Welcome Back Forest City Baptist Church and New Friends

Monte de Horeb Ministries welcomes back Bobby and an all new evangelism team.  First of all we missed all our old friends so much and hopefully next time they will be coming back with Bobby to share the love of Jesus Christ through evangelism.  This group of five, a perfect number for evangelizing, came equipped and ready to serve their Lord in what they thought was going to be in a community in Monjares.  But God had other plans for this team.  Two words which describes this team is flexible and respectful of Monte de Horeb Ministries, When they came back the first day we were all sitting on the porch of the puperia having our cold Frescas and cokes.  The discussion began and we shared with the team we definitely need to relocate and Mike said let's go up to where Pastor Carlos' church plant is, Cerro Maranan.  Everyone was willing to switch gears where God wanted them to all go.  Also they gave Pastor Carlos a box of bibles for the other community we started in so the pastor could continue with his ministry of reaching his community.

So switched gears but not their daily routine.  Each morning we gathered for breakfast which the first morning was baledas and good old Honduran coffee.  But also Mike and I would find them at the tables fueling up with their spiritual food first before having breakfast.  After breakfast we gathered on the North American porch for a devotional and prayer time prior to the team heading up a road that was not a road to share the love of Jesus Christ with a community who just found out about Jesus back in May.  Pastor Carlos has been going up there twice a week, Sunday afternoon and Wednesday afternoon sharing God's Word with a community who is hungry to learn and live out the Word of God.  As of the first day of this new journey Pastor Carlos had seven salvations, one being O'Nil.  Pastor Carlos knew he had to have another community and church member going with one of the evangelism groups because he was going with one.  O'Nil eagerly said yes and off the team went for their first day at the place God had called them to serve this week.

Bobby's first devotional this week was on 1 Corinthians 13 the chapter on love.  This week this five member team shared love and received so much love in this community who wanted to learn about the love of Jesus Christ.  This community is hungry for the love of Jesus.  Thank you all for coming and being willing to go where God wanted you to go no matter how rough the terrine might have been.  There was not anything to keep these five of sharing the love of Jesus Christ.  Thank you Bobby, Pastor Steve, Pastor Scott and his wife Terri and Gorge for coming and serving along side of all of us this week. 

 

God's Plan not Our Plan

This team did not know when arriving here on Monday their week would turn out very differently from their plans.  But our plans sometimes are not always God's plan.  As I shared earlier we started out with a sweet pastor and community but this was not where God had intended for us to be sharing the gospel.  So as we rearranged "our" plans into God's plans we were in for some amazing God moments for the rest of the week.  There are so many pictures but yet so many stories to unfold on this one blog page.  Pastor Steve on the first day was able to lead a young man who was slightly intoxicated to Jesus Christ or he rededicated his life to Jesus Christ.  The pastor of this community in Monjares had been discipling this young man for quiet some time but he got pulled back into the ways of this broken world we live in.  Bobby shared when he saw Pastor Steve head over to this group of men, the Honduran pastor just shook his head.  Even us as Christians sometimes doubt what God is capable of doing through others.  After this young man rededicated his life he followed the evangelism team the rest of the morning listening to this group share the gospel with other families like he had just heard himself.  Hopefully now this young man will reach back out to his own pastor and continue learning all he can about our Lord and Savior.  Terri was with the other group evangelizing asking God to give her peace today as she traveled over two miles to get to a community to share the gospel.  She quoted Philippians 4:13, 6-9 to herself as she walked along the dusty rocky road to the home God had sent her group to.

God sustained Terri and gave her more than enough energy for this first day evangelizing in Honduras.

As they returned that afternoon full of joy for the four salvations and even for their disappointments of one lady sharing with Pastor Scott when he asked her did she know where she was going when she died and she said yes, "I am going to hell."  Sadly she was okay with this and this hit us all very hard as Pastor Scott shared this story.  All we can do is share the Word and pray her heart will soften.

