Hola Por Egla

On September 7, 2010 God blessed North Carolina Baptist Men with yet another wonderful gift, Egla, our translator. Her first trip with us she was only suppose to be a translator and as you can see in the above pictures she is so much more. Immediately she asked if Pastor G could he teach her how to lay block. So Pastor G gave Egla a block lesson and she has not looked back. She has moved on to mixing mortrar, doing the floors and I believe she can almost do a roof. She is waiting to learn how to weld. She never says I cannot it is always I want to learn. Egla speaks, Espanol, English, Italian and is now learning Chinese. Last year Orfilio started giving her bicicyle lessons and she almost has that down to a science. One of the ladies on a team has taught her to knit. She also can sew and cook very well. She is definitely a well rounded young lady. But with our ministry she does an awesome job of translating especially for our employees when we are in share time during the evening. She is very sensitive to others who cannot speak Espanol or English. She is always there to make everything run as smoothly as possible. Her gift with the children is magical. The children all love her and her interaction with them is definitely something to observe as a blessing. Egla loves serving her Lord and she always puts HIM first and gives him total glory for all HE does in her life. She is definitely an example of a godly woman, a Proverbs 31 woman. Her virtues are outstanding and one to model from. We want to thank God first for sending Egla our way and her commitment to work along beside the North Carolina Baptist Men team here in Honduras. We have been more than blessed by her presence and her beautiful smile that radiates any room she enters. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME.

Team 113 - First Baptist Church Sourthern Pines College Group

On May 14, 2011 First Baptist Church of Southern Pines "College Group" arrived for their fourth time ready to build a house and more relationships in Santa Cruz. The parents of these young people and anyone else who has had an influence in their lives will be very proud of them right now. Their team was made up of 11 young women and three young men. The ladies truly stepped up to the plate and helped built this house this past week. The Honduran culture is for the women to take care of the home such as cook, wash, and take care of the family. So to see women lay block and build a home was amazing for the people of Honudras. This teams week started out differently than most. They arrived on a Saturday which met they worshiped on Sunday and then started work on Monday. So they worked four straight days and never once complained. They were here to get a job done and they did it. As most first days it took a part of the morning to know where each person should be. But their first day ran so smoothly and they had the word TEAM going on. They got their five courses up as should be for the first day. We had several new friends this year and they picked right up and were quick learners. We had a block 101 class for our new friends. A+ my friends. Job well done. We always pray before we leave each morning to go out to the job site. The man of the house and in this case the lady of the house since her husband was working laid the first block while one of the team members said a pray for the construction of the home and for the future of the home. God is good all the time.

Construction and Dedication of Jose's House

It takes many people doing many different jobs to build a home in Honduras. Now please understand some of these people have never worked together before. God is truly at work while the construction of the home is going up. You got several men mixing the mortar, some are cutting blocks, several are laying the block, entire team is encouraging one another and keeping each other hydriated, putting in windows and doors, pouring the floor and putting a roof on. This was a beautiful site this week as the walls of this home for Jose G, a godly man and an example for all. The entire week, his wife, Adriane, smile and thanked God for providing her with a home. The Lord did provide overcast a couple of mornings for the team members but most days it was hot. As the walls get higher everyone knows what that means the trip is coming closer to the end. But all good things must come to an end. So when that last piece of tin was placed on the roof and the steps were poured for the front door it was time for the dedication. Pastor Brian of First Baptist shared some words and the team gave the family a bible, key and some pots for their new home. But they also received a pray shawl made by one of the ladies of Pastor Brians' church. Prayer plays a big part in bringing a team to Honduras. So when Jose and his family ever look at the shawl they will know someone in Pinehurst, North Carolina is praying for them. Jose G shared some words himself. How he has helped build other homes with Baptist Men but today he helped build and complete his home. He did not realize from building other homes that one day he may also have his own home. Jose G, his wife and two sons have been living with family members on the property his home was built home. Now he has a home for his family. We are so happy for you Jose G. God bless you and your family.

Worshiping With Pastor G's Church Family

As was said in an earlier post this team worshiped first and then built their home. We arrived and shared in some familiar hymns with the congregation and the team was able to share several testimonies. Good job young people. It is so refreshing to see young people get up before a congregation and share their testimonies. Share about who they are and why they came to Honudras to build a house. This is such a positive role model for the young people of Honudras as well. But I feel this week our North Americans learned alot from their Honduran friends which they will treasure for ever. They tried something new this year. They did VBS a couple of afternoons. Thanks guys for doing this for the children. They sang songs, did the chicken dance, had a bible story, did crafts and played soccer or jumped rope. The first day they started with around 50 and on the second day there was around 90. News travels fast when there is a VBS going on. Job well done good and faithful servant. God bless our young people.

