Pastor's Blog

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 John 5:24-47 Psalm 106:1-12 Proverbs 14:30-31

Leslie posted that young Bailey is better.  You can read Leslie’s comment on yesterday’s post.

Betty Clair is sending out e-mail updates regarding their time in India and the adoption of Helen.  If you are not getting the updates and would like me to forward them to you, just send me an e-mail making the request.

I have scheduled something different for our Sunday night service this week.  You will be hearing from someone who has never been in one of our services before.  All of this has happened since I have been in Guatemala so. . . . .     I know that it is Mother’s Day but I sure hope the members of the Friendship family will be found faithful!

Yesterday was a productive day for me in Guatemala.  I was able to spend some quality time with Paul Leytham.  Paul seems to be doing really well.  He is such a great guy!  I was able to meet with four folks individually conducting business with each of them.

The highlight of my day was going to the ministry center and spending about ninety minutes there just enjoying the company of thirty six children.  Folks, Lazaro, Glendy, Josh and the other workers are doing an outstanding job in this ministry.  I am continually impressed with how God is using this ministry to impact lives for now and eternity.  If you pray, sponsor a child or give financially to this ministry then you should be proud of how God is blessing it bountifully.

Last night, I was able to enjoy supper with the Suruy family.  What a neat family!

Received some good news yesterday as I learned that Carlos Raxon is supposed to be discharged from the hospital today.  If so, we have a meeting scheduled for tonight at 8:00PM.  This will be an important meeting so please pray that all goes well.

Was also blessed to know that Mario & Josias are on their way back to Spain from Panama.  What an ordeal!  Thank you to those who prayed.

I kind of left Soy in charge of the garden.  Scary thought!  Real scary!  At least I will have an excuse if it does not do well!

I pray that you will have a great Friday with Jesus.

Just got the following from Amuy:

Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for all your prayers during the past weeks. I just received a phone call from Mario. He said that the time at the immigration office was difficult, that they made him so many questions, they read the documents many times, and made several phone calls. Then, they took Josias alone for an interview where they asked him about his life in Spain, school, neighborhood, etc. Thanks God Josias was able to answer all and he add at the end of the conversation that he wanted to come back home where we are waiting for him.
After this, the agents decided to let them travel. Mario called us to say that they are on the airplane and soon they will start traveling. Lord willing, tomorrow afternoon we will be all together again. Praise be the Lord for this!
Thank you for all your love,

This came from Amuy today, 5/7, at 3:13PM:

Dear friends,

After waiting many hours the airplane that was carrying the letter arrived to Panama today morning. I dont have much details now, but just a short call from Mario saying that he got the letter and he is right now at the airport with Josias. They will be in a few moments talking with the inmmigration officer. Please pray that this document would work and they would let them come back home.

Our dear sister Rafaela died yesterday, I am just coming home from her funeral.

Thank you for praying,

Today’s Bible reading – 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21 John 5:1-23 Psalm 105:37-45 Proverbs 14:28-29

Happy fourth birthday to our granddaughter, Emmy!  It seems that I have been out of the country (El Salvador last year) for most of her actual birthdays.  I hope her day is great!

Leslie Williams posted a comment on yesterday’s entry.  Bailey Browning, age two, who lives in Alaska has a serious medical condition.  You can read Leslie’s comments for the details.  Bailey is the granddaughter of Mickey & Marilyn Sessions.

Carlos Raxon is the contractor who built the feeding center.  He has been battling cancer.  One of the reasons that I made this particular trip to Guatemala was to meet with him regarding the building of an apartment for the Lazaro Suruy family.  He was placed in the National Hospital in Guatemala City yesterday and will be there for at least three days.  He is severely dehydrated.  I hope to visit him but the visitation restrictions may make that impossible.  Way different here when it comes to hospital visits.

Please keep praying for Mario and his situation in Panama.  Pray that he and Josias can get the necessary papers and will be allowed to take the 5:00PM flight today.

The Lord blessed and I had perfect travels yesterday.  Landed in GC at 11:50AM and was outside the airport at 12:10PM.  Kirk Lightfield was kind enough to meet me there and bring me to El Tejar.  It is hot here!  No hotter than in Grand Bay but hot for here!  I visited with Wilfred & Shirley yesterday afternoon, met with John King last night, and spent a few minutes with the team that is here from Canada -eh!

