Jose says all is OK in La Palma. There were some temporary highway closings but all is now open. Most of the damage is in the San Salvador area.

This coming Friday, the first wave of June missionaries will travel to La Palma and begin working. They have a busy schedule of activities.

Please continue to remember the people of La Palma in your prayers. There has been record rainfall, several mudslides in the country, and many roads are closed.

New posting regarding the storm hitting Central America: http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2010/05/29/tropical-storm-season-forms-guatemala-coast/?test=latestnews

At 3:00 pm today (Saturday) it was reported that tropical storm Agatha has hit Guatemala, Mexico, and El Salvador with torrential rains. It was mentioned that the La Palma region had damage -- most likely from mudslides in the mountains. Rockslides in Guatemala had already killed 12 people. Pray that the people we know are OK.

The scales just died when Steve Turnbull got on them. We will never know his weight. There needs to be some sort of humor in a medical clinic to keep workers from getting down.

Fern appears to be driving a Mototaxi for Marcy and Shirley. I'm not sure the taxi owner let them go very far!

Norma and Jose plan a 10 am wedding in La Palma on the 19th of June. There will be lunch served after the ceremony. The wedding event will likely last until mid-afternoon. Then Norma boards a bus and travels to San Salvador so she can take an early test on Sunday morning. The instructor scheduled the test for Saturday and would only excuse her from it if she took it early the next day. Jose will travel to San Salvador late Sunday or Monday and the honeymoon will commence.

One of the classrooms of the La Palma Christian School. The furniture and facility remain in good condition.

A line formed outside the San Ignacio clinic long before it was operational. People waited in the sun for long periods of time--without complaining.

One thing that seldom happens in a medical waiting room here is a stampede of cattle. It happens in El Salvador often enough to make it interesting but sort of routine.

She probably has no clue how true the statement is on her shirt. Katrina took this great photo!

A truckload of happy medical mission workers headed to a place they have never been to help people they have never seen with far less equipment than they are accustomed to having.

On Thursday Jose said Norma was having pain in her side and possibly had gallstones. Last night he said the sonogram did not confirm gallstones and she is feeling better.

Sometimes when we think our bodies and joints hurt, we need to consider those who have a REAL problem. This lady has lived her entire life with a severely deformed ankle. She seems to ignore the situation and keep on going without complaint.

These two young ladies are quite photogenic. The good news, though, is that they have the Good News! The book they are taking home with them tells them how to become a faithful Christian. It is a New Testament written in their language.

There are still some opportunities to go to La Palma in June, but the deadline for purchasing tickets is near. Please contact us if you have any interest in going. Possible travel dates down include June 4, 12, and 18 with return dates of June 12, 18, 20, and 26.

The medicines have been arranged and labelled for future use. In this med room is an exam table and dental chair in addition to the shelf loaded with meds and supplies.

Another view of the new security fence around the playground.

Jose has started using the overhead projector for his Bible classes.

The National Zoo has some really natural exhibits. I liked this one a lot.

A new fence has been installed to protect the back of the school from intrusion.

This is probably the last photo to be posted of Lilian's wedding. It was a beautiful wedding AND cake.

The reception was in a tent in front of the Guzman home. The young lady sitting to the left of me is studying special education at the University. She would love to teach at the La Palma Christian School when she graduates in December 2011.

This is the Bible ceremony. They are presented a Bible as a gift from a couple they know. The directions from the officiant are to use it as THE guide to their lives. It is to become their instruction manual and to be used often and always.

Several ceremonies are included in El Salvador wedding ceremonies -- coin ceremony, ring ceremony, lasso ceremony, Bible ceremony, and others. Here they have concluded the lasso ceremony and wear the lasso during the remainder of the ceremony. The lasso, originally a real lasso but now a decorative one, signifies a strong bond holding the couple together that no man alone can break. The lasso is wound around their shoulders by a couple they have chosen in advance.

Home last night.

On the trip I helped Victor and Lilian begin their new life together, and encouraged them to live in La Palma and work with the church there. Lilian has been a teacher of the children in her home church for several years, and the La Palma church needs someone to take on that role. Victor is a trained preacher and can help with future church plants as well as be an apprentice who helps out as needed.

I worked with Jorge on a budget to finish the Ocotepeque building. It still needs sidewalls, roof, and floor.

I worked to prepare the new Bible Institute/Orphanage building for occupancy. It still needs some electrical work and a water supply system.

I met with Jesus and got the latest information on how the new church in San Ignacio is going. I need to put that report together with some data that he shared.

I inspected the church roof at Santa Rosa, Honduras for the Stark City church. Some work is needed and they wanted an assessment.

I met with the people in San Salvador who license children's homes (they are no longer called orphanages). That was a great visit and we were given the requirements and work plan for the future.

