Something has to be done

Something obviously had to be done. We are excited to be able to respond in a small way to the present need. Missionaries are excited. The Shalom Church is excited. The community is excited. Vidal and Socorro are especially excited with the recent activities that are beginning to take place. Everyone is working together to bring about a positive change.

I admire Vidal. He has worked diligently to provide for his family and never complains. He has been without regular work recently and a series of medical emergencies have added to their difficult living situation.

Their house is made out of sticks with plastered dirt covering the sticks. There are spots where the dirt did not stick and you can see through the house. Vidal has gathered a variety of pieces of tin together to make a roof. Vidal and Socorro have been living with their four children in a high risk flood zone. They were evacuated from their home in October being forced to live for a week at the church because they had no place else to go.

I was made especially aware of the situation when Angie and I attempted to visit the family at their home for the purpose of praying with Heidi their young daughter who has been ill. We went as close to the house as we could get and were ready to turn around and give up on any hope of reaching the house when we saw the family including Heidi wading toward us through the knee deep water so that I could pray with her.

The decision had already been made to try to help the family build a new house. Watching them pick their way through the muddy swamp was all the confirmation that we necessary to prove that there was a great need.  

Last week a lot was donated by the Choluteca municipality for Vidal and Socorro to build a house. Many people have contributed materials and members of the church are volunteering time and offering to cook meals for the workers. A work team from the Indian Springs Holiness Camp in Georgia is coming the second week in February to lend a hand as well.

It has taken a team effort to make a dream come true for Vidal and Socorro.

New Neighbors

We have new neighbors. They are not exactly new neighbors because David and Maribel actually lived close to us before but in different houses. What is new is that David and Maribel were married on December 17^th, 2011 and now live in the third floor apartment at the back of the clinic property as a couple.

We knew Maribel’s family since our early years of ministry in Honduras. Coincidentally, Maribel moved to Choluteca about the same time we did after Hurricane Mitch. Maribel has lived with us for several years and has become a daughter to us.

We love David like a son. It has surely not been so easy for him though. Not only did David have to ask my permission to date Maribel five years ago, David also works under my direction as the sub-director of the vocational school and has been under my constant observation as his pastor.

David and Maribel have been instrumental in the development of the Shalom Church. Both are in leadership roles. Maribel works with the financial accountability of the church and is involved in children’s ministry and discipleship of a group of young ladies.

David’s position in the local church is becoming clearer. David has always been instrumental in the preaching and teaching at the church. In September last year, while attending a leadership conference sponsored by Equip Leadership with our Church leaders from all around Honduras, David felt a definite direct call into the pastorate. Imagine my shock at first when David stood up before the entire Shalom congregation immediately after returning from the conference and said, “I don’t know how to tell you this,”. My surprise turned to tears of joy when David completed his sentence saying, “God has called me to be a pastor.”

Maribel was immediately thrust into the midst of all the emotion, not knowing exactly what to think but was very willing to be obedient to God’s call for David. As newlyweds David and Maribel are attending this year’s Annual Pastor’s Conference as representatives of the Shalom congregation. There is a continuation of the leadership training with Equip Ministries. Part of the training involves filling out a questionnaire that helps people identify their spiritual gifts. Maribel immediately turned to Angie after finishing her questionnaire and pointed out that the results of the inventory pointed towards her having the spiritual gift of a pastor. What a confirmation to David that his wife would be called to stand beside him in the pastorate!

“To God be the glory, great things He hath done.”

Sewing Classes: The Next Step



A visit by our students to the local sewing factory

Part of our vision for the future of the vocational school has always included getting our students involved in practical work experience as well as studying in the classroom. We have been considering various alternatives to get them into a production setting as part of the educational process. We have two obvious options, either send our students to obtain work experience with local shops while they are taking the course, or else develop our own production system to simulate the jobs that students will have when they graduate.
Sending students out to gain experience in the community without proper supervision can become a great liability and very inconvenient. For some of our courses, that may be our only viable option. In the case of our sewing students, we are considering a goal of setting up a small production facility at the school.

Today we advanced one more step towards making that goal possible. We met with the manager of the local sewing factory that exports clothing. We concluded that we may be able to build an alliance that will help both the school and the factory accomplish their perspective goals. 

The factory needs a qualified work force that will efficiently produce high quality clothing items that they will then sell to their brokers. As a vocational education center, we expect to prepare graduates who are able to meet the standards that the factory expects. Assuming we are able to come to a formal agreement, our sewing students will not only take intensive training specializing in the needs of the factory. They will also learn additional skills that will make them valued employees. Besides learning to sew on industrial machines, each student will take additional courses such as computer, technical English, personal finances and small business administration, Bible classes and interpersonal skills.

An important part of the program is the shared vision of initiating new small businesses composed of 7-14 workers. The first pilot project would be set up at the vocational school where our own students and graduates would actually be making the same items that are made in the factory.

There are lots of details to work out and we have to be sure that we can complete our part of any future working arrangement. There will be financial hurdles to overcome just as there is with any new business. We certainly need your prayers to make this dream become a reality for Choluteca.

