Day 6 - Thursday, July 5th

Thursday was bittersweet to say the least.  It was our last “ministry” day in Honduras and we knew that the next time the sun rose we would have to part ways with the people here and the fellow team members that had become family.

Unfortunately, my camera broke that morning so I was not able to take any pictures for the remainder of the trip, but I did post a few that were taken by my daughter, Ashtyn and fellow team member, Ryan Smith.  Thanks!

Thursday morning we headed out from Cantarranas in trucks to the base of a mountain near the village of Bartolo.  We had to stop at the base of the mountain so that the two trucks could go back to Cantarranas and pick up the rest of the team.  Most places on our trip were reachable with the two 4 wheel drive trucks and diesel van that shuttled us around, but the road up the mountain to Bartolo is usually only travelled by foot and by horseback.  With the van out of the question, half of the team hiked the 2 mile road up the mountain by foot, while the other half were taken all the way up in the trucks. 

This was not your ordinary hike in the woods either.  Remember, this road is normally only passable by horse or 4 wheel drive vehicle and there were some pretty steep grades.  Fortunately, the Lord allowed the weather to be overcast that day and it was only around 80-85 degrees as best I can remember.  The temperature also got a little cooler as the elevation increased.

The village of Bartolo, from what we could see was simply a collection of adobe brick houses scattered a few hundred feet apart along the slope of a mountain.  Upon cresting the final hill of our hike, the road widened to an area in the midst of the houses.  There was a church and feeding center up the mountain to our right and a one room schoolhouse down the mountain to our left. 

The half of our team taken up in the trucks was already there.  Some of them were at the church and some of them were at the school.  I grabbed Ashtyn and headed straight for the school.  The children were outside and I knew this would probably be where we would find Gabriel.  Gabriel Eduardo Pineda Cardona is the 9 year old boy our family supports through Touch A Life.  We were able to meet him for the first time when we were in this same village last year. 

He was there, so Ashtyn and I greeted him a warm hug.  I found it strange at the time that he only smiled once the entire time we were there.  Now, I do understand, after it was later explained to me by someone on staff with Touch A Life that some of the children are overwhelmed when groups of strangers suddenly arrive in their village with gifts and hugs for everyone.  It makes a lot of sense now that I think about it.

We found one of our team members to translate for us and explained to him that we were his sponsors and had met him last year.  He said he remembered us and this seemed to set him at ease a good bit.  We also inquired about his brothers and sister.  We knew from his letters that he had one older brother – 11, one younger brother – 7, and a younger sister – 3.  We met his younger brother last year and looked forward to meeting the rest of them if possible. 

He called over his younger brother and older brother and we all sat down together on the ground to talk.  He told us that his mother would be there soon with his younger sister, and to our surprise, his 11 month old baby brother!  There were several parents at the feeding center when we met Gabriel for the first time last year and we were disappointed to not meet his mother.  Now we know why – she was 8 months pregnant a year ago, and their home is a good long walk from the feeding center!

Gabriel’s mother arrived at the feeding center a short time after we sat down to talk, and we were able to speak with her also.  She told us they lived in a one room adobe block house with a dirt floor and clay tile roof, very similar to the ones we could see in the village.  They do not have a bathroom or running water – except for a garden hose.  Their furniture consists of a wooden table, a plastic chair, and 2 beds.  The beds are constructed with a wooden frame covered by ropes and a straw mat for a mattress. 

We knew from Gabriel’s letters that his father has been very ill for a long time because he asks us to pray for him in just about every letter we have received.  His mother confirmed this and explained a little further.  She told us he works in the fields on a farm whenever possible, but has suffered from some sort of abdominal pain for several years.  He has frequent headaches that often bring him to the point of tears. 

By this point, Ashtyn and I are also in tears and wishing there was more we could do to help this family.  Ashtyn did do more.  When she learned that Gabriel’s youngest brother, Esgar, does not yet have a sponsor, she stepped up.  Yes, God is using the compassion of a 16 year old girl from the United States, with only a part time job, to help this 7 year old boy have a hot meal every day, uniforms for school, and an education.  Words do not exist to express how proud I am of Ashtyn, but she would agree that the praise must go to God!  He is our Provider!

