2015 Gavarrete’s Last Newsletter
Greetings to all you dear co-laborers (supporters), family, and friends, It is with exceeding joy that we take this time to write to you and share a bit of our doings in the last months. So sorry for such a long delay in sending our newsletter this time. Please forgive us. First of all we want to express our gratitude to all of you who consistently support us with prayer and finances. MUCHAS GRACIAS!
We thank the Lord for loving us so much. We thank the Lord for His faithfulness unto us. We thank the Lord for His protection over us. We thank the Lord for His provision for us through you. We thank the Lord for He is GOOD and His mercy endures forever! Amen.
A Note from Noelia
We praise the Lord for this year He has let us live to work and serve Him here in Honduras. We are very blessed with the house where we are living now. We enjoyed the casita a lot, and we have good memories too, but a bigger place was necessary since we are going to be 5 in about 5 weeks. Pregnancy has definitely been a challenge but we know that God gives the strength to move on every day. Ruth has finished school and is ready for 1st grade. We aren’t quite sure whether she should do home school or attend our mission Christian school. We are still praying about making the right decision for her school year. She has lost 2 teeth and her smile is still the same, so contagious. She now has her own bedroom which she likes so much, especially to sit down and color. Of course the bedroom is for all 3 of them but Ruth likes to call it “my room”. Isaac has grown a lot and he is eating more, praise the Lord, though sometimes he really struggles to finish his food. He enjoys Honduran food so much that when I cook something like pizza he does not like it. “Beans mommy please, and tortilla” that is his daily request together with pancakes. He talks a lot and has his own opinions about everything and has become so attached to his sister that he can’t be without her. He loves his dog Blanco and plays with him as much as we let him, or more accurately, as much Blanco lets him. He likes to be read to and look through books, especially animal books. He talks about the baby and prays for him/her. Yes this 3rd baby is a complete mystery. We were not able to see the gender, so we will have to wait till birth. Moving has not been easy but I am grateful for a very understanding husband and children who don’t complain about the mess around them. On the 15th of January, Emilie Misko from Harmony, North Carolina is coming to stay for 8 weeks to help us with the baby and the house chores and everything else. We are very thankful for the help. Keep us in your prayers for safe delivery, quick recovery, baby’s health, and the children’s adjustment to the baby. Thank you again for praying, for caring, for sharing, and for supporting us.
Blessings, Noelia Gavarrete
My Milking Helpers!
With the Brechbills the day we left for Argentina. So long, dear friends, we missed you and we continue missing you!
Moving Day!
Regular trips to Carrizal to meet with clinic staff
We (bro Jeremiah and I) have a goal to try to meet with the clinic staff at least once a month to stay connected and be supportive to Matts and the clinic staff. We have met consistently a few times in the last four months. There will be a change of administration after Matts leave in February. The group of pastors, Fundamento Firme Camino de Santidad (Holiness Group), have given us a family (Esdras Palacios and his family) who will take over the clinic and church administration temporarily, starting in February (one year term), under our supervision from Pena Blanca. In 2016 we need to continue praying for laborers for Carrizal. Consider and prepare them to go and serve there. Can you hear God calling you to missions? If you do… Answer!
