Mission Team Report-January 2011

Wow, what an amazing week! It was another life-changing week in Belize. Our team, 9 from Texas and 2 from Alabama served in Belize January 15-22. We worshiped at Santa Elena Baptist Church Sunday morning and San Ignacio Baptist Church Sunday evening. We hosted our 2nd annual men's gathering at the Aguada Sunday afternoon. We had about 35 men joined together for fellowship, worship and sharing. We focused on how we can improve in our walk with the Lord in 2011. It was a very encouraging time and we concluded with a meal together.

The power of prayer was very evident from day 1 in Belize! Many at home and in Belize were praying for our team and opportunities to share. He answered more abundantly than we could ever imagine!! Burt Odom shared in the morning service Sunday and Wayne Sanderford in the evening worship service. Brian Witty and I were asked to appear on the Rise and Shine TV show on Belize Plus TV. This a live show seen on cable in Belize. The host, Fem, led worship for us Sunday afternoon.

The team served at both the Good Shepherd Clinic (GSC) and the Cayo Deaf Institute (CDI) . At GSC, the 3 members did some plumbing work and installed a much needed security fence for Nurse Juan. At CDI, the remainder of the team worked on Bldg 1 and Bldg 8. At Bldg 1, we removed a rotten porch and beams and put a new one up and also removed a room from the back of the house. At Bldg 8, the team installed foam in the ceiling, drywall and some electrical wiring. While the work was great, the time with the kids and staff was even better! They are all so sweet and content in their situation. Their joy for life is so contagious! Many relationships were renewed this week with he kids! The most moving moment at CDI was seeing and hearing the kids sing in worship to our LORD. Although they cannot articulate the words, hearing them try to sing as they signed the words was very moving and brought us to tears!


The TV crew from Plus TV came to CDI on Wednesday and filmed a special on the Institute and 2 of our members were interviewed. The special ran on the evening news 2 nights. This was another example of God answering the prayers for opportunities to share the gospel. God is Good!!

The week was capped off with a night of worship Thursday evening with Fem. He is a gifted musician and worship leader. We also had a few guests to share the evening. Gene and Jo Hardy, cousins from Ohio, were visiting Belize for a few days to see what Fishers of Men is all about. It was great to share a portion of the week with them. Fem closed the worship time by singing one of our new favorites, "I command my mouth to praise the Lord......." 

These are just a few highlights from our trip. Thank you for both your prayer and financial support to make this trip possible and to help in sharing the gospel of Christ with the people of Belize. It is our prayer and earnest desire that a trip like this will ignite our passion for living out the Great Commission here at home for the remaining 51 weeks of the year.

Please continue to pray for Fishers of Men. Please pray as we serve in Belize and also as our team begins to look forward to returning in January 2012.

Ministry Update-Prayer for Mission Team

Today, 9 men from Texas and 2 from Alabama are traveling to Belize to serve for a week. Please pray for us as we travel, serve, worship, fellowship for the next week. Below is a prayer calendar and we appreciate your prayers and support:

Saturday, January 15: Pray for safe travel and team unity. Phil. 4:7 and Phil. 2:1-3

Sunday, January 16: Pray for our worship at both Santa Elena Baptist Church and San Ignacio Baptist Church. We also be hosting a men’s gathering Sunday afternoon. We will enjoy a time of fellowship, worship and sharing. Acts 1:8 and Hebrews 12:1-3

Monday, January 17: Pray for strength as we begin our week of construction work. Most of the team will be working at the Cayo Deaf Institute, with a couple guys working at the Good Shepherd Clinic. I Cor. 12:12

Tuesday, January 18: Pray for our families at home and safety for our team as we continue our work. Also, pray we see the opportunities HE has for us to share the gospel. Ps. 27:1 and Jer. 33:3

Wednesday, January 19: Pray for continued strength, good rest at night and good health for our team. Col. 4:2-6

Thursday, January 20: Pray for continued strength as we wrap our work today. Pray for extra energy! Ps. 18:2

Friday, January 21: Pray for rest. We are having a “fun day” today and also pray as we reflect and share what God has taught us this week. Matt. 11:28-29

Saturday, January 22: Pray for safe travels home! Ps. 62:1-2

We will update the blog upon our return.

Hurricane Richard Update

Thank you to everyone for your prayers during the past week as we have been through Hurricane Richard and now assisting with the cleanup. The pictures are of a house we assisted with a new roof-A single mom and 5 kids reside here. We partnered with several ministries to complete this project. The house is in Camelote Village. We have also worked at Blue Thumbs Mission and Belize Christian Academy.

