Team 116 Floyd's Creek Baptist Church

On June 16 Floyd's Creek Baptist Church arrived in Tegus ready to serve the Lord. Their smiles were as bright as the sun shining down on them. They ate their deli lunch and off we went to Choluteca. On the first day on the job everyone pitched in and moved the blocks to the center of the foundation. We did something very special with the first block. Juan the father of the house, translator, Oscar, Pastor Antonio, Chad, Roger, Greg, the team leader and Candance, our first timer layed hands on the block and Candance prayed a pray over the first block. Juan laid the first block and everyone clapped and praised the Lord. The team was up and running. We have a new construction leader, Pastor Guerillmo, Pastor "G" for short. He and Team 116 worked hard side by side all week on building this family a home. There are eight children in this family, and the mother Ana died two years ago of diabetes and a stroke. So this was an emotional week for all involved. The eight children and Juan, the father worked very hard beside Floyd's Creek to make their home a reality. The girls hauled in buckets of water on their heads to the job site for mixing the mortar for the blocks. That sight in itself was amazing. They brought the water from a few houses down out of someone elses well. This whole community came together to help their neighbors get a home. Each day courses were laid and the sun seem to get hotter but nothing stop the process from its completion. As the week went by Floyd's Creek build many relationships in this community of El Carrizo. They became to know them by name and the language barrier became less and less a problem for the Hondurans and the Americans. God is good all the time. That saying seemed to be repeated quiet often during the week. The day of the dedication was absolutely beautiful. Floyd' Creek presented the family with the key to their new home and a family bible. The children of the family started crying as they now have a new home they can call their own. An hour after the dedication there came a huge electrical storm and the children were standing inside their home looking out at the rain. This is the first time in their entire life they did not have to worry about getting wet or not going to sleep because of a rainstorm. Thank you Floyd's Creek Baptist for obeying God's calling to come to Honduras and serve the Lord and the people of Honduras.

VBS/Worship Service

Each afternoon the ladies of the group, Janey, Candance, Patti, Katherine and Jasmine led VBS inside of the church. Each day they averaged 75-100 children. The first day they did Noah's Ark and they had the children do hand puppets of the animals of the ark. They came to the front of the church and made the animal sounds. They were so sweet because the children did not know what some of the animals were and what sounds they made. But they had a blast learning and pretending to be on Noah's Ark. Each day they shared a bible story, songs, crafts and played futbol with the children. The children enjoyed the time they had in VBS. Some of the children walked over a mile to come to the church each afternoon to attend VBS. On the last day the electrical storm came up but that did not stop the young ladies of Floyd's Creek from sharing the plan of salvation with the children. Six children accepted Jesus Christ that stormy afternoon in El Carrizo. One lady accepted the Lord during worship on Sunday morning. Please pray for the salvation of Juan the father of the house. Juan came to church on Sunday morning and set right on the front row as the team shared a song and gave their testimonies. While the team shared the children were in Sunday School. The children came back out and shared what they had learned in Sunday School, a bible verse and then they sang their songs to us. It was a beautiful day in church on Sunday.

People of El Carrizo

The people of Honduras carry a beautiful smile and the love of Jesus in their hearts. Each team who come here always leaves blessed by these people. We come here to share with them and they always teach us something we can carry in our hearts forever. We love you Honduras!

Most Important Mission for Team 116

During the week Juan had shared with the team about the loss of his wife two years ago. Her grave is not too far from the village. The cementary is in a cow pasture. The cows were trampling over her grave. The team told Juan they were going to pray for 15 blocks to be left over from the job and some cement. So as the job came closer and closer to the end there were less and less blocks. We all prayed for 15 blocks. Well God is good all the time. There were 35 blocks left over from the job. So the Hondurans and the Americans loaded up the Kia truck and off to the cementary they went. This was a very overwhelming scene. Tears were streaming down the face of the oldest daughter as she helped build her mother a monument. As mentioned earlier an electrical storm came up. They worked hard as they could as the rain was coming our way. They found a tarp to lay over the grave to protect it from the rain. They carefully placed the tarp over the grave and said a prayer. As they finished the prayer lightening began stiking all around and the dark clouds dropped a massive amount of water on the village. God is good all the time. Thank you God for allowing Juan to find peace at his wife, Ana's graveside.

