Team Steam - Roatan staff debrief from the last year and set goals for 2008.
Heading to Helene from Oak Ridge with supplies.
(L to R) Emily, Dierdre, Joe, Tom, Larry in the middle, Camas, Sheila
Update 9/2
I arrived yesterday and had a visit with Wally and Susie Moore before heading to the West End where I spent the night. Larry and I had dinner together and some good conversation and catching up time. It is going to be an interesting week as we talk and plan together. I look forward to getting with Wally Bodden (a local friend here in Helene) and getting his outlook on how things have progressed over the years and how he feels about our involvement on the island now.
Hurricane Felix: I have arrived just in time to have a hurricane heading this direction. Felix is a category 2 hurricane now but they are predicting it will grow. There is not much we can do but try and prepare, pray and wait to see what happens. I would appreciate you joining us in prayer for the safety of all on the island and our belongings. We will see what happens.
Update 9/2 6pm
Hurricane Watch…
OK; I chose the wrong week to be in the Bay Islands. We are considering evacuating but we are having a hard time figuring out where to go. About the only likely answer is to try to get on a plane back to the states but we know that is on everyone’s minds and the airport is going to be a mess. If we get stuck in Roatan and we can’t get off the island we don’t know where we would go. The airport is on the south side of the island and it will more than likely be destroyed. I plan to be updating you with more tomorrow as we try to figure this out. This is getting serious…please pray for us. Our little Island of Helene is right in the path of this thing. They are showing a category 5 when it gets here and to make things worse it looks like it might hit us from the south. The scenario couldn’t be worse.
9/3 6am Update:
I didn’t get much sleep last night. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where we would go to survive a cat 5 hurricane on this little island of Helene and how we would then survive the aftermath while waiting for help. Clean water and food will be the biggest issues. The first thing I did after getting up was check my computer. I am encouraged to see that the path may be changing for our favor. It seems the best we can hope for is that it hits a sparsely populated area and that hitting land will lesson its strength. Whatever the case I now know what it is like to consider your life ending. In the future I will have a greater sense of how to pray for someone facing this kind of thing. I have been involved in disaster relief (hurricane Mitch) in the past but I have not been in danger personally. Today we will be preparing as best we can. As a staff (team) we have discussed whether or not to try to leave. We decided that we will honor each individuals decision. A problem is there are not options that we can think of and if we had them do we leave the people we are called to serve? Interesting processing going on down here! Praying and thinking about it is what consumed every ones thoughts last night I am sure. As crazy as it sounds it is probably better to try to survive here in Helene than go to Roatan. I don’t want to be caught (down island - Roatan) if I can’t get off that island on a flight today. I would rather be in Helene. If there is a lot of destruction the down side is that Helene will be the last place “help” would come to. Roatan is a bigger population, lots of rich people and Helene just does not have either.
Processing: Spiritually I think OK; everyone dies…It would sure be nice to die for the right cause…God can protect us…what is the best/responsible choice?…what options do I really have? In the end I am in the Good Shepherd’s care and it would be an experience to sense that in “the storm” of life (literally). Hey; I have a lot of friends and an awesome wife and family…someone will come looking for us. Interesting stuff!
I plan to get some “before” pictures today to compare with “after”.
9/3 Noon Update:
We continue to pray and prepare for Felix. As a team we have decided to “stage” for a response. Today I will be heading for the west end to stay with some generous people who have offered there…Mike & Rita. From there I can be close to the airport, the sea port and hopefully in the middle of the government response representing Helene and communicating with you.
As far as where we and the locals will go…we have decided to not turn anyone away from staying at our building but at the same time, because the wind and high seas will probably come from the south east we do not believe it is the safest place to be. We are encouraging people to go to cement block buildings. We will see what happens. We are trying to locate and send a couple of satellite phones here for the post hurricane response coordination. We will see what happens and then respond as we are led.
Donations: We expect to have serious financial needs after this storm and we would appreciate your help in responding to this community. I will have a better idea of what that means later but if you could start praying and sharing with others that would be helpful. Can anyone help with the Satelite Phones? I will let you know the amount as soon as I know.
Thanks! Keep praying!
9/3 6pm Update:
I was told that dolphins were seen in the bay in front of the clinic inside the reef which is unusual. Do they know something we don’t?
We continue to prepare, I am going to wait to go down island until tomorrow. The hurricane appears that it might track to the south which would be good for us but bad for someone else. The computer models I see look like it is weakening…awesome…keep praying that it does!
