Here is a copy of Mike's prayer letter to our supporting churches. I thought that I had already posted this, however, while typing up an update to send out, I decided to double check what we had covered already so I would not be repeating what had already been reported. It was at that moment, I realized that in all the confusion of the last few months, I had actually never posted it! Anyway, here it is now:
March/April - 2011
Dear….,
I usually address you as co-labourers, because we are certainly in this work together (I Cor. 3:9), but many of you could also be described as Paul did of Epaphroditus in Phil. 2:25. He was from the church of Philippi, sent with a mission offering for Paul, who was in a Roman prison for Christ’s sake. I call Epaphroditus one of the unsung heroes of the Faith. Paul calls him “my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.” To Paul, he fulfilled at least five roles, each one a step up in service. I appreciate it when someone calls me their brother and means it. I appreciate it more when someone will pick up “a tool” and work with me. To find someone who will “fight the good fight of faith” alongside you is rarer still. There are ever fewer willing to leave the comforts of home, family, friends, and church to become a “messenger” of good news. However, the last role is the hardest to fulfill and find, someone who is a true friend with the heart of a servant; someone who meets the needs of those in want. Epaphroditus stayed by Paul’s side, ministering to him and with him, to the point of risking his life, “nigh unto death” (vs 30). Later, Paul sent him back home with the thank you letter called Philippians in hand, to remind us, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to be ever joyful, in every situation. (Come on Christian, SMILE, your team already WON!!!) At least 16 times the idea of joy is mentioned. There is joy in suffering and in sacrificial giving of oneself and one’s goods. There is joy in knowing Christ and experiencing His resurrection power. There is joy when people in the church are in harmony. (Come on, can’t we ”just get along”? - Phil. 2:4; 4:2-5) Moreover, there is joy in knowing GOD IS ABLE to keep on supplying all our real needs “according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil.4:19) All this - and Heaven too!
You know some of the events of this year. The last night before we were to go home in January, Debbie’s father had a heart attack. She stayed and I went back to Honduras. He had triple by-pass surgery and is still recuperating. Her mother went in the hospital with pneumonia, slipped and broke her ankle, and now is recovering in the same room as Deb’s father.
It seems that everyone these days is facing money problems. Your missionaries are no exceptions. Fuel prices in the States are getting ridiculously high. However, to keep our vehicles traveling each week to the many different missions in which we minister we must pay the even higher Honduran fuel prices. And then, there are other expenses, such a repairs, construction materials, etc. Here are some of the things that we have been facing lately:
I flew back to the States in March for a mission meeting. While here, I was able to send down our F450 (Thank you again, Rhonda and Brian) as well as a much-needed small van bus. The bus cost $6,000. The transport cost to get these vehicles to Honduras was $1,700. Duty and taxes on the bus and truck cost $4,000. In addition, our “well used” F350 recently died while in service hauling sand to one of our church construction sites in the mountains. (No, we didn’t bury it… yet. It is sitting in my yard waiting on the transmission that I just bought and am now trying to get down to Honduras.) The transmission, shipping, and taxes will cost more than $1,500. In addition, today over the phone, I just gave authorization to our workers in Honduras to spend several hundred dollars MORE to make repairs on another of our vehicles!
We just finished building the classroom walls and bathroom (hallelujah) in the mountain community of Ojo de Agua. Now, we are ready for the roof. Moreover, in July, another church building goes up in Naranjitos. (That means materials and fuel for transporting those materials to those remote mountain communities.)
If God happens to lay it on your heart to help with any of these expenses, we would greatly appreciate it!
I am scheduled to fly back home May 5. Debbie will remain and continue to help with her parents while also taking care of her own health needs.
We thank you, our brothers (and sisters), co-labourers, fellow soldiers, messengers, and servants, for your prayers and support.
We love you,
Bro. Mike and Debbie
