House completed but work to be done

The team finished the house which quickly became a home for Carmen.  But the team came with more to do than build a house.  They came wanting to share the love of Jesus with the community of El Jero Blanco.  Amy was already doing what she loves best playing hopscotch with the children and other fun games.  But after the roof got up and Pastor Carlos was happy with the front door steps to Carmen's home Pastor Pedro and the North Americans took off down the cliff through the river and up the narrow path to do a "Prayer Walk" through the community.  They came across five different families in their "Prayer Walk".  They had five re dedications in from the five families.  Pastor Pedro was pleased to have done this with the North Americans.  These are folks who promised God and Pastor Pedro they would come to church or come back to church. They were able to pray for some personal needs with the different families.  The team finished their "Prayer Walk" to head back to the project to have lunch and the home dedication. 
Team leader, Steve, shared from God's word on how Carmen will be like King Solomon who took care of his family.  Her home will be a blessing to all you enter it and will see the love of Jesus shining from within.  Carmen has many children as I shared earlier in the blog.  She has lived her whole life on this mountain cove along with some of her children.  She had several of her children there for the home dedication and several spoke of their sincere gratitude for each who made this possible. They gave God the glory for the life of their mother and her example to them.  Carmen's example as a godly mother, brother Steve shared branches out into her children and grandchildren as well.  After Steve shared Darryl presented Carmen with her bible and Butch presented her with the keys to her new home.  Before opening up the door to her home the team and the Hondurans gathered around the home and the five women on the team, Connie, Amy, Sandra, Paula and Leigh Ann each said a prayer of dedication to Carmen's new home.  The men of the team prayed over the first block and the ladies of the team prayed over the finished product, a home. After this was complete Carmen tried to unlock her home.  She looked up at her brother Steve and wondered why will it not unlock.  Someone had locked it from the inside as well.  The look she gave Steve was please fix this problem I want to see my new home.  This was a priceless moment watching look up to brother Steve with trusting eyes and knew he would fix this problem.
Carmen enters her new home and stands in the door way and shouts to the mountain tops "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord".  Then Carmen started sharing from the bottom of her heart and sharing with all her children if you do not have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior please do not let another day go by without receiving the most precious gift of all, Jesus Christ.  We have never seen a family member share Jesus to her family as this little lady did on this day.  Carmen shared on the first day how much her children met to her but they mean so much more to Jesus and she wants them to share in the joy she has in Jesus as well.  Jesus loves us all so much.  It is our choice rather to receive HIM into our lives.  Without Jesus our life means nothing according to our 78 year old friend Carmen and all God's people said AMEN!!!!!


Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Psalm 127:3


The Three Amigos

 

We would like to welcome new to this team this year, Butch, Mike and Darryl.  They come from the same church family but were new to this group of folks. They shared how they knew of these folks on the team but now after 8 days with them they became a family in God.  Mike thanked the team the first night for welcoming the three of them as part of the team.  Actually I did not know they were not all one big happy family.  They all blended beautifully together the whole week. The three amigos brought a lot of  hard work ethics to the team and were team players all week.  

Butch shared how he was touched by Carmen's words of prayer for the North American team. 

Mike shared how he felt received quickly by the Hondurans as well as the North American team.

Darryl sharing how as the last day was coming to an end he was sad to have to leave this little piece of heaven. How God had truly blessed each of these guys this week and how they all said yes to come to serve God in this beautiful country we call Honduras.  They were all asked to pray over the first block the first day and they reflected back on that day and how quickly their week had flown by but not their memories God gave them this week.

 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

John 15:13

Joe and Sandra

 

 

What an unique combination.  This is a mother-in-law and son-in-law team who have come together to Honduras for numerous years.  This year was quiet unique though. They left at home a four month old daughter and granddaughter.  God knew their heart and blessed them to return together while leaving behind for a few days a precious little gift from him.  Joe has a diet problem but comes to Honduras anyway and always seems to do just fine.  I use Joe as a role model, if you are willing to come and answer God's calling to serve 8 days in Honduras God will protect and watch over you.  That is HIS promise for us daily.  Joe uses preventive measures to be careful with his diet.  Thank you to a friend Connie who cooks for him while in Honduras. 

Sandra and Joe worked so well together as a team for God.  They set such an example for all families who serve the Lord.  They come together as one and reap such benefits from God and develop such memories which no one can take from them.  We always enjoy seeing Sandra and Joe always finding each other on the job site or in the mission house working side by side.  What an awesome team!!!!

