Where are the 800 blocks?

 

Our first team arrived on January 7, 2013 and it was their first time to Honduras excluding team leader, Mark Hubbard.  Mark was able to partner with another team last year and quickly fell in love with the people of Honduras. Mark shared last year he was going back to North Carolina and see if his church would like to bring a team for 2013. Mark looked at the schedule in September and there was two weeks left both being at the first of January.  Mark took the first week. This was the first time we had a team come together in four months to build a home.  Way to go Pittsboro Baptist Church.  We arrive at the job site all excited to build Andres, Rhiana, Juan and Rhiana Isabella a home.  Everyone was talking and greeting one another and finally Chris, one of the team members, asked where are the blocks.  There was absolutely not one piece of materials delivered for the construction, not even a bag of cement.  Orfilio gets on the phone to Promaco and ask where are the 800 blocks, many bags of cement and the rest of the materials.  They informed us we had to have a family member come in and let them know we needed the materials.  This was a first time.  First of the year and things do change here in Honduras.  So Mike, Orfilio and I head to Promaco to see what is going on.  We were about a third of the way there and we passed Juan, son of family, on his bike headed to the Promaco.  We picked him up and off the four of us went to see why the materials were not delivered two days prior to the arrival of the team. 

 

Faith and Deeds

"What good is it my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save them?  Supppose a brother or a sister is without clothess and daily food.  If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead."

James 2:14-17 

 

 

There are still no blocks - Futbol anyone?

 

We returned to the job site to let them know the materials will come sometime during the day, we hoped. Well, this team wins the award for flexibilty for this year.  Oh, this is the first team of the year!!!  Well, still they were so flexible.  They discovered a near by futbol field and off they went.  There was about five children when they entered the futbol field and by the end of the morning there was thirty plus children playing futbol.  As they were running up and down the futbol field someone heard a huge truck coming down the path so everyone took off to the job site to find out it was only the cement.  The team stood around enjoying the children and the family of Andres and Rhiana when finally they heard yet another big truck coming down the dirt path.

Oh by the way the children beat the North American that morning hands down.

 

Flexiblity is in the manual for NCBM.  It is hard for us to understand why sometimes.  Pittsboro Baptist took the situation given to them and allowed God to use them in a different way on the first day of their construction job. 

 

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

2 Timothy 3:12

Blocks finally arrived and all the people said AMEN

 

All 800 blocks finally arrived around 11 o'clock the first morning.  Usually by this time on the first day the third or fourth course is up and they are ready to break for lunch.  The team did eat their lunch while eagerly awaiting for the truck supplying the blocks to arrive.  Pastor G rushed out there to help the guys from Promaco to unload the blocks.  The rest of the folks, North Americans and Hondurans fell in an assembly line and had the blocks unloaded in less than thirty minutes.  Thank you for all the hard work and unity of God's people working together to get the job completed.  Now let's build a home for Andres and Rhiana's family.

 

"And over all virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect UNITY."

 

Colossians 3:14

 

 

Praying and laying of the blocks

 

Pastor G was ready to get that cornerstone laid and prayed over so their day of construction could begin.  Everyone found a place and beginning laying of the form of the home. As the afternoon progressed the courses progressed upward as well.  There was activity everywhere trying to make up for the loss of the morning.  God is good all the time.  The five courses were completed by the end of the first day.  Sometimes God shows up different ways of getting HIS WORK done.  As Mike and I always say every team and project is different.  God enjoys changing it up once in a while and I am so grateful Pittsboro Baptist was willing to allow God to use them in a special way on their first day in Choluteca, Honduras.  

 

"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through HIM."

Colossians 3:23 

 

The Reason We Serve In Honduras

 

We come to Honduras group after group to build homes, do medical teams and of course to evangelise.  But through all these many tools our main reason for being here is to bring the lost to Jesus Christ.  All around us are hurting and dying people who do not know who Jesus Christ is.  They do not know HIM as their personal Lord and Savior.  Well our first team of the year allowed God to use them in building a home and doing VBS to bring TEN children to Christ.  We now have TEN new brothers and sisters in Christ.  PRAISE THE LORD for allowing Pittsboro Baptist to be here in Honduras at this time and place to be HIS instruments to the salvations of these young people.  God also allowed the team to finish their phyiscal labor they had come to do even with the delay on their first day.  They were able to work in several more games of futbol and VBS for two days.  They finished their week worshiping in church on Sunday while Pastor Jon brought the message.  At the end of the service Mark and Matt shared a video of the Widow and Oil.  The congregation came forward to watch this 20 minute video on how God provides all we need at all times. 

