1.  Lead times and the cost to obtain or renew US Passports is longer and more expensive than ever experienced before.  If you even think you might be traveling overseas within the next two years you should apply now.  The application process is very simple and only requires easily obtained documents.  Check with your local Post Office or Court Clerk for directions on where and how to apply.  States have passport offices, which you may visit personally to apply for special or expedited passport services.  Those offices are listed on the US Government website.

2.  Airlines are cancelling routes and making changes throughout the world that leave less options for flights and schedules, which you may remember from the past.  If you have any thoughts about flying within the States and/or abroad, we suggest you check with the airlines to determine which carriers serve that city/country.  Unless your affiliated organization or trip leader is handling your travel plans, you will definitely need this information in the early stages of planning your trip.

3.  Security requirements seem to be changing daily.  Some are not important and only require your attention while in the air, at the counter before you fly, or when you arrive.  Other requirements may make it impossible for you to board the airplane and may require documents or proofs requiring time to obtain.  Be sure to check requirements with government websites as well as the airlines when you begin planning your trip.  This will save you time and money.

4.  Covid is a word that frightens many and even causes panic in some cases.  We have found that it is important to maintain current information on testing and verification requirements.  In most cases this will provide the information needed to travel and alert you to the need for required documentation.  Be alert and check with your airline and government websites for information you will need,

5.  Typically, overseas travel requiring a passport dictates that you have a minimum of six months remaining on your passport before the expiration date in order to travel.  It is your responsibility to be sure compliance with this requirement.  There is nothing in the system that does this for you.  Therefore, be sure long before planning your trip that you check the expiration date of your passport to be sure your passport will be valid for at least six months after your date of departure.

6.  Airlines are constantly changing their flight schedules and times of departure and arrival.  You should receive notifications from the airline each time your flight schedule changes.  Be very careful to update your transportation plans and other schedules, which may be affected by your flight schedule change.  Don’t show up at the airport after your flight departs because you missed an e-mail.  We suggest you check your current flight schedule online a day before your departure and again just before leaving for the airport.  Yes, this is also very important!!!

7.  We highly recommend developing a permanent “Trip Check List” in your phone to be sure you have each and every item needed for your trip is not overlooked.  It’s easy to set up on your phone.  Call it “Trip Check List”.  List everything you can think of, no matter how small or insignificant, that you need to do or take with you.  Even list the things you need to do before departing.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised how many times your “Trip Check List” will make your trip more enjoyable with less emergencies.

Please contact your trip leader or WBM directly at sandy@wbmonline.org for any questions or help.  We’re here to serve.

It’s well past time to report on the 2022 WBM Ministry.  It was an exceptionally good year with team visits, food programs for the poor and needy, construction, and evangelism.  WBM is on the move and serving in Honduras as well as in the States.  Here are some highlights of 2022 in review.

Food for the poor and elderly has been a priority of WBM for many years.  In 2022 WBM sponsored several meals at the Senior Center with singing, fellowship, one on one team visiting, medical care, and even provides a doctor to visit the Senior Center each month to care for Seniors with special medical needs.  The Senior Assisted Living Center project is moving forward with completion of the first building on the property.  This building serves as the distribution center for electricity and water for the entire Senior Assisted Living Center (SALC).  It also serves as the maintenance shop for the entire SALC.

The WBM Grace Seminary hosted three week-long seminary classes in 2022.  At the end of each of the three classes the pastors, who completed all five days of classes were presented with Certificates of Completion for the two courses completed.  WBM is pleased to announce that the Seminary has grown to more than 50 students.  The next week of classes will be in January of 2023.  Seminary classes are now being held one week in Oropoli, which is in South Honduras and in Guaimaca, which is in central Honduras.

In 2022 WBM cared for two very special individual and their families.  Rebeca Bradley was diagnosed with terminal cancer and sent home by her doctors.  WBM provided food and funds for Rebeca and her father, sister, and nephew during the entire year.  Their roof was lleaking badly, as it was in terrible condition and covered with an old plastic tarp, which was leaking in many places.  A sponsor provided the funds to replace the roof structurre with a new steel roof and made repairs to the walls and plumbing.  Their one room house is in good condition now and protected from the rain.

