You Would Be Proud
There are times in our ministry on the Rio Coco in Nicaragua where the fruit of years of efforts 
becomes evident. This summer is one of those times. “Fruit” is hanging on the trees, and falling to the ground. Those of you who have prayed for and financially supported the school district, Hurricane Felix relief, and our building projects would be very proud of what our team in Nicaragua has accomplished.
Let’s look first at
Hurricane Felix Relief
Two of our school buildings that were damaged by that Category 5 hurricane last September have been rebuilt and refurbished. The Secondary school in Living Creek has repaired walls, new window screens, and fresh paint. Desks and chairs have been donated and your funds have provided the gasoline to get them downriver. The primary school in Klampa has a repaired roof, fresh paint, repaired doors, and new wire screen. Both schools look “brand-new” thanks to you and the labors of our carpentry team. In his 
capacity as a “senator” for the regional government, Truman has been able to garner many items of the international relief effort, as well as resources from on-going N.G.O. programs. Since last September, we have distributed many sacks of donated food, clothing, shoes, seeds, metal roofing, and school supplies to our 16 communities on the Lower Coco River. Currently our warehouse in Waspam is loaded with donated school uniforms. Your Relief Funds have provided the gasoline needed to get this needed items downriver! Yes, you would be proud at the resourcefulness of Truman and our team in acquiring and distributing relief supplies.
Construction
We have currently FOUR buildings under construction. The Waspam Discipleship Center is having the leaf roof assembled this week. The palmetto plants were severely damaged by Hurricane Felix, so we had to wait for months for a new crop. In June and July, we purchased 20,000 leaves for the roof from locals. This was huge “indirect” relief aid to these families. In order to accommodate the crowd for our June teacher conference, Truman decided to build a larger “Comidor” (kitchen and dining room) made 
of cement to replace the temporary wooden comidor build for the 2007 teacher conference. Being a man of vision, he asked himself, “How large will we need it to be in 10 years” and sized it accordingly. It is now a 25 x 40 foot building which will seat over 100 teacher/pastors. When I saw the building, I had to admire Truman’s visionary planning. You would be proud of his long-term budget planning to spend a few extra dollars for a building this size. “Besides Maik, we can use it as an extra classroom when we need it.” He told me with a smile.
Our office building downriver in Sawa was damaged by the hurricane. When Truman began the repair on the roof in February, he saw so much water damage to the wooden second floor that he directed the 
carpentry team to disassemble it and begin with a total cement building. Now we are the final stages of an incredible two-story office building with sleeping quarters upstairs for teams. This is without a doubt the most beautiful and functional building on the Rio Coco.
Our fourth building is something very special. The wooden church building in Sawa was almost knocked over by the fierce winds of Felix. The Sawa people gathered and together we pushed it back in an upright position, but there was much damage to the building. Truman and Augusto decided to help rebuild the church, but with cement block. Since they had not spoken to me about this, they decided to finance it with their own money, and what extra materials they had
downriver from our relief reconstruction efforts. As of today, the exterior walls are done, and soon, work will begin on the roof and floor. Truman’s desire is to have this church pastored by one of our Seek The Lamb teachers who is working as an assistant pastor now. He also wants to have this building available for pastor and teacher training conferences. You would be proud of the vision that Augusto and Truman have for their communities, and their willingness to invest their own finances.
Discipleship
We purchased about $2000 of recording equipment (microphones, soundboard, computer, headphones, etc.) and hand carried it with us to Waspam. Jon Hamilton Jr. came to set it all up, and teach the system to our staff. The first day of training, our team gathered and on the spot decided that the training would consist of actually making a Seek The Lamb version of a “Focus on the Family” program for the local radio station, and purchase an hour each week for this program. In the next seven days, we produced five 45-minute programs, complete with beginning and ending music and announcements. They even named it “Bila Swampri” (Talk from the Swamp), and in the process, Danilo and Onofre 
learned the complex program Adobe Audition, and how to use all the recording equipment. Now Onofre will use this equipment to pre-record his two weekly Bible teaching broadcasts. Peachy Sloan will use it to record her weekly English lessons for broadcasts. That means that Seek The Lamb will now have five hours each week of programming on the local FM station. We are looking into the possibility of getting our own frequency for our own radio station!
