FBC Seminole Missions Blog

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2011-08-07T06:04:00.000-07:00

Good Morning! Just to let you know that we are safely in Texas. We traveled to east of Dallas yesterday and spent the night. Thank you for praying for us. God is good to us. No injuries or problems.

We are headed to church this morning where we will worship with the folks at First Baptist Church, Forney.

Again, thank you so much for praying for us. We will see you at home.

bev

Day 6 - Robin

2011-08-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

Today the team worked at the Forest Lake Baptist Church distribution center. We helped survivors shop for items such as clothes, toiletries, stuffed animals, furniture, etc. My favorite part of the day was meeting a little boy named Joshua. Joshua is about 10 years old and his home had been completely destroyed by the tornado that hit Alberta, a small neighboring community on the outskirts of Tuscaloosa.

Joshua and his family went into a closet to ride out the tornado. Are you ready for a miracle story? There was a king bed that was in the bedroom adjacent to the closet where the family was staying. In the midst of the storm, that king bed was blown away but a twin mattress was blown into the home and against the closet door; this mattress protected the family from the flying debris and glass that could have easily caused injuries or even death. Isn't God amazing?!

As I talked with Joshua today he told me about his experience during and immediately after the tornado. He described in vivid detail the mangled bodies of those that did not survive the storm. The things that this little boy saw in the minutes following the tornado simply amaze me. What amazes me even more is his resiliency. Despite the trauma he had endured he was still able to see hope. When I asked him how he was dealing with everything that had happened to him he replied that he prays a lot and asks God to give him strength and comfort. I was in awe of this small boy with such a large faith. I could see how God has already been working in this child's life...please pray that Joshua will continue serving the Lord and staying strong in his faith. After Joshua's mom loaded her furniture it was time for him to go. He gave me a hug and said he hoped to see me again. With that he walked to his car and he and his mom drove off.

As I watched him leave my heart began to ache. I wondered to myself where life will take Joshua. What trials will he endure? What happy memories will he make? I asked God to watch over my new friend and I have to trust that God will be faithful in answering that prayer.

To say this trip has been amazing is a gross understatement. This trip has been one of the best experiences of my life! A piece of me will always be with the people here in Alabama. They have blessed me and I am grateful to them for teaching me about what it means to continue living when life looks the darkest. I am also grateful for those that have served with me on this team. I have bonded with them and am so blessed to have grown alongside them this week.

God is ALWAYS faithful and He is at work all around us, we just have to be open to letting Him use us to carry out his perfect plan!

Blessings to you all!

Robin

Day 6 - Bev

2011-08-05T19:54:00.000-07:00

Our last day here working with Tuscaloosa was extremely rewarding. The people here loved us easily. They are so easy for us to love. We truly are God's hands and feet here.

Today we worked in the distribution center. Friday is Furniture Day. There were 47 families lined up outside the church (distribution center) to hopefully take some furniture home. After the survivors proved their eligibility, they were allowed two pieces of furniture. I spoke with each one as they came through the door to get their approval ticket. Every one of them had totally lost everything. Two families had lost loved ones. The survivors did not mind talking about their stories. They talked easily among themselves even though they were strangers. They shared a pain.

The church that is housing the distribution center plans to be open for years. They still need everything that you can send and they still need volunteers. Forest Lake Baptist Church was the center where we worked but there are several in the area.

We met a little boy names Joshua. Robin will tell you more about him. He is amazing. He has been through a tremendous trauma that no one should go through.

A community that we worked in said the were 98% cleaned up. The rest of Tuscaloosa is 16% cleaned up. They still have a ways to go but....Tuscaloosa will be back.

Links to Tuscaloosa

2011-08-04T15:16:00.000-07:00

Check out these sites for additional pictures.

website : www. texasbaptist.org/sharechrist

Facebook: txb_Share Christ

Twitter: txb_BeOnMission

Facebook: Tim N Nancy Carlisle

Day 5 - Bev

2011-08-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Tuscaloosa is such a beautiful place. The vegetation is lush and beautiful. The massive thick green trees have vines growing on them. The crepe myrtles and magnolia tress are just beautiful. Then you drive upon the mile wide path where the tornado was and you see devastation. The massive trees were stripped and splintered. The trees have begun to put out again and there is greenery in the horizon again. The people that live here say; "I wish you could have seen it before the storm. It was beautiful and green."

There are signs everywhere that read; "We will be back." The spirit of the people is strong and positive. Everyone that we have listened to speak about how the Lord saved them. People are very conscious that God has spared them. Some say God is moving and He isn't finished yet.

We met a lady (Earline) today while we were working at the distribution center. She has been volunteering at the distribution center since the storm. The distribution center is in her church, which sustained massive damage. Earline is a survivor of the tornado. She barely made it to her closet before the tornado hit. She said in just a matter of seconds the tornado had passed over her. There was nothing left of her house. She said she had replaced her roof with metal just a couple of months before. Having the metal roof saved her. She could not find her companion, her cat. She struggled with this. In a few hours he finally came back. She had a really hard time telling us her story. She had to stay in her "house" for two days before she had any place to go. She had not driven around Tuscaloosa since the tornado so she volunteered to show us her house... and the campus of the University of Alabama. She is a die hard Bama fan. Has been for probably 80 years.

The distribution centers are setup to send the donations out to the survivors. It is amazing how much has been donated. To be able to take some of the stuff, you must be a survivor and cleared by FEMA. We were told that 11 tons of donations came in yesterday from California. The volunteers sort, organize and shelve it. Everything that you can imagine has been donated. Some of the people that come to these centers have lost absolutely everything. Some lived in their cars for weeks because they had no place to go. Just think about it. What would you do if your house and car was destroyed and the place that you go everyday to work was blown away.

We woke up this morning to a thunderstorm. It was cool, cloudy and raining. It was great! It has been cloudy all day.

Tomorrow we will go back to the distribution center to work. Thank you for your prayers. The people in Tuscaloosa are very sweet people.

Day 5-Robin

2011-08-04T14:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I talked about the dust devil that came through the demolition site. Clara Miller said something about this that I wanted to share with everyone. She said:

"Whether it is small and blows dirt in your face, or immense and blows away all you hold dear, it is completely out of our control and completely in His control!"

All I can say to this is amen!

As many of you probably know, I work as a grief counselor at Hospice of Lubbock. A few weekends ago Hospice of Lubbock had our annual children's grief camp. This camp is for children ages 5 to 17 who have lost a loved one in the past two years. One of the activities at the camp is a giving back activity and this year we decided we wanted to reach out to Tuscaloosa. The campers wrote letters to children here in Tuscaloosa who were impacted by the tornado. In these letters the campers talked about their own grief experience and shared words of encouragement. This morning we took these letters along with stuffed animals and a book called "A Jungle of Grief, A Spirit of Hope" to Hospice of West Alabama. This hospice will hand out these items to children they meet with in their grief recovery center. A woman named Bethany Smith gave us a tour and talked about their ministry. Hospice of West Alabama does amazing things for the community and I am thrilled that Hospice of Lubbock could extend a hand and help the wonderful people of Tuscaloosa!

Day 5 - Randy

2011-08-04T13:40:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon,

A part of 1 Corinthians 1:6 states,"If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation." This verse has been evident this week. It has spoken it me. During our time here, the people of Tuscaloosa continue to praise and give God honor for the "Great Things He Has Done". The testimonies of 83 and 87 year old women (Mrs. Thornton's home was destroyed in the storm) makes my heart swell knowing God's grace and love has never been more evident to me.

The people of Alabama are very appreciative and are firm believers in what has happened as purpose and meaning. I will never be the same again.

Day 4 - Robin

2011-08-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

The trip has been awesome! Today we worked hard and got the house completely demolished!

As we were leaving the work site a man named Chris drove up. Chris is the son of James who is the owner of the house we demolished, and he was in the house the night the tornado struck. Chris talked about his experience and how life has been since the storm. Before we left, we had the privilege of praying with Chris and asking God to comfort and sustain him. Imagine how hard it must be for Chris, James, and their family to lose their house and 40 years of memories. Please be in prayer for this family as they begin to rebuild a home and make new memories.

Here's another interesting story. After we finished demolition, a dirt devil blew right across where the house used to stand. It was ironic to watch this "mini tornado." I haven't yet figured out why this moment was so significant to me today, but I'll keep thinking about and get back to you.

Here's what I've learned so far:

1) Cherish every day and take time to enjoy the little things....you never know when those little things won't be around anymore.

2) Life is about giving back. It brings me so much joy to pour love into the lives of the people here in Tuscaloosa. I'll never meet most of them, but I give them my love through the work we've been doing.

3) Take time for people. Most of the people here just want to talk and tell their stories...they want to be heard. Have you taken time to listen to someone today?

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for your prayers...please keep them coming!

Robin :)

Day 4 - Bev

2011-08-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

We demolished the house!!! After working a hard grueling day manually to demolish the house, they rented a front end loader and he helped us take the house down. I cannot speak for everyone but I think I can say we have never sweat so much and for me, I have never worked so hard.

Alabama residents are so extremely grateful of our help. We have heard so many stories. Miracle stories.

The story of a man who had just gotten off work and was headed home. He knew the storm was bad and he called his wife. His wife and kids were in their house. When his wife answered, he could hear the wind in the phone and then he heard his kids scream and he was cut off. He worked his way through all the debris and rubble to get to his house and it wasn't there. The tornado had moved his house with his family close to the school. The house had split and he found another section of the house in another direction. He found his daughter in that house. His wife and other kids were in the other part of the house. Their were all ok.

Another family told of how an oak tree saved their lives. The grandmother had lived in her house for 51 years. She watched an oak tree grow for 51 years. When the storm came, she gathered her grandkids and they ran for the bathroom. The oak tree fell on the house. The branches fell over the bathroom and protected it. The tornado blew the rest of the house away.

Tonight in worship, a pastor reminded us that God told us we would have troubles. But God is always with us. God is always there to comfort us.

Tuscaloosa Day 3

2011-08-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

The tornado damage looks like a war zone. The damage is hard to understand. One house sits untouched with everything around it devastated. The path of the tornado goes for miles. This particular tornado was one mile wide and six miles long. Tuscaloosa had several tornadoes in the Spring. We were assigned a house to demolish. The insurance company totaled the house but did not pay enough money for the demolition. You will see the before picture and the after picture of what we did today. The heat is excessive. We have decided that we will not complain about our Texas heat again. The man that owned this house lived there for 40 years. He raised his family there. His wife died there. He has a little dog for his companion. The tornado carried the little dog one mile away and stuck him in a fence. The poor little dog stayed there for 3 days until someone found him. He was hungry and thirsty but he was nourished back to health. His owner was so excited to have him back. He is the little dog in our group picture in front of the house.

Hopefully, we will finish the house tomorrow and move to another. We have the opportunity to join Habitat for Humanity to build a house.

We do not have internet service or phone service where we are staying. We are staying at a church way out in the country. We are in McDonald's, in the cool air conditioning to post this blog.

Now, we are headed back to the church where we will have worship.

Thank you for your prayers.

Tuscaloosa- Day 1

2011-07-31T19:59:00.000-07:00

Day 1 was a travel day. We are sleeping on the floor in FBC Whitehouse tonight. We will travel all day tomorrow to Tuscaloosa. We are so thankful for FBC Whitehouse allowing us to stay here.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

2011-07-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 31st, FBC Seminole will send 8 people to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. We will be involved in the May tornado disaster cleanup and working with those affected by the disaster. Please pray for these: Randy Clay, Wayne and Sharon Apple, Robin Renfrew, Cynthia and Hanna Hand, Rhonda Coats and Beverly Mills.

The team will join up with 60 other Texas Baptist volunteers in Tuscaloosa. We will return to Seminole on August 7th.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

2011-07-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

Team 3 Day 5 Cheryl

2011-07-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

We only worked till lunch today. That means we only went to one village this morning. We did deliver food to 53 families. Cary and I got to visit the schools while Valerie registered families. The teachers there who work for the government haven't been paid in a long time. Yet they still go into the villages to teach. What dedication to the students. After the visit Cary and I help pass out the corn and beans. One of the teachers said that everyone in the village was excited about the food distribution today. They even work on the roads so we can get the trucks into the village. Once again, the Chorti are so gracious.

We are heading by bus to San Pedro Sula to stay in a bed & breakfast tonight then catch a flight to Houston. I tell you what, I thought Dallas driving was bad!! San Pedro Sula drivers are ruthless!!

Please don't stop praying for the Chorti people. And for Steve & Audrey who try to help them in more ways then you can imagine.

If like me you aren't sure how to serve, talk to Tami or Jase and they can guide you.

Thanks for all the prayers!

Team 3 Day 4 Cheryl

2011-07-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Mary Collins!!!

I can't tell you how amazing Audrey, Mary & even Steve are in their service!! Please continue to pray for them. They do more than just distribute food. They truly take care of the people here.

Today was hot! And I'm hoping for rain tonight to cool everything down!!

Thanks for all your prayers!

Cheryl

Team 3 Day 4 Valerie

2011-07-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Where has the time gone? We have to leave for San Pedro tomorrow afternoon so we will only be able to visit one village in the morning. So many faces today looking to us for help, but it's not us..........it's God. He is working out so many details: allowing us to get to villages, preventing accidents or problems with bad roads, providing funds for more maiz and frijoles and allowing us to bless the Chorti with food to quench their physical hunger. We have also attempted to briefly feed them spiritually with testimonies and Bible stories. I have been blessed by the humility and graciousness of the Chorti, and they will be burned even deeper into my heart. I will be back to Honduras........I don't know how or when, but I feel that God is pulling me here.

Thank you for all of your prayers. My knees have not been an issue at all, but I haven't had to walk like Trish and Team 1. No one has been "baptized" (like Trish), but you need to ask Cheryl about the pictures with the monkeys.......there's definitely a story there. She has been lots of fun as a roomie and definitely in her element working fr the Chorti. She just jumps in and gets busy whether it's hoisting sacks of corn or loading bags of beans. It's been awesome seeing her meet the Chorti for the first time.

Cary is doing great. Every time I think of him reaching over and fastening his seatbelt, I giggle. Of course that's just to get past the seriousness of the situation. It could have been WAY worse, but again, God protected our Team and sent the Chorti men and Steve's wench to pull the vehicle back on the road.

We have new family from North Carolina.......along with Audrey and Steve, I now know Kyle and Nick. God has given them a strong testimony, and it was such a blessing to hear them tell them to the Chorti. It's also been awesome being here with Mary. I love hearing stories about how this ministry began. She and Billy forged the trails that we're now walking on to get to the Chorti. She has such a heart for everyone in Honduras.

Love to you all. I'm so sad about leaving with so much more to do, but I know that God will provide everything needed to get the food to the Chorti.

See you soon,

Valerie

Team 3 - Day 3 Cheryl

2011-07-19T15:13:00.000-07:00

For all you rooster fans.....he's still alive! He is getting better about sleeping in-3:30 AM.

I have learned a lot of things the past 2 days. One, I can lift bags of maiz & frijoles in a dress!! Another thing is how gracious the Chorti people are. Village after village has gathered us together after we pass out the corn & beans to thank us and hug and kiss our cheeks. I can't tell you how many times I was hugged and kissed today. I couldn't tell you what they were saying, but from the smiles on their faces I know they were saying thank you.

I'm hoping that the video of the children singing in Chorti can be veiwed. Remember who's doing this blog. Haha!

Please continue to pray for safety. We did slide one wheel off the "embankment" and got stuck. Steve asked Cary to stay in the truck, so Cary put his seatbelt on. Kyle, Steve, & I baled out! Poor Cary. Cary was allow to get out once we had a rope tied to the truck. We had several men pulled the back end of the truck and straighten it up. It wasn't funny at the time but now it is.

Thank you for praying for us. Also, thanks for praying for Trevor. It's hard for a momma to leave the country when her son is having surgery. I know without a doubt that God-The Great Physician, will heal, protect, & comfort Trevor while I'm here.

Thank you for all the prayers,

Cheryl

Team 3 - Day 3 Valerie

2011-07-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

God is so good. We delivered food to 83 families yesterday and 84 families today. I hope you are able to see the pictures. I took one of a Chorti man picking up a few kernels of corn that had spilled from his sack. Every kernel is precious! Just like every person on the face of the earth is precious to our Savior. We have much more to do, but time will run out on us before it is done. Please be praying that people be provided to continue/finish the food distribution. The villagers are so appreciative, but there are many more who will need food delivered soon.

We also need to pray for funds. There is no more money at this time, and there are still villages that have received nothing. I know that God will provide! He is mighty and in control. I have been very humbled and blessed time after time. I realize that we are very spoiled, and I pray that I appreciate even more the many blessings I have in the U.S.

Love to you all!

Valerie

P.S. Reagan made it to Gulu, Uganda!

Team 3 - Day 2 Valerie

2011-07-18T15:56:00.000-07:00

Oh my.........as we were handing out food I was thinking, "This is enough food for a month?". We handed out corn and beans. Each family received an amount based on how many people are in the family. Some received more and some less, but as each walked away I just kept praying that God would continue to provide for the Chorti until they are able to take care of themselves. The pictures tell the stories (as soon as we figure out how to download those from today!). There are smiles on the children and adults, but the eyes tell a different story. Please continue to pray that we are able to make it into the villages......it is raining A LOT. We barely made it out of San Isidro today! Sure do wish we could seen some of this rain your way, but I stand on God's promise that it WILL rain in Seminole!