Ariel Morales and his children were cared for duriing the year by several designated donors.  Using the designated donations, WBM was able to provide funds for Ariel to meed the basic needs of life as well as care for his young children to attend school.  Sadly, Ariel contracted an infection, which took his life.  WBM is thankful for those, who provided care for Ariel and his children until his untimely death.

In 2022 WBM was host to the PATTH team from Pella, IA, who travel each year to serve the people of Honduras.  In 2022 they ministered to children as well as adult and seniors.  The PATTH team always bring needed medical items and personal care, evangelism, and a construction team, who worked on the new SALC, which PATTH sponsors.  We are always excited to host the PATTH team in February each year for the past fifteen years.  They are a great blessing to the people of Honduras in so many ways.

In May WBM hosted the Pella College Team, who built church benches, sponsored children’s ministries, visited homes, and planted cuttings, which will become trees on the SALC property to provide shade for residents.  The team of young men and women was a significant blessing to the people of Honduras.  We anticipate their return in 2023 with even more blessings for Honduras.

Visit again soon to see photos and more information about WBM in 2022.

March 18, 2021

My recent trip to Guaimaca, Honduras was, in part, to visit the WBM Ministry service area and determine if it is feasible for GBS instructors and volunteer teams to return to Honduras to serve after Covid-19.  The answer to that question is definitely “yes”.  It is safe and practical to return to Honduras for short term mission activities.  Travel should be using United or American as Delta has not resumed offering service into Tegucigalpa and has no current plan to do so.

With this information, we will begin communicating with prospective teams to encourage them to resume previous ministry service as our guests in Honduras.

All entry to Honduras requires a current, within 72 hours, negative Covid test and completion of an online form, which is mandatory, but which can also be done by completing a paper form while in flight.  Return to the States requires the same negative Covid-19 test and signing a simple declaration form in flight.  The Covid test can be easily obtained at several labs in Guaimaca.

The Covid response in Honduras includes the use of masks at most locations.  Otherwise, there are no other special requirements.  Most restaurants are open with some remaining closed as ordered by local governing authorities.  Grocery stores, hardware stores, dry goods stores, etc. are open for business.

Travel by car, bus, taxi, etc. is normal and active.  There were no highway stops for compliance checks  or other regulatory measures observed.

Grace Biblical Seminary

Rev. Tom Eckman traveled with me to Honduras on February 18 for the purpose of conducting several classes in Oropoli and Guaimaca and to determine the feasibility of conducting on-site classes in Guaimaca and Oropoli.  He spoke at three locations, with more than 100 in attendance.  Meetings with GBS leaders were held in both locations and the last two weeks in May were chosen to return to Honduras to teach classes in person at both locations.

Tom also delivered a new computer to Robbie Alexis, his translator, and provided instruction on its use.  The computer will be used for translating documents, preparing reports, communication with GBS directors, pastors, and others, and for participation in virtual classes during which Robbie will provide translation services to instructors in the States.

It was a very active and informative trip for Tom, who returned to the States on February 25 to resume his duties at Zebulon First Baptist Church.  WBM coordinated Tom’s travel, I did the driving, and WBM provided the vehicle.  It was an excellent trip with many accomplishments and plans made for upcoming events.

Senior Citizen Ministry

After taking Tom to the airport for his departure, I began working on other WBM projects.  The Senior Citizen Ministry now includes six individuals and one family of eight.  All are being visited twice monthly and provided with food, medicine, transportation, and other items as needed.  Throughout the pandemic, these visits and food supplies continued without interruption.  All six individuals are doing well and cared for regularly, including doctor visits as needed.

Ariel Morales and his family are also being cared for under the Senior Citizen Ministry.  Ariel, his wife, and their six children were provided a special gift of clothing, food, medicine, and even some gifts for Christmas through WBM by a caring SS class.  Ariel is completely paralyzed from the neck down and has little hope for improvement, so it will be up to WBM and others to care for him and his family indefinitely.

Ariel was loading logs onto a truck when the chain broke and the load of logs rolled off of the truck onto him, crushing his spine and causing permanent damage that left him paralyzed from the neck down.  He is unable to move his arms, fingers, legs, or feet.