 

2 Kings 4: 1-7

The Widow's Olive Oil

Read and realize how God gives us more than we can ever imagine if we only have the faith like the widow.  This week Pittsboro exhibited their faith in many ways as they allowed God to use them to bring abundant blessing for others and then in returned was doubly blessed.  This is how our God works.  He is majestic and mighty in power.  Thank you Heavenly Father for allowing us to serve you here in Honduras. 

Thank you God for families

 

As I close this blog we once again praise God for families who chose to come here and serve together.  We see blessings overflow from these experiences of families doing missions together.  I encourage anyone reading this today who has not been on an international mission trip with a family member, husband and wife, father and son, mother and daughter or your entire family prayerfully consider this as an opportunity where you will be truly blessed many times over in your service toGod.  Thank you Jerry and Kathy and Mark and Matt who chose to give up a week to come and receive mutliple blessings no one can take away from each of you.  God bless you all!!!

 

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

Joshuea 24:15

Welcome Covenant Church of Maryland to Honduras

 

God truly blessed us on November 26 when a medical team from Covenant Church of Maryland arrived.  This is their first time to Honduras and they immediately fell in love with the people and the beautiful country.  There was so many opportunities they fell upon us and the team prior to their arrive.  But thankfully God is more powerful than any opportunity set before us.  A week before the arrival of the team one of our doctors had a family emergency and could not join us.  God provided another doctor to replace him.  One day before the team was to arrive the Pastor Mike from the team had to cancel his coming due to a family emergency.  Mike and I get up on the 26th loaded the bus and got ready to leave for the airport, bus would not start.  Normally three strikes and you are out.  Well not with this group of folks and our Lord and Savior who saw us through til the end of the mission trip.  We reloaded the bus into the Land Cruiser which the team preferred over the bus at the end of the week.  We met the doctors and translators at the airport to inform them they were taking a bus to Choluteca because of lack of space in the kia and Land Cruiser.  This was a rocky beginning to a most amazing and spiritual journey for the Maryland group.  GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!!!!!  Awesome about our saying is the team uses the same saying in their worship back in Maryland!!!!!

 

"Therefore , since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Hebrews 12:1-2a

First Day of Medical Clinic at Aldia al Limonal

 

The team arrived around 7:15 at the church to pray and prepare for the day ahead.  Pastor Santiago and several members of the church were there ready to serve beside the North Americans.  We gathered into a circle and introduced ourselves to one another.  Pastor Santiago had everything already organized for the team to proceed with turning the sanctuary into a medical clinic.  This set up was much different from other medical clinics.  We had three medical doctors, Dr. Brenda, Dr Jillda and Dr. Marchele.  There were four Sunday School classrooms off from the sanctuary.  So each doctor had their private room and the other room was the pharmacy.  So the sanctuary was used for checking in the patients and overflow for people waiting to go back to the doctors. There was also a row of seats in front of the Sunday School classrooms for the patients.  This really helped out with crowd control.  Jose, our bus driver, went out into the surrounding village visiting while the team set up.  Jose came back to the clinic with a young lady who was 105 years old.  Our first and only patient who was the oldest patient this week.  During their three days at Aldia al Limonal they saw 313 patients.  Jon was able to share the gospel with the folks waiting to be seen.  On the second day of clinic they had a devotional and prayer time before the clinic started with the North American team and the members of the church.  On the third day, Pastor Santiago shared with Jon, bi-lingual team member there was going to be a sermon.  Jon said, "Oh this is great."  Pastor Santiago then informed Jon he was the one doing the sermon. Jon said, "Oh this is great and I would love to."  God used Jon in a mighty way that day.  Jon shared 1 John 4:7-12 while Maida translated in English. We never know when God calls on us to share from His Word.  We always need to be prepared on a moment's notice.  Thank you Jon for being willing and able to share the gospel. 

 

"Dear Friends, Let us love one another for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God. Because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."  1 John 4:7-12

Agua de coco Anyone?

 

This team enjoyed every minute of the Honduran culture.  While Mike and I were out running errands we stopped at a roadside fruit stand and bought the team coconuts.  As you can see from the pictures they truly enjoyed their treat.  Our Honduran amigos ate the meat from the coconut as well!!!  Jose was gracious to cut the hole in the top of the coconut and they enjoyed a good time of fellowship and fruit in the breezeway of the mission house.  It is awesome to see people of different cultural backgrounds building relationships while sipping coco water.  Thank you my God for providing us with coconuts and conversation in two different languages.  This is how awesome our God is.

 

"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of the his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In HIM the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in HIM you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit."

