Last week we had a group of people at Salt and Light in Honduras that was composed of mostly younger adults with a few older ones for wisdom and guidance. They were from California, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas and Mississippi. A very diverse group as far as their home and some in age but they all had a BIG HEART for spreading the WORD. While they were here for seven days, they sponsored four conferences with large attendance. There was a conference for young people on Saturday morning, a conference for women on Saturday afternoon and a conference for families on Saturday night. There were so many people in attendance Saturday night that some of the people had to sit outside and try to hear through the windows. They estimated the attendance to be around 2,000 people. On Monday, there was a conference for pastors and their wives with 33 pastors. Bishop Robert Winn and his wife Mattie from California spoke at all the meetings. They have been married for over 30 years and have 9 children and 9 grandchildren. The people here really responded well to them and their message.
The group also spent a lot of time walking the streets and telling other about Jesus and inviting them to church. They gave out clothes one afternoon to a place in Pena Blanca that is really poor with the help of the woman's ministry of Salt and Light.
The group visited a village of indigenous people from Honduras called the Lenka. The day was spent with clothes distribution, VBS, blessing some families with food and the doctor seeing patients. It was a long day because the roads are bad so the bus could only go so far and then we had to take the boxes and people in the trucks with 4 wheel drive the last miles to the village.
On Wednesday, we went to the waterfall and had a baptismal service for Douglas that lives at the orphanage. He had made a profession of faith earlier but had never been baptized. Lillian Brown talked with him one day to find out why he had not been baptized and he decided to do it while they were here.
Every team that comes is special and God has a purpose for each one of them being here, I meet so many wonderful people that I would not have a chance to meet if I was not in Honduras.
We were expecting another team yesterday but their flight was cancelled and only two of them made it out of the US. Three more will come tonight and others will come Saturday and Sunday. We are praying that their flights will not be cancelled and they will make it without any more problems. Eleven people on the team will not be able to come because they could not rearrange their schedules.
Please pray that the rest of the team is able to get here without any more troubles.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Vicksburg Honduras Mission
Last week, we had a team at Sal y Luz from Vicksburg, MS. The team was composed of five different churches with all ages. There were 38 in the team and everything was well organized and went well. The team installed a water purification system in a village not far from here called La Virtud. The people in the village were very excited to have clean water to drink.
There was VBS in the same village every day. At the end of the week the children planted a garden of beans, squash and radishes. It was quite a site to see around 80 children with machetes, hoes and other implements transform the bare ground into rows with seeds planted. The Vicksburg team provided seeds and guidance for the planting.
The team also build two houses, one for a widow in La Virtud and another for Walter's family in El Eden. Walter is a young boy who has some type of brain injury, he is probably around 10 year old and cannot do anything for himself but he has the brightest smile I have ever seen. His mother takes very good care of him and carries him where ever he goes. They only have two small rooms to live in and there are three children, including Walter. The Lord puts things on our hearts all the time that He wants us to do. The Lord put it on our heart to tell the Vicksburg team that they needed to built Walter a house. We called the leader of the team to ask him if they could build Walter a house and he said they didn't have enough money for another house but he would look at the numbers and see. The next day he called and told me that they had received a call the night before from another church and they wanted to give some money for the team. It was enough money to build Walter a house. Walter will have a shower large enough for his mother to roll his chair in and she will not have to put him in the yard to give him a bath. She will have room to roll him around in his house in his wheel chair. ISN"T GOD GOOD. He provided just what was needed for Walter and his family. We have so many opportunities to watch God work His plan here. We all have the opportunity to see God at work but it is so much easier to see here.
The team from Vicksburg also had a nurse practitioner with them that went into the villages in the area and did health prevention training for some of the leaders in the communities. She also saw some patients with Dr. Karla in the clinic one day.
The team sent over 30 sewing machines down on the container the week before so there were 15 ladies and two men that were given the opportunity to learn to make shirts and blouses for the children's uniforms here. Henry is very determined to give the people the opportunity to earn money so they can improve their living conditions. In the past, they have been given without having the opportunity to learn skills to help them improve their lifestyle.