The family depends on Ariel’s wife, Lorena, who makes and sells tortillas to make an income for the family.  Her tortilla sales only produce a small amount of income to feed and care for the family of eight.

WBM has committed to providing some of the necessities for the family through the Senior Citizen Ministry and, to date, travel to Tegucigalpa has been provided by a local individual.

This is an ongoing need, and prayer and financial support are desperately needed to help with food, clothes, school supplies, and other family expenses.  Please consider sending at least a small amount to help with this great humanitarian need.

Senior Care Facility

While in Honduras, I visited the proposed site of the Senior Citizen Care Facility and found it even more beautiful than before.  The local land owner has built a small pond down the hill to the southeast of the proposed site.  The entire area is now occupied by cattle, and the grass is trimmed neatly.  The mountains to the north are especially beautiful.  The property also includes a view of the highway to the south and surrounding pastureland with cattle grazing.

We are working on a final review  and a survey of need and other statistical information on the project.  This report will be prepared and presented to the WBM Directors soon.

Two possible sources of funding for the project have been informed of the project and given floor plan drawings.  Upon completion of the survey report, we anticipate funding talks with donors to resume and funds secured for construction to begin.

WBM Churches in Honduras

WBM has begun eight churches in Honduras of which seven continue to be active and serving.  Iglesia Bautista San Jose de Guayape continues to struggle and is now closed while we search for a willing pastor to move there to serve.  San Jose is in an extremely remote mountain area only accessible by a swinging bridge walkway during the six month rainy season and by fording the river Guayape during the dry season.  The population of San Jose is estimated to be 500.  There is no electricity, potable water, or other utility service in San Jose nor is there a store from which to purchase food or other supplies.  We have always been welcomed there and have a great desire to maintain an active ministry/church in San Jose de Guayape.

Initially, a pastor and his family from San Marcos committed to living in San Jose for two years.  After the two years, they were replaced by a pastor who was unable to complete his commitment due to family concerns.  For the past several years we have been unable to find anyone willing to serve as pastor in San Jose.  We continue to visit San Jose, check on the church building and property, and search for a pastor.  Please include this great need in your daily prayers.

The other WBM churches are led by pastors, most of whom are studying as students of the GBS Seminary.  They are all excited about attending the upcoming Seminary classes in May.  Visits to several churches during my time in Honduras revealed that two of the churches are in need of more benches.  They will be built and provided to the churches by WBM.

Container Ministry

The WBM Container Ministry has been basically dormant for several years because of the lack of need to transport large quantities of ministry items, including construction material, to Honduras.  Faced with the need to either sell the container or revive the ministry in another way, the WBM Directors decided to make the necessary repairs to the container chassis and return it to active service.  The WBM Container has now been fully repaired/restored and is ready for active service.

The most difficult obstacle to overcome in order to make use of the container is finding a tractor to pull it.  God has truly opened the door for two sources of tractors.  Both owners have committed to providing tractors to pull the container as needed.

Following are uses for the container that are under consideration.  Note that multiple uses are definitely possible and likely opportunities for Christian service.

The first three relief uses include specific identified items donated by multiple churches, mission organizations, individuals, companies, etc. delivered for distribution by a receiving organization in the target area.

• Covid relief
• Tornado relief
• Hurricane relief
• Container delivery service for use by other Christian organizations
• Overseas delivery of project material/supplies
• Stateside relief material transfer between ministries and providers
• Subordinate use of chassis/container by other Christian organizations

Current plans include soliciting a group of churches, companies, individuals, and others who wish to participate in an emergency relief ministry to provide specific needs to victims of disasters coordinated by a receiving organization and items distributed by same.

Dr. Mabel Matute

It was great to see Mabel Matute again.  She has now completed her studies and is officially a Doctor of Pharmacy.  Mable has worked for a local pharmacy since graduation and is ready to move on to her next goal of owning her own pharmacy.

To date, she has secured a location in Guaimaca across from the Mexican School and near Dr. Dunia’s office and adjacent to a medical laboratory, where numerous lab tests are performed for doctors throughout the area.  She has completed construction and preparation of the building inside and outside with an attractive sign that reads “Mabel’s Pharmacy” hanging outside. The interior is complete with shelving for medicine as well as a glass display/sales counter.  It also has a bathroom and ample storage area.

