Welcome Hopewell Baptist Church Team Two

Last Thursday we dropped team one of Hopewell Baptist Church off and picked up team two.  This team was a much younger group of people who came ready to serve their Lord.  Both teams came with many different gifts and we are fixing to find out what these young men and women brought to the beautiful country of Honduras.  For some on this team this was their very first international mission trip and they said it was nothing like what they expected but it was so very much more than they could have ever imagined.  They came lined up with job duties which started each morning at five a.m. and they did not stop until after the supper dishes of each evening.  They all pitched in and got done what needed to get done for their daily tasks for their Lord.  I shared one evening during some very powerful devotionals and God moments these young people are the future of this ministry and I praise God for their enthusiasm  for missions and for the love they have for our Lord and Savior at such a young age. What a privilege to serve beside of each of you this week.  

Greetings to Ms. Alendra

We arrive to El Limonal with a greeting from an older young lady age 70 who has had a hard life and her face showed how hard it was  and still is at times.  Three plus years ago this team prayed for this community to get papers for their properties so we could build homes in El Limonal.  Three years later this very team who prayed over this community in the home of Rodd and Rita are now building a home for a lady who could use a lot of love and support.  God picked just the right team for the job.  Not only did this team come to build a home but they came to build relationships and trust amongst some precious people who work hard daily just to make basic ends meet.  Ms. Alondra was greeted with hugs from Sandy and Rita as the men brought the tools and materials down the path from the vehicles.  Everyone brought something in their hands as they made their first trip down to a life changing week for all of us.  The metal structure is her kitchen.  She was staying with some family members while waiting for her home to be built.  We gathered to meet her and her nephew, Eddie and friend Sammie who helped us all week build her home.  Pastor Larry introduced the team and thanked her for allowing us to be apart of something she has prayed for a very long time.  Pastor Larry was grateful to God for letting this team be chosen for such a special task.  

God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

Rodd's Block Cutting Crew

As the team waited for the four corners to be set, return team member, Rodd, went to start his part of this house becoming a home, cutting the 160 plus special order blocks.  Rodd started lining up his blocks in rows as some of the team saw the need to go and assist Rodd to make this part of the project go easier and quicker for our friend Rodd.  Everyone pitched in bringing block after block as Rodd proceeded to cut each block and then they placed them in a location where they could be grabbed as needed in making Eufemia's house a home.  This team exhibited team effort the entire week with one another and gave God all the glory for each and every block cut, placed and used in this project.  Rodd shared in his devotional how we are the hands and feet here in Honduras and we show His Love to all these beautiful people.  But he challenged us all to make sure we go back home and be the hands and feet of Jesus at our home, work and school.  The same God in Honduras is back home as well.  God knows every hair on our head, He knows are very thoughts.  Our life here on this side of Heaven is short lived, but eternity is forever.  How are we going to leave this world?  By showing equal love to everyone to make sure they hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  Do not let a day go by where you do not share the gospel of Jesus Christ with someone if we don't it could cost them their eternal lives and they will go straight to Hell. 

Just like everyone pitched in with Rodd to get those blocks lined up ready to cut and be used we should pitch in and help this broken world receive the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.   If you are  reading this today and do not know this Jesus Christ who is our Rock, our Fortress, our Sustaniner, our Deliverer, our Grace, our Mercy and our Peace in this broken world please do not let this day go and pass by without talking to a pastor or a friend who knows Jesus Christ as their Lord Savior.  Please receive the greatest gift of all, JESUS!!!!!

First Block

Every project is so very different which is what makes my job here so awesome.  We arrive and start wondering where is the water coming from to mix the mortar.  We looked down at the back of the property where there is well.  Eddie and Sammie were pulling up buckets of water and taking over to where the barrels were kept near the mescal mixing station. So our young people took off down there to help haul the water over to the mescal station.  They hauled bags of cement from another house, Ana, her neighbor who was storing the 50 bags of cement for Eufema.  

