Barbs Heart - Honduras

In August of 2020 Mike and I started a new journey with Monte de Horeb Ministries Inc.  During this transitions we had to reach out to our donors about the change.  I had contacted everyone but this one person who I had no personal information on.  But I remembered a few years ago getting a Christmas card from this lovely lady named Barbara Krauss.  God knew our paths were going to cross one day because I saved the envelope with her physical address on it.  So I googled her information and found a phone number I was praying belong to Mrs. Barbara.  Praise God it did.  So on that beautiful August afternoon I called this number and Mrs. Barbara answered her phone.  I shared who I was and I knew her grandson, James who came to Honduras back in 2016 with Campbell Medical School.  She knew exactly who I was.  We hit it off immediately.  I shared with her how much I appreciated her continuous donations throughout the years since James came to Honduras.  If I am correct James went home that here to visit his family in Geneva, New York and shared about his experience on the medical team to Honduras.  Well now that I know Mrs. Barbara I understand totally why she started giving to the ministry in Honduras.  She is a very giving lady and gives endlessly.  So this is what started a blessed relationship with this eighty one year old ball of energy.  She has a true heart for missions.  This first phone call came one of many and numerous emails.  As well as a giving heart she is a faithful prayer warrior.  So as the months passed we came to the end of October where Mrs. Barbara shared with me during her quiet time God laid on her heart she needed to take all her energy and build a family a home in Honduras.  Mrs. Barbara has a very special gift and that is of hospitality.  She is involved in her church, Faith Community Church, helping prepare meals for every occasion they have and cooks for other in her community of 15,000.   When God told Mrs. Barbara she needed to build a home she thought God wanted her to go to Honduras but then later realized she could raise money to send to build a family a home.  A home where they will be safe and dry for the very first time.  So Mrs. Barbara called to tell me this is what she was going to do.  She was going to cook different dishes and share the story of how God wanted her to build a home in Honduras.  By the first of November Mrs. Barbara had raised $55.00 towards a $3000.00 goal to build a home.  She had made some mac and cheese casseroles and some apple butter the first go round.  She did not set a price on any of her items she sold, she asked folks to give as they felt led to give for a family to receive a home.  Mrs. Barbara was so excited about that $55.00 as was I totally overwhelmed by such a quick response.  By November 4 she was cooking cream cheese yeast bread which she said "Smells so yummy."  Also she made a quart of beef vegetable soup along with the yeast bread.  As she got so excited her Honduran house had collected $87.00.  She needed $100.00 to start the Honduras House savings account.  Mrs. Barbara had someone come by just to visit her one day and she shared the story of the Honduran House fund and this person gave $20.00 selflessly.  God is good all the time!!!!!  November was a busy month for Mrs. Barbara.  I was continuously hearing from her on what she was baking and cooking and selling all of it.  November 13th she was baking angel food cake, two pumpkin rolls and yes more mac and cheese to sell.  At this time Mrs. Barbara had $400 which she deposited into the savings account. During all this time she had several family members who donated money towards this first house.  I talked one day with Mrs. Barbara and said please know the team I am wanted to donate the monies to will not be coming until next summer.  You got plenty of time Mrs. Barbara.  She said, "Thank you and I will try hard and do my best to have it done by then." On November 24th she lacked $89.00 having $3000.00.  Obviously God had plans for Mrs. Barbara and the Honduran house and HE provided the monies she needed within a month to build a home.  A friend knew how much she needed to have her $3000.00 goal.  He ordered a string bean casserole uncooked and gave her $90.00.  What a friend we have in Jesus and with HIS servants who have helped Mrs. Barbara meet her goal for a home in Honduras for 2021.

Well do you think Mrs. Barbara stopped with the one home I got an email the very next day and asked could she continue and build another home.  I said of course.  But the sweet side of this story is Mrs. Barbara's pastor asked could the church jump on board this go around and help raise the money.  So on December 5th Mrs. Barbara shared how the church is wanting to get more involved with this vision God has placed on her heart which is what Faith Community Church has named it "Barb's Heart - Honduras.  Pastor Ammerman shared from the pulpit what Mrs. Barbara is doing and continues to do.  Pastor Kevin has asked for more information about Monte de Horeb Ministries so he can present it to the church.  All because one lady was obedient to God's calling of her young life of 81 years.  Mrs. Barbara sets an example for all of us we are never to young or to old to serve our Lord and Savior.  We need to all reading this today to look at the gifts God has given us and use them to further the Kingdom of God.  Monte de Horeb Ministries and now two different families in Honduras will be forever blessed because of Mrs. Barbara's obedience to God and then followed through with it beyond anything we thought would happen.  It is always in God's timing as Mrs. Barbara would say.  Mrs. Barbara shared with me a quote "You can't do everything but you can do somethings."  This is a quote from our Heavenly Father as He inspired Mrs. Barbara to build a home for someone in Honduras.

