Team 126 Kenansville Baptist - Home Construction

Our last team of the year, Team 126 from Kenansville Baptist Church came in the airport all excited and ready to go to Choluteca. They loaded up the Kia truck with all their luggage and off we went to build Pastor Hector and his family a home. We had several first timers who enjoyed the mountainous ride and the beauty of the mountains. There was alot of excitement from the passing of vehicles going through the mountains. But by the end of the week they were well adjusted to the driving styles of the Honudran drivers. We met that night to discuss the week ahead. The next morning they were up early and off to Oricuina to build the home. Pastor G, construction team leader and Jose G, his disciple met us at the house and rode out to the job site. The team had a beautiful ride each day to the town of Oricuina. The beauty of God's creation was all around them on the road and most definitely on the job site. They had a bit of a challenge once they arrived at the job. They had to go down a bank and through a dried up river and back up the bank to get to the job site. They were very blessed that week with about eight Hondurans helping them build the house. That bank seem to get steeper and steeper each day. But Pastor Hector cut out steps on the bank so it would be easier for the team and Honduran workers to get up and down. God is good all the time. They had one really hot day on the job but the rest of the week they were blessed with a breeze blowing and numerous butterflies were there all week long. It was just a beautiful sight. How blessed they were that week to have such a place of beauty to build the home for Pastor Hector. As the week progressed each team member found his place in the process of building the home. There are so many different jobs in building a home in Honduras. Some of the jobs are sifting the sand, mixing mortar, water girls, block layers. block carriers, block cutter, filling in the mortar joints, putting on the roof and pouring the floor. It takes the whole team to get the house build. We were so blessed this week with the Americans and Hondurans working side by side to build this home. There was never once a language barrier between the workers because God was at the center of all they did. God is good all the time. Thank you Kenansville Baptist Church for a job well done.

Home dedication and Church Service

The home was completed and the dedication was held inside the home with all the American and Honduran workers there. The team leader shared a few words and gave Pastor Hector and his family a lock and key and a family bible. One of the team member shared a photo album full of pictures of the week. There was a lovely rock shaped like a heart found by one of the team members. She had everyone sign it and presented it to the family. This was a very special time of dedication. Pastor Hector shared how he, his wife and two daughters have been waiting for three years for this home. Three years ago the nicely paved road to Oricuina was a dirt road and it took almost two hours to get there. Once the road had been paved it took only forty five minutes to get up to Pastor Hector's property. They were so excited to finally get their new home and they were so appreciative of what North Carolina Baptist had done for them. On Sunday we were able to worship at the church which Pastor Hector is going to pastor. The ladies of the team sang a beautiful hymn in English and one of the translators sang the chorus in Espanol. Their translator shared an inspiring testiomony of how we should never put off what the Lord has called us to do. Job well done. The children were dismissed for Sunday School and a couple of the team members went back to assist with Sunday School. The children of Honduras do not do crafts in Sunday School. They learn a bible verse and a song to come back out to the congreation and share. This was a very loving congreation and they are so blessed to be getting such a godly man as Pastor Hector.

Pastor Hector and Family

Pastor Hector has a lovely family, a wife, Ninya and two daughters, Vivan and Dina. Pastor Hector and Ninya run the Hondruas Baptist Mission Camp on the Pacific Ocean. This is located about an hour away. So this particular week Ninya and the girls were not at the job site. They were at the camp working while Pastor Hector stayed at the house helping build their new home. On the day of the dedication they had caught a bus out to Oricuina to see their new home for the first time. The most beautiful sight of the week was the two little girls climbing up the bank and coming through the field to see their new home.

Theyhad been waiting for this home for a long time. Pastor Hector shared during the dedication they had went to visit a family friend a while back and Vivian got so excited when she saw the home and ask her father was this their new home. Sadly with tears Pastor Hector said no sweet heart this is not our home but maybe one day. Well that one day finally came on Nov 7, 2010. Now Pastor Hector will be pastoring the local church and his family will have a home near their school and their friends. God is good all the time.

