Blocks in Blocks Up

There was blocks which had to be placed inside for the week and this group got busy right away.  Once the blocks were inside the walls started going up.  Yobani our block cutter had to lay block on this project and Mike and Meida cut the block.  When it is only the Hondurans working on a project they all wear many different hats.  They do whatever there needs to be done at the moment.  O'Nil got out of the Kia truck the first day checking out the situation because he was and always is in charge of the mescal crew.  Angel and his brother and two members of the church learned quickly  how O'Nil wanted the recipe for the mescal to be mixed into concrete.  As always they kept the adobe home to cook out of and store things.  As you can see they went to adobe to a mansion.  

 

Blessed

Mike and I are so blessed with two important people in our lives, Pastor Carlos and Meida.  Meida has definitely been wearing many different hats this year but she has a ball and is standing strong with all the hard work placed before here.  Pastor Carlos not only is building a home a week with or without a team but is pastoring two churches and having soccer games at least one night a week at Monte de Horeb Ministries Camp.  It was good to see Pastor Carlos this past week with one of his best friends Pastor Hector.   It uplifted Pastor Carlos a lot to be with his friend of a long time.  Of course Mike is so thankful for Pastor Carlos and all his knowledge of his own people.  This makes it easier for us to work beside the Hondurans and respect the way they do and handle situations.  We are guest in this country and we need to respect how the Hondurans do everything.  This is why we are so blessed to have Meida and Pastor Carlos by our side through this journey in Honduras.  

 

Difficult Task

This week brought many challenges.  Angel and Marie did not have a pilla with water, no bathroom and no electricity in their home or even on their property.  Angel's job along with his brother was for daily to go collect water in the white jug down at the river about one quarter of a mile from the project.  He did this all day and everyday. The mescal crew never lacked for water to make their mescal  for the joints or the floor.  It was an endless job which Angel did with pride because of his new home was coming in the future.  While Angel was going down to the river for water I saw Maria sifting sand to help get her floor completed.  This sand sifting is much more difficult for the floor than the joints for the blocks.  Yet she never stopped until the floor was completed.  Mike finished the roof and rested about ten minutes and helped fill the wheelbarrow up for Noel to carry into the floor.  If you check the picture of sand and rocks on the bottom set of pictures this was very important part of the prepping of the floor.  I was sitting near this pile of sand and rocks when Pastor Carlos came out of the house and said, "I need more sand and rock to get the floor ready for concrete."  He pointed to this pile and said "That is what I need"  I was simply in awe of how they use whatever is around which in our eyes may not look important or needed.  But in their eyes everything is important and needed.  Noel continuously carried wheelbarrows of mud into the house for Pastor Carlos and Cristobal to lay out the floor.  Mike shared one time to Noel, "You can slow down some if you would like."  Poor Mike he couldn't sat down for two minutes to catch his breathe and Noel was back wanting more concrete.  This went on all morning.  Because O'nil had three piles of concrete going in different stages the entire morning.  All worked until the floor was completed and they were all exhausted.  Yes the Hondurans get very tired too.  Noel finally took a deep breathe and leaned up against the rock wall across from the home.  Everyone was relived to see lunch arrive and cold coke of course.  This lunch was delivered on foot by one of the gentleman's wife, members of the church of Angel and Maria.  We saw family and church family come together this week along with my own family from Monte de Horeb Ministries to provide this mansion for this precious couple.

 

Children and the Culture

There is always beautiful children wherever we go in Honduras.  This week there was only three and three very quiet children so we respected that.  But the culture is always so beautiful.  My friend Mr. Bacca behind the fence was directly behind where I was sitting throughout the week.  He was very curious of all the unusual activity going on next door to his pasture.  I just simply love these creatures God created so differently from North American cows.  Their floppy ears and their free spirit definitely.  They roam wherever they want to and always go home.  On the last day Meida said Mrs Ginger you may want to move because the man coming up behind you is fixing to open the gate to let the cows out.  I moved quickly to allow my friend and his other friends to go to the river to get a drink of water.  The food here is beyond any words.  All I can say is you just need to come here and taste it yourself.  The church provided hot meals each day for lunch.  One day it was delivered on a moto taxi and other days some of the ladies of the church walked it over which was about two miles one way.  This precious family we built the home for could not provide lunch much less a coke this week.  So after the first day of realizing this the Honduran crew and Pastor Carlos would take up an offering to provide coke and sweet bread each morning at 9:30.  How precious was it that our staff provided snacks this past week for all the volunteers from the church, the family as well as one another.  On the last morning Mike and I followed them out to the project they were a ways ahead of us because we had to pick up Meida.  We come upon a stopped Kia in the path and Yobani going back and forth to the Kia asking multiple questions to Pastor Carlos.   They had stopped for their mid morning snack which included coke and sweet bread this morning.  Mike finally after about three minutes went around the Kia to get to the project to start on the roof.   It warms my heart these fellows can provide for themselves and do not expect Mike and I to pick up the bill.  Instead they always share with us as well.  We are so blessed to have awesome staff with giving hearts.

