Matt’s Story
As told at our Praise, Worship and Communion Service on January 29, 2009…
Hey my name is Matt and I was asked to come down and tell you a piece of my story today. For some reason my story always seems to have a good experience and a bad experience when ever I learn something in my life. Today I will share with you the latest thing that the lord has taught me. The lord recently choose to work with me on my pride. My pride in that I can fix just about anything, from cars to houses. Over the years I have been a little bit of every thing. I have been a mechanic, a carpenter, an electrician, and a plumber. So there is not too much in the realm of necessities that I can’t fix. Read more
The Ortez Family
From Francisco of Iglesia Gran Comisión:
Found another family in the community: the Ortez’s family. We went to visit them today and it was heartbreaking. The lack of water, education and help, skin diseases in the children, even worse than the city dump.
God is taking us to these families, to share with them the love of Jesus and let them know that God cares and loves them so much. So we ask for your prayers to reach the hearts of this family with the good news of Christ.
As a church we are so thankful with your support and prayers, God Bless You. Read more
Choluteca Church Expansion
From Francisco, of Iglesia Gran Comisión:
One week ago we started with the expansion of the auditorium. We ask you to pray to God, that He will provide all the resources (materials, workers, and involment of the church members).
We reached maximum capacity last saturday, we had a record attendance of 375 people. It is a record because our maximum attendance was 350 people.
The expansion will allow us to have 600 people in a church service, so brothers and sisters we need your prayers. Read more
Casa Hogar Vida Project – Manualidades
From the Casa Hogar Vida Team:
Dear friends, I want to take this opportunity to introduce to you a new program we have started in Casa Hogar Vida to help people sustain their own families. Its name is Manualidades (Handcrafts) and at the moment employs two people: Luz who many of you know and Lilly.
The aim of Manualidades is to make things with a sewing machine such as handbags, table cloths, curtains and other things which can be sold.
We are looking for your support in two ways if this is possible. Firstly; by bringing or sending any material that you can which will reduce our costs, fewer costs means more people can have employment.
Secondly; if there are things in the brochure that you would like to purchase then again this will help sustain the ministry.
For your attention here in brief are Luz and Lilly’s stories: Read more
March 2009 Team – Important Info
In order for the mission trip coordinator to make all the travel and other arrangements on time, you must:
- Apply online by January 30. The application fee is of $100, and it’s a non-refundable deposit to make a deposit for the airline reservations. Please make the check payable to Great Commission Latin America, and give it to the mission trip leader. This amount will be credited to your final trip cost.
- Plane tickets will be purchased for each missionary by February 13. You need to have in your missionary account $725 (this amount includes your $100 application fee).
- The balance of the trip funds-$805, is due by March 6. The total cost is $1,530. (This cost is subject to change when the airlines increase the fuel surcharge and/or taxes, or if the number of the team’s participants drops below 10 people).
Important Dates
- Jan. 30 – $100 non-refundable deposit due
- Feb. 13 – $625 first installment
- Mar. 6 – $805 remaining balance of the trip due
- Mar. 20 – Leave for Choluteca, Honduras
Team Meetings
- Thursday Night January 29, 2009 after Rock PWC – 15 minute meeting- Deposit due!
- Sunday Night February 8 at 6PM – Dinner at John’s house. Let’s bring our first installment money to send together this day. We will send it together.
- Sunday Night February 22 at 6 PM – Dinner at John’s house.
- Sunday Night March 15 at 6PM – Dinner at John’s house.
Tyler in Honduras (2)
Tyler recently posted an update on Facebook. Here is his work schedule:
Mondays: Work with Casa Hogar Vida, the AIDS orphanage, doing anything from visiting houses to administrative work on the computer.
Tuesdays: Work in the malnutrition center and daycare in Limon.
Wednesdays and Thursdays: Teach in the school at the church. Teach Bible class, English, PE, music, and computers.
Fridays: Work in the malnutrition center and daycare in Limon.
A quote from his update:
"I love being apart of this community of people, they are so loving and funny. It’s a lot of fun. I also love that I’m getting to live like a Honduran. i walk to work at the school and I take a city bus (a lot different that Columbia’s bus transit) to Limon. Its a great experience."
Please continue to pray for Tyler, the work he’s doing in Choluteca, and the work God is doing in his life.
Tyler in Honduras
God has really opened the door for intimate sharing between Iglesia Gran Comision and The Rock. A big part of that has been through the opportunity for some of our students and recent grads to go to Choluteca for extended periods. Melissa was the first to go in Fall 2007. Aimee follwed in Fall 2008. She has now returned, and Tyler has just begun his 6-month stay in Choluteca.
Tyler first went to Choluteca on the Spring Break trip in March 2007. After 3 short-term trips there, he decided he needed to stay longer, and began the process of raising support for a 6-month trip. He’ll be staying with Pastor Geovanny, and working with the Casa Hogar Vida project, among other things. He’s started a video blog on his Facebook page, so if you haven’t friended him yet, you might want to.
Be praying for Tyler as he adjusts to life in Choluteca and as he seeks out how God wants him to use this time.
Casa Hogar Vida Christmas Party
See pictures from the Casa Hogar Christmas Party
Articles on Short-Term Missions
Boundless webzine recently ran a few articles on short-term missions. They touch on things like "why go?" and "what makes a trip successful or unsuccessful?" Worth reading if you’ve got the time. It’s always good to think about our motivations, and how we are to gauge success and failure.