Great Grace

God's grace was very apparent tonight at the funeral service of Danny. His mother was able to greet family and friends without breaking down. We had a good service in which the Gospel was the key element. I spoke on some of the sayings of Christ from the Cross and their significance to the sinner. Christ's willingness to forgive all who come in repentance and the assurance that all has been accomplished in order to secure our salvation were the main points. We heard a number of good comments regarding the message and keep praying that some of the unsaved will come to the Lord in these days. The burial will be tomorrow morning at 10:30. Norma will need your prayers.

The storm which was headed for us has become hurricane Omar, but it has been turned aside by God's grace. We will continue praying until it has moved far north of us since these things seem to have a habit of turning around and doing strange things this time of year. Yesterday we did receive some heavy rain, but hardly any rain has fallen today.

Thank you for all your prayers and encouraging notes. By the way, Jon had a great time at school today. He had nearly everyone sign his cast. I think a couple of his classmates were jealous of the attention he got, but we hope they won't break an arm to get it.

Request Updates

At 6:00 PM today, Daniel Santiago went home to be with his Lord and Savior. Bill was able to be with the family from 4 until 9. Both last night and again tonight we took time to read the Word and to sing a few hymns. Danny's only comment came last night. He was asked if he liked the hymn we had just sang. He said, "Qué lindo" (How beautiful). About noon today his breathing became labored and he stopped interacting with his visitors. When I arrived at 4, it didn't seem he would last long. His passing was peaceful. Throughout this ordeal the Gospel has been given to many people. Pray for the messages which will be given during the next two days. We are praying for Souls to be saved.

Jonathan went to see an orthopedist today. The doctor decided that a cast was in order. He was a bit disappointed not to have a cast last Tuesday. Hopefully he won't get tired of it before it has to come off. Pray with us for quick and sure healing.

Urgent Prayer Requests

Danny Santiago has been declining over the past few months due to cancer. A few weeks ago he lost all strength in his legs and shortly thereafter could not move them. Now he cannot move his arms and has trouble speaking. His liver has ceased functioning, so his skin and eyes are very yellow. Tonight we received a call from Danny's mother saying that the doctors say he is dying, and all they can do is give him pain medicine and send him home. Danny was baptized about three months ago. The next day he was in the hospital. We gave blood to help him out then, but he's been in and out of the hospital ever since. Pray for Danny and his mother who also knows the Lord. She is doing well, but this is very hard on her. Bill has had numerous opportunities to witness to family and neighbors during Danny's sickness, and Danny is resigned to God's will. It's hard to say how long he will last.

Puerto Rico is also under tropical storm warnings. We had torrential rains at the end of September that they called the two-hundred year rain because that tropical wave left more rain in three days than we've received from any hurricane in recent memory. With the ground already saturated, they are calling for 15-30 inches more of rain with high winds. Landslides and flooding are always a danger with rain, but with wind, many trees will succumb to the super-saturated ground. We imagine if the storm comes we'll be without electricity for awhile. We will do fine with the storm as long as we are home. Our street floods when it rains hard, but the drainage system handles it fine as soon as the rains stops. Others from our church are not in secure areas and are making preparations now.

Our Jonathan fell in gym class last Tuesday. They took three x-rays at the hospital, said the technician would look them over good that evening, but they didn't think anything was broken. Jonathan didn't complain as much the next day with his splint on and me doing all his writing in school. But after picking up the results, we found that he does have a fracture. We were told to see our pediatrician. He told us this is not his specialty, so we should take Jon to an ortopedist. People at church said the hospital "dropped the ball" and we should go back to the hospital. The person at the emergency room said they don't deal with pediatric fractures (Jon is nearly 10), but she'd try to consult with a pediatric orthopedist in the hospital. After making a call, she said those doctors were all at a convention. Apparently this is not the week to break a bone. This has been a long holiday weekend because PR celebrates Christopher Columbus Day. So it's been a week since he broke his arm and with the storm, it may be quite a few days more until the situation is satisfactorily resolved. We'll keep his hand in a wrist stabilizer and trust it mends well.

Our Nathan also had x-rays in August because the pediatrician suspected he has scoliosis. The x-rays confirmed that he has a 20 degree misalignment of the spine. We have an appointment with a spinal orthopedic doctor on October 21. We don't know what to expect from this appointment, but we would appreciate your prayers for wisdom for the doctor and us. Nathan is also supposed to take his ACT test on Saturday (October 18). This is a big week.

Medical Updates

Julia is doing well. Her doctor prepared the family for the worst when he discovered that her left foot no longer had any significant circulation. She entered the hospital, and then a week of delays ensued. Finally, the doctor decided on a plastic vein replacement. She now has a very long scar, but she still has her foot! Praise the Lord for your prayers and His wisdom given to the doctor. Her foot is doing very well.

Danny, on the other hand, continues to decline. For the last week, he has not been able to get out of bed. He also has a lot of pain in his legs. A high fever has taken him back to the hospital. He was given medication for the pain, but he is still very uncomfortable. He is not entirely lucid and cannot speak. He has not been eating anything for several weeks either. It seems that the Lord may call him home soon. Pray that his passing might be soon. He is ready to meet the Lord. His mother is suffering with him, but she is also strong in the faith.

Add Miguel to your prayer list . . . twice. The first Miguel is a believer who had strayed from the Lord. He is recovering from pneumonia and claims to have turned back to the Lord. He has a smoking habit which has plagued him for years and been a source of estrangement from fellowship with God’s people. We have encouraged him to return in spite of this issue since we are confident that the Lord will take this from him if he is willing to follow Christ. I don’t think anyone has actually reproached him over his smoking, but his conscience will not let the issue go. His wife is a dear believer who has been faithful for quite a number of years.

