Alan Redpath, one of my favorite authors, often says that we should be ‘a ready for anything Christian’. Well, I must confess that I never anticipated that the month of April would filled with several unexpected visitors and very eventful. I was preparing myself for catching up on a lot of unfinished work from the previous months when my sister emailed me asking if I would host my 18 year old niece for 3 weeks. Shortly after, I was informed that Leon, our IT missionary, was available to come down over the Easter weekend to service and maintenance our computers. Leon’s wife, Vicky who is an old and dear friend also informed me that she would be coming down with two ladies from her Bible Study group to serve for a week. So, again I found myself in the planning, facilitating, and non-stop mode as each one of these unexpected would overlap with the others. I wasn’t ready for all that took place but grateful for all that the Lord did in spite of me!
Expected the Unexpected:
Leon Berger working on our computers.
Leon Berger has served Lighthouse Christian Radio in the capacity of computer technologies. He has built, serviced and maintained our computers for many years. He is an IT for a very large company and also has a small business of his own. Because his wife works for the airlines, he is able to come down when his schedule is clear and use his expertise with computers to bless us. Well, his schedule was only open for the Easter weekend so he arrived in San Pedro on Saturday afternoon and went straight to work in our studio and continued through until Easter Monday when he flew back home. Elmer Montero, also a student of the computer enjoyed his time with Leon but because he had previous commitments he was not able to be here as much as he would have wanted to. I would walk in the studio and was baffled by what I saw and even more so when Leon would try to explain what he was doing. I’m so grateful for Leon and his love for the Lord and assisting us with his gifts and talents!
Vicky, April, Regina and Jessica with some of the ladies of Amazing Grace
Leon left on Monday and his wife Vicky arrived on Wednesday with two ladies from her Women’s Group to serve the needs we might have. I had made arrangements for them to minister to the children at Marla’s House of Hope in Belmopan. It is a children’s home for sexually abused where they did arts and crafts, story-telling and games with the younger children and had some one-on-one time with the older girls. They also shared with the ladies at Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship in Spanish Lookout at an afternoon fellowship and the Lord blessed their fellowship as an immediate bond with the ladies. It never ceased to amaze me how the love of God blends hearts together who was previously complete strangers. My niece Jessica tagged along with the ladies at both the Children Home and the Ladies Fellowship and I trust the Lord worked in her life through the witness of these ladies. Vicky has been a big support to me both as a lifelong friend and with stand-by flights back and forth to Belize over the years so I was glad that she was finally able to come down and see some of the ministry that I’m involved with first hand. I was truly blessed by these ladies’ sincere love and fellowship with each other and I’m very grateful for their short but impactful time they had in Belize. I also felt as if I’ve gained 2 more sisters in the Lord!
Belize ranks 5th in world’s most dangerous countries:
Belize City, the largest city in the country with the highest crime rate
It seems that Belize continues to hold the distinction of being one of the most murderous nations per capita. April alone has seen 14 murders in 15 days; most of them were in the Belize district. That brings the murder total for 2012 to 30 so far. When compared against 2011 the figure is less disturbing, because, up to mid April 2011 there had been 37 reported murders. It seems as if most of the murders are gang related as two of the prevalent gang leaders were among those killed. And while the overall murder figures are down within this quarter, Belize still holds the distasteful distinction of being a dangerous country. The government has increased police and military presence especially in Belize City and yet they don’t seem to know what to do with the recent surge placing us at the top of the charts. Please pray for the safety of the innocent bystanders and for God to intervene and bring greater good out of this situation!
Court Decision on Homosexual Lawsuit:
Hearings are progressing on the suit filed by homosexual activist group against the Government of Belize. The Judge handed down a judgment regarding the challenge being posed to section 53 of the Criminal Code by striking it out as a claimant because an organization cannot have sexual relationship and therefore its sexual rights cannot be violated. It was a ruling that the Judge made stating, “I believe that since the Constitution of Belize itself in the preamble begins with the affirmation that the nation of Belize shall be founded upon principles which acknowledge the supremacy of God, the nature of this particular legal and constitutional issue is such that it must be determined against the backdrop of and in the context of the teachings of the churches of Belize. To do otherwise would be to ignore the fact that all laws are based on a moral foundation and to deny that this particular legal claim affects public morality and public order in Belize.” What a blessing to know that the Nation of Belize’s Constitution acknowledges the supremacy of God!
Lighthouse News:
Clive, Elmer and John in the studio before John left.
