Roatán Update September 2020

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5, NIV)

We give all glory and honour to the Lord for your partnering with us. Without your support and especially your prayers, our ministry would never have been possible or impact our generation. We give our heartfelt special thanks to all of you for your sacrificial giving.

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Time has passed quickly; in the blink of an eye, six months of pandemic have passed and of course there are many things that we have learned to do differently, in the church as well as personally.

I remember reading about the plans for reconstruction of the walls of the City of Jerusalem, a great project that God put in the hands of Nehemiah. Nehemiah Chapter 2:11

Today we are approaching the time when we will reopen the church buildings of the Anglican Church in Honduras. There are great challenges ahead, but we will put forth our best effort to rebuild the Kingdom of God in the midst of the pandemic. This will not be easy, but it is possible with God help.

We will rebuild the Kingdom of God, minister to wounded hearts, assist unemployed families, mourn lost loved ones, and create new ways of evangelism and the studying of the Word of God.

The kingdom of God will continue to grow and we thank God for your life, your family and your churches, who have not left us alone, but have always prayed for our ministry with faith. Not only have you prayed, your have also made financial sacrifices with love and have given to our ministry. We are truly very grateful to God and to each of you for your sacrifice.

God will continue to honor your lives, your families and your churches.

What is happening in our family?

God has been good to our family. Our son Stephen started classes at Providence University in Winnipeg, and Rev. Kara de Mejia arrived back in Roatan recently, after visiting and sharing with her brothers and sisters-in-law who had not seen her in a long time.

Our daughter Kelly will complete her entire educational year online, with new processes to which we have had to adapt.

Stephen is adapting very well to the first year of university. Fortunately, with the help of scholarships and other financial aid, he has been able to pay for his fall tuition. Please pray that he will find a job to pay for his winter tuition.

If you would like to contact Stephen, please send him an email at this address: [email protected]

Emmanuel Community Kitchen Project (Soup Kitchen)

We could use a little help! www.tttfmicro.com

“To catch you up over the last couple of weeks, we did feed between 700 and 750 the week before last. Last week back to 600+. The new stove and refrigerator (used) are working out fabulously. We are experimenting with beans to see what we can stretch. We are also looking into pricing hot dog spaghetti (I am reserving judgement but my Honduran friends insist that it is delicious). We are maintaining each serving at less than 50 cents including the plates and forks.

Things are getting pretty bad here with petty crime and desperation for food. People are literally standing out in the middle of the street holding out a hand for drivers to give them money. There are people walking through the grocery store asking that we buy cereal and milk powder so they can feed their kids. There are so many people asking for money that we have started handing out uncooked rice and beans. It only helps for a couple of meals but there are so many asking, it is all we can do.

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And even we are having to make difficult decisions in these difficult times. We are so grateful to those of you who have supported the mission and helped feed the hungry, but the reality is that those funds have been spent and the food has been eaten. We are at a real crossroads here and are facing the idea that we may not be able to continue helping without some financial assistance.  We have reached into our own pockets to our absolute limits.

We are almost out of money and will need to cut back unless we can get more in.  They have no jobs, money, or means of escape.  The airport is beginning to accept international travelers but it is a drop in the bucket compared to the cruise ships that won’t be back until next year.  These are the children of Christ, our brothers and sisters. Please consider helping us feed the people of Roatan.”

To see weekly updates and support this project, please go to: www.tttfmicro.com

Please pray that all the resources will be obtained to continue with this project for the benefit of individuals and families on the Bay Islands who are impacted by Covid 19.

Impact of Covid 19 in Honduras and Roatan

To update you on the impact of Covid 19 on Honduras, at the moment we have 71,616 cases. There have been 2,185 deaths and 22,065 people have recovered. We in Roatán have over 1128 cases confirmed at the moment;151 people have recovered and there have been 17 deaths.

There are 24 people at the Hospital and 43 at the Covid 19 center.

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On September 21st a group of nurses and doctors arrived in Roatan from the mainland to help with the Covid impact on the Island.

Roatan Emmanuel Episcopal Church

At Emmanuel Episcopal/Anglican Church our building continues to be closed. Our Diocesan Bishop Lloyd Allen called the Episcopal Church in Honduras to be prepared with the biosecurity protocol to open our buildings when the government approves. The protocol includes all the regulations regarding being in the building and celebrating the Eucharist, Morning or Evening Prayer.

Projects at Emmanuel Church

We finished the stucco of a side wall of the church, a small project that we had to pause due to government regulations, and also stained the doors of the church, providing some work for one of the kids at the church.

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We also help families pay for electricity, medications and groceries.

There is not much that we can do, but we focus on the maintenance of the building until we can meet again to worship.

Financial Support

On the financial side, we continue to be very positive and to pray and praise God with faith and thanksgiving. We also ask you to continue to pray about our finances, that for the rest of the year our support will stabilize and be sufficient to cover our needs. At the moment our balance is very low. Therefore, please consider sending a special offering to cover our expenses and needs.

To donate now, please click on the following link (or copy and paste it into your browser):

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/13778

Or you can visit the Diocese of Fredericton’s website (www.anglican.nb.ca) then go to “Donate” for various ways to give online. Be sure to select “Honduras Mission Fund”.

Cheques should be made payable to “The Diocesan Synod of Fredericton” and sent to: Anglican Diocesan Synod of Fredericton, 115 Church Street, Fredericton, NB E3B 4C8

Phone: (506) 459-1801

All cheques should have “Honduras Mission” noted on the reference line.

We know that with the global impact of the pandemic it is difficult for everyone in the world. That said, we greatly appreciate your prayer and financial support to date and trust that you will continue to support us.

Please continue to pray for:

1.   Please continue to pray for Roatan and Honduras at a difficult time caused by Covid 19.

2.   Pray for Stephen Mejia Thompson, our son as he continues studying at Providence University College in Manitoba and for him  to find a job to provide for his expenses.

3.   Please pray for our Diocese in Honduras that is struggling financially to cover all the clergy stipends as Bishop Lloyd Emmanuel Allen said.

4.   Continued and stable financial support for the next years as we continue to serve the Lord in Roatán, Honduras.

5.   The ongoing construction in Coxen Hole. Pray for the remaining installation stages: Cement concrete for the floor at the moment.

6.   Our congregations: St. Peter by the Sea in Brick Bay, and Emmanuel in Coxen Hole.

7.   Please pray for the Rev. Robert Browning and for his ministry to English-speakers in Eastern Roatán.

8.   For youth leadership, that God will provide someone to minister to and guide the young people.

9.   Evangelism and practical outreach in the local communities in the midst of the pandemic.

10.  For leadership for the Church in Roatán.

11.  The Episcopal Church in Honduras, for the process toward self-sufficiency to be continued in 2020.

Thank you to all who have faithfully prayed and faithfully given to support this incredible work of ministering to the people in our congregations.

Matthew 25:40: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Your prayers and continued support enable us to continue touching people’s lives with Jesus’ love.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.     Ephesians 3:20-21

Empowering the Church

Learning, Growing and Serving

Nelson and Kara Mejia