New Hope Baptist Church Construction and Eye Clinic

On June 24, New Hope Baptist Church of Raleigh arrived in Honduras ready to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This group has a history of only working in the rain so of course while we were riding through the mountains of Honduras the Lord blessed this team with some rain showers. This group definitely has a good spirit and flexible attitude when it comes to workng in Honduras. By the time we arrived in Choluteca the rain had slowed down some. This did not dampen their spirit at all. We ate our chicken tacos and had an orientation to get ready for the week ahead. The village the team worked out of is called Las Cabesos and they were building a home for a 70 year old lady named Hilania Alvarado. Ms. Hilania along with four boys aging from 7 to 16, her son and an older gentleman laid one of the best foundations ever. The day we checked on the foundation was about a week out from the teams arrival. They were busily working on it. We noticed how muddy the road was to the house from the secondary road in the village. Questions started popping up "Will we be able to get the vehicles down to the job site or will the truck delivering the blocks, etc be able to get there?" Well we got our answers on the first day as the team arrived to get the project started. There was only 150 blocks and they were up at the secondary road leading to the road to the job site. So New Hope started loading the block on the back of the Toyota truck 50 at a time and taking to the job site. Oh it gets better. The truck could not get down to deliver the sand and gravel for the mortar. So we had to buy sand and rock from the older gentleman who helped build her foundation. After getting the blocks on site they started hauling sand in the back of the truck. All of these opportuntities never once deterred New Hope from moving forward. And for some reason the doors and windows did not get delivered to be taken out the first day. Satan was hard at work to keep New Hope from builidng this beautiful lady a home. During share time the first night one of the gentleman said he wanted to become less task oriented and more flexible in God's work. Well the entire team got that experience on the first day. With all that said they did get five courses up on the first day and before the afternoon rain came. While waiting for more blocks and for the sand to arrive some of the team members went down to a nearby river and watched children playing in the river and ladies washing their laundry. They took advantage of their down time and enjoyed what God had called them to come do in Honudras build relationships. Pastor G was even caught in a wheel barrel chilling while waiting patiently on the materiasl they need to build Ms. Hilaria's home. Famous words of Pastor G, "No problem". They took what they were given on that first day which was literally very little to work with and still met the goal for the first day and built relationships with each other and the Honduran people. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME.

Worship Service

There first day of work was on a Saturday so the next day of course was Sunday and it was time for worship. In Las Cabosas there is not a church. Ms. Hilaria has Sunday School in her home each Sunday for the children of her village. Around forty children come to her home each week to worship and learn about Jesus. Ms. Hilaria is a well respected lady of her village. The adults as well as the children look up to her and respect her highly. She is the "Pillar of her Village" A Matriach is an awesome way to describe Ms. HIlaria. So we arrived after another evening of heavy rain. The team loaded up on the back of the pick up truck to head down the muddy road to Ms. Hilaria's home. Now in order to get to her house they opened up a cow pasture for the vehicles to drive through. So off we go to worship under a tree next to her existing home. We arrived around 9 to start the service. She brought out some plastic chairs for the team to sit in and as people came they were bringing their own chairs. About 9:15 there was around 20 some of us. But slowly people were walking from every direction, down different paths to come and worship Jesus together. So as most of you were worshiping in North Carolina or somewhere in the United States we were worshiping the same God as you but under a big fruit tree with our final number that morning turneing out to be 80 children and adults. Tears welled up inside of several of us as our worship experience started. It was one of the most beautiful and godly moments ever experienced. Lois, led the children's church as she shared about God giving Paul eyes to see spiritually and how she and several other ladies were there to help them to see physically with an eye clinic and to share about their spiritual vision as well. Then Scott read scripture from God's word. There was one observation we all had no one had a bible. But they were all eagerly listening to every word shared by Scott from the WORD. Egla and Gabby, the teams translators led the children in some songs which all children should know. Once again tears welled up when the children did not know the songs but were eagerly wanting to learn the words and sing along with the girls. Some things we all take for granted in life like Jesus Loves Me. I cry as I write this. God is so good to send New Hope to this precious village with such loving and beautiful people who need Jesus just like you and me. Beth and Arnold shared their testimonies before we were led in worship by Pastor Ricardo. Pastor Ricards positioned himself in the center of the group on a block and he shared the story of the the one lost sheep and how the shephard looked for his lost sheep. How we all are important to Jesus just like that lost sheep. I hope as you read this today you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you live out your life with as little or alot that you have with HIM at the center of your life. Worshiping that day under that tree was the most powerful experience ever imaginable and to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit : TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR SUCH AN EXPERIENCE.