Ephesians 2: 19-22

Indian Cuisine

 

This team was our first diverse group.  There was several North Americans, one young lady from India and a couple from the Philippines.  Well, the entire group Hondurans included wanted, Debby, the Indian lady, to prepare a dish from her native country of India.  We gave Rosa the evening off and Debby, Steve and his lovely wife Victoria and Marchele, who wanted to learn how to cook Indian food ,prepared the most delicious Indian cuisine.  Rosa was curious so we saved her a plate to eat the next day. It took Debby and team about one hour and a half to prepare the meal.  It took the group about fifteen minutes to enjoy their delicacy that evening.   Debby, thank you for preparing all those scrumptious dishes. 

 

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

Acts 2:42

Second location, Manuel Valladayes

 

On the third evening of their work here, Dr Jillda, whose husband could not join us because of a family emergency, decided she needed to be with her husband and family.  We all prayed for her and told her this was where she needed to be.  Dr. Jillda got up early on the fourth day to head home to her family.  She worked so hard this week knowing and wanting to be with her family.  Well done good and faithful servant.  So this put us down to two doctors on their last two days.  This team once again perservered and got God's work done.  They were able to see numerous patients in their two days in Manuel Valladayes.  Once again this church was ready and prepared to serve along side the North Americans.  Their set up was the tradtional setting where they were all in the sanctuary together.  God was still able to get HIS work done in a timely fashion.  There was a lot more people coming here than the other location with only two doctors.  God is good all the time.  He gave the doctors the energy they needed to perform their duties.  Dr. Marchele showed such compassion toward her patients as she gingerly and gently spoke with them concerning their medical needs.  Dr. Brenda prescribed the medicines we had on hand for the patients but would take the time to show them home remedies to do once their medicines ran out they would receive from the farmicia.  Dr. Brenda like Dr. Marchele took her time with each patient and gave them the help they needed.  Neither doctor let the fact they were shy one doctor change the way they treated each and every patient which came across their paths on those last two days.  Dr Jillda you were truly missed but God gave Dr. Marchele and Dr. Brenda all they needed to continue the work YOU sent them to do.  To God be the glory for an awesome job!!!!

 

"I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy becacuse of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:3-6 

Sharing the gospel in many ways

 

Wherever you saw children you saw Nikki.  Nikki would gather the children like the Pied Piper.  At both churches Nikki and Jon, her translator, would share bible stories with the children.  They would send them out to get their friends and bring them back to the church for bible stories.  They gathered in the sancutuary while the medical team was busy at work.  This was amazing to watch as it all came together. Vickie another North American team member said this brought back memories of her childhood where she came to Christ at a Bible Club. There was ten children who came to Christ this week.  Thank you Nikki and Jon for taking the time to love these beautiful children and helping them to know they are special in God's eyes.  While Nikki would be helping Vickie check in patients, Jon would share the gospel with the adults who were waiting to be seen by the doctors.  Jon's spanish helped him to spend more time talking to the people and sharing his faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.  So many opportunites arised this week because of a group from Maryland who answered God's calling to come to Honduras and provide  the needs for the people physcially but most of all their spiritual needs. Thank you Maryland for answering the call to come and serve.  Thank you Steve for coming forward and saying Yes Lord I will lead a team to Honduras. 

 

Jesus said, "Let the little children come tome, and do not hnder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14

 

Unique worship service

 

Covenant Church team each prepared their personal testimonies before arriving in Honduras.  They really did not know each other well until they started preparing their testimonies.  Jon proofed each one and wrote them out in Spanish for Egla, our translator.  So with that said he was able to catergize each testimony according to the individual stories to be shared.  Some were similar and some were not.  They started with Steve who was raised in a Christian home and did all the right things. His story became more about pleasing others than it was about pleasing God.  Steve shared,"When Jesus died on the cross, He took care of all the consequences of my sins.  Salvation was a gift and I did not have to do anything to earn it."  Now Steve doesn't have to worry about doing all the right things and to please others.  All Steve needs to do now is be faithful to him.  Now all Steve does is do what God calls him to do and one of those things was to become a nurse.  Thank you Steve for becoming a nurse and leading this group this week.

Debby, our Indian friend is a Christian and also grew up in a Christian family.  But like Steve she did all the right things by being in church and looking really good on the outside.  While Debby was in nursing school, she attended her uncle's church and four years later accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  Even then Debby struggled in her walk with the Lord.  She shares she was headstrong and stubborn. (aren't we all)  But she quickly learned she could not do it without the power and strength from the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ who died for her and us..  She shared, "He has shown me that He is the only way, the truth and the life." Her last quote was, "God is good all the time."

Vicki was also raised in a Christian home and went to a Christian school.  It was when she was 11 years old she heard at a Good News Bible Club, that she only needed to believe in God and His Son Jesus, but that she needed to receive Jesus into her life as her Saviour.  She received Jesus into her life that day at the Good News Bible Club.  Vicki shared life has its challenges at times, but she ask Jesus everyday to make her strong and help her to do the things that He has for her to do.  She thanks God for all the many blessings in her life.