 

Honduras Hurricane Relief Ministry

 

First of all we want to praise God for all HIS provisions and for all of you who helped make this very important mission possible. We want to thank Pastor Carlos, the Pastors and the Honduran people who helped make this possible. Continue to pray for the Honduran people as they have a long way to recovery and pray as we continue to see how this ministry can continue to minister to the Hondurans these hard times. As several Hondurans have said to me, “with GOD’s help we will get beyond this”. AMEN. Here is an update of what has been done so far during the recovery effort.

Food Bags

1250 families have been provided enough food to last them about 1 ½ weeks. Here is a sample of what it took to make this possible:

6000 lbs. beans

6000 lbs. rice

6000 lbs. maseca

1875 lbs. spaghetti

5000 lbs. sugar

2500 rolls toilet paper

Others – salt, sauces, seasonings, matches, laundry detergent and body soap.

 Fresh water 

Reestablished water for a community of 200 families. This was done with the help of 28 men from that community and back breaking work by all. Installed 17 pieces of 6in. metal pipe at over 300 lbs. each. Numerous 4” PVC pipe. All of this piping was destroyed when the river flooded during Hurricanes that brought a total of 70 inches of rain. It was amazing to see all these Honduran men so excited when the water lines were completed.

 Portable Water Filtration  

Samaritan’s Purse gave us 15 portable water filtration and storage containers for 15 families. These families lived in stick housing by the river and did not have clean water. We were able to setup and train the on how to use these to give them clean water. I tested after setup to demonstrate how clean the water will be.

 Mattress

Provided 44 mattress’s for families who lost their bedding due to river flooding.

 God Moment 

As Ginger has always asked us “What was your God Moment for today”

Well mine was during these trying times as we did ministry to the Honduran people, and seeing Pastor Carlos, Pastors, and our Honduran staff share the love of Jesus with their people. I was intentional not to be the one giving out food and mattress’s, but being in the background and watching how God was using these people that work with Monte de Horeb Ministries being the hands and feet of Jesus.

Again thank you all and God Bless.

www.montedehoreb.com

First Project for Monte de Horeb Ministries 2020

 

                                                                             

On October 19, 2020 God led us out of the Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus down the dirt path through Pavana to the main highway.  But for the first time since February 2020 we were able to turn out to the right and head to  a community called Nacome Valle, Honduras.  This will be our second project in the hottest spot in the entire country of Honduras.  So off we drove excited about all God was going to do this week for each one of us.  We want to say thank you to Catawba Valley Baptist Church in Maiden North Carolina for providing the funds for this family to get their home.  This family has been waiting since November of 2018 for this to become a reality for them.  God is so good and this week it was most amazing what all God did for all who participated on making this house a home.

We were blessed with so much help this week.  Pastor Carlos was the lead construction man.  Yobani, one of our full time staff on the campus came out to help build the home.  We hired Cristobal who lives in Pavana and needed work to come out to work all week as well.  The gentleman with the big smile on his face his Mr. Alicides Estrada, the home owner, who worked very hard all week on his home. Mr. Estrada had three very hard working family and friends who helped us all week.  They worked very hard each day for a quiet delicious lunch prepared daily by Mirna, the lady of the house.  She did not come out to the project with their two sons, Junior age 13 and Yoni age 11 until the last day.  But she provided a hot meal daily for all of us.  Carlos, Antonio and Marcos all worked very hard and did it with a joyful heart.  The beauty I saw in this week how complete strangers can come together to make 800 blocks, 50 bags of cement, two doors , two windows and a concrete floor into a beautiful mansion as we call this 19x25 home.  Prior to getting this home the family lived in SS Classrooms at their church.  So this was definitely a huge blessing and prayers answered for the Estrada family.

The not so beautiful part of this week there was just something missing throughout the entire week.  Something just did not seem right or maybe the word is complete in making this a most beautiful week.  Our North American family was not helping us with this project.  We miss our North Americans coming down to serve beside us.  But we praise God for those of you who help fund our way during these most unusual times.  We love ya'll!!

"I thank God every time I remember you.  Every time I think of you I give thanks to

my God."  Philippians 1:3

Placing the Cornerstones and Praying Over The First Block

Cristobal and Yobani went in behind Pastor Carlos and Mr. Estrada to set the poles into place for each cornerstone.  Carlos, the family member stood back and watch to learn how to do this himself.  Carlos was a very humble, energetic and most helpful young man in this family.  His home was across the street from the Estrada home.  They will all be very blessed to have each other close by.  Family is very important to the people of Honduras.  Carlos showed hospitality beautifully especially to Ginger who after working a couple of hours had to take a break.  So the placed a chair from his home and put it up under the shade tree in his yard.  All week Carlos was trying hard to make us all feel welcome in their community.  He definitely has the gift of hospitality.

