Past Trips We Have Taken
HONDURAS 2007
We left SFO on July 18, 2007 at 1:00am headed for Tegucigalpa Honduras to work with Bro. Abel Bonilla and his family. We landed in Tegucigalpa at 8:00am after a brief stop in San Salvador. But the trip really started about 8 months earlier, when the email went out to see if anyone was interested in a summer mission’s trip. When the dust had settled, there were a total of 11 people ready and willing to go.
During those 8 months we planned, we prayed, we did fund raisers, and
we prepared for the mission that lay ahead
of us in Honduras. We spent time doing fund raising with 2 mystery dinners, and deputation work at several local
churches. We collected VBS items during this time and took over 12 suit cases of VBS supplies for the local church.
We also spent time getting our needed immunizations and obtaining passports, one of which showed up only 2 weeks
prior to departure. Additional time was spent in lesson, activity, and craft preparation. We also spent time learning
about the local people and local culture.
Our responsibility was to run the 3 day VBS program. We were to teach, run a daily activity, and do crafts. We divided up into 3 teams of 3 people each which allowed us to have 2 floaters to help out where needed. The daily schedule was to pass out flyers in the morning within the local neighborhoods and then VBS started at 2pm and ran for about 2 hours. We had about 65 kids on the first day, the second day it increased to about 100, and on the last day we hit 150+ plus in attendance. Closing ceremonies on Sunday saw an attendance of about 180 kids. We had about 80 professions of faith according to Bro Bonilla.
It wasn’t all just work. Each evening we had a youth night with the local High School and college age kids which
consisted of singing praises to the Lord, testimonials, and an activity. Each night ended with a game of soccer against
the locals. After all the activities of the day, we spent some time debriefing as a group, some of the most enjoyable
time of the day.
In between all the work of the trip we managed some shopping, sight-seeing, and a trip through the countryside to see one of the local missions. Then it happened, on July 24 we had to leave, all too early. After many tears we boarded the plane and flew back home. A trip we will never forget. We went to a foreign country to help and change the lives of others. Funny thing, I am not sure who was effected more, them or us.
Peru 2008
A Mac-Med trip had previously been to the Amazon River Basin in Peru to minister to the people by providing medical and spiritual help in several villages. After a very successful trip, the idea was born to send another group out to facilitate several, day-long Vacation Bible Schools at the various villages surrounding the Amazon Lodge in Iquitos, Peru. The owner of the lodge is a Christian and he has a strong desire for the people who live around the lodge to know Jesus as their savior.
We planned for several months to take this trip into the Amazon River Basin. Many prayers and fundraisers went into preparing ourselves spiritually and financially for the adventure. Right from the start we knew this was going to be a trip unlike any other. We expected the accommodations to be “rough”, the weather difficult, the environment harsh… but we weren’t prepared for the openness of the hearts of the people to God’s word and to His son Jesus. When we arrived in Iquitos, we met up with Bro. Juan Angullo, missionary to Trujillo, Peru and then we all traveled one and a half hours by boat to arrive at the Amazon Lodge.
Every day we went to a new village and provided Bible lessons, crafts, and activities for the kids who were attending the local schools. The schools just turned over their daily lessons to us so that we could tell the kids about Jesus. Our lessons were based on the story of the woman at the well and the “living water” that Jesus gave her. Many responded to the word and several professed Jesus in salvation.
We followed up with a revival type service at night in two of the villages where the families of the kids could come and hear the gospel. We shared our testimonies and Bro. Angullo preached the word and several were saved. God truly blessed our time there. We enjoyed the fellowship of each other and the friends we met there in Iquitos. Pray for them there… they need a missionary to come and start churches so the people can learn and grow!
Honduras 2009
This time in Honduras was different, this time we helped with church camp.
Having been to Honduras before allowed us a bit more time and fewer complications in planning this trip. The team did several fundraisers to help pay for expenses. I have found that raising travel funds is one of the most rewarding aspects of the ministry. God already has the money, He is just waiting for us to ask and work for the funds. God has always supplied an over-abundance for each one of out trips.