There was some of the young people sifting the sand through the screen to get the sand just like it needs to be to go into the pile to be mixed with the bags of cement.  There is a special recipe for the mixture and it took Eddie and Sammie two tries to get like Pastor Carlos wanted it but they did persevered and did so all week for Alondra and the team. Tino was the Boss of the Mescal Station and did quiet a good job for his team, even hauling the buckets of mud up to the project site along with Justin. Justin shared during God moments that evening how he wanted to share his story with these two for some reason.  Justin felt God tugging at him to share your story.  As Pastor Larry says we all have a story.  Well finally on the fourth day after building relationships around the mescal pile which including Cameron enjoying a coke in a bag one hour after being on the project the first day and knuckle pounding daily, relationships had began to form where Justin felt comfortable sharing his story and then they prayed together at the end.  There was a reason Justin needed to share his story because his story was similar to Eddie's and Sammie's story.  Justin quit going to church as middle schooler and did not need God in his life, so had these two young men as well.  They did not see the need for church or God really either.  Justin shared once he figured out how desperately his life needed God at the center of it and he changed his life to live for Jesus Christ how much better his daily life had become.  Living for Jesus can bring complete joy and peace which you cannot explain just enjoy it and live it out daily.  Prayers for Eddie and Sammie as they continue their journey of life and pray they continue to seek God for all they need on a daily basis.

Four Corners and More

There is a lot to prepare for the first block to go into place.  Rodd's blocking cutting crew and Cameron and Justin's mescal crew.  Now Pastor Carlos has got some of them placing the four corner stones for this home.  Some of these young people do block work for a living and learned some new ways to level the foundation for the first course of the day.  Praise God for their willingness to learn a new way to level a home.  They were also grateful there wasn't an inspection crew coming around to make sure it was correctly done  Pastor Carlos was the inspector and he was pleased with how all corners went in and impressed with these young peoples' willingness to work beside him and serve our Lord in such a way as this week started to unfold.  Pastor Larry was busy making sure everyone was safe on the job site along with Rita.  Together they dug up a stump several of us were tripping over the first morning.    There is always a job to do when your heart is right and willing.  This team had a spirit filled heart this week and it showed in all they did.  They not only built Eufemia a home but built lasting relationships in El Limonal.   Thank you all for coming prepared to serve our Lord on many levels.

Pastor Larry shared several times how the cornerstone is most important.  It holds the home together on a firm foundation.  Just like the cornerstone of this home our firm foundation and cornerstone is in Jesus Christ our Lord.  We need to be grounded in His Word on a daily basis as Cameron shared one evening during his devotional time.  If these people do not remember me, Cameron, I pray they will remember the footprints of Jesus at El Limonal this week.  God's Spirit was with us this week and His Creation was all around us, His beautiful sunsets and sunrises, even the rolling green mountains that surround Mount Horeb.  This place is a place of finding peace with our Lord and Savior if we only take the time.  We all are filled with overflowing this week with the Spirit of our Lord and Savior, Our Cornerstone, don't let this excitement for our Lord, our burning fire get burned out once we return to our lives back in the states.  Let this time here stay always close to our hearts.  I am overwhelmed with a full heart right now as I type this knowing this young man shared from his heart and knowing all these young people here this week are the future of this ministry and leading others to Christ back home in North Carolina.  It is exciting to see young people come to Honduras and they get it!!!  They get what it is like to see pure joy in Christ in the lives of these Honduran people.  How they truly rely on Jesus Christ for their daily needs.  Thank you God for Cameron's new eyes reminding me as well as others it is only about Jesus and not about us!!!

Prayers For First Block

We gathered Eufemia and her family members who live around her to gather around the first block as we were preparing to lift up this home unto the Lord.  Pastor Larry led the prayer and shared how the cornerstone is Jesus Christ over this home as we begin our week making these 800 blocks into a home where Eufemia will be safe and dry for the rest of her days here on this side of Heaven.  Eufemia carried a hard face but as her week was unfolding with her new Christian brothers and sisters the hardness starting cracking right off her face.  Eufemia has a beautiful smile but as the week progressed Sandy and Rita after sharing with her found out her life has been a hard one.  She had lost her husband and three of her children plus has several health issues herself.  So this morning when we prayed over this first block, Eufemia for the first time in a very long time saw hope in her life.  Eufemia is 70 years old and has never owned a home where she could feel safe and dry during the rainy season.  This week God is answering a prayer for her which she has prayed for a very long time.  Grateful to God for Meida who Eufemia trusted and loved during this week as she helped Sandy and Rita share with her words of encouragement and love of Jesus.  

Before this first block was prayed over Aubrey and Ashley met some of the young girls in the community, one named Fernanda who became friends very quickly as you can see in the pictures above.  This team did so much more than build a home this week, they shared Jesus with a community who was hurting on so many different levels.  Thank you for utilizing Meida this week to share the love of Jesus with El Limonal.