The team here is awesome. We had a young man and his son walk up to the house this morning asking if they could do something. They are from Oregon and are in Honduras seeing the sights. The man's son, Justin, joined us and entertained the children with an awesome juggling show! The giggles and laughter showed how much the children and adults enjoyed what he was doing. God is so mighty, and He continues to provide for the Chorti!

My love to all of you. Skeet just let me know that Reagan left Amsterdam at 2:30 Texas time. She should be in Gulu, Uganda soon. I'll be on my knees for the next 2 weeks!

Take care, and thank you for your prayers. We sure do feel them,

Valerie

Team 3 Day 2 Cary

2011-07-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Started the day today with a 5:15 alarm. The rooster waited until 3:00 this morning before he started crowing.

Valerie and Cheryl went to the village of El Zapote this morning for a food distribution and I worked in the warehouse with two men from North Carolina, John and Farrell. They were still talking about how hard the youth from Seminole worked last week!

After lunch we all went to the village of Nueva San Isidro. The view driving up the mountain was incredible! We could see Copan Ruinas and the mountains of Guatamala. The Chorti were so gracious and thankful. It sure makes the trip worthwhile! It started to rain while we were there, so we had to leave quicker than we wanted to. John told me he was with a group one time that was there when it started raining and he didn't think they were going to make it out. They got stuck three times and had to winch out. They broke a tree and a pole.

The whole process of the food distribution is a major undertaking. Several people have been involved in the organization of the project. It will take several weeks to get to all the villages.

We will deliver to two more villages tomorrow. Thanks for all your prayers! We will keep you posted.

Team 3 Day 1 Cheryl

2011-07-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Howdy!!

I have decided I don't like roosters! Especially one that thinks dawn is at 2 AM!! I'm sure if I had a gun I could get rid of this problem if a Team 4 comes down in the near future.

Trevor was right when he said words can't express this experience. The church service (even though I didn't understand it) was amazing. The people are so passionate in their worship. My question is why am I so guarded in my worship? Hello, David danced in the streets worshipping God!! Well, he also was naked, but still he worshipped passionately! I want to worship like that, but keep my clothes on!! I know you will be grateful for that also!

Tired, Yes. Ready to work, YES! I'll keep you posted on how things go.

Continue to pray for us and the people we will be serving.

Willing servant,

Cheryl

Team 3 Day 1 Valerie

2011-07-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

We made it! No air conditioning on the bus for 3 hours on the winding roads from San Pedro to Copan gave me a horrible case of Motion Sickness (Cheryl took a picture!!!), but I've since recovered and I 'm ready to do God's work.

There is still a tremendous need. Audrey told me that whatever food we deliver this week will be it if more money isn't received. She has been talking to Food Organizations, but they won't commit or give her a response. The Chorti are still in dire need so please pray that funds be made available so that their basic needs can be met and all Glory will be given to God.

We attended Elias' wonderful church this morning. I'm amazed at the enthusiasm and passion for Christ in his services. I pray that everyone have the chance to hear their prayer sessions. And to think that he is unable to read.......the only thing he can read is his Bible! God works in mighty ways!

We've got an awesome team, and I look forward to getting to know our friends from North Carolina over the next few days. We got to meet Kyle's family via video skype. I've really enjoyed spending time with Mary (She and Billy are responsible for all the initial and continued contacts with the Chorti.). She is truly a blessing, and her heart is still in Honduras. I pray that they are both able to return at some point in the future.

Steve and Audrey are great! It's wonderful to have the time to catch up. We've got a very full week, and will not have any free time. We will prepare the sacks of food, deliver to designated villages, return to the warehouse, and repeat for another village. Please pray that the rain not keep us from our deliveries. The rain can damage the roads and force the Chorti to come to us instead of us going to them.

Thank you for all of you support and prayers. We can feel you lifting us up. I'm so thankful for Tami and Jase. God led them to share their love for the Chorti with all of us. I know that He used them to get me here, and now, a piece of my heart will always be in Honduras!!!

Team 3

2011-07-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

Team 3 has arrived in Honduras! Please pray for Valerie Jackson, Cheryl Greenfield, and Cary Moring as they join folks from North Carolina to continue the food distribution. Here is a video from Team 2 of distributing the food in a village.

Obando, a man who we work with in Honduras, had a seizure yesterday. Steve and Audrey took him to San Pedro Sula yesterday. We have not heard an update today. Please pray for Obando. He is the young man who our youth raised money and bought a motorcycle.

Team 2 is about to head home!!!

2011-07-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

Team 2 has done a great job!!! The girls have shown the fellas from North Carolina how tough Texas girls are. The team has been wet, muddy and sweaty all at the same time; sharing and receiving, loving and being loved, all because they were asked to by Christ. During this week we have seen children with expanded stomachs due to lack of food, moms doing what they could to make sure their children received food and fathers walking hours to work and to buy what they could to provide for their families. What has been shown to all of these people is the love of Christ by this team.

We can never truly tell you what has taken place and you can never fully understand what the team experienced because the smells you smell, the laughter hear and the tears you wipe are things that can not be brought home. So be ready to join a team!!

We want to do our best to share with you what all took place so here are a few numbers that might help with that.

Each family was given Corn and Beans, the amount given to each family will allow them to eat one time a day for a month.

Distribution that took place

11 - Villages

418 Families

44,350 lbs of corn (22.2 Tons)

8650 lbs of beans (4.3 Tons)

As I mentioned earlier the team worked hard and did an incredible job to share the provisions of Christ with the Chorti people. I want to say Thank You to the Parents and Family for allowing you student to be a part of this team. Thank you to the church and others for your prayers and support of this team.

In His Grip,

Jase

Kenzie-Thursday

2011-07-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

Hola! Esta semana ha sido una experiencia increíble!( This week has been such an incredible experience.) I have had a chance to see a foreign country, meet a new group of people, work on my spanish, and most importantly spend time focusing on God and doing his work. I came here not knowing what to expect and with the food distribution it was something new to everyone. I had a chance to go into about 9 different villages this week and in each village I meet children and adults who know what it is like to live without. For the first few days I played with the kids and they love to play. In one village we gave the kids balloons and you would have thought it was Christmas they had a blast. Also the adults were some of the most friendly people I have ever met, even though they have so little they always have a smile. The next few days I helped load and unload and reload and unload food again. It made me appreciate the things I have and the effort put in to obtain them. There was one Native man who helped us do all of this named Pablo; he probally lifted twice as much as all of us but never once did he complain or ask for a break he was always asking us if we were ready to go. It made me think twice about complaining or mumbling.

This week has taught me many things but one of the most important is that God is in control and if it takes a food distribution to reach people with the Word of God that's what He will do. He also has a plan for all of us even if we don't know exactly what it is eventually everything will work out according to that plan.

Brittany and Jenna =)

2011-07-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Since Jase is forcing us to blog we decided to cheat and do it together. =P Well, when we started out this week we really didn't know what to expect or what God had in store for us. As most of y'all know this week we have helped with the food distribution project. We were able to go into a few villages and see what their lives actually consist of. Which to the majority of us is nothing. Chickens and scrawny dogs were everywhere. Definitely, not your average houses either. Their work ethic was quite inspiring because they work for every little thing they have and are EXTREMELY proud of it! As we are about to leave we are walking away with a new appreciation of everything we have been blessed with! We both could not praise God more for giving us this opportunity.

Kimberly - Wednesday

2011-07-13T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hola! Today we continued to distribute food to two villages: Hacienda de San Juan & Morazon. We gave corn and beans to around 175 families. The song that keeps coming to my mind this week is "Count your blessing". I have been singing it to myself at night as I go to sleep. The Chorti people have so little and yet they are still joyful. I do not thank the Lord enough for all the things he has blessed me with that I take for granted. The people in these villages do not have the luxuries we have like a bathroom with running water. We will go to three villages tomorrow and will work in the warehouse bagging the corn and beans. Please continue to pray that the physical and spiritual needs of the Chorti are met.

Jase's Blog

2011-07-12T05:43:00.000-07:00

Howdy Seminole Friends and Family

Today was our first day of food distribution and as a team, even though we have hear from Steve and Audrey, Edgardo, Obando and Marcia, we really had no idea what to expect. It had rained the night before until 1:30 - 2:00 am so we were not sure how far we would be able to get into the first village. Our goal for the day was to bring food to three villages and the weather and mud were looking like it was going to make that difficult. Let me share with you the process that is taking place to make this all happen.

Our team has separated into two teams. Team one, Mason, Garrison, Edgardo, Obando and Steve are working along side three fellas from Parkwood Baptist Church in North Carolina, Jeff, Ferral and John. They are taking care of the filling of bags, with corn and beans, loading the required amount on the pickups and bringing the loads to the village. I have been giving Garrison and Mason a hard time because every time they come in or leave a village they are riding in the back of the pickup, however they along with the NC guys are working hard to make sure we have the food where it needs to be and the correct amount.

Team two, Kenzie, Jenna, Britney, Kimberly, Bailey, Micah, Marta, Audrey, Marcia, Dunia and I are going into the villages to begin registering families. Before food distribution begins within each village, the leader of that village meets with each family to determine the quantity of food each family would receive which is based upon family size. Edgardo and Obando collected those numbers and that is what we are working off of. Team two has a other responsibilities as well. While Micah, Marcia, and Audrey are registering families, the remainder of the team is working with the children playing games telling stories and loving on them.

Once everyone is registered and the food arrives the adults line up and wait on their name to be called. Once their name is called they have a huge process of getting the food to their homes. So far we have not been able to get inside the villages due to rain and mud so each family is carrying their food approximately half mile to a mile with bags that can range in weight from 10 lbs to 150 lbs. That is the how it works and we are ready to move into our second day of distribution. Continue to pray for the families and the teams that will be involved in this distribution. By the way, if you would like to be a part of a team please let me know. Thanks you for all that you are doing while our teams have been here. Seminole your teams have done a great job sharing the love of Christ with the Chorti people.

In His Grip,

Jase

Garrison blog

2011-07-10T19:35:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning we will be starting the food distribution. We will be taking food to people in 3 villages that have next to nothing, especially when it comes to food. Out of 70 villages, we have received lists from 27 villages, totaling 1007 families and 5260 people. This is already almost 1000 more people than the last food distribution, which took place in 2007. In 2007, it required just over $62,000. We are going to need even more financial support this time, considering there are more people starving and a longer period of time to do the food distribution. It's expected we will have to continue this food distribution through September.

Micah--Sunday

2011-07-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hola! The weekend has flown by and we have had time to relax and see some of the sites around Copan. This morning we went to church in a small village named Otuta. Including our group of 14 there was a total of 45 people in attendance. Pastor Elias preached out of the 12th chapter of 1st Corinthians (Unity and Diversity in the Body.) Mason sang a few songs and the Chorti were amused and seemed interested in the American we he played the guitar. He did a good job although the guitar wasn't in the best condition. Jase talked a little as I did my best to translate. This afternoon we went to the bird park and saw many native birds to Honduras. Each of us held 3 Macaws and it was pretty funny! The girls were a little apprehensive at first but we all got pictures for everyone back home. We are ready to get started with the food distribution! Some of us are going to the villages to register families for food while the other part of us are going to load the trucks with the bags of corn and beans. Our goal is to get to 3 villages by the end of the day! Pray that we meet our goal and have strength to finish the week!

Mason's Video Blog

2011-07-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

Hey there! Mason here. Today was our first full day in Honduras. We spend the morning at the ruins and then Micah, Garrison, Jase, and I went and helped pour corn (maize) and beans (frijoles) into sacks to be distributed for the Chorti people. I will be blogging via video today and continue throughout the week. Enjoy!

Team 1 is headed home; Team 2 in Honduras

2011-07-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Team 1 is in the air right now flying back to the states. Take time to read their blogs. God used them in some incredible ways and He also changed their lives forever through this experience.

Team 2 flew out of Midland this morning at 5:30 and has already landed in San Pedro Sula. Please pray for these team members.

Brittany Farmer

Jenna Johnson

Bailey Waller

Kenzie Perryman

Mason Caviness

Garrison Jones

Kimberly Clay

Micah Clay

Jase Waller

They will be in Honduras until next Friday and they will be a part of the food distribution team.

Due to the need for food distribution, FBC Seminole now has a 3rd team traveling to Honduras July 16th-22nd. Cary Moring, Valerie Jackson, and Cheryl Greenfield will be joining others from another church to help with food distribution.

Continue to pray for the safety and health of all. Pray that God works out every detail so every Chorti family who needs food receives it. Most importantly, pray that the Chorti see God's love through all.

Whitney Warren- July 8, 2011

2011-07-08T04:33:00.001-07:00

Our time here has come to an end. It's kind of surreal that we will be back in the states soon, when not 24 hours ago we were investing our time, effort, faith and tears into the lives of the Chorti people, as they inched their way into the hearts of ours. What a breaking and humbling experience it is to enter the lives of people groups who find things like small sources of water or pieces of fruit with sugar sprinkled on it as a luxury when our expectations are taken directly to not water consumption but temperature preference and not rationing sugar to a pinch but using sugar by the cup. The seemingly minute things of America are instantly taken for granted when exposed to the sad reality of what it means to truly be in need. Yet when I looked upon the faces of these Chorti men and women, children and adults, when I felt the love and thanksgiving of their hearts, I felt like I was the one missing something, not them. We taught them stories of the Bible and the truth of Jesus Christ, but they taught me faith that can move mountains and a genuine surrender to the God who overflows with grace and mercy. I can only pray that my newly acquired perspective doesn't diminish but enhances with time, that my gaze is constantly on the eyes of the Lord and my body to His service.

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." -Luke 9:23

-Whitney

Todd Warren - July 7th

2011-07-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well our week has come to an end, and it's kind of a weird feeling heading back to America. So many things here in Honduras have been eye-opening... Poverty, sickness, hopelessness, starvation- yet in the midst of it all, joy. It's tough to head back knowing that all of these things are so prevalent here. It's been a great week of teaching, playing with kids and lifting homes up in prayer. Physically and emotionally draining at times, but amazing to see the hope in Jesus Christ all over the world. There is still so much to be done here, and as the body of Christ it is our responsibility to be used in bringing the hope of the Gospel. How beautiful it is to see the saving grace of Jesus Christ all over the world.

-Todd Warren

A Different Kind of Exhaustion

2011-07-07T14:41:00.000-07:00

As you can tell, none of my blogs are going to be short! When I finally get started writing, I can’t stop.

Monday we went to a village called San Isidro. It seemed it was going to be a visit much like the teams I have been with in the past have done. Boy, was I mistaken! When we arrived the children came running. It is always so amazing how they instinctively know we are there for them. Before we began playing with them we went into the school and visited with the adults. Jase had us introduce ourselves and he then thanked them for having us here. When he was finished Eguardo spoke. I wish you could hear him. He is a Chorti man who God has truly provided for our mission teams. He is the human “way in” to the Chorti villages. He is the vessel God uses to allow us access to these people. The people know and respect him, and he does not mince words with them. He tells the men how to be Godly husbands and fathers, and he does it in a way that is sometimes harsh, but he always gets his point across. He is a man of conviction. He is a wonderful husband and devoted father, and is very respected among the Chorti people, even though he lives in a town and not one of the villages. I cannot understand his words, but his passion for Christ and for the Chorti people is undeniable. We gathered all the children around and played games with them. They could play for hours. Some were playing with the parachute, and others were playing soccer. There was a group playing Duck, Duck, Goose while some jumped rope. Next was a Bible Story. Our teams tell the story AND act it out. Yes, this day was going much as the previous trips I have been on. Things were about to change dramatically. Marcia, Amber, Audrey, and I went to a woman’s house. Her husband is a Christian. I couldn’t really tell where she was spiritually. She and her daughters were now going to the Catholic Church. (Amber wrote all about it in her blog, so I won’t repeat it.) About the time we finished there, we divided into groups to “Prayer Walk”. In my naïve mind I thought we would wander around the village praying out loud. For some reason I thought this would all be done outdoors. (I told you it was naïve.) Each group went separate ways. When we came to a home we would ask them if we could pray. They would then invite us in. These people are so hospitable! They WANT you to come into their homes. I think about the times I’m embarrassed when friends come over and my home doesn’t look as I would like it to.

