The Ellis Family Comes to Honduras to Serve

 

Dennis Ellis and his daughter Kristen has been coming to Honduras I believe for the last seven years together.  But this year they both got a special treat, Kevin, Dennis son and Kristen's brother came on board.  Kevin is a young man with a quiet spirit but the willingness to learn and do the labor he was called here to do.  Dennis would share a responsibility and explain to Kevin how it is done and Kevin went with it and became a team member quickly.  Kristen shared how amazing and beautiful it is to get to work beside her baby brother who is now a young man.   Seven years ago when she started coming down here she never dreamed this day would come where she would be working beside her baby brother.  How beautiful are the hands and feet of God.  God is so good all the time.  Thank you Ellis family for coming together and making memories no one will ever take from you.  This has been a joyful  week watching you together and working for the kingdom of God. 

 

"Now you are the body of Christ, each of you is a part of it." 

I Corinthians 12:27

 

It takes the power of prayer through the Holy Spirit, a team of 7 to 12 people,  the  Honduran family, the Honduras church family, 800 blocks, many piles of mescala, Pastor G, Jose, Orfilio and Egla and five days to build a home in Choluteca, Honduras.  Wow how awesome is our God who can put together this equation and come up with such a lovely home for a precious family.  I stand back each time and watch the many people doing so many different jobs all speaking different languages and some how in God's miraculous way in five extremely heat scorching days this is what appears.  It does not matter your background or your experience God can use you if you are willing to step out in faith, walk away from your comfort zone and give of your time, energy and money.  I hope those of you who are reading this today if you have never been on an international mission trip this will encourage you to reach out and follow where God leads you.  It is an extraordinary journey which no price can be placed on it.  Only you will walk away much closer to your Heavenly Father and your life will never been the same.  Amen and amen!!!

 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20

It takes a whole village to make a home

 

As the week progressed each person found their place on the job site.  The team worked as a team diligently and earnestly to complete the task they came to do.  They never let any task easy or difficult stop the progression of this home.  It was extremely hot most days with no shade on the foundation of the home.  I am also proud to say we have a new tool we use to smooth out the joints on the home which enables the homes beauty to shine, it is called "Rachel" tool.  Thank you to Rachel and Kristen, oh yes Joel as well, who worked endlessly on every joint on this house.  This team treated their project as if they were building this home for themselves.  They all took such pride in their work.  I appreciate you all so much for making this house a home for Berta, Mario and their family.  You should be so proud of what God allowed each of you to do this week. 

 

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

Colossians 3:17

 

 

What a God filled twenty four hours!!

 

We arrived on the job site to complete the home.  While the construction was taking place, Egla, Rachel and Kristen had the children over on the side of the home having a bible story about Jesus and the children.  At the completion of the home, Steve Brown leads the team in a dedication of washing the family's feet in honor of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Pastor Andres shared later he did not feel worthy enough to have his feet washed.  Are any of us worthy enough?  After the washing of the feet we prayed over the home.  Each team member, family members and friends gathered around the home placing their hands upon the home and Dennis prayed a prayer of dedication.  Dennis then presented Berta with the key to her new home.  Berta and Mario unlocked their new home and as Berta and Mario were entering their home Mario turned around and said thank you in English.  How humbling this moment was for all of us.  This is a fourteen year old who was grateful to finally have a place he could call home.  A home where he can lock the door and be safe, a home where he will never get wet again during the rainy season.  God has answered a five year old prayer for this family.  They have waited five years for this day.   Thank you God for sending these people at this time to build this precious family a home.  To God be the glory.

After this amazing day we head to church in the evening to worship with six other churches.  We were asked if one of our team members would preach this evening.  Steve was willing to share God's word.  What we thought was going to be a small worship service was such an understatement.  We arrived to the church with vehicles lined up and down the road.  There was a huge stage for the band outside on the grounds of the church with over 100 chairs lined up in a row.  We were all taken back.  As we were having a family reunion with three of the churches we were able to meet more brothers and sisters in Christ from the other churches.  We sat under the stars with the most amazing breeze blowing and praised the Lord.  While sitting there several of us experienced a falling star.  One of the Honduran lady's shared how beautiful is God's creation.  This evening was such an example of God's grace and mercy as we all shared in one accord praising the Lord in songs and worship.  What a spirit-filled day we had.  Thank you Lord for allowing us to truly worship you all day long.

We get up on Sunday morning to go worship with Berta and her church family.  Once again the team had a reunion with some old friends from seven years ago.  The team sang a song in espanol while the congregation joined to sing with them.  Egla kept the team up front to introduce the chicken dance to them.  Afterwards the children went to Sunday School while Steve brought a message out of Acts 8.  Thank you God once again for allowing us to praise and worship you in song and dance!!!

