June - July
1999
Dear Brethren,
I thank God for putting
Philippians 4:13 in the Bible. It
is the Lord Jesus Christ that is
keeping me going. I am trying to
build a church building at
Piedras Amarillas and I now
understand why so many Pastors
said their blood pressure went
through the roof when they built
their churches. Trying to build a
church in a third world country
is a unique experience. So far we
have the sewer system and the
bathroom build. We are starting
the church building now. It will
cost us around $5000.00 dollars
for labor and supplies. We are
adding an "upper room"
so we can stay in the mountains
some of the time instead of
making the hour drive back and
forth.
We have had a lot of health
problems lately and need your
prayers. My wife has been sick
for about six weeks. She has had
food poisoning, amebic dysentery
and a reoccurring throat problem.
I praise the Lord she seems to be
doing good now. I had to stay in
the hospital one night because I
thought I was having a heart
attack but after tests the doctor
said it was not a heart attack
but an anxiety attack brought on
by stress. I also had a very high
blood pressure but I am on
medication for it and it is
coming down. The doctor said my
body was wore out and he had me
stay home and rest for a couple
of days and suggested a vacation
away from La Ceiba when it is
possible but I am not sure when
that will be.
I preached at Brother Jose
Barrona's church one Sunday night
and two young women got saved.
Their names are Cecilia Martinez,
age 18 and Maritza Delgado, age
19. I am preaching Sunday nights
at an English-speaking church in
La Ceiba until they can get a
preacher or until I get my church
built. I plan on having night
services in Amarillas when it is
built. Please pray they can get a
pastor soon. I am also preaching
on Saturday nights at village
close to La Ceiba. They want to
start a church there but I do not
know for such that is what God
wants me to do. They are also
begging me to come back to the
prison but so far I just have not
had the time. Pray the Lord will
give me the strength to get every
thing done.
The people
in our church in Amarillas are
still growing and some have
started witnessing and handing
out tracts. This is quite an
accomplishment here because they
are timid and shy around people.
Moncha and Olga's teenage
daughter Carla, got saved and we
praise the Lord their whole
family is saved now. Moncha is
still growing in the Lord and
going strong. We are planning
their wedding and also the
wedding of Daniel and Letensia
Garcia. In the last letter we
told you about Daniel getting
saved. He has been witnessing to
his former drinking buddy Arturo,
who is also Catholic. I am going
to go visit him and Daniel is
trying to get him to come to
church so pray for him and his
family.
The Catholics have become
concerned about me. The priest
used to come once a month then he
started showing up everyday and
asking questions about me. Now
they have build a church one mile
down the road on one side of my
church and two miles down the
road on the other side. We have a
lady in our church named
Elizabeth and her husband Daniel
is Catholic. He is giving her a
hard time about coming to church.
He build one of the catholic
churches and I have talked to him
about building ours. He came to
church once so please pray the
Lord will deal with him so he can
get saved.
Sometimes out on the field we get to feeling all alone and the strain of the work can get to us but it is very comforting to know we have people back home praying for us and supporting us and knowing that you are there and that you love us really does help keep us going.
Your workers
in Honduras,
Santos and Sandra Ortiz