When we went into the first home the first thing I noticed was a very small child…I guessed about a year old, sitting on the dirt floor. He was filthy. He had on what was once a white t-shirt. His feet and legs were pure filth. The air was stifling hot. It was the middle of the day, the stove was going (NOT our kind of stoves…it is the heat of an open campfire, only right in the middle of the room), and the windows were partially closed. The woman asked us to pray for health for her family and for the crops. She pointed to the little boy and said he is three and has never walked. I thought he was about ONE! I was the one to pray in that home, and Arely was translating. As I began praying for that small child I became pretty emotional. To be asked by that woman to pray for her children and her family was a very humbling experience. I believe many of the infirmities that have befallen these people are “easy fixes” in the US. After many tears, when we left that home, we then went to another home. It seemed to be a better kept home. I thought to myself, “This is a much better situation than the previous home.” There was even an OLD sewing machine in one corner, and one of the girls there said she was going to try to learn to sew. Again, it was very hot. When Arely asked the girl how we could pray for them my whole image of this home changed. The girl could hardly speak she was so emotional. You see, her mother had died just a short time ago, and it was her, her father and several of her sisters living here. As I began to pray I honestly got choked on my words. I don’t know how Arely could even begin to translate through my weeping, but she did. I know we have children who lose parents and loved ones in the US, but here life is so much harder, even with both parents. Things are so much more difficult when that happens. After going to several other homes, we arrived at the last house we were to pray in. The woman did not want us to come inside, but she did want us to pray for her family. One of her sons was sick. He had gotten very sick the night before and had diarrhea and vomiting. He even had to run around the corner outside the throw up while we were there. Eguardo followed him around the corner. When they came back he told the mother he wanted her to come with us and we would take them down the mountain to the doctor. When we left the village we took the woman, her son, and a daughter down with us. While we ate lunch at the Mission house, Steve and Eguardo took them to the doctor. They got some medicine, and Eguardo took them home. If we had not been there, things could have been much different. I am amazed by how God’s timing works everything out. As I left that village I was more emotionally drained than with anything else we had done on any of my previous trips here. Audrey had told me “Prayer Walking” was an emotional roller coaster, but I did not fully understand the depth of that until that moment.

I thank God for each of you and the prayers you have uttered on our behalf. We love you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Trisha

Amber---July 6, 2011

2011-07-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

I feel I have to backtrack a bit in order to show how amazing our Father is. Monday was a very emotional day. I think for most of us it tugged at our hearts like nothing we have ever experienced. Yesterday was a much different day. We went to a village called Hacienda De San Juan. We began our trip with about an hour drive up a mountain. There was a bridge washed out so we had to hike the rest of the way. I have never been so physically tired. We hiked for what we think was about two miles. The closest example I can think of is hiking up the hill by the walking park in deep ruts, with mud, and twice a steep in 99 percent humidity. When we got there we began to play with some children, then we went to their school. It was a very fun day. We laughed and played with the kids for a long time. Because we had to hike back down the hill we did not do any prayer walking. So even though it was physically draining, it was not emotionally draining. I know that God was giving us a break because he knew what was in store for us today. We went to a village called Barbasco. When we arrived the children were about to eat some watermelon. Audrey took me to see the classroom and it was incredible. They had much more materlialistically than the villages we went to previously. Audrey told me that she could tell there was a major “gringo” influence there. There were 2 girls volunteering at the school; one from England and one from New York. We all gathered in the classroom like we did at the first village. The Chorti people seemed very glad we were there. They are the nicest people… Very welcoming. Some of us were greeted with hugs and kisses from a few of the ladies. Marcia asked us to introduce ourselves then JASE asked me to tell them what we wanted to do that day. He did not ask Sean, Todd, Steve - he asked me and I promise I almost had a heart attack. Talk about putting you on the spot!! It was fine really J After I was done Jase spoke for a few minutes and then Sean, Clare, Whitney and, Todd sang Revelation song. Then some thing amazing happened. They wanted to sing “When the Role is Called Up Yonder”! I wish I had my flip camera to record how beautiful it was. We were all singing the same song, in two different languages, praising the same God. I just know that’s what heaven will be like. When we were done we played a few games and half of us went prayer walking and the other half went to another school just up the mountain. There is basically one huge village with about 75 families but because a county line runs in between the village one side is called Barbasco Copan and the other side is called Barbasco Cabannas. I was with Steve, Todd, Clare, Hayden, and Marcia. We arrived at the first house and we got to pray with Adrianna. She is expecting her 5^th baby, and is due in 3 months. She was very nice and welcoming. At our next house we met a 80ish year old lady whose name was Maria. She was a widow and she lived with her 30-year-old son. She told us that she has walked into town yesterday to get money but her name was not on the list. From what I understand it’s some kind of government assistance program. Since her name was not on the list they sent this sweet woman away to walk back up the mountain in the rain. She wanted us to pray for her health, her home, and safety for her son. She told us that she belongs to Jesus and he takes care of her. (I have to tell you this. In this culture they do not pray as we do where we all bow our heads and one person prays. They all pray out loud at the same time) So when Clare began to pray and Maria starting praying right along with her. I have no idea what she was saying but I’m telling you it was POWERFUL. I felt something there. I know we had the presence of the Lord right there with us. So we went to the next house and Maria’s Daughter-in-law lived there. She told us that her husband had died 3 months ago and she was left with 5 small kids. She told us that she was given some food to feed her kids but its almost gone and she does not know how she is going to feed her family. Her oldest son is still in elementary school and her oldest daughter who is probably 8 had to stop going to school to stay home and help out. At this point, Marcia and I have tears pouring from our eyes. I could feel that this lady, who is probably younger than I am, feels that her situation is hopeless. You might think that our visits to the homes gets better… well they don’t. At the next house, a man whose wife has been gone for 12 days trying to deliver their baby greeted us. He did not want her to have a c-section because she would not be able to lift heavy things and therefore could not work. Instead of anger I felt compassion for him. In these villages it takes every one contributing to the family to survive. As we continued we were asked to lay hands an an 18 yr old boy who has epilepsy and we also prayed for a young family who is loosing their faith in God because the circumstances here are so bad. This village has two churches in it. The Church of God and a Catholic church. Almost everyone we talked to went to the Church of God. This village had more “things” such as electricity and one house even had a cement floor. But the emotional needs were great. I hardly said a word the whole way home I left with a very heavy heart for the Chorti people. Tami kept telling me over and over that I would fall in love with these people down here I she was right - I have. There is so much work to be done here that it is overwhelming. But I know that I know God has a plan.

Needs!!

2011-07-07T05:51:00.000-07:00

I will blog about our days this afternoon. Right now I need to give you some needs!! We have a team leaving EARLY in the morning for Honduras. If God lays it on your heart to send any of these items with them, please do so:

Laptop computer

Wireless mouse

Computer paper

Peanut Butter

Ziploc bags---sandwich, quart, gallon

Gatorade

Chocolate---this is for Audrey---any woman would understand our need for chocolate!! It is about $20.00 US dollars for a bag of Hershey's here.

We are going to a village today that none of us have ever been to. Please pray that the Holy Spirit has gone ahead of us and prepared the heart of the people.

Love you guys!

Trish

The Workers Are Few

2011-07-06T19:01:00.000-07:00

My heart is so broken for some of the things we have seen here. These people work so hard for so little. I truly don't know anyone who would be willing to live under the conditions they do, and yet, it is a way of life for them. Yesterday as we walked up the mountain to Hacienda de San Juan I was asking Marcia, our Honduran friend, and sister in Christ, if the people realized the beauty of their surroundings. She said that some of them probably did, but not all of them. They are too busy trying to feed their families and survive. Once we got to the village (after about an hour of almost straight up climbing!), one of the older ladies came up and asked Marcia if we thought where she lived was pretty. I told Marcia to assure her we have nothing like this where we are from, and that it is muy bonito (not sure about the spelling, but it means very beautiful).

I know I keep going on and on about the climb, and how difficult the journey was yesterday, but I assure you, there is a point to this. Steve and Audrey Long have been coming to Honduras for many years. They began coming on Mission teams, but for the past several years they have volunteered to come down and work while the missionaries that were placed here went back to the states on leave. They generally spent about two months out of the year in Honduras continuing the work of Billy and Mary Collins while they took a much needed rest back home. Steve and Audrey have been a part of, and led, many medical teams, prayer walking teams, and evangelistic teams into this country. They have been very obedient to God's call for the Chorti people. But without mincing words I am just going to say, they are not as young as they used to be. Their intent was never to live down here for as long as they have. Last fall medical reasons prevented Billy and Mary from remaining in Honduras. The IMB (International Mission Board) had already determined that when Billy and Mary retired they would not be sending any more missionaries to this area. They (the IMB) believed there were not enough numbers to warrant spending the money needed to provide for missionaries here. I’m not sure how or why they play the numbers game, but I can assure you there is a great need for missionaries here. I don’t recall anywhere in the Bible where Jesus said to go and take a census to see if there were enough people to warrant entering a town. When Billy and Mary went back to the States Steve and Audrey’s church, Parkwood Baptist, decided to continue sending funds for the Chorti mission work to continue. Steve and Audrey agreed to live in the mission house, which their church is paying the lease on, and continue to minister to these people who have touched their lives, and ours, in such a way.

The work Steve and Audrey do (and Billy and Mary did for so many years) is not for the faint of heart. It is not work that has a monetary reward, nor are there many creature comforts. There is running water in their home, but you can’t put toilet paper in the toilets because the septic systems here cannot let things drain properly, and you can’t even stick your toothbrush under the water for fear of getting sick. Everything must be washed with bleach water. The electricity goes out at some point most days. When that happens it gets very hot in the Mission house. Not that it is ever cold. Most days the heat manageable (if you stay indoors), and at some points during the day there is a cool breeze blowing. But all you have to do is step out their door and you are hit with blistering heat. Most of the work done is outdoors…not only outdoors, but straight up in the mountains where the heat is stifling, and the bugs are plentiful.

We come here for about a week, and get our “feel good fix”, then return home to our air conditioned ways, our fast food meals, and our clean water and septic systems. While Steve and Audrey wave good-bye to us and begin preparations for the next team, which sometimes is catching a plane to come to Honduras as the previous team is heading home. When a team is here Steve and Audrey wake up before we do (and we wake up around 5:15 a.m.) and they go to bed after we do preparing for the next day. There is no rest time, no vacation time, and no time to themselves. People are constantly stopping by the Mission house needing medical assistance, a ride somewhere, or spiritual questions answered. They also hold Bible Studies in their home.

As we were walking yesterday, we stopped several times to rest. Audrey went as far as she could (which was quite a way), but finally had to admit she could go no further. When I got to the top of the mountain where the village was I looked back and saw Steve in his “Panama Jack” hat topping the hill alone. I must say I was moved to tears. He looked tired, and I could tell he was torn between coming on to help us, and leaving his wife behind on the log she had found to rest on. It’s not like she was on a city bench somewhere. She was in the middle of the Honduran jungle resting on a log! Don’t get me wrong. Steve and Audrey are not feeble people. They are strong and hard-working. They love the Lord and they love the Chorti people. But Audrey is in her late sixties and Steve is seventy. They did not feel called to full-time mission work, and yet, here they are. Why? Because at this point THERE IS NO ONE ELSE! Please understand, Steve and Audrey do all of this without complaint. They have not asked me to write this. I’m just giving my observations as God has laid things on my heart.

There is a great need for a younger couple, preferable who speak Spanish, to come and take over this work. I know that God has the exact people in mind to do this. Someone reading this blog right now is beginning to feel a stirring in their spirit. I know it. I sense it. I believe God is having me write this for that very reason. Someone is needed to come and continue the work that is being done here. God does not want these people to be abandoned!

In the meantime, please pray for health, safety, and REST for Steve and Audrey. Pray the teams who come here will be sensitive to the needs of the Chorti people who live in the villages in the mountains, and to the Hondurans who live in the towns. And above all, pray the name of Jesus will be proclaimed for all to hear!

We love you all and covet your prayers!

Trisha

Trisha---July 5

2011-07-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

Let me go ahead and explain the picture, and we'll get our laughs out of the way. Then I can get to the seriousness of this blog. As you can see by this picture, we have had a lot of laughs...mainly at my expense!! Today the road to the village we were going to was too treacherous. We had already driven about an hour. We then could not go any further due to the road being washed out. We walked the next hour or so, at some points straight up. I have never been so tired in my entire life! At one point we came to a stream. Several people took their shoes off and walked through the middle of the stream. I decided I was going to be like the kids and go over the rocks. As you can see, I had a little mishap! Poor Trevor! He was wanting to help me and I wouldn't let him. He then thought it was his fault I fell. I must say...it was NOT his fault. I was going down, no matter what, but if he had helped, he would have been in as well. These kids are troopers. They all waited until they saw that I was okay before laughing. Crystal, being the wonderful photographer she is, could not miss this photo op, however. I told them I would go ahead and post this on the blog before I saw it on Facebook!

My heart is so full of things to say, but I'm going to go ahead and head back to the hotel tonight so Steve and Audrey can get some much needed rest. I am going to upload pictures, but I will post quite a bit tomorrow. Be prepared to have your heart stirred. God has really been working on me this week.

We love you and are so thankful for your prayers!

Trish

Amber-- Eye Opening

2011-07-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

Today we went to a village called San Isidro. It was the first time I had ever been there. When we arrived, everyone in the village met in the school for what we would call a town meeting. After introductions, Jase and Steve had a chance to share our reason for being there. After that, we took all the children outside to play. We played duck, duck, goose. “pato, pato, ganzo”. They loved it. We also jumped rope, played soccer, and played with the parachute. When it was time to share a bible story with them, Audrey, Trish, Marcia and I went to visit a home across from where we were playing. I will admit I was nervous. I didn’t know what to expect. Upon arriving we were met by a very nice lady. She is the mother of four children and her husband was attending the town meeting. She spoke openly with us. So you all will understand I need to share some background info… This is one if the first villages Billy and Mary started visiting years ago. They built relationships and God was moving. Billy actually baptized this lady’s husband. They would hold Bible studies but then the Catholic Church got word of this. The villagers stopped coming to the Bible studies. Come to find out, the Catholic church came in and told them that if they continued to come to the bible studies that Billy and Mary were holding, they would abandon them and no longer burry their dead. The Catholic Church here has a very powerful stronghold on these Chorti people. We also found out that in 2007 when the last food distribution took place, we sent food to that village. The Catholic Church said that no one from the village could accept the food, so it was left in the school. So here you have people who were starving knowingly having food to eat and were afraid to. After some time they were told it did not come from us and were permitted to eat it. Basically the Catholic Church has been blackmailing these people. The crazy thing to me is that it all has to do with money. The people give the Catholic Church money to help them when they need it. For example, when someone dies, the Catholic Church will burry them for a fee. The annual income for this village is not even $300 a year. But there are tons of villages just like the one we visited today. After we visited with this lady for a long time we split up into two groups and went on a prayer walk. We went to one home after another asking it we could pray for them. You have to understand these people do not live on tree-lined streets in an organized community like most of us live in. You hike up a mountain to each house. We were met by the mother and a few of her children at the first house. We were invited in. We entered a room that was about 8ftx8ft. She had a fire going and there was no ventilation. There was no floor and there we two small children there. One of the kids was 3 years old and was so filthy. Come to find out, he cannot walk. He pulls himself around with his arms. She wanted us to pray for her family and their crops. I was in tears by the time we left. At the next house we went to we were greeted buy several young girls. After chatting for a minute we again asked what prayer concerns they had and the oldest girl told us that they lost their mother 6 months ago. We were asked to pray for their dad and also their crops. Went we left we noticed a grave marker right outside the front door. Yes… it was their mother… At this point I am thinking I can’t go on. I am so tore up inside but we continue because God never fails and gave me a second wind. When we got to the next house we again were greeted by a lady and her 8 children. This home disturbed me more that any of the others. I don’t even know how all these people fit inside and it was barely standing. I will try to post pics. She wanted us to pray for her family because they had nothing to eat. She also wanted us to pray that their crops would grow and also for the health of her little boy. He did not look good at all. His eyeball was black and right after we prayed he excused himself and vomited in front of their “front door”. He was so sick. God totally sent us their today. We brought him back into town with us so he could go to the doctor. Things like going to the Dr. are not a big deal for us at all. We get in our fancy SUVs and off we go. But for the Chorti that have to walk literally hours into town off a steep mountain and then back up afterwards. We all eventually loaded into the back of the trucks and headed back to Copan. I could go on and on but I have rambled long enough. Please continue to pray for health and safety for the team. There is much work to be done here. Also, continue to pray for the Chorti’s crops. They are in desperate need of food. We saw lots of corn planted but that does not do anything for their immediate need. Pray for a slow and steady rain so that the corn is not washed off the side of the mountain. One last thing: please pray that through Jesus the spiritual strongholds of the Catholic Church here in Copan are broken for these sweet people. This is not to say that the Catholic Church as a whole functions in this way… but the one here has a definite control over the villagers and manipulates them, and it is wrong. Please pray.

In His Service,

Amber

Food Distribution Update

2011-07-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

I know that I am not on the trip - I am sitting at home in Seminole, Texas but I wanted to share an update on the food distribution that Audrey sent out on Saturday. Also, listed below are the names of the villages that this week's team will be in each day. Please pray for these villages and the team.

Three men (I think they are from North Carolina) are arriving in Honduras on Thursday. They will set up the warehouse and have the corn and beans ready to start distribution no later than next Monday. Almost $20,000 has been received to start the distribution. In the previous distribution (2007), over $62,000 was used and the need this time is much greater. To feed a family of 4 (and most families are much larger than that) for a month, it will take 100 pounds of corn and 20 pounds of beans.

If you feel called to assist financially with this effort, please take your donation to the church office. Our next team will take any funds that we have collected with them on Friday.

