Friend Ships
Latest Update (June 1999)

FRIEND SHIPS VILLAGE, Roatán, Honduras

The Friend Ships Eye Clinic was initiated this week at our new facilities with Honduras Outreach Ministries in Coxen Hole. Waiting patients enjoyed Bible videos, "God's Story" and "Jesus", as they waited to be fitted with glasses. The first week's clinics saw hundreds of people and distributed 450 pairs of glasses. This week, the clinics continue in key locations throughout the island. Next weekend, our eye clinic will be part of an outreach of "Alternative  Missions", who is working in the area of Helene.

Friend Ships Computer Training School honored 26 graduates from the school's first sessions and saw the placement of 50 computers in several public service facilities such as the hospital, the offices of the Judge, Prosecutor, Department of the Environment, The Computer Training Center, City Hall, Customs, and Immigration. Plans are now being made for the training of teachers and  pastors in the next phase of the computer training and placement programs.

Work continues on the building site, with many new posts set into the ground as our building engineer arrived for a two week stay. We wish you all could see the wonderful two level building, overlooking the beach and harbor, that is progressing beautifully and will soon be ready to house crew and guests. There have also been many repairs, made with the help of the ship's crew, on various pieces of equipment.

The Friend Ships Base Camp hospitality team keep very busy hosting our guests and crew while tending green houses, chickens and ducks. It is exciting to begin to yield fruits, vegetables and eggs from our own facilities!

HEADQUARTERS, Los Angeles, California

The office has been busy responding to requests for crew applications from people who have viewed our new web site. The warehouse is sorting and packaging supplies for international distribution. With the help of visiting youth groups, we were able to sort through pallets of clothing, re-box and palletize items, and organize and clean our supply shelves. Visiting teams also cleaned, sanded and painted many of our patio chairs at the Friend Ships Cafe where our crew members dine. The public relations team has attended two missions conferences, meeting with church leaders and team coordinators to let them know of the opportunities for service with Friend Ships.

STOREHOUSE ONE has been active, gathering 172,000 pounds of food over the past two weeks, including 40,000 pounds (30 pallets) of fish that were distributed throughout the week. A delicious load of watermelons arrived just at the right time for a BBQ on the beach with our visiting youth teams!

SPIRIT OF GRACE, Roatán Honduras

As usual aboard ship, routine maintenance continues, with much chipping and painting. The railings on the bridge and captain's deck are getting a new coat of paint, along with the chipping, prepping and painting of other areas. All of the departments' hands are getting ready for the departure of Spirit of Grace from Roatán next week.

As school let out for the summer, crew member, Belinda Clark, turned 18 years old and graduated from high school. The grand celebration was Saturday night at the Friend Ships house in Roatán with a wonderful dinner and the receiving of her diploma, shared by all the "Spirit of Grace" and Friend Ships Village crews.

SPIRIT SHIP, Galveston Texas

Portholes have just received a new coat of paint and the floors in the laundry and upper room are being chipped and painted. The engineering department has been servicing vehicles, preparing new compressors, a welding machine and a new oily water separator, to be installed. The warehouse continues to be organized as the office is busy translating computer training manuals for the Roatán computer school from English into Spanish. The resource development department attended a Technology and Information Show where they made contacts with different companies who may be interested in providing donations of computers, faxes and training materials for the school in Roatán.

WELCOME NEW CREW: We welcome new crew members Michael, Melanie, Heidi, Levi, and Ethan Murphy. Also Jessica Carey, and Darin Bowers. Our best wishes and prayers are with them as they adjust to life with Friend Ships.

Please pray that "Spirit of Grace" will have a safe and pleasant voyage back from Honduras to Seattle, Washington. The ship will be going into drydock for routine maintenance and repairs!

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