We are very grateful to the groups that come to Honduras and help the people in many ways. Evangelism at the clinic is growing with the pastor's Bible Study and the Ladies Ministry. We have a team coming next week that will go to the villages of the indigenous people of this area and evangelize them. I have never been to one of the villages where these people live so that will be interesting.
Please continue to pray for the efforts of the teams and staff as they try to help the people of Honduras.
There was VBS in the same village every day. At the end of the week the children planted a garden of beans, squash and radishes. It was quite a site to see around 80 children with machetes, hoes and other implements transform the bare ground into rows with seeds planted. The Vicksburg team provided seeds and guidance for the planting.
The team also build two houses, one for a widow in La Virtud and another for Walter's family in El Eden. Walter is a young boy who has some type of brain injury, he is probably around 10 year old and cannot do anything for himself but he has the brightest smile I have ever seen. His mother takes very good care of him and carries him where ever he goes. They only have two small rooms to live in and there are three children, including Walter. The Lord puts things on our hearts all the time that He wants us to do. The Lord put it on our heart to tell the Vicksburg team that they needed to built Walter a house. We called the leader of the team to ask him if they could build Walter a house and he said they didn't have enough money for another house but he would look at the numbers and see. The next day he called and told me that they had received a call the night before from another church and they wanted to give some money for the team. It was enough money to build Walter a house. Walter will have a shower large enough for his mother to roll his chair in and she will not have to put him in the yard to give him a bath. She will have room to roll him around in his house in his wheel chair. ISN"T GOD GOOD. He provided just what was needed for Walter and his family. We have so many opportunities to watch God work His plan here. We all have the opportunity to see God at work but it is so much easier to see here.
The team from Vicksburg also had a nurse practitioner with them that went into the villages in the area and did health prevention training for some of the leaders in the communities. She also saw some patients with Dr. Karla in the clinic one day.
The team sent over 30 sewing machines down on the container the week before so there were 15 ladies and two men that were given the opportunity to learn to make shirts and blouses for the children's uniforms here. Henry is very determined to give the people the opportunity to earn money so they can improve their living conditions. In the past, they have been given without having the opportunity to learn skills to help them improve their lifestyle.
We are very grateful to the groups that come to Honduras and help the people in many ways. Evangelism at the clinic is growing with the pastor's Bible Study and the Ladies Ministry. We have a team coming next week that will go to the villages of the indigenous people of this area and evangelize them. I have never been to one of the villages where these people live so that will be interesting.
Please continue to pray for the efforts of the teams and staff as they try to help the people of Honduras.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Honduras News
Henry's wife Hemi and her sister Loyda started a women's Bible study several months ago and Henry asked me to meet with them so I could give them ideas. I can tell you, they don't need my ideas. Henry asked me to go and take pictures of the crafts they are making to sell that will enable the women to produce an income and support their families. I was truly impressed by what they had done. Some are crocheting purses with raffia, others are using discarded chip bags to make items to sell. There are ladies that are using pieces of plastic drink bottles to make jewelry. One lady is making coffee to sell so I am judging her coffee this morning to see if the teams would like to buy it.
Some of them do beautiful crochet work and as soon as I can get some knitting needles, I am going to teach them to make knitted items to sell. I would also like some ideas on jewelry making. They are working with items they have on hand but I would like for them to have access to other materials that are available here. It is an established group and Hemi and Loyda will be monitoring the group each week. Any help and ideas will be appreciated.
It is with much humility that I watch them share ideas and help each other. Can you imaging picking up dirty chip bags, cleaning them and then spending hours folding the pieces to weave into a purse? It is also a good solution to help the litter problem.
Today we are going to pick up the team from Vicksburg so I might not have much time to write. They are building a house for Walter and his family. His mother is so happy to have room to for Walter's wheelchair in the house so she won't have to carry him.
On Tuesday and Friday, we will have English lessons with the staff. Angie, the new dentist, will help me.
Pray for us and the women that are trying so hard to make a difference for their families.
Some of them do beautiful crochet work and as soon as I can get some knitting needles, I am going to teach them to make knitted items to sell. I would also like some ideas on jewelry making. They are working with items they have on hand but I would like for them to have access to other materials that are available here. It is an established group and Hemi and Loyda will be monitoring the group each week. Any help and ideas will be appreciated.