As they moved on to Cerro Maranon community on the second day the harvest was ripen for fruition.  they broke up into two groups one being led by Pastor Carlos and one being led by O'Nil.  Yes our O'Nil was so excited when he was asked to go out with the group to evangelize with the the group.  At breakfast that morning I was eating beside him as he looked at me and said "Boss are all these people pastors?"  I replied, "no and you will be just fine learning more about Jesus as you lead these folks to different folks in your community who need to hear about Jesus as you did about two months ago."  He looked at me and smiled and bounced down the hill from the multi-purpose building all dressed up ready to serve wherever he was needed.  That evening as the team arrived back to Monte de Horeb Ministry campus they were overflowing with praise and glory for our Lord Jesus Christ.  The group consisted of Scott and Terri, Bobby, Meida and yes O'Nil.  Scott shared how they would share and ask the families questions and ask O'Nil to read the scripture and pray at the end of the visit.  O'Nil received this privilege with humbleness and a genuine heart for his community.  What a beautiful time to see this community's mayor, O'Nil, praying and reading scripture with each of his neighbors.   Meanwhile Pastor Steve, Gorge, Joel and Pastor Carlos was going door to door as well.  These door to doors were not actually next to one another as you may envision it to be.  But nevertheless they went and visited different families Pastor Carlos already had formed relationships with as Pastor Steve shared.  Once Pastor Steve saw the relationships Pastor Carlos had with some of these families he graciously backed off and allowed Pastor Carlos to visit with these families and reach out to them in his culture.  What humbleness led by Pastor Steve and Gorge as well to step back and let the Hondurans reach out to their own people.  The first day both groups came home with eight salvations only God Himself could have provided.  Amen y amen.  As the week continued more and more folks came to Christ.  Eight children came to Christ which one includes O'Nil's daughter Kimberly and two of Noel's children as well.  Both groups shared how Pastor Carlos had already planted so many seeds and they were blessed to reap the harvest of many whole families.  Yes whole families came to Christ this week.  O'Nil's father and mother along with all his siblings accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior.  There was so pretty devout Catholic families who accepted Jesus Christ this week.  The oldest man and patriarch along with his entire family accepted Christ this week.  He is also O'Nil's father in law and the owner of the property the community may purchase to build their church on one day in the future.  Praise God the gentleman is selling the land to the church for $200.00.  Now the church is got to raise the money to purchase the land and prayers will start towards the church building fund.  They definitely got the manpower up there to build their own church.  Let's pray along with them God will make provisions for the church as well.

One of the mornings Meida and Terri did not go up the mountain to share the gospel.  Instead they stayed behind and prayed for what was about to unfold once they got to their destination.  Bobby, team leader shared he checked his watch once he started climbing up the path to where finally the path was not a path anymore and one and half hours later they arrived at their first home visit.  Pastor Scott shared it may have been a long journey up but God knew we needed to go and share the gospel with several families who if I am not mistaken Pastor Carlos had not reached yet.  Gorge shared it was well worth the journey if someone else could hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  Pastor Steve shared Pastor Carlos was in his Sunday shoes climbing those paths as if they were a piece of cake as we all struggled to get to the top with our tennis shoes and hiking shoes on.  Actually Pastor Steve left one of his soles at the top of the mountain and had to wear his Crocs the rest of the visit in Cerro Mararon.  There was not anything or anywhere this group of five would not have done to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost and broken world up in those mountains. Praise God for Meida and Joel who worked hard right beside the North Americans and Pastor Carlos and O'Nil.  There is so many more awesome stories of the lost coming to Christ this week.  God is good all the time and all the time God is so good.

 

VBS

As we have come upon our one year anniversary of Monte de Horeb Ministries God has revealed to us more and more what He wants this ministry to be about.  We had an awesome team to be able to share this with especially during the VBS time.  One of the items was simple is better.  This team came with a parachute and other fun things to share with the children. But once we explained that simple was better and why, this amazing team left behind the parachutes and other "fluff" we as North Americans like to introduce to the Honduran children.  The reason being which this team totally understood was once the North Americans leave with all their "fluff" the children go back to their Sunday School where they read the scripture sing songs and memorize a bible verse.  This may allow the children to be less interested in what their Sunday School teacher has to offer after having a good time with all the North Americans brought for them.  So in saying all this for five days these children sat on a blue tarp while Meida shared in music and Pastor Steve taught them a song in taught children while he was a missionary in Africa.  They colored a picture relating to the story.  Pastor Steve and Pastor Scott acted out each bible story daily.  Bobby shared the plan of salvation with the children through a paper airplane. Each day they memorized a scripture for the day which Terri said they learned very quickly. So with this team we discovered all these precious ones need is our time and our "gift of presence".  During this week of the Creation Story, Jonah and the Whale, David and Goliath and Jesus eight children came to Christ all because we gave them our gift of presence.  At the end of the week they walked away with a bracelet to go out and share the gospel with friends who have not heard about Jesus.

