Stronger Than Nails

P.S.

2005-07-08T20:35:00.000-06:00

We hope to be able to keep in touch this coming year as we begin our preparations for the next trip. There are a couple of websites that you can use to keep up with our projects.

Torch Missions
Mi Esperanza Website and Blog
IRC
Tim and Gena Hines

Be sure to check out the direct links on the homepage of our blog. Use this blog to share with your friends.

Just as a brief update on what has happened in the last week since we came home. The group that came in behind us built a home for the woman who was living in the church that has the twins. Lana told me that the Mi Esperanza interns went and bought food for her, new mosquito netting and some other things she needed for her family. Then when they took her to her new house in the truck, as they came up to it, Lana said that she just started crying and thanking them.

Lori told me that later in the week that they had so much rain that there was another mudslide that blocked the road into San Miguel. No one could get in there for three days. So, the story continues. Please keep these communities in your prayers.
God Bless

A Review in Pictures

2005-07-07T19:27:00.000-06:00

Our home for the next ten days.

Getting unloaded and organized.

Our always eventful bus rides.

Hauling another load of gravel and sand. Does that make the 50th trip today?

Just how far is this sidewalk going?????

Just like the energizer bunny - this sidewalk is still going.

Gloria making this little girl feel beautiful.

Lots of smiling faces.

Another beautiful home for a family who needed it so desperately.

Remember the twins whose family took refuge in the church?

Gloria and one of the twins.

Remember when Marc got stuck in the river???

Always remember San Miguel!!!

Visiting the children's ward at the hospital. These bears are made by a women's group in Florida. They send several hundred a year for us to give away.

Megan at the hospital.

Gayle and little Maria who is doing much better after her seizures.

Sarai and Phyllis with some of their clinic patients at Los Pinos.

Genette and Maria at the hospital.

We've made new friends that we will have forever.

Remember Sunday church service at the foot of the Jesus statue overlooking the city?

Remember the limb that fell on Craig?

Remember the rains and how it was all we could talk about as we thought about our friends out in the communities and wondered how many of them would lose their homes tonight?

The beauty of this country.

Reminders of our Savior everywhere we go.

What this trip has been all about! God Bless You All!!!!!

Our final thoughts

2005-07-07T07:06:00.000-06:00

We have now been back here in the states for a week. In many ways, it seems like our trip was a lifetime ago - or is it this life that seems so remote to us?? When we participate in this trip we have a choice. Some go just to build houses and play with the kids. To them it is a grueling and physical experience. They come home and tell people how many houses we built and how many people we fed and what an awesome trip it was. All of this is good. Others go to do these same things, but something changes during the course of the weeks' events. They begin to realize that there is a shift within themselves. They begin to see the world around them differently. They begin to feel as though God has a plan for them personally. They begin to see how God is moving their heart and soul to a different level. At first, no one really talks about it. As you begin to experience it personally, you aren't completely sure what is going on. It is in some ways unsettling.

Then someone speaks at a devo. They talk about how God has been working in this group and how we are special and that He has plans just for us. Then we hear about how satan will work at discouraging us. We begin to understand that we have been experiencing these things ourselves. We begin to look at the world differently. When this takes place within us, we are moving to where God wants us to be.

I believe that on this trip this happened to a lot of people in our group. This was an awesome group. I personally was encouraged and lifted up by many of our young people. These kids are strong spiritually. They are our future and I am proud to know them and to consider them my dear friends.

So, thank you to everyone out there who made it possible for all of us to be a part of something so big. It was big and yet God allowed us to see ourselves in the big picture. He gave us the gift of seeing how we are a part of it. We are not something so small and insignificant that we don't matter. We are His children and He knows us by name. How incredible is that!!!!!

Take care and God bless
Your Torchers of 2005

The Rains in Pictures

2005-06-28T09:48:00.000-06:00

The story begins when you share the words. A story is almost complete when you see the pictures. When you stand in the rain and the mud fearing for the security of every step you take, then it is nearing completion. When you know that the conditions you are experiencing will end when you leave the community but that they never end for the people you are working with, you are seeing the big picture. As the story becomes embedded forever in your heart and soul, you will never be the same. It will become a part of who you are the rest of your life.

When I was here yesterday, this house wasn't falling into the river. This is what happened overnight. The rains continue every day.

Stephanie and Lauryn crossing the river. We all agreed that whoever we crossed it with that we shared a bond with them forever. It was an experience.

