Garifuna Bible Almost
Ready for Printing

Marilyn Reeck

January 4, 2001

At the end of 2000, we had to give up our family car, a 1986 4-Runner. When we tried to renew the paperwork, we learned that the person who brought the car into Honduras had someone falsify the paperwork and didn't pay the required duty. He then sold it to the man we bought it from. The government office finally caught up with the problem in December and told us about it. We had a "hot" car. Our choices: turn the car over to the government, or take it out of the country. We chose the latter. Roger drove it to Guatemala the day after Christmas.

Despite this major problem, we experienced a wonderful Christmas season, since our entire family was together. Even my mother, Maisy Cameron, who had to be hospitalized twice last year, was with us. Amanda and Teresa flew down from Florida. Christy, who lives only an hour from here in a village along the coast east of La Ceiba, had difficulty arriving. It had rained continuously for several weeks and the rivers were swollen. She had to canoe across and walk between the rivers to and from La Ceiba. Usually the rivers are quite shallow and easy to drive through.

The good news is that the Garifuna Bible will be turned in to the printer this month. When the Bible is sent off, we will be able to concentrate only on literacy and to prepare for the big event--the dedication of the Garifuna Bible--probably in August. We have had great success with the reading classes using the new primer. We had 2900 copies printed in July and now have a reprint of 3000. Classes were held during November at a school in Guatemala, and the response of one girl was, "I no longer need to be ashamed of my language."

Also in November, Roger spent two weeks in New York City, where he spoke to five Garifuna churches and held reading classes. He came back excited with what he saw the Lord do. The Reeck family together at Christmas.