Today's games presented the opportunity to unveil the new Gathering Hearts soccer shirts and equipment that were made possible by Richard and Gayla Dixon, members of First United Methodist in Tulsa and the Carpenters Class. Richard worked with FUMC member Jim Blazer and Eskimo Joe Promotions on the new shirts that sported a newly designed Spanish-language Gathering Hearts logo. When the apparel was passed out prior to the games, it was discovered that the new shirts also came with an Eskimo Joe sticker on the back. Those items proved so popular that the players refused to remove them until they were either torn or sweated off.
Day two at the Gathering Hearts Mission brought many medical patients and participants in the women's and children's ministries. By day's end, 92 villagers have been fitted with eyeglasses over the last two days and our physician Dr. Bill Dudney and pharmacist Mike Freeland treated dozens of patients. Meanwhile, Ellen LaGrone continued her work with Nelson Osorto and his students who are learning English. A highlight of the day was observing a four-team soccer exhibition on the concrete pads Gary and Cheryl Kuney hope to acquire to turn into a traditional field that will allow their soccer ministry to expand. Already, soccer tournaments have been successful ... one drew 12 teams and hundreds of villagers as observers. That day the sidelines turned into a giant tailgate party with tamales and frijoles served under thatched-roof shelters. Pastor Nelson Baptista -- as he always does in the soccer ministry -- used the occasion to share the gospel and relate to the young players who may otherwise be attracted to join area gangs.
Today's games presented the opportunity to unveil the new Gathering Hearts soccer shirts and equipment that were made possible by Richard and Gayla Dixon, members of First United Methodist in Tulsa and the Carpenters Class. Richard worked with FUMC member Jim Blazer and Eskimo Joe Promotions on the new shirts that sported a newly designed Spanish-language Gathering Hearts logo. When the apparel was passed out prior to the games, it was discovered that the new shirts also came with an Eskimo Joe sticker on the back. Those items proved so popular that the players refused to remove them until they were either torn or sweated off. Stillwater junior high girls are pen pals with the private school girls. Gary handed out 30 gifts and it turned out that everyone received a gift. This has turned out to be a great way to minister to these young girls.
Sunday was our second baptismal service at Templo Evangelico Emanuel where six people were baptized. These baptisms are giving strength to the village church. Yesterday, Wednesday, Cheryl had her procedure done on her kidney; it is too soon to tell if it is going to work. Also yesterday Nicolas took Jose, the man in our church with cancer, to El Salvador to see his doctor who uses naturopathy. Nicolas said it went well. I got a call today from Nicolas saying that pastor Batista’s wife, Juliza, is in the hospital with symptoms that appear serious.
Over the weekend we put out notices that our nurse, Dina, would be here twice a week. Yesterday she saw 15 patients. She came back today specifically to get the medications organized, and she had several more patients. It looks like this is going to become an important part of the Ministry.
This morning Nickolas and I went up to the private school and handed out pen pal gifts that were sent by Stephanie Weckler's group in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For the first time that I can remember, we had a gift for everyone and there were none left over; and there was only one substitution. Today I spent time both morning and afternoon with Nelson's English classes. In the afternoon class he was able to speak mostly English; and in the morning class, which is less advanced, so a little of both. This afternoon we had another session with the lawyer on our tax status. Seems like we spend a lot of time on that but we are making good progress. Gary Our team from Oklahoma State University had their first full day of work yesterday, and it was a full day indeed. The education team was in the public school and addressed eight different classes. The monitoring team visited 26 houses in Seis de Mayo that have filters. They interviewed the users, took water samples and in 24 hours will have a read on the success of the project. The construction team spent their day getting ready to teach interested persons how to build a filter. Today the three groups are continuing on in their individual areas; all be going well.
Evangelist Temple (our church) and the Gathering Hearts for Honduras computer/English school combined to have soccer day. There were approximately 100 players and another 100 spectators in attendance. The day began with a message by Pastor Batista. Afterward the 12 teams, including both teenage boys and girls, began playing at 9 AM, and two by two played straight through until 5 PM. Play was in the form of a tournament with trophies for both guys and girls. Lunch was provided by Evangelistic Temple; there were two tables with different kinds of food. The proceeds from one table went back to the church; proceeds from the other table were used to buy food for the poor. As with all such events, the purpose of the day was to introduce people the new church and invite them to attend.
