Things have been busy here in Belize the last month. We have had so many opportunities to show the love of Christ in such tangible ways! Over the last two years we have been building a relationship with a remote village called Machakilha. It takes over an hour to drive to and then up to 3 hours to hike to. We have taken several teams up into the village to provide ministry, food, games, and medical care. This last month we took a group of our friends and they did a fishing clinic. They brought fishing poles to leave with the families. It was such a great experience!

The second thing we were able to do was take the village to the Belize Zoo. Most of these families had never traveled outside of their village. Because of the long hike out of the village and five hour bus ride to the zoo this was a three day event. This was the first time for them to sleep in a bed, brush their teeth, eat Peanut Butter and jelly, see their country and of course go to the zoo. The families were so grateful for the opportunity and the smiles were priceless!

We have also been working hard in the building and the progress is amazing! We are plastering the walls on the second floor and have ordered all the cabinets. We are continuing to have a great response for teams to come down and help and are already booking into 2011; including a team of 110 that would like to come next March. I must say that one makes me a little nervous! I thought cooking for 56 was hard; thinking of almost double that amount is CRAZY! But, God is good and if they are suppose to be here He will provide the help

I would really like to do concrete counter tops at least in the kitchen, if you know of anyone that has expertise in this area and would be willing to help us could you please let me know.

I have added new pics online here is the link:

http://www.lolministry.com/photos/album/72157624393339184/june-2010.html

We love you and appreciate your support!

God Bless,
Jervis and Melissa Fisher

We also built the house for Paulina (the single mom I wrote about a couple weeks ago) and paid for her kids to go to school next year. She is such a sweet lady and I have been very blessed to get to know her. It is awesome to be the hands the Lord uses to bless someone. Thanks to everyone that donated to make it possible.

We celebrated Jervis, Jermicah and Analiya’s birthdays as well this month!

So many times I have people write and say how they admire me and Jervis or that they are so thankful for what we are doing here in Belize. I want each of you to know what a vital role you play in our lives! God has used each and every one of our family and friends to encourage us. Some it has been finances, others an e-mail or prayer, others have donated items and some have come down to lend a hand. But every one of you have touched our hearts and allowed the Lord to use you to encourage us that the sacrifice is worth it! Thank you for also being the hands to touch the lives of the children in Belize. Together we can make a difference!

We continue to pray that the Lord will be abundantly REAL to you! May you hear the still small voice and may that voice continue to be clearer to you!

We have added more pics of the last month, here are the links or you can just go to the website:

www.lolministry.com/photos/album/72157624016958011/may-2010.html

www.lolministry.com/photos/album/72157624141255190/paulinas-house.html

On the journey,
The Fisher Family

AMAZING!  I am so touched and I am so excited to tell you all, that there is no longer a need for Paulina.  I had an outpouring of gifts and will be able to pay for her kid’s school, groceries, clothes and one thing I didn’t know she has no boards on the side of her house.  So I will also be able to help her get the boards for her house!  Jesus is so good!  I am so blessed to have such great friends in my life that are so willing to give to others!  I am so astounded by it all!  Only a couple hours after sending out the first e-mail and it was all covered.  One of the definitions in the dictionary for partner is one of the heavy timbers that strengthens the ship’s deck to support a mast.  You know what; we can’t be here without all of those that have joined together with us to strengthen what we are doing.  I want to cry, I feel so honored to be in this position.  In a place where I can physically make a HUGE difference in someone’s life because of the people that God has placed in mine.  I am so blown away and humbled!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will get a picture of her and her kids and put it on the website in the next week.

God Bless,

Melissa

There are times she has no food, all their clothes are worn and torn.  What she said me as I started asking her questions was, “I just thank the Lord my picni (meaning kids in their language) are healthy.”  WOW!  Here she is with such a pure heart, living for one month off what some in the states would make in a day, but for sure a week.  Here in Belize there is no assistance for someone in here situation, no government housing, no food stamps, no welfare at all.  In her culture she has absolutely no chance of ever being remarried, to the Ketchi Indian she is used meat.  No man will marry a woman who was left by her husband and who has children.

School registration for next year, is next week on the 8^th.  She needs $325.00 US, to pay for them to go to school for the year.  I know there are thousands of stories like this, but today this is the one that came across my path.  So I am asking if you can help me help her.  I want to bless her; I would love to at least pay for her kid’s school.  Even better I would love to go buy her groceries and maybe even something special just for her.  If you would like to help can you please send me an e-mail and let me know.

God bless you and if nothing else I pray that today your life looks just a little bit easier, I know mine does.

Melissa

What a blessing to see lives transform.  It is so amazing to watch the Lord work on individual lives as they come to serve and help others.  We have hosted two high school teams, couples, families, a single mom and her 2 year old, and a young adult’s construction team.  All who helped us tremendously and all have returned with something special from the Lord.

On the home front, Zander is talking like crazy!  He repeats everything you say and it is so cute.  Christina just turned 2 and loves to copy anything Zander does.  She has grown so much since getting her a year ago, we are so blessed that the Lord has used us in her life.  Jermicah and Analiya are busy with school and waiting anxiously for their birthdays!  Analiya keeps asking for a horse, it doesn’t help that Grandpa brought her a saddle the last time he came.  Jermicah is into soccer right now so all he wants is Jerseys and soccer shoes.

