February 7, 2002

A breeze is blowing as we wake for the morning. It is still dark but day will break momentarily. Dogs have barked incessantly through out the night breaking our sleep. And yet our hearts are still merry. We know we have not been called to do an easy task. We wake with joy in our hearts and a prayer on our lips in thanksgiving for another day. With confidence in the Master builder we start our day with Him.

Our team has left for the one-mile walk to the work site. The medical and dental clinics will be running at full force today.
About mid morning an elderly man with cloudy eyes stopped to talk with me. He wanted to know where the clinics were. He said he needed some help with his eyes, perhaps some glasses. He was not in a hurry to leave after I explained where the clinics were and I realized that what he needed most was to talk. His name is Charlie and he is a retired seaman. He told me all about the ports he sailed to, especially the ones in southern United States. He did well as a fisherman, enjoying his life at sea. Guanaja has always been his home. He was educated on the Cay and thought they did very well by him. After some time I asked him if he wanted to tell me where he was and how he survived when the storm hit. A glaze came over his already cloudy eyes as he looked at me intensely for what seemed to be forever. His reply finally came, “I seen the devil face to face, yes, face to face in that storm.” He continued on with a pain in his voice that was unmistakable. “Three days we sat and waited, not a drop of past our lips, not a bite of food.” “We waited, and we prayed.” I asked him what he lost and he said everything, not one thing was left. The island was stripped clean by the storm. He had headed up to higher ground and waited for the devil to leave. I knew there was more in this man that needed to be said, things that were stuffed down deep in his memory that even after three years, he was not ready to reveal yet. As I looked into his cloudy eyes he must of knew what I was thinking. “There is to much to tell, I have not been able to talk about it at all until just recently.” “This was a warning of what is to come” he said. “Jesus is about to come back, we must be ready” I told him I agreed, Jesus is about to come back, and then I invited him to our evangelistic series starting next week. He seemed very interested; I pray we see him there.

It is 86 degrees in the shade right now. A breeze is blowing but it almost feels like a blast from a furnace. The local people don't think it is hot at all right now and are not the least bit uncomfortable.
One of the local church ladies has been helping out in the kitchen. She is a little dynamo, an incredible energetic, conscientious worker. She will not even stop for a break even though Cynthia and Artie ask her to. Her name is Conzuella and we are so blessed to have her with us. She is helping keep everything immaculately clean. I am so impressed with the cleanliness of the people on this island. With such hard conditions to live under right now they are still so careful with everything. These are not uneducated people, but a people that have been crippled by a disaster that they won't be able to recover from without dedicated help. Most are incredibly poor but are living up to every ability God has given to them. These are hard, faithful workers that are a joy to know.

While waiting in Miami to fly into Honduras, our advanced team sat together with their “island challenge” tee shirts on. A couple sitting near them asked about the shirts and the meaning. They were very impressed. The man had just suffered a stroke only a short time before this and was headed back to his home. Pastor Wagner asked if they could all join in prayer together and with this newly formed friendship they asked the Lord to intervene on his behalf. What wonderful opportunities the Lord has given to us to share His love and blessings.
Emanuel and Karen Pelote, along with their children Erica and Sean received a wonderful blessing the first night here on the island. Theirs luggage were part of the missing in action bunch. They had no sheets, blankets or air mattress to sleep on. We asked if anyone having extra sheets would donate them to the cause and not only did they get a sheet, they got an air mattress to sleep on. Someone was very gracious and gave up their mattress.

The construction crew was able to lay 693 blocks in this sweltering heat.
The medical clinic saw 250 people. One child had scarlet fever. We have also been warned that dengue fever and malaria have been reported recently, so we must be very careful.
The dental clinic treated 16 people and did 23 extractions. They worked on fillings and cleaning of teeth today.

I am so thankful for organizations like Maranatha International that are so involved in the life and care of people of the world.
The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7,8

Smiling in Honduras,

Jennifer Young