You would be proud how our teams has taken this “tool” and gone further than the actual vision that we had for its use. I wish you could have been there for their recording sessions- seven days in a row! I love working with theses guys! They have really gotten it! It is their ministry, and we here in the U.S. have the privilege of working with them. You would really be proud of their efforts, and the level of faith and godly wisdom that they are walking in. Maik
Lamb Bleatings
By Laura 
The benefits and blessings of serving our Miskito friends on the Rio Coco are endless and I would find it difficult to express the fullness of the experience in a single sitting. We have labored persistently for more than 20 years and have seen much fruit come forth by the hand of God. This in itself is a privilege beyond words. The continued action of sowing sacrifice, time, prayers, money, and sweat have reaped great earthly and eternal rewards. Through responsibility and perseverance, the Lord establishes His authority and blessing in us, through us and among us. Many of you have willingly chosen to be a big part of God’s eternal scheme with us. You are a huge part of our blessing and adventurous journey through this life. We are deeply grateful for your involvement in these eternal blessings.
After our time in Nicaragua with the Deep Water Discipleship experience (changed lives), teacher’s conference and ministry time along the Rio Coco, our Bagby family was able to visit friends from the past in Honduras (where we lived from 1984 to 2000). We had frequent opportunities to encourage and share time with strangers, friends, and some of our long time missionary partners. It was sweet! While in Tegucigalpa at the home of our fellow missionary friends, Danny and Suyapa, we had an amazing time of catching up and exchanging “God Stories”. We also got to meet their 4 year old daughter, Gianna. Moselle especially liked playing with Gianna and it was obvious that she was very happy to be the “older” one for once.
While in the kitchen one morning, Moselle was helping Gianna get some cereal. I said to Gianna, 
“Moselle is like your older sister isn’t she?” Gianna smiled and Moselle said quietly, “I like having authority.” She continued to Gianna: Now, Gianna, just tell me when to stop …that is what my Grandpa says when he is giving me my cereal.”
I said, “So, Moselle you like to have authority?”
“Yep.”, she said glancing at me with the look that said ‘You know I like to be in charge if I can…’
I thought, ‘Yep’ this kid could take over the world…” I could tell she was thinking, ‘I like to be the boss’ so I asked her: “Do you know what it means to want to have authority? It means you have responsibility…with authority, you have people you serve and care for…it really means that you want to be a responsible servant. Is that what you want? With every blessing, there is a responsibility. Do you want responsibility?”
She nodded with a not-so-convincing yes and went off to play, while I began to think about her comments. We all want the goods, but we often just want to go off and play and not actually ‘pay the price’ of being responsible and “doing the work”. I always tell my children that there is always a price….to our actions, behavior, words, etc… The law of reaping and sowing. Upon returning from this trip, we all have felt the impact of our diet of rice, beans, fried foods, carbs, lack of regular exercise routine etc… we are out of shape and heavier than normal. Consequently, we are now making a concerted effort to take responsibility over our intake especially while in this abundant land of privileges and options galore (especially salad, fruits and fresh food!). We have all begun to pay the price of discipline through our work-out routines and exercising our authority over our food choices. It doesn’t seem like anything in life is free. Pay now or pay later…
In the midst of all that God has charged us with …each other, our children, our ministry, our many friends along the river Coco and abroad, coffee/jewelry businesses to supply needs to others, resources, every day living expenses, bills, repairs etc…we have often felt the “pressure” to “make it” happen. I awoke one morning this week with an intense feeling of fear and overwhelming. When we come back to Vero from Nicaragua, we have mail to go through, bills to pay, expenses from a myriad of sources, office stuff to catch up on and the monthly $15,000-20,000 to send to Truman in Nicaragua, people to care for, meals to prepare for guests, bible studies, classes for the kids, general every day stuff of life etc…we often ask ourselves how will it ALL get taken care of.
I think ‘this is IMPOSSIBLE’. Doubt rises, fear begins to creep in slowly and trust begins to wane and falter…even Michael’s heart starts to skip beats in the midst of it all. Suddenly, I have to shake myself out of it and take authority over my thoughts and choose to trust. In moments of fear, I must decide on faith in my heavenly Father who has always provided in the past and who will once again come through in a way that only He can. I remind myself of His faithfulness and go to His Word for assurance of mind, body and spirit. I remember what my life is to be about…and that is I am about the business of my heavenly Father and whatever He has called us to do, He promises to make that way and provide for us in every detail of life. The birds aren’t worried, nor are the flowers of the field all too concerned. He is an extravagant God and He has lavished upon us all that we need and more. Our desire is to receive from a generous God so that we ourselves can be generous to others. We are all called to display who God is in all that we are, do and say. It is good to remember His hand at work and to talk of His wonder over and again with each other. Strength and inspiration comes through such breathing of life one to another.
