Friend Ships

Annual Activities Report: 2002

A Letter from our Directors

Greetings to you, our friends and support team.  This edition of our Activities Report is an opportunity to look back at the wonderful work that’s been accomplished and look forward to our hopes and dreams. 

As we reflect on what an awesome God we serve and look back at the road we have traveled these past 17 years, we can’t help but feel great excitement in the knowledge that Friend Ships is being readied for great things ahead.  Many of the long range plans and visions that have occupied our thoughts and dreams since 1985 are beginning to materialize.    God has blessed us with three great ships, together for the first time in Galveston. They are each being readied for their next strategic mission of mercy. 

We feel by the Spirit that it is a very special time on earth, time for all of the Lord’s soldiers to report to their posts!   Thank you friends for listening to what the Lord has put on your hearts.  Thank you for helping to enable us and others to complete the tasks before us.  It is our honor to work together as a team with you and with our wonderful staff in Roatán, Galveston and Los Angeles.  What a grand year lies ahead! 

 Much love from Don, Sondra and Ray

 2003 promises to be a full and exciting year.  “Spirit of Grace” is in the final stages of being prepared for her very important upcoming mission to Israel. What a wonderful time to be able to aid this nation that is torn apart from the inside, distressed economically and facing the ever present threat of attack from without.  We are considering a request to sail “Spirit” on a mission to deliver 7 million pounds of food to Haiti.  “Hope” will continue to be readied for immediate storm response during the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season.  Storehouse One will distribute food to families in the Los Angeles area as the crew there gathers and handles supplies for international shipments.  It is quite likely we will make a move from the Port of Galveston, Texas to our own permanent home base in Lake Charles, Louisiana.  We plan to begin fabricating tents, tarps and other emergency gear in both Roatán and Lake Charles and to open the Arts & Crafts Souvenir Production School and Daycare at the Village in Roatán. 

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A look back at 2002-

"Angel of Hope"

What an answer to prayer we received this year when “ANGEL OF HOPE” came flying into our hearts!  Through the tremendous generosity of some incredible friends, “Angel of Hope”, a 4 person R44 helicopter together with pilot and a full maintenance package has been provided to accompany our ships on missions, in particular when we sail in response to disasters.  This incredible gift will be used for search and rescue, damage assessment, emergency evacuation, transportation of medical and relief staff and many other critical applications. What an exciting new tool! 

In May of 2002, we obtained the amazing vessel, “Hope”.

Here is our vision for this newest ship-

Every year natural disasters destroy entire communities, leaving thousands of people homeless, their crops, livestock and possessions destroyed. Many are injured, separated from loved ones, lost and confused with no help and no hope.  They need medical care, food, shelter and supplies to help them make it through this devastating time.

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Friend Ship “HOPE” will deliver materials to construct a temporary tent city. The team will establish it and create:

·          Mobile medical units to meet health needs of thousands of disaster victims.

·          Mobile feeding centers to prepare and serve tens of thousands of meals.

·          Distribution of tents, tarps, and raingear.

·         A means to supply flashlights, generators, blankets, clothing, hygiene supplies and other emergency disaster materials.

·         Communications to help locate loved ones network with aid agencies and coordinate with media.

“Hope” will deliver:

·         “ANGEL OF HOPE”, the ship’s R-44 helicopter to transport medical and relief staff to the affected regions, even when roads and bridges are washed out, to perform search and rescue operations, damage assessment and many other emergency services.

·         The ship will function as a home base for medical personnel on site.  With its clean, comfortable, temperature controlled quarters, "HOPE" will serve as a place of refreshing for medical and relief workers as they rest and recharge for another day of intense service on the field.

IN 2002, “HOPE” ran two missions to Honduras, delivering support for “The Village” and food to feed famine victims in the Southern region of the mainland of Honduras.

"THE VILLAGE" AT Roatán

In 1997, Friend Ships launched "The Village".  We were blessed with 30 acres of raw land.  Our men took up machetes and the work began.  These are our accomplishments in Roatán to date.  We have:  

• Cleared the land, cleaned and established the beach, installed a temporary bulkhead, established roads and building pads for warehousing and housing.

·          Set up a generating power plant on the property that now serves as back up for the city electrical system that has recently been installed. 

·         Dug two wells, set up four tanks and a water catch system so that we now have storage for 15000 gallons of rainwater, 10000 gallons of well water and in addition, grey water for the garden. 

·          Installed a septic sanitation system and leech field. 

·          Constructed a 6000 square foot building with housing for 30 people, a stage and auditorium to seat several hundred people. 

·          Constructed two buildings for staff housing for 9 families and an office. 

·          Built an 800 square foot plant nursery, a 4000 square foot garden greenhouse and constructed five temporary warehouses. 

·          Planted hundreds of trees around the property including mango, orange, lemon, grapefruit and avocado. Have grown and are harvesting bananas, plantains and guavas. Have grown many varieties of flowers and vines in the nursery and the garden. Also, started growing decorative gourds to utilize in the art school.

