Greetings from Honduras!

Our annual tent meeting started Sunday, September 30th, and the beautiful weather we were having changed to a downpour of rain just in time for the Sunday morning service. Water was running under the tent, and services started late. It is a good thing the power was on so that our public address system was working, otherwise the rain hitting the canvas would have drowned out the speaker. Attendance was good at the meeting, with some people coming from the nearby villages of Punta Gorda and Milton and others from as far away as Coxen Hole and Sandy Bay.

People sought spiritual help for both salvation and sanctification. Others came for prayer for divine healing. John the Baptist urged people to "bring forth fruit meet for repentance". In the meeting, the "fruits meet for repentance" included confessions and asking forgiveness, which was good evidence that souls were serious about doing business with God. The Lord sent wonderful messages and they were well received.

Some of the visitors from the States had never been to Honduras before. Saints that came to the meeting from the States included John Clement and his daughter Reynita of New Orleans, Howard Whittaker of Miami, Brian and Sherry Rich of Wisconsin, and Loucinda Zacharias of Wisconsin. The ones from Oklahoma included James and Charlotte Huskey, Matthew Gellenbeck, Michael and Sarah Gellenbeck, Sherry Benson, Julie Benson, Elizabeth Murphey, James and Anecia Wall, Loren and Maxine Busbee, and Ted Bock. This was Sarah and Michael's first time here as a married couple. Michael had been to Honduras several times before he married our daughter. We are very pleased to have him as a part of the family.

We were especially thankful for the mission van that was driven from Oklahoma to Honduras. The ones in the van spent some time doing missionary work in Mexico before bringing the van the rest of the way. After arriving in La Ceiba, a port city on the mainland of Honduras, the van drivers took the van to port for shipment to the island and then boarded the ferry to come join us. The van seats 17 passengers and was joyfully received. It is so much more suitable for transporting people to services than the back of my small Nissan pickup, especially during rainy season. I heard they had 30 or so people in the van on one of the trips during the meeting! The van would make multiple trips for each service.

We appreciate the donation of the van very much. Only a small part of the cost of the van was covered by the mission. We have begun the legal process to get the van into the mission name. It is possible that the duty-free law will take effect in time to avoid having to pay duty on the van, which will be a savings of $1300-1400 if it works out. I plan to have it undercoated in the near future to keep it from rusting out so quickly in this salty and humid environment.

The last Sunday morning of the meeting we had another downpour. This time the rainwater level rose to the point of flooding the mission house downstairs. The freezer and stove were set on blocks and people helped mop the floor. Others moved benches from the tent to the chapel and we had the last services in the chapel, which worked out quite well. The rain was still quite loud on the sheet metal roof, but we used the PA system.

Mom, Dad, and Loucinda Zacharias stayed an additional week after the meeting, and we enjoyed having them. Loucinda helped in the school and spent time teaching the children how to sing a song in sign language. Mom was a big help around the house and Dad did some important electrical work. Dad taught a couple of Bible studies after the meeting was over. Dad made a pattern for a song book holder to attach to the back of the chapel benches. I plan to have some of the boys in our school make the song book holders as a wood shop project.

We have two Kaylees now. We heard about a five year old girl whose mother is a drug addict. The lady who was raising the girl died, and apparently the family was going to let the little girl go back to her mother. We went to Coxen Hole one night and found the house in the swamp area of the town. The girl was willing to come with us, and she has been with us for a few days now. The man who has legal custody of her was agreeable to this arrangement. We do not know what the Lord has in mind for this little girl, but we hope that an adoption with some saved parents can be worked out. We are just keeping her for the time being. She has been through a lot of emotional trauma.

Our Kaylee (7 years old) went with her young friend Nerissa crab hunting. They take a bucket, a flashlight, and sticks and go around the mission yard after dark, catching land crabs. Kaylee wanted help boiling the crabs, then she and her friends ate the boiled crab legs. She is growing up and becoming a part of the local culture.

Another young man named Greggie has been saved for some time now, and is faithful attending services. I have known him for several years, and can testify that he has definitely changed for the better. I have been amazed at the change in his attitudes. His life is proof that "if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature." A man from our village was in prison on the mainland for several years and would attend prison services we held there. After being released, he returned to Roatan. We are happy to report his deliverance from a life of sin during this meeting. Gary had been addicted to drugs in the past. Pray for him that he will remain strong and not fall back into the old life.

Thank you to everyone for your support of the mission here, for your prayers, and for your love.

Doug, Lenita, and Family