While in Honduras, I introduced Mabel to the owners of a large laboratory in Tegucigalpa, which manufactures medicine and from which she will be able to purchase medicine.  The laboratory, Francelia, opened an account for Mabel to purchase wholesale medicine while we were there.

The owner of Francelia Laboratories also contacted a very large medical supply company, which provides very low cost wholesale medicine of all types, and recommended Mabel as a prospective customer.  Later, we drove to San Pedro Sula for Mabel to meet the company owner and set up an account to purchase medicine for her pharmacy.

With all of these ingredients in place, Mabel will be able to open her pharmacy right away.  She is very excited about the prospects of having her own business.  We are extremely proud of Mabel and her accomplishments and wish her well in her future endeavors.

Final Comments

Please note that WBM is a 501-c-3 Non Profit Corporation.  100% of all designated funds received are used as directed by the donor.  There are no deductions for administrative expenses.  All gifts may be used as legal deductions when preparing income tax returns as allowed by law.

Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support of WBM for the past thirty two years.  Without your constant prayers and support, the accomplishments described above, as well as the hospital and other projects, would not be possible.  Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

In Christ Siempre,

JoAnn & Sandy Cheves

In October we returned from Honduras with a great report to share with you.  Here are some highlights.

Senior Citizen Ministry

We were able to visit the WBM SCM recipients at least twice while in Guaimaca during this visit.  Each visit was a blessing to us as well as the Seniors.  Mino Rodriguez is administering the SCM and visits each person at least twice each month with food, medicine, clothing, and other items needed.  All of the recipients look forward to receiving the food he brings and always express their appreciation for all of the help they receive.

Some seniors have family or friends as caregivers, who often share the food as compensation for their time and service.  None of the SCM recipients are able to provide for themselves due to their financial state as well as their physical ability.  As SCM recipients are added these are strict requirements in order to qualify.

During a recent team visit team nurses were able to minister to Pauline Colindres in a very special way.  She has suffered for years with a wound to her leg that wouldn’t heal due to her unsanitary living conditions.  The nurses were able to clean her wound, apply ointment, and wrap her leg to prevent new infection.  They also left funds for cleaning and dressing her leg.  Her leg is almost healed now.

Please visit the Senior Citizen Ministry web page for more details and to see a photo of Pauline.

Grace Biblical Seminary

The October GBS classes were the best attended yet.  Up to 25 students studied the book of Galatians under the instructions of Dr. Gene Yancey.  With the new students attending these classes it will soon be necessary to provide basic classes in Bible study in order for new students to have the foundation on which to build their future studies.

At the end of the week the students enjoyed their noon meal at the new La Chiquita restaurant.  The final hours of instruction were presented by Dr. Yancey at the restaurant.  We have seen the classes grow from less than ten students to more than twenty students.  We thank God for blessing this most important ministry to the pastors and those who provide leadership to their churches.

WBM Churches

Through the years WBM has planted eight new churches in and around Guaimaca.  Each of those churches has done well with tte exception of the church in the extremely remote San Jose de Guayape.  The original pastor of San Jose agreed to plant the church and remain there as their pastor until another pastor could be found.  He and his family remained there for two years and were replaced by a new pastor.  After some problems the pastor left and the church was closed, as no other pastor could be found at the time.

Recently a pastor from Concordia, a nearby town, began attending the GBS classes and asked for permission to pastor the church in San Jose.  We excitedly agreed.  Please pray that Pastor Angel will provide the leadership needed in San Jose, a town of more than 500 residents..

The new Cerro Grande Baptist Church will soon be open and in use.  The congregation still uses the community center for meetings, but will soon have windows, doors, and a beautiful tile floor.  Pastor David Avila is looking forward to preaching in the new building.  The Cerro Grande church is one of the eight churches planted by the WBM Ministry.

Senior Citizen Activity Center

WBM recently sponsored the drilling of a well for the Senior Citizen’s Activity Center in Guaimaca, where up to 150 Seniors gather each weekday for a meal and fellowship.  WBM was pleased to be able to provide food and several really great visits to the Center and participate often in helping with various needs.  Sandy Yancey, wife of Dr. Gene Yancey, demonstrated the love of Christ ih a program she presented at the Center while Gene taught the GBS classes.