·          Grown cucumbers, cilantro, parsley, okra, tomatoes and basil in the garden and established the plantation which yields tomatoes, yucca, corn, papaya, peppers, cilantro, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelon and okra. 

·          Conducted research and planning for the Village Art School. 

·          Mapped and marked the sea channel for the safe passage of ships and fishing boats.  

·          Applied and became a Honduran non-profit corporation with a dispensa for importing goods tax free and an extraordinary agreement of cooperation with the federal government.

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Within the community, Friend Ships staff have: 

·         Delivered $12 million worth of food, medical supplies, emergency materials and clothing to Honduras in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch making deliveries to the areas not being reached including La Mosquitia and the island of Guanaja.  

·          Provided millions of dollars worth of medical equipment and supplies to hospitals and clinics throughout the Bay Islands and the mainland of Honduras and several tons of top quality vinyl for flood relief on the mainland, building projects here at “The Village” and for future disaster relief missions.  

·          Supplied the Roatán Hospital with a large water tank, many beds, tons of supplies, building materials and several pieces of sophisticated medical equipment. 

****A grand total of $18 million worth of humanitarian goods has been delivered to Honduras and utilized for the poor.    

·          Hosted several dental teams who perform extractions and fillings free of charge to hundreds of people and hosted two eye clinics where eyes are tested and glasses distributed free of charge to people who could not otherwise afford glasses. 

·          Donated building supplies and equipment to the fire departments on all three islands, the Roatán Red Cross, mayors office and jails. 

·          Distributed tons of educational literature, new children’s tennis shoes and other supplies to churches for distribution.  

·          Hosted a first responder emergency medical course for Red Cross volunteers, taught two 8 week sessions of computer training on each end of the island and placed computers in schools, the hospital, municipal, customs, the judges office and other key places. 

·          Donated two cars, lights, sirens and computers to the police department so they could do their job better and donated a car and computers to immigration. 

·          Collected and delivered thousands of pounds of food to people in the mainland that live in an area severely affected by famine.  

·          Constructed room additions, repaired roofs and did home improvements for widows, single parent families and churches. 

·          Helped fight fires with our team and fire truck, donated the use of two ambulances to the community, graded community roads, set power poles, and assisted the local power company with critical repairs and maintenance. 

·          Ministered regularly to the schools, hospitals and jails. 

These are some of the programs “The Village” is being created to sponsor: 

Art and Crafts

Single mothers and others will be introduced to the basics of gift production for marketing to the islands many tourists.  Original hand made crafts will be designed, created and offered for sale.  “The Village” will house a unique production and shopping center where tourists will visit to see arts and crafts being created and to purchase gifts.  Proceeds will be used to support student’s families, fund operating expenses and the purchase of materials for the continuation of the programs.  In addition to art production, students will be taught business skills and Biblical principals for life and workmanship.  The program will grow to include additional trade classes and training seminars.   

Missions School

Young men and women will enroll in training programs designed to provide Christian education, language skills, first aid training, mission theory, fitness and nutritional training.  In addition, students will work part time in a variety of departments to learn practical skills, carry on the operation of the programs and experience foreign and domestic outreach first hand while gaining valuable work ethics and character development. 

Disaster Relief

In coordination with Friend Ships USA. Friend Ship “Hope” will base part time at “The Village” and respond to the needs created by natural disasters. In addition, “Hope” will carry mission students to the Honduran mainland, the other Bay Islands of Guanaja and Utila, Guatemala, Belize and Nicaragua for various humanitarian outreaches. 

Agricultural Programs

Food Production including fruits, vegetables and fish farming are being established at “The Village” to support staff and students, supply mercy vessels and train missions students in food production. 

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Youth Outreach

Programs to the community will include daycare facilities for mothers in training.  Children will receive nutritious meals, supervised recreation and Christian education.  Sporting outreach programs for teens and young adults will be established.  

Emergency Medical Services

Fire fighting and ambulance service based at "Thee Village", will be provided free of charge to the community.

Banquet Seminars

Meals and ministry will be offered to the island's low and no income adults, offering ministry about our value to God, our purpose, call, potential and responsibility to the Lord, our families, our communities and our nation.

Support Programs

Many facets of life at “The Village” serve to support the outreach programs including food service, domestic care, construction, grounds keeping, administration, transportation, maintenance and warehousing. 

“The village” will grow to become a thriving outreach community where thousands of students receive training that will help them to achieve their potential in the Lord through blessing and caring for the needs of others. 

Tent and Tarp Production

We have been blessed to be the recipients of a huge amount of high quality vinyl material.  This year we learned to weld, sew and glue this wonderful product into all kinds of great items needed to help people, including tents, tarps, rain gear and more.  In addition, we are able to make hardy covers to protect our equipment and are able to fabricate fabulous temporary warehouses and shelters.  This year, we hope to start large scale vinyl production of emergency response gear for distribution and use on the field.

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Friend Ships Unlimited

P.O. Box 1056  Galveston, TX  77553  U.S.A.   Tel: 409 762-6060 Fax: 409 762-5665

E-Mail: frndships@aol.com Website: www.friendships.org

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