Life in Carrizal for the Troyers
Clinic
Meeting with Clinic Staff
Traveling to Argentina
In the early hours of August 12, 2015, my family and I were finalizing everything in the little casita and making sure we had packed everything needed for the one month trip ahead of us to Noelia’s homeland, Argentina. Dennis, the brother who makes the airport runs, drove us that morning to the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa. We had planned to spend the night there and fly the next day. When we arrived in Tegucigalpa that day we went straight to the airport to check with the airline to make sure we were ok to travel the following day. They told us that since we were leaving from Honduras we needed the yellow fever vaccine, and they instructed us where to go to and get it. We rushed to the only place in the whole country of Honduras where they administrate this vaccine. When we got there they said that it was already too late because the office where they give the vaccine was already closed. We told them that we were leaving for South America the next morning. They told us to come early in the morning and someone was going to be there to help us, so we did. Early in the morning we rushed to the clinic and had the yellow fever vaccine given to us me, Ruth, and Isaac. Noelia could not take it, because of her pregnancy. Right after that we hurried to the airport and boarded the huge airplane heading to the South of the Americas, and in only a couple of hours we were flying above the Atlantic Ocean. We were quiet in that plane. A little more than one year had passed since we together as family were in an airplane going somewhere. For the whole next month we were going to be seeing things we never saw before, at least me and the children. We were heading to Salta, Noelia’s birth place and we were going with great expectations. I was going to meet my mother in-law for the very first time and she was going to meet her only two grandchildren, Ruth and Isaac. As I was in that airplane I was thinking of the people who were supporting our trip, to whom we are forever grateful. To God be the Glory. The rest of that day was very simple; airplanes and meals. We went from Tegucigalpa to Panama. We left Panama in the evening that day and close to midnight we were flying over Bolivia at 37000 feet above the sea level at 900 miles per hour and our plane was scheduled to arrive in Cordoba, Argentina close to 1 AM. And so we did. The Lord took us there safe and found a taxi and a hotel for us early that morning of August the 14.
Panama Airport
Traveling to South America
In Argentina
I would like to share with you all parts of letters that we sent from Argentina to some of our brethren. These letter will tell a bit about half of our trip to Argentina: To our dear hermanos & hermanas whom we love dearly! Hola from the North side of Argentina. We would like to share with you how things are going around here. We landed in Cordoba one of the largest cities of Argentina. It was midnight when we arrived. Noelia left behind her cellphone in the airplane sit, which brought us from Tegucigalpa to Panama. We took a taxi from the airport to a hotel. The taxis in Cordoba like must taxis in Argentina are also called Remises and run with propane gas tank that is located in the trunk. I also learned that night in the hotel that I was not going to be able to charge my cellphone or laptop because in Argentina it’s all 220V outlets. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is 110V around here. It has taken me few days to find an energy converter from 220V to 110V. Just yesterday I found one and I was able to charge our laptop.
Waiting for a Taxi in Cordoba, Argentina
On the road to Salta, Argentina Noelia’s home city.
On the road to Salta, Argentina Noelia’s home city.
Córdoba
After the cold night in Cordoba we got up and took a taxi to get our rented car and started around 1 PM on our 10 hour drive to Salta which is the northern side of this country. The scenery was beautiful. It is miles and miles or farming fields. On the road, I noticed so many semi-trucks of a very different make which I think I have never seen before. They look very tall, very comfortable, and very modern; the make of these trucks are SCANIA and IVECO. Cars in Argentina are different makes and models than what we are used to. For example the make of the little sedan we are driving is Renault. Anyways, enough of that. We left El Eden on Wednesday and we made it to Salta, Argentina on Saturday evening. We have been here exactly one week and we would like to request prayer for us 24/7. This is a very dark place. First I noticed in the 10 hour drive from Cordoba to Salta, the places of worship at the sides of the road. These consist of an altar with some kind of idol in a box or a very small house built especially to contain the idol. All along the road, very often, you will see these sanctuaries. I saw travelers stopped to worship these images. It is all dark, demonic Catholicism. It is more than what I thought. When we made it to Salta that same night, there was a parade where people were dancing and carrying an idol by the name of Urkupina. In the very living room of the house where Noelia grew up, which is my mother in law’s place where we are staying, there is a table that serves as an altar. On top of this table stands the chalk image of this idol and seems like my mother in-law lights up candles and burns herbs to this idol.
Idolatry
This idol is present everywhere in this whole city. Idolatry is present everywhere on a very large scale. People are so blind… I have not seen any evangelical church house around here yet. We have met only one Christian in this whole place, and that is one police chief in Salta. We are constantly praying against idolatry in this place. I have seen this Christian man only once and I would like to see him again, because I feel I have a word for him which is found in 2 Chronicles 34 and 35. This place needs a man filled with the Spirit of the Living God to tear up some idols. “Ruth said today that she would like to bring some brothers from Honduras with hammers to tear up some idols”. Help us to pray, only the work of the Holy Spirit can remove the blindness of Noelia’s family and allow them to see the marvelous work, the price that was paid on the cross for the salvation of their souls. Please pray for us continually, for our protection, and for us to be willing to listen when The Holy Spirit speak to us about the people that HE places in our path to share with them the Marvelous News of all, The Gospel.