We gathered all the workers and Mr. Estrada together around the one of the cornerstones.  Pastor Carlos laid the first block on a bed of cement. He asked Mr. Estrada to squat down around this block and lay his hand upon the first block.  As I am typing this I think back on the week and how those hands which were placed on that first block that bright and very warm morning would be laying so many more blocks and mixing more mortar to make that one single first block into a complete and welcoming home for his wife, Mirna and their two boys, Junior and Yoni.  How humbling this is to get to participate in this project which is definitely so much more than a project.  It is a gift from God and we were just simply blessed to be a part of this gift.  The joy on Mr. Estrada's face all week when we joked about how cold Nacome is (not cold at all, just saying) brought laughter amongst all of us and build a beautiful bond and relationships simply by saying yes to God.  The joy which continued to overflow from Mr. Estrada all week was definitely what I needed for myself.  We were all full of the JOY of Jesus Christ all week and to God be the glory.

"This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone."  1 Peter 2:7

 

Hard Work for Mr. Estrada but Mostly for God our Father

This was a quick hard working week.   We all arrived daily with excitement and energy to build this home.  The first day five courses went up and doors went in.  The Hondurans stayed on task for the entire project.  Pastor Carlos led well and taught the new fellows just how he wanted the mortar mixed for the blocks to go down and to fill the joints.  Everyone worked well as a team.  Mike and Ginger arrived later on the last day thinking Pastor Carlos would have helped with the roof.  But we were sadly mistaken.  We both felt awful because we thought more men were arriving to help mix the concrete for the floor.  Mike quickly jumped up there and helped Pastor Carlos get the roof to completion.  The three volunteers were working so hard on the concrete and Mr. Estrada was passing up the roof to Mike and Pastor Carlos.  Cristobal and Yobani were putting down the floor. Everyone was working hard on the last day.  The last day Ginger just kept them in cold water and hydrated which is the most important job on the job site.  Ginger enjoyed sitting in her plastic chair under the shade tree watching the completion of this home become so real for all of us.  God is so good.

"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." 

Galatians 6:9

                                                                                     

Dos Jefes

Pastor Carolos and Mike have missed doing this for others this year.  They did a couple of homes in Pavana back in June but not any construction since those days.  I, Ginger, have permission to say what I a fixing to say about these two godly men.  They have gotten soft.  Yes they have worked very hard on Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus moving rocks, repairing needed structures and working on the road into the campus due to so much rain.  But this construction labor is much hotter work especially when you are not use to it.  So all my North American families who are reading this today Ginger prays you can get back down here in 2021 to help these two hard working men out.  We need you desperately.  They picked right up on that roof as if they had just done one last week.  Those two working together is a most precious site.  They are two well greased machines together.  They compliment each other in so many ways.  This is definitely a gift from God as well to have two bosses who worked side by side in such a godly way. They also have a compassion of grace about both of them.  Even the house pet, Dunkin, loved on Pastor Carlos.  Mike made a friend this week as well, six year old Jose, yes another Jose.  He carried his reputation along with his name very well.  There is just something about the name Jose which just warms your heart.  On the last day he was the one who brought my chair out and put under the shade tree along with his little wooden chair and we sat there together watching the home go up for his uncle.  Monte de Horeb Ministries looks forward to seeing all our North American families back next year to enjoy all these God moments we are having.

Jesus answered him, " It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve HIM only.'"

Luke 4:8

 

Chicken Soup and Cold Coke

A project week would not be complete without a cold coke break daily.  These guys had a cold coke in a bag daily morning and afternoon.  But on the last day prior to the home dedication we had the famous chicken soup.  The fourth day of the project Ginger had a huge God moment.  I Ginger was sitting under my shade tree chilling when two men drove up on a motorcycle with a rooster under one of their arms.  This is not anything unusual here in Honduras.  They dropped off the rooster, a live and well and very huge.  About thirty minutes later Mr. Estrada headed off down the path with the rooster under his arm pit and gave me the biggest smile and said, "Delicisos manana"  Delicious tomorrow was the translation.  I thought ok we are having a pot of chicken soup compliments of Mr. Rooster here.  But the joy on Mr. Estrada's face with that rooster under his armpit was priceless.  These words I am typing do not even do justice to what I experienced at that moment.  God blessed us all with a big hot cup of chicken soup and the funniest part is I got the biggest piece of chicken.  I got Mr. Rooster chest, poor Yobani only got a leg and I think Mike got the other leg.  There were lids on the cups of soup so we did not know what we were getting until we took the lid off the cups.  Mr. Estrada humbly asked did we need a coke with our lunch.  We said no we were all just fine with this fine cup of chicken soup.  If you are wondering what the big deal is about this cup of chicken soup and Mr. Rooster under Mr. Estrada's armpit going down the path, please come next year and experience for yourself the pure joy in these two events.  Only your personal experience can explain this.

"Until now you have not ask nothing in my name.  Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."  John 16:24

Ask God for this joy today in whatever circumstance you are in.  Joy in Christ Jesus is more than any words can describe.