It is with much humility that I watch them share ideas and help each other. Can you imaging picking up dirty chip bags, cleaning them and then spending hours folding the pieces to weave into a purse? It is also a good solution to help the litter problem.
Today we are going to pick up the team from Vicksburg so I might not have much time to write. They are building a house for Walter and his family. His mother is so happy to have room to for Walter's wheelchair in the house so she won't have to carry him.
On Tuesday and Friday, we will have English lessons with the staff. Angie, the new dentist, will help me.
Pray for us and the women that are trying so hard to make a difference for their families.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh, Lord
My devotion this morning was.. Look at the birds of the air...Consider the lilies of the field...Matthew 6:26,28. We should keep our eyes focused on our Source, God. He knows our circumstances and He will provide. This morning as I was having my devotion and praying, I thought about how I get so uptight about little things that do not matter instead of just focusing on serving the Lord and let Him take care of everything. I think I have learned since I have been in Honduras to depend more on God and that everything is from Him, that He will provide all our needs, not our wants. He doesn't need me to do things for Him but He does need me to serve Him and be willing to go when He calls.
We have had a busy week at Ministerio Sal y Luz as always. There is very seldom a slow moment and when there is, you are grateful. Wednesday, we had a bad electrical storm and then no internet and occasional power or water for several days. Angie and I filled a plastic container and put in the shower to fill with water for a bath, then we found out that we had both hot and cold water in the shower all the time. Our water system at the apartment is complicated because some of the water comes from the tank on the hill and some of it comes from the water system in the clinic. I am discovering by power outages and water system problems what water comes from where.
Every year our board in the US sends a container down with things for the teams and medical supplies for the clinic. This will be my third container to help unload and get in the boxes in the proper place. It is getting more difficult to get the container out of the port because of government paper work. Tonight there will be lots of trucks and people from the villages along with the staff to help unload the boxes. Every year, it has rained while we unloaded the container, maybe this year it will wait until we are finished unloading.
We have a team from Vicksburg coming on Saturday and they need the sewing machines and materials that are on the container. One of the things they will do is conduct sewing classes for the people so they can make uniforms and hopefully establish a way to earn some money for their families. They will help to plant a garden in a village, install a water purification system and have Bible School. The team is also building a house for Walter and his family. Walter is about 9 years old and lives with his family in two small rooms. Walter has a disability that keeps him from walking, talking or any of the things that we would consider normal for his age, but he has the biggest smile and loves everyone. His mother carries him every where and he is getting really big. They have a wheel chair but the two rooms are too small for the chair to be used except outside. They have no bathroom but the new house will have a bathroom large enough for the chair to be rolled into the shower. Isn't God good?
We have a new staff member this year. Her name is Angie Rodrigues from San Pedro Sula. She finished dental school and all medical graduates in Honduras have to work for one year at a government approved facility without pay. She is living in the apartment with me and I think we are doing well. She is a pretty young woman, who speaks very fluent English(Thank you Lord). She has never been away from her family so I hope my being here will make her feel more comfortable. I enjoy being here by myself after working all day but she is young and not use to being by herself. Her father calls every night to make sure she is alright. Angie also taught English for three years so she and I are going to have English classes for the staff.
All the staff members are doing well. Lesly and I went to the doctor to have her eye checked and I think she got a pretty good report. Evis is busy working of grades for the students that are sponsored through the education program. Joseph is trying to keep the internet going and all the computers. The medical staff is working hard to see the regular patients and get ready for the group that is coming.
On Saturday, I went to a retreat with the ladies Bible Study group led by Henry's wife, Hemi and her sister Loyda. Loyda led the discussion by comparing the ladies to flowers and how they have some of the same traits. We all had to locate a flower, which is not hard to do here. Then we had to describe some of the properties of the flower. The ladies had a wonderful time. Some of them brought their children and they played well while their mothers listened to Loyda. We played games and ate and swam in the river. There was one lady there that had a boy around 12 years old that had be held all the time because he couldn't communicate and would leave the group if she didn't hold on to him. She also had to feed him at mealtime. She doesn't have any help and has to work to put food on the table. I was amazed at how well she handled him and how much she loved him and provided for all his needs... just like God does for us.