 

Scott and Terri

Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus would like to introduce a couple who are also missionaries full time and chose this week to come along with Bobby to share the gospel in Honduras.  They have a six month ministry in Maggie Valley at a campground and six months they are in India.  The name of their ministry is Christ Care 4 U ministry.  They had such a wonderful time serving beside us they have signed up to bring another evangelism team in 2022.  They worked beside Meida all week and O'Nil.  I appreciated all they both engaged O'Nil in reading of the scripture as they handed him a bible where the scripture was located and then in turn asked him to close in prayer.  What wonderful examples of Christ for O'Nil as these two worked beside him all week going door to door sharing God's Word.  Pastor Scott and Terri are gifted in many areas, as in singing praises unto our Lord and Savior and in knowing God's Word and being able to humbly share it with others. Pastor Scott does not push the Word on anyone he simply ask them specific questions which leads him into the plan of salvation.  Their means of sharing God's Word is brought in a special way for anyone to totally understand.  I want you to pray with me as they continue to share God's Word at their Maggie Valley campground and throughout India.

 

Sunday Activities

Every Sunday the team starts their morning out with a pancake breakfast with their Honduran coffee.  We all enjoyed fellowship with one another while the pancakes were being prepared.  Mike has to cook the Honduran staff their pancakes separately because the Hondurans eat very thin pancakes.  But we all enjoyed our different pancakes in the name of Jesus.  The kitchen crew cleaned up the kitchen and prepared for their very last ride up to Cerro Maranon Fray Lazaro, Choluteca, Honduras.  Our little piece of heaven got has introduced to Monte de Horeb Ministries.

Prior to going to worship Pastor Steve preached a sermon for us on the North American dorm. Scott opened up with prayer as he and Terri led us into some good ole hymns of praise, "Victory in Jesus", "Open the Eyes to My Heart Lord", "Good good Father".  Pastor Steve's sermon was from John 11:1-46, "The Story of Lazarus". So on this Sunday morning this team got blessed with two amazing sermons from two amazing pastors.  Pastor Steve did an amazing job reflecting on the different people in this passage and how we as Christians today can relate to at least one of them if not more than one.  For example do we truly believe Jesus can heal us,  do we lack in the faith department as Martha did in the bible story, or do we get mad at God when He doesn't do like we think He should do for us as Mary did.  Jesus loves us all and takes care of all our needs according to His Will and His timing.  Pastor Steve closed in prayer as Pastor Scott led us in one last song out of the book of Psalm 3.  This was a great start to an amazing day!!!!

Pastor Carlos asked us to arrive around 1:30 for worship service and Sunday School for the children.  We arrived and the mother church and Pastor Carlos had not arrived yet.  So we got the opportunity to enjoy the culture and the children.  They served some of us a Honduran cookie with coffee.  Bobby and Gorge enjoyed playing a game with the children who were gathering.  The game involved their time as one sweet sister called it their presence with the children and a rock.  Laughter and tricks were had by all observing this precious time with these precious and beautiful Honduran children.  The ones who accepted Christ came with their bibles in their hands ready to learn more about Jesus Christ.  As we sat there waiting for the other church to arrive we all looked down the path and saw Pastor Carlos loaded down with the church members who come to help him each week with the new church family.  They come prepared to lead music, help the unsaved and unknowing folks look up scripture in their bibles.  It is amazing to me as I look at these precious people who have never heard of Jesus Christ or own a bible until May of this year. How beautiful our God is to lead us to a place who is learning about Jesus. O'Nil's father who is on dialysis walked to church this day to hear Pastor Carlos preach.  He walked about a mile to church and it was not an easy walk. As one of the team members said, "I am in awe of this when we can't get people to ride in their cars and sit in an air conditioned building to learn more about Jesus Christ."  How we all could learn from these precious people.  Pastor Carlos' sermon was on living in the flesh and living in the Holy Spirit.  We cannot live in both worlds.  So which one today are you choosing to live in.  His scripture was out of  several books of the Bible, Romans 8 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. As I sat next to O'Nil and his daughter Kimberly, a new believer as well, I observed O'Nil looking up the scripture for himself and reciting the scripture Pastor Carlos was referring to in the Bible.  Next to me on the other side was one of Noel's son's Daniel, I believe as he had accepted Christ earlier in the week with his mother and two other siblings.  I had the privilege to help him look up the scripture in the Bible as he followed along and read.  Mike was on the other end of the bench with Noel, who we saw struggling to find the scripture.  Mike assisted him along through the service.  The church members helped other new Christians look up the scripture as well. What a beautiful day of worship on the porch of one of the church members home.  We had this little porch packed full of plastic chairs and all were full with folks standing at the back of the porch listening as well.  Of course as Pastor Carlos was getting cranked up with the Word, Satan came along in the form of a huge dump trunk trying to get through with our vehicles blocking his way. O'Nil jumped up immediately along with Mike and moved the vechiles and directed the huge truck through this narrow space as Pastor Carlos continued preaching the Word of God. There is so many of you reading this today who have been praying for Noel to accept Christ.  Mike reached over near the end of the worship service to ask Noel was he ready for Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior and he said, "I am ready to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior."  All I can think about right now is O'Nil and Noel, his dear friend, learning God's Word together through Pastor Carlos' discipleship program.  As of today after this worship service Pastor Carlos has forty four plus the other seven to disciple along side of the disciples from the mother church.  How beautiful all of this is all in the name of Jesus Christ.  The Holy Spirit was in this place today!!!

