Worship

During worship service on Thursday evening Matt blesses us all with "Mary Did You Know". It did not matter about the language barrier when you are singing to glorify Christ Jesus. Thank you for a beautiful job Matt. Buie challenged us all with his testimony of how well we know Jesus Christ as our personal Savior or are we just doing work for him. Buie knew all about God but did not know him personally. Out of Matthew 7:21 not everyone who says I know HIM will enter the Kingdom of God. How well do you know God and his precious Son, Jesus. Thank you Buie. After such an eye opening testimony the team got up there and sang "I'll Fly Away". Pastor Nat followed Buie's lead and ask the question "What is my life?" How well do we know our life? You fall in love and you have a family but what should come first in your life? Jesus Christ should be what we all live for. If I do belong to Jesus Christ life does not matter. We all need to live our lives for eternity. We all need to love what God loves, Think what God thinks, Care what God cares about and have eternity on our minds. What a very challenging evening for all who

attended. As you are reading this I hope you know your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ intimately. I pray this for all today. Jesus is the true joy and peace in our lives.

"Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say,"If it is the Lord's will we will live and do this or that."

James 4:14-15

Home Construction Continues - Mas Mescila Porfavor

The team continues with the completion of the home. Everyone pitches in and works diligently to give Pastor Pedro and his family their home. Mas mescila por favor was a very famous phrase on that last day of construction. The Hondurans along with Jose mixing mortar as hard as they could to keep up with the completion of the floor. The North Americans learned very quickly how heavy the mortar is and respected our Honduran brothers who do this for a living on a daily basis in the 100 degree weather. Thank you Britt, Tim, James, Daniel, Thomas, Pastor Nat, Buie, Kaye, Taylor, Kelly and Carolina who never stopped until their project was completed. The home on the hill was an answered to prayer of fourteen years. Thank you Pastor G for being such an awesome teacher of your students from Rocky Mount, NC. To God be the glory!!!!!!!

"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. this is MY commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

John 15:11-12

Building Relationships

Each day the team had the awesome priviledge to fellowship under three beautiful mango trees. They learned Spanish and taught English to one another. They learned about each others families and any prayer concerns each may have. The only difference between the North Americans and the Hondurans is the language. They have family issues and worries just like us. It was nice to be able to lift one another up in prayer and support by taking the time to talk with the grateful help of Heidi and Meidi. We are so blessed with amazing translator. Sometimes Thomas would talk with the Hondurans without a translator and surprisingly the conversation came out okay. There was so many beautiful memories made under those mango trees that week. The team came back to build a home but God blessed them with renewed friendships and some new friends as well. These friendships are precious in many many ways. Thank you God for our brothers and sisters of Honduras.

"Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to do this, that you may inherit a blessing."

I Peter 3:8-9

Home Dedication

The last day of construction came very quickly as the team arrived to finish the home for Pastor Pedro and his family. After the completion of the home they broke for lunch to share together one last time some good ole fellowship. The time came to dedicate the home. Kaye, the team leader, shared with tears welling up in her eyes what an honor and priviledge it was to serve beside her brothers and sisters in Christ. All the hard work and the sweat and tears had produced a lovely home. She presented the family with a placque of Joshua 24:15 and the date of the dedication. What a mighty God we serve to bring us all to this day at this time and with these beautiful people, both Hondruans and North American came together as one this week to glorify God's plan. Kaye open the floor for others to share their heart felt thoughts. Some of the team members shared how rewarding it was to come to bless and ended up being blessed. Finally Pastor Pedro shared his feelings of the week. Tears rolling down his cheeks as he shared how he had prayed for fourteen years for his family could have a home where they would be dry in the rainy season and could lock their doors at night and feel safe. How he was faithful in serving God all those years knowing one day God would provide this physical need. The key was handed over to him and he opened up the door and walked in and looked back at all of us with a big smile on his face. Slowly his family followed him into their new home. I will never forget one of the children crying excessively without stopping the entire time. Buie decided to pull out the guitar and the harmonica and we all sang "I'll Fly Away". What a perfect way to end a perfect week serving the Lord in La Gero Blanco, Choluteca, Honduras.

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

Futbol

Each day after lunch there was a serious game of futbol under the mango trees. All ages got out there and challenged each other. It was a joy to watch the children playing with the North American adults and a few Honduran adults. Sadly to say the children whipped up on them pretty bad. But all was good in the neighborhood. There was alot of laughter and fun had by all. And some very tired bodies at the end of the day. God is good all the time.

"He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Tom and Kaye

Once again it is a beautiful sight to see couples come together as one in service to our Lord. Thomas and Kaye made their second trip down here in seven months. It was a joy to watch them work together not always side by side but together. They are a strong team within themselves. Their strength in the Lord magnified out to others. It is great for the people in Honduras to see a couple working together joyfully for the cause of Jesus Christ. Thank you Thomas and Kaye for setting the example for all couples to put Christ first in your marriage.

"He who finds a good wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord."

Proverbs 18:22

Taylor and Dad

Taylor, is so blessed to be able to spend eight days in Honduras working beside her Daddy, Tim. Everywhere you looked they were side by side building the house, playing with the children or just chilling together. It was a very special time to have them here with us serving the Lord. They made a good team and made memories they will carry a life time. Thank you Taylor and Tim for coming here and making a difference in many lives just by your example of loving each other. God bless your family and what you will continue to do in the name of Jesus.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

Pastor Nate

Thank you Pastor Nate for coming along side your church family to serve the Lord. There was not a job Pastor Nate would not try. He was always willing to do whatever he could to get the job done. He was bilingual as well. This worked well for he was able to talk to Pastor Pedro and Pastor G and share stories of their ministries. Pastors building relationships with other pastors is a plus for any team. He worked diligently on his sermons, not one but he prepared two sermons that week. He also said Pastor Pedro challenged him and encouraged him in his ministry. We are so blessed to be able to share and learn from each other when there are two different cultures but the same GOD we serve. Pastor Nate challenged all to go and make disciples of all nations and not stop in Honduras. Be on fire for missions wherever you are.

