GuyMelton.com: What Were You Thinking?

10 Take Offs, 10 Landings, 3 Countries, 7 Days

Got up at 3:45 a.m. this morning in Pisac, Peru, flew to Lima, and just got home to Miami. Going to bed. Lots to share!!!! Glad to be home.

12,000 Feet up in the Middle of the World

Hello from the Equator!  I am on the Internet for the first time in 4 days. It's awesome to be able to just share a few pics and lines with you. I am only on for a little while. Then off to the airport here in Quito, and flying to Lima, Peru tonight; then off to Cusco, Peru Saturday through Tuesday and back home Tuesday night.

We have been with Ron and Sharon Stiff in Quito, and their ministry "It's About Kids". I have too much to say about this wonderful couple and the incredible ministry God has built through them in less than 10 years here. But I will be sharing lots more in the days to come when I get a chance.

What a privilege to stay with them at what they have named, Montebello. They have 15 children living with them - from 9 years old to 18. They are called to the orphaned and those deserted children in Ecuador. It is amazing to see their love and dedication to the Lord and the children.

Just 3 years ago they opened one of the most unusual schools I have ever seen. Their first year they had 20 attend the school.  Last year 160, and this year they have cut off the enrollment to 200. They have only been able to accept 40 new applications out of 300 received.

The facilities are second to none, and the standards are amazing. (They built them almost all by volunteer donations and with teams who visit from the United States). They will change hundreds of lives in the future generations, through the intensive Christian education they are providing. They welcome families from families of some means and then they have half the school from poor children whose families cannot pay anything.

I cannot wait until some of you reading this, come and experience this missions ministry first-hand. Katia Droira and her family, native Ecuadorians themselves, had a burden to partner with a ministry in their home country. They hooked up with "Its About Kids" several years ago and this is what brought me down. 

Many from our church last year and this year, donated school supplies to this ministry through Oasis Church. It was a privilege to watch as Katia presented over 300 lbs of donated school supplies to Sharon this morning. It was very emotional. Next year I hope our church will double it. (The pic to the left has Jordon Droira and Kendra Bucher, two of our Surge Students, standing with the unpacked donations from Oasis Church. Katia is in the pic below)

Lots more later. The pics are just a few so far from our week. I can't explain them all, but I will say our trip up the mountain overlooking Quito yesterday, was breathtaking not only in the views but also physically at 12,000 feet above sea level. Ugh!!!

What a wonderful country with beautiful people. Another birth country of our wonderful Oasis Family, which I have been able to see. Thanks, Jose and Katia for opening your hearts to the nation of Ecuador and letting Oasis Church come along.         

This is the view from our porch at Montebello of Cotapoxi. The largest active Volcano in the world at 20,000 feet.

Leaving for Quito and Cusco (forgive format)

Tonia and I had a 4:30 Wake Up call this morning!  We are at

Miami

International

Airport

about to fly out to

Quito

,

Ecuador

and

Cusco

,

Peru

.  14 years ago, our sending church gave monies for us to visit Missionaries in

South America

.  Raising 3 sons, building a new baby church, starting mission churches, campuses, building a new auditorium…and life in general, had not allowed us to make the trip.  This summer I decided it was time. 

We will be spending the next week in

Quito

(4 days), and then in

Cusco

(3 days).  Our first stop in

Quito

will be to visit Ron and Sharon Stiff, missionaries with “It’s About Kids” the orphanage and school they started and run.  Our own Droira Family has been ministering with, and supporting this ministry for several years.  Many of you have given supplies for them to take to

Quito

.  We will join the Droira’s and Kendra Bucher this week in

Quito

.  From there we will fly to

Peru

to visit our long-time missionaries, Rudy and Lorraine Johnson, who started another new mission a few years ago.  They have been missionaries in

Peru

for 50 years.  Your support for missions each month is what allows this family to continue to carry the gospel to

Peru

.