First Annual Block Party

We had kids everywhere. They were running up and down our street, playing games around the church, and eating a variety of different foods and drinks in front of our house. There were balloons and prizes for everyone. One of our church members dressed up as a clown for a drama, and puppets presented Bible lessons. There was singing and lots of smiles.

It was exactly what we had hoped for our First Annual Block Party for the children in our community. Thankfully, God answered our prayers and it was an unseasonably sunny day. Over 100 children showed up, many of them accompanied by curious parents.

Our goal was to simply show our love to others who live in our community by providing a healthy, safe alternative environment where children could enjoy all the things that children love to do. We patterned it from what I remembered of a small carnival when I was a kid. While it was a very humble affair, we believe that God is already providing the “increase” to this new avenue of ministry. Hopefully, next year the other churches in our community will get involved.

A local businessman congratulated the people of the church for developing the vision for reaching out to the community and offered to help us next year. Mothers whose children seldom see new toys in the house thanked one of our church members and commented that all of the children took something home to play with.

Our church members were exhausted. Everyone showed up early in the morning to help and we gathered together late in the afternoon for a short time of prayer to thank God for all that he had done and provided. It was a big success!

Jairo's summer visit

By Angie Overholt

Jairo Fonseca, a friend and fellow minister in Honduras, was able to come to the US for 2 months this summer. Besides being a pastor of one of our churches Jairo is one of our auto-mechanics instructors at the vocational school. The days were very full as we tried to visit as many people as possible, as well as, check out vocational schools, technical universities, and other opportunities for ideas to use in improving the community outreach in Choluteca.

It seemed like every day was an opportunity for Jairo to minister here, including helping a Spanish-speaking man with his car. We had stopped at a gas station to fill up and Jairo got out of the car to go inside the store. When we looked up we saw that Jairo had stopped and was visiting with a man. He was a Spanish-speaking man who was traveling across the country and was having problems with his car. We were able to take him to a store where he bought a battery and wrenches to change the batteries. We thought about how great God's timing was that we had been at the right place at the right time to provide help for someone in need. 

The very next day we visited a flea market. Larry and Jairo have a common love for books so it was understood that we would browse through the book store. We never expected to find Spanish books but to our surprise the owner had several different Spanish books and gave us a copy of each one for our library in Choluteca. He later gave us a box of Bibles and has offered to keep an eye out for more books. What a unexpected blessing!

 

We were able to visit many people who have been partners in our ministry for years. Jairo got a taste of what Home Ministry Assignment is all about and repeatedly told us that he was going back to tell everyone in Honduras that HMA is not a vacation for the missionaries. Jairo went with us to see the Psolla family and we got a tour of some of the vegetable farms in the muck grounds of the Hartville, Ohio area. We were given a special treat of going out to the sweet corn field and picking fresh ears of corn for supper. Jairo was most impressed with the old tractors and trucks and a 35 year old plant that they kept in the greenhouse. 

 

  

 We made two trips into Michigan. Larry was able to build up the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry with Jairo. Maybe he over did it just a bit. When we crossed into Ohio on the way home Jairo said "whew" with a sigh of relief. He said everyone that drove by us noticed our Ohio tags on the car. What a joy to visit one of the very first people to get on board with us as new missionaries over 30 years ago. Ken Traxler actually took the pictures for our first prayer cards. Larry had met him in 1978 at Ohio State when Ken was a driver of one of the campus buses.  Ken now rides a motercycle and travels with friends, but was able to take a Sunday afternoon off to meet with us. What a special, humble man who loves the Lord!

  

At one of the churches that we spoke at we were treated to a lunch at a bed and breakfast house in Coshocton, Ohio's historic Roscoe Village. Jairo love history and was enthralled by some of the indian artifacts and old radios that adorned the house.

 

Jairo was impressed with a life-sized Thomas the Train and village constructed by our good friends Lynn and Ellyn Dunlap. Of course our grandsons loved it too. 

With Larry's brother and family.

 

A quick tour of Washington DC.

We visited several members of our family and even managed to swing by Washington DC during one of our trips. We drove all night and got into the train station parking lot at about 4:00 A.M. 

A special highlight to the end of Jairo's visit was a trip that he and Larry made to attend a service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York. It is something that Larry and Jairo have long dreamed of doing and they were thrilled to be a part of the Tuesday prayer meeting. They even found time to walk to "Ground Zero" from Brooklyn. They got lost from the hotel coming back though and had to call Rachel and ask her to get the map on the internet to guide them back. 

Besides all the visiting Jairo was able to get some much needed medical exams while here. We are grateful for the help provided by getting an echocardiogram and some dental work. Pray for Jairo's families medical needs. He will likely have to get surgery to replace a heart valve at some point. 

What a great privilege it was for us to show one of our best friends from Honduras around some of our favorite places.

Visiting friends in the southern United States

By Angie Overholt

What a privilege to be able to make a trip through some of the southern states in September. We were able to see some of the retirees from World Gospel Mission and also visited some people who have been a part of our support team for most of our career. We are continually amazed at the wealth of experience they all have. It was a highlight of our Home Ministry Assignment to be able to see them again.

