Saludos (greetings) to all in the mighty Name of Yeshua, the King of kings! May this letter find you and yours prospered in the things of the Lord. We think of you often, and we remember you with much love. August has come and now is gone and it is our desire that you be encouraged in the Lord. We would like to share with you how things are going in the land of the good coffee.

Steve Mast (Missionary to the Bolivians)

At the beginning of this month we were visited by our dear friend and brother in Christ, Steve Mast, on his way from Bolivia to the States when he stopped in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, so brother Tim and I traveled to that city airport to pick him up. He stayed with us that night and the next day we took him back to the airport. We had at least enough time to catch up on things and pray together. May the Lord God prosper the path of dear brother Steve in his vision to serve God among the Bolivians.

Michael Anderson from the Palmetto State (SC)

In mid-August our friend and brother in Christ, Michael, a longtime friend from Lancaster, South Carolina also came and visited us for few days. He was with a team that went to serve the people of Nicaragua and when the assignment there was finished, he made plans to visit us. So, on a Sunday, very early in the morning, he took few buses and one motorcycle taxi to Honduras, a trip that lasted all day, and on that very rainy evening I picked him near the village where we live. Thank you for coming to visit, pal!

Gratitude

I want to express my gratitude to you. A couple of weeks ago I woke up very sick with a very sharp pain in my stomach that lasted at least 3 or 4 continuous hours. You prayed and we prayed and I was delivered from that very sharp pain. I did not feel good for the next two days; whatever that was or is, I declare my body for the glory of God.  My wife, Noelia, thinks that my problem is called parasites; perhaps she is right, and probably I got them through the water or food.  I am not very concerned about it.  I feel very healthy overall; praised be the Lord! If you know how to attack existing parasites in your body, please tell us the recipe.  Thank you for your love and prayers for me and us. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.  Psalms 34.22.

Brechbills Farewell

It was hard to say goodbye to the Brechbill family. They left for the states for furlough. We are missing them greatly; this place is not the same without them. Brechbills, wherever you are today, please know that you are love and missed.

Derek at Brechbill’s farewell night

Brechbill’s Farewell

Discipleship

We started discipleship classes for the new converts. Once a week, on Friday evenings, we are teaching our small group of new converts the basics of Christian life. We desire and have as an objective to lay a solid foundation for these brand new followers of Christ.   May the Holy Spirit empower us and them to grow in our spiritual walk with God. Spiritual growth is very essential in our lives. May the Lord God make out of these men the future spiritual leaders of this land.

Discipleship class for the new followers of Christ

Teaching the Bible at School

This month I also started going to the mission bilingual school to teach a one-hour class to the older students. Sometimes it has been two days of the week, but most the time it has been only one day of the week.

Group of Older Students

Leadership Classes

Every Monday afternoon we gather some pastors and future leaders together from our local church in El Eden and brother Jeremiah Martin is the teacher of this bible study. The past couple of months has been about the prayer life of the pastor. It has been a great time for me. I appreciate the interest of forming a group of men who are not joking about Christianity, men who desire to be committed to something greater than themselves. May the Lord God help us to grow for His Honor and His glory?

Leadership class for new potential leaders

Leadership class in Santa Lucia

Traveling to Valle De La Cruz to show the Jesus Film

Early, the morning of Wednesday, August 13, with the pick-up truck loaded all the way, we gathered at brother Jeremiah’s place, prayed, and left for Valle de la Cruz. In our previous letter we wrote about our first trip to this village. Now, we were on our way for our second trip to that place. There was a good group of men from our congregation; Enrique, Lucas, Jose Luis, Kevin, Jimmy, Davin Martin, and my friend Michael, visiting us from South Carolina, formed this exciting expedition to the mountains of Lempira. Keep in mind that we are heading to a village where there is no evangelical church, and therefore, there is not many Christians there, there is also no electricity in the village, and the roads that lead to the village is in parts very steep and rough; it is in parts more like a trail and not a road. We do feel privileged to travel this far, to announce the Good News. We are fulfilling the Great Commission to go to the ends of the earth, and we believe this is what Jesus was talking about when He said the ends of the world. Among the things loaded in the truck were a generator, food, sleeping bags, hammocks, sound system, projection tools, guitar, etc. Our goal was to show the Jesus film.

Heading to Valle de la Cruz

We made it there after 5 or 6 hours on the road; the last stretch of 15 kilometers of dirt road took exactly two hours. That gives you an idea of the kind of road that I am talking about. We made it to the village and looked for our contact; he was in a meeting with other leaders of the community. While we waited for him, we gathered together and prayed, because we did not have a place to carry out the event. We asked the Lord God to provide one, and we were bold enough to ask for the Catholic building right in front of us. We left that request in His hands and got up and went to meet with the contact. There were two catholic delegates there with our contact, and we asked them if they can let us use the Catholic building to hold the event? They hesitated, saying that they didn’t have authority to allow us to use their building; they instead offered us the community center, which we gladly took, since that was God’s provision for that night.

Preparing for the event at Valle de la Cruz

Making preparations for the evening event

We began to unload and set things up. While some of us walked through the village to invite the community to the event, the rest of us stayed behind to prepare everything for the event. We decided to hold the event under a big tree, and use the community center to prepare the supper and to spend the night. Davin Martin was an important member of the team, working with the sound and worship. I am grateful for his support. It is really the first time we had done an event of this kind together, far away from the home church, and of course we are inexperienced, but we have a desire to do a great job for the King of kings. We are learning!