We have had a busy week at Ministerio Sal y Luz as always. There is very seldom a slow moment and when there is, you are grateful. Wednesday, we had a bad electrical storm and then no internet and occasional power or water for several days. Angie and I filled a plastic container and put in the shower to fill with water for a bath, then we found out that we had both hot and cold water in the shower all the time. Our water system at the apartment is complicated because some of the water comes from the tank on the hill and some of it comes from the water system in the clinic. I am discovering by power outages and water system problems what water comes from where.
Every year our board in the US sends a container down with things for the teams and medical supplies for the clinic. This will be my third container to help unload and get in the boxes in the proper place. It is getting more difficult to get the container out of the port because of government paper work. Tonight there will be lots of trucks and people from the villages along with the staff to help unload the boxes. Every year, it has rained while we unloaded the container, maybe this year it will wait until we are finished unloading.
We have a team from Vicksburg coming on Saturday and they need the sewing machines and materials that are on the container. One of the things they will do is conduct sewing classes for the people so they can make uniforms and hopefully establish a way to earn some money for their families. They will help to plant a garden in a village, install a water purification system and have Bible School. The team is also building a house for Walter and his family. Walter is about 9 years old and lives with his family in two small rooms. Walter has a disability that keeps him from walking, talking or any of the things that we would consider normal for his age, but he has the biggest smile and loves everyone. His mother carries him every where and he is getting really big. They have a wheel chair but the two rooms are too small for the chair to be used except outside. They have no bathroom but the new house will have a bathroom large enough for the chair to be rolled into the shower. Isn't God good?
We have a new staff member this year. Her name is Angie Rodrigues from San Pedro Sula. She finished dental school and all medical graduates in Honduras have to work for one year at a government approved facility without pay. She is living in the apartment with me and I think we are doing well. She is a pretty young woman, who speaks very fluent English(Thank you Lord). She has never been away from her family so I hope my being here will make her feel more comfortable. I enjoy being here by myself after working all day but she is young and not use to being by herself. Her father calls every night to make sure she is alright. Angie also taught English for three years so she and I are going to have English classes for the staff.
All the staff members are doing well. Lesly and I went to the doctor to have her eye checked and I think she got a pretty good report. Evis is busy working of grades for the students that are sponsored through the education program. Joseph is trying to keep the internet going and all the computers. The medical staff is working hard to see the regular patients and get ready for the group that is coming.
On Saturday, I went to a retreat with the ladies Bible Study group led by Henry's wife, Hemi and her sister Loyda. Loyda led the discussion by comparing the ladies to flowers and how they have some of the same traits. We all had to locate a flower, which is not hard to do here. Then we had to describe some of the properties of the flower. The ladies had a wonderful time. Some of them brought their children and they played well while their mothers listened to Loyda. We played games and ate and swam in the river. There was one lady there that had a boy around 12 years old that had be held all the time because he couldn't communicate and would leave the group if she didn't hold on to him. She also had to feed him at mealtime. She doesn't have any help and has to work to put food on the table. I was amazed at how well she handled him and how much she loved him and provided for all his needs... just like God does for us.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
April 26, 2011
Good Morning Everyone,
It is very early in the morning but I couldn't sleep and decided I needed to write in my blog while thoughts were going around in my head. I have to go to the hospital in a few hours to sit with a family of a friend while my friend has serious surgery. I woke up thinking how God puts people in our lives for a special reason and sometimes we don't know ever know why until later or ever. He put her in my life to teach me things that I needed to learn. She has listened and encouraged me many times when I needed support.
I love living in Honduras and working for Salt and Light but I have days that I get lonesome and wonder why I am there and not at home in the US. I really miss my family, friends and church family but I know I am where God wants me. I think about all the missionaries that served before they didn't have internet and cell phones and had no communication with their friends and families. That was hard...they knew they were doing God's work but having no way to talk to friends had to be difficult. It is so wonderful to be able to call someone that speaks English and is a friend and have them give you words of support and encouragement when things are not going well or when the Devil is trying to get to you.
I am very blessed with Godly family and friends, here and in Honduras and I thank God for their support and love.
