Pastors with Servant Hearts

 

We have been blessed to Pastor Chris for the last six years.  We always enjoy him coming down to serve with us here in Honduras.  Pastor Chris works diligently at whatever task he is given.  He makes anyone around him feel special and needed.  He enjoys the children when he is not working.  He enjoyed his daily cup of coffee he was blessed with by the ladies of the community.  Thank you Pastor Chris by leading by example.  We are blessed to have you here with us once again.

 

God has also blessed us with Pastor Drew, youth pastor of Hamlet Second Baptist.  This is his second year to serve with us in Honduras and like Pastor Chris there was not a job he did not try to do and finish it to completion.  He was willing to do anything needed.  The most inspirational moment for me on the first day was when he assisted one of the elderly ladies of the community with carrying a tub of water to the barrel for the mixing of the mescal.  I sat there and watched him go continuously from one barrel to the other barrel carrying water until the second barrel was full.  What a servant's heart this gentleman displayed.  What an example of Jesus' image in his service that day.

 

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
Philippians 1:1

More Servant Hearts

 

During the day the team took care of one another wherever needed.  Several times I saw Ashley taking water to the North Americans and the Honduran workers.  Chuck joined in one day while Ashley was busy digging in the latrine pit, this story will come later.  Chuck took all the workers a cup of Gatorade as this is their favorite choice of liquid when asked.  Thank you two for seeing the need and taking care of your family and friends in Christ. 

 

but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
John 4:14

An Important Job

 

This activity taking place in the shade of these trees is most important.  The first team will know exactly what they are doing here.  They are

Pastor Vargas Pays A Visit

 

On the third day Pastor Vargas comes out to measure for the windows and doors of the church.  We picked him up that morning to many questions about this community he has never been to visit.  We shared with him about the community and how blessed we were to be apart of these wonderful and beautiful people.  He asked about the pastor of this church.  We shared they have a pastor who comes once a week to worship with them.  Well he shared they need a full time pastor who will do bible studies and teach them about Jesus.  So after her measured the doors and windows he started visiting with the people of the community.  He spoke to all of them at some time while he was there.  Before leaving he asked Mike and I could his church family help them out.  We said of course.  So please pray with us as Pastor Vargas' church family comes along side this community to help build up this church.  Pastor Vargas shared this church needs to grow like that corn over there is growing.  Well spoken Pastor Vargas.  He shared how beautiful this area was but the people were more beautiful.  What a blessing to have Pastor Vargas reach out to this community.  This day he did more than measure doors and windows, he wanted to help further the kingdom of God.

 

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.
Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

Mark 4:27-29

 

A Pupusa Party

 

The afternoon Mike, Pastor Carlos, Maida and I paid our friends a visit about their church, somehow pupusas came up into the conversation. This community has never had pupusas.  We decided we would teach them how to make the pupusas.  Well Maida will teach them not me.  I will just help eat them.  We got all the materials together to prepare this meal.  Valerie shared in the airport parking lot upon her first time arrival into Honduras she hoped she could cook this week. Valerie shared how she loved to be in the kitchen preparing meals and feeding others.  Well was she forever in for a treat. 

First of all her and her new friend, Potunia picked the firewood needed to start the fire for the clay stove they would be cooking the pupusas upon.  Once the fire was going they started cleaning the vegetables for the slaw, carrots and cabbage.  Then Potunia with Maida's assistance started needed the flour for the dough of the pupusas.  Every lady around was there to learn how to make this scrumptious dish.  There is another blessing as well the ladies are wearing their aprons given to them by a team who was here earlier in the year.  I looked and there was those aprons which were made by some ladies from a church in North Carolina.  They treasure their gifts they receive from their North Americans sisters.

The morning progressed and the production line of pupusas was progressing as well.  These ladies became pupusa experts in no time at all.  So for lunch this day we all enjoyed our pupusas topped with the most delicious slaw made of only cabbage, carrots and a squirt of lime.

The team enjoyed their pupusa party and their tummies were full.

Thank you all who helped make this special time possible.