Megan, Jackie and Sarah getting ready to go behind a house that is built into the hillside and shovel out the dirt that has washed down and up against the house.

This woman was above us as we made our way up the river. She was just standing there watching the water below.

This is just one of the families who are living in the church who lost their homes. They are going through the clothes that we gave them.

It was really intense helping to find the clothes that each family needed.

We met this woman as we were going to work at a site where a house will be built later this week by the next group coming in.

Trish working the line.

Having fun????

Back to work.

Another box!!!

Thanks to all for the donations you send so we can give to those who need it so badly.

Crossing the river is an experience not for the faint of heart.

We watched as a mother with 4 or 5 children came to cross the river.

These kids were precious.

I just wanted to hold them and keep them safe. We helped the mother across with what things she had left from their house and got them up the hill to the church that is being used as a shelter.

Emma Pagliarulo feeding a little boy fried rice that we had bought from the chinese restaurant. They had no way to cook yet. She fed him the entire cup of rice.

What can you say about a dad who can cross the water carrying the pink diaper bag? What a guy!

Finally lifting the support pole that had held the bridge before it was washed out. They will be able to use it to reconstruct the new bridge.

They are working at digging out the old bridge.

It was beginning to get dark about now and it was obvious that it was going to start to rain again.

The water had already begun to rise from the rains falling up in the mountains above.

The skies are black with the coming rains.

It is time to leave for today.

Shoes Anyone??????

2005-06-28T08:53:00.000-06:00

Six months ago in Mandeville, Louisiana, our youth group organized a shoe drive. We put out the word that we were collecting shoes for our trip this summer. We wanted to set up a shoe store as a distribution center for these shoes. We collected over 400 pairs. Each pair of shoes that was donated also included a pair of socks.

These shoes were packed into boxes, driven to Columbus, Mississippi and on to Nashville, Tenn. They were put on a container with the items that the church in Columbus was sending for their trip the end of July.

When we arrived, our shoes were here waiting. On Wednesday, last week, our dreams were realized when we were told it was time for us to do our thing. We were so excited.

We went back to the community that we have worked in where we have built 7 houses on this trip. We have also done two clinics here. Nueva Oriental is located outside the city about 5 miles. It is on a beautiful mountain. The people here have been able to get to know us and we have made many friends as well.

When we first started, we were working outside. As people came, we realized that for organizational purposes and for our safety that we were going to have to move into a house that we had built there earlier. It is amazing how word travels. At one point there must have been over 200 people outside. They know that they have to be in a line and orderly for them to receive their shoes.

We set up stations and would bring in four or five children at a time. They sat in a chair and we would wash their feet and they moved on to the fitting station. They left with more than a new pair of shoes. You should have seen the smiles on their faces. They were grinning from ear to ear.

One of the reasons that this is a passion of ours is that the most common complaints that our clinic sees are due to the effects of parasites. They get them by walking in their bare feet and the parasites enter through the bottom of their feet. It is an almost never ending cycle that causes them great discomfort. By providing them with shoes, socks and medicine, we at least give them a chance at slowing the cycle.

Another way that we have approached the problem is that this year, TORCH decided that we would put wood floors in the houses that we build. This keeps the insects away from where they sleep.

We are always seeking ways that we can help improve the conditions they live in. As we continually work in these communities, we develop strong relationships with the people there. They are good people. It is an honor to know them and consider them our friends.

So, thank you to everyone who made our shoe drive a success. God bless you all.

And the Rain Came

2005-06-25T17:45:00.000-06:00

Thanks today for Genette McGowan from San Diego for writing this post.

The day began with an air of excitement because we knew it would be our final "work" day, and not be an especially emotional day. We were wrong. Luke, the devotion leader this morning, spoke about humility and pride, and encouraged us to be mindful of our purpose as servants of Christ as we sought to serve the people of San Miguel. His text was Luke 9:23, which reads: "Then he said to them: 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me'". Because we were going to San Miguel, a community that had been affected by flash floods, it was important for us to check ourselves and our attitudes as we served its people; some of whom had lost their homes as a result of the steady rains over the past week.

As we stood on the cliff listening to Luke, God in his infinite wisdom, and mercy, allowed a branch to snap, which we all heard, and fall; narrowly missing members of the group, and striking Craig on the upper back. In his effort to move, he fell to the ground. He was fine. The incident served as an excellent demonstration of humility and the challenges we were to face today. Among those of us who truly understood the significance of the moment, as well as the presence of death defeated, there was not a dry eye. The power and magnificence of God was present.