I visited the national zoo. Per Napolean's request we are donating some computers that came from the Mt Vernon middle school to the zoo. They wanted formatted hard drives, which made Rick happy because he has a lot less to do to prepare them for shipment. The zoo is a great learning place for children. Half of it is not accessible since hurricane Ike went through in November and destroyed some of the infrastructure. The rebuilding is now getting started.

It was good to be home in my own bed. It was good to have a Dr Pepper at the Houston airport. I miss the rooster crowing at 4:15 right outside my window while in La Palma, but not really very much.

Please be in prayer for all of the things going on in the churches in the La Palma region.

This is a recent family photo of Lori and Monte with their children, Ruth and Nathan. They are planning to move to La Palma in late July to build spiritual infrastructure in the churches of the region. Our family is proud of their commitment but apprehensive since it our grandchildren who are going. We will do all we can to enhance their safety and security, then trust God to be with them. Please be in prayer for the planning and execution of their move.

I am heading for Missouri tomorrow morning afer a successful and busy week in El Salvador. A lot was accomplished and I have a work list for June. I will post some more photos of Lilian's wedding soon. God bless you, Ralph

Stephen Beliech of West Palm Beach happily announces the arrival in the US of Carolina and her daughter Astrid! Bien Venidos! It has been a long wait!

This guy is a willing worker! It is Victor, Lilian's new husband. During the medical campaign he climbed a vertical ladder to do tent repair. Here he replaces a light bulb on a ladder no one else would climb.

It is always humbling to be asked for help from someone. This man asked for something simple--a walker. I was glad we had some left from the shipment that arrived in September.

After much prayer and discussion, Lori and I have decided to move to La Palma, El Salvador to work with congregations in that area. We have committed to one year there, intending to move there the last of July 2010. We currently plan to be back around the same time in July 2011.

In January, Lori was able to go to La Palma for her eleventh visit. Soon after her return, she felt called by God to ask me to commit one year to the work there. She told herself that if I was outright opposed to the idea, she’d let it go. To her surprise (and somewhat to my own) I was not only not opposed but, instead, excited by the idea. We then began praying and talking about what we might do and how we could do it.

Some weeks later, we felt it time to discuss this idea with our thirteen year old daughter, Ruth. We told ourselves that if she was outright opposed to the idea, we’d let it go. To our surprise Ruth was excited about the idea and didn’t seem to mind too much the sacrifice of her freshman year of high school and her friends and all that goes with an adolescent’s childhood at that age.

That left Nathan. It is difficult to really get this idea across to a nine year old boy. Again, we told ourselves that if he was outright opposed to the idea, we’d rethink the move. Again, we were surprised to hear he also would be excited to go – though not nearly as much as the rest of us. We understand we will be asking both out children to sacrifice much to spend even one year out of the country and away from all they know.

During the rest of January and the following two months, we began seeing what some would call God opening doors for us. I personally believe it was not doors opening, but instead it was God revealing that the obstacles we put in front of ourselves were never really there. These doors had been open all along. Open doors are useless, however, unless you are willing to walk through them.

In March, Lori and I went back to La Palma, but this time we went six days before the mission team was to arrive. We needed to experience what it will be like to be the only U.S. Americans on the ground doing the work. It is one thing to be there and be surrounded by friends and Christian family we have known since childhood; it is another thing entirely to be there knowing that our only familiar companion is God.

We spoke to the local preachers about the possibility. We do not want them to get the impression that we are there to do their work or be their supervisors or spies for the U.S. churches. They are very excited and longing to hear when we will arrive. The three local preachers with which we will be working are Jose Castillo (La Palma), Jesus Hernandez (San Ignacio), and Jorge Rodriguez (Ocotepeque).

During this time, we also did research into what it will take logistically and financially to live in La Palma for one year. We are quite glad El Salvador’s currency is U.S. currency – no exchange rate! Some things are cheaper while others are cost more. For example, a small bag of Fritos is 10 cents, while toilet paper is 3 - 5 times costlier. At times you can get 40 bananas for a few cents. Meat and milk, however, are more expensive.

Our expectation of monthly need is $2,310 for 13 months beginning with July 2010. This amount includes both one-time costs (such as air travel, insurance, appliances, etc.) and monthly expenses (such as utilities, food, travel, supplies, etc.) expressed as a monthly average.

While that pretty much sums up the “what” of our going to La Palma, more important is the “why”.

Primary Goal:

We will successfully equip the brothers and sisters in La Palma and San Ignacio, El Salvador and Nueva Ocotepeque, Honduras (and the immediate area) to be committed, discipling members of the Lord’s body in their local congregations and communities.