 

The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:21

Building a Latrine

 

This is not the first time this team has helped build a latrine.  They came down with open arms ready to do whatever they needed for this community and church family.  The church family decided at our meeting last week they wanted a latrine instead of a pilla.  So a latrine it is.  Team member Bennie shared as he was picking out the walls of this whole, "I cannot get away from this type of work."  But doing this type of work here is so very different from doing it at home, several of the team shared.  Yes it was very hard work but they did it with joyful hearts and was grateful when one of the Hondurans, Joel, came along to help them out.  As they were working one day the ladies served up some of their sugar with a little bit of coffee in it.  OW shared this is the best coffee I have ever had.  Ashley alongside her gentlemen friends worked diligently on this area of six foot by six foot.  At the end of their first day they had completed five feet of their job.  Well done good and faithful servants.

 

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Matthew 25:21

 

The Work Slowed Down

 

It took time to get the walls ready for the mescal which would be poured in the brim.  So the team took out time to jump rope.  Team member Alan found some rope on the Kia and fun proceeded his founding. The children laughed and jumped and enjoyed themselves so much with their North American friends.  Pastor Drew found himself one day playing marbles with his new friends.  They were helping build a church but they took time for the most important building of all, the kingdom of God through relationships. 

 

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
I Peter 2:5 

Washing of Feet

 

Valerie, first timer to Honduras came up on the second day and asked could she wash the ladies feet.  I said please do.  What a special treat for these ladies.  Valerie started out by reading John 13:1-17 and shared how God had placed this on heart to share with each lady. They laughed and giggled as they were pampered by Valerie and Ashley.  After their feet were washed and rinsed they massaged their feet and legs with lotion.  Ms. Aledia above said she had always dream of this happening but never thought it would.  What a blessing this was for these lovely ladies who work so hard for their church, families and friends on a daily basis.

Daily Devotinal

 

Each day Pastor Chris and Pastor Carlos took turns doing a devotional after lunch.  No matter how much physical food you take in daily your only strength comes from the word of God.  This particular day we say the rain clouds forming and hoping we could have our devotional before it started our daily rain shower.  But to no prevail here came the rain. Do you think this stopped Pastor Carlos from sharing from God's Word.  Not at all.  He begins sharing and so does the rain.  After ten minutes of prayer and devotional we were all pretty soaked but fill with God's holy and profound Word.  Once again we learned how important it is to share God's Word no matter what circumstances you are in.  We need to be on fire for bringing the lost to Christ as Pastor Carlos is. 

 

 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

Psalm 34:1a

Hump Day

 

At the end of hump day this group had accomplished a lot.  The latrine was going down, the ladies had learned how to make pupsas and the mortar was being poured into the structure which the team and Hondurans had built that day.  Obedience to God's calling was beginning to come together in a most beautiful way.  Wow what an amazing time had by all during the sweaty times, the rainy times and the times of laughter which was heard through out the day by all new brothers and sisters in Christ.  We will all have cherished memories from this area called El Porviner, Las Cabasas, Choluteca, Honduras.  Thank you God for choosing us to do this special task in the name of Jesus.

 

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

John 15:16

Children of Honduras

 

Each and every week teams come and go but the most precious part of their week is meeting the children. Those big brown eyes steal our hearts and help us to be child-like our selves.  These children truly know how to be children.  They know how to play outside.  They know how to solve their own problems with problems arise amongst them.  They know how to truly love their families and be grateful for all they have been given each day.  Yes their daily needs are met and they are full of joy because of it.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14

These Beautiful Faces

 

 

 

 

Each and every week, Mike and I get to enjoy the true meaning of being a child.  This week Hamlet Second got to join in on the joy of seeing children being children.  They jumped rope, Ashley made them a hop scotch and taught them this game, they did tug a war with Maida's help explaining this one and last but not least they got to play with bubbles.  They played bubbles hours on end.  The simple things in life are the sweetest times you can have.  I challenge everyone reading this to take your children or grandchildren and play hop scotch or go blow some bubbles.  It is actually a lot of fun.  Thank you team for loving these children each and every day.  God is good all the time.

 

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14

Last Day

 

There was a lot to do the last day not in laying of the blocks but to get to the point of laying a bloc.   The scaffolding had to be moved after one of the gable ends got finished to the other end of the church so the other gable end could get complete.  The team worked very hard to get their task completed by lunch time.   There was work going on everywhere.  The entire team pulled together and worked diligently to prepare the church for the next team coming in so they could complete the church in El Porvenir, Las Cabezas, Choluteca, Honduras. 

After it was all said and done Bennie and Juan found extra work to do to make it look better.  Juan got up on one end to smooth out the joints as Bennie was on the other end smoothing out some joints.  Then Bennie got inside the church taking dirt into the stage of the church until they were both called for lunch. 

 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Colossians 3:23