The feeding center here is basically a covered porch on the front of the church building with an adjoining room to store and prepare the food.  The church property is surrounded by a tall chain link fence, and it is heartbreaking to know why this fence had to be erected.  Before the fence was erected, the children without sponsors would stand to the side and wait for the leftovers from the children who did have sponsors.  The only problem was, the children without sponsors were literally fighting the stray dogs to get the scraps of food that had fallen to the ground.  The fence stopped this fighting.  Again, praise God for the funds that allowed this fence to be built.

We had another church service with the people of Bartolo before we left and we were able to hear the children there sing and quote Scripture.  They do not have much, but they worship our Creator at the top of their lungs.  Pastor Santos is doing a wonderful job leading and teaching the people here.  Ashtyn and I had the neat opportunity to sit with Gabriel's family during the service.  Before we left we were able to distribute the remainder of the flip-flops, clothes, goody bags for the children, and leftover markers from VBS.  We also had a pinata and candy that the children enjoyed tearing into.

My heart still aches for Gabriel and his family, but I know that in a very small way, we are able to help make a difference in the quality of their lives by sponsoring him. Glory be to God for allowing us to do this!

Our trip was short, but I know that God will use it to make a lasting impact on the hearts and lives of those who went.  We were able to witness firsthand how His word is being spread to many souls in Honduras.  Praise be Him for this life-changing opportunity!!

Day 5 - Wednesday, July 4th

On Wednesday we visited a school in a small village called Pedregal and then went back the feeding center in Cantarranas for VBS.

First thing that morning, Ashtyn and I had a really neat surprise at breakfast.  We had the privilege of meeting Pastor Erwin Salgado, the national preacher we sponsor through Final Frontiers.  He is actually the youth pastor of a church in Tegucigalpa.  That morning, Pastor Erwin and Pastor Elmer Umanzor (the senior pastor of their church) had driven out to Cantarranas to meet us.  We spoke for a while before breakfast about the work he does for their church and the 80 + children and teens in their youth group.  He thanked us for our support and shared with us that our sponsorship helps in allowing him to feed his family while serving their church fulltime.  What an honor it was to meet him and hear about his ministry!

After breakfast we all loaded back up into the faithful 4 wheel drive trucks and van that delivered us from village to village and headed out for Pedregal.  We visited a school in this village last year to distribute bags of food and were burdened by what the school principal told us.  She basically said, “I have considered becoming a Christian, but I have not, because many religious groups will visit with a promise to return, but they never do.” After our visit last year, Final Frontiers did return, and faithful Pastor Wilson (yes, the man with 5 other churches) has been working to establish a church here for the past year.

We went back to Pedregal and visited the same school and the same principal we met last year.  Upon our arrival, she assembled all the students into a courtyard so we could all fit.  Some of the group from Harvest Baptist in Lugoff, SC had prepared a presentation for the kids to describe the state of South Carolina and also present the Gospel.  It was a real treat for the kids to learn firsthand about the places we came from.

After the presentation, we sang a few songs for them and then passed out balloons and goodie bags.  We were able to spend a good long time here just playing and interacting with the kids.  Before leaving, we went out into the village beside the school and distributed Gospel tracts to everyone we came into contact with.  As in most places here, the people were very gracious and well receptive of the Gospel.  Sadly, this was in stark contrast to the closed doors and indifferent hearts of many in the United States.

Please pray for the school principal and people of Suyapa.  If I understand correctly, I do not believe she has received Christ yet.  Please also pray as Pastor Wilson continues to establish a church here.

After the visit in Pedregal, we headed back to the feeding center in Cantarranas just in time to help again.  What a blessing to see Wendy faithfully sharing God’s word before their meal each day!  A few of the children from the feeding center hung around and we got to play games and color with them until time for VBS to start.  One fella that caught my heart was named David.  I remember him from last year and believe he has a learning disability; therefore, he cannot attend school.  He had a couple of bruises and a cut on his face, but his smile and heart were very warm.  Please pray for David.

David is on the far right

That afternoon we had the final day of VBS for the children of Cantarranas.  Race Day!! The crowd on Wednesday was just as big, if not bigger than the day before.  With 600+ children and parents packed into the room, Pastor Prosser gave a message and we sang more songs before the race started.  The track was already set up in the middle of the room and the children crowded around it with excitement.  They listened intently as we called out the names they had written on the bottom of their cars before each heat.