Team 114 Home Completion/Dedication

Praise the Lord from who all blessings flow. This was our first home completion and dedication without the team. We missed you so much New H0pe Baptist Church. The men of the village came forward on Saturday after the sun finally decided to come back out and helped Mike and Pastor Guerillo finish the Ponce home. As you can see in the pictures even the children of the family were helping mix the mortar. Two of the men in the group picture are our new brothers in Christ, thanks to God who led a group down in January to evangelize in Colonia Vicotor Argenal. The home dedication was an unique one. New Hope Baptist Church was conferenced in on our cell phone and Carlos our translator help throughout the service. Pastor Ricardo read scriputure from the book of Galations and each member was able to share blessings to the family and everytime one shared the family and friends of Honduras would clap and shout AMEN. Modern technology is awesome. After Pastor Ramon shared a few words, Pastor Ricardo closed in prayer as each of us laid our hands on the home. Thank you New Hope for being a part of the dedication and for your earnest effort of never giving up on the job God called you to do in Colonia Victor Argenal. To God be the glory for all things. Now the Ponce family has a new home and God can looked down and say Well done good and faithful servants.

Team 114 - New Hope Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.

We would like to welcome our church family, New Hope Baptist Church of Raleigh to Honduras. They arrived right on time and of course it was an emotional time for Mike and I. We got a little taste of home this past week. We took them to the mission house in Tegus to have their deli luncheon. Allowed a little r and r and off to Choluteca. We stopped at a Christian school to get an ice cream and a bathroom break along the way. But New Hope brought one thing with them that never left them: RAIN. On Thursday morning we got up and it was pouring down rain. About 11 it had slacked off some so off we went. We always started it day in a circle of prayer before we left for the job site. Got to the village of Colonia Victor Argenal and it was muddy, muddy and muddy. The foundation was under water. So they got started the best they could by starting on the corners. Pastor Guerillo, our newly hired construction leader started poking a hole in the foundation to release the water from the foundation. Once Arnold saw what he was doing he pitched in and helped. Then the team made an executive decision to go buy a blue tarp to cover the foundation. The ladies went down to the church and started on building relationships with some of the sweetest children God has created. The construction team got two courses up the first day in the rain and never once thought they could not get it done. The tarp was a huge help for the construction of the house. Now this was not your normal job site. The dirt road and the surroundings of the house was nothing but slush. But New Hope kept right on working and perservered continously in the rain. On Saturday morning another executive decision was made to go purchase rain boots and then the fun started. They did not have to tip toe around the slush they just walked right through it and did what needed to be done. By Saturday afternoon when we left the job sight they had all courses up but the last one and the roof. New Hope did all they could do in two and half days. Thank you so much for not letting the rain deter God's plans for you this week building a home for the Ponce Family. When they left on Sunday after church we told them we would see them manana(tomorrow). Obviously that did not happen and New Hope did not get to finish the home they came to build. So the dedication will be continued once the roof and floor gets done. Somehow we are going to have New Hope via conference call with the family at a later date. Thank you New Hope for not letting a tropical storm wet your spirits. You were true troopers and I know God is looking down saying good job, good and faithful servants.

Children of Colonia Victor Argenal

While the house was being built Kira, Nancy and Amanda were meeting the children. These children truly have fun being children without the luxury of toys, computers and videos. They are happy with what they have. Please enjoy the beautiful children of Honduras. One young man named Junior could out whistle any of them. Across from the job site was a water hole where the children would go and splash around, play, giggle and laugh. It was amazing how they could entertain themselves but also enjoyed playing with our American ladies.

