Honduras: Short Term Mission Trip Update by Bruce Zimmerman

I had the privilege of going on a mission trip to Honduras this last summer. It was the second time I have been to Honduras on a missions trip to spread the gospel. While some of the 16 on the mission team were on their first mission trip ever, it was great to have along veteran mission trippers, like Eddie and Rebecca Martinez who were on their 9th trip to Honduras. Members of this team represented 6 different churches from Ennis, Gordon, Waxahachie, and Lubbock.

The flight to San Pedro Sula, Honduras takes just a few hours. Once arriving in Honduras we rented 4-wheel drive pick-up trucks and headed down the Honduran highway southward for another 3.5 hours to the city of Gracias where we found our hotel for the week of ministry. The hotel would serve as our base for the week. The hotel is a compound of cottages surrounding a beautiful courtyard of tropical flowers and plants. Each of the cottages has its own porch with a hammock swing. We were served delicious breakfasts and dinners every day at the hotel.

The mission trip combined both evangelism and construction work as we worked under the direction of the local missionary, Shannon. Each morning we would take a 1.5 hour ride up mountainous roads to get to a small city — San Isidro and work alongside pastor Manuel in reaching his mountain city for Christ. The construction project consisted of putting a skin of concrete on the inside of the church building to help it last longer. The church building is made out of mud bricks, and a skin of concrete on the outside and inside of the building not only makes it look better, but makes the building last longer.

While some of the North American team worked on pastor Manuel’s church building, others would go out visiting door-to-door sharing the gospel message of Jesus with others. The people of San Isidro are coffee farmers who live off of the land and what they can grow for themselves. They raise chickens, grow bananas, squash, beans, corn and coffee. They were supposed to be in the “rainy season” of this rain forest habitat, but they had not had any rain for two months. They live in mud brick homes with dirt floors, without any running water or electricity. We went each day in the mornings and afternoons learning about their lives, sharing our testimonies of what God had done in our lives through the gospel and praying for their needs. Though the Hondurans have very little in possessions, they are rich in hospitality. Not a single time did someone turn us away from their doors, but instead would welcome us into their homes, and we would begin conversations with them through translators. At each home we would invite the Lenca Indians to come to an evening worship service at pastor Manuel’s church.

Most nights the building was packed to standing room only. Two of the nights, all of the North Americans had to leave the church building to make room for Hondurans who were anxious to come and worship God and hear from the North Americans who had come to their village. Eddie and Rebecca led the worship time each night with the guitar. The believers are enthusiastic in their worship of the Lord.

Most nights the preaching was done by Bert Sigala, a nephew of the Martinez’s who pastors a Hispanic congregation in Ennis. He connected beautifully with the people as he preached from Hosea and the gospels. It was obvious to see their interest in the things he was preaching about from the Word. Each night many decisions were made and people were coming forward for prayer. Many are sick and without medical care. We prayed for many who were sick.

Each night the service had a time for people to share testimonies of the Lord’s working in their lives. The testimony time gave opportunities for our team members to tell their story of conversion and God’s help in them through difficult times. The Hondurans would also share testimonies of salvation and of healing. Many had testimonies of God’s gracious healing upon them.

One woman brought her baby boy up after the Wednesday evening service, asking people to pray for the baby. The baby had been sick for two weeks with high fever from pneumonia. Team members gathered around the baby and mother and asked for a miraculous healing. The very next night the mother came to the service to give praise to the Lord. The baby, who had been very “hot” the night before and lethargic, was raised up in her arms smiling at the congregation. The mother praised God for healing her baby of the high fever the night before.

One of the things that stood out to me was their grateful hearts. When they prayed, I could not understand them, but one thing I could hear over and over from their mouths was, “Gracias Padre!” (Thank you Father!) They had so little of the possessions and amenities of life, yet they were filled with gratitude in their worship of the Lord.

On Saturday there was some time for shopping in the local markets and then back up the mountain to another house church in which to minister. I was privileged to preach that night through a translator as people packed out the room once again and filled it to overflowing!

Thanks for your prayers for this trip. We sensed God at work throughout the week. Plans are to return next year to another village and spread the good news of the gospel with Hondurans again. Would you like to go on next year’s trip? We would like to take at least 10 people from WBC for the trip. Contact Eddie Martinez (edmart458@yahoo.com) for more information and to stay informed of the necessary steps to make the trip. We had teenagers singles, married couples, and families on this trip.