Idolatry
Idolatry
Idolatry in Argentina
Lord willing, we are traveling this coming Monday to Bolivia. Steve Mast has scheduled 4 days of meetings for next week. I am going to leave you now, we just wanted to let you know how much we love you and how much we miss you and how much you mean to us. Thank you for allowing us to come to Argentina. May the Lamb receive all the Glory.
In Salta
Salta, Argentina
“Empanadas” Typical plate of Argentina
Cafayate Route of Wine
Welcome to Cafayate the town of the wine
Cafayate Route of Wine
North of Argentina LLamas
North of Argentina LLamas
Cafayate Route of Wine
Cafayate Route of Wine
Cafayate Route of Wine
Cafayate Route of Wine
Campo Quijano the entrance to the Andes Mountains
Andes Mountains in the background!
Argentina
Tilcara, Northern Argentina
Salta, Argentina
Ruth and grandma
Salta, Argentina
The Gavarretes in Cafayate wine town, Northern Argentina
Cruising Argentina
Purmamarca Argentina
Noelia’s mom and only brother
Bolivia
I will now share with you part of the letters that were sent to our brethren while we were traveling to Bolivia that will tell a bit about how our trip was to the land of Evo Morales (the Indian man who became the Bolivian President).
On our first attempt to get into the Bolivia, they did not let us in. We got to the border around noon and went straight to the immigration office. We first were checked out by an Argentina immigration officer, then he sent us to the Bolivian immigration officer who gave us such bad news. He said that in order to enter his country we needed a visa. We were sent to the nearest Bolivian consulate in Argentina which was about one hour from the border. When we got to the Consulate office we found the doors closed because it was already after 3:00 PM, which is the time they close. Steve Mast was at the border waiting for us, and we got to see and talk to him. The next day, Lord willing we said, we will try again. May God’s will be done with us in this matter and in all. THE LORD IS OUR BANNER After few hours waiting at the Bolivian consulate in Oran, Argentina, our passports were sealed with the visa to legally enter the country of Bolivia. We are at this very moment traveling to the border again. Lord willing, we will enter this time. Noelia is not fully recovered yet, but she is very positive and very supportive, and the children are always excited about traveling to new places. The Lord is always good to us.
Bolivian Consulate in Oran, Argentina
Border between Bolivia and Argentina
Bolivian border officer
The above lines were written two days ago. We were allowed into Bolivia two days ago; Steve waited on us in Tarija, a small city about two hours from the border. After we met with brother Steve, we traveled to his place, Entre Rios. We arrived in Entre Rios after 7 PM and the worship service had already started, and they were waiting for me to preach, which I did. Tonight, Lord willing, will be our third evening of services and The Lord is saving people’s souls. ALLELUYAH. May the name of Jesus receive Glory! He is worthy. May HE receive the reward for his sufferings on that cross! We are convinced once again of the power that lays in the preaching of the cross of Christ the King. Gloria sea a Dios! I did not get in touch with you before because I could not. I have to go now, but I wanted to give you an update of our travelings thus far. We love you, and we ask if you would please continue praying for us. Noelia’s health has improved. Praised be the Name of The Lord
Bolivia Brethren
Bolivia new friends
Bolivia Brethren
Bolivia
Bolivia Brethren
Saican with Isaac’s and Caseiro’s (Bolivia)
This is the village where Steve Mast lives.