 

 

One Last Project

If God allows and there is leftover block and mescal the Honduran crew have been building a small porch into the entrance of the home.  Such a sweet and thoughtful gesture of the gentlemen.  Most homes are in need of this porch because of the height of the foundation.  Angel kept the mud coming as the Honduran men laid on the porch along with Mike.  Well done good and faithful servants.

 

A Simple but Beautiful Dedication

The time has come to celebrate a dream come true and prayers answered in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  It took us forever to get these four to give us a smile so this is the best we could do.  They were overwhelmed with joy but not showing it outwardly.  This family is very quiet as I had shared but there was a couple of times when Pastor Carlos spoke Maria looked at me and smiled.  Folks I will treasure that moment forever in my heart.  

I presented the Family Bible to Angel and shared how this home is beautiful but your eternal home is going to be so much more.  It was a blessing to build a home for brothers and sisters in Christ this week.  I shared how they were blessed to have Angel's brother and their brothers from the church helping them get their home.  But all the glory today goes to our Lord and Savior.  Angel said a few words, very few but they were words of gratitude to everyone.  I shared at the end Joshua 24:15.

O'Nil presented the key to the family with joy.  I had asked him earlier that morning would he like to be part of the dedication and present the key.  With a warm smile on his face he said, "Si Jefa".  This warmed my heart to see O'Nil participate and share words of encouragement to this family.  This was a huge God moment for Mike and I today and I am sure Pastor Carlos as well.

Pastor Carlos sealed the home with a devout prayer to our Lord and Savior.  This dedication was simply yet perfect for this very humble family.  I was blessed to stand with Maria as we prayed over her new home.  Thank you God for all your provisions this past week through Grace Baptist Church, our four Honduran workers, Meida and Pastor Carlos who leads us all so well and so godly.  All God's people said Amen y Amen!!!!

 

Three Amigos Travel to Tapitoca

Team leader Ron brought along two other long time friends of Mike and me, Gorden and John Scott.  They had the opportunity to travel right out of Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus by the "Rock" which is nestled on Monte de Horeb daily to continual view of some gorgeous country side.  All the rain we have been blessed with in the last two months has everything plush and green.  This was a rough ride but a beautiful ride each day to a very precious piece of property who was owned by a single mother, Victoria and her son Junior,  Let's start our journey through an amazing week in Tapitoca.

 

Faithful and Few

The team of three Ron, team leader, Gorden and John Scott along with their Honduran helpers to meet Victoria and her family.  They live in a community called Tapitoca which is up above Monte de Horeb Ministries campus.  We arrived at a very beautiful piece of property and a very excited lady.  Victoria's niece Yolania came to help her aunt all week cook for the group. Her daughter Estafny and her son Junior both work and were not around all week.  Estafny lives in Choluteca with her husband and her baby girl of elven months.  We opened up with pray after everyone was introduced to one another.  We got blessed with a gentleman named Walter who lives in Tapitoca who goes and helps all his neighbors get their home.  Walter is a very willing servant and simply works hard all day with very few words.

Victoria welcomed everyone and gave God all the glory for this opportunity of a dream come true this week, her new home.  We are all fixing to enter into a week of multiple blessings and God moments.

 

Eight Hundred Block

God bless each hand who picked up the many blocks which had to go into the foundation of the home before we could start work.  Because once we started the walls this task would become difficult.  So off they went moving blocks, bringing all the tools up from the bottom of the hill.  Someone was gracious enough to let us park all three vehicles on his property each day to make this task and others a little easier.  Every project is always so different some easier than others but they are all for the Kingdom of God.  The new friends began working side by side seeing what the other could or could not do and picked up on names very quickly and what they could all do to help each other get this home built for Victoria and her son Junior, age twelve.  