 

The Estrada Family Home Dedication

Everyone gathered around the home for what we all had been waiting for this week and for two years for this precious family.  Ginger opened with giving God all the praise and glory for this entire week.  Ginger Thanked the family for their generous hospitality and for all the worker who came out to help make this day come truly alive. She presented the family with a bible and a key for their home.  Ginger explained these two items were their spiritual protection and their physical protection. Ginger quoted Joshua 24:15 all in Spanish then turned the rest of the dedication over to Pastor Carlos.  Pastor Carlos shared how this home was not their permanent home but we were all just passing through here.  But this home needed to be used for preparing all who entered it for their eternal home with Jesus Christ our Lord.  He shared some scripture out of Proverbs about the house is a home which God has given us.  Pastor Carlos turned the service over to the family as Mr. Estrada thanked God first and then he thanked the church family back in North Carolina who provided for this to happen for him and his family. He said his words could not express how full his heart was at this moment.  Mirna then shared how grateful to God she was and she said "Thank you times 1000"  She was beyond words as well as always every one was tearfully joyful.  We all gathered around the home and Pastor Carlos prayed over this new home and dedicated it to God and to Him be the glory!!!!!  The Estrada family opened the door to their new home and looked back to say thank you one more time."

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord".  Joshua 24:15

THANK YOU CATAWBA VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH IN MAIDEN NC FOR YOUR MOST PRECIOUS AND GENEROUS GIFT TO THIS FAMILY.  TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!

 

Monte de Horeb Ministries

 Welcome all family, friends and others who are reading our first blog of Monte de Horeb Ministry Inc. We are so excited what God has in store for the ministry in 2021. This ministry campus became a dream for Mike and I several years ago. This dream is now a gift from God to share with all our North American teams and our Honduran Churches.  This quarter we are working on updating and changing forms for the benefit of Monte de Horeb Ministry.  Other than this absolutely nothing has changed.  The ministry campus is a lush vibrant green land with few rocks or boulder in view.  Praise God for an amazing staff who has worked diligently on this project since the first of March.  Our last team this year was in February and there has not been a team since and there is not another team until February 2021.  But we are all working hard keeping this beautiful gift from God clean.  There are still seven staff working here as of today, Yobani, Naun, Ingrid, Alexa, Ingrid, Rudy, Manuel and Pastor Carlos.  Mike and I are so very blessed to have an amazing and trustworthy staff we can rely on to continue the work here even when Mike and I are in the states visiting our children and grandchildren.  The pandemic has not slowed down the ministry God has called us to do.  Some teams who could not come this  year still sent their monies to build a home down so families could still receive their homes.  We built four homes between April and July of this year.  We were careful where we went according to the covid cases in different districts.  We wanted to protect our staff first and foremost.  So in saying all of this we want to say thank you to everyone out there who has helped Monte de Horeb keep seven people employed and built four homes even amidst of the pandemic.  Most of you are aware if there is not any teams there is not any monies coming through.  So we give God all the praise and honor for the many blessings which have flowed through this ministry.  God is so good.

On Monte de Horeb there is a complete sports center eagerly awaiting some Honduran churches to come out for a soccer game along side of their church retreat.  We want our local barber, Santos, who is a confessing Christian to be able to come back out here to play soccer with the local children and teenagers.  This is a huge ministry for him to keep these young people off the streets of Pavana.  We pray for our pastor conference to happen in 2021 for our North American Pastors and Honduran Pastors.  We appreciate our police ministry so much.  They are available at any time to lend a helping hand.  This is one ministry we are so grateful for.  We did not realize four years ago going up to the Police substation on Thursday evenings for Bible study this would turn into an amazing gift from God.  We are forever grateful for this ministry.  Fellow readers this is only the Honduran ministries which take place on Monte de Horeb.  

There is all whole other ministry as well which has been happening for many years.  This is all the North American Churches who come down each year with any where from 7 to 15 or more team members.  They come to bless the Hondurans but in turn get so much more blessed by the love, joy, contentment and compassion found in these beautiful people.  The North American teams come to build homes while evangelizing and doing VBS, medical and dental while evangelizing and an evangelism team who goes door to door and does VBS in the afternoon.  