While worship service was going on Saul and Nelson, Sunday School teachers from the mother church lead the children over to the grounds of the school under those beautiful mango trees for Sunday School.  There was twenty plus children there for Sunday School as they learned about God's Word through the Bible and singing.   Please pray with us as more people come to Christ in this community and learn God's Word they will disciple a couple of their own people to be the Sunday School teachers for this community.  This week these children have heard daily about different stories from the Bible.  The knowledge of God's Word they walked away with this week is a wonderful start to a firm foundation of God and His Son Jesus Christ.

 

After an amazing morning in church we came back for sandwiches for lunch and some siesta time.  The gentlemen grilled pbjs and ham and cheese sandwiches to order.  We sat and relived our morning and how beautiful God's plan is for all this week's details. This group of five ended up right where God wanted them to go and they saw folks hungry for the Word of God this week and some we still need to lift up in prayers as they "aren't prepared yet" to accept Christ.  We do not have to get prepared to accept Jesus Christ.  He takes us just as we are and molds and makes us into his perfect child of God.  Hallelujah praise God for his perfect gift of Jesus Christ.  We do not have to do anything to receive but say yes and start living our lives for HIM.  This week ended with forty four people saying yes Lord take me as I am, a sinner who now is forgiven and will live a life for their eternal home one day.  

Prayers Answered

O'Nil could not wait to come to me and tell me about all he had gotten to do this first day.  He was overflowing with joy and throughout the whole week he had more reasons to be glorious.  His daughter Kimberly age 8 accepted Christ along with his entire family.  I know Pastor Pedro would be so proud today.  This whole O'Nil story started back in March with a team came to build O'Nil's father a home. Let's back up even more, O'Nil's mother was crying at work one day when another employee of the shrimp company came up to her and said, "What is bothering you ma'am?"  This lady was Pastor Pedro's wife who then went home to tell Pastor Pedro about this family who needs a home especially since the husband is so sick.  Marie, Pastor Pedro's wife told O'Nil's mother they will talk to some North American missionaries and see if they can help them get a home.  As you know O'Nil's family got a home which then led Pastor Carlos up there to see about helping an entire community by repairing the school, not knowing this was a lost and unsaved community.  All because Marie asked "Ma'am why are you crying?"  We never know what God will do with any of us if we only reach out to someone in need.  This one question Marie asked many months ago has led 44 people to salvation and O'Nil is being discipled for hopefully to be the pastor of his community.  Only God knows who He wants for this position.  Below is O'Nil's entire family who accepted Christ this week.  God is so Good all the time God is so Good.  

O'Nil shared with me how he and Kimberly read the bible together every evening prior to bedtime. They spend time together praying as well.  What a beautiful prayer answered where a family who did not know Jesus back in May is now praying and reading the bible together.  A father who is on dialysis walks to church about a mile or so to hear Pastor Carlos preach the Word of God.  My heart is full of joy because so many prayers have been answered for this community.  I cannot wait to see what God has for the future of this church family.  Pray with us as more folks come to Christ and more are being discipled for the Kingdom. 