Our team that is there now will be going into villages that have not be visited for awhile and also a new Chorti village for Steve and Audrey.

Monday: San Isidroe

Tuesday: Hacienda de San Juan

Wednesday: Barbasco

Thursday: Plan de Perico

Prayer Requests:

Each village named above
The village leader for each village named
good weather so they can make it into the villages
right amount of rain for a good harvest for corn and beans that are now planted
Pray that the Chorti will not only receive physical food to feed their bodies but that they will also receive the spiritual food that will be shared with them.

Blessings,

Tami

Caleb---July 3, 2011

2011-07-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

I thought I would blog about what I've seen and experienced here so far. When we were driving to Copan, we saw many houses along the way built out of tin and homemade bricks. It made me grateful to have a house with running water and electricity, but it also made me very sad to see those people living in those houses. I am also very sad that many of the villagers have to bathe and wash their clothes in the river, where they also dump their trash. This morning we went to church in Otuta. While on our way, we got stuck on the road. We also saw some people on the road walking, and we picked them up and they road with us into their village along the way. One of the ladies was an 85 year old woman. She asked Arely when we would be bringing food. That made me feel bad because we can have food anytime we want back home, and many of these people are happy to have one meal a day. I am very happy that I have Hayden here with me. He has been here before and has showed me how to be safe and not get sick. He also showed me alot of things along the way that I would have missed if I were by myself. He also showed me where to buy a machete :) Please remember to pray for the Chorti people and us.

Amber---The Need

2011-07-02T16:19:00.001-07:00

I do not think I am going to be able to express in words the feelings that are stirring inside me. I am in awe of how breathtakingly beautiful it is here. At the same time I can’t keep from tearing up from seeing so much poverty. I have been fretting over what color tile I should buy to remodel our guest bathroom when on our way here from San Pedro Sula we saw homes put together like a scrap quilts using rusted tin, unwanted tarps and cardboard boxes. It broke my heart to see all the small kids walking along the road dirty and most likely hungry. There is so much need here. I am anxious to see what the Lord is going to do. I am loving being here with my 11 year old and his best friend. Watching them realize how blessed they are and seeing them understand that being a Christian does not just mean going to church on Sunday. It is about going when you are called to where you are called, to be used as a vessel. I am praying that the word “mission” will come to life and not just be a word they hear in church. All of us here want to be used mightily in whatever way God sees fit to further the Kingdom and His plans. I loved going to the ruins today. I learned sooo much. I have a much better understanding how arrogance and greed (the words our guide used not mine) of a few men could build a kingdom and ultimately put generation after generation of people in bondage…. I pray that through us Jesus will be able to break through the stronghold the enemy has over these people. I am pumped! We have not even technically started to work yet and God is already moving!

Trisha---July 2

2011-07-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Mayan Ruins. There the team got a very clear picture of the beliefs that are so ingrained into the Chorti people. It is amazing to see the architecture these people were able to create with primitive tools...and much of it is still standing! The scenery is breathtaking! I often wonder if the people who lived in the midst of this were able to actually appreciate the beauty of their surroundings, or were they so busy trying to survive that they missed God's handiwork? Please pray as we go into the villages this week that we will be able to show them Christ's love and that they will be open and receptive to hearing the Gospel. We would ask that you continue to pray for their food situation as well. Our team has had a day of rest today (after the ruins), and we will go to church in one of the villages tomorrow. We will not really get into the villages to until Monday. On Monday, please make it a point to pray for safety, health, and boldness as we venture out. This is an awesome team made up of many different personalities, but I believe God has placed each of us here for a purpose, and our purposes will all work together for His Glory. I can already feel a bonding with the team, and I look forward in the days to come as God draws us even closer. We covet your prayers, and we thank God for each of you.

Trish

PS...Please pray that our knees hold up! Some of us "oldies" (okay, just me) really need those prayers.

On our Way to the Ruins

2011-07-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Good Morning.

We all had a good nights rest with a quiet rain blessing our sleep. I wish so much I could send some back home. We will see about bottling some up while we are here. We are heading to the ruins here in Copan this morning. A visit to the ruins for first timers gives a very clear picture of the heritage and history of the Chorti people. For generations upon generations they have been taught to worship many gods and worship them. It makes it difficult to bring the gospel into some of these villages where this mindset and religion still has a strong hold on the beliefs of the people. The ruins are an amazing sight - to see amazing structures built by hand so many years ago. Please pray that these images will sink into our minds and that we will be conscious of the history as we try to minister to the needs of these sweet people.

Sean

Trisha---Friday Evening

2011-07-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

We are here! It is amazing to see the lush greenery and to know that just beyond those mountains there are people starving. My heart breaks for them. I think this is going to be a much different trip than what we have done in the past. We ask for your continued prayers for these people, for the team that is here, for the missionaries that live here, and for the Hondurans who help us in so many ways. They are truly our brothers and sisters in Christ, and have made their way into our hearts.

We don't know what we are doing yet this week, but as Audry always says...the motto of Honduras is "flexibility, Flexibility, FLEXIBILITY!!" God has it all worked out. We just need to wait on Him to show us what He wants. I don't think He's going to show it all at once. He will give us just how much information we need, and it is up to us to trust Him to provide everything in His time. Pray that as we meet the Chorti's physical hunger they will realize their Spiritual hunger as well. Pray they will be open to receiving the Bread of Life.

The beauty of this country is hard to describe, and pictures don't do it justice, but we will try. We will post pictures tomorrow. Tonight we are visiting with Steve and Audry and heading back to the hotel to get some much needed rest.

We love you guys, and we will make sure your children post very soon. We know you want to hear from them. :)

In Christ,

Trisha

We Made It!

2011-07-01T18:30:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Copan Ruinas.

After a few hours of travel, we safely arrived here in Copan this afternoon at 5 after a driving to Fort Worth yesterday, flying to Miami and then to San Pedro Sula this morning. We had a 3 hour bus ride to get us here but the trip was great. We have a great group with us who have been very flexible and full of joy already. There have been many chances to be grumpy or let the tiredness of travel get the better of you, but they have taken everything in stride as we made our way to where God has sent us for the next week. We will have an opportunity to go to a few new villages next week before we begin food distribution. This looks to be a week of hard work but I know it will be some of the most rewarding we have ever experienced. Please continue to pray for the health of our group, and the boldness to share the message of Christ with the Chorti people. We will do the best to keep you updated as the week goes on.

In His Service,

Sean

On the Road.........

2011-06-30T13:35:00.001-07:00

Part of the first Honduras team departed from the church at 1:30 PM. Whitney and Jase at the same time were flying from Florida (youth camp) to Dallas to meet up with the team. Todd Warren and Claire Goodman will also meet up with them in Dallas.

The team will fly out of DFW tomorrow morning at 5:45 AM. Please pray from them as they travel. Continue to pray for the Food Distribution effort for the Chorti. Pray that the funds will come in quickly and the effort can begin this week. We know that God can work out every tiny detail.

New Team Member

2011-06-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

Trish Beaty is now going to Honduras with the first team!! Please add her to your prayer list as she ministers in Honduras.

Food Shortage in Honduras

2011-06-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Church Family,

I received more information from Honduras regarding the food shortage in the Chorti villages. I wanted to share this with you. Please pray specifically for the prayer requests mentioned below. If you feel led to supply funds for the food distribution, please bring it to the church office.

Jase

From Steve and Audrey Long...........We were here in March and found that the Chorti were beginning to have a shortage in their food supply. We returned in June to find the situation much worse. We have visited several of the villages and their concern is the fact that they do not have enough food and in some cases no food at all. In reviewing the information we have received, it is twice as bad as it was in 2007 when we did a food distribution for the Chorti.

Having said all of the above, Parkwood Baptist (Steve & Audrey's church in North Carolina) has undertaken to do another food distribution for the Chorti. Our goal is to provide enough corn & beans for a month for the communities involved in the Ag project. In 2007, that was over 1,000 families. This time there is a greater need and the number I’m sure will be higher. We are in the process of applying for Baptist Global Response funds, but as you know that takes time and there is no assurance the funds will be available. We feel the need is great enough to ask if folks feel so led to assist Parkwood in raising the needed funds to supply food for the Chorti. Above all, however, we ask your prayer support that the funds will come quickly, the rains be adequate for a good harvest and most of all through this the Chorti will come to know Christ as their Savior.

Honduras Food Distribution

2011-06-27T10:31:00.001-07:00

Steve Long called Jase today to let him know that the food distribution has been approved for the Chorti villages. This is an answer to prayer!!!!! Pray that all the details that will be involved will be resolved and planned for without delaying the process to obtain and distribute food to the Chorti. Pray that through this effort other Chorti will come to know Jesus as their Savior and His name be glorified.

If all details are worked out quickly, our 2 teams can help distribute the food which would be a great help to Steve and Audry. It takes a team of people to accomplish this distribution. Steve and Audry could not do it alone. This changes the teams' plans but God's plans and timing are always perfect.

Thanks you for your continued prayers. Steve and Audry said that they have witnessed true hunger in the villages these past couple of weeks.

Prayer Requests for Honduras

2011-06-26T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Burtch family is back in the states. They arrived in Houston yesterday and will be back in Seminole today. We can't wait to see them, hear all about their trip, and see pictures.

Steve and Audrey Long, the missionary couple in Honduras, sent some prayer requests that we wanted to share with you.

Pray for the food situation among the Chorti. In their last planting they lost the majority of their crops due to too much rain. It rained so much; they could not get into the fields to harvest their corn. The corn developed a fungus and could not be used for food. Most villages have little to no food. Pray that a solution will come soon and that the barriers will be small, plans will be made quickly without problems. The missionaries have applied for aide to distribute beans and corn.

The village leader of El Zapote, Alonzo, lost his wife this week. She had been sick for 9 years with a liver condition. Please pray for this family and the entire village.

Pray that a leader will be raised up to share the gospel and plant churches in each village.

Pray for the crops that are being planted that they will flourish and produce a bountiful harvest.

Pray for the team that will come on July 1 from FBC Seminole. They will have back to back teams. One leaves on July 8 and the other team arrives on July 8. Pray for us as we continue here in Honduras.

We also wanted to share the names of those going this year so you can begin praying for them.

The first team will depart Seminole on Thursday, June 30th and drive to Dallas. They fly out of Dallas early Friday, July 1st. Jase Waller and Whitney Warren will be flying from Panama City Beach, FL (youth camp) to Dallas on Thursday to meet up with the team. They will fly back into Dallas on Friday, July 8th and return to Seminole on Saturday, July 9th.

July 1-8

Jase Waller
Whitney Warren
Todd Warren
Sean Decker
Amber Decker
Caleb Decker
Hayden Waller
Trevor Greenfield
Arely Gonsales
Crystal Caviness
Claire Goodman

The second team will fly out of Midland on Friday morning, July 8th and return to Midland on Friday, July 15th.

July 8-15

Jase Waller
Garrison Jones
Mason Caviness
Jenna Johnson
Brittany Farmer
Micah Clay
Kimberly Clay
Kenzie Perryman
Bailey Waller

Jacob's Blog

2011-06-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well today we are leaving and I must admit it is harder than I had expected. To be perfectly honest I was sort of ready to be back to a normal life in America, but now leaving I feel that I do not deserve to come back to the luxurious life I have. These children are the ones that deserve the best life has to offer. They are consistently happy and joyful when they have hardly anything to be happy or joyful about. Their parents abandoned them and nobody wanted to have anything to do with them, yet they are just happy to be alive. Seeing this makes me furious that I can be so selfish and stubborn to think that when everything doesn't go exactly the way I want it to then it's not right.
Earlier this morning I had to say goodbye to Moses; the sixteen year old boy that I had become rather close to the last eight days. I told him to come by at 6:30 to wake me up so I could say goodbye and he was there right on the dot. We said goodbye and he nearly started crying. I don't know why God has blessed me with the life I have, but this trip has brought me to the reality once again of how blessed I am.
Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.

For Him,
Jacob

Monday Night

2011-06-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Partners in Christ –

Another busy day! Nothing new, just us playing with the children, helping in the classrooms and helping Jeff and Carla (the Americans that own the land and manage the home) with one last small project.

We all went to a local medical clinic to get tested for Malaria. I drove - which was an experience. The vehicle was a Toyota Land Cruiser, stick shift, with the steering wheel on the wrong side of the cab and I was driving on the wrong side of the road. It was great! We got there safely. The medical clinic was interesting. Very small. The waiting room was a small porch area in front. Dr. Shadrach’s office was a small room about 10’x10’. We each got some blood taken to check for Malaria and the results came back that Jacob, Katelyn and my sister-in-law, Audra, all have Malaria. Each will either take prescription or receive injections depending on the severity of the infection. Please pray for each.

We will fly back to Nairobi tomorrow afternoon and then fly out of Nairobi at midnight. I will write one more blog to try to summarize our trip. We each have become rather fond of several children and it will be very hard to leave them tomorrow. I know that each of us would bring a child home with us if we could. I’m not sure that we could narrow it down to only one child for each of us.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and thoughts.

In Him - CCJMKJ

Madison's Blog

2011-06-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

I really don't know where to begin! There is just so much to say and to share. From the day we knew we were going to be able to come, I was ecstatic! I love being around kids, I feel like God has called me to be a pediatrician for that reason. I love being around them, mainly because they love to be happy, and I love making them laugh and smile.

On the first day we got here, the flight got in at 11:30, and after lunch, we only had half a day with the kids. As soon as the kids saw Jeff's car, they ran to it and started waving. Anyone could see the joy on their faces as we got out of the car. Now I thought that they would be a little shy and that it would take a while for them to warm up to us, but thankfully, I was completely wrong. They immediately ran up to us and yelled, "Mi bebe! Mi bebe!" Which means carry me in Swahili. That day, I probably held 15-20 different children and I loved it. Soon, it was time for dinner. Keep in mind, there are 102 children here to feed, change diapers, bathe, brush teeth, and most importantly, keep settled down. There are multiple tables in the Veranda. The Veranda is the main place where they do things. They color, sing, eat, bathe, and brush teeth in here. The Aunties had to serve the children, and we helped. They put a certain portion on each plate and hand it out to each child. When some of the children finished eating, they literally LICKED their plates clean! It was pretty cute! :)

The second day we were here, we really learned the whole day schedule. The kids wake up around 6, go to the Veranda, bathe, eat, brush teeth, go outside to play around 8:30, eat their uji (which is like porridge stuff), around 9:30, potty break, play outside until lunchtime, eat lunch, nap until 3, play outside until 4, go on a Safari (walk), until 5, eat lunch at 6:00ish, then brush teeth and go to bed!
We had planned puppet shows, and stories to tell, skits to act out, but our luggage that had all of that stuff in it was lost. But we ended up doing just playing with the kids, teaching them songs and coloring with them, which is fine with me! Either way we show them God's love and they love it! I just have had an awesome time!

Some of the things that really stick out in my mind are things like all of them playing with my hair. I had to take my hair down so all of them could have some to play with. What really surprised me, though, was how the boys played with it more than any of the girls did!

One day, a lizard was on the concrete, and every single kid here ran up to it and formed a circle around it screaming. Some of the really smaller ones were screaming at the top of their lungs. by the way they were acting, it was like they had never seen an animal before, which seemed ironic to me because they live in Africa!

I had seen every child's picture, and read all their stories, but I never thought it would be as moving as it has been. There is one small girl, Tracy, who is one of the sweetest ones here. When she was very small, an oil lamp spilled on her head, and she had to have skin grafts taken from her legs and put onto her head. To make a long story short.. They did a poor job. She always wears a hat because the scars are so bad, and her legs are in very bad condition. She has scars from her knee up to her hip covering the whole top of each thigh. Yesterday, the wind blew her hat off, and I was on the brink of tears when I saw how bad it was. There were scars covering almost her whole head. She had small patches of hair here and there, but those are barely noticeable up next to the scars. It broke my heart to see that, yet it filled my heart with the love of Christ that I knew I needed to keep sharing with her and every other kid here.

I have had an amazing time here and hope I get to come again. I love each and every child here and ask that you pray for their safety and health, but most importantly, that they would see the love of God and know that even if they don't have an earthly father, they will always have a Father in heaven.

Madison

Sunday Morning

2011-06-18T21:22:00.000-07:00

Good morning to all. I awoke to the cries of babies this morning and to a beautiful African sunrise. I am now listening to 100+ children sing praise songs before they eat breakfast. If that does not make your heart smile and Spirit worship the Father............

Yesterday we poured a 8'x9' concrete slab for them to put a generator on. The generator was donated to help alleviate the issue with electricity outages. The generator will arrive next week so it was imperative that the slab was finished. It was a cumulative effort that took us about 8-10 hours. We had a cement mixer but all the rock, sand and water had to be carried in. Many of the children helped carry the water. Jacob, Josh and some of the older boys had to use wheel barrels to transport the rock and sand about 1/2 mile to where we were working. It took about 60 loads to get the amount of material needed. By the end of the day we were exhausted but that part of the project is completed.

Church will begin in a few hours. We will travel to Sibango (a small village nearby) to worship with the pastor (Pastor George) that hosted us a few days ago for the bible study. I am excited about praising the Father with a local body of believers.