Children’s Daycare Center

WBM also sponsored the drilling of a well for the Children’s Daycare Center in Guaimaca, where several hundred children from very poor homes come each day to attend school and enjoy a hot meal.  Many of the children have working single mothers, who would be unable to earn a living for their family if they had no place to leave their children while they work. Only poor children are allowed to attend this daycare center, where there are no special requirements to attend, like uniforms, which they can’t afford.

We often visit the Children’s Daycare Center to share Christ, provide school supplies, and leave food for the children.  This is an unbelievable ministry to many children, who would otherwise be unable to attend school or hear of God;s love.

Mexico Beach Hurricane

We returned to the States early than planned in October to complete the loading and delivery of a 40′ container of clothes, food, baby supplies, etc. to Mexico Beach.  Through Samaritan’s Purse we made contact with the First Baptist Church of Mexico Beach, FL to receive the container.  The container, chassis, and its contents.were delivered to Pastor Eddie La Fountain to be used as needed.  Pastor Eddie said that all of the items were needed and that they could use the container for storage and distribution of items to those in need.  WBM was very pleased that the container and chassis could be used by the Lord in such a way..

Support

It is only possible to continue these, and many other, projects with your prayers, participation, and financial support.  100% of your gifts are used as you request and all donations are tax deductible.  World Baptist Missions Inc, is a 501-c-3 non profit.  You may use all donations as tax deductions as allowed by the law.

Thank you for your prayers and support..

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September 2018

We will be leaving in less than two weeks to return to Guaimaca to resume the Ministry there.  We’re looking forward to returning with the anticipation of seeing our many friends and resuming the many ministry projects of World Baptist Missions Inc.  We’ve accomplished many things while in the States related to the Honduras Ministry, but need to return to Hondurras to resume work there.

Upcoming projects in Honduras include a fire department and ambulance service for Guaimaca.  While in the States we have been the search for a fire truck and two ambulances for Guaimaca as well as equipment and supplies for both.  We’ve also been working on the design of a potable water system for the entire city of Guaimaca.  Currently only a small portion of the population has water available to their homes.  That water is surface water from mountain streams, which are severely polluted.  A friend, for example, recently described his experience of finding a worm lodged between his teeth after brushing.  Filtration, treatment, and distribution of water are not practices familiar to Guaimaca, therefore a potable water supply for every home will be a most welcome improvement.

Fire protection for the thousands of homes in Guaimaca is not available.  Nearby cities do have some fire protection, however limited, but at least they have some fire protection.  The previously described water system will provide an abundance of water for fire protection.  A tanker/pumper firetruck is being sought in the States to transport water to fires and pump water from the City water system.  Throughout Honduras only limited training for firemen is available, but will be augmented by professional State side instructors to enhance the limited training available in Honduras.  A firetruck, equipment, and supplies are being sought now for Guaimaca.

Two used, but servicable, ambulances are also being sought for transport to Guaimaca.  Currently there is no ambulance service available between Guaimaca and the medical facilities in Tegucigalpa, the capital city, where more professional care is available.  Typically patients, even severely injured accident victims, gunshot victims, birthing needs, etc. etc. are typically transported without professional medical personnel and in the back of pickup trucks, buses, or personal automobiles, when availlable.  Two EMTs are currently waiting for the ambulances and equipment to arrive in Guaimaca, when they are committed to move to Guaimaca from the United States to begin instructing EMTs to staff the ambulances of Guaimaca.  We look forward to hosting them as they serve in this most important and life saving ministry..

All of these exciting things are happening under the ministry of World Baptist Missions Inc, which has been serving the people of Guaimaca for the past thirty years with the good news of Jesus Christ.  WBM is happy to also host the Honduras extension of Grace Biblical Seminary, which provides classes for pastors and lay leaders in the study of the Bible.  In many instances GBS provides the very first opportunity for pastors to study God’s Holy Word in a professional setting under scholars of the Bible.  WBM is pleased to offer this most important ministry to Honduran pastors.

Please visit us often to learn of the work of WBM and its affiliated ministries.  Perhaps you would like to participate or sponsor this most worthwhile ministry.  We covet your prayers and support.