We prayed over the first block without any pictures.  Sorry folks but Junior had to be pulled away from work, milking cows to come over for this moment and he was not to happy with his mother at this time.  So I felt compelled to not photo this moment but please envision their hands placed together on the first block and John Scott praying a prayer of a new beginning for Victoria and Junior.  He softened up just a little but got much better as the walls of his home were going up.  But he was only with us for one day, his day off of work.  Victoria shared with Meida how she wanted him to continue school which I am assuming Estefany would help pay for but he would rather work than go to school.  I suppose this is a great choice for this family since Junior is the man of the house at the age of twelve.  

After the prayer blocks started making a wall and this foundation was becoming a home and this tea of three along with their Honduran helpers were able to stay right on schedule each day.  Gorden shared one evening and with these Honduran men we could not have done this without their help.  John Scott and Ron both said amen to this.

 

Job Duties

The team of three had a lot of help daily with their job duties.  I enjoyed watching the water crew go down the hill to keep Pastor Carlos from coming up the hill to pick up the water coolers.  Gorden was always willing to wash all the dishes at both meals along with his friend Ron.  John Scott made Ron's peanut butter and jelly daily and off they went together to serve our Lord in Tapitoca.

 

Unity in Christ

As the week progressed Gorden shared one evening how their Honduran friends had figured out our names and how different gifts.  How beautiful it was to work together in such unity with all they had to get done each day.  Above was the day the scaffolding was  going up and how quickly and efficiently this huge project was completed.  God had just the right folks here this week working side by side.  It was the last morning of the project the Hondurans were waiting out in front of the North American dorm and the three amigos had not come out yet which my heart is warm for their reason why.  They were discussing and praying one last time for the home dedication because they wanted to do their very best for this family.  So while we were waiting I shared with the Honduran staff and workers how much Ron, Gorden and John Scott had enjoyed working beside them all week and what hard workers they each were.  Well, I opened up a can of worms so to speak.  All of them were praising these three men on how hard they worked and how they never stopped until a project was completed.  They were also honored to be a part of this week along with Ron, Gorden and John Scott.  They were shocked when they found out the ages of the older two gentlemen.  So whoever is reading this out there today you are never too old to serve our Lord and Savior in Honduras.  We definitely have proof from this past week.  If you are willing God will provide you all you need to do what He wants you each to do.  But without God we can not do anything.

The walls continued going up and the blocks were being carried up a steep incline once again.  Never once did I hear I can't do this.  These gentlemen just simply did what needed to get done.  After the first day I just enjoyed watching God had work in these three gentlemen.  We are grateful for their willing hearts and their willing bodies who survived this week to perfection.  Hallelujah praise God for all He did through each of them this week.

Pastor Carlos had an extra project on his hand.  Not only were there limbs in the way for the gables to go up but the tree limbs were blessed with a beehive.  So Mike got Pastor Carlos a stick covered with paper and Pastor Carlos got busy burning out the bee nest.  He continued the project with chopping out the limbs which would hinder the continuation of the home.  All in a day's work folks.  All in a day's work.  There is not anything God cannot fix with the knowledge He has given these Honduran men.  We always learn something new from them and how they know how to survive with exactly what is in front of them.  This is one activity I always enjoy watching unfold because you never know what the bees might do.  Praise God this day it was a safe and secure endeavor.

 

JOY

North Americans always come to Honduras thinking they are going to bless the Hondurans.  They find out very quickly how they are truly blessed by the love and compassion these folks have for one another and others.  Each day around ten the Hondurans would collect money for their mid morning snack and coke.  Everyone pitched in even the three amigos.  But on the last day we got a big surprise.  I had our money ready to give to O'Nil for the morning snack and he said "No Jefa, Noel y you queremos tratarlos a todos hoy."  Translated as "No boss, Noel and I want to treat everyone today."  I said back to him, "No problem".  This was the very best snack I had enjoyed the entire week.  How beautiful is when others want to bless you.  Always remember folks never steal anyone's joy.  

