Soon after we began attending New City, we decided to join a mission team to serve the village of Savannah Bight, on the island of Guanaja, Honduras in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch.
In February of 1999 our team made a treacherous journey to the tiny island with a huge generator, medical supplies, lumber, plywood and other building supplies plus food and water for our team of 15 to last 10 days. Tom had an extra backpack full of vegetable seeds donated by NK.
On the island, Tom chose three young men, Lee Marvin, Rapido and Clyde, who were spending their time playing soccer or just hanging out on the field where our tent was pitched, to be his "crew". He bullied and charmed them into helping him with his share of the construction work, teaching them as they went how to use the tools. Together the four planted vegetable gardens all over the village. Some of the seeds had already sprouted before we left. On his second trip down, six weeks later, Tom's "crew" was overjoyed to see and help him again and he ate a tomato from one of the gardens (small and green, but still...) . Fruits of his labors.
Before our team left, Tom gave Lee Marvin his personal toolbox. He prayed that Lee Marvin would use the tools and his 9 day apprenticeship to establish himself in a trade. Lee Marvin was so touched that he went running home, returning with a gift for Tom. It was a hand carved mahogany plaque that Lee Marvin said had been in his family as long as he could remember. It was the only thing they took with them when they evacuated their home during Mitch.Five years later, Tom received a letter from Clyde. Hello Mr. Thomas..... he wrote about our camping on the soccer field and a few other things, then said,.... I am writing to tell you that I have accepted Christ as my personal savior and attend services at the Church of God.
TITANIC revisited Honduras 1999
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