 

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

Joshua 24:15

A Big Day at Mt. Horeb

 

Back in July Choluteca, Honduras had a huge drought during their rainy season.  The beans and corn crops were basically lost due to no rain.  So praise God as August came upon this dry area of Honduras God's provision of rain came pouring down.  Thank you God!!!!  So they replanted their crops of beans and corn.  The men who work on Mt. Horeb have been given permission to plant corm fields wherever they would like.  So there is probably six or seven different crops of corn planted all over the property.  Pastor Carlos shared they wanted to cook some tamales on Tuesday.  We said sure the team wanted to see the progress of Mt. Horeb and they would be there that afternoon.  So when Mike and I arrived there first there was a bunch of folks going here and there and everywhere.  They were busy cutting their corn off the stalks and Pastor Carlos' family came to get their corn.  I wondered why Pastor Carlos' crop was so huge.  He has 9 other brothers and sisters plus his lovely mother and his own family to make provisions in the corn.  It was a huge day for all involved.  They were all thankful to God for his provision of the corn.  Pastor Carlos' wife and children came out to help make the tamales and to carry home their corn for later use.  The team arrived in all of the activity going on around them.  They wondered who all the people were and what was going on.  I shared this is a big day for these folks.  They are harvesting their corn which they almost did not have.  The team gathered around the kitchen and partake of the tamales as well.  We all enjoyed some good old Christian fellowship and breaking of tamales.

 

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

Matthew 6:31
 

Ten Men Come Flexible to Serve the Lord

 

North Carolina Baptist Men would like to welcome ten men from five different churches out of Williamston, North Carolina.  This is their first time to Choluteca, Honduras.  Their first day started out walking with tools in hand and water and Gator Ade coolers down a road covered in boulders and water from the numerous rain showers we have been receiving.  There was no compliments from these gentlemen.  They each grabbed what they could and headed toward a small piece of heaven.  We all arrived at Luis and Daisyi's home at the edge of the mountainous countryside.  God's beauty was all around us.  They gathered to introduce themselves to each other before praying for the week ahead.  Pastor Carlos shared a pray of gratitude for the North Americans coming to build a much needed home for a very humble family. 

Each day the team of North Americans and Hondurans walked down this rocky make shift road where mainly cattle traveled and the local people.  They had the same schedule daily as the herdsman and his cattle he was herding to pasture.  The locals would say good morning on a daily basis.   Thank you gentlemen for taking on this task in the name of Jesus Christ. 

 

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

Putting up the four corners

 

 

 

In building a home there is four metal poles put into each corner to use as a guide for the string line for the team members to lay the course of 800 blocks.  The team followed the lead of Pastor Carlos as he started the preparations of laying the blocks.  There is a Honduran art in building a home and these guys learned about it first hand this week. They did it with a willing spirit to give God all the glory.  Job well done gentlemen. 
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--  Philippians 3:3

Our Honduran Friends

 

Without the help of the Hondurans this job would not have happened per one of the gentlemen one evening during God moments.  They gave the Hondurans all the praise of keeping them in mescal all week.  Luis worked alongside Jose and others mixing mescal tirelessly as the ten men laid the 800 blocks.  Thank you to a near by herdsman who offered his two oxen to carry the heavy materials up to the job site daily.  Fail to share with you the not one of the vehicles could make it up the path.  The first morning Luis was working preparing the area for mescal.  He cleaned away the debris from the area to have clean for the mescal to be prepared.  Maida took very good care of all the Hondurans hydration each day with a smile on her face.  God blessed these North Americans with some heartfelt Hondurans by their side this week.

 

But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:17

Praying for this godly home

 

As the morning progressed the team was prepared to lay their first block.  Tony, the team leader, prayed over the block as we all gathered around Luis, Daiysi and baby Jonathan.  Luis had a glow about him the entire week once the project got started.  Daiysi was a bit shy but so grateful for all the hard work placed on her receiving a home.  Two years ago we visited Daiysi when baby Jonathan was only 12 days old.  At that time she and her family desperately needed a home to stay dry and safe on a daily basis.  We always asked a question to the family once we assess the need.  "Do you have papers" was my question.  Her answer was "NO".  This is so hard to tell a family they cannot have a home until they have proof of property.  It took this family two years to get the proper papers to receive this home.  This was a process they had worked hard for and finally saw the results coming near.  Thank you God for this team coming at this time for this beautiful family.  Luis works in the fish company and provides all he can for his family.  Now he has a home he can take care of them and not worry about them while he is away at work.

God is good all the time.