 

Welcome to Monte de Horeb

Each morning the team got up early to load the truck, cook a hearty breakfast, make sandwiches and make their water and Gatorade.  Everyone was so excited to be back here after a year away.  Several folks it had been four or five years and some were here for the first time.  When I met Doug for the first time at the airport he said, " I am here to do whatever you want me to do."  And this is what Doug did the entire week.  He was willing and able to do whatever at the drop of a hat.  But actually everyone was a team player on this team and worked hard all week in the name of Jesus.

Team member Allison was in awe of the beauty of Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus.  The foliage here now is plush and green.  The team arrived and it rained every day they were here.  But that did not stop us from enjoying our special times on the porches.  Also Lassie enjoyed her journey up to the rock with the team one evening to try to see a sunset.  Sadly there was not too many sunsets for this team.  Grace enjoyed working puzzles with Alexa a couple of evenings.  Rex enjoyed the beauty and quietness of the ministry campus as he enjoyed watching the tilapia in the pond.  Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus is a beautiful place to come and get closer to God and away from the business of our North American lives.  For eight days this team enjoyed and was content with what was in front of them. God's creation of rolling mountains and birds chirping all day long.  It cannot get any better than this after a long day at the job site.

 

Welcome to LaEro Blanco

First Baptist Church and four friends from Clyde's Chapel Baptist Church came together today to meet the most precious and grounded Christian family we have seen in a while.  I would love to introduce Irma, mother of four, Cristina age 17, David age 15, Daniel age 9 and Meyli age 3, the little lady of the house.  As we circled up Irma immediately started talking before we could say good morning.  So I told team leader Betty Lynn lets circle up because Irma is ready to share her gratitude to God first for His provisions for this home and to thank the North American team for coming so far to help her get her home.  After she got through Betty Lynn introduced the team and Mike introduced the Honduran staff we hired to help the team bless this family with a home.  After introductions Allison prayed the first prayer of the week on this  foundation.

 

Many Jobs

It takes everyone to do this job.  Many of our team members helped Irma bring water out from the back of the house into the barrel to mix the mescal all week.  Thank you Allison, Nelson and Julia for a job well done.  Thank you for all the men who unloaded the tool box and those heavy boards to use as our water station all week.  Every single job is very important.  While the unloading and other things were taking place, Pastor Carlos, Rex, Doug and Mike were setting the corners level.  Every single job is so important.  It took all this just to get ready for the very first block to be laid.  Praise God for willing hands and feet of Jesus.

 

Praying Over First Block

After about an hour of mixing mortar and leveling the foundation the first block of Irma's home is ready to be laid.  We gathered her and her children around the block as the team came closer placing their hands upon one another so we would all be connected in the name of Jesus.  Team leader, Betty Lynn prayed over the first block and the protection of all throughout the week as these blocks in five days will become a home. What a beautiful start to a beautiful week.

 

Cristina Is the Head of His home

Seventeen year old Cristina worked all week on making this house a home for his mother and siblings.  He is the man of his home and he took much pride in all the details of this week.  On the fourth day when the floor was complete, there was some mud left over.  He immediately went over to the front door of his home to prepare a way for a step to enter into the home.  Pastor Pedro came over to help him get this project completed.  So on the day of dedication his family was able to step up into their new home from their new porch.  Jaime who is I believe a year younger was very impressed with Cristina's work ethics as he worked beside all week.  Two different worlds can come together and work together when Jesus is involved.  

 

Let's Find Our Place

As most first mornings the team worked around until they found what they were good at or simply wanted to try and do.  I enjoyed watching everyone of them engage as they did the first morning.  They all gave it their all as the walls started going up.  Doug and several others said we could not have done this without our Honduran workers.  But to see the beauty of the language barrier fade away and getting out of our comfort zones to learn how to build Irma's home the Honduran way was quiet impressive.  This team was flexible in learning to do their job the correct way.  Pastor Carlos patiently worked with Misty and Grace until they totally and completely understood how to lay those blocks on the foundation. I was so proud of Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Julia our oldest team members who got out there and worked just as hard as those young people.  This was a beautiful first day in La Ero Blanca, Choluteca, Honduras.  Some sweet moments when Noel and O'Nil were itching to sift the sand but worked patiently beside Grace and Misty until they learned how to do the sifting.  I was so proud of these two gentlemen this week as they had not worked much with North Americans. actually this was Noel's second time working with North Americans.  They knew what to do without being told.  The entire construction team blended beautifully together all week.  Because when you are working for the Lord it just can't be anything but beautiful in His Name.  Amen y amen.

