Reinforcement
A Mission Trip Reflection
by Pastor John Drage

But the greatest REINFORCEMENT for me has come in the two elements to the solution that sometimes we could overlook.  The two MAIN THINGS we administrate are the Proclamation of the Gospel and the Operation of the Church.

This is what the church in Choluteca focuses on regularly.  I intend that the Rock would do the same!  That church is so beautiful.  Loving their hurting community in many special ways.

The Church and the Gospel must be foundational to all we do there and throughout this broken world.  The great need is not just for a meal of rice and beans.  But for the word of God and hope only found in Jesus.  Yes, by all means bring the rice and beans and probably some medicine.  But that is not our end! Continue reading Spring Break 2011: John’s Story Part 3

Reinforcement
A Mission Trip Reflection
by Pastor John Drage

Personally, I have continued to struggle with our responsibility in this problem of poverty.  We certainly have some responsibility to do something!  But what?  How does one decide who to help?  How does one decide how to help?  What is it that we should help to do?  Are the solutions we propose really making life better for these people?

I often times, I get a bit lost and confused as I try to figure out an appropriate, God honoring next step.  The Lord is not confused over the matter, but our response is not haphazard or misguided.

As a strategist and thinker, I can hardly describe the problem accurately.  We must know the problem well before we get so busy creating and implementing solutions. Continue reading Spring Break 2011: John’s Story Part 2

Reinforcement
Reflections on a Mission Trip
by Pastor John Drage

We just sprinted a 10 day marathon.  Gathering an eclectic collection of Gringos, we enjoyed a wonderful Mission Trip to Choluteca, Honduras March 25 to April 3, 2011,  It seemed best to write some reflections of the trip so that I can describe and digest what happened to me.   Maybe this little scratch sheet of thoughts will affect you as well?

The key word to describe my recent trip is “Reinforcement”.  You see, it was my 15^th visit to Latin America.  I have participated in many, many trips and have seen many things in the more than 10 years that I have been visiting there. Continue reading Spring Break 2011: John’s Story Part 1

Most impactful Moment- Sharing the gospel with the mom at the farm and her praying to receive Christ!  Runner Up- Seeing the challenge of water more clearly.

Saddest Moment- Hearing of more stories of fatherlessness again and again.

Happiest Moment- Giving the home to Mrs. Exodocia, saying “Move that bus!”

Most frustrating Moment- The construction manager the first two days at the house.  Poor management.  He did not seem to care to help us help him.

Most confused Moment- What to do with the dying man with diabetes. Continue reading Spring Break 2011: John’s Significant Moments

A member of the January 2011 team, Allyssa Routzahn, graciously allowed us to share her trip report here on the site. Over the next few days, we’ll share Allyssa’s journey to Choluteca and discover what she learned from the experience.

January 7, 2011:  I was selected to do the devotional for that morning. I choose a passage in Philippians that talked about friends and how in the end you will see them again. I told my team how a lot of us had made many strong friendships here and to not be discouraged because we will see them again in heaven. I also said that we only have a couple days left in Honduras, and we should use these days to serve the Lord with all our hearts. We went Limon and played with the children. Wilson gave me a big hug right as I got off the bus. He grabbed my hand and off we went to go play. That was the last day I saw Wilson and those children. They will be forever in my heart. I hope to see them again. Continue reading Allyssa’s Honduras Story – Part 5

A member of the January 2011 team, Allyssa Routzahn, graciously allowed us to share her trip report here on the site. Over the next few days, we’ll share Allyssa’s journey to Choluteca and discover what she learned from the experience.

January 5, 2011:  We headed back to Rena and Manuel’s house. We finished up the yard work, the fence, and the floor. The concrete floor was almost done in the main room. We got them a new pipe for the water to flow from out of the house into the yard.  The old one was dirty and broken. I gave Rena a Spanish Bible and she was very thankful for it. She wrote my name and date in it. I hope she might have given it to Manuel. We went back for lunch.

After lunch, we went to the Dump. The Dump was one of the hardest days. We went to the dump to evangelize. The people at the dump work to find plastic bottles to sell to the owner of the dump for only 10% of what they are really worth. When we got there, a dump truck was pulling up to the yard and dumped its contents.  At least fifteen people started to go through the trash and salvage anything they could use. Continue reading Allyssa’s Honduras Story – Part 4

A member of the January 2011 team, Allyssa Routzahn, graciously allowed us to share her trip report here on the site. Over the next few days, we’ll share Allyssa’s journey to Choluteca and discover what she learned from the experience.

January 3, 2011: We ate breakfast and did devotionals every morning at the church. Before breakfast, we went to the tortilla and bread factory across the street. They gave us a sample of their corn tortilla and it was so delicious. In the morning, we went to Limon. The church started a mal-nutrient clinic, nursery, and daycare in Limon. When we got there, children surrounded the bus. As you walked off the bus, children just hugged you immediately. My heart gave out for these children.

At Limon, they gave us a tour and told us what they did there. They basically built Limon to get children off the streets and for them to become socially safe. On the streets, these children are neglected of food and education; they can even be beaten, abused, or raped. So the church created Limon to keep these children safe. They provide food, education, and teachings about God. They get their funding from sponsors and donations. Continue reading Allyssa’s Honduras Story – Part 3

A member of the January 2011 team, Allyssa Routzahn, graciously allowed us to share her trip report here on the site. Over the next few days, we’ll share Allyssa’s journey to Choluteca and discover what she learned from the experience.

January 2, 2011: We woke up the next morning at 6:20am. Jorge picked us up from our house and drove us to the church to meet with the rest of the group. We got to ride in the bed of the pick-up truck every morning. It was awesome! At the church we had breakfast and did devotionals. That morning’s devotional was about Hebrews 11:13. We talked about how we are a stranger in a foreign place, but we are ultimately always strangers until we go to our true home; which is in Heaven. After breakfast, Frank (one of the leaders of the church) talked about the different projects they have.

He talked about a place called Casa Hogar Vida, the site where people who are infected with AIDS/HIV have a place to work and live. In Honduras, people with AIDS/HIV are considered outcasts. Employers, doctors, other people do not help or assist them. The goal of Casa Hogar is to build 150 homes for people in need. Half of the houses will be rented out and the other half will be given to people that cannot afford it. At Casa Hogar there is also an orphanage. Other families sometimes take these children into their own homes. Casa Hogar’s mission is to establish a community. Continue reading Allyssa’s Honduras Story – Part 2