After 143 heats in the race, there was a winner for 1st – 6th place.  The prizes ranged from small trophies, to soccer balls, to big bags of food, among other things.  It was good to see that the parents for several of the winners were in attendance to share in the big day and help make sure the prizes stayed with their children. Unfortunately, I do not have many pictures of the race because I was busy with crowd control before, during, and after the race.  I’ll try to post a few from the others in the group in the near future if possible.

To say that distributing all the cars to their rightful owners was a “challenge” might be an understatement, but we managed as best we could.  It was well worth it to see all the fun the children were able to have and all the seeds that were planted in hearts that day.

Please continue to pray that the seeds we planted in Pedregal and Cantarranas on Wednesday will flourish and souls will be saved!

Stay tuned for the update from our last day - Thursday.  It is hard to pick one day as the most touching, but Thursday would definitely be in a tie at the top.

The Round Blue Hat

Before the church service in Sabaneta on Tuesday afternoon, a few of us wandered a little further up the dirt road to a beautiful lookout over the valley.  As we were taking pictures of the view, a very elderly gentleman carefully made his way down the hill behind us and was resting at the base of a huge tree.  He was wearing a blue shirt, blue trousers, and a dirty hat he probably wore most of the day.  


A couple of us walked over to say hello and the man started speaking to us in Spanish.  Since none of us in the group that wandered up the hill spoke fluent Spanish, we tried to tell him that we did not understand, but he kept talking and talking.  Since he did not seem to mind that we could not understand, we did not try to stop him and just smiled and listened.


Brad Brazell (a fellow team member from Harvest Baptist) and I tried to pick out a few of the words we could recognize as he continued to speak. Confirmed by the tears in the elderly man’s eyes and his hand gestures toward Heaven, we had a pretty good idea that he was talking about God and Salvation.

(click the images for slideshow view)

The man carried a cane and as he pointed to his legs, we were able to make out that he was either injured or just not as young as he used to be – we later found out from a Spanish speaking member of our group that he was 86 years old and has been a Christian for over 20 years.  


The man also carried a large plastic bag with him that contained his Bible, a pair of reading glasses with only one lens, and what appeared to be a piece of blue cloth.  I asked to look at his Bible and thumbed through the worn, well-read pages over to John 3:16.  As soon as I showed him the verse I had looked up, he started weeping again, pointing toward Heaven, and talking again of “Jesús Cristo mi Salvador” or Jesus Christ my Savior.  By this point, after being witness to the passion and love this elderly man had for Christ, several of us were wiping the tears from our own eyes - despite the language barrier.


The man went with us slowly back down the hill for the church service and it was then that we realized the blue cloth in his bag was actually his “church” hat.  Before entering the church, he replaced his dirty work hat with this round blue hat from his bag.  The way it was stitched reminded me of an old military side cap or garrison cap, but the material was soft, very worn, and had lost its original shape.  I’m not certain of this, but I can only imagine that this carefully protected hat was his way of showing reverence when entering God’s house.  


I’m sure he doesn’t have a Sunday suit and tie set aside for church like many of us do in the states, but just by removing his dirty work hat and replacing it with this round blue hat he is showing reverence to his “Salvador” that he loved so dearly.  


If I could see this man again, I would thank him for his impact on those of us that had the fortune of walking a little further up the hill that day in Sabaneta and the impression his sweet spirit made on me.

Day 4 - Tuesday, July 3rd

With a visit to the feeding center in Sabaneta, VBS in Cantarranas, and a church service in Suyapa, Tuesday was incredibly busy.  We started the morning off by setting up for the first day of VBS to be held that afternoon.  It was a Grand Prix theme with many of the decorations and supplies used for a pine wood derby.

The cars we used were a blessing in and of themselves!  Last year we ordered and took with us about 100 pre-cut cars, but we ran out when more than 300 kids showed up.  This year we had roughly 400 hand-made pine race cars that were donated for our trip. These were not ordered over the Internet or out of a catalog, but hand-made as a ministry by one of the men from our church.


Having everything set up for VBS that afternoon, around 10 am or so we loaded back up in the trucks and headed to the village of Sabaneta.  Halfway up the mountainside sits one of the churches under Pastor Wilson’s care; beside it, the feeding center that was completed in the past year.  What a blessing to see the finished building and so many children that will benefit from it!