When we got to San Miguel, the river was rapidly flowing along. Five homes had been lost and by the looks of it, more would follow. According to the newspaper, floods have claimed six lives around the city of Tegucigalpa. Unable to get the buses down the hill, we formed a human chain to unload the four-wheel-drive vehicles, which did make it down, and waded through sewage filled muddy water to the church, which we used as a staging center. In addition to food, families received clothes, shoes, and where possible, toiletries and toys. Every package included a bible.

The families who lost their homes were sheltered by the church for an indeterminate length of time. I was adopted by a little twelve year old boy named Marvin, who charmed me with his infectious smile and constant affection. His family, including a sick baby boy, is one of the five families who lost their homes. He worked me for as much as he could, and even though I could not produce a "futbol," he rewarded me by taking my hand and walking me safely across the river, before giving me a heartwarming hug and kiss. Another homeless family included a young mother with newborn twins and a little boy around three years old - Her situation touched all of us who came in contact with her. Gloria pitched in to hold one baby as mom attended to the other...What can I say, they were all special! By mid-afternoon, it started to sprinkle. For safety reasons and a possible flash flood, we worked double time to serve everyone. In all, we may have served 1,000 people or more.

Yes, the day was demanding, but invigorating. It required our very best effort and thank God, he provided us with the strength necessary. Today we truly submitted to God's will that we be humble in his service, and it proved to be some our best work yet. As beautifully as the day began, it ended gloriously!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

the rest of the story

2005-06-24T21:54:00.000-06:00

Michal painting nails with her friend.

Sarah sharing her mardi gras beads.

Jacqueline and Emily playing with the kids at the orphanage.

Trish sharing.

Laura and Michael with their friends who have as many beads as they can carry.

Genette handing out beads. You can see what a hit they were.

Phyllis smiling.

Sarah fixing hair at the blind school.

Katie at the blind school.

Brant and Lana at the blind school.

Brad handing out beads. The children absolutely loved them because they could feel them.

Genette.

Jacqueline and Matt playing.

Brad, David, Steph, Marc and Daniel with a gazillion beads.

Genette and Melvin eating their second cotton candy.

Michael.

Matt thinking about what his day has been about.

Christian sharing his cotton candy.
A big thanks for our guest photographer today - Michael Gilbert from Mandeville, La.

What a Day!!!

2005-06-24T06:43:00.000-06:00

Today was a day that moved us off the mountains, construction sites and out of the clinic. We took a break from the physical labor and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It was a day of rest that everyone was looking forward to. What they didn't know was that God was going to move their hearts in ways and directions they had never moved before.

The day started out at a children's home about an hour outside of the city. This home has a lot of kids that come from very severe circumstances. Several of them were present when their parents were murdered by gang members. Their stories are all really tragic. I can't even write about them here. It is so awesome that someone like Jimmy and his wife would commit their lives to such an intense work. God has used them in incredible ways.

We got to listen to a man named Salvadore who was a major drug addict who has recovered. He uses his experiences in sharing how the seeds that were planted by his mother when he was young where what gave him the strength to make it through once he decided he wanted to change his life. What a powerful testimony. It was one none of us will ever forget.

We went from there to the large catholic church that can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. It is always a great experience to sit and sing our hearts out there. The acoustics are incredible.

We then moved on to the school for the blind. This is one of the favorites of many of us. We played in the courtyard with the children and gave them toys and lots of mardi gras beads. We made cotton candy also and that was a great hit with everyone.

Next we all went into their large classroom and sang with them. When they sing it makes me think of what it will be like to listen to the angels in heaven. It was incredible.

The interesting thing about our day is that many expressed the fact that today was harder than building houses all day or distributing food up and down the mountain. When God puts us in situations where He wants us to see things in a new light or to experience things that will make us grow, it is an awesome thing. It is a great gift He gives us. We know that He doesn't want us to stay in the same place, but to grow stronger. Our hearts were all changed today. We can't know that there are children living in this world who have experienced tragedy beyond anything that we can imagine and not feel that God wants us to be a part of the solution. I guess that what I am saying here is that even when we feel so helpless in a situation like this, there is one thing that we can do. God has given us the power of prayer and even though we are not here to be with them on a daily basis, we can know that God is. We can all pray for them.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

pictures are worth a thousand words

2005-06-22T22:16:00.000-06:00

Craig and Genette at the beginning of the project.

