Hurricane Felix Update

Tree of Life Ministries Mosquito Coast Update -”Hurricane Felix” Last week, only a few days after hurricane “Felix” ravaged through the coast of Nicaragua and the very eastern point of Honduras known as the “recuperated zone,” 5 of us from our ministry took a trip to the Mosquito Coast to evaluate the need and encourage those brothers there in their time of struggle. The “recuperated zone” is an area at the farthest eastern tip of Honduras, it was once part of Nicaragua, but has been recuperated from the Nicaraguans via a war several years ago. We are back, safe and sound and once again have found a tremendous need; with crops ravished and water supplies contaminated, food and medical problems plague the communities. After arriving in Puerto Lempira and launching out from there, we visited many villages in the area starting with Cauquira then Kruta Walpatara, Pakwi, Raya and finishing in Klubli. We took with us provisions of beans, cereal, bath soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste for 100 families along with a small medical emergency kit that also included over 100 antiparasite medicines. This was the most we could take with us due to the limited means of transportation, which is a motorized canoe known as a “pipante”. By the grace of God we did not encounter the damages that we were expecting from the hurricane, however considering the structures they live in and the general conditions of their life style, the damages, though not as bad as they could have been, were non-the-less oppressive. Due to excessive flooding we were not able to arrive to the last of our intended destination villages, “Irataya” which is located on the border of Honduras and Nicaragua. Reports from those in the area said that it was severely damaged with loss of homes and lives. We are unable to put words into 3 dimensional perspectives, and it is difficult to explain the details of this trip in a few lines. We are all still processing the impact that this excursion had on us. The impact of this expedition is deep and profound; walking along the beach where hundreds of corpses had washed up and miles of remains from the destroyed homes still litters the once pristine shorelines. One cannot glimpse that and walk away the same. It is impossible to step into a primitive culture, step out and find the words to describe the impact it has in your life and your world view.

We encountered homes destroyed; hunger due to the loss of crops; diseases due to contaminated water; fishing not available due to the hundreds and hundreds of bodies being washed up from the complete destruction of an island off the coast of Nicaragua; and discouragement and a loss of hope, not knowing what to do next. Our hope is to return as soon as possible with grain and seed to help restore lost crops with a 40 foot container of beans, rice and seed. We are planning now to return next year with our medical team and attempt to make a dent in the great need that is ever present due to common diseases, malnutrition, contaminated water and parasites. Won’t you consider, as a partner in changing this nation - a donation to help us see this need met? I have no doubt that your prayers together with all those here made the difference in this hurricane not entering Honduras to the degree it was first projected. We serve an awesome God that does hear the cries of His people when they stand together in Faith to touch nations.

The Following is a photo Gallery of Trip

Mission Statement: Find the Need.. Meet the Need.. Change a Nation. Field Directors: Guy & Angie Henry [email protected] Stateside Contact:

2084 W. Thompson Rd Fenton, MI 48430 810.750.LIFE (5433) www.tolm.org