Lastly, we continue to need prayer support and also financial support. We are committed to continue assisting with the cleanup but are in need of funds. Please prayerfully consider supporting this effort. Please make checks to Fishers of Men, with Hurricane Richard in the memo line. Please mail them to P.O. Box 387, Selma, AL 36702. Our goal is $2000. Thank you for your continued support!!

Hurricane Richard-PRAYER UPDATE

Fishers of Men, along with others, spent today with chainsaws and moving lots of trees. Tomorrow, they will be replacing the roof on the home of a single mom, 5 kids. Please pray for the many, many families effected.

Below is an update of areas that many of you are familiar with:

CDI is ok, just trees down like everywhere but they are all safe.

Nurse Juan reports no major damage at the clinic the roof is fine! Great job on the roof!!

Joe and Piper are good, just lots of trees down. A coconut tree hit the white bus and the windshield shattered.

The Baptist Training Center appears OK structurally, but an estimated 40% of trees down. There is quite a bit of damage in the village where the BTC is located.

Johnny (ArtBox) has quite a bit of damage.

Oh, I did not ask about Western Dairies but will ask to make sure ice cream shop sustained no damage.

Please keep praying for everyone in Belize! We will update as new info is available.

Hurricane Richard-PRAYER

Hurricane Richard is moving our way and land fall is expected around 7:00 PM CST this evening. The current path will place it coming on land just south of Belize City. Right now here in Belmopan, we are experiencing some rain and light wind. Kathryn and I are as prepared as possible with ample food and a generator that is set up and ready should the need arise. Join us as we pray for those here that are less fortunate and blessed to have adequate shelter and food. We are poised to help others in the days ahead when and if the need arises.

Please pray for safety and shelter for all. Please pray for FOM as we are available to assist.

School Uniforms and Supplies

Fishers of Men has been working with the Iguana Creek Primary School in Selena for at least 3 years with Dental and Medical teams. In 2009, FOM conducted a VBS and Ladies Ministry week for both the Selena and San Marcos villages which are close together and are both visited each year by our teams. It was decided after our dental/medical team visit in February, that FOM would provide 2 school uniforms per student and provide the teachers with proper attire for their duties.

Buddy and Kathryn and Jack Barnes had the pleasure of going out recently and giving the uniforms to the students. The students were most appreciative for these gifts. In addition, FOM provides school supplies for the Iguana Creek School as well as San Marcos and the 3 schools in Valley of Peace. FOM provided uniforms to the Cayo Deaf Institute last year and will be getting theirs for this school year real soon. School starts here around the first of September.

If you would like to donate toward this effort, please contact us through our web site or email us at serve@fishersofmenbelize.org and we’ll be happy to give you the needed information. In addition, FOM volunteers in the Decatur, Alabama are receiving school supplies and flip flop shoes to be used in our ministry here in Belize. Thanks for praying for us and we invite all to “come and see”.

Ministry Update

In recent weeks, several important and exciting events have taken place in Belize.

Amber Tillet celebrated her 11th birthday and Kathryn and I had a party for her at her grandmothers home in Corozol, Belize. We were joined there by her aunt and several cousins who live nearby. The birthday cake was wonderful but took special handling since it had fresh fruit in and on it and we had to transport it 3 hours in the high temperatures and rough roads of Belize. The whipped cream on the cake was a challenge as well but with 4 bags of ice and a big cooler, we made it and everyone enjoyed it. We did not attempt to have ice cream because of the distance and heat as well as Amber's grandmother does not have a refrigerator. We took soft drinks and used the remainder of the ice to cool them down a bit. It was a special and happy time for a family that has been through a lot in recent months. Please continue to pray for them as they continue to adjust their lives.

Fisher's of Men had the awesome privilege of donating a mini van to the Good Shepherd Clinic as part of the clinic's new "birthing center" funding. Nurse Juan was deeply moved when she saw the van and is greatly appreciative of the gift. She hardly could speak and she cried tears of joy. Nurse Juan gives all the glory and honor to Jesus. Many thanks to all the ones that made this gift possible and to the foundation in Alabama that has been most generous in helping with Good Shepherd Clinic projects.

Fisher's of Men was able to work alongside Trinity Baptist Church from Raleigh, NC several weeks ago and assist with a dental clinic. The mission work was done at the Lagoon Road Baptist Church. The team also conducted a VBS and had revival services each night. It was a very busy week but much was accomplished and many people were helped both physically and spiritually. Dr Herb Land worked real hard to see as many patients as possible and his helpers worked equally as hard to make this a very successful ministry. It was a real blessing getting to know this team and we are looking forward to them coming again next year. It was also a blessing to share the FOM dental equipment with them and be able to help many people.

As you can tell, exciting things are happening here in Belize! I would like to invite others to "come and see" and experience the joy of serving others in a different culture.