Many Different Jobs to Build Relationships and a Home

As well as building a home there was preparations for an eye clinic. So the ladies, Beth and Lori busily at work going through the eye glasses and preparing for Monday morning with the eye clinic which as well provided a Salvation Station which Sandy was praying and preparing for. Each team member also had other duties as well. Lois,Lori and Ray had breakfast duty and of course Ray always was making sweet tea for the week. As was shared in the Worship Service blog the people did not have bibles so the team went out and purchased enough bibles for all the families in the village to have one. One of the evenings they spent time praying over the bibles and signing their names and words of encouragement to each family. It was always encouraging to get up in the morning and seeing someone having their quiet time before their day started. There are always new and improved jobs added to the job site. This particular job the water had to be brought in from a nearby well. So little did the team know that all week the water was being brought in by Ms Hilaria and her neighbors. So off goes Arnold, Scott and Pastor Ricardo to help bring in the five gallon jugs of water. Unlike Ms. Hilaria and her friends, the guys did not quiet get the carry the water on the head concept down. But you got to give them credit for trying. Good try guys. Maybe next year. The Honudran men had mixed mortar all week and so Ron and Jerry offered a helping hand with the mixing and hauling of the mortar for the floor of the home. Thank you guys for working so hard and getting out of your comfort zone and being flexible in doing God's work. Even the children of the village were hard at work trying to get Ms. Hilaria's home completed. It took all the North Americans and Hondurans to get the job done. Two different languages but ONE GOD. AMEN and AMEN

New Hope's Eye Clinic

Lois and Beth work for eye doctors and eagerly wanted to come here and share their gifts and talents with these beautiful people. They ran the eye clinic for four days with the help of Amanda assiting Beth with the fittings of the eye glasses, Lois and Gabby checking the eyes and prescribing the correct set of glasses and Sandy and Egla sharing Jesus Christ in the Salvation station. Jon assisted in crowd control while the patients waited their turn. Some of the Honduran people had not had an eye exam before. So this was a blessing from God for so many. There was alot of sun damage, one man got stung by a bee and lost his eye sight from not getting the right care of the time of the sting. There was many more stories like his where no help provided at the time the eyes needed them. The ladies did the best they could and was able to help 135 some patients that week. There was 30 plus salvations and several rededications to Christ that week. As the week went on we decided to have a baptism for those wanting to get baptized. Thank you God for providing Las Cabasos with an eye clinic and a spiritual healing as well.

Dedication and Baptism

The last day arrives and it is time for the home dedication. Ms. Hilaria stands in the middle of her new home for the first time listening to every word shared by the different team members. She received a bible and a key for her new home. While we were having the dedication the children were outside playing ball. The voices of the children having fun in her backyard was just priceless. As the dedication came to an end everyone placed their hand on the wall of the home as the prayer of dedication was said over her home. There will be many children and adults who will enter this home and learn more and more about Jesus by the way Ms. Hilaria lives her life. What an example of true Christian hospitality by such a godly woman. Thank you Ms. Hilaria for teaching us how to share Jesus with each other and others as well. Well after the dedication those who wanted to get baptized piled on the pick up truck and off we went to a nearby river where Pastor G and Pastor Ricardo baptized four young people and we all shared in singing the hymn "No Turning Back". This was the most amazing GOD MOMENT all week. Thank you God for allowing New Hope to serve you in Las Cabasos and for putting Ms. Hilaria in each of our lives.

