Better Together

What have we been up to? A LOT!  Most recently, we spent a week in Wellington, Florida with one of our supporting churches, Christ Community Church.  In 2012, we Skyped into their missions conference and have since attended every year in person.  This was our fifth year to present what the Lord is doing in Honduras and be mutually encouraged by their involvement with us as well as many other ministries.  This church has been like home to us.  They have been by our side and partnered in the Gospel for many years.  They've seen us through tough times and us them.  They are truly like family and we had an absolute blast this year.

3 hour drive to the airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Jacob at the prayer breakfast with two of the elders

Asher schmoozing the lady-folk

Delicious potluck dinner the second night 

We shared a few of the ministries in La Ceiba, Honduras

(Sorry, no photos of the ice cream social on Friday because we were inhaling sweet goodness)

 

Q&A during Sunday school hour

Adam sharing about the culture and need for seminary during the worship service

Some of the boys' best buddies

The most fitting name for this precious church. 

We've heard it said that life is "better together" and this church is a true representation of that.  Christ is the reason for our true community.  We enjoyed the fellowship in each conference event as well as multiple meals, shopping trips, and even a boat day in the inter-coastal waterways with members of this church.  Christ Community loved us well and we returned to Honduras restored (but maybe still needing some rest! ha ha). We ask you would pray alongside of us for this church who is the hands and feet of Jesus not only locally but globally as well.  They are a true treasure.     

Another Goodbye

In the past year, Team La Ceiba has added two babies to our sum of children, said goodbye to a precious family of four, added a sweet Honduran family of 5 as well as a single Honduran lawyer AND accepted another MTW missionary who will join us after itinerating.  We now say adios to Shannon Innes de Ordonez and her family.  We are sad to see them go but excited to see what is in store for them!   I've said it before, missionaries are no strangers to people coming and going!  How bittersweet! 

Shannon and her family

Shannon moved to La Ceiba with a burden for the vast teen mom population and started a precious ministry by opening a home for single mothers in 2011.  Puerta de Esperanza, (or Door of Hope) intentionally houses up to four moms and their babies.  Here they can learn to be moms, finish schooling, work or gain career skills, budget, cook, and care for their home.  Beyond practical life skills, these young ladies have been exposed to Godly living and loving.  Shannon has come along side many young moms and shared the good news of Jesus Christ.  She has cared for these young women who have been abused, rejected, and abandoned and shown them that their worth is in their identity in Christ. It has been a joy to see the Lord soften hearts and change lives through this ministry and through His willing instrument, Shannon. Well done, good and faithful servant!

Puerta de Esperanza family from 2011-2017

Friday, we had a "despedida" or going away party for the Ordonez family. Our team alongside almost all of the former and current single moms in the  Puerta de Esperanza house celebrated and said goodbye to Shannon.  Lots of fun, food, and laughs mixed with some stories, tears, and hugs made for a lovely day.  

Pray for: *the Ordonez's transition to the States

               *for the transition/changes for the young moms as Shannon leaves

               *Alma Villanueva, the current director of Puerta de Esperanza

      

Rest of the Summer Newsletter

Proverbs 3:7 View this email in your browser September 2017 Summer Teams This summer concluded our first full year as coordinators of short-term teams. Michelle mastered the task of feeding the masses. We are grateful for the dozens of people who came down to put their skills to use working alongside of us.  We are also grateful for our wonderful summer interns and our amazing teammates who made it all run smoothly. New House for Peter Project Peter Project, our team's ministry to at risk boys moved into a new house recently. The house has a bigger kitchen for cooking lunch, a large dining area, study rooms, and outdoor space to kick around a soccer ball.  And the rent is less than the previous house! CCI Formalization The local church we attend, Centro Cristiano Internacional is very focused on church planting and have started several groups around the city. One such group in Corozal, just outside of La Ceiba was recently formalized as a church. Pastor Miguel is one of our students. Tegucigalpa Team We had the chance to visit the other MTW team in Tegucigalpa.  They were busy building and prepping furniture to get their offices set up. Pastor Josué (right) came into this desk which supposedly belonged to a lawyer who was convicted of the biggest act of fraud in the history of Honduras. He and Eric are sanding down the entire desk to give it a new finish and fresh start. It was a joy to see how God is working in and through their team to establish a church body in the capital city. Team Planning Meeting Our semi-annual team planning meeting took place earlier this month. How encouraging to see what the Lord has done over the last six months and look forward to future progress through the ministries in which He has entrusted us! Honduras Missionaries Conference For the first time our family attended the annual conference of Honduran Missionaries. We came away with new friends, additional tools for ministry, and a feeling of refreshment. 0 Pastor Gregorio Pastor Gregorio worked with our team in the community of La Fe for a year and a half. He struggled to gain traction in establishing a church in the community. Discouraged, he decided to move on to a small community in the mountains. We are thankful for his service and wish him and his family well in the next stage of their ministry. Book Reviews If you'd like to know more about Honduras' history or just need a good book, I recommend these. The Fish that Ate the Whale is a fantastically written account of Samuel Zemurray, United Fruit Company and the banana industry of Central America. Highly entertaining and fascinating to learn how one man had such influence in shaping the country we now call home. 5 stars. The Lost City of the Monkey God is a first-hand account of a recent archaeological expedition into the extremely remote rain-forest jungle of La Moskitia, Honduras (not too far from La Ceiba). The book provides lots of Honduran history as well as good personal experience of what it is like to travel within the country.  4 stars. Jacob and Asher have enrolled in an art class taught by our friend, Noe.  He is an accomplished artist and hopes to one day use his talent on the mission field in Indonesia. Prayer Requests Last year, Michelle wrote about a woman who has visited us almost weekly since we moved to La Ceiba. A couple of months ago she showed up at church and has continued to come. Please pray that she would see Jesus amidst her extreme poverty and that the Holy Spirit would guide us in how to love her well. In our last newsletter we asked for prayer that we would learn how to encourage our seminary students in the long process of seminary study. God has already reinforced the need for this through a discussion with our Honduran teammate, Raul who shared how vital encouragement is in a culture without a history of long-term vision. Please pray that we would increase our words of encouragement towards our students. I(Adam) am learning that prioritizing the areas of my life means more than just ranking their value but actually applying my time and energy accordingly. Please pray that I would continue to learn to set healthy boundaries and to pour myself into those areas that I claim are of highest priority (i.e. God, wife, children). Adam Michelle Blog Email Copyright © 2017 Cains On A Mission, All rights reserved.