Clive by the Belize River
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended but ONE thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Phil. 3:13
I refer back to this verse often when I find myself looking back at my pass failures, pain and regrets or when others or situations reminds me of my past. It is also the verse that I reflect upon at the start of each year focusing on ‘one thing’; forgetting and reaching. The past is gone; good and bad, victories and failures and now the thrill of seeing what God have in store for us as we press ahead!
I apologize for the lateness of this Update but as you read it, you’ll understand better the busy season of life at the start of the year. Thank you for taking the time to read these summarized and exciting things the Lord is doing to glorify Himself in Belize!
New Year’s Eve Celebration in Central Park
San Pedro Town:
The year started out with the countdown in San Pedro Central Park as throngs of residents and tourist brought in the New Year with fireworks over the Caribbean Sea. Surprisingly there was more tourist than residents as this was the very peak of the tourist season. As I was on the roof of the radio station building at the strike of midnight with the fireworks filling the night sky and watching the thousands of people as they brought in the New Year, the words of Jesus came to mind, “The fields are ripe for harvest, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.” I amen that prayer as the fields are so ripe here in San Pedro Town and this laborer is grateful to be here in the field but in such great need for fellow likeminded laborers. Will you please pray for me and what the Lord has in mind for us this year!
Time with the Mayor:
Clive with Mayor Danny at dinner meeting.
I was invited to a dinner hosted by the San Pedro Alcohol Drug Abuse Institute (SPADAI), a new organization formed by the Town Council to deal with the horrific alcohol and drug problem on the island. The Mayor of San Pedro Town was there along with several other Councilors of the Town Council. A member from the Rock Church in San Diego, California who works with the US Navy Rehabilitation was here with a mission team was also at that meeting sharing her expertise with those there. I was fortunate to be seated next to the Mayor and was able to share with him about the ministry of Lighthouse Christian Radio. I also got to know a lot him and hearing his heart for the island and the various challenges he’s faced with and changes he’d like to make. I shared portions of my testimony with him and how I ended up in San Pedro and with the radio station. He has since invited me to various functions to open in prayer and I look forward to many more opportunities to share with him as well as visiting him in his office to pray for him. Please pray for Mayor Danny for wisdom and direction as he leads the Town Council to effectively govern the affairs of San Pedro Town!
As we are approaching our eighth year of ministry in broadcasting in San Pedro Town and have developed relationships over the years and our consistency in serving the community has become evident to all. We thank the Lord for using us as a ‘light in the darkness’ and our desire is to continue to be a beacon of hope and light!
Clive interviewing Miss San Pedro Naily Puc on ‘Who’s Who in San Pedro.”
Light in the Darkness:A friend visiting me recently commented about the necessity of Christian Radio in San Pedro Town as a light as he observed the ‘darkness’ in such a beautiful place. He was referring to the blatant acceptance and display of immorality, drunkenness, and drugs. Ambergris Caye is such a beautiful place that is visited by thousands each year as a tourist destination and with that comes the mindset of some tourist to vacate from their morals and really let go when they are here; and those who call this their home has grown to accept it as normal and even cater to it. The things that I’ve observed over the years makes wonder what Lot went through when the scripture says, ‘who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the ungodly.’ I’m reminded daily that ‘where sin abounds, grace much more’ and that gives me great hope and reminds me why I am here. With that being said, I have been really excited by the influence the Light is making in the lives of the residents through the airwaves. We continue to get reports of people tuning in and getting touched by what is being shared through Lighthouse Christian Radio. As mentioned before, we are getting to know many in the community through a weekend program called, “Who’s Who in San Pedro.” I interview residents weekly who are involved in one way or another in the community and getting to know them personally and what they are doing in San Pedro Town. I’ve had the honor of interviewing the Officer in Charge of the Fire Department, several Council members, Educators, business owners, and community leaders. Not only does this program allows me to get to know people in the community but it allows them to get to know about us and for some, it’s the first time they’ve come to our studio.
Mr. Angel Nunez sharing with Clive about San Pedro Town “Years Ago”
We’ve also started a program called, “Years Ago in San Pedro” which is a discussion with Mr. Angel Nunez, an educator and historian who has written a book about the early days of San Pedro Town. This has become a favorite time for me when interview Mr. Nunez on the various customs, people, and beginning days of the island. Angel was the founder of the High School and principal for many years before retiring and a well-respected leader in the community. It’s really a highlight of my week to spend that time interviewing him and learning more about the community that has become my home over the past years!
Brethren in Unity:
Clive Welsh with several of the Pastors involved in the Evangelical Alliance of San Pedro.
