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Honduras Mission Trip | Daily Update
Saturday, August 1 | Final Build Day
Today was our last day of building and we were all sad. Although the work is hard, we really enjoyed being out with the people in the villages.
We built in two teams today, and each team built in very impoverished areas. Both teams had a great time, and were able to see how the house was going to be a blessing for the families.
One of the most gratifying parts of the day for me was the fact that I got to see the “fruits” of our labors. In March, Ryan Boyd and a team was able to build a house near the dump for a family that “worked” in the dump. They were VERY poor, and the house that was built for them put a solid roof over their head. Their previous house was built entirely from stuff taken from the dump.
Now, 5 months later, the family has taken part of their house and turned it into a “pulperia” (a small concession stand) and were now running a business out of their home for the community. The house that was built for them just a few months ago has already provided more blessings for them than they could have imagined. It was tremendous to see them and hear their story. What a feeling to know that we were able to help someone go from digging through trash in a city dump, to being self-sufficient, if even in some small way.
Everyone is really looking forward to worshipping with our Honduran brothers and sisters tomorrow. Worship here is like nothing you have ever experienced, and is often the highlight of the trip for many people!
Continue to pray for us and the work here. And pray for the people of Honduras as they grow to love Christ!
- John
Friday, July 31 | Build Day 2
Today was a hard day of work. We broke into three teams again and each of us ended up in different areas in the mountains near an area called Guajire.
One team, led by Ethan Huffard, went to an area near the village of Mateo and built a house for a family that was very poor and had been living in a run-down structure. The site was very difficult and the team was challenged by the terrain. One of the greatest parts of the day was the fact that the family worked right alongside the team and also provided Pepsi for the team. Providing a drink for the team was a huge expense for a family that has nothing!
The second team, led by Don Mosley, went to Jocomico, a rural area that required a long walk. The site was muddy but had beautiful views. They built for a family who had a 22 year old son with Down’s Syndrome. This family was living in a pole shelter with one wall, and the new house was going to be a huge blessing for them. The family was also a big help to the team and pitched in and worked right along with them.
My team went to the highest point around in a village called La Grada. This was a beautiful, rural area with lots of crops, cattle and horses. The people in this area are very poor, and basically live off the land and make some money by walking the 6 or 7 miles into the village of Mateo to sell their extra crops. This is corn season, and the fields in La Grada were bursting with corn, soon to be picked.
Unfortunately, one of the things that makes this area so fertile is the abundant rain. We experienced that in the full, with there being rain and fog the whole time we were building. The rain made for one of the muddiest work sites I have ever experienced.
Everyone was looking forward to getting back to Villa Gracia and cleaning up. After a hard, muddy day, a cool shower and a warm meal sounded really appealing!
On a another note, things continue to be normal here in Honduras. We did get stopped at one roadblock, but had no problems, and when the police found out we were missionaries, they sent us on our way with a wave and a smile.
Pray for us as we go out tomorrow to build two more houses. We will be building near the dump and providing shelter for some of the poorest in the city.
-John
Thursday, July 30 | Build Day 1
It was a great day of work. Today we built houses in the Las Tapias area, which is close to the church that we visit while we’re here. The weather was beautiful, and the heavy rains that came through in the afternoon were cool and refreshing. The views from where we built were also amazing. I think the comment was “a million dollar view and a thousand dollar house!”
Although we had originally thought we would only be building 4 houses during our trip, we are now building 8. Let me explain.
Several weeks ago, as things were unfolding here, a number of groups decided to not make the trip to Honduras. (In fact, I was told that 17 teams have so far decided not to come to Tegucigalpa this summer.) One of these groups was a group from Atlanta that had planned on building houses during their visit. Since they were not able to come to Honduras, several families were left without a group to build their house. That’s where we come in!
Unfortunately, much of the wood and tin had already been purchased for these houses (and many others) weeks ago, and it was left sitting on the ground at the site where the house was to be built. This time of year is rainy, and wood does not do well when it sits around in the rain for long periods of time. These houses needed to go up, and quickly.