Cooking Supper at the Community Center

Cooking Supper at the Community Center

The event was kicked off at nightfall. We started the loud generator and things were ON. We welcomed everyone that arrived. With reading of the Scriptures and a time of singing unto the Lord, followed by a couple of brothers who shared their testimonies, the program was under way. With a great amount of curiosity, the locals came to see what we were about. Valle de la Cruz came to the event, and right in front of their eyes, the big screen displayed the life of JESUS according to the Gospel of Luke. All the little and big sets of eyes were fixed to that screen. To most of them this was the very first time watching the story of Jesus. Most of these people do not have much access to the outside world. Therefore, this kind of event taking place in their own village is one not to miss. More likely this is the first time something like this had happened to them. Approximately 70 to 100 people came to the event.

Jesus Film at Valle de la Cruz

Many eyes watching the Jesus film

Even older men came to the event

Yes, Jesus died for our sins!

One young lady and one young man decided to follow Jesus. The girl, on her knees in the dusty trail, with tears in her eyes, was determined to receive the Messiah as King and Lord of her life that night. The next morning, another young man also made the decision to follow Jesus. We now have three converts in this village; one from the first trip, and now two from this second trip, while many others are counting the cost. They said: “Next time, so please come back”. The Holy Spirit is at work in the village.

We distributed over 20 free bibles; we would have liked to have more to give away, since there were more people asking for one. We closed the service with the invitation to come to Christ. We spent time afterwards talking to the people before we shut off the generator. Then we carried things into the community center. Some of us hung our hammocks, and others slept on sleeping bags; it was a night to remember for me, sleeping for the first time on a hammock. And of course it was a trip to remember for all of us. We are going to the ends of the earth with the Name that is above every name. Praises to His Name!

The community center

The following morning we loaded everything in the pick-up truck and started our journey back home. On the way near the next village of Yolomon; we met a campesino who was planting and cleaning weeds in his corn; he is part of the leadership of that community. We stopped there and made a fire and cooked our breakfast. The man invited us to come to his village to show the Jesus film and preach the Gospel; we are considering that invitation.

Cooking our breakfast

Breakfast cooking

We departed from there, and about half way from home we picked up a man in the town of La Esperanza who was a pastor. He also invited us to come to his village of El Zapote. He was looking for help in his ministry, so I sent this man to see pastor Vicente Palacios in Jesus de Otoro and talk to him about the things he was telling me.

Visit to the village of El Zapote, Intibuca (Lenca territory)

To make a long story short, later that evening, when I was already home, Pastor Vicente called me and told me that pastor did come to see him and that he and some of his pastors were planning to go to visit this man in the village of El Zapote, Intibuca, which is near Yaramanguila, for those who know where this place is located. So, I planned to go with the pastors of Camino de Santidad scattered all around Intibuca and Lempira departments. This village of El Zapote and all the surrounding villages are formed by an indigenous group called Lencas, who still hold dear their traditions. Tuesday, August 19, brother Jeremiah, Lucas, Gabriel, and I were on the way to the village of EL Zapote to meet with that pastor and to meet with the other pastors of Camino de Santidad. We were going only to show support to them in whatever they decide with this new pastor desiring to join their group of organized pastors from the area who promote practical Holiness. We made it to the village after about a three hour ride. The last stretch of road was a very rough one, accessible only with a 4×4 vehicles. It is fun and a great privilege to travel to areas like that, carrying with you such a profound MESSAGE AS THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST which is the only Hope for the world. Brother Jeremiah Martin preached a message about Feeding the Flock of God, and that indeed is a great need in a land where the prosperity gospel is more welcome than The True Gospel of the Cross. Our visit to that village was a successful one. Only the Lord God knows the plans he has for the future; may we be a blessing to their ministry, and may the Lord God bless our GOAL to evangelize this nation.

On our way to the ends of the world

We Are Lencas!

WELCOME to Lenca Land!

Lenca ladies!

Pastors praying before heading to El Zapote village

Group of pastors

Meeting with pastor in El Zapote

Listening God’s Word being preached

El Zapote students

Coming back from El Zapote

We Continue Praying for Revival

Things are happening all around us. Doors are opening for our ministry to preach the Gospel more and more. I have been invited to preach a few evangelistic campaigns in the area, starting this coming Friday, September 5. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is evident in some lives around us, and we are expecting Great things in our King and Christ. “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.”

From Noelia (About our family)

Dear ones we just want to say thank you for praying, for caring, for giving, so much to us; you all are a blessing from God. During this past month, Ruth has been enjoying a beautiful yellow rubber boots that we were able to get from our things that are stored here. I know you are probably thinking what is so special about rubber boots? Well for her they have meant freedom: to go outside without worrying about ant bites, snakes, mud, and anything else that can cause her an allergic reaction. She is able to go to milk the cow with her father, work in the garden, take the garbage to the hole, run up and down the hill, play in the sand, yes, freedmom!!!!!! This week she has been able to write her name tracing dots and she is so proud of it!! Our second bundle of joy, Isaac, is finally crawling all over the house. He is also trying to pull himself up; no wonder, he is 10 months old now. He can say “mama” and “papa”. He sits and claps his hands to the tune of the music. He is always with a smile on his face. Now these two friends (Ruth & Isaac) play together even more passing each other toys and things. Regarding me, well I am busy just like any other mom. We have started to have classes for the ladies at church and I am the teacher, so please keep me in your prayers. Above all we are blessed by THE BEST!

Please keep us always on your prayers.

Doing our Chores

Isaac Gavarrete, 10 months