Team 124 Hamlet FBC - Construction/Evangelism/VBS

On October 11, 2010 Mike's childhood church family arrived in Honduras. There was tears of joy and relief to be in Honduras. After all the many hugs and kisses off to Choluteca. There was amazement from all of the beauty of the country of Honduras as we rode through the mountains. After a good night's rest they were off to build Fransico, Martha and Rhena a home. These three people are brother and sisters. There mother died back in April and they were going to be kicked out of their adobe home. They are not able to do this themselves. Someone in their church donated the property to them about two months ago. First Baptist got the honor and pleasure to be blessed by three beautiful people. The Honduran church family came out to help the Americans get the job done. This team got their water for the mortar differently from any other team this year. They had to go down to the river to collect the water in five gallon buckets. This was not a problem for the team. They got an assembly line going and they had the barrell full in no time. While the water was being collected the others were busily finding their place on the job site. Unlike most of the teams the blocks were already inside the foundation. God is good all the time. That makes up for bringing the water from the river. Also, there was man named Juan who spent the night guarding the supplies, getting paid $5 a night. By the end of the first day the five courses were up and the team learned the true meaning of hot here in Choluteca. So they made an executive decision to get out on the job site by 6:30 the next morning to beat the heat and it was still hot. But God always provided a nice breeze each afternoon. First Baptist worked deligently as a team to get the job done and each person found the job for them as the week went by. Orfilio made the team a shelter to get out of the heat. This particular job site had no shade. Thank you God for Orfiio who took care of his new American brothers and sisters in Christ. The Honduran people were always watching out for their new American friends. Each team member learned how to lay blocks, fill in the mortar joints, cutting the block, laying a floor and putting on a roof. They all have job security now. More importantly they built relationships which will out live the house they built. God is good all the time. Well done good and faithful servants.

FBC Hamlet Home dedication

On the afternoon of the fourth day First Baptist and their Honduran brothers and sisters dedicated Fransico, Martha and Rhena's home. They presented them with a key and lock and pots and pans as a house warming gift. Fransico thanked everyone for providing him and his sisters such a beautiful home which is surrounded by the beautiful mountains of Honduras. As you can see in the picture there was an awesome group of people who built this home. God is good all the time.

Hamlet's 3 Blessings

First Baptist Church of Hamlet was truly blessed this week by three beautiful and godly young ladies. This week we learned you are never too old to go on an International Mission Trip. Diana, Clara and Shirley worked deligently to keep the teams clothes cleaned and washed all their dishes after each meal. But the biggest one was when the team made the executive decision to be on the job site at 6:30.That played a big impact on the three blessings. They got up at 4:30 and started cooking breakfast at 5:00. They were insistant that the team needed more than cereal each morning. They cooked eggs, bacon, toast and grits. Yes I said grits and they did not come from Honduras. They did some odd jobs for Mike and I which truly took alot off of our work load. They also helped at the job site with filling in the blocks, laying blocks and keeping the team hydriated. Once again you are never too old to go on an International Mission Trip. "I can do ALL things through Jesus Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 God is good all the time, right ladies?

God's People of Honduras

These are just a few of the beautiful people who were apart of this ministry this week. Each and everyone of them radiate the true beauty of Jesus Christ. You can see Jesus in their face and most definitely in their actions. As always we were blessed by the people of Honudras this week. Thank you brothers and sisters for making this week a memorable one for us.

A Day at Honduras Fort Caswell

On Saturday afternoon the team got to go and visit the Pacific Ocean. They enjoyed the fisherman bringing in their catch of the day. The caretaker of the"Fort Caswell Baptist Camp" prepared an awesome fish and shrimp plate with platines and chismoe. The team had an enjoyable and relaxing afternoon at the beach.

VBS and Church Service

On Thursday, Friday and Sunday morning the team shared an awesome VBS program for the children of Inglesia Bautista de La Gero Blanco. They got to enjoy the story of Peter and Jesus. The children were able to particiapte in a skit about the bible story. They enjoyed sitting in the boat and acting out the story. They sang Honduran and American Christian songs. They colored a picture each day and made crafts. The first day they made necklaces which they wore each day very proudly. The children take alot of pride in what they get to do in VBS and they work so hard to please you. After VBS they went outside to play futbol and dodgeball. On Friday afternoon some of the children left VBS and went to the job site to show off their work. They were so proud of what they had done in VBS. In Honduras Sunday School consist of hearing the bible story out of the bible and learning a memory verse and singing songs. So when the Americans come in with crafts for them to do they are excited and very grateful. There were around 129 children in VBS this week. On Saturday morning the team went out into the village door to door to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and gave out bibles provided by the Gideons. They led numerous people to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. On Saturday night some of these people were in church with us as Pastor Chris led an awesome sermon on SIN. We sang and praise the Lord in Espanol and truly felt the power of the Holy Spirit at work in church that night. On Sunday morning we had the last session of VBS and Reggie presented Pastor Brom a study bible to help him with his ministry. God is good all the time.