Team 114 VBS

Nancy, Kira, Amanda, Kaitha(translator) spent most of the day each and everyday playing with the children, doing VBS and futbol. Each day they would start in the church singing songs, playing games and doing skits. After lunch they would do a bible story and a craft with them. They did the Creation story one day as a skit and had the children participate. It was amazing how much fun the children enjoyed acting out the Creation. One day in particular they made bookmarks with biblical symbols and a bible verse. During this activity one young man, age 8, named Carlos accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He spoke English and had moved to Honduras from the state of Virgina. So people we have one more brother who will go to heaven one day. When the weather permit they would play games outside with them. They had water balloons which was a big success. Hey we were wet anyway. What is a little more water. They had an egg race one day and even the Honduran children can be competive. At the end of the day Kathia and Carlos got a futbol game going with them. I believe one day Amanda, Kira and Nancy got in one game of futbol(soccer). VBS actually lasted most of the day. They ended up having about 80 children over the three days. Thank you ladies for giving these children memories which will last a life time. To God be the glory.

"Rojo Alert" Evacuation of Choluteca

After church on Sunday we went out for lunch and back to the mission house to chill and relax and enjoy some good ole fashion fellowship with one another. Something I bet alot of us don't get much of. We grew closer this week because sometimes the weather kept us inside and what else can you do but get to know each other better. There is not a television so we played games and took naps. The rain was pouring down and suddenly Orifilo arrives on his bike in a rain suit and says the river was rising and we may want to move to higher grounds. Orifilo lives about four miles from the mission house and he felt obligated to come and take care of us and the mission house. He would not leve the house and was planning on riding out the storm. He had a ladder if needed to get up on the roof. Meanwhile the Disaster Relief mode had kicked in and we were all working putting everything up high in hopes of not loosing anything. So off we go to a Christian school half way betweet Choluteca and Tegus. We had taken pillows, blankets, cots, water bottles, chips and sandwich stuff. We were ready for another night of bonding. Several of us ladies had a vision of Camp Munda Vista Mother Daughter Week-end about 15 or years ago. The entire week New Hope was in Choluteca/Tegus they never broke a sweat. It was a nice cool week and sleeping in the school that night got really cool. So we got up the next morning and was on the road to the mission house in Tegus by 7:30. Thank you God for safe travels and for getting us to the school safely. To God be the glory. Thank you for all the prayers for us this week when sometimes you didn't know how powerful your prayers would be for New Hope.

Worship on Sunday

We load up the van and off to church. Of course the rain went with us. We arrived and one by one unloaded in their Sunday best and their rain boots. We were blessed by three testimonies, Jon, Barbara and Jerry. Pastor Ricardo brought the message on enthusiasm. The New Hope Baptist Church choir of Honduras sang a lovely song and did it in Spanish. They had been practicing each night after our share time to be able to do this. They did an awesome job. they also taught the children during VBS how to sing Joy Joy Joy in English. The children did a beautiful job and were so proud of themselves. The young man at the top middle is your new brother in Christ, Carlos. After the service, New Hope was able to socialize with the church family for about 45 minutes because of course it was raining. One thing I noticed at church on Sunday was 13 men sitting in worship. Back in January there was an evangelism team here and there were only 5 0r 6 men in church. One of the workers this week accepted the Lord during that week of evangelism and worked everyday with New Hope on the house. To God be the glory for the seeds each team plant and how God is working in the lives of the Hondurans. Even though it was raining God's light was shining in church that day.

Pupusas al Natural

After we realized we were not going back to Choluteca to finish the house we had to switch gears. Pastor Ricardo used the word flexibilty alot this week. So once again we had to regroup and go to plan B. We took our tour day one day early and went off to the Valle and ate at the most amazing restaurant in Tegus. New Hope got to enjoy authentic Hounduran food and buy jewerly at the same time. This day was the first day the sun had shined since they had arrived. Thank you God for a nice day to relax and enjoy the sunshine.

Pastors Serving the Lord

We were blessed with two pastors this week and they both got down and got dirty. There was so much hands on where do I began. One of the most touching moments was when Pastor Ricardo taped up Sandy's foot each morning. Sandy had come to Honduras with a broken foot and worked on the house everyday. So Pastor Ricardo put a garbage bag with orange duct tape on her each morning before going off to the worksight. Another special moment was Brian teaching Nancy how to lay block. New Hope is very blessed to have two such compassionate pastors. There is one saying we had down here what happened in Honduras stays in Honduras. These two young men had way to much fun serving the Lord. Thank you for all the hard work and for bringing down our church family to give us memories we will cherish forever. We love you New Hope Baptist Church.