•                    April 2017 Update

                                                              Emmanuel 7

    Once more we have the privilege of sharing with you about the ministry
    God has called us to through the Episcopal Church in Roatan Bay Island.
    We are very thankful for your faithful support that allows us to continue with
    our ministry.
    The Cursillo weekend is one of the evangelistic tools we use to bring men
    and women before Christ, and just recently I had the privilege of serving as
    a spiritual director at a Cursillo weekend with an attendance of 84
    candidates.
    IMG-20170410-WA0007
    It was a blessing for our congregation to have the opportunity
    to send four men to attend this event. Now the women are waiting to attend
    their Cursillo in July or August.
    The last Sunday of February we celebrated a children’s party at both
    congregations, Emmanuel and St. Peter. This included activities for kids of
    different ages: music, prayer, games, food, a present and, the most
    important thing- the gospel presentation for all the kids.

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    This was an activity
    that was on in every local church in Roatan, on the same day and at the
    same hour. Our goal was to bring to Jesus all the kids and adults who
    attended the event.
    We began Lent calling our congregations to observe a very spiritual time
    even if we live on a paradisiac island that provides many opportunities to
    distract us from the true meaning of Lent and Holy Week.
    Lent
    Thousands of tourists, locally and internationally, are coming to Roatan for Holy Week, because this is considered a time to take a vacation and relax and not to
    become closer to God.
    We encourage our congregations to attend all the services from Holy
    Wednesday to Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection.
    On May 26-27 we will celebrate the Diocesan Convention on the mainland,
    and two members from Roatan churches will participate with us.
    We are making great progress on the windows; we expect to finish them
    soon. These are glass windows and very soon we will have enclosed the
    church building.
    At the beginning of the year we had the blessing of a visit from Tracey
    Larter from Vancouver. She taught English at Emmanuel church based on
    the book of Esther. She also helped us to build a fence to protect the
    church property, and planted some flowers by the front of the building.
    Father Day celebration pictures

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    So far this year we have had a few Canadians visit Roatan on a cruise from
    Toronto and from Newfoundland. It is always a blessing to meet friends of
    our friends in Canada.
    Please continue to pray for:
    1. Continued financial support for the next years as we continue to serve
    the Lord on Roatán, Honduras. At this point, we are almost half way
    through our three year agreement with the Diocese of Fredericton! We
    give thanks for your faithful support of us, our family and our work over this
    past year through the Diocese of Fredericton. However, it ended up slightly
    short of what is needed. Please pray that our financial support going
    forward will stay firm and increase enough to cover our needs.
    2. The ongoing construction in Coxen Hole – windows are being installed.
    Give thanks that a Canadian from Toronto is giving funds to finish the rose
    window facing the street. And pray for the remaining installation stages:
    walls to be stuccoed, cement concrete for the floor and ceramic tiles, to
    stucco the walls and to do the floor.
    3. Our congregations: St. Peter by the Sea in Brick Bay, and Emmanuel in
    Coxen Hole.
    4. Nelson, who was asked by the Bishop to be part of a team helping
    those entering into the ordination process.
    5. Gerardo, our youth leader, that God will continue to use him to guide
    the young people.
    6. Short term mission teams who plan to come to Roatán in the near
    future from Canada.
    7. Spiritual and practical outreach in the local communities.
    8. The Episcopal Church in Honduras, for the process toward self-
    sufficiency by the end of 2019.
    9. Kara, who was selected with another priest to represent the Diocese of
    Honduras at an event in the USA. This is to work on a three-year program
    for youth ministry in our Province, which includes Honduras, Ecuador,
    Colombia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Dominican Republic.
    Thank you very much for your prayers and continued support that enable
    us to continue in this ministry.
    May God continue to richly bless you.
    Empowering the Church
    Learning, Growing and Serving
    Nelson and Kara Mejia