Building Relationships

Now while the house is going up there is other stuff going on as well. This team was really big on building relatinships which is why the teams come to Hondruas. Building a house is just a tool we use. They shared their hugs, smiles and love with the people of this community in Santa Cruz. As always children were everywhere and our young people had the energy to keep up with them. They played soccer, jumped rope, sang songs, and even learned how to make tortillas one morning. The young ladies of North America got to see what goes on in the life of a Honduras woman. They got to learn more about their culture and their day to day activities. Christian learned how hard the men down here work on a daily basis. Christian was our only male member this week. He mixed mortar the entire week ride besides those Hondruan brothers in Christ. Way to hang Christian. God truly blessed both groups of people this week and friendships were made which well never be forgotten. It is hard to come down here and not get connected with these wonderful people. We always learn and take back something to the states which we never knew. We made be of different color and language but we are all one in the LORD. Thank you God for an awesome week serving you in Honduras.

Honduran Birthday

Once in a while we will have a birthday here at the mission house. Well this week Christian celebrated is 21st birthday on the 18th. The Honduran tradition is to make a birthday cake for the individual. Well our bus driver wanted to bless Christian with his birthday cake. It consists of two eggs and some flour. I believe Christian was a bit surprised. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTIAN AND GOD BLESS YOU.

Hola Por Martha

North Carolina Baptist Men's Ministry of Honduras woul like to introduce Martha, our housekeeper at our home in Zamorano. She has been with North Carolina Baptist Men for five years. She is Rosa's older sister. She has two daughters one who is a minister in her church and the younger one is in her last semester of college. Martha has two grandchildren both boys. Martha is an active member of her church. She is on the pray group and also sings in her church as well. Martha is our hidden gift. She is the behind the scenes lady. There is so much she does to help the ministry run smoothly. First of all she takes very good care of Mike and myself. She is our encourager and our ray of sunshine while we are at the house of Zamorano. She has just started cooking meals for us and is a good cook just like her younger sister, Rosa. She makes a really delicious mango juice, star fruit juice and and bean soup just to name a few. After being away to visit family recently we came back from an all day flight and she had left a pot of beans and rice on the stove. She is our angel here on earth. She is always doing little things like that for us which are huge for Mike and I. We found out she could sew as well and she has made curtains for the house. While Allyson and Nana were visiting us last month she taught them how to make tortillas. I learned that day to appreciate every tortilla I eat. The process and time it takes to make them is amazing and a lot of work. She has the bedrooms ready for the teams as they arrive on the last day before going home. She sometimes cooks beans and rice for the teams on that last night before their departure back to the states. She has a kindred spirit and she loves working for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is not a day that doesn't go by that she does not give HIM total glory for everything. While she works in the kitchen or mopping the floors we enjoy hearing her sing gospel music. Her voice is just as beautiful as she is. We want to Praise God for bringing us Martha and allowing us to learn what a true servant of God is in watching Martha on a daily basis. Thank you Martha for all you do for the ministry.

Hola Por Rosa

Thirty years ago a missionary hired Rosa Garcia to be her housekeeper. She has a daughter named Brenda and a precious grandson named Carolito. She is a Sunday School teacher for the children of her church. She has a beautiful voice and sometimes sings in her church. She walks four miles one way to work at the mission house. Rosa has been in the mission house working through the years with different missionaries. I do not have many pictures of Rosa actually doing her job because she is a very much behind the scenes girl. But without Rosa their would not be a mission house that smells of Fabulaso (a wonderful lavender scent) and that is all she wants to use to keep the house clean. She sweeps and mops the entire mission house including the bunk house on a daily basis and cleans the bathrooms. The teams are very grateful to come back after a day out on the mission field to a bathroom with their trash cans emptied and the freshness of lavender in the air. Rosa really loves it when the women stay in the bunk house because they do not smell it up like our gentlemen. Sometimes I am at the house with Rosa while she is working and it is a joy to hear her sing hymns while sweeping or mopping. She takes pride in her responsibilities at the mission house. I also enjoying sitting and talking with her when it is just she and I. We both know enough of each other's language to carry on a fairly descent conversation. In the last year we have picked up teams at the airport and one of the first questions asked, "Does Rosa still work for Baptist Men?" So Rosa now has a new nickname, "ROSA FAMOSA". She is very famous for her five meals she prepares for the teams. When we go to the store to get the food she needs for the meals we have to get exactly what she asks for. The plantains have to be just the right color. It makes me nervous sometimes when I am getting the right ingredients to create the meals that come out of that kitchen. Her menu consist of beans and rice with fried plantains, spaghetti, her famous chicken and rice(my favorite), Honduran chicken soup and our newest addition Enchiladas. More of the teams have been requesting Honduran meals and Rosa wants to do what best pleases the teams. She picks the hottest part of the day to cook the meal between two and four. She gets the house cleaned then she heads into the kitchen to cook up the most awesome meal you will ever eat. Teams come and go and ask how does she make the beans and rice. Sadly no one goes back home and makes them like ROSA FAMOSA. She is one of a kind. She is always worried when there is leftovers that the team did not care for her food. Can you who are reading this and have had her meals believe she would even say that? She truly wants the best for the teams while they are in Honduras. Some of the teams do not get to see Rosa because she has gone home before they get back to the mission house. But she has the most contagious laugh. She gets tickled and you cannot help but get tickled with her. She loves serving her Lord and Savior and always gives Him the praise and honor for all she does. We are so blessed to have Rosa as our employee working beside us serving our Lord in Honduras. Thank you Rosa for all you do which very few get to see to make our team complete. God is good all the time.