Miguel number 2 is an unsaved man who Bill met at the hospital. He is a neighbor of one of our church members who had foot surgery, apparently related to diabetes. Incidentally, this hospital has an entire floor dedicated to diabetic patient care. He and his wife heard the Gospel gladly, though they made no decision in this first encounter. They are very open to follow-up visits and promised to visit the church once he has recovered. That promise was not even solicited but the result of good neighbors showing an interest and sending their pastor to visit a neighbor in need.

When You Pass Through the Waters . . .

You may have heard of the storms which have been drenching Puerto Rico for the past week. Ponce’s usual annual rainfall of 20 inches has been passed in just four days and more rain is in the forecast. Sunday night the rain began, and it didn’t let up all night or most of the day on Monday. Widespread flooding has left many communities inaccessible. Houses, roads, and lives have been lost throughout the island.

The Lord has protected us, though our road was turned into a river. We joked about a small craft advisory being issued for our street. The only effect we have noticed so far is a small leak in our roof. Since our roof is sealed with urethane, this is a matter of concern. We are told that when urethane starts to fail, it basically turns into a sponge. That is not a comforting thought since our roof is flat and several extensive areas appear to be damaged. Until the rain stops and the roof thoroughly dries, there is nothing we can do but pray. Even when dry weather comes, we are not sure how we will address this problem. Worst case scenario is several thousand dollars of repairs. We will pray for a more economical solution and will appreciate your prayers to that end.

The church did well through the storms. Very little damage occurred outside of the church’s mission apartment. The metal roof leaked rather badly, damaging if not ruining the queen-size bed. We cleaned the room today and more rain arrived this evening. We eventually hope to put a cement roof in this area, but temporary repairs must be undertaken immediately. We are very grateful for the roof over the cafeteria. It kept out almost all of the water. What did get in was cleaned up with a mop in a minute or two. Considering all the damage throughout the island, we are extremely thankful for the protecting hand of God upon us.

The rain has delayed Julia’s treatment (see previous blog entry). The doctor now plans to place artificial veins in her left leg to resolve the circulation problems on Thursday (tomorrow). This is a far better prognosis than the amputation which was planned. I hope to have good news tomorrow, but keep praying for her.

Pressing Health Needs

One of our church members is facing an urgent need. Julia has known the Lord for about 20 years. Until recently, she has been extremely faithful in her attendance. For the past three months she has had a foot ailment. It seems that the circulation in her left foot has been seriously impaired. Today she was admitted to a local hospital where doctors plan is to amputate her foot on Thursday unless something extraordinary occurs. She is in good spirits, but this will certainly be a difficult time for her.

Another recent addition to our church is Danny. He has been battling cancer for the past 6 years. His appetite is almost gone and his hemoglobin keeps dropping. He has received transfusions several times in the last few months. He was admitted to the hospital once again today. Blood is in short supply and most of us have already donated blood recently. Pray that the Lord will encourage Danny and use his situation to reach several family members and friends who are still unsaved.

Earlier this month, one of our teachers left the island to help meet the needs of her mother in Florida. She expected to be gone for about one month. It now appears that her stay will be at least double that time. Bill has been filling in for her since no one else was really prepared to step into the classroom. It has been a challenge to fit this unexpected work load into an already full schedule. Pray for wisdom to order each day so that the important things will be done and that the ministry here will not be hindered by either sickness or exhaustion.

We are confident that the Lord has a specific answer to each of these requests. Our wisdom points out seemingly obvious solutions, but His way is often different and always wise. Our first desire is that lives would be transformed by the Gospel. Our counsel for each person in need is to trust the Lord for His gracious provision, so that is what we are doing as well. Thank you for your prayers.

Summer Projects Coming to a Close

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our school year began on Wednesday, August 13, just two days after the scheduled opening. The minor delay was necessary to allow for the completion of several of our summer construction projects. We praise the Lord for all His help in bringing all the details together.

First of all, He provided the funds to allow us to build the cafeteria and install floor tile in the upstairs classrooms. Second, He gave wisdom to plan and execute the plans. Third, He provided personnel to do the work.

The funds came from several years of saving funds from both the church and school. Even in our absence, the funds were laid aside. This occurred in spite of the fact that Puerto Rico’s economy has been adversely affected by poor fiscal management on the part of our island government and the added pressures of rising prices due to the inflation of oil prices. God’s people here have learned that it is a joy to give to the Lord, and they have done so sacrificially.

Planning began during our furlough as we exchanged ideas and drawings. No one has a corner on the market of good ideas, so we worked with a contractor in our church, our church’s leadership, and the members themselves. Originally the walls were not going to be done in block, but we decided on the more permanent structure to allow for better security and comfort. The work began in early May while we were still in the States; otherwise, we would never have been finished on time.

The Lord had placed a builder in our congregation during our absence. He is a man of integrity who serves the Lord through his talents. He found a helper who was faithful in showing up for work and cooperative in adjusting his schedule to suit the needs of the project. In early July, the Lord sent us a mission team that installed the roof of the cafeteria in record time.

The flooring project gave us a bit more difficulty. We had a little difficulty finding someone to install the tile, but the Lord provided the right man at just the right time. He worked with us to finish the project on time, even working on Saturdays to meet the deadline.

I have included a photo gallery to help you understand the progress God has granted. Church members, students, and parents have all commented at the amazing amount of work done in just a little over two months. Praise the Lord for His goodness!