Team 116 New Hope Baptist Youth Group

On June 15, New Hope Baptist Church Youth Group arrived in Tegus for the first time. It always does our hearts good to have young people come here and especially for the first time. They came ready to learn all they could about the people and their country. This is our fourth youth group this year and we have been beyond please with the excitement and energy these young people bring with them to Honudras. The group met that night with their Youth Pastor and discussed the week ahead and what to expect on the first day. The Youth Pastor, Brian came last year and was able to enlighten them on the culture and their week ahead. Each night a different youth shared a devotional with the group. Each morning they got up with their different job duties. It takes alot of people to make this opportunity to build a home function. There were two young people who mixed up the gatorade, several people in charge of breakfast, lunch and dinner. There were several young people loading the equipment on a daily basis. Being a new group we had a class of laying blocks 101. Our translator, Egla is much more than a translator, she is also a block mason. So with the help of Egla and Orfilio the team learned how to build the house. They got to work and found where they were suppose to be and off they went with getting the first five courses up on the house. It was such a pleasure to stand back and watch these young people hard a work along with their brothers and sisters of Honduras. The Garcia family stood from the doorway of the old house watching as each and every block and mortrar went on their new home.

Construction keeps moving

On day two we were preparing to pray for our day out in the breezeway when we received a phone call from Pastor G which he shared he had been in a motorcyle wreck. So after the phone conversation we all gathered and prayed for the day and for Pastor G's safety. We were on the way to the scene of the wreck when we got a phone call he had driven he and his son to the job site. Mike and I arrived at the job site with him trying to work. Well, that did not last long because I had him sit down and he had messed up his shoulder, several severe scratches but the worst of all was a hole in his ankle. So the team, for the first time since Pastor G came to work for us was on their own. So while we took Pastor G to the hospital we left Arnold in charge of the construction. God is good all the time. Thank you Arnold for stepping up to the plate and keeping the construction moving along. By the time we got back from the hospital there was one of Pastor G's friends from a sister church helping out and remained the rest of the week. Pastor G's son was not as badly injured so he also continued helping as Pastor G watched on the side lines. This is definitely not something he does very well. We finally got him three stitches in his ankle after a second trip to the hospital. The team continued working throughout the rest of the day and got up to the ninth course on the second day. Pastor G was very proud of this group of young people. As well as building the home they also built memorable relationships with these beautiful children. The children of the area and home pitched in and help mix mortar and carry mortar and sift sand. This was definitely a huge team effort to keep working and doing their best to get the job done.

Continuation of Home Construction

There was not anything they would not try. They all pitched in did several different jobs each and every day. Those of you who are the parents of these young people should be beyond proud of all they did this week. They definitely got out of their comfort zones and done things this week they had never done before. We share "God moments" each night and man did we have plenty of them this week. This group of young people can proudly say they finished this house in four days along side their new found friends of Honudras. There was a tremendous amount of team work going on this week. God is good all the time.

Church Services

In prepartion for their mission trip they were all encouraged to prepare a testimony. We were blessed to go to two different worship services. Eight of the youth shared their testimonies and their walk with Jesus Christ. At each service they shared a song with the church families. Pastor Brian, Youth Pastor preached at one of the services and Pastor Ricardo, Sr Pastor, preached at the other service. Both pastors had different sermons but similar messages. We need to go out and share Jesus with the people in our villages. We all are suppose to go and out and be fishers of men. This week these young people went out into a new village and were all fishers of men. Parents you would be proud once again of how this group shared Jesus Christ with people in another part of the world.

There is more than just Building a House

There is more to building a house. There is building relationships. From day one these young people played with the children. There was numerous games of futbol and jump rope as well. And there was also time to build relationships with one another as a family. This week this team developed a new family. A family they will always treasure. They learned alot about one another and shared alot with one another. As the week went on there was another small bump in the road. Pastor G's foot swelled up with infection. His famous words as he looked at us was "No problem". Orfilio shared we could get some medicine to kill the infection. So off we go the Farmcia to get the injection over the counter. I asked Orfilio who is going to do this because I sure can't. He said "no problem" I can do it. So Orfilio gave Pastor G an shot of medicine to take care of the infection. Pastor G's next question was when is the next team coming in and we told him on Friday. His comment was "No Problem" I will be ready for them. God is good all the time. Thank you God for such dedicated employees that we have in this ministry.