Juni came back to us about a month ago.  He was with his mom for about 6 months and for right now he will be staying with us.  We are praying about what God has in store for Juni.  He is a sweet kid!

I started a Beth Moore Ladies Bible study last month and invited some local ladies.  I am so excited about what I have been learning and I am enjoying the night away with ladies and being able to build some friendships here.

We have figured out that I need an assistant.  We are praying about what way to go, hiring a local or having an intern come down from the states.  God is so awesome and we are so excited about how LOL has grown over the last couple of years.  I guess needing an assistant is a sign of growth, figuring out you just can’t do it all!

Thank you so much for all your prayers, finances, encouragement and support.  We are so blessed to have people by our side!  May God richly bless you in your day to day living, may the peace of God cover you and may He direct your steps!

On the journey,                                                                                                                                                   

Jervis and Melissa Fisher

PS~ We added new pictures to our website, April 2010.  http://www.lolministry.com/photos/

We hit the ground running as soon as we arrived in PG. Unpacking, preparing for a team, setting up construction and taking care of things from our absence. Not to mention that Jervis and Analiya were both in Brad’s wedding. Brad is the young man that has been with us since we moved here 2 years ago; he married a Belizean girl on Feb. 14th.

On Wednesday everyone flew back home, including my parents that drove down to Belize with us. It was so nice having them here. So now we are cleaning and trying to finish all the unpacking that did not get done before the team arrived.

Our windows arrived today, so we are excited to get the bottom floor windows and doors in. The top floor is already coming along nicely and you can see the shape of the rooms. Our goal is to be able to move in by the end of June. Since being home I have already had someone come to me about taking their unborn baby we are eager to get the building finished and opened.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support. We are so blessed to serve the Lord in this capacity that we are.

Your friends,
Jervis and Melissa Fisher

I want to say that my family and I have felt so overwhelmingly blessed by Jesus and all our family and friends (new & old) on this trip back to the states. As we sit here at the border getting ready to drive through Mexico into Belize we are so blown away by everything that God has done! Every house, every meal, every kind word, hug, laugh, gift, prayer, note, e-mail…there are so many things I can’t even list them. We have two buses full with items that have been donated! And the best news of all is that by the mercy of God we have raised the whole $117,000 we needed to finish the first building for the orphanage! Isn’t God good! And to top it off we have two young single guys that are joining us in Belize. The only regret we have is that we have many friends and family we did not get to see, so maybe next time.

We have had a few bumps in the road these last couple of days, Zander has gone to the ER twice. First he was diagnosed with croup and then second RSV. Needless to say Christina has now caught it, so we have two little ones that are not feeling their best.

Also, Jervis’ sister passed away this week. After months of fighting a battle with cancer she has now gone to be with the Lord. We will not be able to make it to the funeral, but Jervis and Shandice feel very blessed to have been with her while she was alive.

Thank you all for everything, we anticipate great things for 2010! We are booked with teams all the way through August starting one week after we get to Belize. We can’t wait to see how the Lord will move this coming year. Thank you so much for your prayers, your financial support, your encouragement, and your love! It is such strength to us to have you by our side, thank you!

May God richly bless you and give you purpose in your day!

In Him,
The Fisher Family

P.S. If you did not get to see our new promo video for LOL you can watch it on our website @ www.lolministry.com

We are finally back in Colorado after 11,000+ miles around the United States. Our trip went really well, of course with all the kids and so much travel we were exhausted by the time we got here. We are so thankful to the Lord for giving us such an amazing opportunity to share about Laugh Out Loud with so many people. What a blessing it is to be home for Christmas! We are taking in every moment, every smell, every tradition; we are even taking in all the cold weather! Our hearts feel overwhelmed with the love that the Lord continues to show us, as well as the love that we feel from all of you. Even though our schedule here in Colorado has been packed we feel ever so grateful to be here.

Jervis’ sister is still alive; she is in Hospice at the moment and has continued to surprise the doctors. We are continuing to pray for her complete healing.

Shandice has decided to join a ministry dance team in Minnesota and I will be taking here up there the first part of January. She would still like to attend Christ for the Nations in the future, but for now we all feel this is where the Lord wants her.

We will be sharing about Laugh Out Loud at Resurrection Fellowship (our home church) on January 9th & 10th. We are so honored to have this opportunity and would love to see you there if you can make it.

Well, that is all for now. I really wanted to get out a Christmas card or something, but I just can’t seem to find the time. So if I don’t write before Christmas, please have a great Christmas! Enjoy who and what God has given to you, you never know what next year could look like!

In Him,

Jervis and Melissa Fisher

We are currently in Spring Hill, Tennessee and will be heading to Elizabethtown, Kentucky to share at a church on Sunday. We are tired, but have really enjoyed our time on the road. What a beautiful country we have. We were able to take a day and visit Washington, D.C., the kids loved seeing the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Capital, and Museums. We feel so blessed to be able to travel throughout the United States seeing our family and friends and sharing about what God has been doing in our lives and ministry.

The Fisher Family

Thank you for your prayers and I will keep you posted.

P.S. I did fine sharing at the church, thanks to God’s grace. And my friend Janna flew in from Pennsylvania to drive with me, so God worked it all out!

Melissa