Malissa, Lana, Christian, Leo, Nicole and Tara getting ready to canvas the community informing them of the new Mi Esperanza classes getting ready to start.

Megan and her coloring friend. The kids sat and colored for hours.

Michal and Megan playing with the kids outside the clinic.

A couple of our precious patients in the clinic.

Phyllis working in the clinic.

Genette building the floor.

Guess who?????

Daniel nailing in the top beam with a little help from Craig.

Brad decided that it was easier to get right up on top and do it.

This little boy collected all the scraps and sat and played in the dirt with his new truck.

Emily and her new friend.

This little guy sat and watched us build the house all day.

Lana and Christian coming down the hill the easy way. It is so steep and the soil is very sandy. It is treacherous.

As I was leaving the job site that day, I turned around and there was this incredible gift from God. I never see a rainbow that I am not reminded of His promises to us.

This is a picture of the city at night taken from the Jesus statue.

Sitting at the base of the statue during devo looking out over the city.

Looking up at the statue.

Houses, Hospital, Clinic, Concrete Workers, Plumbers, Shoveling Experts, Painters and Pack Horses

2005-06-21T20:49:00.000-06:00

Well, that about covers most of us Monday. We started out with our devo on the rocks this morning and ended up a really great day with our devo at the feet of the Jesus statue. What a day!!!!!

A large part of our group worked in a small community called Villa Oriental today. Gayle Davidson headed up the clinic and Robin, Phyllis and Brenda were her medical assistants along with Kathy and Becky running the pharmacy. They saw almost 100 patients ranging from almost newborn to men and women who were grandparents. The children were precious. Everyone was very content to wait their turns. It is a great community to work in.

They were very pleased that they didn´t come across anyone with anything severe. They mostly dealt with respiratory problems and parasites. They did have one woman who came in with a scorpion bite that they had to lance and treat.

Two other groups built houses. They had their hands full getting the wood to their sites. It wasn´t that far, but it was really a steep grade everything and everyone had to get down. Their biggest challenge on this project was that it was nearing the end where they were beginning to put their roofs on. A torrential rain descended upon them. They were soaked to the bone and they were quickly running out of daylight which is the greatest concern. They did get finished and were back to the mission house just after dark. It is about a 30-40 minute drive out to this village just outside of town.

Another group of 6 went to the hospital and were able to check on the little girl they had met on sunday who was having the seizures. She was able to be up and was getting around by herself. This news brought a great sigh of relief from everyone. We were really glad to hear that she was doing so well. Answered prayer tends to do that to us doesn´t it.

The final part of the group returned to the project in Santa Anna. They were able to lay as much more of the sidewalk as they had on saturday. This is really coming along well and is essential to providing a safe way of getting around the grounds. It is just so wet in this area around the house. One of the reasons we decided to purchase this property is that the well produces 180 gallons a minute. This is a really productive well. It has the capability of supplying all of the water we will probably ever need. This is a huge bonus in this country.

When we all returned to the mission house this evening, it was so awesome to compare notes on what each team accomplished today. We have bonded in a way that has been great to watch. New friendships have formed and it has been good.

The final part of our day we headed out to the Jesus statue for our final hour together for the day. If you have never had the priviledge of being able to participate in this devo, you are in for a really special treat if you ever get to. We drove about 5 kilometers from the mission house. We had to park the buses and walk about 15 minutes out to the wall surrounding the statue. We had to carry 2 ladders with us and we appreciated the guys who did that. Every single one of us had to climb up one side of the 12 foot wall and down the other ladder on the other side. Even Christian was carried over going in by Billy Ferguson and out by Nate Reeves on the way out (sound asleep). We appreciated that too.

Our day ended well. We have seen God work in many ways and have felt Him by our side as we have almost stumbled but not,and many times almost slid down the mountain, but have reached out and found a branch strong enough to stop us or a young child who was willing to help us as we searched out the next step we would take.

God is Good.
God Bless you All.
Good night

pics from the second day

2005-06-20T06:39:00.001-06:00

MORE FUN!!!!!

This is just one of many really beautiful places on our new property.

Brad Grant making one of probably 50 trips that day.

Brant Matherne.

Christian doing his part. He made at least ten trips.

