Episcopal Church of Roatan/ Nelson and Kara Ministry (June 2020 Update)

Roatán Update June 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.

Emmanuel Community Kitchen Project (Soup Kitchen)

As we said in the previous update (Roatan Update May 2020) in response to the effect of the pandemic, on June 4th we started cooking for 100 people, most of them from the congregation at Emmanuel Church. We cooked rice, beans, tortillas and chicken, and a member of every family came to church to pick up the food, following the regulations of biosecurity and especially social distancing.

We expect next Wednesday to cook for about 150 people in the community of Brick Bay where we have St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. The goal is to cook one day for Coxen Hole and another for Brick Bay or more, if we can, as financial resources allow.

A website has been set up to publish the progress of the project and collect donations for food.  It is  capable of taking not only single donations but recurring donations as well.  It will also be linked to our blog.

To support this project please go towww.tttfmicro.com

We have already had a commercial smoker donated toward this effort, an electric stove, and an electric rice cooker for 300 people. We are looking for a propane stove, a refrigerator, and a freezer.  After tourism returns and people get back to work, the kitchen equipment will be retained to help feed the very poor on the island but on a smaller scale.

Please pray that all the resources will be obtained and any obstacles overcome to establish this project for the benefit of  individuals and families impacted by Covid 19 on the Bay Islands.

Impact of Covid 19

We continue to face Covid 19. To update you in Honduras, at the moment we have 5690 cases, 235 deaths and 583 people who have recovered.

We in Roatán have one case confirmed at the moment, and we are expecting more confirmations in the next few days. We hope most of the test results will be negative.

The Island is still closed — no one can come in or go out.

By now we have over 200 people in quarantine, including islanders that the authorities brought back home from the mainland, and the marines who were working for cruise companies.

Roatan Couldn’t open churches for services

At Emmanuel Episcopal/Anglican Church we expected to open our building for services on Sunday 24th of May.

This privilege to open our buildings was cancelled, because on Saturday 23rd the first case arrived in eastern Roatan. A group of nine people arrived in Roatan illegally by boat, the authorities put them in quarantine and tested them, and one  of them tested positive.

We hope we can open our building soon, but the most important thing is to do it safely, according to the government regulations and those of our Diocesan Bishop and his team in the Episcopal Church in Honduras.

Please pray that we can continue to be safe from the Covid 19 virus, and we pray the same for all of you.

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 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 who was accepted at Providence University College in Manitoba. Providence awaits him in September 2020. His flight on June 10th was cancelled, but we hope he can get another one soon.

3.   Please pray for our Diocese in Honduras that is starting the process to elect a Suffragan Bishop to assist our Diocesan Bishop, Lloyd Emmanuel Allen.

4.   Continued and stable financial support for the next three 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.   Spiritual and practical outreach in the local communities.

10.  For leadership for the Church in Roatán.

11.  The Episcopal Church in Honduras, for the process toward self-sufficiency and 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

Episcopal Church of Roatan/ Nelson and Kara Ministry (May 2020 Update)

Roatán Update May 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.

Emmanuel Community Kitchen Project

In response to the effect the pandemic has had on the people of Roatan, Emmanuel Episcopal Church/Teach Them To Fish is temporarily repurposing the glass recycling shop to be the ‘kitchen’ of a soup kitchen project.  Our goal is to feed as many people as we can in the coming months until tourism can return to the island.  Since about 85% of the population relies on tourism for their living, there are going to be families literally starving if we don’t pull together as a community to make sure everyone gets food for the rest of the year. According to the local authorities and the central government, local businesses will be open on May 18th from 6 am to 8 pm. Construction and churches are included in this and will  be open.

We as the Episcopal Church/Teach Them to Fish are ready to set up the kitchen and begin training. Last Friday 15th we began training. We used the smoker and we fed about 50 people including 13 that are in quarantine by the Covid 19 team.

The church’s plan is to start serving lunch to the local area around Emmanuel Episcopal Church once or twice a week until we can scale the operation up to as many days per week  as we can afford.  Our goal is to serve meals daily for three to five hundred people around the Island.

A website is being spun up to publish the progress of the project and collect donations for kitchen equipment and food.  It will be capable of taking not only single donations but recurring donations as well.  It will also have links to other local efforts and events and a blog.

We have already had a commercial smoker donated toward this effort.  We will begin training on how to use it now that the authorities will let us circulate.  The first loads of wood and ‘practice’ meats have also been donated.  We are looking for a six or eight burner stove, a refrigerator, and a freezer.  We are talking with the local grocery stores to sell us food at wholesale prices.  After tourism returns and people get back to work, the kitchen equipment will be retained to help feed the very poor on the island but on a smaller scale.

Please pray that all the resources will be obtained and any obstacles overcome to establish this project to benefit individuals and families affected by the impact of Covid 19 on the Bay Islands.

Impact of Covid 19

We continue to face Covid 19 and for two months we have experienced a new way of life. To update you on  Honduras, at the moment now we have 2646 cases, 142 deaths and 289 people who have recovered.

