Welcome back FBC Raleigh Team #1

 

 

 

We like to welcome back First Baptist Church of Raleigh Team One.  This will be First Baptist's tenth year coming to Choluteca, Honduras to serve the Lord through means of construction.  This is their second time coming to build Sunday School classrooms.  They came to a beautiful village called Piedra de Agua where the church is nestled around the most gorgeous mountains.  We have learned over the years by bringing an evangelism team here and building a home here in the past this church which is called Luz y Viva was in need of Sunday School classrooms.  They average around 60 to 100  children in Sunday School on Sunday.  We gathered around in a circle embracing each other and introducing ourselves to our new found friends in Christ.  We prayed and commenced to laying the four cornerstones for the future of these beautiful children who will come weekly to learn all about their Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.  They will hear bible stories from the Bible, sing songs to praise HIM and learn bible verses which they will recite to the adult congregation at the end of Sunday School. 

 

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

Matthew 19:14

 

Pastors, prayer, perfection and presentation

 

The first block is always special in many ways.  First and fore most we present it to Jesus Christ through prayer.  But standing back watching Pastor G watch Pastor Darwin get that first block just right after the prayer was precious.  The block had to be placed perfectly for the rest of the blocks to follow in behind it.  Pastor Darwin is around 22 or 23 years old and has been mentored by Pastor G to shepherd the flock of Luz y Vida Ingelsia.  Pastor Darwin is a strong godly young man who sets the example for all of us as Christians.  He has the respect of all ages in the church.  Just as the first block has to be just right and in place so must we as Christians.  We should have our lives in line first with God's living word.  God's word should reflect our daily walk with Him just as we saw in our young Pastor Darwin.  He was there everyday working along beside us as well as many young people of the church.  What a beautiful testimony for us this week.  Thank you Luz y Viva church family for working along beside us to glorify our Lord and Savior. One evening Bud share a devotional on using our spiritual gifts with love in a Christ-like attitude.  We all saw this in the Hondurans as well as the North Americans this past week.  A start to a beautiful week.

 

"The Parable of the Bag of Gold"

Our Spiritual Talents

Matthew 25:14

 

I Corinthians 13

The Book of Love

 

Christ-Like Attitude

Philippians 2:5-11

Labor of Love Surrounded by God's Creation

 

 

The block wall started going up very quickly each day.  The North Americans and the Hondurans worked side by side every day until five o'clock to accomplish the goal they set out to do, build these children a Sunday School classroom.  Our new team members, Tommy, Ron and Banga Bud got right in there and learned quickly how to build a structure Honduran style.  Well done my new brothers in Christ.  Thank you to team leader, Steve, who cut the numerous blocks this week.  Banga Bud assisted Steve in many ways.  The team unfolded into an amazing group with servant hearts.  The walls started going up and the friendships started up as well.  This labor of love from both North Americans and Hondurans was a beautiful testimony for Christ. 

Dudley shared on the first night his God moment was "just to be here".  Simply just to be here.  Thank you to Maida, our translator Dudley was able to sit and talk to several little girls of the church.  One evening the team was finishing up as Tommy shared  his God moment was to hear the girls singing in the church as the church service was beginning.  How beautiful are the voices of children of God. Mike shared his God moment was watching the church family working as a family.  Mike shared how important family was to him and to see this in the church family was his God moment. Each day one of the guys would share the beauty of God's sunset as they traveled back to the mission house.  How beautiful God's creation is if we would just take the time to notice.

 

Please enjoy reading Psalm 104:1-35 about the beauty of God's creation.

The Sabbath

 

 

The team was able to work for two days and have a day of rest.  They returned to Luz y Liva to share in the worship service.  Joel, Bud and Dudley shared their personal testimonies and words of encouragement to the congregation.  Joel shared that everything belongs to God, everything.  We are allowed to borrow everything for a short time.  Bud shared how we need to treasure our time with loved ones and show our love to each other.  Dudley encouraged the church from a pastor's standpoint.  Tom got up to sing Amazing Grace in Spanish.  The entire group of men got up and ask the church to sing along as they song Because He Lives.  The children came forward to say their memory verses for the day. This was a beautiful day in worship.  And all God's people said AMEN.

 

A song of pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. I was glad when they said ,"Let us go into the house of the Lord!" 