At the last meeting of the Evangelical Alliance of San Pedro, the five pastors and I talked about the great success of the Bible Parade and the outreach that followed in Central Park and realized the impact it made on the residence of San Pedro Town. This is truly a first for the pastors to lock arms and joined hearts in San Pedro and I’m blessed to be a part of this group of brothers even though the language barrier makes our meeting longer and challenging with the use of a translator. We are currently working on our statement of faith and keeping the main thing the main thing which is Jesus being the Head of the Church and preaching Christ and Him crucified and seeking to win many on the island for Christ. It is truly a beautiful thing to see the friendship and fellowship building among these brothers and watching God’s love and Spirit at work unifying us. Since Lighthouse Christian Radio has been the nucleus for the pastors, we felt it necessary to involving them in the programing by having each pastor providing 3 minutes daily devotions in the Spanish language and it is aired several times each day. We’re rotating each pastor’s devotions monthly and it’s been a blessing both for the pastor and the listeners to be exposed to other pastors on the island!
Lives touching lives:
I returned from my annual medical checkup trip to receive a 2 weeks’ notice from Yensi, our new staff of 3 months. It was quite unexpected but
Yensi shortly after coming on board the Lighthouse!
understandable as he expressed his heart of being uncomfortable working at a Christian Radio station and him not being a Christian. I knew he wasn’t a believer when I asked him to come onboard knowing that from our very first conversation. When I Yensi, he was very open with me about his life and the issues that took place in his life that has caused him to struggle with his faith. He grew up in a Christian environment with a mother who is a believer. I asked him if he would be willing to discuss more of his issues and he was very willing and my heart really went out to him as he was hurting deeply. The job he had at the time was not working out with his enrollment in Jr. College and that is when I offered to help him by having him come on board knowing his spiritual condition. He caught on quite quickly and helped out Elmer in the day to day operations while attending College in the evenings. When he told me he was leaving because of the ‘pressure’ he was experiencing, I knew that it was the conviction of the Holy Spirit on his life through the daily hearing of the Word being taught on the radio as well as the music and the influence of God’s love that confronted him daily. My heart broke when he told me he was leaving and yet I knew it was the right thing. I had several very good conversations with him in his last 2 weeks here and continue to maintain a really good relationship with him as I share the reality of Christ in words and deeds. Please pray for him that God would continue to draw him with His irresistible love and tender mercies so He can do all that is in His heart for this young man!
Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship:
Pastor Rudy sharing his heart and vision for Amazing Grace Christian Fellowship at recent Elders meeting.
Amazing Grace continues to grow especially from within as Pastor Rudy and wife Rachel was blessed with a healthy baby girl a few weeks ago. The Lord continues to bless the fellowship and we’re talking about the need to enlarge the sanctuary in order to accommodate the needs. At the start of the year Rudy shared that an open door is presenting itself at a Mennonite Community named Shipyard, in the Orange Walk District of Belize which is in the north portions of the country. This group is called Old Colony and very traditional who also originated from Holland/Germany and migrated to Russia where a split in the church occurred. They settled in the north of Belize while other groups settled in Spanish Lookout. Ever since I met Rudy and he shared with me his deep desire to reach out to the various Mennonite communities in Belize, there are over 7 communities and each one has its differing views of Scripture and traditions. I recall Rudy taking me and a visiting team from Germany to the Shipyard Community in 2004 and he expressed a desire to one day see a work of God established there. Well, over the past months Rudy and several brothers from Amazing Grace have traveled to Shipyard and began developing relationships with key people that the Lord has brought into their path and Rudy’s burden for this community continues to increase. The people are hungry for reality of Jesus and are tired and bound by religion, something that Rudy can relate well with from the years of struggle that he went through. He recently shared his desire to show the “Jesus Film” in the Low German dialect in the near future and see what the Lord will do. Please pray for step by step guidance and wisdom in reaching out to this community with the love and grace of God!
Upcoming Schedule & Events:
March 2 – 5: National Religious Broadcasters Convention
Nashville, Tennessee
March 8 & 9: Eric Donis representing Belize in triathlon at the Central American Games in San Jose, Costa Rica.
March 9 – 15: Dr. Chuck Pollak, Sharing Ministry International will be visiting the ministries involved in the Belize Christian Media Fellowship.
March 22 & 23: YC Belize, outreach for the youth of Belize; Dennis Requena will be sharing music, Belize City.
Eric Donis, San Pedro’s first triathlete, sharing his story with Lighthouse listeners.
Prayer & Praise:
– My health: healing of eyes; beginning stages of glaucoma!
– Physical strength, adequate rest, and times to relax!
– The ability to say ‘No’ and not respond in haste before praying!
– Thankful for the visible fruits in the lives of several I’m mentoring.
– Thankful for Elmer as he continues to serve at radio station operation.
– Thankful for the many open doors to reflect God’s love in San Pedro Town.
– Volunteers, workers, missionaries to come alongside of us in ministry.
– Salvation of Yensi, Denis, Giovanni, Israel, Irvin, Rigi, Jonathon, Jose.
– Eric as he travels to Costa Rico for competition, his first major meet.
Appreciate your love, prayers, encouragement and continual support over the years and words cannot begin to express the gratitude in my heart for all of you!
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:
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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
Pastor Marvin recording devotional thoughts for our Spanish listeners!