The best part of Homeland Ministry Assignment is being able to visit with friends who we have not seen for many years. We are traveling mostly in Ohio. Recently our trips took us to Celina, Ohio and Lima, Ohio.

Friends from Celina UMC.

Friends from Lima, Ohio.

We feel privileged and blessed to know that these dear friends are praying for the ministry in Choluteca, Honduras. Thank You!

The name "Celebration" is so appropriate for the gathering we had in June. People from all over the world came together to celebrate all that God has done. The services were translated into English and Spanish, but there were many different languages from Bolivia, Paraguay, Mexico, Honduras, the American Indian field, Kenya, Asia, and other countries. The singing was incredible! The fellowship between the services was great.

Honduran Pastor Luis Garcia singing at one of the services.

Past, current, and future Honduran missionaries.

We were privileged to have Angie's mom, sister-in-law Patti, and our children attend with us. Patti is also the sister of Larry Carr from Paraguay.

Honduran Pastor Jairo Fonseca is here visiting churches with us for 2 months. He was happy to attend Celebration and visit with friends from work groups he has met over the years.

Our daughters Rachel and Maria (and grandson Colin), along with Angie, visited with David Castro, a Honduran pastor who is now ministering here in the States.

There were so many friends that we got to visit. It would be impossible to post all of the pictures, but it was especially great to see Doris Sorenson who was a volunteer at Escuela El Sembrador for many years in our early years there. 

We always enjoy being able to be with our children and grandchildren and each moment is special to us. Here are a few of those memories in the past 2 months.

Quinn turning 4 years old.

Getting free dessert at the Mexican restaurant.

Colin (2 &1/2) had to get in on the fun!

Enjoying the 4th of July fireworks!

Petting a snake at the zoo!  

Out to eat with family!

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.

We have been glad to be able to be with several graduates this year, some family and some friends. We are proud of them.

Larry's nephew Ian  graduated from high school.

Also, Larry's step-brother's son Dan (who traveled with us to Honduras several years ago) graduated from college.

This past month several events happened in our family that have changed our lives forever. Other events have been pure joy as we have been able to be together. A month ago our daughters Rachel and Maria ran the half marathon in Pittsburgh. We decided to make a family trip of it. We visited the National Aviary and walked downtown. 

Quinn and Colin: future marathon runners

15 minutes after this picture Angie fell and shattered her shoulder. It made a painful trip back to Ohio. Not a good memory of Pittsburgh.

Three days later Larry's step-mother died, and the same day David, our son, was admitted to the hospital in Germany (he is in the army) in acute renal failure. He was able to recuperate enough to travel home for the funeral of his step-grandmother.

We have been trying to be with Larry's dad more right now, planting a garden, picnics, and fixing up his house.

Quinn and Colin playing in the fountain.

Quinn helping "pa with the moustache" planting the garden.

Colin helping out.

Great-grandpa and daddy watching the gardeners work.

Watching Memorial Day parade. It takes on extra special meaning when you have a family member serving in the military. 

The Shalom church members are all involved in teaching and outreach ministry. They are responsible for 6 other ministries in villages and in some of the other areas of Choluteca. We held a Sunday School workshop on one Saturday morning at the beginning of April. We had 17 participants. Paty Davila and Angie both told Bible stories and demonstrated a craft to go with the lesson. Then the group was divided into 4 groups and had to develop their own lessons which they shared with the rest of the participants. We all learned from the class. One of the participants cried afterwards stating that she had prayed that someone would help teach her how to be a better Sunday School teacher. PTL for this opportunity!

We celebrated Father's Day in March. Pastor Reynaldo was "Father of the Year" last year, so he was privileged to present the "Father of the Year for 2010" to Armando, a prayer warrior from our church. 

After the weddings, we had baptisms at the beach. There were 17 who were baptized!

Gustavo was unable to go to the beach due to his work, so we baptized him in our back yard!

Larry has dedicated 10 children since January. These children are the future leaders of our church.

In the past month, there have been many special events which occurred in the Shalom church. The first that was organized was a 5-couple wedding. Even though the new church building did not have the roof on yet, the area was decorated very nicely. It poured the rain that night, but all of the brides told me that it was a beautiful wedding. All 5 couples have children already, but the reason they decided to get married now was to get their lives in order. They each one want to be able to participate more actively in the leadership of the church.

Armando helped to clean up the area for the wedding.

Everyone helped out to level the area for the wedding. 

Decorating for the wedding.

I made 150 cupcakes and made cole slaw for 150 people! We also had Tilapia, rice, and tortillas. What a day!

A work group from Linworth Baptist Church, along with friends from Dueber UMC, came in March to help with several projects. They worked tirelessly, even though the temperatures soared to 117 degrees in the shade in the middle of the afternoon. They rebuilt steps to the third floor of the clinic building. They also helped us start the open-air building for the Shalom church, next to the clinic.

Painting the rafters and side supports.

Putting up the rafters.

Dr. Kathy Stone and some of the members of the OSU nursing brigade started notebooks for the community health evangelists. These notebooks will be expanded over the years to help the CHE to teach health care in the villages where we minister. 

During the week after the brigade, we had the opportunity to see the results: the clinic at San Jeronimo was painted with the money from the patients' tickets that were sold. Below; some of the nursing brigade donated money for a stroller for a mom with a very sick little girl.

We never miss an opportunity to go to the beach with the work groups. 

Just like parents who carefully listen for every new word and watch for those first steps that a toddler takes, as missionaries we have been paying close attention to every activity of the Shalom congregation throughout its first year of existence. We have excitedly listened as church members have told about the changes that God has made in all areas of their lives. Some have given up life-long habits that have been detrimental to their health. Others have taken steps to improve relationships with family and friends.  Others are stepping into leadership roles in the church. The goal is for all to become disciples of Christ and learn to use their gifts for the advancement of the work of the church.

The Shalom members realize the importance of continuing education. Many of the Church members have joined other members of our regional congregations in studying in our Choluteca Bible Institute. Others are taking English classes. As missionaries we have experienced the joy of working alongside others in teaching this exciting group of Christians and preparing them for future roles in ministry.

We are especially grateful for the help and advice, support and encouragement that pastor Jairo gave us in getting started as a formal congregation in the Honduras Holiness Church. We continue to pray for Jairo and Briselda since they have left Choluteca this year and returned to Briselda's home to be with her family during her father's illness with cancer and subsequent death.

We are grateful to the many local people who have supported the new church. The congregation's members have been faithful in contributing their finances, their spiritual gifts, their talents and other needed resources in beginning to establish the church.

God continues to provide for our needs in many different ways. We have run out of space for meeting on the clinic porch. The neighbor lady who owns the empty lot beside the clinic has given the church a five-year lease to use her property. We are excited to have a work team that has come to help us build a large open-air building where we can meet for church services.

The Shalom congregation continues to consider the church to be a missionary church. The members support international missionaries that have been sent to other countries by the Honduras Evangelical Holiness Church. They also realize the importance of establishing new congregations locally. The bus cannot contain all of the people from the Shalom congregation who volunteer to go out to the villages and minister. Isn't that exciting?!!!