Our staff and Mike and I are continuing to clean up the ministry campus and getting it ready for our first team in February of 2021.  If God's will we will be started out 2021 with 14 teams coming through to serve alongside of us at Monte de Horeb Ministries. When we started down this new journey about a year ago, I prayed to God to bless us with at least 10 teams.  Well God exceeded my expectations with 14 and I pray more teams will join this new journey along side of us as we go out to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with some precious people God has gifted Mike and I with as we are obedient to His calling for our lives.  We are finishing up 11 years in Honduras and have been coming over twenty years as we started out bringing teams in 2000 and helped build a church in Tegus.  This has been an amazing and spiritually blessed journey.  One of my favorite Bible verses is 2Corithians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."  Mike and I are simply lay people who said yes 11 years ago to calling to come here and save these people in Honduras.  Instead these amazing and godly people who truly rely on God's strength through their profound faith to see them through each and every day saved my life.  I will never be the same again and for that I give God all the praise, honor and glory.  If you would love to experience true peace, joy and contentment in your life at least for eight days please come down and join us on the most life changing experience of your lifetime.  These words cannot describe the beauty of God's sunsets, the magnitude of God's lightening shows during rainy seasons, the delicious Honduran meals each evening, the cold sodas on the gift shop porch the breathe taking God moments after and during evening devotionals on those relaxing rocking chairs on the porches of the North American dorm and multi-purpose building or just being still and being God's presence while you look out over the rolling mountains which surround this 36 acre ministry campus.  Thank YOU GOD for providing all of this through so many very generous people who love you first and love the Honduran people who they have meant over the years.  We look forward to what God will do in 2021, hope to see you all here with us.  God bless everyone. 

Welcome to Monte De Horeb

We want to welcome to Monte De Horeb Grace Baptist Church.  They are first timers to Honduras and we have been so blessed to have served beside of team leader, Kristi, Dean, Robert, Lee and wife Christina and Sheri and her son Jacob.  Kristi did a phenomenal job preparing this new team prior to coming to Honduras.  They were prepared spiritually and most definitely culturally especially for a first time team.  She asked and shared with me if we do anything to hinder this ministry here in Honduras please let us know.  God is good and we were beyond blessed to have this sweet team here for eight days.  They all fell in love with the ministry campus which became their home for the week.  They enjoyed the sunsets and especially the animals God has blessed the ministry with.  I am so excited to share what an amazing week this team who is not any longer a new team but a big part of our Honduran family.  Thank you Grace Baptist Church for choosing Monte De Horeb Hondruas to come and serve along side of as their week unfolded into something very amazing and only God with their true obedience should get credit.  Amen y amen

Job Duties at Monte De Horeb

This team of seven came together each morning first of all making some good Honduran coffee followed by cooking up a yummy breakfast. Thank you Krist, Sheri, Tina and Lee for cooking breakfast each morning.  Also while cooking breakfast Jacob, Lee Dean and Robert prepared the coolers of water and Gatorade.  Tina and Sheri also prepared the lunches for each day as they needed them.  This team got a little spoiled on the lunch menu.  This group of seven worked together as a team all week to get their daily chores completed and in a timely fashion.

After breakfast Jacob and Lee helped the ladies wash the dishes.  They headed down the hill after washing their dishes to help Robert, Dean  and Mike load the truck each day.  After all this was completed daily they always left right on time to head to a place where it will give them so much joy which words and pictures will never be able to describe.  They were able to come here, feel, smell, taste, most definitely taste, see and hear the beauty of this country.  This was teamwork from Grace Baptist Church.

Grace Baptist Meets The Rodriguez Family

After their first morning of job duties the team headed down to a community called Cedeno.  We gathered around the foundation of the home to have our introductions.  Mike spoke first and thanking the team as well as our brand new brother and sister in Christ, Christian and Stephanie along with their beautiful and joyful little girl Sophia for coming together as one to serve our Lord and Savior as this week was planned along time ago by our Heavenly Father.  Now the time has come to start a home for a well deserved family.  This family has lived their entire life in Cedeno.  They shared how they started out living down on the beach until a tsunami washed their home a way. Mike and I  remember this happening very well. As we went down to help mud out the beach for those left to survive on their own.  We might have helped them not knowing one day God had something much nicer for them in their future.  God's timing is always perfect in every way.  Manuel, our security guard on Monte de Horeb and Christian's best friend asked one day last year when were we going to build Christian a home.  So I proceed to pull his solicitation and it was a couple of years old, I said, "We will try to build it in 2020.  God's provision was perfect as He provided just the right team for this very quiet and sweet family.  Jacob team member commented one afternoon to me how quiet the Honduran people are and how we could learn from them so many different things if we only paid attention.  By the way this is Jacob's first time on an international mission trip and he got it his first day here.  The entire team saw how joyful their new friends were and how they wanted to share in their genuine joy they exhibited for the next five days.  Kristi introduced her team and thanked them for allowing her and her church family to be with them this week. Christian thanked everyone for coming to help Stephanie and him get their new home.  The project was sitting on a beautiful piece of land and it was the last dwellings on the dirt road for miles.  We learned from Christian his entire family lives all around him.  There is four generations surrounding this stretch of property.  How awesome it is to live where you can watch your children and grandchildren grow up with so much love.  This is what the team experienced this week, lots of love by family and friends as these 800 blocks and 50 bags of cement, two doors and two windows started becoming a home.  