I am not sure what the rest of the day will hold but I know it will involve hugs and kisses from these children. Have no doubt, there are several children that try our patience. They each have their own way of getting attention and for some that means .............. I'll leave it to your imagination. Just picture your children doing what drives you crazy.

Just a few more days in Africa. Our time has escaped to quickly.

In Him - CCJMKJ

Katelyn's Post

2011-06-18T02:43:00.000-07:00

When we got to the Children's Home, we started playing with the kids. I thought it was amazing that all 102 kids can fit in one house, and I thought 6 people was a big family. I went to school for a couple days. One teacher teaches grades, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th ,and 6th all in one room. There is only 10 kids though. One day my mom, Aunt Audra, Sydney and I worked in the classroom and played games involving math. The children thought it was a lot of fun. Later that day we went outside and played soccer. In the middle of the game it started raining. We stayed outside and continued playing soccer in the rain. The rain felt so good. It was raining big drops and it was so cold.

Today we went outside and played with the kids for about an hour. Then I went and helped give clean drinking water to the surrounding community. About 20 people came while I was there.

Thanks you for praying for us, for the baby sheets and helping us come here.

Love,
Katelyn

Jacob's Blog

2011-06-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

Habari ya asimburi! English translation – good morning. I can’t even begin to put into words how amazing this trip has been. When thinking about the trip ahead of time I knew it was going to be life changing, but I had no idea it would affect me the way it has. I’ll start with the children… Each morning they are awake at 5:15-5:30 to be bathed and get ready for the day. In the house where we are staying the walls are not very thick, so sound travels very easily. The children are bathed in a room called the veranda, which is right by my room. So needless to say I am wide awake at 5:30 in the morning. The children will laugh, scream, and cry all morning. It’s an amazing sound! Another thing about these children is they love to sing. They sing when they wake up and they are singing when they go to sleep. My uncle had told me that they would line up for hugs, and I believed him. But not to the extent that it has actually happened. When we first got here they saw us, and it took them all of 12 seconds to think that we had been best friends for life. They immediately ran to us and jumped in our arms just wanting to be loved. Another thing about the children is they love unconditionally.

The clay here is red, very red, and it gets all over anything it comes into contact with. So, needless to say, that when they come and jump on you the red clay that was on their feet and hands and clothes gets all over your clothes hand and anything else you have on. It’s wonderful!

Saturday’s are chore days. So this morning I was up at the same time and went to help Moses, a boy my age, with his chores; which happened to be milking cows. I go out sort of expecting to just watch and sort of expecting to actually do something. I did something. While milking the cow I squirted the milk on Moses and myself, and almost got kicked. But all in all in it was a great success. A couple nights ago Moses and I sat up for two hours talking and teaching each other different languages. He is fluent in English, so I taught him some Spanish and he taught me Swahili…………. a lot of Swahili. We wrote all the words down so I could study them and try to speak a little bit of their language and once we finished I had 104 words in Swahili with English translations, and I have about 7 memorized. It was a great experience!

Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! Nakupenda rafiki! English translation – I love you friends!

For Him,

Jacob

Saturday Morning

2011-06-18T02:30:00.000-07:00

Partners in Christ –

Habari ya asimburi! Good morning! We started early this morning ……. 5:00am. It is Saturday morning here and the children awoke early. Maybe knowing there was no school today. Saturdays are chore day until they are finished and then free time for the rest of the day.

Yesterday was a busy day. My brother and I went to a bible study with several local pastors. We started about 11:30, had lunch at 1:30 and finished up about 4:30. The Spirit moved freely and the fellowship was rich. We praised Jesus, prayed and read scripture in English and Swahili simultaneously. It gave us a foretaste of heaven and every tribe and nation worshiping our God. The rest of our team stayed at the home and spent time with the children. Christa spent the day ………….. that is a story I will leave for her to tell. Josh spent most of the morning giving out water and Jacob, Madison and Katelyn helped with every age group throughout the day.

We have been told many times by many people, that there is a cost of being in Africa.

Malaria – Mark is still the only one on this team that has contracted it, that we know of. He is

feeling better after receiving injections to help his body kill the virus. Unfortunately there are other side affects from the medication that are rather uncomfortable.

HIV – Some of the children are here because their parents have died due to the disease. Even more unfortunate is the fact that some of the children contracted the disease because of their parent's decisions. These children look very healthy and want to be hugged and kissed just like all the others. Our desire is to love them as we love all the others.

Electricity – We went to bed again last night without electricity. That has been very typical. About 50%-60% of the time there is no electricity. Not sure what the issue is exactly, but that is the way of life here. That means meals are often not what you would expect or desire. Many things you expect to be served cold (milk) are often not.

I hope that you all do not perceive the things mentioned above to be complaints. The items I mentioned are intended to show us how we are blessed beyond measure and blessed beyond need. Many of the things we say we need, are really luxuries. We are blessed.

I am so thankful for this opportunity. I am so thankful for the gifts of sheets, clothes, time, prayers and money. I wish that all of you could experience what we are experiencing. Thank you for sending us. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for loving us.

In Him - CCJMKJ

God is good! All the time!

2011-06-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

Partners in Christ –

As is read my last post it was very evident that I only had about 8 hours sleep in the the last 48 hours. I have proof read this post and hopefully it is better.

We have been blessed beyond measure. Every time we travel outside the United States we am reminded that we are so spoiled. We are given so much, always want more and often waste what we are given.

The Kenyan people are very friendly and helpful. It is amazing that the Kenyan children, and almost any other children that live in constant poverty, are so happy with absolutely nothing. They are content with the most basic of games or toys (sticks and rocks). They will play for hours without complaint and without thinking that there is something else better to do. The children almost always have smiles on their faces and are longing to be loved. With 102 children and only 15 adults to give time and emotion, there is a huge need for hugs, kisses and loving words. Each morning there is a mob of children grabbing our legs, pulling our clothes, reaching up saying, “Beba, beba.” Translated means, “hold me, hold me!” Of course to me they say, “Beba Babu, beba Babu!” Which means, “Hold me Grandpa, hold me Grandpa!” I guess the grey hair as earned me that name of respect (haha).

Each morning the children wake up by 6:00 am and are given or take baths. By 7:00 am about 90 children are seated at the table waiting to eat. The other 12 or so help pass out the plates of food. Generally a few slices of bread with a little jam and a cup of uji (porridge made of ground milo, sugar and water). By 8:00 am all children have eaten and are brushing their teeth and cleaning up the MESS! It is a mess. If you can imagine 16 babies in high chairs, another 50 that are under the age of 5 and another 10 or so that are infants requiring to be fed. By 8:30 the school age children are in class and all the others are outside playing. This continues until 12:00, lunchtime. The eating arrangement from breakfast is repeated and naptime follows for all the non school age kids. The older students have free time for one hour and then return to school. School ends at 3:00 and the soccer games, tag, playing on the swing sets begin. This is the time that we have a lot of interaction with the older children. sSupper (dinner) is served at 6:00 pm. Almost all meals include either rice or some kind of corn meal. Most of the vegetables are grown on their own farm. Squash, beans, green beans, greens, and many other that I am not sure what they are, but with a little salt, it makes a meal. By the time supper is over it is dark and it is bedtime, alleluia! The children are exhausted and the adults are too. We are staying at the “home”. The rooms are comfortable, no AC no fans. It does get cool in the evenings.

Jacob, my brother Mark and I have worked on a few projects. We re-screened the baby’s room. It is a small room that the infants stay in while all the other children are outside playing. The previous screens did not keep any of the insects out. We organized and repaired one of the storerooms, dug potatoes, and we are going to pour a slab that will be used for a generator that was donated. Christa and Madison have spent the bulk of each day helping with the children that are not in school; holding babies, coloring, and singing songs. Katelyn is in the classroom helping the teacher and helping the students with their lessons. She is a natural teacher. Josh has been giving water to any of the surrounding people that come to receive clean drinking water. The water well that is owned by the home is very strong and has been tested and is excellent drinking water. There are approximately 200 people that come daily to get water from Rehema In-Step Children’s home.

Please continue to pray for our group. Mark has been diagnosed with Malaria and is not feeling well. Katelyn has not felt well, but we believe the travel and time change is the cause. All else is going good. We feel at home here and know that God is using us to love the children.

In Him - CCJMKJ

Ww are here! Almost..............

2011-06-13T22:19:00.000-07:00

Jumbo! (Hello) We arrived in Nariobi last night after what seemed like a very long day traveling. We spent approximately 22 hours on various planes but had the opportunity to share with many people what our purpose for this trip ..... to share the love of Christ with anyone we come in contact with. Jacob witnesses to a flight attendant without even knowing it. He was spending time in the midde of the night and the stewardess saw and asked me about him and our trip.

After arriving in Nariobi at 6:30 we had to wait about 3 hours to get our ride to the hotel for the night. That gave us countless opportunities to learn Swahili from some of the kindest and most helpful men I have met. We arrived at the hotel and found it very comfortable. The beds are all covered by mosquito nets but were comfortable enough that we all awoke rested. The hotel provided a breakfast buffet that consisted of an adventure of determining what many items were. But after trying a little of all, we walked away very impressed with the quality of the food.

We are now headed back to the airport for our flight to Kitale. We should arrive there shortly before lunch.

Some of our luggage was lost. It contained Christa's overnight bag with her contact solution and her extra pair of contacts, all of our VBS items and a few clothes. Please pray that it is found quickly. Thanks for all and we look forward to updating you all soon.

In Him - CCJMKJ

Preparing for Kenya

2011-06-10T12:42:00.000-07:00

Partners in Christ -

We are quickly drawing close to our departure date for Kenya. The time has flown by since God presented us with the knowledge that He wanted us to go. I have looked back and been amazed at the blessing that he gave to us through our brothers and sisters in Christ. I have had countless opportunities to tell of His supplying for this trip.

As the time draws near we believe that all the plans for physical preparation have come to fruition. We have our passports, shot records, applications, flight reservations, hotel reservations, supplies packed and clothes stuffed in suitcases. If we don't have it ready..... we didn't know we needed it.

We will fly out of Houston on Sunday at 12:00 pm and expect to arrive in Nairobi on Monday at 6:30 pm. We are still wondering if Josh is going to be able to make it in a confined space for that long. LOL. Once in Nairobi we will spend the night there and fly to the village of Kitale on Tuesday morning. I will send emails as much as possible. From what we understand the computer link is VERY slow. We have been told to not try to upload pictures because it will take too long. We will also try to post on a blog as much as possible. I will get those addresses to you tomorrow or Saturday.

Please continue to pray for us as we travel and spend time with the children. There now 102 orphans at the orphanage. We are excited about being vessels used by Him. Thanks again for your partnership in this. We are blessed by your obedience and generosity and cannot wait to share with you the amazing things that God will do.

In Him -

Chris, Christa, Jacob, Madison, Katelyn, Josh (CCJMKJ)

Here is a link to the ministry the Burtch Family will be working with while in Kenya.

http://www.rehemainstep.com/

Trisha

2011-03-19T20:57:00.000-07:00

Well, we are home, and already I am longing to be back in Honduras. The people there have worked their way into my heart in a way that I never dreamed possible before taking my first trip there. We have seen and experienced many things on this, our second trip.

Mark and I spoke the first three days to adults in the villages about what God says about marriage. We also talked about the importance of raising Godly children and that it is our responsibility to teach our children about Him. The people there are hungry for the Word. You can almost feel the urgency they have to know people care and love them enough to want to spend time with them and share Jesus with them. Their living conditions are not anything I have ever experienced before. And yet, they survive....by sheer will their life continues. They work very hard, but always make time when visitors come into their village.

On our third day we went with Eguardo, one of the Chorti men who came to Christ several years ago and now helps the missionaries. He is able to tell the Chorti people things that might not be as well received from an "outsider", especially a white person. After Mark and I finished talking in El Zapote on Wednesday, Edguardo got up and spoke. He was very stern with the men about how they treat their wives and children. Eguardo's wife works in the clinic in that village. She makes the 1 1/2 walk up the mountain to that village and stays all week, then comes home on the weekend. They have 3 daughters, and he is responsible for taking care of the youngest 2 during the week. He is very proud of the work his wife does, but it is very difficult to be without her during the week. He was very glad to get to take us to that village so he could see her. She let me look around the clinic and even let me take a few pictures there. It was crowded when we got there. People from villages all around come for medical care. This is the same village that had no one to run the clinic last summer when we were there. We prayed that God would provide someone and He has!

That night we went visited with the doctors who are working at the clinic. They are the only ones in Copan de Ruinas who truly have a heart for the people. They are working with the poor people. God has given Matt a vision to build a hospital in Honduras, and these are the doctors who will be working in it.

Thursday I went with Jase, Garrison, Cary, Audrey, and Marcia to a different village. I got to make a tortilla. (With a LOT of help from Marcia!) She took me into the kitchen of one of the villagers and asked her if I could help. This lady makes 100 tortillas EVERY day just to keep her family fed. She grinds the corn each morning, then makes the dough, works it on the stone, and pats them into shape. When we arrived at her home she was making them and a couple of hours later after we had visited with all of the adults she was still making them. She will start all over tomorrow and the next day and the next.

When we finished with the adults we went to the school and told stories to the children. There were three classrooms...the Kindergarten, and two others. The Kindergarten children had already been sent home, but the other two classes were still there. We told the story of David and Goliath to one class. I narrated while Jase, Cary, and Garrison (with the help of one of the boys) acted out the story and Marcia interpreted. We went to the next room and they were giving immunizations to the students. They all sat at their tables, and when their name was called they went to the front of the room, got their shot, and sat back down. When they finished we told them Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. I must say, Jase, Cary, and Garrison were not the nicest actors I've ever worked with. lol

When we returned to the mission house we all processed our day. Later we went to the land we are looking to buy and prayed over it. It is right beside a soccer field. I know God is going to do great things in that place, and many will come to know Him through the services provided there. Please pray the money will be raised to make this happen.

There are so many things I still have on my heart, but words don't truly describe this place. Pictures don't do it justice either. To truly know what this calling is all about you must taste, smell, feel, and see this place for yourself. It is not enough to tell these people about Jesus. For them to truly understand and believe we must live Him. We have been called to do this. Please pray and ask God what it is He wants you to do to help. Until next time...

Bailey

2011-03-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

Hi from Honduras,

This week has been a amazing week I am so blessed to be here with a great team. After a long day of traveling on Thursday and Friday it was so nice to get here and just rest on Saturday.

On Sunday we went to a church in Otuta which was amazing everytime they would pray they would all stand up and pray outloud saying thank you to our wonderful God. They did not care who was in the room or who was listening to them.

On Monday and Tuesday Kameran, my dad, and I went back to Otuta to teach the youth Bible stories, games, and songs that they will be able to teach the little kids, family, or anybody they would want to tell. It was fun to see all of the youth coloring because they always would come and see what color we were coloring a part and they would go and color it the same color.

On Wednesday my mom, Mr. Moring, Jaclyn and I went to Miramar to teach the youth and adults but all of the kids were in school so we just told the adults all of the bible stories that we had and they were really happy that we came.

Today was amazing. Mark, Marissa, Mrs. Jackson and I went to Aldeas Nuevas and they have no water of food. While Marissa and I were inside the school coloring with the kids but we never knew where Mark and Mrs. Jackson went, but they went to go and talk to the men about the water and what we can do to help. Please pray for this village because they have to have a certain amount of money by a certain time so that they can get water. After we have left the school we went to a little boys house that can not walk and he was in a stroller and lived in a house with nine other people that had no rooms it just had a concrete floor.

Thank you for all of the prayers this week I am so happy that I came and am happy to come back again really soon.

Bailey Waller

Cary

2011-03-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

We are spending our last night in Honduras. I can't believe how quick the week flew by. I am ready to get home and see Lisa, but I will miss many things in Honduras. I will miss the Chorti people, walking the cobblestone streets, riding in the back of the pickup, the beautiful scenery and mountain views. I will NOT miss fireworks going off all night, roosters crowing outside our window at 3:00 a.m., and Honduran deodorant - bug spray, sunscreen and germ-ex!

It has been an adventure I will treasure and never forget. I got to visit three different Chorti villages. The living conditions are very poor, but the Chorti people are wonderful. They are extremely friendly and gracious. They are hungry to hear the word of God. They were very attentive as we talked to them. They thanked us for visiting them and asked us to come back.

I am very impressed with the different people that work with and help the Chorti. We got to visit the Ag Center, which is a place designed to teach the Chorti efficient ways to farm and raise goats. The villages are on the sides of mountains, which creates many problems for farmers. The Ag Center has made a significant difference in their lives.

I have never been involved in anything like this trip and it has been a great blessing for me. I thank God for sending me on this trip and for all the people I got to share it with this week.

Sean's Week

2011-03-17T18:14:00.001-07:00

How do you sum up an entire week of being in this beautiful country in one article? We have met so many incredible people who truly hunger and thirst for the Word. We have also been blessed with amazing translators who have truly made our week possible. God sent us servants who could help us communicate His message - we are truly grateful to Kevin, Marcia, Jose, and our very own Valerie Jackson. It was so great to sit back and see God break down our language barriers time and time again. He used the foolishness of man to get His message across. This has truly been an awe-inspiring week.