 

Families Serving Together

We want to welcome our mother and daughter team who came along with First Baptist Church Hamlet this week Misty and her daughter Grace.  These two young ladies worked very hard for Jesus and Irma's family this week.  There was not anything they would not try to do and when they tried they did it very well. Misty and Grace had devotionals one evening and their title of the devotional was "Restlessness".  They shared how we get too busy with the things of the world and how we need to just be still and be in His Presence.  They shared several scriptures relating to this one out of Luke 5:16 where Jesus told His disciples to separate and go and rest.  Another scripture reference was out of John 15:4-6 where Jesus taught us to stay in the Word.  We need to spend time with God and then we can be fruitful for the Kingdom Work.  Lastly out of Hebrew 4:10-11 we need to be obedient to God and what He has called each of us to do.  So if we are caught up in the worldly things of life we will not be still and go and rest, read His Word and we definitely cannot be obedient unless we get still.  What a beautiful reminder for all of us is to be still and be obedient to what God has called us all to do.  Thank you ladies for coming and sharing the love of Jesus through your actions as well as through God's Word.

Rex who has come down many years and served beside Mike and I brought his grandson, Jaime this year to serve with him.  These two gentlemen worked well together and worked well separately.  There was not anything Jaime did not try to do and he as well did a great job.  His work ethics were phenomenal.  He was quiet but a very hard worker.  It was a joy to see him work along side Cristina, the young man of the home.  They were around the same age.  They were different in skin color, language but so much alike with their ability to work hard for Jesus.  Their two worlds became one this week.  One common goal to build Cristina his home. One evening Jaime had the devotional.  He shared on having Faith in God.  He chose his favorite bible verse Psalm 67:1-2.  We are to put our faith in God and He will make our faith stronger, quoted Jaime.  It warms my heart to see young people like Jaime and Grace sharing God's Word with us older people.  They are both our future.  What a blessing to serve beside Rex again and now to be able to work beside Jaime, his grandson.  Thank you both for coming down and helping make Irma, Cristina, David, Daniel and Meyli dream a reality. 

 

Old Friends Still Serving Together

These two men, Precious One and Precious Two have served the Lord together for over twenty five years if not more.  They can always pick right back up where they left off which I find that so heartwarming.  They are of the same mind in the disaster relief world which makes it even more special when they come together in Honduras to work here.  Rex, alias Precious Dos had not seen the finished product of Monte de Horeb Ministry Campus.  He was in awe of all God had done here and was blessed to be here beside his friend this week to help out wherever Mike needed extra help.  I looked one afternoon and they were over at the storage building welding something together and repairing something as they always did in the past.  We love you Precious Dos and thank you for all you did for your team this week!!!!

 

Our Encourager

God blessed us with this lovely lady this week at Monte de Horeb Ministries.  She always had a full cup of joy or simply a full cup of coffee.  She can lift up anyone's spirit at any given moment.  Everyone loves this lady as I have come to love her this week.  I met her when our Nana was preparing to go to her heavenly home a year and a half ago.  But I did not get to know her truly until this week.  What a true blessing she is to whoever she comes in contact with.  It was wonderful to see her be able to relax and unwind while also serving her Lord and Savior.  Thank you God for sending our sweet sister Allison to Honduras.  Funny thing is she reminds me so much of our Nana in so many ways and yes Allison that is a huge compliment.  Thank you for your gift of encouragement this week.

 

Each Day Was A New Day

Each day was a new day but it always started and closed in prayer.  We prayed over breakfast, before we left the job site on the campus, once we got to the job site, at lunch, during devotionals and at dinner.  What a blessing to be covered in prayer each and every day.  The culture here is relaxing and calming for all who take the time to enjoy it.  Sometimes it is hard for our North American friends to be still when they want to work but it is also okay to be still and enjoy the beauty around you. Betty Lynn shared in her devotional one of the things she has taken away from coming to Honduras so many years is to learn to be still.   Especially these beautiful children who brought joy to all of us this week.  Daniel was inside the kitchen area and where he and is family have been sleeping in torrential rains for the last seven days.  When I asked him how he felt about his new home.  He simply smiled and said, "Muy Feliz".
He as well participated in building his home by collecting the block chips to go into the fifth and eleventh course of his home along with his cousins.  We are beyond blessed to have our Meida daily serving and watching over the North Americans when they do not even know it.  She is so much more than a translator.