Psalm 122:1

 

"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it.  The world and all its people belongs to the Lord."

Psalm 24:1

Thanks Jose

 

The roof starting going up with the help of Jose, one of Pastor G's disciples from his church.  Pastor G had to go to a pastor's conference up on the North side of Honduras.  Praise the Lord for all God's children who come forward and help.  Keith and Ron jumped up there and worked along side of Jose and they completed the job.   I can only imagine the view from up there as they were working putting each screw in place and laying each piece of roofing.  Well done good and faithful servants.

 

"His master replied, "Well done good and faithful servants."

Matthew 25:23

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

 

  On Tuesday I knew the church family was serving all the workers seafood soup. But my thoughts were how were they going to get the soup to the job site.  Each day they brought the meals for the Hondurans on several trips on Pastor Darwin's motorcycle. Pastor G came off the construction site with Mike following in behind him.  Mike said let's go with Pastor G to get the soup.  We go a mile or so up the rocky terrain to Pastor Darwin's home. There came running three beautiful ladies with bowls, spoons and tortillas.  Out came Mike and Pastor G with a huge pot of seafood soup.  They placed the pot very gingerly on the back end of the pick up truck.  Pastor G rode with it as the ladies piled in the back seat of the truck.  We drove ever so slowly down the rocky terrain to the front of the church.  Mike and Pastor G got it off the back of the truck and took it inside for the ladies to finish the preparation for lunch.  We blessed our meal and shared in an amazing time of food and fellowship.  Thank you, Pastor's Darwin's mother, Iris, Pastor G's wife and one of the lovely sisters of the church for preparing such a feast which fed around 30 men, children and women.

 

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

Matthew 14:13-21

 

 

 

 

Mas Mescla

 

The rest of the guys worked diligently on mixing mescal to pour the floor.  Wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow after bucket after buckets of mescal entered into the two classrooms.  Shovel after shovel after shovel of rocks, cement and water went into the mound to produce the mescal.  Inside the guys, Tommy, Banga Bud and Pastor Darwin were smoothing out the mescal as it entered the room.  Everyone was working hard at it.  Joel, Steve, Mike, Dudley, Tom, Jose, Edwin, David, Edgar, Meida and many more did all they could to get the two floors down before the end of the day.  

 

"And whatever you do, whether in work or deed, do it all in the name of Jesus, giving thanks through him to God our Father."

Colossians 3:17 

Mas Mescla

 

Yet still more mescal.  Keith and Ron had finished the roof and proceeded to help the rest of the team with the floor.  They continuously worked at mixing and pouring to complete their task at hand.  Everyone was doing this with a cheerful heart.  A heart full of praise for the Lord. 

 

" We can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives us our strength."

Philippians 4:13

No mas mescla por favor

 

The floors were getting closer to being finished as the sun was setting.  Everyone was still going hard and strong.  Well everyone except our friend, David.  He said no more mescal por favor.  David worked all day by his brothers in Christ until he could not do anymore.  Thank you David for a job well done.  David was carrying buckets upon buckets on his shoulder of mescal up the ramp into the classrooms.  Everyone was glad when they could say it is finished.  Thank you to all of you who put your sweat of labor for Jesus into this floor. 

 

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

Philippians 1:6

 

Washing of the Disciples Feet

 

This has become a spiritual tradition for team one at the end of each project to gather all the workers and read the scripture out of John 13 where Jesus washed the disciples feet.  At first the Hondurans were a little stand offish of the idea.  But as Joel knelled down on his knees in front of Pastor Darwin and proceeded to wash his feet and Keith came in behind him to dry Pastor Darwin's feet, the young men followed in behind their pastor's lead.  Once again Pastor Darwin set the example for all ages of the church God has called him to shepherd.  Each team member knelt down on their knees and proceeded to wash each and every person's feet who helped build those Sunday School classrooms.  As Bud was washing an older gentleman's feet Bud saw tears stream down this older gentleman's cheek.  This was a humbling experience for all of us.  The older gentleman probably had not ever had anyone wash his feet and this day was a God moment for all of us. All God's people said AMEN!!!!