As well, we remain under curfew until May 17th, by order of the president. We in Roatán have no cases at the moment, and we hope we won’t; as a result of this, the central government and the local authorities will let businesses open in Roatan from May 18th from 6am to possibly 8pm; this is to support the local economy and also as a pilot project to implement in other cities and departments on the mainland. The Island is still closed — no one can come in, and every business needs to implement all the requirements established by the government.  

Solidarity Bags

In response to this difficult time for our parishioners we continued delivering bags of groceries among our congregation on May 5th and we expect to distribute more bags. Also one of the gas stations in Roatan brought groceries specially for the mothers in our church on Mother’s Day. 

Roatan opens churches for services

At Emmanuel Episcopal/Anglican Church we expect to open our building for services on Sunday 24th of May. This privilege is just in Roatan, and in the next few days we will receive the regulations we need to follow for the services. Also we will need the approval of our Bishop Lloyd Allen. We will need to use shoe disinfectant, masks and hand sanitizer; otherwise the authorities said a person can’t come into the church building. If a congregation  is bigger than 50 members, we need to hold two services to protect the people. Please pray that we can continue to be safe from the Covid 19 virus, and we pray the same for all of you.

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 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 who was accepted at Providence University College in Manitoba. Providence awaits him in September 2020. His flight on June 10th was cancelled, but we hope he can get another one soon. 

3.   Please pray for our Diocese in Honduras that is starting the process to elect a Suffragan Bishop to assist our Diocesan Bishop, Lloyd Emmanuel Allen.

4.   Continued and stable financial support for the next three 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.   Spiritual and practical outreach in the local communities.

10.  For leadership for the Church in Roatán.

11.  The Episcopal Church in Honduras, for the process toward   self-sufficiency and 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

Health Ministry is Active and on the Go – April 2020

The Cathedral Health Ministry Team has been active and on the go, supporting those isolated or in need by taking meals to them, bringing homemade cookies to their doors, and delivering Easter cards and hot cross buns last weekend.

We have assisted in other ways such as purchasing groceries for parishioners, picking up needed medications from the pharmacies, and taking clients to ‘urgent’ physician appointments. The Health Ministry Callers have been in contact with many of our ‘people’ and are enjoying catching up with all.

The Parish Nurse has been in daily contact with many clients and supporting with health counselling and advice. Several members of the Health Ministry Team (and their mothers!) have been making masks. A word about wearing face masks:

Please remember that

  • the mask should cover over the top of your nose and under your chin
  • your hands are considered dirty at all times and should be kept away from your face and the mask
  • the outside of the mask is considered dirty
  • when removing the mask, take it off with the elastics or ties, and do not touch the outside of the mask
  • wash it in hot, soapy water after each use daily, and
  • wash your hands after removing the mask.

On another note, online meetings have been held using the Teams, Messenger and Zoom applications. The Health Ministry Committee met several weeks ago, as did the Cathedral Mothers’ Union branch, where we celebrated Mothering Sunday with a Service online. The Yoga Class and Dementia Support Groups have been connecting with each other through email conversation and support.

We look forward to continuing to support our faith community. Please feel free to contact Parish Nurse <k.snow at cccath.ca> or (506) 461-8201 for any assistance required.

Kathleen Snow

Update from St. Hilda’s School in Belize March 2020

The Cathedral’s Belize mission team has been in touch with Ms. Jane Martinez, principal of St. Hilda’s Anglican School. Please keep the teachers and students of St. Hilda’s, and the people of Belize in your prayers!

Ms. Martinez writes:

Good evening Kelley:

You all have been on my mind as well. Things have been hectic here because they will close the schools on Friday. We have been preparing supplementary information for children to take home to ensure that the educational process is not badly disrupted. From reports that we have been getting, there has not been any confirmed case here as yet but we are taking precautions. Since Monday, we have only had half of our population. Each day the attendances is lower. We have been educating our students and parents this entire week about safety precautions.

It is a sad time for us here also because our crime rate has escalated especially in Belize City. This week alone two young children were shot to death. Altogether in 48 hours we have had about 14 deadly shootings. Most of the victims were innocent bystanders. The children were shot at home in their sleep. Someone just decided to take revenge and shot at the house. Unfortunately, children were also casualties.

We need to pray for each other and keep our focus on God in these troubled times.

Thank you so much for your concern. I will pass on the information to the staff. Please stay safe.

Blessings,
Jane

EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ROATAN/ NELSON AND KARA MINISTRY (MARCH 2020 UPDATE)

A message from Kara & Nelson Mejia, serving in the Episcopal Church of Roatan, Honduras:

“We are facing one of the biggest and invisible problems all over the world. A few months ago it was just a simple topic of conversation, and now the reality is that the whole planet is being affected by the Coronavirus, directly and indirectly.