Life in Bolivia
The following was the last e-mail I sent from South America:
We left early this morning at 1am from Cordoba, Argentina to Panama, and now from Panama we are less than one hour from Tegucigalpa. Flying over 10 thousand meters above the sea level and going faster than 800 kilometers per hour. After one whole month spent in the North side of the Argentinian country (Salta) we are going back to Honduras. We are rejoicing in The Lord for HIS Faithfulness. It has been a great privilege for all our family to travel together. We are forever grateful with brother John for purchasing our tickets and the other brothers and sisters that helped to send us to South America. MUCHAS GRACIAS. It was a precious time we spent with brother Steve Mast and the church community in Entre Rios Bolivia. ALLELUYAH. We entirely thank the Lord for providing through some of you for our trip to Argentina and Bolivia, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Flying back to Honduras
Traveling
Traveling to Honduras
Praise the Lord for our Cow
The morning chores have changed since we came back from Argentina. We acquired Brother Tim’s cow and every morning except Sunday we milk the cow. Sometimes both children go with me and sometimes only Isaac or only Ruth. We are very grateful for all the opportunities that we have to learn. Milking a cow for me was something very big. Somehow that cow knew that I was afraid of her, but that is now a thing of the past. The cow, the calf, and I get along just fine. Believe it or not, I feed green bananas to the cow for breakfast and in exchange she gives me about 6-7 liters of pure white milk. Isn’t God Awesome? Since we have plenty of milk every day, we started learning how to utilize this milk. So far we have learned how to make yogurt and buttermilk. Our neighbors also get milk from us. Praised be the Lord God for His provision! Halleluyah!
Gavarrete’s Cow
Getting ready to milk our cow
My Milking Helpers!
Going to minister the inmates at Santa Barbara prison
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8.32It was the morning of Friday, September 25, when a group of us from the local church here travelled to a town approximately two hours from our place. The name of the town we travel to is Santa Barbara, and the reason for our trip was a visit to the prison in that town. Our main reason to visit them was to show them God’s love towards them. We wanted to share with them God’s perfect plan of salvation. We took groceries along with us that they used to cook their lunch that day and few hundred blankets and backpacks that were donated for them from a non-profit Christian organization from our area. The prison is located right in downtown and I would say that the prison building was probably built more than one hundred years ago. We were welcomed into the place after we left our ID’s at the entrance and passed the security check. Then we walked into a very crowed place. We sat in the patio and the service started. I noticed the men working making their hammocks to sell while listening to the singing and then the preaching of the marvelous Gospel of Jesus Christ, the King. After we gave the invitation a few men came forward, repenting of their sins, making things right with God. This is the reason why we have come to Honduras. Going everywhere and telling of the marvelous things God has done for us. Telling of the Good News of Salvation in Jesus Christ our Savior.
For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Matthew 25.35-36
Outside the prison in Santa Barbara
At the prison in Santa Barbara
Worship service in Santa Barbara Prison
Ministering in the Santa Barbara prison
Unloading the blankets and backpacks we brought for the inmates
Checking in at Santa Barbara Prison
Health Brigade to Valle de la Cruz
In the last two months, a few things have taken place. We had a health brigade again in Valle de la Cruz, a place we have already been to a few times with a brigade and also without a brigade. This time, besides our clinic doctor, Luis, we took three more volunteer doctors to help give checkups to the people who came to the brigade from the village and the nearby villages. It is always a blessing to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ. Jorge Gonzalez was along with us on that trip. Together, we had plenty of time to talk with the people that were in line waiting their turns to see the doctors. Our time there with those people was much appreciated. People were very interested in hearing the precious story of Salvation though Jesus Christ. Over 100 people came by that day. We praise the Lord for the opportunity we have to reach out to that community in HIS NAME!
Adely taking people’s names for the consultation.
Dr. Almendarez writing a receta (prescription).