 

Washing the Disciples Feet

John 13:1-17 

Presenting Spiritual Tools and the Keys

 

 

At the end of the feet washing Steve, team leader presented Pastor Darwin with a bible study and tracks to share in the community.  He presented Pastor Darwin with the first set of keys to the Sunday School classroom on the left.  Steve then turned to the audience and asked 7 year old Edwin to please come forward.  Steve presented Edwin with the other set of keys to go to the Sunday School Classroom on the right.  He also asked Banga Bud to come forward and walk with Edwin out to the classrooms and assist him in unlocking the classroom door.  After the rooms were unlocked by each young man everyone applauded and cheered giving God all the praise and honor and glory.  As in the beginning when we prayed over the first block we will finish by praying over the all the blocks.  As we say in Honduras, "Dios es bueno todo es tiempo."

 

"And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven>"

Matthew 16:19 

God's Provision

The first picture is where the adults met while the children were in the church.  As you can see the progress throughout the week and looking below to see where the children had Sunday School on Sunday morning.  This church needed Sunday School Classroom.  Thanks be to God for His provision for these beautiful children.

 Jesus said,"Let the little ones come unto me, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

Matthew 19:14

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The Brown Brothers Serving God Together

 

Thank you both for your willing and obedient servant hearts.  We love you.

 

"As for my and my family we will serve the Lord."

Joshua 24:15

Welcome Back Pittsboro Baptist Church

 

Pittsboro was our first team of 2014.  They returned full of excitement and praise for the Lord to build another home.  We started our first morning in prayer as we gave this week and work to the Lord. Folks looked from other homes as we all gathered in a circle with heads bowed and eyes closed praying and praising our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for allowing this week with these people to take place.  Team leader Mark Hubbard allowed his team members to introduce themselves and then the Hondurans introduced their family and neighbors who came out to help.  We are very grateful to be able to start our year out with Pittsboro Baptist Church.

Mark shared the first evening during devotions and God moments how we need to live out Galatians 5:22, "The Fruit of the Spirit" during our time here in Honduras. I saw a lot of these characteristics throughout the entire from the North Americans and the Hondurans.  Praise be to God. 

 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." 

Galatians 5:22-23

Not again, Oh my!!!!

 

 

Pittsboro Baptist has started a family tradition on the first day of their construction.  The blocks are never there.  Last year they did not get delivered until mid-morning.  Well this year they were in the community but all 800 of them were had a nearby neighbor's home.  Team member, Chris got in the KIA drove over to the neighbor's home and the team members started loading the KIA with as many blocks as it could hold.  They all laughed as each block was placed on the foundation.  This is one flexible group of people.  Thank you Pittsboro for exemplifying the characteristic, patience as you placed each block on the foundation.  They got enough blocks to get the day started.  On day two they carried the rest of the blocks to the job site.  Well done good and faithful servants.

 

"Well done good and faithful servants."

Matthew 25:21

Pastor Isaiah and family

Pastor Isaiah, Kellyn, Jose, Kevin and Meylin were a pleasure to work beside.  Pastor G informed us that Pastor Isaiah and Kellyn both are children of pastors.  Pastor Isaiah's smile was beyond any words.  He glowed as he introduced his lovely family and watched as the 800 blocks became his home.  He bought the property six years ago and prayed one day he could put a home on it.  He is a pastor in another neighborhood about twenty minutes away.  His prayer is to plant a church in his new community, Colonia Telmo Ruis, Choluteca.  There is not a church in this community.  So pray with us as Pastor Isaiah evangelizes in his neighborhood.

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

Preparing, praying and provision

 

Preparing

 

Praying

                                      

 

Provision

Children, Chilling and Cantata

Enjoying the children. 

Chilling with some watermelon and hammock.

Cantata with Karl and Rosa, singing and playing "Cristo te Ama".
 

Feliz Cumpleanos Pastor G

 

 

On January 10 Pastor G, our construction team leader celebrated his 52nd birthday with the North Americans.  We provided him a chocolate cake and shared it with all who was there.  We are blessed to have Pastor G working beside the North Carolina Baptist Men here in Honduras.  He definitely lives out all the Fruits of the Spirit.

 

"For you created my innermost being, you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I   praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made., your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body."