In Honduras we have 24 cases as I write this – in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula Choluteca and la Ceiba, the biggest cities in Honduras. They need to stay at home by order of the president. We don’t know what is going to happen in the next few weeks, but we are trusting in the Lord that we’ll be ok.

We in Roatán have no cases at the moment, and we hope we won’t; Cruise ships are not coming, the airport is closed, the beaches are empty, and all businesses are closed, just starting today the 21st of march to the 29th, supermarkets, gas station, farmacies will be closed, families in need, will call them for free delivery service, wish is good.

As we know it is a difficult time for first world countries, so imagine what it is like for the third world countries. At the moment it is very difficult for the people in Roatán who rely on tourism for much of their income.

Now we have just realized that we are not as strong as we thought, but live on a fragile planet that we need to care for.

At Emmanuel Episcopal/Anglican Church we are not having services this Sunday and our Bishop Lloyd Allen just cancelled all Holy Week services and all other activities.

Please pray that we can continue to be safe from the Covid 19 virus, and we pray the same for all of you. Times of trouble will pass, the Bible says in Matthew 19:26: With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

To keep up to date with Nelson & Kara’s work, visit their blog: https://nelsonandkara.wordpress.com/

A Prayer Request for Belize and the Alenskis Family

While Austin, Mary Beth and Fr. David Alenskis have decided to temporarily return to the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are continuing their ministry in Belize remotely as best they can.  You can follow along with their morning and evening prayers on the St. Hilda’s Facebook page.

Please click HERE for their latest update and prayer requests.

In short, please pray specifically for:
• Full funding for ministry
• Ministry team in Belize
• David’s academic research
• Ongoing health issues
• Discernment for future

 

 

Tea and Talk

Mother Nature seemed determined to keep our first Thursday Medley Tea at bay as we began the New Year. Storm followed storm in January, and while setting up for the Valentine's Tea on February 6th, the weather, once again, was looking iffy.

But clearly the regular attendees were not about to allow snow flurries to prevent them from coming out to spend time with their friends over a cup of tea and a sweet or two. Then came March and we were fortunate to get our March Tea in before social distancing arrived.

This once a month tea party often draws more than 25 folks including the young and the young at heart!  Serving begins at 2pm and often the group is still going strong as 4pm approaches.

The organizers and servers try to make each month special by decorating with a theme such as Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day.  There is always a 'lucky saucer' and a small gift for the one who gets it.  The sweet and savoury treats are abundant and delicious and the tea is piping hot and served in the finest of china cups.

Of course, it will be a while before we will be able to be out and about in groups again.  But while we wait for that to happen, here are some photos of our Medley Tea-ers!   We so look forward to sharing a cup and a chat in person again!

--by Gail McGillivray

Yoga missing? Missing yoga!

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the rhythm of daily life, piling unwelcome stress onto most people. Yoga is one of many ways to cope with that problem.

“I got out my yoga mat and went through a stretching routine similar to the one our instructor, Tammy Blyth, uses,” said Sally Dibblee, who regularly attends Tammy's Monday afternoon classes at Cathedral Memorial Hall. “I felt so good afterwards.”

The weekly class, organized by the parish nurse, has had to be cancelled indefinitely due to the provincial state of emergency.

The class includes several beginners, so Tammy has spent time explaining the benefits of the ancient practice of yoga. This type of self-care can help reduce stress and inspire well-being. She said breathing deeply and deliberately provides oxygen to nourish the body; it can also relax the brain and nervous system.

“Tammy is always urging us to breathe, breathe, breathe,” Sally said.

The instructor has also pointed out that exercise and stretching not only boost the effectiveness of the lungs and circulatory system, but can also lift the spirits.

“This pandemic is an emotional time with the challenges of cancelled activities, physical/social distancing, worries about the health of loved ones, feelings of isolation, financial concerns,” Sally said. “Your whole body can tighten up before you even realize it, but yoga stretches can release those tensions and make you feel better physically and mentally.”

Diane Radford is another regular participant who misses Tammy's yoga classes.

“I liked learning new yoga poses, and I appreciated that Tammy was considerate of 'newbies' or older people who might not be as flexible,” Diane said. “She always offered modifications and alternatives for the poses.”

She said she also enjoyed the sociability of the hour-long class, which has attracted members of the cathedral congregation and people from the community.

“Tammy is always a positive person,” Diane commented. “She looks on the bright side of life. I'll be glad when it's safe for classes to resume.”

While waiting for the state of emergency to end, Diane continues to exercise by walking outdoors and by dancing.

YouTube is an option for yoga enthusiasts or for people who want to try it while having time on their hands. Many online classes are available there. The “Y” has also produced a series of exercise videos, including several yoga routines, which are available at YMCA360.org

Parish Nurse Kathleen Snow advises that yoga mats should be cleaned regularly at home with a damp cloth and a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. In these times of preventing the spread of virus, people may also wish to clean their mats with a disinfectant wipe or spray.

--by Ann Deveau

 

The parish nurse will announce resumption of yoga classes when public health authorities allow it.