Bubble Baths and Dedication of Home

The day of the dedication arrived and the girls along with Egla wanted to give the girls baths and some beauty care. They washed the seven girls hair and taught them how to bath themselves and brush their teeths. The little girls were all so proud of their hygiene kits which included toothbrush, toothpaste, wash cloths and soap. They enjoyed getting their hair washed with the shampoo. Some things we all take for granted. They got all pretty for the dedication of their new home. Pastor Brian shared some scripture from God's word and had some of the youth to share scripture as well. Several of the youth shared words from their hearts about how blessed they were to meet such an awesome and loving family, the Garcias. The Garcia family was asked to share some words and it was such a sweet yet emotional moment as they shared their gratitude for all that was done for them this week, their new home, loving the children and working so hard so they will now have a dry and safe place to live. God was truly in that home today as each family and team member shared from their hearts how mighty and wonderful our God is. Without God none of this would have taken place. God was given the complete glory for all things which took place this week. THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING AN AWESOME AND MIGHTY GOD. AMEN AND AMEN

Fellowship at Mission House

On June 6 a youth group from Carolina Memorial Baptist Church out of Thomasville, North Carolina arrived ready to hit the dirt streets to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is so refreshing to have youth come down here excited about serving the Lord and bringing others to the Kingdom. They arrived in Choluteca to a nice Honduran supper of Chicken Tacos. We have asked the teams would they like more of the Honduran cuisine and they have said yes. So our bus driver, Jose's wife cooks us up 50 chicken tacos and they are truly delicious. It takes alot of work to get prepared for Evangilism and going out door to door and they also did a week of VBS. There is time of quiet where you are in God's word, you of course pray and then all the crafts for each day for VBS. We had one morning where a couple of the ladies, Nicole and Jennifer who wanted to brush up on their spanish and get help from the translators on how to share the gospel in Spanish. These were some really determined young people to learn all they could so they could be more effective in their witness here. On June 7 there was a very special day and it was Candance's birthday. Well one of the Honduran tradition's is to make them a birthday cake but the interesting part about this cake it is made on top of your head. We were very gracious to Candance and only put an egg in a sandwich bag on top of her head. Normally it is two eggs and some flour without the bag. Also, we had a birthday cake and ice cream and sang to Candance. Candance had shared this was the of the most special birthdays she has had spending in Honduras with all these beautiful people. Feliz Cumplenous Candance.

Team 115, Carolina Memorial Baptist Church

On Tuesday morning they headed a beautiful community called Colonia Unidas. There is around 2, 500 homes and families in this community. They met inside the church to break up in teams of three and prayed for their day ahead. During this week the team visited many families who were Christians, who were not Christians, who were sick, who just needed a friend to give them a hug and one of the teams even ended up in a corn field sharing the gospel with a young man. This community does not look as big as it is but there is so many side roads and this team covered as many as the good Lord intended for them to cover. The first couple of days was nice and not as hot but the last couple of days were rather warm but they kept right on going door to door to share Jesus Christ with their neighbors of Honduras. The bible says to go and share the gospel to all nations and this is exactly what Carolina Memorial Baptist youth did this week. They were 26 salvations. To God be the glory for these new brothers and sisters in Christ. They were given a bible upon accepting Christ and shared they needed to go and share the good news with others. To continue to share the good news that was shared with them. Isn't that what we all should do? Go and make disciples of all nations. If we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior we should be telling everyone we see about his precious and free gift of salvation. During the week after their lunch they would go right into VBS with these precious babies. They started out with 120 children but by the end of the week they had 150 children coming to the VBS. There was alot of preparation in planning the VBS. Thank you Ms. Linda for all your hard work to get VBS prepared for these young people and for working beside them each day. Each day two of the young people would lead the VBS. They did a bible story, sang songs from both languages and did a craft. Imagine the time spend on making 150 of something. And when they were not having night worship they took the kids to the field to play futbol and just have good ole fun. Thank you young people for all you did this week to make memories for these children they will treasure forever. And to God be the glory for our new brothers and sisters in Christ. God is good all the time.