Team Ministers in San Matias Community

Our team was instructed to be ready to leave with all luggage this
morning at 8:00 a.m. in the event we were unable to return to
Tegucigalpa. While we have not experienced first hand any political
unrest, the climate is poised for any shift at any time. I must say that
the local police department has done and excellent job in being
pro-active in what could be a volatile situation. Because of the
pro-activity of the police department, they have issued a mandatory
travel document for all transport companies. Our bus driver, Tito, was an
hour late to pick us up because he was procuring the proper documents for
our travel to a village approximately ninety miles up the mountain and
into the woods. It was there that we spent the entire day ministering to
our new friends.

As we exited the bus it seemed as if we had been working together for
years. Everyone knew exactly what they were going to do and begin setting
up various ministry stations to love and care for these beautiful people.
Our Community LIFE crew went to work in several areas. Kenneth, Loretta,
Karen, and Hali helped take hundreds of pictures and print them
immediately for the children and adults to have. Kenneth commented in our
share time that he had never seen such huge smiles on the faces of
children over a simple photo. We do indeed take so much for granted. Most
of the children, with which we ministered to today, have never even seen
themselves in a mirror much less a photo. This was made obvious as they
began to fall back in line for another “shot” at a photo. Trey threw a
Frisbee and kicked a soccer ball until his hands were blistered and leg
muscles were frail from exhaustion. I, of course, roamed for a while but
found myself tying balloons into swords and animals. Before sculpting
balloons one must start by blowing them up. I was given this task because
they informed me I was a “big blow hard” and matched my skills with what
was needed. I eventually graduated to sculpting when I proved myself.
(O.K. so they just needed to take a lunch break) Needless to say, we all
had a terrific time sharing the love of Jesus with simple task as
pictures, balloons, and kicking a ball. Some of the other ministry teams
painted faces, taught a Bible school lesson and even fitted some of the
senior men and women with reading glasses.

We ended our time with our new friends by worshipping together in songs
of their native language and I was privileged to preach the message. I
and the interpreter shared the story of Zacheus with great animation and
the people responded by understanding God’s love for them through Jesus
who knew them by name. Several people prayed to receive Jesus as their
Lord and Savior and of course this was the greatest blessing and miracle
of all. Following the worship service, the local pastor proceeded to give
out food bags for each family in attendance. Our team assembled these
bags on Sunday night for the families and they were well received. Each
fifteen dollar bag of food would feed a family of five for at least one
week. I want to challenge our folks, when we return home, to adopt some
families in this village and help continue what was started this week.
There is no greater joy than to see that we have met not only a spiritual
need but a physical need in the lives of families around the world.

Gary, our fearless leader, had been in contact with the folks in
Tegucigalpa all during the day and informed us that we would be returning
to the Hotel Excelsior for the evening. At this point we were ready for a
hot shower and a warm meal. The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
followed by a “hot” coke were good but not what our spoiled taste buds
were accustomed too. As we entered the city our bus driver was taking
what he thought to be the safest route back to our hotel. As we
approached one part of the city, we all noticed heavy black smoke and as
we turned the corner, a group of protestors had set tires on fire outside
the residence of the president. Tito, our bus driver, instructed us to
squat down and keep our faces covered so that the protestors who might be
anti-American would not be given the opportunity to express themselves
violently toward us. He immediately turned the bus around and we took a
much longer route back to what was going to be our final destination for
the evening.

The dinner plan for the evening was to enjoy the local Honduran cuisine
at a restaurant called “El Patio”. However, just before leaving for
dinner, the Concierge informed us that an evening curfew had been set and
no one was to be on the road after 6:00 p.m. Leaving everyone else at
the hotel, Gary, Tito and I traveled downtown to pick-up some “take out”
for the team. It was an eerie experience to travel downtown in no traffic
when just one hour before it was bumper to bumper. The only place we
found open was Quiznos that was just about to turn out the lights when we
entered. We ordered and immediately returned to the hotel where the team
was nourished once again.

Tomorrow we begin our day with a three to four hour journey to the
orphanage Immanuel. We will spend the remainder of our time here in
Honduras loving on the children and workers at their 900 acre ranch. From
what I have been told, the operation of this ranch is a sight to behold.
I wait with great expectation to see what God has for us to experience in
the following days.

Steve Dean