January 10, 2018

Three Kings Day gift recipients

Hi.  Welcome to the first blog of the year. Today I am writing from my own office, and on my own computer. The fan is circulating the air and I can hear the clothes dryer humming in the background. WE HAVE ELECTRICITY... after one-hundred and ten days! Our water returned around the sixty-day marker. Until then rain water was used for drinking, bathing and washing clothes…by hand for most people. Life was lived cautiously until then. For sure, lack of electricity was an inconvenience but pretty manageable with a generator. We still have no internet, vital for some of my work. Emails and blogs are hard to get out or receive. So far, things have improved these past couple weeks to where I have been able to link my phone to my computer and get a little bit done.

70,000 homes without roofs

The effects of the storm are far reaching. An estimated 250,000 have left the island since the storm. With no electricity, many businesses have closed their doors and people have had to go elsewhere to find jobs. It has had a trickle-down effect on the churches in the northwest part of the island and I suspect everywhere. Our attendance in May averaged one-hundred. Now the average attendance is seventy. At times, it goes up or down depending on sickness (bronchitis and pneumonia has hit several in our congregation), and vacations (we had eight families off island over a two-week period). Despite these issues, as always, we have met and honored the Lord as a body. Sunday, as the congregation enjoyed the song service, a lineman from Oklahoma (there are 5500 linemen from all over the USA helping restore power) came in and told us to disconnect the generator. A couple of seconds later lights filled the building and the fans began to whirl. In the middle of the song the congregation broke into a spontaneous long applause and many began to cry overwhelmed by emotion. As I saw the people’s reaction I had to wipe the tears that filled my eyes. It was a touching moment, something I suppose I will never forget. This storm separated the “men from the boys” so to speak and helped each of us examine our hearts and commitments to Christ and his Body.

Babies with gifts from our and two other churches 

On to other matters, the storm has provided dozens of opportunities to practice what we preach, loving our neighbor as ourselves. With the generosity of our local church, individuals, as well as churches in the States, along with the help of the US government the following has been accomplished: We provided a workshop on how to assembly a water filter. Thanks to Chad Mayes for taking the lead on this workshop. Through their mission and ours and the church we gifted filters for three or four dozen families here in Aguadilla and in mountain towns without potable water. We provided bottled water and MREs by the hundreds for people in our church, people in Aguadilla and in three mountain towns. Furthermore, we took personal items to people in towns in the mountains and provided the same for anyone in our church as well. Solar lamps were distributed to many families, clothing was donated to MANY people in Aguadilla as well as in the mountains to those who were lost so much. Also, our church in conjunction with two other churches provided Christmas gifts for 80+ children in the mountain town of Jayuya, amounting to a total gift of $1,200.00.

I want to also add that through the donations of individuals and churches in the States our church has 

Recipients of a new refrigerator

been able to buy an appliance, or furniture, or repair/replace a roof for over 45 families. That effort is ongoing. I believe we will be able to help from 60-75 families in a major way because of the generosity of so many.

I am delighted with the generous spirit of our people. One thing has become clear to me, the Body of Christ all over the island from many denominations and independent churches as well as churches in the States has made a huge effort to help people in PR. It has been a BEAUTIFUL and moving thing to see. There are those that love to criticize Christ’s people and point out our faults. Yet it has been the church, much more than the critics, that has stepped forward to ease the suffering and dry the tears of those who lost so much. More than ever, I love the church of the Lord and will defend it till the end of my days on earth.

Well until next time.

Johnathan and Mary