 

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
Ephesians 5:23

The Progression of the Home

The team started out working hard to get their five courses up before the rain came the first day.  Rob shared during the God moments how God blessed them by letting them done before the rain came.  But as they walked back down the boulderous tyranne their feet and everything about them got drenched. But this did not deter them from going back the next day to continue the job God had called them to do build a home for Luis and Daisyi their home.

 

Daisyi looks on as the guys work on the walls.  Each day she stood back and watch the hard work these guys were putting into her home.  During the introduction the first day Daisyi thanked God for what was happening in her life this week.  She humbly praised God daily for this blessing of a home.  Team leader, Tony with help from Leslie, Brandon and Larry put the roof on the house.  Down below Rob, Brent, Victor, Roger, Freddie and Ben were getting the floor in place.  These guys worked diligently to get their job completed.  They were blessed by doing this for such a special family. Leslie took his turn mixing mescal once the roof got up.  These guys never stopped serving.  They worked extremely hard in the name of Jesus.

 

As all this was not enough they put some steps at their front door.  The step up into the house was a steep one so Roger with help from Larry, Brandon, Brent and Freddie got the steps in place before the home dedication.

 

 

Yet they still did one more thing. They built the family a bano for bathing.  They went over to it to add a couple of more blocks on top and to make a step out for them after bathing to keep the bano from getting dirty from the ground.  These guys were endless as they continuously served God in many ways.

 

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
I Corinthians 12:4

More than bulding a home

 

These ten gentlemen came down willing to do other things as well as building a house.  Ladies who are married to these guys have some very talented and willing helpers.  Leslie and Brent made the team sandwiches daily.  Team leader, Tony, Roger and Brandon prepared breakfast.  Victor and Larry prepared the Gator Ade and water daily.  They also took the time to be in God's word studying and reflecting on God's many blessings in life.  They enjoyed good ole fellowship with one another as well.  It was a joy to hear them laughing and joking with each other.  It is beautiful to see godly men joining together in good ole Christian fellowship.  These guys made an awesome team!!!!!

 

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:10

There are alot of family here

 

This team brought several families together this week to serve the Lord.  Larry, came along with his son Brandon, his son-in-law, Rob and his nephew, Leslie.  Also Brent and Roger are cousins.  Well there is one set of twins as you can see in the above photo.  The two gentlemen dressed in lime green shirts are want to be twin brothers, Rob and Brent.  Larry shared with me one afternoon being here with his boys was his biggest god moment of the week.  It is a very special blessing to be able to serve beside your godly family in Honduras.  We are always so blessed when this occurs.  Thank you God for allowing these guys with memories that will last them a life time.  To God be the glory.

 

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

Joshua 24:15

Worship Service

 

We gathered together for worship on Sunday morning.  For those of you who follow the blog we were blessed with one of our guys who work on the property.  Many of you have been praying for our friend Alexis to come to know Christ.  We were excited to see him make the first step coming to church.  He received a home back in February and did not come to church during the construction of his own home.  God is answering our prayers.  He is in church and brought his own bible.  AMEN!!!!

The other gentlemen is Luis who our bus driver, Jose, shared he was going to rededicate his life to Christ.  Praise God for both of these gentlemen being in church on this Lord's Day.

The worship service began singing familiar hymns.  The children got up and recited bible verses for the congregation. They did not recite one verse but some were a whole chapter.  One of the young ladies of the church family got up and recited the church's mission statement.  Tony got up and thank the church for allowing them to come to worship with them and welcoming them into their beautiful community.  Mike preached from God's word out of Mark 2:1-12 about the man being lowered through the roof to see Jesus.  He wanted Jesus to heal his body from the physical and spiritual pain he was caring.  His friends cared enough about him to carry him on top of the roof of the building which was crowded full of folks listening to Jesus preach the good news.  Mike shared would we go to search lengths to share Jesus with someone who is lost.  We all need Jesus.  Who in your life today is lost, a neighbor, a co-worker, a family member, is there anyone you know today who needs Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Like the four gentlemen who took the time for their friend take the time to share Jesus with a lost friend. 

 

Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.

Mark 2:4

 

 

Afternoon on the property

 

The team of ten men spent one afternoon on the property helping with some odd jobs which needed to be done on the North American Dorms.  This group of men came with a lot of different gifts and talents.  We were able to be blessed by their abilities to do many different jobs on the dorms.  Brent helped Edwin weld the beams together.  It took the entire team of men to carry the beams down to be put in place for the roof to go up.  Roger worked hard putting electrical boxes in the dorm building.  There was many more jobs going on this day as they all worked hard for a common goal: serving Jesus.  Thank you gentlemen for a job well done.  All God's people said AMEN!!!!!

 

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;
Romans 12:6