A team of 12 made the trip to Honduras, leaving SFO on January 1st, 2009. The game plan was to help Bro Bonilla conduct their camp helping with sports, activities, games, and campfire. The week was divided into two camps. The first half of the week was the kid’s camp, ages 8-12. The second half of the week we worked with the Jr. High and High School. Each camp had about 45 campers. We had classes, services, activities, crafts and fun.
This trip was different in that we lived at the camp with the team from Honduras. The time we spent together was unbelievable. We developed God centered friendship what will last an eternity. We worked together, prayed together and played together.
Toward the end of the week we took a field trip. A short, 1-hour bus ride got us within 2 miles of a small paradise. We walked the remainder of the way. Tucked away within a hillside was a waterfall and small lake. We packed in a lunch and made a day of it. We spent the day just resting and enjoying the sun and water.
All too soon the week was over and we drove back to Tegucigalpa. The drive back was 5 hours in a school bus through the mountains of Honduras, a long ride to say the least. We spent two days at the Bonilla’s house enjoying their company and hospitality. Once again we had to say goodbye, but we will be back.
Romania 2009
In July a team of 10 headed to Pucioasa, Romania to work with Bro. Dave Manary. The game plan was to do a VBS in a local village, a VBS for the Manary children, work at the church camp, and do some work for the local church. Having just flown 14+ hours David gave us a couple of days to rest. On Monday the work began. We spent most of the day working on the church benches, sanding and staining. We stop long enough to have chicken sandwiches, from the local hardware store of all places.
VBS: Times Two
Tuesday through Thursday we helped with VBS at a local village. We averaged about 40-45 kids each day. Our job was face painting, crafts, and games. By the end of VBS we had 26 professions of faith, PTL. The village where we conducted the VBS is a spot where Dave has been praying about starting a church. Pray that the professions of faith were sincere and he is able to move forward with the new church.
The other VBS was conducted for the Manary kids in English, a request by Sis. Manary. We conducted a full 5 day VBS with lessons, flannel graphs, crafts, and puppets. It was a huge success for all! I think we enjoyed it as much, if not more, than the kids.
At the end of the week we began to install the flooring in the new church. Thanks to Jay, who did the lion share of the work, most all of the subflooring got installed. We also spent Friday at the church camp, painting 6 of the dorm rooms and playing a little soccer.
In between the VBS and work we did some sightseeing and shopping. Dave showed us two of the local castles, Peles and Braun.. The Castle of Braun in Transylvania was built in the 1300’s. The Peles Castle was constructed in the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s and is a very ornate building with central heat, still being used today.
The team never wanted for food, as the Manary’s kept us sufficiently fed at all times. A big thanks to Sis. Manary for all her hard work cooking for the team, especially the great deserts!
We learned something new on this trip. Sometimes our foreign missionaries need a break too. They just need to have someone help remind them of home once in awhile. Spending a week with the Manary family was an amazing experience for the team. I just hope we were as much a blessing to them as they were to us.
Honduras 2010
Honduras in January is a great time of year to visit, unless it is cold and you were expecting 85 degree weather. That is exactly what happened to this years team. It was cool with some days of rain, but we survived.
Once again we started the new year in Honduras, helping conduct the church camp. This year was a bit different in that the second half of the week was more of a High School age group. Last years camp saw the second half of the week being a Jr High camp.
We helped with teaching, outdoor games, indoor games, music, testimonials, devotionals, activities, and campfire, or firecamp as we called it in Honduras. The team worked hard and played hard, each day beginning at 8:00am and ending sometime after midnight.
Because this is our 3rd trip we knew many of the youth and adults in the Honduras church. This makes going back all the more enjoyable. I also noticed that they spoke better English this year, allowing me to be very lazy with my Spanish, but helping in the ease of communications.
We were at a different camp this year. This camp was about 45 minutes form Tegucigalpa. This was really nice as last years camp was almost 5 hours away via school bus. The camp was situated within the area mountains which provided a beautiful setting and the facilities were first rate. Meals were very good, with no one going hungry.
Knowing the people of Honduras makes the trip that much more enjoyable and that much harder when we have to say goodbye at the end of the week. But we did not really say goodbye, we said "Tell we meet again" and with the technology in today's world, including facebook, we can stay in contact on a regular basis.
Though the week was physically draining, it was spiritually uplifting. There were 9 professions of faith during the week. That makes it all worth the tiredness of the trip.