Mike's Block Station

Mike set up his blocks on the dead end dirt road in front of the home.  He had lots of help getting the blocks lined up. Everyone pitched in bringing the blocks from the property to the road.  As this was happening Pastor Carlos was setting the corners.  There is so much going on the first hour or so of the first day.   Thankful for this group to find something they could do to help the process get started.  Mike was thankful for so much help which allowed him to get all the blocks cut for the team.  He taught Lee how to cut blocks so he could cut the special orders later in the week.  But Lee was bless when the next day Yobani from Monte de Horeb came along to help cut blocks and lay them.  So Lee helped Yobani as needed on the block cutting.  God is so good and He was all week with His provisions every single day.  Thank you God for all our help this week.

Sifting and Mixing

As we started out our first morning there was only Christian, Jacob and Lee sifting the sand.  I was standing over in the front of the project observing the morning when I was praying for more help to arrive for this sweet family.  Suddenly up behind walks by me this large young man and I said God is this an answer to my prayer.  Is this strong large young man going into Christian's yard.  Yes he did.  He was one of many friends who showed up this week to help mix the mortar for the home.  This angel's name was Kevin.   So Jacob stayed on to help Kevin and Christian mix the mortar and Lee went about helping do other necessary items as well.  About thirty minutes later here come another angel who we all love him who knows him, Fernando, a long time friend of Christian and Mike and I.  He actually took one hour off of work to come help his friend and headed back to work.  But he came and made a big difference in getting that first batch of mortar for the first block.  As the week progressed many different young men came by to help Christian get his home.  What a testimony for all of us to see these young men come beside their friend and work diligently for five days so their friend and his family would receive their home.  Lee and Jacob shared their time around that mortar pile each day was special to them as they did not know the language but they did know they all had a common goal in mind building a home through the mixture of mortar.  Christian is very blessed to have grown up in a community where all his friends are still close by and now they can watch as each other start their own families.  The only reason Manuel was not there he was working and going to school but he surprised Christian on the day of dedication.  God is so good because Manuel was off of work this week of the dedication and he was there for his friend.

The Cornerstone

The four corners got started as Lee and Christina, "Tina" along with Jacob, Robert and Dean helped lay out the four corners.  This team were quick learners which helped Pastor Carlos so much.  Pastor Carlos learned Jacob's name very fast as his go to person along with Jacob's Aunt Tina who speaks the language.  Pastor Carlos had two "go to" persons on this team.  He was very blessed with some hard working and eager helpers who gave it their all.  As the four corners came together the first batch of mud was about ready.  What an exciting time for the team and the family as everything slowly started coming together.  The team was finding out where they could use their gifts and talents early on the first couple of hours on their project.  Mike and I firmly believe the reason this team came on board with willingness of their hearts was because of such great leadership from Kristi prior to entering this beautiful country called Honduras.  They were prayed up and prepared up for this opportunity God had placed before them.  They are and were an amazing first time team to Honduras.  

The First Block

The mortar was ready and Pastor Carlos was prepared to lay the first block down, Mike and I asked the team and family to gather around the first block.  Meida collected Christian, Stephanie and Sophia asking them to squat down around the first block of their new home.  Team members, family and friends all touched someone to totally connect them to the Rodriguez family.  Lee began praying over the block and the family giving our Lord and Savior all of the praise and honor for this moment and time.  Lee's words were indescribable except they totally came from the Holy Spirit as words poured from Jacob's mouth.  His words of encouragement to this young family as they start a new life in their new home in just a few days.  As Jesus will radiate this week as they build this home for all to see.  Let Jesus shine through the labor of love going into this home.  Thank you God for this team and this family on this week.

Block 101 Class

Mike asked the entire team to gather around to see how the Hondurans lay the mortar and the block.  We had two construction young men on this team, Robert and Dean, but they were willing and able to learn a new way to do construction.  For this we are most grateful.  We are grateful for their humbleness of trying something new in the construction world.  They all caught on very quickly and teamed up with another person and off they went laying mortar and block.  They also all got great applying the mortar into the joints to make this home on the fifth day perfect in everyway.  There was a lot of love and hard work on each and every block and joint filled this week.  Have I shared it was quiet warm here as well. God blessed their sweaty bodies with a wonderful breeze throughout their days in Cedeno.  God also blessed them with one corner which was shaded the entire day due to three palm trees.  After their first day five courses and the doors were set.  This first evening of God moments was filled with surprised and tired bodies. Shelia shared how overwhelmed she was upon arriving seeing all the work ahead of each of them.  But she knew God was faithful and she had to trust in Him this house would become a home in five days.  Robert shared how humbling it was Christian took a week of vacation from his job as a security guard to build his home.  This was a week without pay for those of you reading this right now.  This was a huge sacrifice on his part not to bring an income in this week but I am sure he prepared in advance for the needs of his family and most definitely for the needs of the North American as well.  