This is probably one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to. Creation cries out to its creator in every corner of Honduras. There were many times I was just caught up in my surrounding so much that I forgot where I was.

We saw so much need as we were in many many villages this week. We have truly learned this week how much we take for granted and how very blessed we are. We were in impoverished surroundings all week and met many who were in great need. This country could most definitely benefit from any aid that could be given. We met so many people who struggle to feed their families and make ends meet, as well as some who struggle to have enough water to drink, cook with, or even wash clothes with.

As well as most mission trips, we suredly received the most blessings from this week, but I pray and hope that we were able, through Christ, to help meet some spiritual and physical needs.

The Honduran people have amazing hearts, and are very hard working people. They also love the Lord, and His work is being perfected in their hearts and lives, and the climate of many villages are changing for His name's sake. What an inspiring week to see faith in action and a people fully relying on God for His provision. I cannot wait to see what our Father will do next in Honduras and in the lives of the Chorti people. I was blessed to be able to see God work through our team and the servants He put in place.

Marissa

2011-03-17T18:13:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can't believe the week is already over! This week in Honduras has been amazing, I am so unbelievable blessed to be down here with such a great team.

I should start by saying that I came very close to backing out of the trip about a week before we left. Going to a foreign country alone with no parental guidance is out of my comfort zone to say the least. I am not really known for my outgoing personality, but I am so happy I decided to come. The devil did just about everything to try and prevent me from getting here, and now I see why. God is doing great things with the people of Honduras!

The first two days in the villages was with Tami and Sean in a place called Agua Caliente. We were teaching four bible stories to youth and young children. They were very shy at first, but with the help of our great translator, Marcia, they eventually opened up to us. Even though I know it was very hard for them, they even worked up enough courage to retell the stories back to us! It was an amazing thing to watch. The children loved to play games and were so much fun!

The third day was spent with Jase and Garrison in Bonete..what an adventure! I am the kind of person who likes a plan, and for those of you who know Jase know that this is definitely not his personality. We were told to "just wing it" which was scary at first, but turned out well in the end! The kids of this village were so happy to see us, and listened to the stories extremely well. I was very impressed.

The fourth day was possibly the hardest day of them all. Not only was it my last day in Honduras, but the village we were in was extremely poor. Can you imagine life without running water? I know I can't, but this is everyday life for the families of this village. They live off of rain water that runs off of the roof, which is filled with bugs and filth. Their lack of water made me think of my life back home and how much I take for granted. Also in this village, there was a child named Alberto. This precious little boy is nine years old and is not able to walk. Not only is he forced to stay in a one room house with eight other people, but the family is so poor that they do not have enough food to keep him healthy. This family is suffering very much. Seeing this and feeling like there is nothing I can do is definitely the hardest thing I have ever had to do. There will be doctors going to see him very soon and any and all prayers would be great. I know Alberto and his village will be at the top of my prayer list.

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to come here this week. I can't even describe how happy I am to be here. Thanks for all the prayers for all of us here! I am so appreciative of the support we have from our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Kameran

2011-03-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well obviously the heat and humidity this summer did nothing to stop me from coming back! Haha.

First off, Thank you again for all the prayers lifted up for us. They are very appreciated. Please continue to pray as we travel all day and through the night tomorrow.

The first day we went to a village named Otuta for church. Even though I couldn't understand one word that the pastor was saying, his passion for Christ was obvious. The amazing thing about this man is that he can't read a single thing, unless it's the Bible. The people in his church were very kind to us and were excited to learn that a few of us would be back the next two days.

Monday Jase, Bailey, Kevin (our translator), and I returned to Otuta to teach the youth. It was very difficult that first day because they were so shy. They always laughed and hid their faces, and I felt like we weren't getting anywhere. They were hesitant to open up to us, and by the end of that day I wasn't sure if they would even come back the next day.

Tuesday Jase, Bailey, and I returned with a new translator, Marcia. She was wonderful with the kids. We heard them sing songs to us, and in return we sang songs to them. We taught them "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes", and they loved it. They wanted to sing it in English instead of Spanish. Then we told stories and played games with them, and they participated. It was like most of their shyness was washed away. It was truly amazing. I was so sad when we had to leave that village because those kids are just so precious.

Wednesday we had to regroup because we were only sending out 3 groups instead of 4. I went with my mom, dad, Valerie Jackson, Sean Decker, Eguardo, and Jose (another translator). Sean, Jose, and I were there to play with the kids while my mom, dad, Eguardo, and Valerie went to teach the adults about Godly marriages. Before we left, Noe, a friend that was with us everyday last year, and another young man sang "Sanctuary" in Spanish. They remembered the song from when we taught it to them last year. My heart swelled when we all sang together. I had an even harder time leaving this village because the kids were just so loving toward us. Also, it was really hard to leave Noe since he came everywhere with us last year.

Today was our last day, and also the most eventful. On our way to the village we were supposed to go to, Steve, one of the missionaries here, wanted to make a side trip to see this elderly lady. As we are driving up the mountain, the mud caused us to slide towards the edge of the mountain. We had one wheel off the side of the mountain, and I'm pretty sure I almost passed out from the adrenaline rush of it all. Haha! But no worries, we climbed out of the car and pulled it back up onto the mountain. When we got to the village, there was a disturbing presence felt there. You could not feel the presence of God at all. It was a very strange feeling. Prayers towards the Gotus de Sangre village are desperately needed. These people are so precious, and knowing that most of them weren't very receptive to his word just breaks my heart.

Thank you again for the many prayers lifted up for us. This trip has been just as eye opening as the first time, and the experience it incredible.

See you soon,
Kameran

Jaclyn(:

2011-03-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

This trip to Honduras has been amazing! I think every time I come I am going to learn something new. This trip was very touching. These people truly need us. Sunday we went to a church service in Ottuta. They thought we were "Moi Alta Gringas"! I had fun there. The way they all pray is so inspiring. Although I have no idea what they are saying, you could tell it was deep. They all stand up and yell their prayers out loud. It was awesome. Monday the village I went to was called La Huertona. The people there were so friendly. At first they were shy, but the quickly opened up. Our last day there they couldn't quit thanking us. Then one man said he hopes we never forget all of them and that we come back very soon. You could see the desperation in their eyes. They love when we come to their villages. We taught them to say "Jesus Loves Me" and we played several games. And while we were all having fun together, they were learning more and more about God. Wednesday I went to a village called Miramar. It is WAY high up in the mountains. It was so beautiful. I got to read the story "Peter denies Jesus". I think they understood it pretty well. Then today I went to a village called Gotus De Sangre. On the way I thought we were goners. We were driving to meet this lady and our car starting sliding down the mountain! I think me and Kameran were the only ones worried. Or at least the only ones that showed it.(: But no worries we are all safe. The lady we met with was an inspiration. She told everyone she was rich. She had lost her husband and her house was falling apart. She was raising three sons. Whenever people asked what she meant by being rich, she told them that it was because she had Jesus Christ in her. She was so sweet! Once we got to the village we told them some stories and played games. I got to hold the cutest little baby. He was 4 months old!(: I'm sad we are leaving, but I'm ready to see my friends. I love Honduras and I cannot wait to come back! I will definitely miss it here...

Mark-3/17/2011

2011-03-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Our first morning here I read the following fable as the intro to Lucado's book, "Outlive Your Life". As the week went on, I thought about these words more and more. The work here is so diverse, it's hard to get a grasp of it all. Several years ago, Billy and Mary Collins moved to Copan to begin working with the Chorti Indians. We've been able to get a glimpse of how someone can leave a lasting impression through their good works. Let me stop here to emphasize that everything that's been accomplished here is for God's glory and not for any person's. Throughout the week, we've been blessed to see how hungry the people are to hear God's word. The team has been stretched by dividing up into different teams so that we can visit more villages. This has given us the opportunity to see the many projects that are already in progress as well as see the immense needs that still exist. Today we visited a village that has NO water sources. The only water they have is water they catch when it rains. We looked into the container that holds drinking water for the village and saw larvae in it. We learned that there is a water source up the mountain where they can get water by gravity flow. However, they have to pay the landowner for water rights. They need $2,000 by April 15th in order to participate. They are willing to provide the labor to lay the pipe if somehow the funding could be provided. Is this an opportunity to "outlive your life"?

This morning before we left for our final day in the villages, we discussed in our devotion time the many projects that will have a lasting impact on the lives of the Chorti. There are schools that have been built, Bible studies that have been taught, stoves that have been provided, fresh water projects, farm projects through the ag center, medical teams and many, many more. All of these projects have been done with one goal in mind: to share the love of Jesus.

Thank you for your prayers this week.

Finding Father Benjamin: A Fable by Max Lucado

Unfavorable winds blow the ship off course, and when they do, the sailors spot uncharted islands. They see half a dozen mounds rising out of the blue South Seas waters.

The captain orders the men to drop anchor and goes ashore. He is a robust man with a barrel chest, full beard, and curious soul.

On the first island he sees nothing but sadness. Underfed children. Tribes in conflict. No fanning or food development, no treatment for the sick, and no schools. Just simple, needy people.

The second and following islands reveal more of the same. The captain sighs at what he sees. "This is no life for these people." But what can he do?

Then he steps onto the last and largest island. The people are healthy and well fed. Irrigation systems nourish their fields, and roads connect the villages. The children have bright eyes and strong bodies. The captain asks the chief for an explanation. How has this island moved so far ahead of the others?

The chief, who is smaller than the captain but every bit his equal in confidence, gives a quick response: "Father Benjamin. He educated us in everything from agriculture to health. He built schools and clinics and dug wells."

The captain asks, "Can you take me to see him?”

The chief nods and signals for two tribesmen to join him. They guide the captain over a jungle ridge to a simple, expansive medical clinic. It is equipped with clean beds and staffed with trained caretakers. They show the captain the shelves of medicine and introduce him to the staff. The captain, though impressed, sees nothing of Father Benjamin. He repeats his request. "I would like to see Father Benjamin. Can you take me to where he lives?"

The three natives look puzzled. They confer among themselves. After several minutes the chief invites, "Follow us to the other side of the island." They walk along the shoreline until they reach a series of fishponds. Canals connect the ponds to the ocean. As the tide rises, fish pass from the ocean into the ponds. The islanders then lower canal gates and trap the fish for harvest.

Again the captain is amazed. He meets fishermen and workers, gatekeepers and net casters. But he sees nothing of Father Benjamin. He wonders if he is making himself clear.

"I don't see Father Benjamin. Please take me to where he lives."

The trio talks alone again. After some discussion the chief offers, "Let's go up the mountain." They lead the captain up a steep, narrow path. After many twists and turns the path deposits them in front of a grass-roofed chapel. The voice of the chief is soft and earnest. "He has taught us about God."

He escorts the captain inside and shows him the altar, a large wooden cross, several rows of benches, and a Bible.

"Is this where Father Benjamin lives?" the captain asks.
The men nod and smile.

"May I talk to him?"
Their faces grow suddenly serious. "Oh, that would be impossible."

“Why?”

"He died many years ago."

The bewildered captain stares at the men. "I asked to see him, and you showed me a clinic, some fish farms, and this chapel. You said nothing of his death."

"You didn't ask about his death," the chief explains. "You asked to see where he lives. We showed you."

Source
Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life, Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010, xix-xxi.

3/16/2011 - Trisha

2011-03-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

These last few days have been amazing! We have had the opportunity to try something different. Mark and I are meeting with the adults and talking about what the Bible says about marriage and relationships. Valerie translates for us and she is doing an great job! We have now been to three different villages and each day is a little different.

The first day we went to Las Brisas. This was the first village we went to last July when we came, so it has many special memories for us. Some of the children seemed to recognize us. As Valerie was translating some of the young boys sat beside her and read along with her in Spanish. There were more men there than I expected. They seem to genuinely care about their families, and some were even holding their children. As we were getting ready to leave one man asked us if we were coming back the next day. When we said no, we would be going to another village, I thought he was going to cry. He said they were so hungry to hear the Good News. If it had not been for the fact we didn't want to disappoint the other village, we would have dropped everything and come back. One of the things that really stood out is the children at a very early age take care of the younger children. It is not uncommon to see a small child carrying a baby up and down a steep hill. I think this is to get them ready to care for their own children, which happens when they are about 14 or 15 years of age. When we first got there a man needed to clean out the bathroom. He went to the hose that brings their drinking water from the top of the mountain. He disconnected to hose and ran it through the toilet. All the while, his young son was sucking on the other end of the hose! No one seemed to think it was unusual...except me, of course! When he got finished, he reconnected the hose to send water back down the mountain. We panic when our children shake hands with a stranger who might get a few germs on them!

Yesterday we went to Aqua Caliente. Tami's group was also there working with the children of the village, and teaching the youth Bible stories. Because of this, we were not all able to meet in the church. They found a home for us to meet in with the adults. We met in the living room. That is a very deceiving statement as it is not a living room like we know. The room was about 10'x10' and there were 14 adults and three children in there, NOT COUNTING Mark, Valerie, and me. One man sat on the floor and took notes. We finally told him we would give him a copy of everything we were saying when we got finished. The people there seemed very glad to see us. It amazes me how they have so little, yet seem so content. They work hard, not to have more, but just to survive. I saw one little girl chewing on a piece of wood. She took it out of her mouth and grinned at me, and there were wood splinters hanging in her mouth. Her mom stood right beside her and didn't act like there was anything wrong with it. My heart breaks at the living conditions for these people, but they don't know any other way of life.

When we finished at Aqua Caliente one of the men asked Valerie if we would pray for his eyes. It looked like he might be developing a cataract. Mark, Valerie, Steve, and I gathered around him and placed our hands on him and began to pray. What an experience! After we prayed for this man another man then had some questions about the Bible. He wanted to know if it was okay to have more than one wife since that is what they did in the Bible. We were quick to explain to him that yes, they did have more than one wife and concubines, but there was nowhere in the Bible where God ordained them to do that. It is another example of how we can take things from the Bible and turn them into our own way of thinking. I think he was wanting us to tell him it was okay. He was upset because his wife did not want to have a baby and he did. We told him that was a decision they needed to ask God about, NOT a decision that either one of them should make on their own.

When we finished with the adults we went where Tami and Marissa were and had lunch. Then when they were working with the youth Val, Mark, and I took the children outside and played. We were a little noisy, but had lots of fun. I've decided kids are kids no matter where you were. There were the shy ones, the outgoing ones, and even the ornery ones. Except for the language they could have been our students. I recognized several personalities. Some were even joking about who had a girlfriend. While those children were playing I noticed other children were not allowed to join. They were helping their parents work. Two little boys were going to the river to collect rocks in a rolling backpack. They made a game of their work. One would pull the other down the hill while he sat on the backpack. They would fill it full of rocks, pull it back up the hill, then take turns riding down to the river for more rocks. At the end of the day Valerie led the kids in singing "How Great Thou Art" in Spanish. Beautiful way to end the day! We had 14 people in the back of the mission van, and 3 in the front. Not a van like we think of...two seats that face each other sideways. It was very hot, but I was blessed to be there. More later...

Monday, March 14th

2011-03-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

God is good! He provided a translator for us that we needed this week. We were unsure about it until this morning and proceeded with our plans. He arrived at the mission house at 7:00 this morning ready to go with us. Thank you for your prayers.

Our team broke up into 4 groups today and went to different villages. We have never done this in the past so it was new for all of us. We visited once we were all back together and I wanted to share this with you.

Mark, Trish, and Valerie worked with adults in the village of Las Brisas de San Juan. They taught on having a biblical marriage. Valerie was the translator. They had about 25 adults who wanted them to come back and teach again. One man said they were desperate for someone to teach them. They will be in Agua Caliente tomorrow doing the same teaching.

The rest of the team worked with students. Our goal is teach them to tell Bible stories. We all told 2 stories and wanted them to tell them back to us. The Chorti are very, very shy. As the day went on, they opened up some. They were engaged in the stories and enjoyed them. Please pray that these students will have boldness to tell the stories about Jesus. Here are the name of the villages........we go back to the same places tomorrow so pray specifically for these youth.

Sean, Tami, and Marissa - Agua Caliente (Rio Amarillo youth also join this group)

Cary, Garrison, & Jaclyn - La Huertona (El Zapote youth also join this group)

Jase, Bailey, Kameran - Otuta

My First Chorti Church Service

2011-03-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

I was amazed by the friendliness and welcoming spirit of the Chorti. The pastor met us at the door and welcomed us to the service. The person in charge of singing was excellent, and I loved the music that was selected. The first opportunity for prayer was awesome. Every voice (with the exception of the "gringos") went up in prayer. It was amazing. I was very blessed by the opportunity to be a part of this service.

The pastor, Elias, was very passionate about the service. His first verse was Deut. 11:18 and he spoke about the importance of teaching the children about God. He emphasized the need for God both spiritually and intellectually. He also said that we must repeatedly tell our children about God and it should be part of our daily routine. Elias also used Isaiah 40: 8 which says "the grass without the flower fades, but our God will stand forever!" I was blessed by his enthusiasm and his ability to connect with the congregation (There were several times that I was unable to translate for Trish because I was so involved in his sermon.) There was another verse (that I missed because I didn't get the book (It was Jeremiah......I just missed that one.) The last verse was I Corinthians 10:11 telling us that God's word is "written down from the ages." The entire service was a blessing. I'm so thankful that I've got this amazing opportunity to serve God AND to see Him work in the lives of the Chorti.