Well, we have survived the last 2 weeks with just Elmer and I as John returned home to Texas after his season of service with us at Lighthouse. It has been a very stretching time as so many small details of running the radio station along with the daily tasks of the ministry never stops. We really miss John as his help to us was so vital and noticed greatly since he left. My niece occupied my apartment for the 3 weeks she was here and we had a constant flow of folks staying in the Guest Apartment so I have been juggled around sleeping in the Staff Apartment with portions of my life in the studio, office, staff apartment and my apartment. I had to stop and laugh sometimes and wondered what it would be like if a camera was to follow me around for those hectic weeks.
Easter on the island was as usual; crowded, noisy and nonstop. This is the holiday when a lot of visitors to the island are from the mainland of Belize and other Central American countries. I often think about this missed opportunity for ministry as so many are out celebrating for the sake of celebrating and not grasping the amazing fact of the Resurrected Christ and results of that to us individually and eternally. We did a “Reflection on the Cross” on Lighthouse Christian Radio and broadcast it live via speakers on the balcony of the building. A neighbor commented that he lay in his hammock and ‘had church came to him’ as he listened to the broadcast. What am encouragement this really goes a very long way!
San Mateo kids picking up donated bread from Lighthouse for the last time.
After several years of distributing donated bread to those in need especially children of San Mateo, I had the hard and heartbreaking decision to make to stop the Bread Ministry. It was necessary as we had no one to assist me with it. The Baker has blessed us over the years and since they changed ownership, it continued but it became evident that we had to stop it at least for now. It really needed someone to oversee it and with John recently leaving, it was too much to do. It was such a hard thing to stop especially when I had to tell them and saw the reactions on their faces; heart wrenching when you realize that this was perhaps the only guaranteed food some of these families would have each day. However, the Lord made a way and as it turned out, the Baker will still be donating the bread and a family in the San Mateo area will be distributing them to those in need there. This will work out great since the kids will no longer have to make that long walk into town to get it even though it will not be as consistent as before. I’m so grateful that the Lord worked this out and also for The Baker who continues to give in the midst of their difficulties getting reestablished!
Upcoming Events & Schedule:
May 17 – 21 Sound of Hope Ministries visits Lighthouse to visit ministry and future partnership and in Media and broadcasting in Belize.
May 25 – 28 Pastor Neil Ortiz, mission pastor of Calvary Albuquerque visiting Lighthouse at the end of his Latin America tour of missions and missionary.
May 26 – 31 Leon Berger returns with his family to complete maintenance of Radio Station computers, network and other technical task.
Amazing Grace Men's Breakfast.
Needs List:
Media/Missionary, missionary, volunteer; short term, season of service or/ and long term to serve alongside of us with radio station operation, community ministries; a heart to love and serve people, a disciple who wants to disciple others!
Postage/shipping cost for 1,000 fixed-tuned, solar powered Galcom radios = $600.US dollars.
Back-up propane powered generator needing repairs; anyone knowledgeable and can assist with this. No estimated price at this time!
FM transmitter needed as a backup and for possible of future Repeater for Belize City. Estimated price unknown but it is expensive!
Prayer Request/Praise worthy:
Please pray for revival of hearts for the Body of Christ in Belize and a practical application of God’s Word to our lives.
Praising God for protection during the recent outburst of crime and violence.
Please pray for our general needs; financial provision and protection of radio station equipment as our transmitter has been giving some problems lately!
Praising God for Elmer Montero as he faithfully serves at Lighthouse!
Please pray that I would only do His will; nothing more, nothing less and nothing else. Also the ability to say, ‘No’ to the things that I’m not to get involved with.
Thank you for your consistent prayers, encouragement, support and fellowship in the Gospel!
In His love and grace,
Clive Welsh
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Clive Welsh or Lighthouse Caribbean Christian Radio Ministry!
Updated Website:
http://www.lighthouseradio.org/
Blog: www.sgwm.com/welsh
Contact Information in Belize:
PO Box 653
Belmopan, Belize
Central America
Phone: 011-501-605-6123
clivish@aol.com
Lighthouse Christian Radio FM 101.3
PO Box 166
San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye
Belize, Central America
Phone: 011-501-226-4673
Email: Lighthousefm101.3@gmail.com
Contact Information in US:
Tax deductible donation-
Saving Grace World Mission
17451 Bastanchury Rd. #203
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
714) 993-4801
In Memo: Welsh or Belize General
Online donation: www.sgwm.com/welsh