February 12, 2002

A sense of hope divides the night from the day as dawn appears in Guanaja. Another day of opportunity to make a difference in a life so loved by Jesus that He died for it. Written in the wind are the words “as ye have done it onto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it onto me.” With every little breeze we are reminded of why we are here, and we are grateful.

The optical clinic will open this morning at our regular site. The glasses are in now and the process of handing them out will start. We have over 1,100 pair donated and read. We will decide what strength each person will need by the eye chart exam and their response when they put the glasses on. We have had great success with this in the past.
Our complete dental team and the majority of our medical team are headed for Savannah Bight today. They began the hot 3-mile walk at the scheduled departure time. Bob will be driving a few of them along with the supplies, but the majority will be walking. Clinic will be held there for the next 2- days. Savannah Bight has a different look about it than here in Mangrove Bight. It looks more like the conditions we saw in Yusquare, with extreme poverty. The biggest difference being that their houses are on stilts.
Little children were playing in the water under one of the houses when I was there on Sabbath, some as young as 2-years old, unsupervised. No one seems to think of the danger of drowning and water to these children is as a sandbox is to ours. Children are just left to wander and to amuse themselves here. Living in a 3rd world country is a hard life and you must be rugged and learn self-preservation at an early age. I just heard this morning that the average life expectancy for a man on this island is 47 years old. The poverty and life style of other countries is overwhelming sometimes, but we need to rub shoulders with reality to be able to appreciate the true meaning of life and to not sit silent while others suffer. We are called to make a difference.
There were so many bugs in my room last night that I have left the door open today in expectation that some will leave. I am just hoping that they will not be exchanged for something higher on the food chain!
Max Tier, whom I unfortunately greeted with a pat on the back this morning, (he is sunburned) was still nice enough to talk with me. He is thoroughly enjoying this trip, and would gladly do another one. Although he did mention that he wouldn't mind just staying in bed today. Everyone here is sore! I just spoke with Bob Lamb and he is so impressed with this mission work that he would also like to go on another trip, but to a place not as humid. It is so humid here that the pill Bob Young just brought back from the pharmacy for Nick Bugbee to take has crumbled into mush and poor Nick will have to try and swallow it like that.
Bob Young has just come back from Savannah Bight. He said there were about 75-people already lined up at the clinic door waiting when they got there. We are using a government-sponsored clinic to hold our free clinic in. There will be a charge of 800L. ($50) for the 2-days, for generator and building cost, normally they charge the people 30L. each to cover the cost, but we have decided to pay it ourselves. There would be people that need to come and won't because of the cost.
A local deacon that has been working incredibly hard for us has timidly come to Bob and poured out his heart to him in hopes that help will come. Eddy is a faithful Christian, a hard worker; doing the best he can on the 150L. ($9) he earns a day working for Maranatha. He has a burden for his children to be in Christian school. The cost for the school is 1300L. ($75) a month. This is not going to happen without someone interceding for him. With a humble heart the plea goes out for help. Are you able to sponsor his children's schooling? If you are willing to do the whole thing, or feel impressed to do just part, please contact Bob Young through our mission address and we will set it up. Pray about this, it might be just what the Lord has in mind for you.
It has started raining again. They said a Norther is coming and with it comes, cold, winds and rain. Cooler weather would be welcome, but the rain is not. We don't want anything to hamper our work, and heavy rain will. These rains have undone all all the days our team have put into filling in the ruts in the roads with rock again.
The dental clinic has certainly had a very fascinating and busy day. On the 3 mile walk to Savannah Bight a woman was waiting for Dr. Williams as if she knew he would be on that road at what minute. She continued on the walk by his side.
Some people like to start the day with hot and cold showers to get their blood flowing. But Kathy Stairs and Judy Sirard have found a much more exciting way to make that happen. Seems that Kathy spotted a snake going into its hole, she of course wanted to see it. Using the walking sticks that she has brought with her she reached in and flipped out that snake. Well Judy stepped back when she saw what was happening, but not fast enough and the boa constrictor was flipped out onto her leg and instantly tightened around it. How does that sound for a quick vascular gymnastic workout for your morning? I could try to fit one into Bob's bag if you would like! This one was small, very thin and only about 2 ½-3 ft.