Evenings of Devotionals

Prior to arriving Kristi, team leader, already had every evening  lined up for devotionals except one evening.  Our sweet precious "Tina" had not signed up for devotionals yet.  She was apprehensive about doing a devotional as was her precious husband Lee. But as it got closer both of them signed up for a devotional and I'm sure it was Tina's first time and I believe Lee had shared before.  But in saying all this when we allow God to use us to glorify Him and not ourselves God can do all things.  Tina picked a sick in the dorm bathroom where the scripture over the sink said this, "Nothing is impossible with God".  So this was her theme for her devotional the night she shared and it is absolutely amazing how awesome our God is when we are obedient to something He truly wants us to do in His Name.  Tina you did an amazing job because you allowed the Holy Spirit to work in and through your words.  Because your words were God's words.  The next evening Lee followed his lovely wife and I shared with him he had a tough act to follow after Tina's devotional.  He chuckled and said yes and how very proud he was of her and her boldness in sharing God's Word.  Thank you Lee for sharing your testimony of being a Christian for four years and how you would never dreamed you would be sitting in Honduras sharing a devotional with his church family.  His scripture came out of Romans 12:3-8, one of Mike's favorite scriptures from God's Word.  Lee shared we all came with different gifts and talents as I was sharing with the ladies prior to Lee's devotional about the team prior to them preached on gifts and talents from the North American team and the Honduran Sunday School teacher fell right in behind the sermon with the identical topic gifts and talents.  Obviously I am suppose to hear this and now I am asking God what gifts and talents am I not using to further His Kingdom work in Honduras.  Let's all ask ourselves are we giving God all of us to further His Kingdom.  This week this team gave their all and more to further the Kingdom of God.  They used their gifts and talents and so much more.  This group served this week humbly as Lee shared we should do during his devotional. Lee shared how he loved going to church weekly and being spiritually fed and to go out into my community back home serving others but this past week took my spiritual growth to a whole new level.  Amen y amen Lee!  The reason Lee grew spiritually and took it to a whole new level is because his as well as his team members hearts where totally in Honduras and allowing God to teach them how easy it is to get out of your comfort zones when God is in control.  Along came Sheri sharing about "flying blind".  She shared how she had not any idea what to expect when finally the plane landed in Tegus.  She came in blinded and unsure.  As the pilot of the plane trusted his instruments to get the plane safely on the ground we as well need to trust God our soul instructor who can guide us daily if we only allow Him.  My life back home is the same daily.  I was unsure about building a home and doing VBS in a different setting.  A very different culture for all of her team.  But as she shared she was a Martha she decided to let go and following God and allow Him to lead her and her teammates to a week full of His joy.  Sheri decided to trust God and follow what He had called her to do and be obedient fully to His Will.  Sheri shared how God proved Himself faithful.  Sheri's scripture was Proverbs 3:5-6 which shares how we have to acknowledge God first in our lives and He will provide all we need.

Kristi shared the first and last evening about Paul being an awesome missionary from 2 Timothy 4:1-8 at the beginning of the week.  This week we need as a team to deny ourselves and be fully committed what God has called each of us to do.  We are not here by mistake or coincidence because God is not in the business of coincidence.  He is in the business of providing all we need if we are obedient.  We knew coming in this was not going to be like our home conditions, climate was going to be very different, language very different and the way Hondurans build homes is quiet different from how we build homes back in the states.  But as God knows so well when we are totally obedient which this team was it all becomes a blessing instead of a challenge for each of us.  This team found such joy in getting hot and working beyond their own means.  So on Kristi's last evening's devotional she shared about a book she was reading while here in Honduras, "Something Needs To Change" by David Platt.  We all need a heart change and going out where God has called us to do.  She shared how she did not want to loose what God taught her in Honduras but to apply it to her life back home and the rest of the team agreed with Kristi.  Kristi shared how all our hearts need to break and feel the need to help others who cannot help themselves.  Jacob shared one evening how we must fear God as well as love God.  It is necessary to fear God in order not to have sin in our lives.   Jesus has taken the punishment for our sin.  This week Jacob shared how we need to humble ourselves to do the work God has called us to do and as I shared earlier this team did exactly that, became humble, trusting God totally and truly obedient.  As Jacob shared God is all knowing but yet we try to do it all ourselves. This week this team allowed God to use all of them in a mighty way by saying "Yes" and coming to Honduras and serving their Lord wholeheartedly.  Thank You God  for sending this precious group of people who love You first and serve You the most!!!!

Hydration Specialists

When these lovely ladies were not laying blocks or filling joints with mortar they were busy providing water for those angels from God.  Every thirty minutes or so either Sheri or Tina were going with the muffin pan full of water or Gatorade to replenish our Honduran helpers.  They worked endlessly without a break said Lee and Jacob.  Tina felt ashamed to be drinking her water from a water bottle as she served her new friends out of a 4 ounce cup.  But we shared how they are use to the elements of the heat a whole better than them.  It does not take as much water for them as you. They do need to be hydrated but it does not take quiet as much.  This North American team learned quickly how hard these men work in such rigid hot weather and scorching sun beating down on them.  They mixed and delivered the mortar all day long for the North American team.  This bond of care for each other in different ways, providing water from North Americans as the Honduran angels provided the hard labor for their friend, Christians as well as for Pastor Carlos and North American team.  It was team effort on everyone's part in Cedeno this week.