Team 123 Poplar Spring Baptist, Bunn Construction/Evangelism

On September 16, 2010 Poplar Springs Baptist Church out of Bunn, North Carolina arrived ready to serve their Lord and Savior by building a home and also sharing the gospel through evangelism. Each day before the team headed out to the job they formed a circle between the house and the bunkhouse to say a prayer. They arrived the first day ready to get to work. This team got right to work along side Pastor Ancelmo, Carlos, the owner of the house, Carlos' father-in-law and several neighbors and friends. The team gathered around the first block for the prayer which was done by Pastor Steve of Poplar Springs. Pastor G, construction team leader, gave the team a quick lesson in laying block and they were on there way to building Carlos, Mileydis and there two boys, Fabricio and Daniel a home. While the block was being laid there was a group of five who went out with a couple of the ladies from the church, Inglesia Bautista LaLibertad, laying the foundation of Jesus Christ. Poplar Springs brought along an evangelism team who was on fire for Jesus Christ. Relationships were being formed throughout the week with the construction team as well as the evangelism team. There was one thing this team learned this week, "NO PROBLEM". Pastor G's favorite phrase with the team on the construction was "NO PROBLEM". So that became the phrase of the week for Poplar Springs. . It was beautiful to see how this team worked as a team and got this family a beautiful home. During the week we found out there was a young lady there who came to the home of Carlos' mother-in-law the same day the team arrived on the job. Oh how overwhelming that most have been for her. But after a couple of days when she found out the team was there to build a home she was more receptive of the Americans. Also the grandmother is raising three of her grandchildren. So this is a very giving and caring family who Carlos and Mileydis are apart of. At some point during the week the evangelism team shared some bible stories and crafts under a tree away from the construction site with the young lady, Fabricio, Daniel and some other children. The team did an awesome job with the construction of the home and evangelizing. To God be the glory for all the beauty which took place during this week with the Hondurans and Poplar Springs.

A Day In Honduras

As the week progressed there was so many different activities taking place around the construction of the home. The family of Mileydis lived on the property the home was being built on. There was always someone doing something. There was always a child close by to play with or share a bible story. The ladies of the house were busy with the daily chores. The construction team was busy at work and Mileydis was busy helping with the household chores as she stood by watching her home being built. The young lady in the bottom was at work as well. She was brought in by the grandmother from another town. The Honduran families worked side by side each day to complete the tasks. Poplar Springs worked each day as a family to get their job done for another beautiful family in Choluteca.

Home Dedication

The dedication of the home is a time to reflect on what took place during the week. The building of Christian relationships was a huge part of this team's experience. The team leader, Shawn shared his gratitude for all who were involved in the building of the home and we were blessed this week to have three pastors on the job site. There were tears of joy as the team, family and volunteers shared in a prayer for the home. The Carlos Ayala family now has a new home which has been dedicated to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Words truly cannot express the beauty of a dedication in the homes which are built in Honduras. Praise and honor goes to our Lord and Savior for Poplar Springs and the Honduran people for a job well done.

Worship Time

The team worshiped with the church family, Inglesia Bautista La Libertad. There was a time of praise and worship. Pastor Ancelmo ask if the team wanted to share anything. We had several team members share their testimonies to the congregation. After the testimonies and Pastor Steve sharing a sermon out of the book of James the children returned from Sunday School to recite the bible verses they learned. It was a beautiful day in the Lord's house even with the language barrier.

Team 122 FBC Southern Pines Home Construction

On September 7, 2010 First Baptist Church of Southern Pines arrived and ready to build their first home in Honudras. Their enthusiasm was contagious and it extended throughout their week. Their first morning on the job site was somewhat of a challenge because the blocks were quiet a distance from the foundation. But that did not stop them from perservering. They setup an assembly line from the blocks to the foundation and off they went. It took them a while to get this done but in no time the block were laying in the middle of the foundation ready to be laid and formed into a beautiful home for Maria and her family. While they were bringing the block into the foundation Pastor G our construction team leader did the four cornerstones. Before the team started the laying the block they prayed over the first block with the family and the pastor of the church. Pastor G, the construction team leader then showed the team how to lay block the Honduran way. The team caught on very quickly. They laid five courses on their first day. They were right on schedule even when the opportunity with the blocks. As the week progressed the blocks were becoming a beautiful home. Everyone found a job to do and they stuck with it. As the blocks got higher some of the team found other things to do like "Adopt a Path" and visited a nearby school. They always stayed busy doing something to glorify God. As the job came to an end the family got out there and help build a small walkway into the front door of the house. The pregnant lady is Maria's best friend who lives with her and as you continue to read the blog you will see her beautiful gift from God, a little girl. Maria went inside to look at her new home and was so pleased to be able to have it. Her mother put in a soliciation two years ago for this house and died a year ago. So Maria felt like her mother would be very proud and happy of her beautiful new home. To God be the glory.