Brant, Michael Gilbert, Mike Greenfield and Brad checking out their work. They really did some physical work on this project.

Katie Clark and Sarah Barbre

Emily, Megan, Katie, Stephanie and Christian.

Daniel and Sarah carrying the wheelbarrow back up to get another load. Katie helping out on the other side.

Stephanie and Daniel maneuvering another load.

Sarah down again. She just kept getting back up and going on.

Genette McGowan, Amber Davidson, Stephanie, Jacqueline and Daniel moving the stove out of the house and shoveling more sand and gravel.

Pics from the first day

2005-06-19T22:39:00.000-06:00

Finally, I think I have learned to post pics on our blog. I apologize for the delay, but hope it was worth it. Enjoy!!!!

Getting ready to experience our first Honduran meal. Can't wait!!!

Entering a village to hand out bags of food that can feed a family for a month. Each bag also contains a bible. We handed out about 40 bags in this small community on the river.

These girls were fascinated with Christian Pagliarulo who is 3 years old. They wanted to know if he could speak English. They were really impressed. Not that he actually spoke to them, but it was cool.

This is Genette McGowan and Dalton Hines getting in position to pass bags of food across the river to four or five families who literally forded the river to reach them.

This little girl was just outside the door to her house. She wasn't sure what to think about us.

This young boy was licking his fingers as he was eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich Christian gave him.

Janet Hines, Megan Arceneaux, Stephanie & Christian Pagliarulo

Happy Father´s Day

2005-06-19T21:36:00.000-06:00

Hi to Everyone,

Today is Sunday, Father’s Day. Happy Father’s Day to all our dad’s out there. Our day today began with a journey up the mountain to a church that is very special to those of us who have been here before. Los Pinos church was built two summers ago by a group from Columbus, Mississippi. We worshipped with a group of 60-70 adults and there had to be a hundred children. It was wonderful to be there and share that time with them. At one point during communion, they were singing a song in Spanish. As we were all listening to it, we recognized the tune and gradually we began singing the same song in English. Even though we don’t share a verbal language it was awesome to experience our worship time this morning that spanned that and extended into a spiritual sharing of our love of our Lord. It was very powerful. I’m glad that we were able to experience that with them. They are a very open and loving body there.

The sermon this morning was from Galatians 5:16-26. Our message encouraged us to live by the Spirit and not by the law. We are able as Christians to follow the grace of the Spirit and the way of righteousness not because we have to but because we choose to – we want to. When we make that choice and are guided by it, the fruit of the spirit will reign in our lives. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will be the fruit of our lives.
After lunch at one of our favorite fast food places in town, Campero’s, we headed out to an orphanage to put on a carnival for the children there

The following is posted by Phyllis Bird - Vista, Ca.

It was a bittersweet experience - wonderful to see them having more fun than they have probably had in a long time, but so sad knowing their past and their future. I became very attached to a 14 year old boy named Eduardo whose parents had been murdered and he has been in the orphanage since he was about six years old. As they played games and put their prizes in their pockets, soon they would disappear to empty them in their rooms and then come back for more.

Marc Roark was the clown, the guy with his head in the stock, his hands in the puppet show and was just totally in his element. We think he missed his calling when he became a lawyer. Needless to say, he was a hit with the kids. The children enjoyed the cotton candy machine, the popcorn and Little Caesar´s pizza. Hopefully, they won´t all have stomach aches tonight.

Many of the kids enjoyed a friendly soccer game and others loved the water balloons and the squirt guns. Face painting was popular and the Mardi Gras beads were a huge hit with everyone - even the adults.

The saddest part of our visit was when a little four year old girl named Maria became ill with vomiting seizures and a temp of 105. Gayle, Robin, David, Gena and Becky went on a harrowing drive to the hospital in the city. They were more than an hour out of town. She had continual seizures the entire drive. They saw the dr. and they are keeping her overnight for observations. She is semi-conscious, critical and in our constant prayers. Please add her to yours as well. We have a group going to the hospital tomorrow and they will be sure to check up on her.

Overall, it was a day of blessings, but extremely emotional with answered prayers for some and new requests made for others.

