Greetings to you in the Name of Jesus from this part of the Americas where it has been very hot for many months, but now by God’s grace we are starting to experience heavy rain!!! And when it rains in Honduras, it rains! But we are not complaining. There is no place in the world we would rather be right now, because this is where the Lord wants us! Halleluyah!!!!

The beginning of the year found us settled in our new village, El Eden. We moved here at the end of November.  We are very happy to have nice, large bedrooms and a large living area to share with our friends and families. We are still learning gardening in Honduras. Some things work, others don’t, so we keep trying… There are many growing fruit trees on the property like maranion, nance, paternas, starfruit, sugar cane, pineapple, bananas, lemons, and soon, lichas, all very tasty and tropical fruits. We have built a chicken pen now that holds chickens and turkeys and yes, we collect eggs every day! Our cow has had a calf so now we also enjoy fresh milk every day. We don’t use it all so we sell and give some away. Brother David Yoder, Leroy, and Philip built a parlor to milk the cow. We are blessed with God’s gifts to us!!

Gardening Family

Learning gardening in Honduras

Enos and Fernando helping to build the chicken house

Feeding the calf

Feeding the chickens in our chicken suite

At our chicken house

Bro David, Leroy, and Phillip building a parlor to milk our cow

Children update

Our Hadassah was born on February ninth at a small clinic in Siguatepeque, a town close to home. Due to some complications, a c-section was required. We praise the Lord God for a healthy baby and a fast recovery! ( The name Hadassah is derived from the Hebrew word hadas (Heb. הדס), a myrtle tree from the Myrtaceae family. The myrtle has a pleasant fragrance. The righteous are called myrtles, and likened to a good tree with a pleasant smell. Why was she called Hadassah? Because the righteous are called myrtles. As it states in Zechariah 1:8: “And he was standing among the myrtles [the righteous prophets Chananiah, Mishael and Azariah].” Hadassah was the name of Queen Esther, who was not afraid to live among non-Jews and to show an example of how a Jew must be proud of his or her inheritance, and to live everyday life in the same direction, with happiness and much success. May the Lord our God give to our Hadassah that same courage to live both among non-Christians and Christians and to show an example of how a true Christian must live.

Also Emilie Misko from NC came to help us during that time and indeed, she was a tremendous blessing for all of us. Our baby is five months old now, and she is very active and happy, especially if she is around her siblings. Thank you to all of you who helped us by praying. God has once again heard our cry.

From Alannah Summy

Hadassah was born by C-section on February 9, 2016

Look! My brand new sister!

Hadassah Gavarrete Yanez

The Gavarrete siblings.

Hadassah Gavarrete. 3 months old.
Photo taken by Davin Martin

And now the Gavarretes are 5. Praise the Lord!

We have begun another school year at our house and of course, Ruth is again our only student. She is now in first grade and she loves school! She is an excellent student and we are so proud of her, and we rejoice with her for how she is discovering the richness of reading and writing. She is especially thankful that the Lord answered her prayer by sending Hadassah to her life. She is our big helper and our best babysitter. Isaac is our big farmer boy, milking the cow, and spending his time with Dad is the highlight of his day.  He also enjoys feeding the calf its bottle. He had to adjust to the new baby in our family, and it has not been very easy for him, but it was a stage that we hope is finished. He is also in our school. Coloring and learning from flashcards is what he does the most. He likes Hadassah especially when we ask him to play with her or feed her a bottle. We are enjoying this stage of parenting with its challenges and sweet times. We believe God is in it too.

Thank you Lord. Photo taken by Davin Martin

Happy in Jesus

School life for Ruth!

Helping mom.

Chatting with Angel, our neighbor

Feeding our calf!

Life is beautiful!

Ruth doing her School

Ruth, Isaac, and Hadassah Gavarrete

The Gavarretes

Our calf

Working

Thank you Lord

Ministry

We are still continuing to support the different outreaches that the local church has, which includes visiting Yure in the mountains, the TV program in Las Vegas, preaching once a month in Siguatepeque (this is not always possible. There are months we can not make it), visiting the work in Carrizal where the clinic is located, (the church in Carrizal is growing), and the local church.

Yure children

Bible study in Yure.

Yure

Yure

Removing the obstacles on our way to Yure!

Going to Bible study in Yure.

Bible study in Yure.

Clinic News

Esdras and his family are the new temporary administrators of the clinic.  They have two little girls and 2 little boys.  They come from Jesus de Otoro and he is a pastor from the Holiness group. They are doing a great job!

Doctor Luis at the clinic in Carrizal

Esdras Palacios and David Yoder in Carrizal

Having Bible study in Carrizal

Oneida is a dear sister in Carrizal who is determined to learn how to play her guitar to worship the King of kings!

