Remember the saga of the Personeria Juridica (tax exempt in Honduras)? Nickolas met with the lawers last week and heres the latest. They can't go any further at this time because my residency expired last year when we were in the States due to the political crisis. I guess it's irrelavent that when we started this process it was not nesessary that I be a resident. It seems like they are always looking for a reason, any reason, not to make a decision and move forward. Their solution would be to make someone president who currently is a resident!!!??? I don't think so.
This summer, Alyssa and I had an amazing opportunity to visit “Gathering Hearts for Honduras,” a misson in a village between San Pedro Sula and Puerto Cortes, Honduras. Our friends, Gary and Cheryl Kuney moved to Honduras with their children in 1999 after Hurricane Mitch devastated the country. The Kuneys long to help young Hunduran men and women learn a trade so that they can earn a living. In addition, they have a vision to help disciple new converts, and train pastors that they might be empowered by the Word of God to win their villages for Christ. Gary hopes that the Hondurans can find “God’s Dream” for their lives instead of risking their lives and abandoning their families in search of the illusive “American Dream.”
Ministry opportunities abound at the Gathering Hearts mission center including sewing classes for women, Bible classes for preschoolers, Computer and English classes for teens and young adults, Vo-Tech classes for men as well as medical missions, agricultural projects and church planting opportunities. Although we did not know what we were getting into when we planned our trip, the Lord helped us to pack leftover VBS crafts and Avon products, as well as soap samples which were donated by a local doctor. We worked out a “tag team” ministry schedule in which Alyssa and I would visit different classes throughout each day. Alyssa led the women in a Bible study on the strength of Esther and taught the ladies how to make bracelets.
The ladies are in the process of making purses so we were able to show them a website put together by the Women of the Heartline Ministries Sewing Program by which Haitian women sell purses online and through purse parties. (www.haitiancreations.com). Alyssa is pictured here next to the sewing instructor, Norma, and ladies of one of the sewing classes.
She also practiced her Spanish by reading “La Historia de Jesus” to the preschoolers and helped them with crafts. Those kids really know how to sing; and their teacher, Mirna, trains them to memorize scripture. We were armed with our bilingual Bibles, but couldn’t begin to keep up with those kids!
Alyssa and I both enjoyed working with the Computer and English classes and were warmly welcomed by their Honduran teacher, Nelson, who is very fluent in English but concerned about his accent and pronunciation. I was sure to teach the students the proper pronunciation for the words “red” (ray-ed) and “ten” (ti-un) which my Ohio students don’t seem to understand either. We had many opportunities to share testimonies and scriptures.
In addition to working with the ministries at Gathering Hearts, we traveled to Los Palmos School, a nearby public school, and presented a Science/Bible lesson and craft activity for the children. This experience was the most heart breaking of our encounters. We learned that all Honduran children must wear school uniforms and furnish school supplies for their teachers. If the children cannot afford the uniforms or supplies, they simply cannot attend school. At the school we visited, there were children hanging around looking in the windows, hoping to be a part of the school activities. Alyssa passed the crafts through the windows to them to let them feel included.
Another opportunity we had was to help Gary distribute Tylenol to the people of the jungle in response to the current endemic of Dengue Fever. Dengue infection is transmitted by mosquitoes and is the leading cause of illness and death in the tropics and subtropics. While we were protected by various brands of bug spray, the Honduran mothers were armed only with branches or rags to fan the mosquitoes away from their children. In the jungle we met two men who were former gang members but had given their lives to the Lord. Please pray for their continued protection and discipleship.
Gary has many connections with the village pastors and hopes to set up a satellite system at the Gathering Hearts mission center to bring in training videos for the local pastors. Gary and Cheryl also welcome various medical mission teams from the United States and work to find charitable hospitals and/or doctors who would provide medical care for seriously ill patients. They are also planning to build a dormitory on their property to house mission teams to keep expenses down for those volunteers. For more information about helping and prayer opportunities visit www.gatheringhearts.org.