By the way, we’ve recently published a new section called Videos and Photos.  Be sure to visit it often to see, in action, some of the events and happenings of WBM.  We’ll be adding short videos and photos along, which will surely be of interest to you.

We are super excited to announce many great things happening in Guaimaca and the entire surrounding area.  Before beginning, let me share the link to the latest WBM event held on 30 June 2018.  The Adoremos En Familia Guaimaca area wide crusade was held at the Vicente Brizo Aleman soccer stadium with 3,000 people attending.  Dr. Ed Hoard and Dr. Freddie Coile presented the Gospel and plan of salvation with approximately 300 accepting Christ as their Personal Savior.  The program began with music by the Iglesia Bautista Esmirna worship team followed by the Christian music group Oleo, who performed throughout the evening.  The program began at 4:00pm and concluded at 8:30pm.  It was the largest attended event ever held in Guaimaca.

Presentations by Mayor Armando Raudales and First Lady Sandra Raudales were followed by a description of the official announcement about the new Fire Department and Ambulance Service, which will soon serve all of Guaimaca and the surrounding area.

It was all planned and organized by World Baptist Missions in partnership with Grace Biblical Seminary, which WBM sponsors in Guaimaca with twenty students faithfully studying at this time under direction of the GBS staff from the United States and Nicaragua.

Please click on the “Play” arrow to begin he video.  Then click on the “Full Screen” icon to view it on your full screen.  Enjoy!!!

I’ll be back soon to describe more of the WBM activities in the next update.

Since the last posting many great things have been happening in Honduras.  The new Mayor of Guaimaca is a good friend of ours, who decided to run for Mayor in order to help the people-a totally different concept than most.  Armando and Sandra Raudales are now the Mayor and First Lady of Guaiimaca.  They are wonderful Christians and have already accomplished many new things for the people of Guaimaca.

Just to give you an idea, they have opened a Children’s Daycare Center in a very poor section of town to care for the children of mothers who need to work and have no one to take care of their children.  Several hundred children from very poor families are attending school at the Center, receiving wholesome hot meals each day and even having the opportunity to learn to play the violin, piano, guitar, saxophone, and other instruments.

One of the greatest needs at the Children’s Daycare Center was potable water.  We recently drilled a 300′ deep well that will be used for cooking, bathrooms, and other needs at the Center.  The water will be a significant blessing to the children and workers as no water was available to them before except water. hauled from other locations.

We also provided a well for the Senior Citizen’s Center, which is another project that Sandra and Armando started in Guaimaca. The SCC provides a hot wholesome meal for poor Senior Citizens in that entire area of Guaimaca every day.  They are also involved in small projects, enjoy visiting, and even have garden’s on the property, where they grow corn, beans, sugar cane, and other vegetables.

We will also be involved in the Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center, where 48 men and one woman are now living and learning to live without addictions that have been destroying their lives.  We are currently looking for property to build a new A&D Center.  The current facility is much too small.

Each of these projects provide opportunities for witnessing.  Soon our Grace Biblical Seminary students will be visiting these three ministries regularly to teach the Word of God to lost souls.

We have also been asked by the Mayor to design and build a water system which will provide potable water to every home in the City of Guaimaca.  We have already begun this project and will be reporting more to you soon.

We are also working with the Mayor to provide two ambulances and a fire truck for the City of Guaimaca.  Guaimaca has never has any fire or ambulance service.  This will be a first.  We are providing the equipment and training the EMTs and Firemen.  God has provided a well qualified instructor, Christian Cubas, to provide the training and work with the men and women, who will volunteer their time and talents.

Finally, the largest public gathering ever in Guaimaca will take place on June 30 when WBM will sponsor a City wide crusade, where more than five thousand people will gather in the soccer stadium for a family evening of fellowship, GBS speakers, Christian music, a free meal, and an address by the Mayor of Guaimaca.telling about all the wonderful things God is doing in Guaimaca.

The Grade Biblical Seminary will provide speakers from the States, Honduras, and Nicaragua to inform and encourage Guaimaca to turn to the Lord and accept Him as Lord and Savior.  There will be counselors available to answer questions and explain the difference in Salvation and works.  We are praying that after this City wide crusade Guaimaca will become known as God’s city.