Day four Mike had a plan of how to get the tin to the property.  But as we all know we do what the Hondurans say.  Pastor Pedro said to let these young Honduran teenagers bring through the property in front of the home.  So Doug, Rex and Reggie passed it over the barb-wired fence to these willing gentlemen who has worked so hard this week to help Cristina get his home.  Reggie jokingly said, "Well Mike your plans got changed."  Mike shared back, "Yes and it happens quiet often and I go with the flow, because the Hondurans know best."

Meanwhile the floor was going down and eager faces was watching from the windows.  Doug especially was in awe of how beautifully this process was unfolding.  Also how meticulous Pastor Carlos and Pastor Pedro along with Cristobal was to make this floor as smooth as possible.  Pastor Carlos takes extreme pride in every home's floor.  As if this floor was going into his own home.  How blessed we are to have such dedicated godly staff working beside us each and every day.  

 

Project Was Right On Schedule

The commitment of this team with their Honduran helpers and how well they worked side by side was heart warming for me.  Reggie made a commit on the first day, "I want to work beside these gentlemen and do my best."  Of course with those sweet tears welling up in his eyes.  This is exactly what every one did the entire week.  Pastor Carlos was so proud of the workmanship of this team with his Honduran workers.  All we can do is totally give God all the praise and honor for such hard work throughout the whole week.  Well done good and faithful servants.

 

Dedication Meal

 

The day before the home dedication  was the famous Marie's chicken soup for all to enjoy.  Marie and Irma, along with Irma's sister came out and started setting out their plastic tables and putting out their finest table clothes.  Marie was so proud and humbled to serve the North American team along with the Honduran workers.  It was beautiful how she had prepared this special meal where everyone could enjoy it together.  What southern hospitality the Honduran women have.  We are pretty sure there was several chickens who gave their lives for this beautiful feast.  Thank you Marie and ladies who blessed us tremendously this beautiful Honduran day.

Our sweet sister Marie gets joy out of cooking for others.  I can always count on a mid morning snack and then two hours later a delicious lunch from the kitchen of Marie.  Actually Marie can take anyone's kitchen and make a delicious Honduran cuisine.  We are blessed beyond words for this lady's service to our Lord in her gift of cooking.

Home Dedication

The home dedication started out with Betty Lynn, the team leader, thanking the family for the privilege to serve beside them this week in making their family dream a reality.  Irma immediately wanted to speak and give God all the glory for this huge blessing of her home for her and her children.  Irma spoke with boldness and contentment as she shared from the bottom of her godly heart.  She was definitely a very strong Christian woman who set the example for all of us all week. Pastor Pedro asked if he could share a few words of gratitude as well. We moved on to Allison who thanked her as well but before dedicating the bible Allison prayed a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving for all His provisions this week and this home.  Allison shared how on the first day we prayed over the cornerstone, the first block of the home but today we are praying over the "Cornerstone" Jesus Christ.  He is the foundation of this home and this Bible represents your spiritual foundation only found in Jesus Christ. Allison shared out of Psalm 119:105 and Isaiah 28:16 Allison placed the Bible into Irma's hand as Irma shared, "Gracias".  We moved onto Misty who also spoke from the book of Matthew 16:19 on the key is your physical protection but once again Jesus is our only spiritual protection.  Misty handed over the keys to the home and we all headed to lay hands on this home they call their mansion.  Doug prayed the final prayer of dedication over the home as there was tears flowing, tears full of joy for this godly family who got their home where they will never get wet again and will be secure and safe from the outside world.  To God be the glory for all His provisions this week.

Everyone watched as Irma and her children unlocked the key to their new home and entered into it.   She turned around and asked us all to please come in and visit with her.  As we entered her home Pastor Pedro had his guitar ready to share in some hymns of praise but not before team member Nelson took the guitar and sat down to play a tune about coming home.  How appropriate this was because Irma had come home today along with her children.  Pastor Pedro took back his guitar and started singing and playing my favorite praise hymn in English called I Praise the Lord, then he went to How Great Thou Art which at this time all the North American team joined in singing it in English.  Just think one day when we all get to Heaven there will not be but language.  We will all be able to sing and talk together in our eternal home. What a joyful day this will be.