Dr. Bequer Pena
Preparing the meds
Elderly lady receiving her meds from doctor Jassyr
Health Brigade in Valle de la Cruz
Brother Jorge sharing Jesus
Valle de la Cruz Health Brigade
In Carrizal with Jorge Gonzalez and Ruth in the Hospital
I and my family had planned to be in Carrizal with Jorge Gonzalez for a whole week. First we wanted to be an encouragement to our fellow missionary Matt Troyer and his family there in Carrizal, we were also planning to visit people house to house in the village and also visit the pastors of Camino de Santidad working in the surrounding and distant villages, and be an encouragement in their ministries, but not all of that took place because after about 4 days of being there my daughter Ruth became very sick. The mold in that old guest house where we were staying triggered a severe asthma attack on our little Ruth, we called our clinic doctor who came from town and gave her respective treatment for about 5 hours and after all that Ruth’s condition did not improve so about 9:30 PM I had to start my trip to the nearest capable preferred hospital in Siguatepeque about 3 hours away. My deepest appreciation to Jorge Gonzales for being there that time with us. He came along with me to the hospital which we made it after midnight. That whole night I watched him sleep sitting on a chair while the nurses were in and out helping to stabilize Ruth. Thank you bro Jorge. I thank the Lord God for His help after three days there at the hospital Ruth became stable and we were released. I thank all of you as well who prayed for us during those three days we were in the hospital. The Lord has definitely every time heard our cry. We bless you for praying and we bless the Lord for answering! Seems like after we came to Honduras Ruth developed some kind of asthma due to some specific environment, would you please join with us and pray for complete healing for her? May the name of the Lord be praised!
Bro Mario and Jorge Gonzalez in Erandique
Erandique Lempira
Continuing discipling the believers in Yure, preaching on TV in Las Vegas, and helping a bit in Siguatepeque.
Every Monday afternoon we start our trip to the area surrounding the village of Yure that is located up in the mountains above the paved road that runs along the Yojoa Lake. A very rough hilly road. The purpose of that trip every Monday is to disciple the new converts and present the Gospel to the newcomers. It is very rewarding to see Jorge and Jenny grow in their spiritual life. Jorge and Jenny are a young couple that received Christ as their Lord and Savior months ago, since they have been living in fornication they have expressed their desire to have a marriage ceremony, so they have been working on getting the paper work ready with our local church helping, and now everything is ready just waiting for the appointment date, which, if I am not mistaken, will be scheduled this week. So, Lord willing, soon we will have a marriage ceremony taking place for Jorge and Jenny and they will not be part of the statistics of couples living together out of wedlock. Nobody can do what only God does. Praised be the Lord he is working in our midst!
Coming back from Yure
Yure
We are at Adan’s house in Yure
At Jorge’s House up in Yure.
Pig for Sale in Yure!
Life in Honduras is simple.
Coming back from Yure
Teaching God’s Word to believers in Adan’s house near Yure.
And also every Friday evening by God’s grace we are in front of that camera at Nova TV channel 9 in Las Vegas to proclaim the forgiveness of sins through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Many opportunities have been opened through that ministry, just recently a catholic young married couple (Jonathan and Cathy) made a commitment to follow Christ. We as a team with Elvis located in Las Vegas work together for the advance of God’s kingdom in the hearts of the ones that are hungry for righteousness in that town.
Live! Brother Jeremiah preaching on TV channel 9 at Las Vegas. Jesus is the answer for the Hondurans.
We also still try to support brother David Yoder with the preaching of the Word. We travel to their place up in the mountain above Siguatepeque. Their church group up there has now been officially established and the Lord is adding people to His church up in that location.
Worship service with brother David Yoder up in Siguatepeque
Oh, dear brothers and sisters, the preaching of the Word of God is bearing fruit everywhere, Halleluyah!
School
School continues to be a very great opportunity, but with its own challenges. My appreciation goes to brother Allen and his family for their great work in school. Also our appreciation to our dedicated teachers for their excellent work. We closed 2015 with 39 students. I and my family continue to be closely involved in the school work. The school is pretty much a work in progress. The next project that needs to be done before school starts in February 2016 will be the school’s own bathrooms. Right now they have been using the church house bathrooms.
Christian Light Missionary Retreat 2015
From November 16 through 18 we were blessed with our missionary retreat. We traveled to Siguatepeque, Honduras to a very nice location, Cerro de Luz, to be there for the following three days. We were certainly blessed by the brothers and sisters who came from the States to minister to us. A big THANKS to brother Aaron Martin and his family, brother Eldon Falb and his family, and brother David and sister Mary Yoder, and brother Jorge Gonzalez. I would like to express our gratitude to the CLM board for providing for that whole event. The facility and the food was really good. Many thanks, fellow brothers and sisters. Brother Eldon’s teaching was well received and needed. Our time at the retreat was definitely a refreshing time. For some it was a time of healing the wounds of the past in their hearts. For others it was a time to stop the inherited iniquities in their lives in Jesus’ name, and for all of us it was a time to be challenged in our spiritual lives. To God be the Glory!
