to share with them the gospel.






 Joseph made lots of friends.






The group shared a puppet story for the kids.


Joy Budensiek is the director of TLC. She also authored the book "Jesus My Very Best Friend" that the lady is holding.






Handing out blankets at the main church.




One of Julio's outposts is about a 3 mile hike back into the mountains. It's about a two hour walk. So we loaded up a donkey to carry our blankets and food. Joseph really liked the donkey.











After we reached the mountain village we held a small service for the villagers.




The people were very anxious to get a blanket it can get chilly up in the mountains.






Joan enjoying the view of the river below.


If I remember right, Sis. Budensiek's granddaughter made this blanket. Here is a special little boy that received it.




It got dark on the hike home so part of the way we had to walk by moonlight. It was so pretty.





James is from New Guinea. It almost looks like he is back home in this picture. This was at a coffee plantation that we visited.


It was coffee harvest time. All these men stay here at the farm and pick coffee during the season. We held a little service with them and gave them blankets.


We were way out in the boonies. This farm was close to the Honduran border. The man in the jeans standing by the truck is the plantation owner. His two brothers were killed by the communists back in the 80's along this road.


At another outpost. Pastor Julio is playing the guitar.




Another happy lady with her blanket.





The team passed out literature as we road about the village.



They also distributed food to some of the needy. read more

We had a wonderful marriage seminar this past weekend. I had been thinking and praying about such a seminar last year when I got a phone call from Bro. Dykes saying that Butch Heath and Philip Burch were available to come in January. What an answer to prayer!! We had a good turn out from both of our churches as well as Daniel and Tiffany Melton, missionaries with EFM. It was an awesome weekend. Each seminar touched on a topic that our couples needed to hear, we discussed anger in marriage, wisdom for husbands, wisdom for wives, communication and lots of other things. During the last session all the married couples renewed their vows to each other. One of the ladies said later that it felt like she was starting her marriage over again. Hannah worked hard all weekend taking care of snacks and food for everyone, on Saturday and Sunday we had two big meals for all the people. Joseph had a blast playing with all the kids.

We just thank the Lord for his help and we want to thank Bro. Heath and Bro. Burch for doing a tremendous job. This seminar really helped to establish our couples. One man said, "I used to think that my wife was the problem and I was constantly trying to change her, but now I realize that I'm the problem and I need to change". That couple has changed and we thank the Lord!!! It was a great weekend. read more

On Monday we all went site seeing. There really isn't a whole lot of places to visit around Tegucigalpa but there a few neat little things. One town we visited is called Valle de Angeles. They have lots of little shops where you can buy souvenirs. It's a very pretty town with an old colonial style. After buying souvenirs we took everybody to a look out called Picachu. There is a statue of Christ there that overlooks the city as well as gardens and a park. It's an amazing view.

View from Picachu

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Saturday, January 9th was a milestone not only for a special couple but for our ministry as well. It was my first wedding that I have had the privilege to perform. Mike and Lourdes attend our Las Uvas church and God has really been helping them in recent months. They have lived together for fifteen years. It was a circle of sin. They were constantly fighting, and the home was very dysfunctional. They both prayed and started attending church and have been trying to get their life straightened out. But it was tough getting established when they continued living in fornication. Yet, they were afraid of the cost of getting married. They had to have a civil wedding first for it to be legal and there was quite a bit of paper work to be done. I had several counseling sessions with them and they both agreed they wanted to get married and have a happy home. They chose the 9th for the wedding. So we had to have the civil wedding the day before. Well, this was all new for us, I didn't know how they did weddings here, it was a great learning experience. We started their paper work but it didn't look too promising. Several papers couldn't be returned to us until Wednesday two days before their wedding. We had to have all these papers in on Wednesday by noon if they were going to be married on Friday. We were really praying. Thankfully after several hassles we got the paper work done and in on time for their civil wedding. God answered prayer!

Saturday afternoon we had the religious wedding at the church. Family and friends came from all around. There were probably close to 90 people there. The church was decorated with pine needles for the aisle, a pine arch and blue ribbons around the walls. It was very simple but yet very special. Our people helped them with their dresses, shoes, and I loaned Mike one of my suites. Mike has been out of work for the past week and didn't have a red cent in his pocket but God provided everything for their wedding. It was a real miracle!!

Hannah worked hard on the wedding cake. This was her first wedding cake ever!! She was very nervous but did a fantastic job. The people loved it. Joseph tried to help out in the kitchen when she was working on it and couldn't wait to eat it!! He kept talking about it all day long.

All in all it was a very special day. This has really helped Mike and Lourdes get their feet down, they are in a situation now that God can bless. Out of all the people that live in the area of the church there is only one other couple that is married, but they are separated. Mike and Lourdes is the only couple that are married. This is a huge step for them and a bright and shining testimony to their friends and relatives! read more

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