Team 122 Home Dedication

The day had come for the home dedication. Pastor David and the team put alot of thought and time into their dedication. The ladies sang a song about your home being the Lord's home and even though it was in English the Hondurans were moved by the beauty of the song. God is good all the time even with a language barrier. They presented the family with a key to their new home and a family bible. The dedication took place on Saturday and at the worship service on Sunday Maria's husband Rafel accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior along with one of the helpers from the job site. Yes we are here to build a home but we are also here to bring the lost to Jesus Christ. We now have two new brothers in Christ. To God be the glory.

National day of children celebration in Honduras

On September 15 of each year the country of Honduras recognize the children with a day of celebration. Pastor Juan and church were planning a celebration on Sunday. Pastor Juan ask the team if they would like to participate. So the team brought a cake and lemonade for the children during their Sunday School hour. Before the children left to go to Sunday School the church sang praises to the Lord. We warned the team they better have a chair to seat in for the worship service because if they didn't they may be standing. When the children got dismissed to go to Sunday School they took the chairs with them. So as you can see off go the chairs for the Sunday School hour. Pastor David shared a sermon while the ladies were in the back of the church cutting cake and delivering the pieces to the children. The SS teachers helped give out the cake and lemonade. They were blessed with about 80 children in SS that day. There was enough for everyone to have cake and lemonade. The children of Honduras are such blessings and to be apart of this celebration was absolutely beautiful. Thank you God for the children of Honduras.

Maria and family move in

Mike and I had a chance to go back to see Maria and family one day last week. As you can see she has moved in and there is an addition to the family. The little girl was three days old in the picture. To see the beauty of creation laying there, a gift from God, was simply breathe taking. Maria is a good friend to allow this mother and baby to be a part of her family. I know Maria's mother would be so proud of her. There is a picture of Maria and her mother hanging on the wall of the home. Maria had planted some banana trees in the back yard and put some potted flowers outside of the front door. A lady in the village built her a stove made out of the remaining blocks from the home. What a good neighbor she has been blessed with. Also to the right side of the house they have a make shift bathroom. They are saving their money to be able to get plumbing and electricity one day. Maria was so very proud of her new home and it was evident by the way she had put everything in its place. Six people will call this house a home. Thank you to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and First Baptist for making this happen.

Coconut Classic - NC vs. Honduras

On the day before the team left they had the priviledge of meeting our landlord and his family. Well long story short Pastor David is a die hard tennis player and so is our landlord's son. So they decided to have a tournament. What an awesome way to build relationships with the Hondurans except Pastor David beat Fernando, landlord's son. At the end of the tournament there was a trophy presented to the winner. We all had a great time at the first annual Coconut Classic.

Team 119 Enjoys VBS

On August 2 Team 119 arrived in Tegus ready to serve the Lord in Choluteca. They had a bag lunch on the road and we stopped at the Christian School on the way for ice cream and to stretch our legs for a while. Then off to Choluteca to get ready for Evangelism and a week of VBS. They got up the next morning and we all gathered outside between the mission house and the bunk house to pray for the events of the day. We started each day in prayer to let God lead and guide the team as they went out to El Carrizo to share the name of Jesus with these beautiful people. After lunch each day they did VBS which consisted of several new songs which were in Spanish that the team taught the children. During service one night the children sang the songs they had learned. During the week of VBS nine children accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Three of the children were from the family in the prior blog of the father with the eight children. To God be the glory for our new brothers and sisters in Christ. The team also reached out to the young people of the church with their music on several mornings before they went out to evangelize. Jose our bus driver was able to go out and evangilize with the team and share his tracks which he provided for the team to use. They broke up into two groups and went out door to door. Night services were held during the week as well. Thank you for sharing Jesus with the people of El Carrizo.

Team 119 Sunday worship

On Sunday morning we found out there was some hidden talents on team. One lady knew sign lanugage and two of the young men played musical instruments. They shared some of there songs again in worship. One of the team members got up to share a testimony about his walk with the Lord. We had a great time in worship with the people of Honduras. We sang with the church members some of their favorite hymns as well. We may be worshipping in a different language but we are all one in the Spirit. Worship services in Choluteca are always a blessing. To God be the glory.