Please keep praying!!! We've had a few obstacles, but nothing will keep his from doing His will.

2011-03-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

It's Trisha! We are here!

God is already at work...like we didn't already know that! On the drive I was so sleepy. It was 2:20 a.m. and I was driving. About that time my phone dinged and it was a text from Tamara Everitt. I called her back and she said God had woken her up to pray for me! He knows what we need when we need it! We talked awhile and then Mike Carter called! I was definitely awake after that. Thanks, you two, for listening to God even at such an early time.

The Great Commission ends with "and surely I will be with you always, even until the end of the age." We aren't working FOR Him...we are working WITH Him! He goes before us and stays with us.

Plane ride was great yesterday...bus ride, not so much:) It was longer than the plane ride, and I think I heard one girl say we almost hit a cow! But, it was air conditioned, so I'm not complaining. There is a festival going on in town this week, so lots of opportunities for witnessing even after we come out of the villages. Looking forward to a great week! Prayers are much welcomed!

Day 1 for Sean

2011-03-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning - We had a long long day of travel the last two days but we all slept really really well last night and have just enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at the mission house with Steve and Audrey. Today will be a bit of regrouping day to prepare to hit the ground tomorrow. We are going to the ruins today and will see a bit of the town. I know that this culture is heavily influenced by its ancestry and history. I pray that today will give us a glimpse of how this culture and these people believe and how they have been taught for ages in the past and that it will help us to learn and be bonded with them more closely from it.

We have an amazing group with us and everyone has been a trooper through the long hours in getting here. God put this team together for a special purpose and a special work. I am looking forward to seeing how he will use our individuality and diversity in our gifts, talents and personalities to each bring something unique and impactful to our trip.

God is going to do something big this week

Sean

We are here!

2011-03-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

We have arrived in Copan! We traveled for 26 hours and are thankful to be here. We had a wonderful dinner and are now ready for some sleep! We will post more later........just wanted to let you know that we have arrived safely.

At the Houston Airport

2011-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Twelve of our fifteen team members are at the Houston airport. Our other 3 members (Joe, Kim, and Micah) will join us in Copan tomorrow. We had safe travel from Seminole to Houston last night. Please continue for continued safety as we fly to San Pedro Sula and drive to Copan.

Pray that the hearts of the Chorti people will be ready to hear God's word. Pray that the team will listen to the Lord's guidance and follow His plan and not our plan.

We will post again soon!

Sidney from Honduras

2010-07-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Wow!!!!!! This week has been one of the best weeks of my life. Nothing we can say will ever fully explain what we experienced this week. Watching how everyone on the team just fell into place was truly a blessing. Everyone seemed to plant their own spiritual seed in their own special way. I think the hardest part about this week was experiencing the poverty that the Chorti live in. We live life totally different than these special people. They truly have to work for everything that they have. I don't mean clothes, cars, and toys, but food for their families. Sick or not the men, women, and children all do their parts to make the village work.

I am very proud to have experienced watching how our young daughter began to grow and plant her own spiritual seed. Watching her all week makes me realize that God has truly been working in our lives. Years past I would have been planning a fishing or hunting trip, but no trip that I have been on has given me the fulfillment that I got watching our daughter grow spiritually this week. I Love You Baylee, you're the best daughter anyone could have!

Aine was definitely in her element this week. God has definitely given her a gift for working with all people, but especially young people. I would have had a hard time without her beside me this week. She was truly another bright light in the darkness this week. I Love You Aine!

I would love to thank the church for supporting us this week, I Love You All!

Mark from Honduras

2010-07-29T15:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a great week. It was over a year ago that my family first began praying and planning to come to Honduras. We know now that God planned all along for us to be here this week with this team. We have been blessed beyond measure by the hospitality we've been shown. We have felt very welcome everywhere we've been. The Hondurans are a very gracious and appreciative people.

Each day was different, but was just what God planned. We told stories, played games, shared our testimonies, sang (English & Spanish), and made crafts. It was awesome to watch each team member's gifts reveal themselves throughout the week.

In many ways the Hondurans are very different than us. The most obvious is the extreme poverty in which they live. It makes me both grateful and embarrassed to have so many material possessions. I realized early in the week that we work to get more "stuff" while they work to survive and feed their families. They were so appreciative of every little thing we did for them. Another difference I noticed is the passion in which they worship. They are uninhibited in their prayers, singing and in the way they share their faith. As the week went on I realized we were also alike in some ways. In many of the villages the people were very interested as we sang and told stories, but later I realized they were very religious, but were lacking a relationship with Christ. Sadly, this reminded me of myself at times and of many of the worship services we have in the States. We have become very comfortable with what we know "about" Jesus and often neglect "knowing" Him. This week has made me desire to deepen my relationship with Him and to be more open and bold in sharing my faith with others.

I want to thank our church for supporting us both financially and in prayer during this week. It has truly been a blessing.

Trisha from Honduras

2010-07-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I want to say and I know I'll forget half of it. My thoughts are coming faster than my hands can type! God has blessed us in so many ways! He has allowed me the awesome experience of working side by side with my husband and daughters to share His love to villages that don't see much love. I think these people are so busy trying to survive that they are sometimes unaware of the beauty surrounding them.

What I have noticed is that each age group has a different outlook. The young children are still so full of innocence. The older children maintain some of the innocence while beginning to realize the harshness of everyday life. The adults seem to have become resigned to the fact that life will always be hard for them, and the much older generation have a sense of pride that they have survived far longer than most. All of them, however are sweet spirited and eager to share what they have. The "outsiders" from America were welcomed with enthusiasm. They were as eager to share Christ's love as we were. Those that did not know Christ welcomed us anyway.

I believe there were places where we planted, places where we sowed, places we harvested, and still other places where we just broke ground. But in every place Christ was present. We must continue to pray for these people. Satan will not take lightly the work that has been done here this summer. The missionaries here have a never-ending task to just maintain the work that has been done.

I am so thankful God allowed me the opportunity to experience His work in this way. As I told Kameran one day this week...I will never be the same after this experience! It is hard for me to believe that a week ago I had never met some of the people we worked with, and now my heart is heavy at the thought of saying good-bye. It isn't really good-bye though, but merely "See you later!"

We love you, our Honduran friends!

Kameran from Honduras

2010-07-29T14:41:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 29:11- For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.

First off, I would like to say thank you for all of the prayers that were sent our way! We could all definitely feel God's presence all around us.

This trip has been extremely eye opening! You will see these pictures and think of many different things, but I just have to let you know that these pictures don't truly capture the essence of reality that we experienced.

These children are so precious. They are able to find the best in anything and everything. They take nothing for granted, and even though they do not have much, they don't mind giving up a belonging of theirs. These children taught me to be thankful for even the littlest things. They can run under a parachute for hours and laugh and smile the entire time. The children are so loving, and their compassion and hospitality was overwhelming.

I honestly was not excited for this trip at all. I was scared beyond belief, and Satan got the best of me, but as soon as we went into the first village and those children ran to greet us with open arms, all my fears were washed away.

The families were so willing to participate after a while, and we discovered their love for music. We taught them "Sanctuario", or Sanctuary, in Spanish. That was obviously their favorite song. Just hearing the villagers sing this song at the top of their lungs made my heart swell.

This trip has changed each and every one of our lives, and we will never be the same again. The passion these people have for God is unbelievable! The villagers will literally walk for hours just to come together and worship. If half of us had that passion, our entire world could change.

This trip was truly a blessing in disguise, and I am so glad that I got to experience this blessing. God bless yall! Can't wait to share all of our stories!

Kameran

Jaclyn from Honduras

2010-07-29T14:08:00.001-07:00

This week has touched me in so many ways! It was a great experience. Even though we share with y'all all these inspiring stories, you can never fully comprehend it until you come for yourself. One day in the village a little boy got his finger slammed in the door. It was cut about three different ways practically hanging by a little bit of skin. It was wrapped in a paper towel and you could see the blood coming through. Since they had no nurse that was all they could do for him. Audrey got her first aid kit and went to work but there wasn't much she could do. He needed stitches badly. So since it was already time to leave we had him and his father come in the van with us so we could take them to the Hospital. He sat beside me in the car just crying his eyes out. He looked at me and I took off my Hippo "Silly band" and lay it out on the seat so he could see the shape. Then I picked it up and put it on his little arm. He immediately smiled at me. It was such a touching moment. I will be sure to take this with me all my life. We dropped them off at the Hospital and he got his stitches. We don't understand how lucky we are. If it would have happened to us we have a nurse at our school to take care of us. We have hospitals, doctors, etc. He almost didn't get stitches. He almost had to suffer and get his finger infected. If we would have gone the day before the incident imagine what would have happened. Imagine how many people's lives are lost because they don't have the medical things they need there. We are so privileged we don't even realize we are privileged. Anyways today at the village I got the opportunity to hold a 2 month old baby. He was the most precious thing. His mom looked pretty young. Growing up we all had toys, we all had t.v.'s, we all had clean healthy homes. That poor baby had none of that. None of those kids do. It makes you realize how we take things for granted. Whenever those kids would sing those songs about Jesus it just made your heart melt. Even though they don't have near what we have they praise the Lord as if they do. We should thank God for letting us have what we do. Even though everything here is temporary we are blessed. When they had church they HAD church. They praised and worshiped and sang to the LORD. It was nice to see that. I am hoping that someday we can get many from our church to come down here and experience this. I know I definitely want to come again. Thank you for all the prayers. I felt them working.

Jaclyn(:

Jase - Honduras Team 2

2010-07-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

What a week! It has been awesome to watch and see how God has used this team and to see how each person used gifts that they have been given in such incredible ways. Team 2 was used to try something new that Billy and Mary and I had been working toward and praying about for several years...working directly with the youth within the villages. In the Chorti culture the youth are often skipped over. It has been a prayer of ours that the youth could be a focal point of learning to share the gospel.
Team 2 was able to begin this process. There are several things that worked well and some that did not, things that we were ready for and some that required flexibility, but in the end the youth did learn more about Christ.
Thank you, Team Two, for all of your work and flexibility! There is no question that God has a plan for FBC Seminole and the Chorti People in the future!!!!!!

In His Grip,
Jase

Aine from Honduras

2010-07-29T14:02:00.001-07:00

Where do I begin??? I have been blessed to have met all the people that have led us this week. I cannot put into words how this has touched me. I will forever remember this experience! I am already looking forward to coming back (yes, I'm coming back)!! This country is so beautiful!! I have seen so many awesome screen savers in real life!!! God was at work this week and it was truly amazing to see. I have been brought to tears on several occasions, playing with the children, hearing the youth sing, and praying with the elderly. It is amazing to hear the people pray! They shout it out for God and everybody to hear. They pray and sing with everything in their heart. They are hard working people and you can't help but want to help them. The elderly and the children have captured my heart. I want to bring them all home. Each village was different and each with a differant blessing. I could see God at work in them and us! I didn't know I could speak that much Spanish!! I know God was with me when I spoke because it didn't feel labored. The language flowed out of me (ok, with just a few mistakes)!!! I know with all my heart that I was supposed to be here on this very minute, hour, day, and week. I want to thank everyone at home for sending us and for all the prayers. I can't wait to see everyone, show pics, and tell everyone all about it.

Baylee from Honduras

2010-07-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

First thing I'm going to say is that we are so very blessed!! Honduras was a very eye opening experience. We touched many lives at the villages, and it also touched my life as well. While we were at the 2nd village a girl just looked at me and I smiled and she comes running and screaming and I picked her up and she wouldn't let go of my shirt. She was the cutest little girl and it meant so much to her that we were there. The kids and adults had fun making crafts, singing, and games. It really meant a lot that we were there. When my parents first told me that we were going to Honduras i was like no!! but that was God's plan and was a perfect trip just like God planned. I met so many new people and they are all blessings in my life!!

Baylee

Thanks for all the prayers!!(:

Honduras Team 2 - Day Seven

2010-07-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's so hard to believe we are coming to the end of our time here in Honduras! We have experienced so many things! We head home tomorrow, and while we are in the Houston airport on our layover the team is going to each post something.

Today we went to Buena Vista village.

When we first got there a woman came up and hugged us all. She welcomed us to her village. Another woman let us in her house to take pictures and pray for her. We have NO IDEA how these people live. I don't know of anyone who would be able to survive in those conditions, and these people know no other way.

The school was a little more "modernized" than the other villages. The students wore uniforms to school and loved entertaining us! We acted out a Bible Story while Kameran narrated and Marcia translated. The students loved it. Then we had others who explained what the story meant and asked the students questions.

Later we got out the jump rope, parachute, and balloons. They loved it! When Sidney got out his guitar they listened to our songs, but they entertained us more than we sang for them. They could have done that all day long. They sang several songs and then some of the students danced for us.

We met a young man named Hector. He had a lot of the same mannerisms as Jacob Burtch and Garrison Jones! I wonder how that happened?! lol He actually was very glad to hear that his friends from America remembered him and sent him t-shirts. He proudly wore the UT shirt, and I forced myself to take a picture of it.

It was a beautiful way to end our time in Honduras...visiting yet another village that was willing and eager to welcome strangers who worship the same (only) God!

We are already beginning to have to say good-bye to some of the people here, and it makes our hearts sad. God has truly blessed us this week by allowing us to be a part of such an awesome adventure!

We love you all!

Team Two

Day Six

2010-07-29T13:13:00.001-07:00

Today was a different day than we have experienced before. We were literally above the clouds! We drove for about an hour straight up! When we got to the village there was a meeting place on the top. It was probably the hottest heat we have experienced here. It was sweltering in the meeting house.

The villagers were not as "lively" as the others we have visited, but you could tell the preacher had a heart to follow Christ. There were several villagers who told Bible stories. It does not matter how long anyone speaks, or how hot it is, the villagers sit very still and listen.

We sang our songs for them, then had more Bible stories. Then we taught them how to make the "Witness" bracelets. They all participated in that one! After that Sidney got out his guitar outside and we taught them a couple of the songs we sang. A few in the group were not feeling well, so we went back down the mountain.

We stopped at the Ag project to eat lunch and look around. We looked at the crops they were raising and got to get in the pen with the baby goats. The caretaker of the place borrowed Sidney's guitar and sang several songs for us. He sang in Spanish. The music was beautiful, and even though I couldn't understand the words it was moving. Sidney and Aine were moved to tears. He has the most beautiful voice. He also sang a song in Chorti.

After supper of spaghetti at Jim's we headed back to Steve and Audrey's house to say good-bye to our North Carolina buddies who had been on the trip with us. They are heading home at 5:15 in the a.m.

God is GREAT! We love you all!

Day Five

2010-07-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

We had another awesome day! We did not have to hike as much today, but we drove pretty far in the mountains to get to this village. Each day is different from the rest, with new experiences and blessings. There were people from other villages that joined us today. Some walked 1 1/2 hours just to join us today. That is uphill, in the heat!!! How many of us are willing to do that.

It took awhile for people to come join us, so while we were waiting we first visited the Kindergarten school, then we went up the mountain to the Primary school. It consisted of two rooms (1st - 3rd and 4th - 6th). There was a teacher for each room. One was in his thirties. The teacher for the 4th - 6th grade students was 14! That is no typo...14. We got there as they were about to eat lunch. Moms from the village take turns making lunch for all the students. Each it is rice, beans, and homemade tortillas. We almost got in line.

By the time we got back down the hill the villagers were gathered for our meetings. Jase talked for awhile and then we sang. Afterwards Sidney asked if they could sing to us and they did. Noe, one of the boys from that village who has been with us everyday then told a Bible story. Mark, Aine, Sidney, Kameran, and Christin took the young people to another spot and taught them the three songs. Their favorite was "Sanctuary". (And Feliz Navidad!) The students picked it up pretty quickly. While they were doing that, Jase, Jaclyn, Baylee, Dillon, and I stayed with the adults and told a Bible story. I read the story, Marci interpreted it, and Jaclyn, Baylee, and Dillon acted it out. Jase then explained the story.

When we all gathered back together the youth sang for the group. It was so beautiful! Aine has been videoing the singing, so we are looking forward to letting our church see God working through these youth. One of the men in our group, Eguardo, then preached, and another youth from another village (1 1/2 hours away) told a Bible story. Eguardo then told us the villagers wanted us to pray for their youth. Here is the most amazing part of the day...

We gathered around the students and laid our hands on them. We all then began praying out loud AT THE SAME TIME! It was not a distraction, it was a blessing! To be asked by those people to pray for their students was a very humbling experience.

When we finished praying Marci, one of our interpreters, told me the villagers also want us to pray for their medical clinic. They have one, but they do not have anyone to take care of the people. No doctor will come there, and they do not have a nurse either. No sooner were the words out of her mouth than a young boy came to the group and showed us his finger. It had been mashed this morning in a door at school. It was split from one side of his nail to the other and split about halfway down his finger. Audrey is a nurse, so she was able to clean it and dress it, but he was in great need of stitches. His father agreed to let us take him into town to the clinic there. His father rode with him. He had five stitches in his finger, plus an antibiotic shot. The dad and son were going to take the bus back and walk to the village. I cannot imagine what would have happened if we had not been there today. God's timing is truly amazing!