Together, our family took a walk yesterday afternoon at dusk. Suddenly, Michael pointed out the majestic sight of nine cranes flying in formation over us. It was a beautiful display of God’s wonder & creative function of a group and a simple reminder of how he does take care of the birds of the air. How much more will he take care of us, His precious children. I am thankful for the treasure of His presence and His life giving power through His creation and His God given relationships. Authority, responsibility, fruitfulness, humble servanthood and loving God and others all fall within the same frame. Much shall be required from those who have been entrusted with much. In the midst of trying to “remind myself” I feel like I hear the Lord say, “yes, it is impossible…I never called you to do the possible…or you wouldn’t need me. It is good to need me and it is good to ask.”
My heart feels comforted. Whatever God has given, He promises to support. I choose to trust, obey and live by faith and not in fear. I would love to hear your stories of hope given by God…Write us. We would be greatly encouraged to hear from you. Laura
The Bagby Bunch Corner
We are back in our home and office in Vero Beach, attempting to catch up on mail, overgrown yards, coffee business, an all the leftover details of our summer in Central America. It was definitely the summer of “Flagrant Disregard” of our plans, and watching God work in His. The time with our Deep Water students was by far the most productive in the six years we have been doing this. We will write more about that next month. God was stirring some deep waters! Our time in Nicaragua was filled with divine appointments from the moment of our arrival at the Hotel Las Mercedes in Managua until we boarded the flight from La Ceiba Honduras to Miami. So many people were open to our stories of God’s greatness, words of encouragement, and prayers. It is amazing what happens when you begin your day by saying “Lord let your will be done in my life today”. That is the start of an adventure, and this trip was full of His adventures, especially in our final two weeks of visiting our old hometown of La Ceiba, where we lived from 1987 to 2000. We had great opportunity to reconnect and be used with many of our old friends and ministry partners. Now we turn to a new season with fresh challenges. We are working on two books for publication, taking time to develop our coffee business (which is a significant source of funds for the Nicaragua project), teaching at our local church, leading a couples study, making plans for our trip to Hawaii in the late fall, and doing our part to support the school and discipleship project in Nicaragua. I hope that you are encouraged as you read about what God is doing in our midst, the steps of our team in Nicaragua, and how God is using your prayers and financial gifts to bring many into the Kingdom. We are privileged to partner with you. Thanks for your participation in this exciting adventure! Laura & Michael
Ministry Opportunities for August
Here are four suggestions how you can directly impact the school project in Nicaragua this month.
Help us put the roof on the Sawa Office building. We are finishing the cement work on our office downriver. We are ready to purchase the tin-zinc roof panels to close it up. Each panel cost $23 and we will need a total of 48 to cover the building.
Help finance the Recording Studio: Last month we purchased about $1900.00 of needed computer recording equipment for our radio broadcasts in Nicaragua which will also work for our plan to begin recording indigenous worship music. Our Bible lessons and English classes on the local radio station are touching thousands each week. Your partnering with us in purchasing this equipment will bless many!
Sponsor a Project Ezra Student. We have many students who need sponsors for the 2008 school year which will end in December. For $27 a month, you can change the life of child forever.
Purchase Rio Coco Bean Coffee. Profits from this world-class coffee go directly to the school project. You may order at riococostore.com and make your donations there as well!
Click here to make a donation.
Your gifts will make the difference in the lives of many!
Rio Coco Bean Coffee Club
Sign Up for the Coffee Club for Automatic Monthly Delivery! The easiest and lease expensive way to purchase our world-class Rio Coco Bean coffee is our new Rio Coco Coffee Club. We offer you a no-hassle monthly delivery service that guarantees fresh roasted coffee for your enjoyment. It is the best value available; You can change your order or cancel at any time! Profits will go to educate our Miskito students in Nicaragua. Select any of our world class coffees for the same low price. Coffee Club sales are better than supermarket prices. With our new roaster in Vero Beach, we have the ability to ship very fresh coffee to you, the supporters of the Seek The Lamb ministry. We also want to sell as much coffee as we can, as our financial needs on the Rio Coco are great. To join the Rio Coco Coffee Club, please fill out the enclosed form, and send it back to us using the enclosed envelope. If you enjoy a good cup of coffee and supporting the Nicaraguan ministry, then please become a Rio Coco Coffee Club member.