 

Psalm 139: 13-16

Ten Salvations on Day of VBS

 

Team member, Matt, shared how he was a little sad because there was not as many children hanging out at the job site.  Some were fearful there would not be many children at VBS on Friday.  The team members, Kim, Mark, Michael, John, Kathy B. and Kathy S.  lead the two day VBS.  They started on the first day in an empty lot next to the construction site.  They immediately out grew this space within the first thirty minutes.  There was over 100 children at VBS the first day.  The VBS team came back to the mission house to regroup on how to handle such a large number and where to have it the next afternoon.  They took VBS to a futbol field about 500 yards from the construction site.  The mother and children arrived at the job site around one or so and kept coming. There was over 50 children and mothers before VBS got started. They followed the VBS team members to the futbol field.  The second day they had around 150 children.  They played futbol, Frisbees and did face painting.  At the end they were all gathered together to hear team leader, Mark Hubbard, who shared his personal testimony. They were offered the free gift of Jesus Christ. There were ten children who accepted Christ on this day.  Praise the Lord for whom all blessings flow.  Matt shared never underestimate what God can do. We pray the fruit from VBS and the construction of the home will bring this community in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

 

Matthew 19:26

 

 

 

 

Final Touches

 

The entire team pitched in to complete the home on Saturday morning.  They pushed their limits to get the task given to them completed.  Jerry was very persistent on getting the floor just right for the family.  Michael, Kathy S., Mark and Kim helped Jerry get it to completion.  Chris, Karl, Jon, Matt pushed hard to mix the mescal for the flooring.  Mark also helped put the roof on.  Jose looks on as he watches this house become his home. Karl shared how while he was on his knees smoothing out the floor he reflected on this is how we should pray.  Pray on our knees to God for all HE does for us on a daily basis.  Thank you Pittsboro Baptist for following God's calling to come to Honduras to build Pastor Isaiah and his family a home.

 

"For this very reason, I get on my knees before the Father, for whom every family in heaven and earth receives its true name."

 

Ephesians 3:14-16

 

 

The Three Part House Blessing

 

 

On day of dedication the team brought a little something special to the family.  It is called a three part blessing.  First of all Mark shared a few words and allowed others to share.  He present them with a bible and their key to their new home.  Kim, Mark's wife presented the family three gifts similar to what the Wise men did.

 

The Three Part House Blessing

Bread represented that you will remember that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from God.

Salt represented to remind us that you are the salt of the earth, the witness in this community.

Water represented the reminder of you are to thirst after Christ and may you be blessed with many baptisms.

 

After Kim shared the Three Part House Blessing the team gathered around the house to pray while hands touched the blocks.  A neighbor came up about this time praising the Lord for Pastor Isaiah moving into this community.  He wants to work beside Pastor Isaiah to bring the lost to Christ. What a beautiful way to end a most beautiful week. 

 

 

 

 

 

Church Service

 

 

 

 

We gathered our last time with this lovely family as we worshipped beside them in church.  The group worked hard all week learning to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Spanish.  Karl played along while the group sang.  The team leader, Mark brought a video for the people to watch on "The Woman and the Oil" out of 2 Kings.  Later in the service Pastor Jon shared a message from God's word.  He shared how we are all formed in God's image.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit to be who God wants us to be.  We need to be obedient to become like God in his own image.  Out of John 3:16, "For God so loved the world HE gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in HIM will not perish but have eternal life."  What an awesome promise for all of us.  I pray today if you are reading this and do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus you will make this your day of celebration, day of renewal to become like Jesus.  To live out your life serving and living for Him.  This week the team saw ten children come to Christ.  These children have a new life in Christ.  Thank you for coming and being the hands and feet of Jesus in Honduras.

 

"Then God said, 'Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the water, and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the animals that move across the ground.' So God created man in HIS own image, in the image of God He created them, male and female He created them."

Genesis 1:26-27

 

 

 

 

Kathy with a servant heart

 

Kathy helped build the house but she also kept everyone hydrated.  Every thirty minutes or so she would go around and refuel the Honduran men and boys.  Also she kept an eye out for her very own team members.  Thank you Kathy for taking this job very seriously.  The first day of VBS I heard Kathy tell one of the men please make sure everyone gets their water and Gatorade while I am working at VBS.   God is good all the time.  We had an accident free week.  This is something we never need to take this for granted.  We do a lot of different jobs, climbing on scaffolding, standing up high while the sun beats down on our heads and so many more challenges.  Being hydrated is of most importance.  We are grateful when someone does this job and does it well.

 

"If anyone gives even a cup of water to one of these little ones who is my disciples, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."

Matthew 10:42