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.

The following came from Amuy today, 5/6/15:

Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your prayers for our family. Just a note to share that yesterday Mario received a call saying that Lucas documents for nationality were rejected (this was the main reason why he travelled to Panama). It was caused by a typing mistake on a date in the lawyer’s document. Mario was able to work on this as fast as he could and thanks God the document was replaced. Now Lucas documents were totally accepted.
About Josias situation, Mario keeps waiting for the Spanish document that would allow him to travel. But the document has not arrived yet. This morning he received a call from the mailing DHL Company saying that the document is actually in Costa Rica because their airplane is delayed because a volcano eruption in the zone and it’s not allowed to fly! So we don’t know when the document will arrive to Panama.
By the other part, the airline company agreed to give to Mario new tickets to return home paying only the taxes, but they are asking them to take the flight of tomorrow Thursday at 5pm. They want to come home, but they first need to receive the document and then see if the immigration office accept it at the airport to let them travel.
Mario is asking your prayers for him to have patience, peace, wisdom and strength in this situation. But mostly to understand what the Lord is teaching our family in the middle of this.
Thank you for your love and prayers,

Today’s Bible reading – Ruth 2:1-4:22 John 4:43-54 Psalm 105:16-36 Proverbs 14:26-27

Sorry for the lateness of this entry.  I spent basically a sleepless night trying to get ready to travel today.  I am now in the Atlanta airport waiting on the flight to Guatemala City.  Some things changed which prevented Lisa from traveling with me which is a real bummer for me.  So, I am flying solo (almost – more on that later).

Jimmy Moates is so ready to be discharged from the hospital.  Hopefully that will happen today.  His blood pressure remains too low for the doctor to sign off on his discharge.

Roseanne Baria was discharged from the hospital yesterday.  She was supposed to have been discharged on Monday but there was a mix up in communication.  Now, Roseanne was her usual kind self to me but she was “madder than a wet setting hen” about the whole situation.  She was going home yesterday regardless!

No real new updates on anyone else.

Regular schedule this morning and tonight.  Bro. Jerry will preach in the 10:00AM & 6:30PM services.  Soy is leading the 7:30PM Bible study at the house.

So, I am getting out of my car at the Mobile airport this morning when I hear someone say, “you have a dollar?”  Sam Schjott!  Turns out that we were on the same flight to Atlanta.  Sam has some Alabama Power pull and got me upgraded to first class!

Picked the first picking of the snap beans yesterday.  Not a bushel but a good mess.  I suspect Lisa will be picking a good bit more before I get home on Saturday night.  God is good!

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

I received this mass mailing e-mail from Amuy yesterday:

Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your prayers and emails of encouragement. The situation of Mario and Josias is almost the same; they continue in Panama looking for the possibility to travel back home. The past days have been tired for both of us… visiting offices, many phone calls and trying to deal with the 7 hours of difference among both countries.
As you know, the Panamanian government was asking for a certain stamp on Josias permission to travel, but our embassy here is not allowed to give this stamp! They are asking documents as if Josias is a Panamanian resident, but he is not! And for this reason they don’t allow him to leave the country.
Finally I was asked to visit a lawyer here and make a special document where I declared that “I am his mother, that he has been detained in Panama and that Mario has the total permission from my part to bring our son back to Spain where we actually live”. It’s a document of 6 pages that has a stamp of the government here and we hope it would help. The letter should arrive to Panama tomorrow. Please help us praying.
1. That with this document Mario and Josias would be able to return home and to get a flight for them soon.

2. For Josias school, I have been visiting the teachers to update them and they are willing to help sending homework to Panama by email.

3. For our church here, we are passing a difficult situation. The oldest sister of our church is at hospital and the doctors just said she will die soon. Her family and church are needing someone to guide them in this difficult moments and Mario is not here to help.

We are trusting that everything will happen according to the will and time of the Lord. Thank you so much for your love and prayers in this time.

Today’s Bible reading – Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22 John 4:4-42 Psalm 105:1-15 Proverbs 14:25

First, there has been a major change regarding the meal on May 17.  It is NOT going to take place as previously announced.  Conflict with senior recognition day.  (It came down to proceeding as announced and Glenda leaving Jim or canceling it and Glenda staying with Jim!)