I am excited about finding out about both ministries, and to see what God is doing there.  My hope is that, in the years ahead, every country represented at

Oasis

Church

will have a missions partnership with our church.  This is done through families in partnership with ministries from their birth country.  The Droira Family is setting a beautiful example of this.  They are ministering to their country and now, involving our church.  Others are also doing this.  I hope this will be the norm in the future, and not just a few.  I know of several families already ministering in

Haiti

.  If you come from another country and you are partnering with a missions ministry or local ministry there, I would love to hear about it.

I hope to get on the internet some time this week, and give an update.

God bless, and have a great week!

 

Last Day with the Grandsons

Today was our last day with Gavyn and Caleb, our grandsons. It has been an incredible week! They couldn't have enjoyed it as much as we have, although they said they have loved being in "Hollywood" with Ta-Ta and Poppy.

For our last day we decided to end it with a bang. Went to Jungle Island, which is the former Parrot Jungle. It has been around since the 30's. Used to be one of the top tourist spots in the state before Disney. I cannot believe I have lived in South Florida all my life and never been to Parrot Jungle. About 5 years ago they left S.W. Dade to an island, next to Bayside and the Cruise Port on I-395.

The day was awesome with the boys. We had a great day. I recommend Jungle Island with some reservations and it won't be a great one. If you haven't been and you have kids, it might be good. I like that all the day camps go to places like this. Must have been 500 kids there on buses today. But good times for kids.

Too over priced for the experience in my opinion. $27.+ Adults, and  $23.95 for kids 3-10. It was not worth it. Especially the kids' price. I think we could have gone to the Metro Zoo and gotten a better experience. The parking was $7.00 Ouch!! That is rubbing salt into the wound. The food at lunch was hot dog and french fries fare for $5.00 with no drink. Not bad for a normal tourist trap, but not my cup of tea either.

Every where you walked they hawked their souvenirs and the ice cream in the machines!!! $3-3.50 for an ice cream bar. You've got to be kidding. Funny, why do we travel out of the state and country and go to all the tourist traps everywhere, pay the cost...but when it's in our backyard it just seems like a rip off?!

Not a lot to say about the parrots or other animals. I'm sure the kids loved it. The make-believe Everglades was underwhelming. Tonia said, "I don't like visiting the real one and I don't like this one.  Let's go!! (Read Tonia's comment in the comments section about what the boys did like!!! Ouch!! I guess I stand corrected.)

This tells you about the quality of the experience. I asked our 6 year old, Gavyn, "What was your favorite part of the day?"  "The Giant Water slide!" was the answer. Yes, a water slide right on the Bay. Now that was cool!! We enjoyed it. I didn't really want to go, but the little one, Caleb had to have an adult. So I volunteered!!! uh!!! No Tonia volunteered me.

But honestly, it was fun and the best thing about Jungle Island. It just seems like we could have gone to a water park and got that. Yesterday Tonia took the boys to T-Y Park water park and they loved it. I think it was like $7.00 and they took their lunch. Ok, at least we had a blast on the Water Slide.

I will say this, I am now praying God will give us someone who would love to buy Oasis Church one of these Hippo Slides!!! 40' tall, 170' long, and runs with two air blowers. Cool!!! Can you imagine the community and how they would love it in downtown Hollywood, NoMi and out at the Pines campus? I'm dreaming now!!! But why not?!!!

So, Saturday morning we pack the guys in the car and back to Indian Harbor Beach to mommy and daddy. I will miss these little guys!!! I love them. As Tonia likes to say, "Grandkids are God's reward for parents for not killing their kids"!!!

P.S. BTW the little guys said they really enjoyed swimming in our pool this year without coconuts falling on them in the pool. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check my video out!!!! See you this weekend as we continue the Satisfying Life!!! 

This little guy was the Gate Keeper, he was one of my Favorites) .

I Could Have DIED!!!!!!!!!!

This is a clip of an illustration I gave during last week's Message on "The Fruit"!!!

If you did not attend the services I spoke at, you can see the illustration where I could have DIED!!!!

Baptistry Update #5

Not a lot of change on the surface this week of our new Fountain and Baptistryat the Pines Campus. But the pool company has continued to move forward. Electricians ran new wiring and conduit (piping) for the lighting in the Fountain. They did other Electrical work. Forms were stripped from around the Fountain that were used when the Gunite/Concrete was blown last week.