Goodnight and God Bless

Initiation Day

2005-06-18T20:49:00.000-06:00

Well, we have come through our first work day here in Honduras. It was an incredible one. In April, our partner organization purchased a large piece of property outside of Tegucigalpa in a small town called Santa Ana. Our plans for this property is to renovate the existing home and use it as a medical clinic. We will also build a training center for our Mi Esperanza women´s program. Another Torch group will build an orphanage. We hope to have a church in the near future as well. They are adding a police post that will service the little town. There are also 7 duplexes being built that will house people who will be chosen based upon recommendation and need.

Our group totals 67 this year. As we mentioned yesterday, we come from all over the country. Today was a great opportunity to get to know people we had not met. Friendships were formed and laughter was heard constantly. There has been a lot of rain here lately and the mud is still a major issue in the physical labor. We began by cleaning out the house and spent the day there painting and planning. It is so awesome to imagine what it will be like to have our own clinic. I can almost hear the sounds of everything going on. Deciding how to place the exam rooms, how many to have and being able to see the reception area filled with people was great fun. Then it came time to plan the storage areas. Lastly, it was so exciting to see the area designated as the pharmacy.

I want to tell you that it is an incredible thing to witness someone realizing their dreams. That is how it was today walking through the clinic with Gayle Davidson. She couldn´t quit smiling. It seemed as though the energy radiated through her and filled the room. I feel blessed to have her as my friend and to be able to watch her see this project through til the day it opens with their first patients.

Another group had a huge project of laying concrete sidewalks. By the end of the day, in spite of the tons of mud, the additional rain from the storms passing over and much slipping and sliding and alot of laughing and giggling as one person would fall and another would struggle to get them back on their feet. All the while, they were pushing wheelbarrows full of gravel and sand down the hill and over a piece of wood to get to the drier side. These kids were awesome. No one escaped the pleasure of the mud.

I have some great pictures and will get them posted tomorrow. You will enjoy them.

Another group of ten worked on a stone drainage ditch. They carried stones several hundred yards and placed them in a natural ditch to facilitate better drainage. This was a big job. Thanks to the guys who took this on.

It was an incredibly physical day. As the group was leaving for the day, it was with a good sense of accomplishment. This group really bonded today. I´m excited because I think I know everyone´s name. I´m looking forward to tomorrow and whatever it may bring.

God is good. All the time.

God Bless

"Jesus Paid It All"

2005-06-17T20:53:00.000-06:00

"Jesus Paid it All," is the title of an old spiritual streaming through my mind as we drove through the streets of Honduras to deliver food to families living in what we would describe as "desperate" conditions. The thought came to me that God provides all we need, all they have, and all they receive...The people are very humble, not filled with false pride, but proud in the face of immense poverty. They welcomed us warmly and accepted our offerings with expressions of thankfulness, which in turn blessed and honored us. There is no feeling greater than knowing you are participating in God's work; knowing that at that moment, he is fulfilling his purpose in you...you want nothing more than to continue. The thought of resting or doing anything else does not exist. It is a state of pure joy! Yes, Jesus did pay it all, so that we can experience his joy always.

Today was an opportunity to meet fellow Christians who traveled from Florida, Louisiana, No. Carolina, California, Texas, Colorado, and Arkansas among other places. It was a day of great joy, laughter, and a period of devotion where we shared examples of "where we saw jesus" today...He was everywhere! In the eyes of the Honduran people we served, in the faces of the volunteers who worked diligently to build homes, and deliver food. If our aim is to "reflect Jesus," as Tim said in devotion, today was a success.

Our base, "the campus," sits atop a mountain overlooking the city. The views are spectacular. It is a great place to sit, meditate, and commune with God and one another. The young people, many of whom return each year, are very energetic and eager to do whatever is required of them. They really are an inspiration in their childlike wonder and enthusiasm, they are examples of what we should all aspire to be like.

This is the beginning of our first flight out of New Orleans. Bright and early.

Getting Ready to GO!!!!!!!

2005-06-15T12:49:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know how we will be communicating with you this year. This is a blog. We will make entries everyday and post them. You will be responsible for logging on to this website everyday to see what is new. As long as we have internet access we will have something new everyday.

There is a section where you can make comments. You can send a message to your team member there and we will get it to them.

This is new for all of us. We feel it is a more efficient way of communicating with you from there.

Please keep us all in your prayers as we begin our travel on Friday. We will be spending the next two weeks on a very exciting journey.

Pray for our safety, for our hearts and for our walk with God to change forever. Please pray that we will grow stronger as His children and as servants in His kingdom.

God Bless
Your Torchers