I appreciate the emails with notes and prayers. I wish I had time to answer them individually but I can’t at this time. I have been taking comfort in the comments. One email mentioned “Fortunately prayers are not blown away by strong winds.”
As I type I can here hammers throughout the island in the background as people are boarding up their homes. The wind is calm and it is hot.
People are coming from all over the island to stock up on water from our desal plant.
Here are some “before” photos I took today. If you hold your cursor over the photo a description will appear.I hope these places look this good in a couple of days.
9/4 Update:
Wow! What a couple of days this has been. From wondering about how much longer I would be living to hoping we get some much needed rain from Felix to fill our water tanks. The computer models were showing us getting hit head on by a Cat 5 two days ago. Right now it is raining hard and the wind is blowing but we anticipate it not getting to bad. It looks like we are going to be spared…Thank God! I am praying fervently and with much empathy for those who are having to take this storm head on. Next door I can hear reggae worship and celebration going on as people realize we have been spared from a storm that would have ruined Helene. Islanders can be heard acknowledging that God has spared them. They are thankful the storm that was going to destroy their life and belongings seems to be missing them. There is nothing like island worship and glory being given to God!I must say; If I EVER need prayer I know this is the network of people to send requests. Your response has been fantastic…you guys have been amazing! It is really comforting to know I have a support team that cares.I also have to say that I am super impressed with our staff here and their orderly and caring response to the potential crisis. What a team!
9/5 Update…Hurricane Felix is gone! Yeah God!I am thrilled to say that Hurricane Felix took the best possible path that it could have taken effecting the fewest lives that it could effect. Now we need to be praying for those who were affected. We had very little wind and rain, in fact just enough to fill our water tanks. The after pictures are the same as the before. I want to thank all those who prayed, emailed and prepared to head this way. What an awesome network of friends and caring people! It appears that prayer directed this thing to the right place!Today I was able to meet with Wally Bodden (island friend) and others that I came to meet with. I have had some unique quality time with the staff and in the end the trip is turning out to be productive. It looks like God has plenty for us to continue to work on here in Helene. Please plan to join us at some point working for the Kingdom on this remote island. I look forward to being home early next week (God willing). I am suppose to fly to Phoenix on Saturday and then I will be driving home Monday or Tuesday. Be blessed!
9/8 Trip Summary: My flight to Phoenix is scheduled for 1pm.
In spite of the potential Category 5 Hurricane Felix drama we did get some things done. We (Alternative Missions) have been involved in the Bay Islands and specifically on the Island of Helene for 12 years now. Having a thorough knowledge of the people involved I know full well what a huge effort has been made over the years by staff, outreach teams, businesses, schools, churches and individuals. I stand amazed and respectful of those who have given in so many ways. The self sacrifice of those who have been on staff over the years and the love and concern that they show for others is worthy of honor and gratitude. God knows what so many have done and I am sure will reward them accordingly.I was here this week to spend time with the staff and evaluate our last year and look towards the future of what may be next. I arrived to have the normal (for this culture) meetings with people who needed to let me know what they think of us and our efforts (that is always interesting). There is no where quite like the Bay Islands when it comes to gossip and getting caught up in other people’s business and getting things confused with reality. The incredible thing is that people get all wierd and instead of going to the source or those involved they get their underwear in a knot thinking the worst of others instead of talking to those that are involved that can give them the straight story. While dealing with concerns and admiring what is being done I wonder how much better things could be if people would appreciate one another more and communicate more. The typical scenario is for people to hear something and then let their imagination go wild and then assume the worst about others. What’s with that? Help us Jesus. I must say that in the middle of a lot of weirdness there are a couple of men (Wally Bodden and Doel) that I consider good friends and respect and we seem to be able to make sure things are “plumb” by the time I leave. If they are ok then basically everything is ok. I am happy to report that things are more than ok with them and with our ministry. They respect us and are grateful for our presence in Helene.The current staff are doing a good job. The personalities and giftings of the team are unigue to them and the “work” goes forward in a strong team environment. The school, the clinic, the community projects, the discipleship in many forms and the personal ministry is accomplishing amazing things in islanders lives.
I want to encourage you to lift our team in prayer as they face personal and ministry decisions on a daily basis. What a crew! God bless them, protect them and direct them. Keep them safe on the sea and where ever they go. Encourage them and give them loving people to relate to as they live and serve you.
In a future update I will share the goals and projects we are putting together for 2008 and beyond. We hope you will continue to be involved with us as God has more to accomplish in and through our ministry in Helene.
Your thoughts, questions and comments are encouraged…write your thoughts in the “Leave a Reply” box below.
