Mission 2001 Newsletter #1

Nov.15, 2000 And the countdown begins! In one week most of us will be celebrating a national holiday called Thanksgiving.  In seven weeks, there will be a group of people in Honduras that will also have a date to look back on in thanks giving. They will remember with love and gratefulness the hands that reached out across the miles to touch and change their lives, to help ease the weariness of a community burdened with grief. The sharing of our mission with the Nazarene church in Dalton was a blessing for all those who took part.  Everyone was thoroughly blessed.  After the presentation of the video and testimonies, Pastor  Brian Lamberton asked his congregation if they would like to contribute to this cause and $650.00 was collected!  What a generous congregation they are. On Oct.28, 2000 we had our final preparation meeting. We were briefed about our safety, immunizations, cultural shock, and going through customs at the airport. Our eating and sleeping arrangements were also discussed in detail. The countdown begins! We have six Med Packs so far and would certainly appreciate if anyone would like to donate another one or a portion of one.  They cost $375.00 a piece and contain close to $5000.00 worth of medical supplies. Map International is the one that puts the packs together and they contain various supplies such as vitamins, parasite medicine and antibiotics specific for the Central America area. We are estimating at this point we have about $200,000 or more of medicine that various medical people have donated. We will also be the proud transporters of 1,800 pairs of glasses! The Lion's club donated some of them and Map International donated the rest.  Dr. Galt, a local retired Opthamalogist has set time aside to assist some of our group in reading the strength and bagging them. Our medical team is now complete with 2 physicians, 2 dentist, 2 PA. and 10 nurses. We have arranged for a large medical van to be loaned to us. So not only will we run a medical/dental clinic near the building site but we will also be able to split our team and take this equipped van into the more remote areas.  The rest of the team will be mainly on the construction site, accept of course for those wonderful people that stay at the home site and make sure we are fed properly. It is the wise man that takes the following counsel: Be kind to the cooks! As of today we have 3 swing sets, 8 basketballs, 10 soccer balls, 2 backboard rims, and 2 air pumps donated for the playground we will build. This has all come from L.P.Adams, Greenbergs, and Wal Mart, with the promise of more to come. The children of the Berkshire Hills S.D.A. school have donated $200. 00 towards the playground project, from money that they have raised This will probably be my last email before we leave and I thought you would enjoy the following story. A few months ago a young man wishing to go on a mission trip contacted Bob. Now that in itself is not too amazing, seeing as how we have 61 people going and had to cut the team off at that amount.  The fact that he is only 18 years old isn't amazing as we have plenty of young people going with us.  Then just what is amazing you ask? This young man lives in England!  He heard about our mission trips clear across the Atlantic, and after talking to Bob on the phone sent us an application requesting to be part of the team.  It is all set up and he will fly from England and meet us at the airport in Honduras and be part of our team. Now that is truly amazing!  I am looking forward to meeting this young man that has such a desire to serve that he would go to such great lengths to make it happen. May you each be blessed.  Pray for us, we will be praying for you. Serving the Lord with a smile, Jennifer Young