 

Monte de Horeb Ministries Many Blessings

Monte de Horeb Ministries is grateful our visitors from North America love dogs.  Because we got three cuties living with us now.  Lassie of course everyone knows and loves has her friend Duke who now spends the night at our home because of our new little angel called Rocky.  Rocky by the middle of next year will definitely be in charge of Monte de Horeb Ministries.  But another special touch to Monte de Horeb Ministry campus is the porches on every building.  Every afternoon the three amigos would come over to the gift shop for their cold cokes and talk about their day with us.  We would have God moments most days before we even started with devotionals.  They had so much to share about their day and how they knew God's hands was in all of it.  Each morning I would find them on the multi-purpose building sipping their coffee and listening to all the many birds on the campus and watching one of our staff members trying to keep the birds out of the pond.  This past week we got another 2000 tilapias to harvest in about six months.  Of course they enjoyed watching Rocky get into a lot of trouble with Lassie and Duke.  We all love to rock on this porch and enjoy the beauty of Honduras mountains all around us.  The three gentlemen enjoyed being still and being in the Presence of their Lord.

 

Building Up The Walls and Building Relationships

What a day full of challenges but never once did these nine men give up.  Noel was bringing two buckets of cement in a wheelbarrow up the hill and then handing them up to the men on top for the gables.  Ron decided he would help make Noel's job easier, once again unity and team work at its finest.  Ron carried the wheelbarrow down for one of the volunteers from the community, Walter, who filled those buckets to the top for Ron to carry up the hill to Noel.  At this time Noel took one at a time and lifted it up to O'Nil to dump into the eleventh course.  Sometimes Walter simply brought one bucket full himself up the hill.  This young man worked quietly and very hard all week.  He was a friend of the family.  We were very grateful for Walter and his hard work.

While inside there was John Scott, Gorden, Mike, Yobani, Pastor Carlos, Cristobal and O'Nil working with all they had to continue this home.  Honestly I was amazed how everyone knew where to go and what to do even with a language barrier.  This was not any of these men's first rodeo.  But not only this but how they all took care of one another and kept each other hydrated each and everyday.  Meida defintely made sure of this herself as she was working right along beside of them.  We are grateful for our Meida who does more than translate for Monte de Horeb Ministries.

One day Junior did not have to go to work, herding and milking the cattle in his neighborhood.  So I got Meida to ask him if he wanted to help with his home.  So Junior moved all the blocks inside for the men along with Meida and his cousin.  I was grateful to see him be able to do something towards his home.  Along with his sister Estefany I am pretty sure he also helped pay for the foundation of his new home.  What a beautiful family who takes what they have and makes it all work out for the better of their family.  They worked as a family all week.  It just was not obvious unless you knew the details of Estefany working in Choluteca and Junior milking cows and herding them to pasture. Thank you God for always showing us the beauty of this culture in Honduras.  

 

 

Best Friends Serving Our Lord Together

Mike and I have know Ron and Gorden for thirty five years but these two have been friends much longer than this.  It is a joy to find them on the project working side by side together for their Lord and Savior.  They both in their own way take excellent care of the other.  It is a joy to see friends come here together and serve together.  We have enjoyed laughter everyday with these two and John Scott was a good friend through all of it.  They were very intentional to make sure the other was doing okay in the heat and hard labor of the day.  But when we gather together in the evening they were fresh and clean and ready to go serve again the next day.  They both chuckled one evening on the gift shop porch saying only God could do what we did today.  We were just willing to trust and obey.  Thank you God for a productive and safe week for our two friends and thank you John Scott as well.

These two gentlemen Pastor Carlos and Mike are a great team together.  How we all enjoy how God's Word shines through each of them when they are making a decision or simply waiting for mescal in the heat of the day with smiles on their face.  The ministry campus with the guidance of our Lord and Savior has done so much for the Kingdom work of Monte de Horeb Ministries.  It is humbling for me to be a small part of the decisions made through the ministry.  I enjoy sitting back and watching both of these gentlemen figuring out small or large details together and how beautifully they do this together.  They are one in the Lord they are one in the Lord and the beauty of what is unfolding through this ministry is evident they both rely totally on God's discernment and not man.

