October 7

Good morning from hot Puerto Rico. Days continue to hover in the low 90's. One more month and the arrival of cooler temperatures will refresh the island. In the last two weeks hurricanes have passed to the north (Nicole) and to the south (Matthew) of the island. Matthew lashed us with copious rains and brisk winds. Fortunately, no serious damage was incurred.  While Matthew churned past just to the south of Puerto Rico, the island was reeling from an unrelated island-wide power outage. We were without electricity thirty-six hours here in Aguadilla. Some areas/towns endured days of sweltering heat and intermittent water service.

High school class reunion

Enough of comfort's challenges!  Mary and I traveled once again to the States the end of September. This time it was to celebrate Mary's fiftieth high school class reunion. She had a great time seeing her friends. While there, we had the pleasure of visiting First Christian Church in Mena, AR, Mary's childhood congregation. We took our turn talking about our work on the island and then I had the honor of preaching the morning message.

Mary returned to PR Tuesday, September 27, and I traveled to Moline, IL to bring an update to Community Christian Church, October 2. They once again, as in times past, rolled out the red carpet. This dear church, like First Christian in Mena, has been a supporter for over forty years. Such faithfulness certainly is to be commended and Mary and I are grateful to these congregations, as well as to all the individuals and congregations that have faithfully under-girded our efforts in PR even to this day.

The church here has had good attendance since our last report. All but one Sunday it bounced around the one-hundred mark.

School supplies/food for indigent  families

This coming Sunday is pastor appreciation Sunday. Most churches will honor their pastors/elders with a special service once a year. I believe a dinner and a special program are in the works.

Last Sunday was a "good bye" moment for one of our young men. He left for the Army. Our church cut a cake in his honor and gave him a going away gift of $100.00. He is such a fine young man. Everyone had noticed his surprising maturity and responsible behavior considering his age of nineteen.

I have one last thing to share. Santos, a leader in our church, returned from his mission trip to the Dominican Republic. All he had planned and more; preaching, teaching, giving school supplies to two-hundred plus kids and gifting food and money to needy families living in the direst of circumstances, were done in the name of the Lord on behalf of our church, and other Christians in the Aguadilla area. In a week or so he will give our church an update on all he did. I love the idea that this congregation "does missions" even as you do.

Until next time "hasta la vista".