July 2019 Conchshell Chronicles
Rio Coco Transit
Photo: The curve of the Rio Coco at Uran and Sih
Its rainy season on the Rio Coco and things are getting muddy. Muddy riverbanks slow down foot traffic between the eight villages of Seek The Lamb’s school district, which is educating over 1700 students this year, grades First through High School.
Our high school is located in Living Creek, and most of our secondary teachers live in Sawa, which is a 2-3 hour walk away. For much of the year, three teachers from Sawa, and two from Uran, along with many of the students, make this walk daily to attend classes.
That’s dedication to education!
In the rainy season, the trail is sometimes so muddy that its impossible to get to the school on time. Attendance drops, and grades suffer.
One of our goals for this past year has been to purchase an outboard motor and boat, so that our teachers from Sawa and Uran, as well as our students, could have a “bus” to take them to school. In April, one of our friends donated $2500 towards a motor, and we purchased a 15 hp Suzuki last month.
Photo: Guido with our new Suzuki 15 HP outboard motor
We have rented a mahogany dugout canoe, and now the “Bus” is in operation! Our teachers and students will no longer need to walk three hours through deep mud to get to school!
Photo: Guido drives Denis Olayo, Larry Suazo, and Alex Vicente to our high school in Living Creek.
We will use about $400 worth of fuel per month to get the Rio Coco Bus back and forth each day. If you are excited about what the Rio Coco Bus is doing for our school project, you may want to become a monthly sponsor of the gasoline and maintenance. You can do that online at our Seek The Lamb website.
All help is greatly appreciated!
We're Back On Utila
Since arriving in Utila, we have already experienced some major ups and downs. On our first day open, Arielle caught a stomach virus which resulted in her being extremely sick and unable to do anything but rest. This wasn’t the ideal start to opening the shop, but thankfully we were never overwhelmed with business and Arielle was able to rest and recover by the next day.
A few days later, Moselle had a series of abdominal pain followed by a fever the next two days. Then, our mom, Laura, broke out into an inflamed skin irritation spanning her entire back. It seemed like we couldn’t really catch a break.
Photo: Laura and her helper Karla are putting out some delicious plates!
In our prayer time we felt that we were under some heavy spiritual attack that was hindering us from doing what we are called here to do. However, as a family we concluded that these attacks are a sure sign that we are doing exactly what the enemy despises and what Jesus delights in. It has been very cool to see the fruit of what we are doing here, despite the challenges we’ve faced, and the beautiful plan God has for the people that we get to interact with daily.
As we continue our life here, we would love if you could continue to pray for us. Prayers for stable health, divine opportunities, and the boldness to do what God has called us here to do.
Photo: Our Utila Cafe Managers- Moselle & Arielle
Lamb Bleatings
Monday June 26th, we left Vero Beach for Miami with the van loaded with eight luggage and five of us. Michael decided to leave at 5:30 A.M. rather than our normal 6 A.M. departure. He said he didn’t want to be rushed. I dozed off to sleep, along with the girls.
Suddenly I hear a loud bang, and the van served. Our right rear tire had just blown out. Michael guided the van to the shoulder, and we all got out to look. Sure enough the tire sidewall was shredded.
As the cars and trucks on the Florida Turnpike whizzed by, I wondered what we were going to do.
There was a stinky dead smashed armadillo a few feet away which reminded me of the dangerous place we were on the side of this turnpike with those big trucks whizzing by.
Photo: A smashed armadillo reminded us the danger!
Michael began taking the luggage out of the back so he could find the jack, and Moselle and Arielle found the spare tire in the floor between the middle and front seat. None of us knew where it was.
In a few minutes, Michael had the jack set up and was jacking up the van. He got some of the lug nuts off, but it took the strength of my youngest Moselle, to muscle the others off. She works out!
Michael took the shredded tire off, and he rolled the small donut tire into place and put the screws in, and jacked it back to the ground. We loaded the luggage and all got back into the van. It took us less than 15 minutes to change that tire.
Michael pointed to a sign ahead that said “Okeechobee Blvd 1 Mile”. We were in Palm Beach just a short way from a major highway. As he drove down the shoulder, he told the girls, “Find us a tire store on Okeechobee Blvd!”.
They began looking at their phones. “There is one 1.7 miles away.”
“See when it opens. We need one that opens at 7 A.M.” It was 6:50.
“Tire Choice opens at 7! It’s 1.3 miles away”.
