Patterson Post

Much has happened in our home even since our last post. When we returned home from Cancaluncos Mark and the boys had the idea of building a pulpit for the church in Cancaluncos. If you recall from the pictures that we posted, their pulpit is made of cinder blocks. We still have a lot of wood left over from the crates we built to ship our things to Honduras. Mark and the boys cut the 2×4’s down to 2×2’s to make the frame, then covered it in plywood, and stained it. Our family will be returning to the village next Wednesday to deliver it to the church and meet with Pastor Oscar again.

On Wednesday Levi became our first son to receive a cast. He and one of his brothers were playing on the top bunk and he fell off and fractured his wrist. We are thankful to the Lord that more damage didn’t occur to his body. Please pray that his wrist will heal well and quickly.

Yesterday we had the privilege of having another missionary family in our home for dinner. Paul and Beth have been missionaries in Honduras for 45 years. It was a thrill for us to get to know them better and see how the Lord has used them over the years. Paul has literally been all over Honduras ministering in very remote villages. He is still very active in village missions and is currently working in three towns. Mark has the opportunity to go with Paul to one of the villages this Monday to help mark the foundation points for a new church they are building. If the Lord permits Mark will also have the opportunity in the coming weeks to go with him to weld trusses for a church roof in another village. Please pray for our family as we have these opportunities to minister to people in these villages. Please also pray that we will be able to learn much from these faithful servants of Christ.

Tomorrow we will have our final conference of the year at MEDA. We have over 100 people signed up to attend. Please pray for Carlos Montoya as he teaches, also pray that those who attend will be biblically instructed and encouraged. We look forward to seeing Pastor Nabeli and Oswaldo again from Las Lagunas. Oswaldo called Mark the other day and stated that they will be attending. It’s always a joy to see these brothers and spend time with them.

Thanks again for praying for our family and for your support. It is because of your faithfulness that we are able to minister here and be involved in different ways.

Canculuncos

“The heart of a man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9…so went our summer!  In July, the influenza (the swine variety) made a visit to the Patterson household.  Although most recovered quickly, Christy experienced complications.  After seeking treatment here, we felt it would be best to return to the States for further care, where she was diagnosed with asthma, post viral syndrome, and a high iron count.  We are happy to report she is doing well and almost completely recovered.

During our two-month stay in Florida, we were able to visit with friends and family, as well as take the boys on some outings, such as canoeing, and swimming.  We also had the opportunity to raise money for Emanuel Children’s Day Home by hosting a car wash and bake sale.

Although we enjoyed our time in Florida, by October, we were ready to return home.  Upon our arrival, we were surprised with a welcome party by our church family, complete with delicious Honduran food, hilarious games, and sweet words of encouragement.  What a blessing it was to be back among our precious friends.

We jumped right back into ministry, including several preaching opportunities for Mark.  He is continuing his study in II Peter at our church, and was able to preach at another church one Sunday night as well.  He has also begun a discipleship Bible study with a man, Michael, who recently began attending our church.

Emanuel Children’s Day Home has added a few new faces, and it is always a joy spending time with these precious children.  Christy was honored to serve as a madrina at the 6th grade graduation of one of the girls.  A madrina walks onto stage with the graduate as she receives her diploma.  Sixth grade graduation is a very important occasion in Honduras, as many children are unable to receive a higher education.  Kathy is an orphan who, along with her younger brother, has been passed around to relatives the last few years.  She came to live with her aunt about nine months ago, and has been attending the day home as well as church.  She is a bright, joyful girl and graduated with honors at the top of her class!  Please pray for the Lord to provide a way for Kathy to continue her education.

Shortly after our return, we heard of a village of indigenous Lenca, living about an hour and half away, who are struggling financially.  They are farmers, with corn being their main crop.  They take their corn into the nearest town and sell it all.  Because corn is a staple in most homes,  they then turn around and purchase their own corn at a higher price to feed their families.  As a result, they barely scrape by.  There is a young man, Oscar, who has moved to Canculuncos to serve as their local pastor, but as the village is unable to fully support him, he may have to leave.

This past Monday, we had the opportunity to visit Canculuncos.  We were immediately surrounded by talkative, smiling children who took our hands, and proceeded to take us on a tour, introducing people, pointing out important buildings, various plants and animals, and even showing us where two men were murdered.  As we walked along, they shared Bible verses and songs they have been learning in Sunday School, as well as some of their favorite foods – squirrel soup and roasted iguana!  One of the women brought us a snack, a delicious cooked vegetable somewhat like a sweet pumpkin.  Mark was able to spend a lot of time talking with Pastor Oscar. He does not own any books to help him study the Scriptures, nor does the church have a Sunday School curriculum.

Thank you for your continued support of our family which allows us the privilege of serving the Lord here in Honduras. Please pray for the people of Canculuncos and for the Lord’s direction in how we can minister to them.

Be sure to check out the new photos in our Photo Album.