Antioch Baptist Church, Evangelism Team

On April 9 I was awaiting my flight back to Honduras in the Atlanta airport.  I knew I would be meeting up with the upcoming team from Monroe, North Carolina.  I was sitting there reading a book when twelve people arrived at the gate and they were all busy talking.  I watched from afar wondering if this was our next team.  Yes it was.  What a blessing to get to arrive in Honduras with this group of folks from Antioch Baptist Church.  It was their first time to Honduras.  We arrived safely and got our luggage and was greeted by Mike, Jose, our bus driver, Egla, Maida, Belksie and Heidi, our translators. I was very excited to be back to Honduras along with Antioch.  Off we head to Choluteca.  We arrived and got settled in and the team was full of energy and motivation to plan for the next day ahead.  They had their orientation and a devotional.  Then they dispursed into their small groups with the individual translators to work out the details for their first day on the mission field.  Mike and I excused ourselves.  Suddenly I heard hymns being sung in the dining hall.  Belksie, one of our translators was sharing some traditional hymns sung by adults and childrenn of Honduras.  The team wanted to include their translators into all the details of the week.  The translators feedback helped them tremendously on how they would carry out their week.  The next morning we arrived in Cedeno at Pastor Carlos' church.  They were there awaiting our arrival.  Pastor Carlos had several of his church members there to assist during the week ahead.  We provided cookies and juice for the first day of greeting and getting to know each other.  Pastor Joey, from Antioch and Pastor Carlos introduced their team members and then they dispursed into four groups.  They received their cookies and juice and went to different corners of the church to share and have a devotional and prayer time before hitting the dusty dirt roads of Cedeno.  The group did not go door to door as normally planned.  Pastor Carlos had a different game plan.  He had already shared with his folks where to take the team members.  There were many families who had been to church but did not come anymore for many reasons.  People who needed encouragement and to hear the word of God.  Pastor Carlos had done his homework and knew where to send the team members according to specific needs.  Pastor Joey told Pastor Carlos that first day: "We are here to help you, please show us what you want us to do for your community and church family."

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowd, he had compassion on them,  because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.   Then he said to the disciples, The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."  Matthew 9:35-37