Victoria grew up in the Philippines.  She lived on her grandmother's property in one of her homes.  She lived with her mother father and siblings. Her grandmother was very controlling of her family.  Victoria became very religious because her grandmother had them in mass every Sunday.  They would go to all the special activities at church and we did all the required prayers.  She found out at the age of 8 what being a Christian really meant.  An American missionary and local pastors were teaching VBS at a nearby school.  Her and her siblings escaped their grandmother's watchful eye and attended the VBS.  Victoria's parents saw the change in their children and soon started going to a bible study.  The bible study became a church and Victoria's entire family started going to church  and became active members.  Sadly they had to leave their home and her grandmother because her grandmother did not approve of their decision of Christianity.  They ended up living with two other families.  In moving her family lost her grandmother's blessings.  Today Victoria is still learning to trust God more.  And she still learns daily how much God loves her for sending his Son for her and our sins.  WE all need God's grace. Jesus died for all of us.

Marchele's testimony started out by sharing Romans 8:28 "We know ALL THINGS work together for GOOD for those who love the Lord, who are called according to his purpose."  This verse is Marchele's life story and her comfort.  When growing up she did not go to church.  She sometimes went with her brother.  They would walk to a church near their home. She started going every Sunday with a neighbor.  She learned to love God more.  She learned to pray for every little thing.  She prayed God would give her a godly man one day.  As a teengager she wanted to have fun and did not worry too much about the consequences.  But one October a series of events showed her how she needed God.  Her father was diagnosed with a brain tumor and the very next morning after receiving her father's news Marchele and her mother were in a serious car accident.  Her mother was critical and Marchele was critical as well.  But the worst part was she almost lost her parents.  This brought Marchele back to the cross.  She prayed for forgiveness and instantly she knew God forgave her. Remember she prayed for a godly man well she got him.  But due to the car accident they were unable to get pregnant.  During those times of wanting a baby she would turn to the stories in the bible of Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah and Elizabeth. Marchele wanted the faith these women had.  That Christmas Eve they got the good news they were going to have not one but two baby girls.  God is good all the time.  God never promised life would be easy once we become Christians.  But he promised to be with us through everything we go through, rather good or bad.

 

Nikki also was raised in a Christian home with Christian parents.  She never remembers a time when she did not know God or love Him.  She felt like God gave her a deep love for him as a gift.  Nikki was given the verse Psalm 22: 1-5 from God when she was a child.  She has reflected over those words hundreds of times over her life.  They have always brought her hope and peace.  God has gotten Nikki through some rough times in her life just like everyone else.  But Nikki turned to God's Word to see her through.  Nikki wants to share what God has done for her life with others.  Coming to Honduras was such a great blessing for Nikki as she shared her gift of God's deep love for her with others.  Thank you Nikki for your willingness to share God's love with others.

Our last testimony was Jon, who was raised Roman Catholic.  He sought meaning in his life through success and acceptance.  He was an excellent student and try to please everyone.  He had many accomplishments in life.  He had a hard time making friends, especially when he went off to college.  He meant one young man named Gerald who was his friend.  He felt Gerald had something special about him but Jon could not figure out at the time what.  One night Gerald mentioned he was going bowling and would Jon like to go.  He told Jon he was going bowling with some Christian friends and to a worship service as well.  They sang a song:

"Beloved, let us love one another

For love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God

He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love!!!"

Through these words God taught Jon things about him that he never understood before.  He was amazed!!  God is love!!! Also, He enables us to truly love one another. After God revealed this to Jon he prayed to HIm and asked forgiveness for all his sins and he asked HIM to take control his life. Jon is thankful for Gerald taking him bowling that night and to share the gospel with him. 

I am thankful for each and everyone of these testimonies.  We all have a story and they are all different just like the ones above.  We all can relate to at least one of these stories.  I challenge myself and you today, do we truly have a personl relatonship with Jesus Christ where HE has complete control of our lives and we go to HIM with every detail of our lives.  Do we read the bible daily to seek HIS guidance in our daily walk with HIM.  This was our last team of 2012.  For many reasons I did not do this blog until today January 4, 2013.  But God knew this was the beginning of a new year.  I want to challenge us all who read this to give Jesus Christ our total being.  Give HIM complete control of every detail of our lives and let's read the bible this year daily.  I will begin reading the bible through for the third time this year.  This is sad to say I have only read it through three times in my life time.  Do not make this mistake. I challenge you read God's word through this 2013 year and get to know our God who created us all and who wants a personal realtionship with each of us.  He desires to be with us.  Desire to be with HIM.