Though San Pedro Sula is one of the most dangerous cities in Central America, we were safe in God’s hands during our trip. With wisdom, Gary employs Honduran guards for the mission center. You may have heard of the “Three Amigos”, but pictured left is the “Three Amarillos”-- Guard Nikolas, Gary and Jeanette on an outing to visit Mayan ruins in Copan. (Amarillo is the Spanish word for yellow and “Amarillo is mi color favorito!”)
The last couple of days I have given Nicholas several extra things to do, like sending mail to Amy; picking up a car part from our courier service; having a meeting with our attorney. He doesn't complain but he made a point today to let me know that with all three vehicles down he's having to take the bus and do a lot of walking. Hopefully will have one of those vehicles back on the road in just a few days. I don't know if I mentioned it but he was able to get the air-conditioning for the computer lab fixed for about $65.
Yesterday I was talking with Larry Voight and Jim Redyke about my wanting to bring Nickolas to the US next spring. I really think it's important for him to see the ministry from this side so he can get an appreciation for all of the work, prayer, and planning that are part of the ministry here. I am also very eager for him to meet our coworkers here and for you all to meet him, if you have not already done so. I am thinking that maybe he could come during the mission emphasis week at First United Methodist Church here in Tulsa. I have been sort of testing the waters with him to see if he would be interested in making a trip. I think he would. A couple weeks ago I asked him if he has ever flown. He said only in a helicopter when he was guarding the president of Honduras. I get the impression he would not want to stay very long, perhaps a week or 10 days.
I was thinking yesterday that our life was a lot easier when we lived most of the year in Honduras. Nearly all of our expenses were for ministry so we didn't have to keep separate accounts for here and there. We were under the umbrella of Bridge the Gap International and they took care of tax exempting donations. We had only a couple of employees; and when we returned to the States we stayed in missionary housing. It's a lot easier to move right into a nicely furnished mission house than to start all over again setting up and furnishing our own home. But, so much for the nostalgia. Cheryl came back this afternoon after a meeting with Paula Sutton and her report was so exciting; and there've been many other exciting meetings as well. Getting bigger is more work but the benefits we are seeing both here and in Honduras make it worthwhile many times over. We wouldn't trade it for anything.
Another topic this morning was all the problems we are having with our vehicles. When I got home I had an e-mail from Nicolas in which he described yet another situation. It seems that he is now having problems with the steering on pickup, our only vehicle that still working. All these car problems reaffirm the fact that we need to make some changes. We are spending altogether too much money on repairs. Nicholas also has another problem; the air conditioner in the computer lab is shorting out and will likewise need repair. Always plenty to pray about.
This morning I attended the weekly meeting of some of the businessmen from First Methodist Church here in Tulsa which meets at Larry Voight's house. It's always a very encouraging time. They have an interest in what we are doing in Honduras and it's always fulfilling to me to bring them up-to-date. This morning I talked about the program we are trying to put together that will result in our people producing goods that can be marketed here in the United States. We also talked about the new church in the village; Rosel, our new shop teacher; and a variety of other things. It was good to be able to talk with Larry and Jim Redyke as they have been with us almost from the start of the construction of the mission center. Every time I attend that 7 AM meeting I come away encouraged.
We began the process of gaining tax exempt status in Honduras in 2006; and though we have it in the States, we still don't have it in Honduras. I wrote to Nicholas this morning and asked him to begin once again applying some subtle pressure. It seems like nothing happens unless we stay right in front of them. Every time we have been almost there some sort of crisis occurs that prevents it. We almost had it last year when the political crisis occurred which put everything back to zero. There are several reasons why we need the exemption, but the most important is to be exempt from paying Honduras property taxes which can become expensive.
Michael and I went for a walk tonight and the exercise felt good. Less than six months ago I weighed 105 pounds and had spent two months either in bed or in the recliner. Thanks to all for your prayers. I am now up to 135 pounds and am almost back to normal with regard to my energy level.
There is another project in process that is very important to us. When Amy 9our daughter) presents a concert these days she is selling, among other things, these rubber bracelets that are so popular with the kids, and is donating all proceeds to Gathering Hearts for Honduras to purchase medications for children who have dengue. She has asked for and we will get thank you notes from those kids who receive these medications. The notes will include their e-mail so that contributors can correspond with them. Please pray for this project also.