He said to them,"It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jersusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:7-8

Mt Olive Baptist Church Construction Team

Several months ago Mike and I went out to Pastor Carlos' village to check on a couple of solicitations. One of them being Karen and Willie. At the time we were not aware of who it was just a name on the paper. Once we arrived at Karen's home we realized we knew this precious little family. Karen is a Sunday School teacher for the children and helps lead the music in church. Karen always puts others before herself. She is an amazing mother to Willie. You can see very clearly because Willie is a mature young man who helped work on his home the entire week. Mt Olive arrived early the first morning with Karen anxiously yet calmly awaiting for the team. She had a smile upon her face. As each team member slowly unloaded and worked their way toward the foundation her smile became radiant. We gathered around in a circle and she immediately gave God the glory and ask if we could please pray for the day ahead. Once everyone introduced themselves we opened the day in prayer and started unloading the supplies off the Kia. The process of a few helping set the corners and level the string for the blocks makes some of us anxious but eagerly ready to get to work. We asked Karen and Willie to put their hands on the first block as Pastor Carl prayed. We all joined together as one during the prayer. Once the prayer was completed the team was up and running finding their particular job for the week. Many of the team members tried to mix mortar, lay blocks and fill in the joints. They all worked together as a team and build relationships with Willie, Fernando and an older gentleman who could out work them all. Thank you to Heidi and Maida who helped lay blocks as well as translated. Randy, team leader, encouraged his team members to try different jobs during the week. They all got an opportunity to do many different tasks. Thank you Mt Olive for allowing an outsider to join you. They welcomed our new friend, Mark, with open arms. God is so good all the time. Thank you all for working so hard in the name of Jesus Christ.

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to ALL, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:2, 10

Vacation Bible School

After three days of work on the fourth day the team did a VBS in the afternoon with around 80 children present. They did a skit of Paul and Silas in prison. The children were included in the skit when the earthquake hit and open up the prison. The children were the sound of the earthquake. After the skit and invitation to accept Jesus they broke up into small groups to make a craft. They sang songs and were able to go outside afterwards and play futbol. I believe once again the Honduran children won. Good try Mt Olive!!! Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus through VBS with the children.

Please enjoy reading the scripture shared during the skit in Acts 16:16-40.

In God's word Paul and Silas were put in prison because they were proclaiming Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They were sharing the good news. How far would we go for Jesus in our day to day journey? Are we like Paul and Silas? They were thrown in prison and sang hymns of praise unto the Lord. What a big lesson for all of us to praise the Lord in all circumstances. To God be the glory in ALL times.

Bible study and preparing bags for hospital

Each evening we had a time of sharing and devotions. Bradly did a visual one evening on Jesus, the body and feet. If you take the body away you cannot do anything and if you take the feet away you cannot do anything. But if you have the body and the feet and take Jesus away you still cannot do anything. We cannot function daily without the guidance and the power of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Wow, how many times a day do I try to take care of the day ahead without starting out my day in the Word and prayer. We only set ourselves up for failure. Thank you Heavenly Father for your WORD.

"Abide in ME and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in ME. I am the vine, you are the brances. He who abides in ME and I in him, bears much fruit; for without ME you can do nothing. If you abide in ME, and MY words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."

John 15:4, 5, 7

Also one evening the team helped Mike and me put together the bags for the hospital. They had brought some blankets, onsies and diapers/pins. We took what they had and added to what we had collected made enough to deliver to the hospital the next day. Thank you to all of you who bring these items for the babies of the hospital.

Jesus said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none, and he who has food, let him do likewise." Luke 3:11

Continuing with the construction of home

As the week progressed Mt Olive was building Karen and Willie's home. Building the home is a tool we use to build relationships with the people of Honduras which will last a life time. By the third day Mike and I go out to check on the team to see how they are progressing. We pull up to laughter and good ole fellowship. They are all on first name basis. This is what it is all about. Pastor G learned Michelle's name real quick because she said he called her name quiet often to help him with a project. Randy and Kevin mixed mortrar with the men a couple of days and build a lasting relationship with Fernando. Bradly was always willing to do whatever needed to be done. He entertained the children with his chicken dance. Pastor Carl worked on one of the walls with Willie one day and this will be a memory for Willie he will never forget. Willie was blessed working by some godly men this week for you see Willie does not have a father. How blessed was Willie to be able to help build his home for his mother. Of course Jose enjoyed having Steven back to work with again. Each year as teams return to serve, God is blessing them with many heartwarming memories they will treasure forever. Whitney and Camie worked as well filling the joints which is a job within itself. But these young ladies did it with a joy in their hearts. Thanks ladies, job well done. Joel and Mark our new friends, caught on real quick on how to build a home. They were willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. Joel thank you for all the heart felt laughter you provided during the week. Yes laughter is the best medicine on a hot day in Choluteca. Jeb and Mark thank you for getting on the roof with our Pastor Carlos to put the finishing touches on the house. Mt Olive Baptist thank you for allowing God to use each of you and your many gifts in a mighty way this week.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34,35

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37

On the fourth day Mt Olive extended their energies to help out the next team coming in. They delivered the tools and equipment to the next job site. The next job site is down a narrow rocky path just large enough for the Kia to go down. The path then crosses over a dried up river and up an embankment the Hondurans had dug out so the vehicles can travel to the property of the next project. Thank you guys for going the extra mile for your brothers and sisters.

"For nothing is impossible with GOD." Luke 1:37