Breakfasts Served at Monte de Horeb

We were blessed each morning with a delicious hot breakfast prior to our workday.  On one morning the ladies had a huge surprise Ingrid came in and prepared some homemade Baladeas for the new team.  We only asked Ingrid to make the shells but for some reason she prepared it all and had it ready to eat at 6 am.  I was beyond humbled by her act of kindness which is not in her job description at all.  She has occasionally come in to make the shells but not the entire breakfast. What a special treat and blessing from God this bright and beautiful morning at Monte De Horeb.  Baladeas are one of our favorite dishes here in Honduras.  This team was not any different.  They fell in love with all the Honduran cuisine and especially the fresh fruit daily, honey dew, watermelons, pineapples and bananas were their desserts for the week.  I do not believe these folks were ever hungry while their stay at Monte de Horeb.  How blessed we are all to have such a wonderful place to come to retreat in the presence of our Lord as well as great food and fellowship.  Thank you God for our wonderful staff and facility You Father so graciously provided.

What An Awsome New Team

As the week progressed so did the magnificent work of this North American team.  They all found very quickly where they were the most effective for this house to become a home and they used their gift and talents accordingly.  The walls are being built as well as relationships being built as well.  Everyone became one unique family this week.  Because of Tina's gift of speaking the language she became very close to Meida and Stephanie.  Stephanie shared with Tina how she had never met her parents they gave her up when she was born.  Tina shared with her how blessed she was to have a loving extended family with Christian's mother and grandmother who have taught her so much.  Tina shared with Stephanie as she has observed her this week she is an amazing mommy to Sophia.  She sees the love and joy this little girl has from much loving parents, especially in her mother.  How beautiful this was to have Tina encourage her new friend in the manner she did.  Tina and Meida talked to and from the project in the back of the Landcruiser each day in Spanish of course and Sheri and Kristi listened in bewilderment.  Kristi and Sheri were just fine and was grateful for how beautifully Tina reached out to all the locals in such a compassionate manner.  We shared in orientation the first night, the house will get built in five days but do not miss the opportunity of getting to know these beautiful people God put in their paths this week.  Job well done Grace Baptist Church family.  We all came to love you as you lived out each day here in Honduras to its fullest.

Our First Time Missionaries, Lee and Christina

Mike and I came to acknowledge this was Lee and his lovely wife Christina, "Tina" first time on an international mission trip.  Tina shared with me this was her first mission trip ever and I truly would not have known this if she had not shared this with me one day as we were working back from the sports center.  This young Christian couple exhibited strong faith and trust in their Lord and Savior the entire week.  They came all in and gave it their all as they served side by side this week.  They laid the corners together on the first day.  They faithfully washed breakfast and dinner dishes daily together.  Lee led in prayer several times throughout the week with boldness and sincere love for His Savior.  It is so refreshing to see a young couple and young in their walk with Christ being so solid in their walk.  They both shared this week was huge for both of them as they stepped out in faith what God would reveal to them as a couple.  What a testimony.  They can return home to their sweet daughter and share with her their love for this beautiful country and how as a couple they will be able to talk and share their many memories together whenever the time arises.  Their love for Jesus first was most evident and their love for their church family as well was evident as they worked side by side with family and friends from Grace Baptist.  Their love for each other was precious in so many ways as well.  Thank you both for what all you did in so many different ways, leading devotionals for the first time, getting out of your comfort zones, serving relentlessly daily, sharing in the home dedication, praying and encouraging each other as well as your team each day.

Family Serving the Lord

Sheri came to Honduras for her first time and brought her son, Jacob along with her.  They worked well together and worked separate as well.  It warms my heart to see a mother and her son serve the Lord together.  From what was shared by them both and Robert and Dean their family has been doing mission work for many years.  Jacob's grandmother has been on numerous mission trips with the church.  At the beginning of day one as the team gathered around the foundation and waiting for the Rodriguez family to join them I found out there was more than just Sheri and Jacob as their family unit in Honduras.  Lee is Sheri's brother and of course Jacob's uncle.  Well this would make Tina Sheri's sister in law and Jacob's aunt by marriage.  What an awesome gift from God to have this many family members coming out of the country for the first time to Honduras to serve their Lord.  How blessed we were to be able to work beside each one of these fine folk.  I can only imagine what it will be like at a family gathering sitting around a table of some of Sheri's fine cooking sharing their memories from Honduras.  What an awesome gift God has given these four folks who were obedient to God's calling. Thank you Kristi for allowing this to happen by choosing Honduras as your international mission trip.  We love each of you Sheri and Jacob, and Lee and Tina. We love you too Kristi, Robert and Lee as well!!!!!!