For the first time, we had a joint Health Brigade with Salt and Light Ministry. This ministry has their headquarters near us in El Eden. The director of this ministry here in Honduras is a brother from the area and he attends our congregation here in El Eden. We traveled all the way to Carrizal on May twentieth, and on the morning of May twenty first, our clinic staff, and Sal y Luz staff traveled to the bottom of Chimizal, the village where the brigade was done  for very first time. The road to that part of the village was a real challenge. Some places were very steep and muddy but by God’s grace we made it safely there and back!

Heading to health brigade in Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade in Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade in Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade in Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade Chimizal May 2016

Health brigade in Chimizal May 2016

Coming back from health brigade in Chimizal May 2016

Presently, we are filling in for the Martins who are on furlough in the States, so we are busier than usual. What a wonderful thing that God uses weak beings like us to be co-builders of His Kingdom!!

May God receive honor and glory for the things that have happened in the last six months. I would just like to mention a few of them: Jorge and Jenny’s Wedding (from Yure), a few young people were baptized, deliverance, replacing half of the church house roof, and replacing the roof at the guest house in Carrizal, remodeling the house beside the church house, a few people have decided to follow Jesus, etc…

Jorge and Jenny’s Wedding

Samuel’s baptism

Praying for deliverance for Fernando.

Remodeling the roof of the church house

Remodeling the house beside the church house

Remodeling the guest house in Carrizal

Testimony

Last week at for our bible study in the village called Yure, we were invited to have the meeting at the house of the only Christian in the group of people that we visit once a week. Brother David Yoder was along, and with passion burning in his chest, he shared the marvelous old redemption story. No one made a public confession to follow Christ in that meeting, but we are confident that the Word of the Lord will not return void. Before we left that very tiny, poor house, the lady came to me, and gave me the best they had to offer as an act of gratitude for our visit. As she handed me the small chicken, she said, “This is for you”. I do not know how to describe to you how I felt the rest of that rainy evening while going back home, but one thing I clearly remember is the satisfaction I felt and still feel in preaching the most wonderful message ever, THE GOSPEL. May the Lord God receive honor and glory from our lives. HE is worthy!

Preachers were paid with chicken and bananas. Praise the Lord!

Preachers were paid with chicken and bananas. Praise the Lord!

Good bunch coming back from Yure

Visitors

We were privileged to have visitors from the States in the past months. They are always a blessing to us. Brother John and Anna Weaver came at the beginning of the year with the Mullets who shared with us a two day missionaries’ retreat where we could connect with each other and be encouraged by this family’s testimony.

Aaron Martin and some members of his family also visited us and stayed here at the house with us. Thank you brother for all you do for us!!

Steve Zimmerman also came for few days to supervise the work at the bookstore. Also Brother James Peight came for a few days and spent his time talking to us and encouraging us. Mary and David Yoder were staying here for two weeks at the Martin’s place, and they were a tremendous blessing. We thank you for coming to show your support to us, and investing time in Honduras. To all, God bless you richly.  And it was very nice to see Brother Junior and Mattie again. They left this morning. Thank you for coming.

Weavers early 2016 in Honduras

Yes, much thanks!

At the two day retreat with the Weavers and Mullets

At the two day retreat with the Weavers and Mullets

The Martins

The Mullets ministering in Honduras

Emily Misko, Isabel, and the Martinez family

Brother David and Sister Mary Yoder

Thank you very much for coming, and serving us and serving with us. For going places with us to preach.  For sure, you will never forget the last time you preached on TV, or the last time you rode more than 100 kilometers on rough, dirt, rocky roads. Thank you for the interest you take in God’s work in Honduras. May the Lord richly bless you.

David and Enos

Yure 2016

Happy people!

Yoders and Yoders

Farewells and new additions

Between the months of January and March, two families went back to the States, the Troyers and the Bylers, both families from the Cleveland Church in NC. We missionaries got together for a farewell and to thank them for their work here. Also, we welcome Philip Troyer and Enos Shrock who have decided to join us in the work of the Lord here in Honduras. Jenifer and George Rutler, and baby boy Dominic, have also moved to Honduras to serve the Lord Jesus with us.

Earlier this year, we sent a newsletter about the Saetas Para Cristo School and the new teachers that have come to help us with school. We once again thank them for coming and giving their time in Honduras as unto the Lord. May He also receive glory from their lives!

• We praise the Lord God for His goodness unto us, for His Salvation, Protection, and Provision.
• We would like to ask you to continually keep us in your prayers and we also would like to hear from you.

We thank all of you who prayed for us and who believe in our calling. May we faithfully continue our race to reach the end.

The Troyers

The Bylers

Colossians 3

I am running the race of the ages
That race is the footsteps of Christ
And I am determined to win it
I want to lay hold of the prize.

I run every step with purpose
I am going straight for the goal
For I’ve got my eyes set on the prize
I am willing to sacrifice all.

I’m not just trying to make it
I am running to win!
And the prize set before me
Is that I’ll bring glory
To Jesus my coach and my King.

By: Lysanne Gray