Yesterday, I was blessed again by a phone call from a young lady that I taught over 30 years ago. We could have talked for hours and did. She told me about her family and her work in a large church as director of missions and I am so grateful that I have her back in my life. She told me about some of the other students I taught and where they are now. It was just such a blessing to talk to her and share experiences with her. God has put the love of missions in her heart. He has also put her back in my life for a reason. It was so good to hear the love of the Lord in her words while we talked.
Please pray for my friend as she has surgery this morning and pray for me as I get ready to go back to Honduras.
Love,
Carolyn
It is very early in the morning but I couldn't sleep and decided I needed to write in my blog while thoughts were going around in my head. I have to go to the hospital in a few hours to sit with a family of a friend while my friend has serious surgery. I woke up thinking how God puts people in our lives for a special reason and sometimes we don't know ever know why until later or ever. He put her in my life to teach me things that I needed to learn. She has listened and encouraged me many times when I needed support.
I love living in Honduras and working for Salt and Light but I have days that I get lonesome and wonder why I am there and not at home in the US. I really miss my family, friends and church family but I know I am where God wants me. I think about all the missionaries that served before they didn't have internet and cell phones and had no communication with their friends and families. That was hard...they knew they were doing God's work but having no way to talk to friends had to be difficult. It is so wonderful to be able to call someone that speaks English and is a friend and have them give you words of support and encouragement when things are not going well or when the Devil is trying to get to you.
I am very blessed with Godly family and friends, here and in Honduras and I thank God for their support and love.
Yesterday, I was blessed again by a phone call from a young lady that I taught over 30 years ago. We could have talked for hours and did. She told me about her family and her work in a large church as director of missions and I am so grateful that I have her back in my life. She told me about some of the other students I taught and where they are now. It was just such a blessing to talk to her and share experiences with her. God has put the love of missions in her heart. He has also put her back in my life for a reason. It was so good to hear the love of the Lord in her words while we talked.
Please pray for my friend as she has surgery this morning and pray for me as I get ready to go back to Honduras.
Love,
Carolyn
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Rubenia
I wanted to put a picture of Rubenia on my blog so all of you could see the results of our journey for a new leg for her. She returned to Honduras on February 11 with Dr. Brannon who arranged for the leg. Rubenia or Ruby as most people call her now is doing really well with her new leg. She is continuing therapy to make the muscle in her leg stronger but she can walk, run, jump and swim almost as well as she did before. Ruby didn't really understand why we thought she should get a prosthesis but now that she has it, she is very happy with it. She is back in bilingual school in Puerto Cortes and doing well. I am sure the fact that she has learned English so well while she was in the states is helping her in school.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
March 13, 2011
Meadow Grove Baptist Church arrived yesterday, it is so good to see everyone. We sat in traffic yesterday for over an hour just trying to get out of San Pedro Sula. It was my first time to drive a team back from the airport so 6 peoples got a new and different experience. I have driven in San Pedro with Henry or Joseph but never by myself. We made it fine, no problems.
Today we had devotion on the lake and then all went to Calvary Chapel to church. After lunch, we took the team to the water fall and some of them did the zip line.
Rubenia called me today and she will be here next weekend to spend the night. I haven't seen her except for the airport when she returned from the US. We will go shopping for gifts for her family. She is walking so well on her new leg and seems to be very happy with it. She didn't think that she needed one at first and thought people would stare at her.
Tomorrow all the team will go to a new village in the mountains called La Mica where they will build a church and a house. I will go with the water team and work on some of our purification sites.
Pray for us as the Lord leads us into new experiences next week. Pray for safety and guidance and a love for the people.
Today we had devotion on the lake and then all went to Calvary Chapel to church. After lunch, we took the team to the water fall and some of them did the zip line.
Rubenia called me today and she will be here next weekend to spend the night. I haven't seen her except for the airport when she returned from the US. We will go shopping for gifts for her family. She is walking so well on her new leg and seems to be very happy with it. She didn't think that she needed one at first and thought people would stare at her.
Tomorrow all the team will go to a new village in the mountains called La Mica where they will build a church and a house. I will go with the water team and work on some of our purification sites.
Pray for us as the Lord leads us into new experiences next week. Pray for safety and guidance and a love for the people.
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