As in most places we visited, we distributed many more flip-flops, clothes, and goodie bags for the kids.  We made balloon animals and just enjoyed seeing all the smiling faces.  We also had a church service with the children, parents, and other adults that showed up at the feeding center while we were there.  Our group sang in Spanish and English and the children from the feeding center also sang.

It was a real blessing to be able to worship with fellow believers in another language.  Pastor Wilson speaks very little English, but you can tell by his enthusiasm the passion he has for Christ and his compassion for the people of his country.  Before leaving, we set up a piñata for the kids and it was clearly evident that a child’s love for candy is universal!  You could tell by their excitement how grateful they were that we had come to visit! 

We left Sabaneta around 2pm and had to be back to the feeding center in Cantarranas before the first day of Bible School at 3pm.  Wow, what a turnout!  We used every one of the 400 + wooden race cars that we brought and it was just enough.  There were scores of parents that also showed up.  The room where we had VBS was roughly 40 ft x 60 ft and we packed almost 600 people in there with no air conditioning, but there was a really good breeze blowing through the big open windows.  As I think about it now, with the excitement in the room and seeing all the fun the children were having, we didn’t really notice the heat at all.  

To keep some sort of order, we had the boys sitting on the floor on one side of the room and the girls sitting on the other side of the room with an isle between them – the youngest ones in the front.  We had songs, Bible lessons, puppets, and games for most of the time.  About halfway through, we passed out all the wooden race cars and colored markers so the boys and girls could decorate them.  They had a blast doing this and some of them were really creative!
  

At the end, we passed out candy as they were leaving, which was quite an interesting task in and of itself!  Imagine 400 children rushing toward the door to get candy and trying to use only a few words of Spanish to control the mass exodus toward our very brave team members distributing the candy!  We did have a few on the team that spoke Spanish, but they could not be everywhere at once.  It was wild and crazy, but we enjoyed every minute of it!
   

Tuesday evening we were able to go with Pastor Wilson back to the village of Suyapa to join in their weekly church service.  This time we took with us all of the food bags that we assembled on Saturday and a piñata for the children.  What a sweet time we had with the people that evening during the service.

The church service we had with them is not quite what we consider “church” back in the states.  If you remember from my description of our first visit to Suyapa on Sunday when we showed the movie, these people do not have a building to worship in.  We were all gathered underneath some large trees, along a one lane dirt road with barbed wire fences on either side.  The neat part about it was that just behind one of the fences is the piece of land that was recently purchased so that a church can be built!  It almost felt like a dedication service for that small piece of land the Lord has blessed them with.  Mark Andrews from Providence preached and Tim Posey translated for him.  Pastor Wilson also led the people in songs and again, I was truly humbled by the passion and sincerity of His love for God.  

After the service, we strung up Dora the Explorer in a tree.  No, not a person, the piñata we brought looked like Dora the cartoon character.  To me, it was somewhat comical, but since this village is too poor to have TV, I doubt the boys and girls in this village have ever even seen the Dora cartoon.  They were mainly interested in all the candy that was stuffed inside!

Before leaving, we were able to pass out the food bags that we had assembled earlier in the week.  From what I understand, this is a crucial part of establishing a church here.  These food bags, which will feed a family for a week, let the people know that they are cared for, loved, and more than just numbers on a report.  It showed that their physical needs are just as important as their spiritual needs.  


As I sit here and write this, back at home, back in the comfort and bounty that I have taken for granted so many times in the past, I cannot help but think – who will help feed these people next week or two weeks from now or next month?  What more can my family do to help meet the physical and spiritual needs of those less fortunate? Not just in exotic places around the world, but right here at home also.


Arriving back in Cantarranas that night, our day was not yet finished.  There were 400 race cars that needed wheels put on them.  That's 1600 axles and wheels that had to be hammered in by hand!  To our dismay, there was only one hammer in a toolbox at the feeding center so we reverted to times of old and used rocks, the floor, a table, whatever we could find to hammer the 4 axles and wheels into the cars. I can only imagine what was going through the mind of anyone passing by the feeding center that night.  It must have sounded like we were building The Ark!