Please pray for the youth of that village. They seem very eager to learn, and Satan does not want that to happen. Also pray that someone will feel called to work in the clinic in that village. One more request tonight...Jaclyn doesn't feel well and we need prayers for her recovery.

We love you all!

Team Two

Honduras Team 2 - Day Four

2010-07-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

Words cannot describe our experiences today. We went to a village that very rarely has visitors. They have just recently built a road to the village, but today the road was too muddy to travel. So...we had to hike down a steep mountain and cross a river just to hike back up an even steeper mountain. This is the first time we have ever seen Jase nervous about driving down a road. That's when we knew it was going to be treacherous. We are glad he decided to let us all out while he backed back down the road. After a few slips and falls, we all made it safely to the village. It was definitely worth the effort!

The village was on the side of a mountain surrounded by lush plants. There were banana trees and coffee plants everywhere! The children ran to greet us from about halfway down the mountain. They were so eager to see the Americanos! We sang three songs in English and then sang them in Spanish..."Jesus Loves Me", "Sanctuary", and Jesus Loves The Little Children of the World". Their favorite was "Sanctuary". It was so beautiful to watch! While Sidney and Kameran were teaching a group of young people the songs Aine, Jaclyn, and Baylee were playing "Pato, Pato, Gando" (Duck, Duck, Goose) with the younger students. At the same time Mark, Jase, and others from our group were telling Bible stories to the adults of the village. Almost everyone in the village came to participate. There were a few men who refused to join the group, but they stayed close enough to hear every word that was said.

The children are so beautiful! Aine and I have already chosen the ones we want to bring back with us. Ha! I think we're going to have to add some rooms onto our houses, though.

God was truly working in our midst today, and we are so thankful He allowed us to be there to experience the beauty of that place. Words can't describe it, and pictures don't do it justice. To truly understand the magnificent beauty one has to experience it firsthand.

Keep the prayers coming!

Honduras Team 2 - Day Three

2010-07-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

Got up this morning and went to a village to worship with the people of the surrounding villages. They walk for miles to attend the service. No one complains about the heat or uncomfortable surroundings. They just want to worship our Lord. They asked us to sing a song. Sidney played the guitar and we sang. He and Aine then interpreted to the people what we sang about..."Sanctuary".

The neatest part was when Aine would interpret to me everything the preacher was saying. To be able to have her and Sidney there was truly a gift from God. After the service we went to the village and looked at the escuelas (schools). We have a lot to learn about humility and gratitude.

After lunch and a very nice nap at the missionaries´ home we then make the most difficult journey so far. We climbed to another village for evening worship. We were told 6 months ago the people of that village wanted a Baptist church. In a matter of days they had a cinder block building in which to worship. One of the guys their told us we were seeing a miracle in the making with the preaching and storytelling that was going on. Again, it was a joy to have Sidney and Aine interpreting.

As we left that service we took pictures with several of the villagers. We especially befriended a little boy named Berto. (Okay, we think that´s his name lol.) And Aine made friends with a woman named Irma. Aine made her promise the next time we came she would tell a story and Aine would give her testimony. The gratitude both villages had for us was overwhelming. We wanted to thank them for allowing us to be a part of something so special. They acted like we had done them a favor. About to head to bed as we have to leave the missionaries´ home at 6:30 a.m.!! PRAY!! lol
Tomorrow is supposed to be the most difficult climb, but we know God has placed us here and He will not fail us. Thanks for all the prayers, and keep them coming! We love you all!

Honduras Team 2 - Day Two

2010-07-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

Went to the Mayan ruins. Absolutely amazing! The architecture was unbelievable for a people who had no tools. Their dedication to their gods should be an example to us. We know the one true God and we do not honor Him as they did their false gods. It was extremely HOT (or caliente)!! But...we all enjoyed the tour.

Next stop was the bird sanctuary. Saw Macaws, Toucans, and other exotic birds. Even got to perch some on our arms. The flowers there were beautiful! Have never been so hot in our lives! But again, it was worth every minute of it.

Honduras Team 2 - Day One

2010-07-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like we have found a place to get our blog running. We are sitting in a neat little coffee shop right next door to our hotel. I'll start over at the beginning. God has blessed us in so many ways, and I don't want you to miss any of it...

Hola, from Honduras! Where do we start?! Almost didn´t make our flight to Houston. God worked it out and we were able to all get on the same flight. Houston to Honduras was uneventful. Landed in Honduras around lunchtime. Ate at Wendy´s! We went to Missionaries´ home for awhile and visited. Ate at Big Jim´s Pizzaria. Yum!

Honduras from Hayden

2010-07-08T16:19:00.001-07:00

It was an amazing week this week! The children in the villages made me smile when they were playing games. The adults have a fun time watching the children. God really blessed the villages with His power and grace. There are alot of mountains and trees. It is not flat. It is the opposite of Seminole. It was one of the most amazing trips I have ever taken in my life.

Honduras from Jase

2010-07-08T16:06:00.001-07:00

What a week. I can say without a doubt that Christ has been shared in villages this week. This team has done a GREAT job of being an extension of Christ to the Chorti people. Throughout the week the team has demonstrated Christ love, by loving on children that most likly have not been hugged and played with in months. They have played in the dirt, mud and no telling what else to make sure that the children knew that they were there to share a special kind of love. Church you should be proud of this team!!! Thank you church for grasping a vision on taking Christ to the Chorti people.

It is so exciting to see a prayer that is being answered and that is what has begin to happen this week. It has been a prayer for several years of Billy and Mary Collins and myself to see families participating in mission trips to Copan, to share stories and work together with the Chorti people, that is what has happened this year with this team and the team that will be coming later in the month. Continue to pray for the Chorti people as some of the men are beginning to step up and speak up about the need for Christ in their villages.

In His Grip,
Jase

Honduras from Garrison

2010-07-08T16:03:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Honduras. When we arrived in Honduras and left the airport in San Pedro Sula to head to Copan, we were picked up in a van. The driving was pretty insane to say the least. There weren´t really lanes in town. It was more like a big blob of traffic moving down the highway. When we arrived in Copan, it was pouring rain which was refreshing but made for a wet time unloading the luggage. It is beautiful country though. Everything is green and there are plenty of mountains (completely opposite of Seminole).
This week in Honduras has been absolutely incredible. Before setting off for Honduras I would pray every day for the people of Honduras and for their villages, but I really had no concept of how they lived until I saw it first hand. My eyes have been opened to the fact that we are blessed beyond measure in Seminole. The people of the villages are rarely sure what they will eat the next meal, are constantly working to produce goods to eat or sell, hike miles upon miles to get to their crops and to get to town, and have nothing more to wear on their feet than flipflops at best. However, they are extremely appreciative and thankful for each and every thing that they do have. Every person, from the children up to the elderly, wore a smile and had a very kind heart. We were welcomed to each village that we visited and each village said that we were welcome back anytime. In each village we told a story or two and played games with the children. It was amazing to see how long the children would enjoy playing just one game. We had a parachute and would have the children run underneath it, and they would have been perfectly happy doing that for hours. The adults of the village could have watched them happily for hours. They are so appreciative. However, most families in the village have anywhere from 6-12 kids so most of the children don´t get the attention that they deserve. It was a true joy to see those kids´ faces light up when we played a game or even picked up and hugged one 0f the kids. A couple of groups of children sang for us, and one even made a poster telling us thank you. We did a prayer walk in one of the villages where we went to several houses and asked if they wanted us to pray for anything specific and then prayed in their home. It was amazing to see that they have the same prayer requests as people in America: health, crops, etc... When they pray, they pray very passionately. One person begins praying and then everybody just joins in when they feel led. The presence of God was thick.
God is definitely at work in Honduras. We had a 16 year old boy named Hector who came with us every day and told a Bible story that he had learned to each village. Jacob and I got to know him fairly well even though he doesn´t speak any English. We did learn some Spanish from him however. There is also a project that was started called the agriculture project. This is a project where the farmers from the villages come to the ag center and learn how to better tend their crops for half the day and are taught Bible stories for the other half of the day. There are over 100 families now involved with this project and it is a true blessing. They are not only being taught how to grow literal fruit, but spiritual fruit as well. It was really exciting to hear about. A few men from one of the villages got up and talked a little bit about their experience with the ag project. It was really exciting to hear that even though they planted the seeds and watered them themselves, they realized that it happened through God.
Thank you so much for your prayers and encouragement before and after our trip to Honduras. I look forward to sharing many stories with you when I get home.

Honduras From Jacob

2010-07-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

This week has been absolutely amazing! I could not possibly say everything i want to about this week. I'll start off with the children. They are adorable. They are the most hard-working children I have ever had the chance to interact with. There was a boy that was probably 2 years old that was carrying a bag full of groceries behind his mother. He did not complain and never made an angry face, and there was no telling how long the boy had been walking because the nearest town was miles away. There was another boy who was probably 7 and had been chopping wood for his family's stove since sunup. In America we are so spoiled. We get upset when our parents ask us to dust or vacuum or clean our room. Or at least I do sometimes. The children are also the most energetic and hapy children i have ever seen. We walk into a village and they smile from then until we leave. When we would play games they would never get distracted or bored, like children in the United States. They were so easily entertained. They would play one game for hours and hours. As you were in the village you could tell that they did not get loved on as much as we do in the states. It was truly amazing to show them the love of God and see their eyes light up with happiness.

Secondly i would like to talk about the adults. They are so thankful and have a yearning to learn about God. In one village they told us about their ag project. The leader of tthe village firsst said thank you to God for everything, but then he thanked us numerous times for supporting them and being there. Although I had done absolutely nothing. I was truly humbled by his gratefulness. When we prayed the leader would start but then all the people would start pratying out loud as well. You would here English, Spanish, and occasionally Chorti. It was amazing how powerful the presence of God was in those moments.

Lastly i am going to talk about the translators. The leaders name was Edguardo. These poeple were so passionate for the word of God to be spoken to these villages. We had numerous other translators as well, and i would like to thank them because without them this would have been impossible.

The landscapes down here are beautiful. I have never seen so much green in one place in my life. The mountains and valleys and rivers are truly magnificent. It seems so easy to see God through his creation.

God has been truly amazing this week. He has shown me how truly blessed I really am. He has shown me to always be thankful and give him all the honor and glory. This has been a truly amazing and wonderful trip. Thank you for your support and prayers throughout this week.

Honduras From Hannah

2010-07-08T16:00:00.001-07:00

First, I want to thank you for praying for this team! It is amazing what God has done for these people in just one week.

Seeing the little childeren and their smiles knowing they dont have much really hit me. They dont have to have all the nice and cool things to be happy like most of us do. They find joy in little and precious things. This week has made me very thankful for what I have back home!Telling the Bible stories was great and the kids, as well as the adults, really enjoyed them! They were pretty shy at first but playing games with the children really brought them out I thought. They really enjoyed Duck, Duck, Goose! They can play that game for hours!!

We have seen things that have changed out perspective on what working hard really is. Seeing a little children as young as 5 working in the fields with their family and not saying one word about how tired or hot ther were, but just working so hard not knowing any different. Little girls taking care of babies while the mother and father are out and having to be the role of mom, was really amazing!

There are no words to describe how beautiful the mountains are and the millions of trees here unlike where we live! Gods creation is amazing!! The roads and driving here are CRAZY!! I will be very thankful for the smooth and flat roads back home!!

I just want to thank the hosts and traslators here!! There is no way we could have done it without them! I will never forget the friendships I have made with them!! They made me feel like home as much as possible!!

Once again i just want to say thank you for all you have done for us this week while we were here!! Love yall and cant wait to see yall soon!!

Honduras From Madison

2010-07-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! First of all, I just want to thank God for allowing us just to go to Honduras!!! Now even though I don't speak Spanish, I got a lot out of this trip.

In Col. 13:13 it says, " Now the three of these remain- faith, hope, and love. But the most important of these is love." When we went to the villages, that is the verse I thought of. One of the most important things we did was show love to those children. They don't usually get hugged on or loved on, but we showed them our love for them. But most importantly, we showed them the love of Jesus Christ through us. We told them how unconditional Jesus' love is for them, and how no matter how many times we mess up or make mistakes, Jesus loves us anyway. One thing that just made my heart leap inside my chest was when we played the games. Duck, Duck, Goose ( Pato, Pato, Gonzo), throwing a ball and catching it in a parachute, or trying to catch them when they ran under the parachute, their faces just lit up with joy.

Another thing that occured to me was that we are SO fortunate in the U.S. and we take all of it for granted. I mean just the little things, like shoes on our feet, Air Conditioners, smooth roads, or just knowing you are going to have another meal before the day is over. We are extremely blessed and need to thank Jesus for it as often as we can for it.

I am so thankful that Jesus showed himself throughout this trip, to the villages, yes, but especially to me. Now compared to the west Texas brown, and flat this was ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!! The beautiful mountains and green everywhere, I just thank God for allowing this team to come.

*** Keep in your prayers all of the villages we visited, and for the next team coming to Honduras!!!
And also for one of our translators- Marcia- who needs to know where God wants her to be in the missionary field!! :)

Honduras from Tami

2010-07-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

I really can't put this week into words. But, I will try! This is my fourth trip to Honduras and every time I am amazed by the beauty of this country and especially by its people. Honduras is absolutely beautiful..........mountains, trees, and gorgeous flowers. Quite the opposite from west Texas! I often wonder how people can experience this beauty and not believe in God - who else could have created this magnificent country?

I am most overwhelmed by the Chorti people in the villages. They captured my heart with their first smile. When we go into the villages, we work with the children at the school and the rest of the village shows up (except for the men who are working in the fields). At one village, the teacher told the children it was time to go outside and play........they screamed and laughed and ran outside as fast as they could. They play simple games for as long as we would play them. They are not spoiled like American children who always want the latest and greatest toy and then get tired of it after just a few minutes. They will play the same game over and over and over. The only "toys" that I saw in the villages were a few balls. The children crave to be loved but most are very shy. They listen so intently to the bible stories that we told. I pray that they truly understand or will someday understand how much they are loved by their Lord.

I am very humbled by the work ethic of these people. They start working at a very young age. We saw a boy who was about 2 years old following his mother carrying a sack of "groceries". We saw a boy about the age of 7 cutting wood with his machete and carrying the piles to his house. The women wash clothes by hand, some have to haul water a very long way, grind corn, cook over stoves with open fires, etc. The men work long, long days 7 days a week in the fields. And, I complain about laundry, dishes, and scrubbing the bathroom.

The missionaries here have been doing an Ag Project with the Chorti people for 6 years. There are over 100 families now involved in this project. The men come to the Ag Center and they spend a week there. Half of the day is learning about the bible and the other half is learning how to farm more efficiently for their family. Before the enter the Ag Project, they farm on the side of the steep, steep mountains and most of the soil washes away. At the Ag Center, they are taught to plant hedge rows and crops between each of the hedgerows. They are taught to rotate their crops. Once this is done, they can get some goats. The goats are kept in pens off of the ground. The hedgerows provide food for the goats. The goats provide fertilizer and milk for the families. They give back one baby goat to the Ag Center. The families in the Ag Project come back over the years for more education. They can also get a stove with a chimney which gets the smoke out of their homes. Many of the Chorti suffer from respiratory problems because their stoves have no chimneys. The Ag Center also teaches basic health education classes.

At one of the villages, many of the men spoke to us about their Ag Projects. It was a miracle that they would stand in front of a big group and talk and they each thanked God for their Ag Projects and how it has changed their family's lives. They even thanked us Americans......I was extremely humbled.

Hearing the Chorti men preach and speak to us has been the biggest blessing in my life this week. I have been coming here since 2003 and this is the first time that I have ever seen that! These villages are changing because of God's love. His love has been revealed to me this week through these people, this beautiful country, our students giving their testimonies, and through the people here who work with Billy and Mary who serve Him non-stop.

I have a specific prayer request - the village of El Zapote has a clinic that serves several villages but it has been closed for over a year now. The government controls it and has not provided a nurse there. They have to go into a nearby town but are not very welcome there. Please pray that the clinic can get a nurse and re-open.

We serve a mighty God worthy of all praise!

Honduras from Christa

2010-07-07T19:01:00.000-07:00

English or Spanish. USA or Honduras. Duck, duck, goose or pato, pato, gonzo. I am amazed, though I shouldn't be, at how things are so much the same in such different places. Despite the language or country we are all in such great need of the same things. Love, laughter, provision for our families, and most of all...Jesus Christ.
I have to admit that I am truly humbled by the gratitude of the people in the villages we have visited. They are so grateful for crayons and soccer balls, for having learned to make better use of their land, for sharing Bible stories, and for us just coming to visit and play duck, duck goose with the children.
I am overwhelmed at the way they have shared Jesus with these villages. I honestly have to say that it is one of the best examples I have ever seen of taking Jesus to the people that need him. The missionaries and workers at the ag project have taught these families how to better provide for themselves by using better farming techniques, and by taking time to teach them, have opened their hearts to receive the real gift of Jesus.
I have learned that I have much to learn when it comes to really sharing Jesus. Thank God that He isn't finished with me yet.