In order to get the 8 houses built during our time here, we ended up having to break up into three teams and we got to work with our Honduran brothers and sisters to complete the houses. This was a great experience, and someone here remarked it was almost like the church here having a “Day in the City” like we do at Hillsboro!
Although everyone was is very tired tonight, we are having a great time sitting around playing games and enjoying the company of each other. In many ways, this is what makes the church so wonderful…a family who works and plays together!
Tomorrow we will be heading farther up into the mountains to help families there. I am looking forward to heading there as there are many families I am looking forward to seeing again.
Please continue to pray for us as we continue our work here.
- John
Wednesday, July 29 | Settling In
Today was a little anticlimactic after all the build up from the news on what to expect. When we arrived at the airport in Nashville, one of the ladies at the ticket counter asked us if we were “allowed” to fly to Honduras. She said there was “something on the door in the break room about it.” but guessed that since the tickets went through, it must be OK. What a relief!
When we arrived in Tegucigalpa several hours later, it was almost unbelievable. What I had pictured to be a country torn in strife and conflict was just going about its business as if nothing had happened. Where were all the tanks and soldiers I had built up in my mind? Where were the crowds of people chanting for their particular side of the political conflict? How could people just be going on as life was normal? We were about to find out.
It wasn’t long after our arrival that I started to ask the Hondurans that I talked to how they felt about what was going on. In each case, what I heard back was startling. This wasn’t a crisis, this was just a political mess that needed to get worked out. In one case, I was told that this was 3 years coming. They knew right after Zelaya was elected that things were not what they seemed. He said it just took this long to get everything in order to remove him.
What do we know about Central American politics? This was business as usual for them.
It was good to be back in the country. Most of the folks on the team have been here before, and the look on their faces when they saw the folks that they have grown to love was great. It was worth the trip for sure. On top of this, because of the recent events, there have been 17 groups that have chosen not to come this year. This is the height of the mission season in Honduras, and many Hondurans have been left without the support they were looking forward to.
Tonight, we spent our time getting ready to go out and start building tomorrow. We will be building three houses for families in the village of Las Tapias, located close to the church we work with. Although we hadn’t planned to build three houses, we are lucky to get men from the congregation to come out and help us. It will be a great day.
Please continue to pray for this trip and the work we are set to do here. The people here are desperate for our love and support, and we have a huge task. Showing Christ through our actions.
-John
Wednesday, July 29 | On the Ground
The team arrived safely on the ground in Tegucigalpa without any trouble. Everything is running smoothly as they make their way to Villa Gracia and prepare tools and equipment for the first build day tomorrow. John wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and asked that we continue to pray for the team and their work over the next few days. Check back for daily updates until their return on Monday.
Tuesday, July 28 | Preparing to Leave
Everyone is finishing packing and making final preparations to leave early tomorrow. We’ll meet at the church building at 4:00 am and leave together for the airport, arriving in Tegucigalpa around 11:00 am local time. The plan is to build 8 houses in 3 work days and spend Sunday worshiping with the church at Mateo.
We’ve made our last minute calls to our friends in country and have been assured that everything is fine and ready for our arrival. We have been closely watching the political situation for the past several weeks and are confident that while there is much uncertainty at the highest level of government, that day to day life is, for the most part, normal.
We have been praying for our trip, our brothers and sisters in Honduras and that God have his hand on our efforts. In light of the events over the past month, we feel that maybe more than any other trip, we will have the opportunity to show God’s love to the Honduran people and show that even in times of difficulty, God will provide.
Please be praying for our team, our brothers and sisters in Mateo, and the country of Honduras.
Honduras Team
| Anna Rose Anderson | Andy Bozeman | Meghan Fitzgerald |
| Andy Holliday | Ethan Huffard | Rachel Jefferson |
| John Jefferson | Brian Jones | Nick Lowell |
| Heather Marks | Sarah Mason | D’Lanna Mason |
| Hannah Mason | John Mason | Rick Montgomery |
| Ashton Montgomery | Don Mosley | Sarah Mosley |
| Jay Pettus |
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