1. Monte
a. Monte will be working arm-in-arm with the local preachers in those three congregations to bolster their ministry. Monte will not be taking their place in any capacity but will instead do all he can to encourage them in their labor for the Lord.

b. Monte will provide classes on Spiritual Maturity, Christian Duty, and Godly Commitment to all three congregations. These classes are intended mainly for the men and focus on what it means to be a disciple, how to make disciples and being the spiritual leader in their families. Monte was asked by Jorge to teach such classes to the men in Ocotepeque and has taught two classes so far.

c. Monte will also work to build effective communication between each preacher, both with each other and with supporting congregations.

2. Lori
a. Lori will continue relationship discipleship. She will continue to encourage the bond of Christ in the women and children of the congregations in this area. She has already earned the respect of the men and women in the region, allowing her to continue with credibility, her work with personal evangelism, friendship evangelism, and shopping evangelism (yes, it really is effective), as well as continue and increase ladies’ and children’s classes.

b. Lori will also have a focus on teaching the teacher. She will be training the members of the body in this region to become teachers and teacher trainers themselves, leaving no void when we return to the States.

3. Ruth and Nathan will primarily have the job of being children. However, as the children of missionaries they will have all eyes on them. We will continue to foster their spiritual growth which in turn will be an example of Christian parenting. They will also be able to assist in many of the aspects of our ministries.

Secondary Goals

1. Monte
a. Monte will do administrative work for the preacher school. Currently there are no formal admissions, attendance, or graduation policies and there is no mechanism in place to provide syllabus development, scheduling, or transcripts. Monte will work with existing schools and the overseeing eldership to put these things into place.

b. Monte will do administrative work for the orphanage. The facility is built. Monte will work to get things in motion and be able to set an expected operational date.

2. Lori
a. Lori will help to set up a sewing lab for the ladies of the church. Several sewing machines have been shipped to La Palma and will be utilized at the school or church building. Lori will work to implement regular scheduled train the women in how to use them. This will allow them to sew and make clothing for their families and linens for their homes as well as items that they can sell.

b. Lori will also oversee the education of Ruth and Nathan. Though Monte will assist in this, as one with an education degree, it will be Lori who is better equipped and will assume primary responsibility.

The congregations in La Palma, San Ignacio, and Ocotepeque are experiencing different stages of growing pains. Just as any U.S. congregation, each faces unique opportunities and challenges. We believe God is leading us to help these congregations realize their opportunities and work through their challenges. We ask that you partner with us in this effort, right now, with continued prayers for our family and for the people in the La Palma region. We ask for financial partnership. We need both one-time and monthly financial commitments. Checks should be sent to our administrative support congregation:
Lalli Family La Palma Mission Fund
℅Mt. Vernon Church of Christ
732 South Landrum Street
Mt Vernon, MO 65712-1724

Thank you for your prayerful consideration and faithful action.

In Him,

Monte Lalli

Hebrews 5:12-14
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Ephesians 4:11-16
It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

James 1:27
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

After the wedding kiss.

Lilian and Victor in the traditional wedding kiss!

I got to hold Andrea Sunday morning. She had heart problems 2 years ago and was not expected to live very long. She is attending school and is a real sweetheart!

This was lunch after the other festivities and ceremony. It was delicious. A later photo shows some of the work to prepare it.
I attended Bible class in La Palma yesterday morning, worship in San Ignacio, and evening worship in Ocotepeque. I am with Jorge today working on his building plans and costs. Ralph

Some of the things in the wedding were not the same as our traditions, but exchanging rings was done the same way we do.

This is a side view of the pulpit. Lilian and Victor are seated under a fan and are relatively cool. Jose and I are not at all cool! The building was full of people. It was beautifully decorated.

Here the wedding party enters the church building, with the attendants carefully carrying the train.

Here the father escorts the bride as the wedding party walks about 3 blocks to the church building.

It is over! The wedding today capped an interesting start to my trip.
Yesterday my flight from XNA left 25 minutes late due to a thunderstorm. The captain then reported that we had a headwind on the way to Houston, and I only had 1 hour scheduled between planes! The flight attendant let me off first, only to have to wait for my planeside luggage which was the last one off. Ran/walked to the train station and waited and waited and waited for a train. Finally to the gate where the agent was waiting and told me to hurry! They closed the door behind me as I got on. Lori and the flight attendant had both told them to please hold for me.
This morning I was to be picked up at 7 am at the hotel--the driver arrived at 7:35, and you know how patient I am when I wait!
At the church 10 minutes before the 10 o'clock wedding start time; it started about 10:30 with a family walk from 3 blocks away to the church with the bride's father escorting her.
Per Lilian's request I had a 30 minute marriage sermon prepared, and began delivering it. At the 23 minute mark, I skipped a couple paragraphs and ended it--it was hot and I was sweating big time! There was a fan blowing on Lilian and Victor but not on Jose (translating) and me.
This photo was taken after the wedding and lunch and cake cutting. More photos later.