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2.9-11Conrad Beiler
Some of you probably heard of the young man who came to Honduras to reunite with his biological family. His name is Conrad Beiler. On December the 8th Conrad came back to Honduras. He is now 32 years old and has a wife and four children. He left Honduras when he was adopted when he was two years old. So 30 years later he is back to reunite with the woman who birthed him. About 5 years ago Conrad was delivered from the bondage that captivates the human soul. He was set free by Jesus’ power. If I am not mistaken, when he was 18 years old, the desire to find his biological mother grew within him, but he was not ready yet to meet his mother. But after he was set free about 5 years ago, as he explained to me, he became ready to reunite with his mother. So it pleased God that my family became involved in the process. After brother John Weaver requested my help and gave me the information, we started looking for Conrad’s mother here in Honduras. After looking for a few weeks the Lord miraculously helped us find Conrad’s mother, now with two more daughters and another son. Conrad was given in adoption 30 years ago in the area of Tegucigalpa and we found his mother in San Pedro Sula. Then the plans began at Conrad’s house to travel to Honduras with his whole family to meet his biological mother. On the ninth of December, Conrad’s mother, two sisters, and one brother travelled to Pena Blanca to reunite with their loved one. God is a God of miracles. Our God is a Merciful God. Our God is expert in repairing what has been broken. God is Great. We love HIM!
We are still receiving invitations to preach in different places
I am still receiving invitations from other places to preach for congregations near and far. I will take any opportunity anywhere to speak out and tell of the marvelous Savior, the Lord Jesus. The mighty message of the Gospel of Jesus is the only one that brings hope and comfort to the human soul. The 28th of November, at the cemetery of the village of El Eden, I stood up on top of a mud pile holding my son, Isaac, on my back as I addressed the crowd gathered to bury Dennis’s father who was brutally assassinated two days before. (Dennis is the brother who, together with his family, run a place (House of Blessing) where they feed children, and he also is the mission driver. With a very burdened and broken heart, I shared God’s marvelous plan of living hope for humanity, the Gospel. God have mercy upon us. Many killings are taking place in different parts of Honduras and only you, oh Lord of Hosts, are our refuge and protection. Help us, oh King. Deliver us from the hands of our enemies. We are aware that the devil has come to kill, steal, and destroy, BUT CHRIST JESUS has come to give life and to give it abundantly. Halleluyah!
He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested (appeared), that He might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3.82015 was closed in my agenda with a non-planned sermon preached in my hometown the 31st of December. My hometown is a 7 hours’ drive from where we live. I told the people in that place that had gathered to receive God’s word: “If I were given a chance to preach a sermon right before I die, I would undoubtedly preach Jesus, His cross, His blood, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension and His return for a wretched sinner as me”. So guess what? At the closing of the year 2015 among my own people I preached Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior. It is well with my soul finishing the last day of the year like that. Halleluyah!
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I Corinthians 15.1-2Please pray for us non-stop, we need your prayers in all areas, at all times, please do not forget us.
Paul Washer once said that there are only two types of missionaries, the ones that go and the ones that stay to hold the support line.
Preaching at Assemblies of God Congregation in Tambla, Lempira. December 31, 2015
Preaching at El Tigre a village near El Eden.
Preaching at El Tigre a village near El Eden.
My coworker Brenda shared this with me and I have really enjoyed reading it. You are doing Great work! God will do wonders for you. Praying for you and your family. Also praying for a safe delivery of baby #3. May all blessings fall upon you.
Dear Kristal many thanks for your words of encouragement. May the Lord receive all the Glory. Thank you for your prayers. The latest newsletter is coming soon, but I will tell you in advance that our baby girl Hadassah was born Feb 9. Healthy precious little girl. Praised be the Lord.