Friend Ships - Activities Report September 2007

Help us purchase PORT MERCY, you can help contribute by giving to this wonderful home base that sends aid all over the world, bringing hope and restoring dreams...

The above map is of Port Mercy, and is representing the $ 450,000.00 balloon payment needed. A gift of $200.00 will buy 400 square feet of property, filling 1 square on the map.

Families left homeless have no where to go after earthquake in Peru...

Photo: Families left homeless have no where to go.

8.0 Earthquake in Peru

Heavy-duty tarps for shelter and repairs are on the way! In mid-August a massive 8.0 earthquake shook the earth just south of Lima, Peru. With 200,000 people homeless, shelter became a high priority. Friend Ships had material to ship. An international commercial shipping company agreed to transport 40 tons (5 miles of 5 foot wide tarp) to a ministry working to help those most in need. The shipment sailed on the 8^th of September and will arrive on the 1^st of October.

Category 5 Hurricane hits the Caribbean Coast

of Nicaragua and Honduras

On September 4^th, a catastrophic category 5 hurricane made landfall. Thankfully the U.S. was spared, but on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua and Honduras, hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless with their animals and crops destroyed.

Here is an excerpt from a letter we received:

“Our people Miskito Indians, including so many of my relatives died with horrible Hurricane Felix Category 5 hit directly to the Miskito Coast of Nicaragua. Entire villages disappeared including their domestic animals, farms, trees. Dead animals, human dead body everywhere. Almost 90% villages with nothing sleep, nor food, nor clothing. Thousands dead or missing.”

This is what is left of most wooden homes in the affected region.

Pictured is what is left of most wooden homes in the affected region.

We are planning to respond to this devastating disaster by taking a ship to Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua and the Miskito Coast of Honduras with heavy-duty tarp material, food, blankets, hygiene supplies and clothing. The ship will sail as soon as we are able to put together an experienced crew.

StoreHouse One,West Coast

A report from our staff on but one of the many outreaches that takes place each week.

Every Friday a group of ladies from one church pick up food from StoreHouse One and drive to a distribution point. As the ladies start to pull the food from their van, people see them, know them and come running. They line up and the ladies preach the gospel, pray for the people, love on them, and pass out food. They have a notebook that they write down the needs or prayer requests. Then they have a prayer meeting at 5 am every morning and pray for the people they encountered. They pray for their salvation, for their needs and that they would start going to church. One of the ladies shared with us that they were going to make and sell tamales that day in order to raise the rent money for their church. Some suggested that they not deliver food that morning in order to have more time for the church’s need, but the ladies refused to heed that advice, saying “We need to share God’s love with other people.

Sailing for the West Indies

By the time you receive this report, Friend Ship Hope will be on her way to offer 5 days of medical, dental and chiropractic services on the island of Nevis in the West Indies. This month we have performed repairs and maintenance on the ship, and ordered and prepared medicines. With the help of the local community we’ve cooked and frozen hundreds of meals for patients to enjoy. All the last minute preparations are being made.

Tribute to Don Ashcraft

On August 31^st, Don Ashcraft, a former Friend Ships Director went home to be with the Lord. Don and his wife Kayte were instrumental in establishing our work on the island of Roatán and in building the facilities there, that are now bearing an abundance of rich spiritual fruit. We say a temporary goodbye to a faithful servant of the Lord, a good friend to so many and an inspiration to us all. The photo below shows some of the participants at an Encounter meeting for women in Roatán.

Vinyl arrives in Havana and is Ready for Distribution

We received a report that the 20 tons of vinyl that was shipped in July from Port Mercy to Havana, Cuba has been received without trouble. The church is starting to install it on roofs most in need.

Thank you for the invaluable help you give us in so many different ways. It is a tremendous encouragement to the Friend Ships team to be loved and supported as we are. May the Lord continue to meet your needs, as you remember the poor.