The Landscape design was drawn and put out to Bid along with our Paver Patio around the Fountain area. We continue to move ahead.

Again, I want to thank all of you who, 2 years ago, gave generously to assure we would have a place to baptize new Believers for many years to come. In a time when finances are tough, and the economy is tight, it seems strange to be completing a project of this sort. But through your generous giving in the past we are now seeing the Future take place before our very eyes. Another testament to the generosity of Oasis Church and the Grace of God on this ministry.

In the spirit of full disclosure!!!!! If someone asks you why use the monies for this,when we are tightening our belts everywhere else? Good question!!!! We have an obligation to spend every penny given toward this project on this project. It's been in the bank waiting until we were able to build. Ethically we could not spend this money on something else, when so many of our church gave sacrificially to see this long-awaited Baptistry completed. Just a word in case someone wonders.    

LATEST UPDATE:

This afternoon I met with Bobby Van Kirk the owner and he went over next weeks work in putting the rock formations in the fountain, and also the Marble work on the walls. He and His company are donating all the paver brick, and all the special Marble and other high end material we could never afford. He is taking a special interest in our Fountain and Baptistry. I loved what he said to me in our conversation. If 2 people see this, are drawn into the Church and then they get "saved" then it would be worth it. Is that awesome or what????? The Pool Guys get our Mission !!!!

I Am Now Running for President!!!!!!!

Well, it was bound to happen. Several months ago I mentioned my frustration with the lack of leadership we had running for President. I jokingly said I was going to run since I could not vote for anyone running.

Well, before I know it I have been drafted. This caught me by complete surprise!!!!  Check out this news report I happened to see last night while watching the news. I am going to be taking contributions right here at guymelton.com

No Starbucks, Krispy Kreme or Dandee Donuts!!!!! What do you mean?

Watch this video  shown this week at all Oasis Church Services, to find out why???

Time with the Grandsons

This past week Tonia and I picked the Grandsons up and brought them down to spend the week with us. If you were in one of the services where I mentioned the Coconut Tree Story, you know it was important the trees were free from coconuts before the grandsons came down to swim in our pool.

We have had a blast with them. My mom had rented a studio apt. on Hollywood Beach for the week, as she has done for years. My niece, Kari, and her family spent the week with her. We took the boys over off and on the last 3 days between work and church this weekend. They enjoyed being with Granny, the beach and the cousins, Kari, Jon, Johnny and Katie.

If you haven't been to Hollywood Beach lately, the Broadwalk is awesome, and the new Parking Garage along with Charnow Park is complete. Gavyn and Caleb really enjoyed the fountain at the park. These fountains today are like going to a water park. Man, when I was growing up, fountains were off limits and if you did anything in them, you put soap powder in them and watched the suds flow all over the place. Don't try this at home kids.!!!!

This afternoon we went to watch Wall-e. The kids were excited and honestly I thought it would be good with all the hype. If you have little kids don't bring them to see it. Way over their heads. Although the boys liked Wall-e, they had no clue.  It was a big disappointment. I could have sworn Al Gore had directed and written it. It's the "Inconvenient Truth" he did, but in cartoon setting. It was terrible!!!! I should have known with the Liberal Media pushing it so much it would be an Extremist Environmental Wacko movie. The only good thing, is the kids didn't get the "trash" message it was sending.

The boys loved having Uncle Jim along for the Movie and then Red Lobster afterwards. The best moment was when the waitress called Jim their father!!! She was great other than that.

Poppy and Ta-Ta are loving this week with the boys.    

   

Baptistry Update #4 - July 4th, 2008

Here are the latest pics from our new Fountain and Baptistry for our Pines Campus. The Gunite was finished yesterday, and in the next several weeks there will be other additions but most won't be as noticeable as this past week. We will keep you up. If  you haven't seen and read the first 3 updates let me encourage you to do this. It's more than just a Baptistry. Lots of history behind this beautiful pic of an unfinished Fountain and Baptistry.

Thanks to Wallie and Ranelle Walkenhorst for the Latest Pics.