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Showing posts from December, 2015

Letter from the Mission Field (Dec 27, 2015)

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Merry Christmas to everyone and God's blessing to you during this holy season,       I celebrated this Christmas in the Church of the Annunciation in the campo.  Again I brought presents for the children.  It was  beautiful experience.    Last month in November, I was in Massachusetts visiting churches and friends. I spent Thanksgiving with my family for the first time in two year.    Generally, my thanksgiving  newsletter is my  thank you letter for supporting this mission.   But this year, since I was in the US, let me thank you now for your generosity.  Your support has made the following projects possible:     1.  Emmanuel Church, Roatán:   The first year we designed and redesigned the church.  The second year we laid the foundations and started the wall.  This year we finished the walls and will start the roof.   The process is slow, because we only build when we have the money.  But, on the other hand, we will have no mortgage when

A Christmas Meditation See how she loves him.

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  When I was living in Copan Ruinas, I met a retired Canadian in his seventies,  who was travelling throughout Central America to avoid the northern winters.  We  used to sit at the coffee shop overlooking the central square watching the people.  What especially moved him were the mothers with their children. "Look at that little boy!" he would say.  "See how he holds his mother's hand.  See how she loves him." It was simple observation, yet very true and beautiful.  See how she loves him. It is the image of Mary and the baby Jesus as well. Mary holds Jesus tightly in her arms, full of love for her new born child.  See how she loves him. And as we are created in God's image, it also reflects God's love for us. The special love that only a mother can give. See how she loves him.  See how God loves us. I was given a book, Good Goats  by Dennis, Sheila and Matthew Linn (1).  It was written for people, who struggle

Offering a helping hand: A suprise gift from Paloma

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This year we had a suprise gift from Paloma Lee, 12 years old, from Hamilton-Wenham, Massachusetts.  She sent the Ministry of Presence a donation for $200.00, money raised herself in a yardsale. That money went to help Erica Lopez, 15 years old, from Church of the Annunciation in Rincón de Dolores, near Tegucigalpa.  She is finishing a one year program in cosmetology.  With this new skill, Erica wants to be able to support her family and to earn more money for an advanced education.     Erica, like so many young Hondurans, is eager to improve herself by developing marketable skills and  pursuing further studies.  Erica comes from a poor family, consisting of only her mother  and four siblings.  Like many families, they can only survive, if all members contribute.   Erica want to be able to do her part, as well. If you would like to support a young Honduran with a scholarship, please send me an email at j ack.m.melvin@gmail.com .