March 17, 2018

Groceries for 150 families

Good afternoon from Puerto Rico. Days are getting longer and heating up as we approach Easter, the dry time of the year. Days have been so busy this last month as we continue to focus on those affected by Hurricane Maria, almost six months ago. Last week the last of our church members got their lights back! It has been quite an experience. Each day, however, the blackouts are become more infrequent. For the record, I read the other day on Fox News that over 400,000 homes had been affected and 70,000 destroyed. Around 250,000 people have left and they are expecting the total to expand to nearly 500,000. Ten-thousand businesses have closed and the island is bankrupt, over seventy-two billion dollars in debt. Why? Bad management by government leaders for years, corruption and extensive nepotism, less than stellar work ethics in government-run services and certainly not least, federal government policies have made it very difficult for Puerto Rico to compete in the world economy or even compete with the fifty states in the Union.

Food stuffs for neighborhood school families

My days have been spent now for several months helping people recover some of their loses. Because of the generosity of so many churches and individuals with friendships that  have dated back to grade school, high school and college days, we have been able to help many. I have been amazed and moved by the experience.

Although we have helped many hundreds with water, food, batteries, solar lights, and personal effects, most of the money we have received has been used to purchase major appliances, furniture, roofing  and flooring materials.  Incomes for most here are quite limited and the loss of an appliance may demand a wait of many months before another can be purchased. I have been told over and over, even at the four/five month mark, by the families we have helped, that they had been washing all their clothes by hand. Even though generators are finally available, so many have not been able to afford a generator or the gasoline to run it. At ten to fifteen dollars a day for fuel, the monthly gasoline bill exceeds three-hundred dollars, far beyond the monthly light bill/budget of most people.

New washer for this lady's family

Back to those we have helped; I have a count of over one-hundred families we have gifted, as I stated earlier, a major appliance, a roof, a floor, or furniture, even car repairs. Still nearly everyday I receive phone calls asking if there is help available.

All of this has required a major time commitment from Santos Torres and me. Only on rare occasions have we given money to people (only to those we know personally and we consider totally trustworthy). Thus we have gone to their homes, interviewed them and then made an appointment to meet at the store of their choice to buy the selected item. Over and over the people express their thanks. Just yesterday I received a photo of a stove in place in a recipient's home. I was delighted for them.

As funds trickle down this phase of ministry is nearly finished. PLEASE ACCEPT OUR THANKS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WRITTEN, PRAYED AND/OR OPENED THEIR WALLETS TO HELP THOSE IN SUCH GREAT NEED.

Children's Day

On to church matters; to some degree the church has been put on the back burner. By that I mean pastoral visits, planning, reading, studying, etc.. Nevertheless, we have some wonderful church members who do their jobs with excellence. Among the events this past month was Children's Day. The attendance neared the one-hundred mark...the best attendance we have had in months.  Every pastor I have talked with across a broad spectrum of denominational affiliations, have, without exception, commented that their attendance took a major hit. I suppose none of us had expected that. Complicating the matter has been extensive health issues....flu and colds, and pneumonia in particular. Last Sunday we were in the mid-eighties. So, the whole church is encouraged.

Youth Retreat

Another sign of positive changes are the special events this past month. We had eighteen youth and adults attend the youth retreat in the mountains...a camping event. There was great teaching on topics such as: Factors to consider when choosing a mate; The church: Why do I need it?; Liberty or "Liberterianism"; His Needs, Her Needs...what a man or woman needs in a healthy marital relationship; and finally, The Lord's Supper... and what is "taking it in an unworthy manner"?

Women's Retreat

Today the women sponsored an island-wide women's retreat. Mary said thirty-five were in attendance. Four of our women did the teaching on prayer, preparing well using PowerPoint and handouts to support their teaching. Last week the prayer ministry counted twenty-five in attendance for the monthly event. and the United Women's ministry had twenty-five for their first event of the year.

Next week is the anniversary and the following Friday, Good Friday. We expect a full house with a guest singer scheduled to do a concert.

Well I am out of words....finally. God bless you!

Johnathan and Mary