Let The Block Laying Begin

As I sat back to watch this morning unfold, I saw some very talented brick masons, Rex, Jason, Conor and Rome went to work placing that mortar just right upon the first course.  But then I look over at Sandy and Ashley, and Rita and Aubrey they as well were filling in those joints for Eufemia's home beautifully.  This group caught on real fast as they started layering the blocks one course at a time.  Justin and Cameron saw to it the mescal was being brought up in a timely fashion.   Please note the mescal pile was not anywhere near the project, it had to be hauled up the hill to the construction site.  The upside to the mescal station it was in the shade which helped keep the mescal coming quicker because there was less sun shining down upon those young men who worked hard all week providing what the block layers needed to get their job done.  Pastor Larry shared one evening how proud he was of each of them.  They all worked hard, sweated and poured the entire hearts into this home and never once complained they all just kept persevering in the name of Jesus.

Where Do I Put My Two Doors?

Eufemia for the first time in her life today got to decide where she would like her doors and windows to go in her new home.  Now our friend put one of her doors in the most unusual spot but once again it is her home.  We had Meida ask her about the back door being so high up once she got older and was not getting around as well.  She looked at Meida and said, "Then I will go out the front door."  You have to say that was quiet an impressive answer for this young lady of 70.  So Pastor Carlos respectfully put those doors where Eufemia had requested with a smile on his face.  I don't think he agreed with this either but it is not our home,  it is Eufemia's home.  Meida as always knew exactly how to ask and present the question in a way where Eufemia did not feel like someone was telling her what she should have done.  We are so grateful for our Meida who always shows the love of Jesus to everyone she meets. 

VBS

Sandy, thank you so much for your strength and perseverance of nine days of VBS with over 160 children.  You treated these little ones equally both weeks.  What warmed my heart the most was when you pulled out playdoh and puzzles for them to share together.  I am pretty sure these little brown eyed beauties had never played with playdoh or even worked a puzzle.  What joy you brought them with these two items.  Thank you Sandy for all the hard work you put into two weeks of VBS!!!!!  Job well done.  Each day Sandy shared the Bible story, either the Creation Story, Noah's Ark, Nicodemous , the birth of Jesus and on the last day Pastor Larry shared the salvation story.  After the story there was a coloring page and a craft to be made.  It was precious how she was able to get her crayons back each day by gingerly saying when you have completed your coloring page bring me your bag of crayons and I or one of my helpers will give you your materials for your craft.  What a wonderful idea and how well it worked for all of them.  Ashley and Aubrey were amazed how well all the children colored their pictures.  How they took great pride in their work and how eager they were to do their very best.  Rita was humbled by the special needs child who needed help with her coloring and craft.  After she finished she gave Rita a great big hug and thanked her for spending time with her on her work.  These young people learned how appreciative these children were with the most simple of task and activities.  Justin was in awe of how much fun they had playing with the playdoh.  Our young people found out quickly how much joy you can have with almost nothing at all as long as the love of Jesus is in the center of it.  I challenge all reading this today find true joy in the simple things of life.  It doesn't take anything to have complete joy, only Jesus!!!!

Mount Horeb Green Puzzle

I was so blessed this week to have a team who likes to work puzzles.  We brought back from our vacation a 1000 piece puzzle of Mount Horeb Ministry Campus.  It was not an easy task at all.  There was over 700 pieces that were different shades of green.  This puzzle was a picture of the ministry campus during the rainy season.  Oh my this was going to be hard.  But slowly one by one I had friends join me working on this puzzle.  As the week was coming to an end I left them one evening with about fifty or so pieces left.  I jokingly told them if you want breakfast you better finish that puzzle.  Pastor Larry hollered and said no worries I'm cooking your breakfast.  But I got there the next morning and my sweet puzzle crew had finished Mount Horeb Ministry Campus in the rainy season puzzle.  What I enjoyed most about this is seeing young people and a couple of older ones coming together around a table for hours sharing in fellowship and disconnected from the world.  Their world at that give time and moment was sitting around this table with one another sharing and laughing together.  They were able to relax and be still without a care in the world.  I love Mount Horeb Ministry Campus and all the memories we make here each and every week.  Thank you puzzle crew for a job well done.