The next bit of excitement was when a patient who needed 4 extracted had a blood pressure of 200/120, which is the cut off point that they will work on you. Well the guy wanted them to go ahead with the work. Well wouldn't you know it, the teeth kept breaking down and the simple extractions became extremely difficult surgeries. By the time they were through, his B.P. had risen to 220/110 and they brought him to the medical clinic to have it brought down.
The count for the day was 23 extractions, 13 cleanings, 11 fillings and 1 deep cleaning.
The work with Kimberly is coming along so well that Jessica became quite emotional as she gave her report this evening. The consensus between her and Elise is that Kimberly has jumped a whole level in one day with her signing ability. Last night she was able to understand her first real Bible story along with seeing the pictures. Elise brought up the fact that deaf people often lack many emotions, as they are not always able to tell what the look on a persons face means. But already Kimberly is becoming alive in this area, asking them what does that look mean and pointing to the person. Now she is knowing and sharing various emotions
Brian Caster, Dale LaRoche and several other local men, stayed later at the site and worked while the rest came back for dinner. This is what I do know in an unofficial way. The walls between the classrooms are almost done. The back wall is about finished, and there is now a decent chance we might be able to complete the job before leaving.
NEWS FLASH! They just came into me with the amount of blocks put down today. 1,011. The excitement here is incredible.
In the optical clinic about 75 patients were given glasses. One older woman who needed glasses for distance also requested glasses to read her Bible with. A little boy with Down's syndrome was also fitted with glasses today and was very cooperative with the exam and ended up so pleased with his new blue frame glasses. They had a lot of teens come through the clinic trying to get glasses. Some of them were caught coming through several times. It seems that glasses are the “in” thing here with the teens.
The medical clinic was able to treat 212 patients. The small medical team that stayed at the old sight near the EEC building saw 140 patients. They were incredibly busy.
The rain is coming down in torrents and the tent the meeting is in has many holes, but yet the people are still staying. I was sent into a storage room to get something and Pastor Downs and two of his elders were in there, they had come in there to have special prayer and had been on their knees only moments before my arrival. I mentioned to the Pastor how hard Satan has been working to mess this up and he told me that was just the topic of their prayer. I asked him about the rainy season supposedly being over and he said oh yes, this is most unusual now, he feels too like this is a direct attack on us from Satan because he knows that something great is about to happen to Guanaja. There is little doubt about this. The school we are building has the potential to change every life on this island for the good. There will not be one life not impacted once it is finished and in operation. Oh faithful prayer warriors of Berkshire Hills, and all other groups and individuals praying for us. Pray like you never have before. If you could experience this rain you would know the attack that this island is under. We must not let our course be blocked in any area. Our eyes and trust must be totally on our Savior Jesus Christ so our brethren in Guanaja can know the joy that only He can bring, we can not let them down.
We have over 100 adults again and about the same in children. One man came back with 5 of his friends and was presented the beautiful leather Bible that was gift for the night.
The children are sitting glued to the puppet ministry; they are just so thrilled by it. The stories and songs that are being presented by our leaders are thrilling their little souls. Kimberly is in their with the children and Jessica is signing to her.
Todd would like you to know that he also spotted a spiny tailed lizard and a chameleon.
Happy Birthday to Fluff, you are greatly loved!
It is also Connie's birthday and we would like to wish her many more.
A big get-well hug goes out to Patsy Balsamo and Carol Darby.
Let Karen Mack know that we dearly miss her on this trip and we are praying for her.
When sending e-mail to us, please make sure it is regular font size and not large. Keep those letters coming; you have no idea how encouraging they are. We miss you.

Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come, life everlasting. Luke 18: 29,30

Have courage and be faithful, continue on.

With a smile,
Jennifer Young