We enjoyed getting to visit with Lois Henry (at left) for a short time. Lois actually taught my mother's  Sunday School class when Lois was a student at Asbury College, and my mom was a teenager. I heard about Lois all of my life and then had the privilege of serving with Lois in Honduras for many years before she retired.

Sue Steury (at right) is a retired missionary from Kenya. It was great to be in her home and see it decorated with so many remembrances of Kenya, Africa. Sue and her husband Ernie also served as our missionary pastors to Honduras after their retirement from service in Kenya. They had made several trips to Honduras in that capacity.

It was especially good to see Marion Lewton, retired missionary from Kenya since we also got to see her daughter Colleen Hawk who was spending a few days with her. Colleen and Terry are our Honduras field directors. Marion is recuperating from shoulder surgery, so she and Angie had a lot in common as they compared scars.

We also got see Burnis and Thelma Bushong. Burnis and Thelma has served as missionaries on the Texas border and in Honduras. Burnis was a Vice President at World Gospel Mission when we started as missionaries in 1980. It was encouraging for us that they are still so interested in hearing about the ministry in Honduras. We stopped in to see Reba Peters a long time member of our support team. Eldred and Luanne Kelley were gracious in hosting us while we were in Avon Park. We were even able to schedule a meeting with Paula Crist our WGM "coach" who lives in Florida.

Besides catching of with the people in the Avon Park area, we stopped in Alabama to visit the Buckners who are long time friends. We also scheduled time to visit the Bill and Jan Buell (on Left, along with their son Mark) who are a retired pastor couple from Ohio. Bill actually attended Asbury College with my dad, so it has been a very long friendship. We had recently visited a couple of the churches that the Buells had served in so we were able to update them on what a blessing those churches continue to be to us. Bill is typical of a lot a pastors who we know in the sense that they never really retire. Bill continues to minister to a congregation near where they are living.

One of the greatest blessings of being missionaries with World Gospel Mission is that we have made close friends with so many special people.

Is a picture really worth a thousand words?

Without including additional information surrounding the background of this picture it would be difficult to describe it in any great detail. For those who are not familiar with the specific location, history, and culture surrounding the photo, it would be unlikely that a writer could come up with any where close to a thousand words to write about it. Even if it is known that the picture was taken in southern Honduras, there are similar scenes of small churches all across the country. Small congregations of Christians diligently collect whatever construction materials are available in the community and put them together to form a shelter that will protect them from the rain and sun during worship services. If there is electricity available in the community, the shelter would typically have a low wattage light bulb or two strung overhead. The people always look forward to someday erecting a more substantial building that they can use to worship God.

Visitors who have come to Choluteca to give us a helping hand with construction projects or those who have come with medical brigades probably recognize the scene of the photo from the "Las Cuchillas" church. From their experience, those who have been to "Las Cuchillas" could probably even add a few more details than the photo provides. They could certainly remember the ride from Choluteca in the Shalom Church's bus. After turning off the blacktop road a few miles out of the city, there was a bumpy ride over dirt roads weaving through the isolated countryside that led back to the small village. Once the visitors arrived at the church, it would not be unusual to find various species of animals wander into the shelter only to be quickly chased away by one of the church members. In their minds, those who have visited “Las Cuchillas” would likely vividly remember the people of the congregation joyously singing the Spanish choruses to familiar tunes from their childhood. The church service would also include some indigenous choruses that would never be sung twice the same way. Those who have been to "La Cuchilla" would also certainly remember swatting at the annoying insects that were attracted to the building's light that was like a beacon standing out in the dark surroundings. The 100+ degree heat without benefit of any fans can be overwhelming. Guests are always the center of attention and children would be intrigued by any visitors who stop by for a service.

To Shalom Church members, the photo brings to mind additional descriptive narratives of experiences from recent activities that had been held in the tiny building. The Shalom congregation is responsible for providing preaching and teaching support for the small rural congregation.

Mercedes is only one of Shalom’s 16 Bible Institute members who while presently serving in ministry is also preparing for expanded future ministry involvement with the regional church. These Bible Institute students are busy people who hold full-time jobs. As often is the case, some of our busiest church members are those who are willing to serve in additional areas of ministry.

Mercedes is a Registered Nurse who just finished her second Masters degree. She was recently given national recognition for her work with tuberculosis patients. Mercedes has two daughters and a son. Her two daughters are in medical school. Her husband had a kidney transplant four months ago. It would be easy for Mercedes to say that she is too busy to help out in village ministry but she is always willing to do her part in supporting the church's mission of carrying the "Good News" to all parts of the world.

The Shalom church has purchased a 12 passenger bus that is used to transport its members on the weekly preaching and teaching circuit that includes two additional villages besides the congregation of "Las Cuchillas". On Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons members from the Shalom church faithfully support the church's outreach ministries by taking turns with the preaching and teaching responsibilities.

Shalom Church members would also remember the annual VBS classes that had been held at the church. Every year the VBS program reaches 50-75 children for a week-long series of classes.

I can only wonder what the picture will look like in the near future as dedicated workers continue to invest their lives in the regional ministry surrounding Choluteca, Honduras.