Last week we had a bit of a scare. It looked as if Nelson and Juliza Batista were going to have to return permanently to Venezuela on March 26. In the meantime we have gotten a lawyer involved. It appears that conditions might be met by the Batistas going over the Guatemalan border every 90 days while they are here. However, the regulations change frequently and we have no guarantees. Please continue to pray. Nelson and Juliza Batista arrived in San Pedro Sula at 8:30 Saturday evening, 26th of January. Even though we had never seen them, we had no problem recognizing each other; there was an immediate feeling of kinship. We are so very grateful to the Southern Reform Church in Kalamazoo and to First Fruits Ministry in Tulsa with their pastor, Eleazar Bermudez in Venezuela to help make this possible.
We spent that first night at the Paz Family hotel in San Pedro and then Sunday morning we took them out to our house in Los Portales for a time of discussion and prayer. In talking to Nelson it is very clear that he has had experience in developing a church and leading its people into discipleship. An hour before the service at our village church, one of the members brought a meal for all of us, including the Paz family. Again it was a good time of fellowship and a further opportunity to get to know the pastor and his wife before the service began at 3 PM. Nelson did not preach this first Sunday; actually this was Selvin’s (Luis’s son-in-law) last Sunday to preach for a while. Nelson and Juliza did introduce themselves, gave information about their background and their plans while they are here. Since the parsonage is not yet finished the Batista’s are staying at the Paz Hotel in San Pedro Sula. Gathering Hearts donated a significant amount to get the parsonage finished. Thirteen years ago this week, Gary and I and four of our five children arrived in Honduras to start work with a ministry that was to build an institute south of San Pedro Sula. That ministry left that year, but as God would have it, we remained and begun a work in a “jungle” like area north of San Pedro where we have developed a ministry to the impoverished campo people. Looking back we marvel at God’s goodness to us in building a mission center that houses vo-tech schools, Bible/English classes, a feeding kitchen, children’s program, medical and dental clinics and twelve employees. And it is also our home. There is now a church, and we are close to filling the pulpit with a trained and called pastor. This gives us faith to look forward as we hope to build dormitories, finish construction on a production center where the very poor can earn a living, and continue building houses for the homeless. Between these lines are numerous obstacles to all of the above. And we have and do now face fierce warfare, but we would have never seen this side of God if we had remained in our comfort zone. Our work is prayer. We pray and show up and we look to God to manifest His Glory. Please continue to pray for us as we meet the challenges.
Gary and I enjoyed being with other Honduran missionaries during the Missionary Conference last week-end, Sept. 27th-29th. . A Pastor Steve Johnson, president of Latin American Mission, was the speaker and his messages focused on forgiveness. It is great fellowship to join with such kindred spirits of missionaries from all over Honduras. Many of the missionaries that we started with are now gone and we miss them; but we were encouraged that there are several young couples that have started mission work here in Honduras. Today we are to meet with the leadership of the water filtration system who have been part of the Oklahoma State University Engineers without Borders engineers water filtration systems. Water filters are still being constructed by the locals and we are encouraged that this is an ongoing project. Also today, we are to pick up our Ford van that broke down on us last week. With putting in so much money in repairs, we feel it is time that we pray for God to supply a pick-up truck and either sell or donate this Ford van. We were able to finally get the government issued license plates and use the newer van to make the trip to the capital for our residency legal work and then on to the missionary conference. Saturday,Gary and I went out to the very impoverished area of El Sauce and did “storying” , a method of evangelizing in third world countries. We simply give a Bible story, but leave the story unfinished until the next time to build suspense. We just stood out in the street and gathered people around us by Gary playing the guitar and singing. It was not long before there were about 15 + people. The session ends with an invitation to Christ. We hope this will be a weekly Saturday afternoon event.
Cheryl and Gary arrived safely in Tulsa, Monday August 27 Eleazar Bermudez arrived Tuesday morning to teach the pastor’s training for two days. Today all of the Gathering Hearts classes were cancelled so that they could come to his service this morning and this afternoon.
This is an evangelistic outreach to those students who do not know Christ. Eleazar has in mind a potential couple who could come for a year to help the church grow. Please pray with us about that. It would be a great benefit to have a pastor living with the people and actively developing the church. Tuesday night Mauricio and Maci Mayor joined us for dinner to meet with Eleazar. We strategized about the church and ministry. Below: we provide lunch for the attendees. |