We ask you to pray for these projects and for the special Crusade on June 30.  We also need some help[ covering the expenses of the Crusade, which we expect to be around $7,000.

Have a wonderful and blessed day.

Today March 31, 2018 I have great news that we have been lifting in prayer for twenty five years.  This report may be long, but I want you to know what is going on here in order for you to be able to celebrate the good news with us.  Please continue to read.

After twenty five years here in Guaimaca we finally have an honest Christian man, who has been elected Mayor of Guaimaca.  To fully understand the impact of this you must understand that Guaimaca is the largest town in the Guaimaca area, but like Atlanta and other Stateside cities, Guaimaca has many smaller towns throughout the mountains that are all part of Guaimaca and are governed by the elected Mayor of Guaimaca and the City Council.

Mayor (Alcalde) Henry Armando Raudades was elected to the position of Alcalde of Guaimaca and will serve for a four year term with the possibility of being elected for additional four year terms by the people of Guaimaca.  Armando is an Engineer by education and is a local businessman.  His wife, Sandra, is also from Guaimaca and sister to my neighbor’s wife here in the Mennonite community.  They own and operate three pharmacies and the La Cascada (The Waterfall) restaurant here in Guaimaca and a fourth pharmacy in a nearby city.  They are wonderful Christians and are already doing good things here with many plans for the future of Guaimaca.

Several weeks ago Sandra and Armando reached out to me to help them with several needs for the City of Guaiamca.  Some of the items they requested are; food, clothing, shoes, baby supplies, two ambulances, a fire truck, and much much more.  We have already contacted several people,in the States to request these items for Guaimaca and will resume sending semi containers filled with these items to Guaimaca to be distributed through the WBM Senior Citizen Ministry and through new programs operated by the City to help poor families with food, clothing, daycare for children of working mothers. a special school for poor children, and a feeding program for the poor in this area.

Interestingly, we built a water treatment plant for Orphange Emmanuel more than fifteen years ago, which was never used.  We will soon place that plant in operation to provide more than 100,000 gallons of potable water per day to the city with plans to build additional plants in the near future to increase the capacity.  This project will provide a sufficient amount of water to serve the entire City of Guaimaca soon.

Many other projects will significantly improve living conditions in and around Guaimaca as these projects come online.  Another really great project has reopened the local sawmill, which at one time provided employment for >1000 people and was the largest in Honduras.  One saw line is in operation now with other saw lines to begin operating soon.

With good Christian people in the Alcaldia (Office of the Mayor) I am anticipating the opportunity to present Christ to the people of Guaimaca from many platforms including two local TV channels, several local radio stations, community meetings, festivals, civic gatherings, etc.  The field is ripe for harvest here in  Guaimaca with an estimated population of 300,000 people in this service area.

Please pray for Guaimaca, that, with God’s help, we will be able to meet the challenge before us.  Please share your thoughts and ideas.  You are urgently needed to meet this challenge.

We’ve been working diligently since we arrived in Honduras to catch up on ongoing projects and prepare for the team of twenty from Iowa.  They will be conducting medicals brigades in four communities, building the roof for the Cerro Grande Baptist Church, spreading the Gospel through distribution of Bibles and tracts, providing uniforms and shoes for school children for 190 students, and visiting homes to share the plan of salvation.  Each year it’s a genuine pleasure to host this team and see the reaction of those they serve.

Be sure to stay tuned.  I’ll be adding more updates on the team with photos next week as they begin their week long ministry here in Honduras.

JoAnn and I are making our final preparations and packing our suitcases to fly to Honduras Tuesday.  Mino will be meeting us at the airport in Tegucigalpa. .  We’re definitely looking forward to getting back to Honduras and our home in Guaimaca, which is about one hour fifteen minutes drive from the airport in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

We want to encourage you to pray for the upcoming team from Pella, Iowa, who will be arriving on February 23 for a week of construction, evangelism, medical brigades, school visits, and home visits.  Please pray for the team to have a safe trip and wonderful week serving the Lord in Guaimaca.  We’ll be sharing more about their trip and various ministry activities in a later update here.

Be sure to check out the “Thoughts from the President”, where we’ll share more personal thoughts and observations.  Have a blessed day and please remember to keep us in your prayers.