What an amazing way to end a special week in Honduras, non-stop worship services.  Thank you Dennis, Kristen, Kevin, Mike, Joel, Steve, Phillip and Rachel for answering the call to come to Honduras and serve the Lord in such an amazing way.

 

"It is written, "Worship the Lord your God and serve HIM only."

Luke 4:8

Feliz Cumpleanos Kristen

 

  Kristen was brought up before the church and sang to by all of us.  The tradition in the Honduran churches for the members to go up and give the birthday girl or boy a big hug.  Each person in the church eagerly went up and Kristen got so many hugs this morning by all who were present.  I am glad Kristen, you were able to celebrate your birthday here in Honduras.  What a precious way to spend your birthday!!!!!  God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

 

"God created my inmost being,

you knit 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 was my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:13-16

Where are the 800 blocks?

 

Our first team arrived on January 7, 2013 and it was their first time to Honduras excluding team leader, Mark Hubbard.  Mark was able to partner with another team last year and quickly fell in love with the people of Honduras. Mark shared last year he was going back to North Carolina and see if his church would like to bring a team for 2013. Mark looked at the schedule in September and there was two weeks left both being at the first of January.  Mark took the first week. This was the first time we had a team come together in four months to build a home.  Way to go Pittsboro Baptist Church.  We arrive at the job site all excited to build Andres, Rhiana, Juan and Rhiana Isabella a home.  Everyone was talking and greeting one another and finally Chris, one of the team members, asked where are the blocks.  There was absolutely not one piece of materials delivered for the construction, not even a bag of cement.  Orfilio gets on the phone to Promaco and ask where are the 800 blocks, many bags of cement and the rest of the materials.  They informed us we had to have a family member come in and let them know we needed the materials.  This was a first time.  First of the year and things do change here in Honduras.  So Mike, Orfilio and I head to Promaco to see what is going on.  We were about a third of the way there and we passed Juan, son of family, on his bike headed to the Promaco.  We picked him up and off the four of us went to see why the materials were not delivered two days prior to the arrival of the team. 

 

Faith and Deeds

"What good is it my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such faith save them?  Supppose a brother or a sister is without clothess and daily food.  If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead."

James 2:14-17 

 

 

There are still no blocks - Futbol anyone?

 

We returned to the job site to let them know the materials will come sometime during the day, we hoped. Well, this team wins the award for flexibilty for this year.  Oh, this is the first team of the year!!!  Well, still they were so flexible.  They discovered a near by futbol field and off they went.  There was about five children when they entered the futbol field and by the end of the morning there was thirty plus children playing futbol.  As they were running up and down the futbol field someone heard a huge truck coming down the path so everyone took off to the job site to find out it was only the cement.  The team stood around enjoying the children and the family of Andres and Rhiana when finally they heard yet another big truck coming down the dirt path.

Oh by the way the children beat the North American that morning hands down.

 

Flexiblity is in the manual for NCBM.  It is hard for us to understand why sometimes.  Pittsboro Baptist took the situation given to them and allowed God to use them in a different way on the first day of their construction job. 

 

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

2 Timothy 3:12

Blocks finally arrived and all the people said AMEN

 

All 800 blocks finally arrived around 11 o'clock the first morning.  Usually by this time on the first day the third or fourth course is up and they are ready to break for lunch.  The team did eat their lunch while eagerly awaiting for the truck supplying the blocks to arrive.  Pastor G rushed out there to help the guys from Promaco to unload the blocks.  The rest of the folks, North Americans and Hondurans fell in an assembly line and had the blocks unloaded in less than thirty minutes.  Thank you for all the hard work and unity of God's people working together to get the job completed.  Now let's build a home for Andres and Rhiana's family.

 

"And over all virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect UNITY."

 

Colossians 3:14

 

 

Praying and laying of the blocks

 

Pastor G was ready to get that cornerstone laid and prayed over so their day of construction could begin.  Everyone found a place and beginning laying of the form of the home. As the afternoon progressed the courses progressed upward as well.  There was activity everywhere trying to make up for the loss of the morning.  God is good all the time.  The five courses were completed by the end of the first day.  Sometimes God shows up different ways of getting HIS WORK done.  As Mike and I always say every team and project is different.  God enjoys changing it up once in a while and I am so grateful Pittsboro Baptist was willing to allow God to use them in a special way on their first day in Choluteca, Honduras.  

 

"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through HIM."