 

Bien Porvecho

Each morning John Scott made two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for Ron and himself.  Gorden asked permission to eat the local cuisine daily.  Mike and I shared with Gorden this would be your call and not ours.  Well folks Gorden's call was eating this scrumptious and heartfelt meals daily with the Honduran men along side of John Scott who never once at his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Ron took care of eating the sandwiches daily.  Victoria spent hours everyday in her kitchen preparing these delicious dishes for about twelve people.  On the last day they had to figure out a way to get the materials for her floor into the foundation.   I hoped they asked Victoria permission to carry the wheelbarrow through her kitchen area up into the house.  As Gorden shared the last meal of the week was the very best one of all and I suppose it was because her daughter brought beef from Choluteca for the celebration meal prior to the dedication.  As you can see O'Nil and Noel eating their meal which they both earned that day all cleaned up.  They got so dirty the last day they washed up in the bathroom and changed clothes.  Everyone was ready for the celebration meal.  Victoria was ready to serve and bless these men with a hot plate of beef, chismo and refried beans with a pile of tortillas.  Thank you God for such southern hospitality right here in Honduras.  

 

One More Project

We all sat back and watched the Honduran workers prepare the front steps with the materials that were left over.  Gorden and Ron were sitting on the ramp where the porch would be built.  We had to finish the inside before this project was started.  Please note the wheelbarrow coming up the ramp and it happened all morning long.  Somehow these men found the energy to build Victoria a porch for her new home.  God's love just continues to flow through all of these men.

 

What a Beautiful Ending to a Beautiful Week

All beautiful things created by God to have to come to an end to only allow a new beginning for the lives of one very sweet family, Victoria, Estefany and Junior.  Estefany age 22 lives in Choluteca with her husband and precious 11 month old daughter Sophia.  Estefany works as a housekeeper and helps provide her families physical needs.  Most likely she paid for her mother's foundation for her new home.  I asked her how often does she get to come home and visit her mother.  Her reply is I get to come once a month. The day of the home dedication she and Sophia rode a bus to Pavana then a moto taxi to Tapitoca for this very special day for her mother.  

I also want to thank Ron, Gorden and John Scott in the time preparing to make this home dedication so beautifully done. Of course we give God all the praise and honor for the words shared during this time of dedication but it was definitely spirit filled.

Gorden thanked the family for their hospitality all week with delicious meals and cold cokes daily.  He shared how the North American team of three were blessed to be able to help God make her dream come true this week.  Gorden gave God all the glory and shared scripture out of Matthew 7:24-29 where Jesus said unless the house is built on the "Rock" it will not stand.  Gorden referred to the Rock being Jesus Christ our Lord.  This home he shared was built on the foundation of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  Then he shared from John 14:1-4 about God's mansion with many rooms.  This home is only temperal Gorden shared with Victoria, Estefany and Junior.  But God's preparing many rooms up in Heaven for those who believe in Him.  This mansion filled with many rooms is more important than the home we all just completed. Gorden smiled and stepped back for John Scott to step up to present the Bible.  John Scott followed Gorden's lead and shared how this home is beautiful in every way but this book is got so much more beauty inside of it for our eternal future.  God's Word can provide you comfort, joy, strength, love and contentment for more than this home we just completed.  John Scott read from Proverbs 30:5  "Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him."  Victoria and Estefany were intently listening to these words and I pray they ponder on them for many days.  Ron, team leader presented the key to their home and shared this key will protect you while on this side of Heaven but the Word of God and a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ is our perfect protection. Ron shared that in the book of Revelation 3:20 Jesus says "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me."  Ron shared my prayer is for your family when Jesus knocks you will open up this new home to Him and let Him in to live with you until Jesus comes to take us all to our eternal home, a home which will out weigh this home by far.  Wow folks those reading this today do you have an eternal home with Jesus Christ one day.  Have you built your home on a solid foundation with Jesus at the center of it, is the Word of God brought into your home daily, is God your shield of protection and has Jesus knocked and you allowed Him in not just once in a while but every single day of your life.  If not I pray you will reach out to someone and find out what this Jesus is all about.  During the week one of our workers got deathly sick and was rushed to the hospital but the peace we all had was he has a room in God's mansion in eternity.  He has built his home on a solid foundation in Jesus Christ.  You are not promised tomorrow or you may not know today is your last breathe this side of Heaven. I pray please I pray you will receive the greatest gift of all better than any home on this earth and that is Jesus Christ.