We rolled up to the door at 7:07. We were so excited. “You are part of our miracle” I told the two guys who were standing inside. I don’t know if they understood.
Michael bought a tire and the guys had it on in about 15 minutes. The guy told us that our donut spare was very low on air. “You are lucky to made it here.”
It was 7:30 when we pulled out on Okeechobee Blvd, and at the next light back onto the turnpike.
Michael drove fast and got us through the traffic, and we pulled up to the curb at the Miami Airport at exactly 2 hours before our flight! It was amazing! I’m glad we left early!
So what did I learn? First to check the air in my spare tire. I never thought about that! But more importantly, God takes care of us, even when bad things happen. When it looked like we were going to miss our flight for sure, we found that tire store, and we were the first customers! How does that happen? It was God all the way.
We thank you for all your prayers for us as we travel. You see how important they are. Please keep us in your prayers as we work the cafe these next months. Laura
God Is Always Doing Something
Photo: Some of our friends at the Rio Coco Cafe Utila
Last week a dive shop on Utila had their Dive Master graduation. Laura and I watched each of the introductions. Heavy celebrating followed. We went home to bed.
The next day one of the new dive masters came into the café. He is an Israeli, and I took him a celebratory double shot of espresso. He was thankful. We spoke for a few moments.
A few days later he stopped in again, and sat down next to me. He asked me why we lived in Jerusalem, and what we did. I told him we sent there to study the Bible and Biblical Culture. As a Christian, I really understand Jesus if I know a little bit about Jewish culture and the context of His words within that unique culture.
Photo: Many of our friends are looking for good food and drink. Some are looking for answers to life's questions.
He told me that he didn’t know much about religions, but thought that Christianity, Judaism, and Islam were very different even though they began from the same place. I explained that Christianity and Judaism fit together like two hands with fingers interlocked. I picked up my Bible and showed him that 2/3 of it was the Hebrew Scriptures, and 1/3 the Christian scriptures. Then I said
“You can’t really understand Jesus unless you know all the things said about Him in the Hebrew Scriptures. There are over 300 references to Jesus.”
“Can you show me a few?”
I read Micah 5:2 which says plainly that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Then I read to him Psalm 22, written by King David, which describes the Crucifixion of Jesus; Hand and feet pierced, clothing divided, lots cast, for his garments, etc. Very specific of a form of capital punishment that was invented 500 years after David prophetically wrote Psalm 22.
Finally I read him Isaiah 53: “He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, The chastening for our well being fell upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed….The Lord was well pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief, if He was willing to make Himself a guilt offering.”
My friend had a confused look as I read these lines.
“Remember the sacrifices that God gave the Hebrews in Leviticus to cover their sins?"
He nodded yes.
"Jesus is the ultimate sin offering.”
He nodded. “I have been thinking that I want to start reading the Bible.”
After telling him about why the Bible was an important read for me, I said
“The question is ‘Who is Jesus’?
He claimed to be God, even using God’s name that He gave to Moses in Exodus 3- “I Am”. The Jews wanted to stone Jesus because as John records in chapter 10.
‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You being a man make yourself out to be God’.
So is Jesus a Lunatic, a Liar, or is He really the Lord of the Universe?”
Then I told him my own experience of discovering who Jesus is. I encouraged my friend to begin talking to God, asking Him for the answers.
“I’m leaving tomorrow, but let’s be friends on Facebook, that way we can talk more. I’m coming to work in the States in the fall. Maybe I will come to Florida to see you.”
I saw my friend that night at dinner. We talked more. He left the next day.
God is always doing something! I have come to expect it. When I am nudged to give someone coffee or food, there is usually something good that happens. I make a friend, who may become a brother.
Sweet! Michael
Let’s Give Thanks!
1) For the new 15 HP motor for our teachers on the Rio Coco!
2) For the many conversations we are having at the Café!
3) That we are able to pay our teachers this month.
Fire Your Spiritual Arrows:
Please pray that God will:
1) Protect us while we on Utila.
2) Bring many into the Rio Coco Cafes this month.
3) Allow us to open a café on Maui next year.
Thanks For Your Prayers!
Rio Coco Beans Coffee
Want to enjoy fresh roasted Specialty Coffee delivered to your door?
Want to educate our Miskito Indian children as you enjoy that morning cup?
A percentage of each sale is devoted to the education project on the Rio Coco.
Order some now and enjoy the full 100% Humanic experience!
Humanic: Bettering the Lives of Humans around the Planet!
Thanks for spending time with us this month!
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