Colossians 3:23 

 

The Reason We Serve In Honduras

 

We come to Honduras group after group to build homes, do medical teams and of course to evangelise.  But through all these many tools our main reason for being here is to bring the lost to Jesus Christ.  All around us are hurting and dying people who do not know who Jesus Christ is.  They do not know HIM as their personal Lord and Savior.  Well our first team of the year allowed God to use them in building a home and doing VBS to bring TEN children to Christ.  We now have TEN new brothers and sisters in Christ.  PRAISE THE LORD for allowing Pittsboro Baptist to be here in Honduras at this time and place to be HIS instruments to the salvations of these young people.  God also allowed the team to finish their phyiscal labor they had come to do even with the delay on their first day.  They were able to work in several more games of futbol and VBS for two days.  They finished their week worshiping in church on Sunday while Pastor Jon brought the message.  At the end of the service Mark and Matt shared a video of the Widow and Oil.  The congregation came forward to watch this 20 minute video on how God provides all we need at all times. 

 

2 Kings 4: 1-7

The Widow's Olive Oil

Read and realize how God gives us more than we can ever imagine if we only have the faith like the widow.  This week Pittsboro exhibited their faith in many ways as they allowed God to use them to bring abundant blessing for others and then in returned was doubly blessed.  This is how our God works.  He is majestic and mighty in power.  Thank you Heavenly Father for allowing us to serve you here in Honduras. 

Thank you God for families

 

As I close this blog we once again praise God for families who chose to come here and serve together.  We see blessings overflow from these experiences of families doing missions together.  I encourage anyone reading this today who has not been on an international mission trip with a family member, husband and wife, father and son, mother and daughter or your entire family prayerfully consider this as an opportunity where you will be truly blessed many times over in your service toGod.  Thank you Jerry and Kathy and Mark and Matt who chose to give up a week to come and receive mutliple blessings no one can take away from each of you.  God bless you all!!!

 

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

Joshuea 24:15

Welcome Covenant Church of Maryland to Honduras

 

God truly blessed us on November 26 when a medical team from Covenant Church of Maryland arrived.  This is their first time to Honduras and they immediately fell in love with the people and the beautiful country.  There was so many opportunities they fell upon us and the team prior to their arrive.  But thankfully God is more powerful than any opportunity set before us.  A week before the arrival of the team one of our doctors had a family emergency and could not join us.  God provided another doctor to replace him.  One day before the team was to arrive the Pastor Mike from the team had to cancel his coming due to a family emergency.  Mike and I get up on the 26th loaded the bus and got ready to leave for the airport, bus would not start.  Normally three strikes and you are out.  Well not with this group of folks and our Lord and Savior who saw us through til the end of the mission trip.  We reloaded the bus into the Land Cruiser which the team preferred over the bus at the end of the week.  We met the doctors and translators at the airport to inform them they were taking a bus to Choluteca because of lack of space in the kia and Land Cruiser.  This was a rocky beginning to a most amazing and spiritual journey for the Maryland group.  GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD!!!!!  Awesome about our saying is the team uses the same saying in their worship back in Maryland!!!!!

 

"Therefore , since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."

Hebrews 12:1-2a

First Day of Medical Clinic at Aldia al Limonal

 

The team arrived around 7:15 at the church to pray and prepare for the day ahead.  Pastor Santiago and several members of the church were there ready to serve beside the North Americans.  We gathered into a circle and introduced ourselves to one another.  Pastor Santiago had everything already organized for the team to proceed with turning the sanctuary into a medical clinic.  This set up was much different from other medical clinics.  We had three medical doctors, Dr. Brenda, Dr Jillda and Dr. Marchele.  There were four Sunday School classrooms off from the sanctuary.  So each doctor had their private room and the other room was the pharmacy.  So the sanctuary was used for checking in the patients and overflow for people waiting to go back to the doctors. There was also a row of seats in front of the Sunday School classrooms for the patients.  This really helped out with crowd control.  Jose, our bus driver, went out into the surrounding village visiting while the team set up.  Jose came back to the clinic with a young lady who was 105 years old.  Our first and only patient who was the oldest patient this week.  During their three days at Aldia al Limonal they saw 313 patients.  Jon was able to share the gospel with the folks waiting to be seen.  On the second day of clinic they had a devotional and prayer time before the clinic started with the North American team and the members of the church.  On the third day, Pastor Santiago shared with Jon, bi-lingual team member there was going to be a sermon.  Jon said, "Oh this is great."  Pastor Santiago then informed Jon he was the one doing the sermon. Jon said, "Oh this is great and I would love to."  God used Jon in a mighty way that day.  Jon shared 1 John 4:7-12 while Maida translated in English. We never know when God calls on us to share from His Word.  We always need to be prepared on a moment's notice.  Thank you Jon for being willing and able to share the gospel. 

 

"Dear Friends, Let us love one another for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God. Because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has ever seen God but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."  1 John 4:7-12