The service for Evan Eyler takes place this morning at 11:00AM in our church auditorium.  Folks who are bringing food to feed the family are asked to have it in the fellowship hall by 10:30AM.  Those doors will be unlocked by 6:30AM.  Keep praying for the Eyler family during this difficult time.

Jimmy Moates remains in the hospital and I believe Roseanne Baria does too.

Larry’s MRI showed the tumor has had no significant change in the past year.  Last year he was basically told that it appeared to be “trying” to come back.  Larry’s doctor wants him to consider some treatment options which he & Judy will make a matter of prayer.

Prayer meeting tonight from 5:00 – 7:00PM in the auditorium.  I would delight to see us set an attendance record tonight!

TNBA at 7:00PM.  Soy is going to be in charge!  Really?  Yes.

Lord willing, I will fly out in the morning for Guatemala and then return on Saturday night.  Need to take care of some business for GRACE Ministries.  With the trip in mind, I spent a good part of yesterday working in the garden and yard trying to catch up.  Got a little to do early this morning and then I will leave it with the others on the hill – oh my!  This afternoon will be spent packing i.e. deciding what goes and what stays until June.

Do you need to hire someone to mow your yard?  Someone to do your landscaping?  I know folks that, IMO, could do you an excellent job.  Interested?  Contact me personally.  (This does not apply to our readers (both of them) outside of SOMOCO)

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.

Larry Whitehurst will have a MRI this morning at his doctor’s office.  Our prayer is that there will be no signs of a tumor.  Join us in that prayer!  Thank you!

Today’s Bible reading –  Judges 19:1-20:48 John 3:22-4:3 Psalm 104:24-35 Proverbs 14:22-23

Tuesday, 5/5 – Judges 21:1-Ruth 1:22 John 4:4-42 Psalm 105:1-15 Proverbs 14:25

Wednesday, 5/6 – Ruth 2:1-4:22 John 4:43-54 Psalm 105:16-36 Proverbs 14:26-27

Thursday, 5/7 – 1 Samuel 1:1-2:21 John 5:1-23 Psalm 105:37-45 Proverbs 14:28-29

Friday, 5/8 – 1 Samuel 2:22-4:22 John 5:24-47 Psalm 106:1-12 Proverbs 14:30-31

Saturday, 5/9 – 1 Samuel 5:1-7:17 John 6:1-21 Psalm 106:13-31 Proverbs 14:32-33

Sunday, 5/10 – 1 Samuel 8:1-9:27 John 6:22-42 Psalm 106:32-48 Proverbs 14:34-35

The visitation with the Evan Eyler family takes place tonight from 5:00 – 8:00PM in our church auditorium.  The service will take place tomorrow beginning at 11:00AM and will also take place from the auditorium.

Thank you to Miss Vinnie for coordinating the meal for the Eyler family and thank you to the Sunday evening crowd for volunteering to provide the food.  Also, thank you to Tina W for handling the drinks/refreshments for tonight’s visitation.

Jimmy Moates was taken to the hospital yesterday and kept overnight for observation.  He “should” be discharged today.

I did not get to speak to Terry or Carol yesterday for an update on Roseanne Baria.  Will get that update today.

Tommy Johnson was discharged from the hospital.

Anthony, the young boy in Jeanette Bates’ class, continues to make improvements.  The part of his brain that was said to be dead is now alive.  He remains in a FL hospital and has a long way to go but he is heading in the right direction.

I saw Peggy B yesterday but did not get a chance to talk to her.  I am going with the “no news is good news” regarding Herbert’s recovery.

Letha was in the second service yesterday morning and said her father, Thomas Bailey, is doing well.

As far as I know, Junior Bosarge’s mother remains ok in her recovery/rehab.

Any parents wishing to participate in the “parent/child” dedication service this Sunday, 5/10, needs to call the church office by this Wednesday, 5/6.  The dedication takes place during the 10:30AM service.

Our “roses for mother” sale is officially over.  Good response.  The roses will be available following the two morning services this Sunday, 5/10.

There will be a meal (pre-orders only) on 5/17 following SS and the second service.  Also, a meat (boston butt, ribs) sale for Memorial Day weekend.  These events will help our students traveling to Guatemala on mission trips this Summer.

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.