Breakfast of Champions

You cannot come to Honduras without a good breakfast.  This team cooked a full course breakfast daily.  Thank you Rodd, Larry and Jason for a job well done.  On Sunday morning we got blessed with a very special blessings, bajadas.  Pastor Larry was preparing and praying for his sermon so Mike kicked in to help make this very special breakfast.   It consists of special tortilla shells, refried beans, creama, eggs and bacon.  You make it to your taste buds desires.  Thank you kitchen crew for all the delicious breakfasts all week.  God is so good!!!!!

Worship Time

Pastor Larry and Sandy spent two weeks with us in Honduras which means Pastor Larry got to preach twice.  Much to my surprise Pastor Larry had two completely different sermons.  Thank you Pastor Larry for sharing God's Word according to where God place you each week.  The pastor's wife opened the service with hymns of praise and worship unto the Lord.  We sang "How Great Thou Art", "What a Great Day", "Bienvendos", "Victory in Jesus" and as we were singing "Victory in Jesus" the power went out and the church continued singing and praising the Lord without the power.  All we needed was the power of the Holy Spirit which was in this place today!!!!  Pastor Arderon got up and welcomed us all to church.  

Pastor Larry got up to preach but prior to his sermon, he asked the pastor and his wife to step forward so he could pray over their lives as they lead this community and church.  Also there was an assistant pastor that Pastor Arderon wanted to come up as well.  

Pastor Larry brought the message from 2Kings 4:1-7.  "The Widows Olive Oil"  There was a lady in need who did not have any money for her family.  The Lord told her to bring all the clay pots to Him and as she did He filled them up to overflowing for her to sell.  There was more than enough for her and her son to live off.  But when the Lord filled up the last clay pot it was done.  God's provision for this lady and her son was more than enough for them to be able to live off of.  God also ask us for the impossible in our lives so He can perform miracles.  If life was easy for man, he would not need help from God.  God would not get any of the credit.  When we rely on God to help us with all our needs He gets the full credit for supplying our needs. Like the clay pots or vessels, Pastor Larry shared, we are God's vessels.  We need to be in church each Sunday to get filled up with overflowing so we can go out during the week and share the love of Jesus Christ with our community, El Limonal.  Whether we are out collecting firewood to cook with, making tortillas to sell, whatever we may be doing in our home or work place we need to be ready and fueled up to share Jesus Christ with others. in Jeremiah 18:1-6 it talks about vessels.  Pottery was marred in the potter's hand.  Just like this marred pottery are our lives.  We are all defective and God is in the business of molding us into who He wants us to become.  We are broken like the marred pottery and God is there to put us back together again.  God is there to fix our brokenness and make us complete in His will not ours.  But sadly some of us do not want to be changed.  We like living in our sinful lives.  We do not want to give up this life to live out a life with our Lord.  Don't want to give up the fun stuff in life.  The things that might be fun in our lives may separate us from our Heavenly Father. Also a vessel needs to be used.  It needs to come off the shelf and be used to supply the water we need to drink.  Like the vessel we need to be willing to get out of our comfort zone, get away where it is safe and get away from the pain in our lives and be willing to be a vessel for God to be emptied out and be used for the Kingdom Work.  In 2 Timothy 2:20-26  it talks of different gifts or qualities.  All of us are different vessels with gifts God has given us to use.  We do not need to waste these gifts and not give them out to others who need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.  God needs to get rid of whatever does not glorify God in our lives.  In order to become who God wants us to be, the qualified vessel of Jesus Christ, we need to be in His Word daily.  We need to worship and praise Him.  We need to open our lives to God.  God knows and sees all we do.  We cannot hide our lives from God.   During the week you pour out yourself to your community and come back here on Sunday to be refilled with overflowing to go out again and share the love of Jesus with El Limonal.  Amen y amen.

Cornhole

If we were not working a puzzle we were having championship games of cornhole enjoying God's sunsets.  It became evident early on in the games, Rita, was the champion of cornhole.  She was all modest and shy but once she started throwing those bags a whole new human being was born.  Everyone wanted to be on Rita's team so they could win at cornhole.  It was a joyous time winning or loosing as these folks enjoyed good old fashion fellowship and laughter, once again making some amazing memories.  Thankful for these times on the multi-purpose porch.  Once again we got disconnected from our world and our world revolved around two big boards with a hole in it and bags full of sand or beans depending on what color bag you were holding.  The simple things in life are the most enjoyable.  Do I get an AMEN?!?