THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Another approach when we face such inconsistencies between affirmed beliefs and evidence to support them would be to submit that maybe our faith has become so contaminated by worldly thinking we don't really believe that person will be healed.
I think I had conversations with everyone today. Alfredo has a legal source for laurel wood. I asked for a copy of the permit and if everything appears to be in order we will move ahead with the purchase. This will help control the cost of producing items for sale The villagers are very enthusiastic about the water filtration project. They're even going to Andres to purchase water to the extent the vendor is upset with us. We need to move ahead but also maintain some measure of control to ensure that the correct procedure is followed and the quality remains good. We learned today that the electric company has placed a lien against Laurdes’s home because she hasn't paid her bill in ages. It appears they have legal right to sell it.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Another approach when we face such inconsistencies between affirmed beliefs and evidence to support them would be to submit that maybe our faith has become so contaminated by worldly thinking we don't really believe that person will be healed. Nick met me at the San Pedro airport at 11 AM and in honor of a long-standing tradition we went to the supermarket before returning to the Mission Center. Before we arrived I had made a fairly long list of people I need to contact right away. Not much rest on this end either. Everything and everyone looks to be fine here. Mike is still on his trip to Utila but should be home tomorrow or Thursday.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Affirmation without expectation and we’re back again to the dissonance theory. I've heard people try to resolve it by saying, “times have changed, and now we have doctors and modern medicine”; or “maybe God needs that person in heaven right now”; or “were not to question; it just wasn't meant to be”. I don’t think those answers are adequate. I will be leaving for Honduras in the morning so last night we spoke at Beacon Hill Baptist Church. The church family there has, of course, been with us from the start and it's gratifying to share with them the progress of the Ministry. This noon I had lunch with Tony Ryser and Dub Ambrose. They were both resident counselors back when I was in charge of the men's dorms at ORU in the 1970s. Billy Joe Doherty was an RC also and we all had fond stories about him. I had a note from Nicholas this morning and several pictures of the new floor in the manufacturing facility. Michael and his former youth group have gone to the Bay Islands for some scuba diving.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: If you ask any evangelical Christian here in Tulsa, Oklahoma if God still heals, most will say yes; and yet there seems to be little expectation that fellow Believers who are sick and dying are going to get well. How can those two exist side-by-side? Mike called at 3 PM; had just arrived in San Pedro. He said, "We’re going to the bank and then we're going home." I'm glad Honduras still feels like home. Last night we had Tom and Janet Hagan for dinner and discussed logistics for packing and shipping this year's container. This afternoon we took some samples from Alfredo's woodworking class to Carpentree; they seemed well pleased with the skill level and we discussed what needs to be done next to keep the project moving forward. Tonight we spent a delightful evening with Morris and Michelle McMillan and family.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Yesterday I saw a sign on the front lawn of a church in Broken Arrow that says "No God, no peace; know God and know peace." Michael left early this morning and just called from Chicago. He's due to arrive in San Pedro just before eight o'clock this evening. Tuesday morning I met with Larry Voight’s group. They are always eager to know what's going on in Honduras, and it's an encouragement to meet with them. Yesterday Larry and I had lunch with Mike Platt and another really good discussion. Cheryl is off to a meeting with Patrice Lott this morning; and we will have the Hagans for dinner tonight. Tom has been in charge of packing the container ever since we started bringing one to Honduras each year back in 2000. Yesterday was Mike's birthday and we had a dinner for him last night. Jenny and Marco here along with Joan and Joyce Wilkin and Betty Sherwood. Cheryl reminded me the other day how I used to take a prayer list to the various disabled people around San Pedro. They have a lot of idle time during the day and are a valuable prayer resource. I would then try to share with them answers to our prayers. When we moved out of the country I got out of the habit and need to begin that again.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY:I came across a note to myself: "If I would really concentrate, I could get everything on my ‘to-do’ list done and then I'd have more time for new ventures….. However, if I get everything done, I'm suddenly into unfamiliar territory; and according to Fromm, that can be threatening. A ‘to do’ list that's never completed is unpleasant and uncomfortable, but at least it's familiar. I share that because I think we all have pretty much the same problems, and this one has direct application to our growth as a Christian. |