Celebrate the most precious gift

At this time of year, we take time to celebrate the anticipation of this manger filled with the most precious gift we can imagine. He gave his Son while we sat on earth a mess. Wounded, broken, hurting or self-righteous and not admitting our need for Him. Hard to grasp. I find myself buying gifts out of obligation many years. Buying just a little more to make things even. Ugh. But the most meaningful gifts should be those we consider making to those in need. Matthew 25:36 is the namesake of this blog and in it Jesus says, "I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."  The gifts I am giving this year that are out of THAT place that Jesus has created with that statement mean the most. As Gary and Diane continue to pursue the often forgotten and neglected in the prisons of both Latin America and in our own backyard in this country with the message of TRUE HOPE in Jesus Christ, would you consider a generous gift to their ministry? They won't tell you this but they are leaned into Him in a way they never thought possible because God is moving you to provide where they are not sufficient to do so. Hoping your giving in all areas brings hope to the world, joy to your heart and glory to our amazing God in Heaven. Merry Christmas.

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Reflecting on our time in Medellin, Columbia - Diane

We were so busy when we were in Columbia earlier this fall that there was very little time for writing or even reflecting about what was happening there. Now it has been awhile since we have been home and time has flown. As I look back, I realize what an immense privilege it was for us to be a part of those meetings. There were people from all over the world who are committed to prison ministry in their own countries. We were a part of the group sharing what the Lord is doing in each country to further His ministry. We learned a lot. But one of the special things that happened there was the friends we made in that short time. Naturally, when people of like faiths and like callings come together there was much that drew us together. We especially connected with a Pastor from Costa Rica who also does Kairos! We pray that the Lord allows us to cross paths again some day. Also we became friends with a lady from Puerto Rico who has a huge heart for prison ministry. These friendships are very encouraging to us, since many people do not understand our calling to prison ministry.
   

Another wonderful aspect of our trip was the visit to Pedregal Prison. It is a maximum security prison in Medellin. We had to go through three different security points and a drug sniffing dog! But once we did, it was an amazing visit. We learned about a program that the women of this prison are involved in called APAC. It is a structured program that prepares them for re-entering society. They are free to move around the area of prison where there are no guards. They are trained in things like sewing, that will help them to earn a living upon their release. This area of the prison was painted white and was very cheery and bright. The girls all wore uniforms that were also a cheerful yellow and white. They shared a small part of their stories and we had an interpreter with us so we did not miss a thing! They spoke about how important their faith is in their lives and their return to their families and homes.   They seemed happy and appreciative of the privilege of being in this program.

After the meeting they all came over and gave us hugs! That is the part that surpasses all language barriers! The love of Christ unites us.

As always, with every trip we are so blessed by what God has called us to do. We are humbled each and every time too. We are only able to do this in His strength and power. We thank Him for this calling on our lives.

DANGER!!!!

Usually when we are in Honduras we don't feel like we are in any particular danger. Except when we are on the road with the crazy driving and basically no rules (but we are getting used to that.) This trip, they informed us of another danger that was hidden and we had never thought about. That danger was in the mosquitoes. We have never seen many bugs of any kind there so we did not think of them at all. I had taken a small spray bottle of repellent, just in case! But to our surprise, they informed us when we arrived that there was a very real outbreak of fevers from the mosquitoes. The two fevers are dengue and chicamanga. We had heard of dengue but not the other one. Our wonderful host came prepared with extra repellent for us in case we didn't have any. They always are taking care of us. Not being very familiar with either of the fevers, we did some research. Apparently neither of these are deadly but can cause much discomfort and take many weeks to recover from. So immediately I Facebook messaged Dena, Emily and Carrie for prayers of protection. I hesitated a little not wanting to worry them. But I knew we needed the protection. And as usual, The Lord provided us with protection. We still put the spray on, but were no longer concerned. We knew we were protected.

We know that we are not immune from sickness and troubles, but in this instance we were protected. Much of the time we are in country we can feel the power of your prayers and support. We sleep fine. The aches and pains are minimal and so on. We are so very grateful for your prayers and support for us to participate in the ministry. We love being a part of God's work in the prisons and look forward to many more years of serving Him.

Diane Shares of Hope and Growth in Honduras

Before we left to go to Honduras this last time, we were notified  of the death of Luz and Romero's granddaughter. They were very close even though she lived in Miami with her mother. She was only 20 years old. This was a terrible tragedy for their family. Please be in prayer for their family as they continue to grieve this loss. So needless to say, we stayed with Herasmo and Nora and family. We had stayed there for the first of our trips and we had our same bedroom. Nora had also injured her foot right before we got there. But she attended everything we did for the whole week, limping along happily. This just speaks to the dedication of this family to the prison ministry. Nothing will stop them from serving!

All of the four prison programs are going very well and growing. Most are getting ready to end the training of the persons of peace and begin the small group phase. One visit stands out to me. That was our visit to El Progesso. It is four hours away and so we stayed overnight. Also they took us to the beach (the Caribbean) the day we left to go back to Tegucigalpa. But the prison visit was outstanding in two ways. First at how awful the conditions are in that prison. They took us through dark hallways of concrete that were partially broken down and wet! It looked like they were in the process of construction or destruction! But in spite of these conditions, the Lord is doing an amazing work there. The men are very excited and very organized. Sister Lillian, who is our dedicated volunteer has done an amazing job. The group has outgrown the room they are meeting in! The Lord works His miracles in the most unlikely places!  This prison was the first place that we have seen such poor conditions. There may have been these conditions other places, but we did not see them. Every time we go to Honduras we feel so blessed to be a part of this program.

Another wonderful story is from Tamara. That is the women's prison near Tegucigalpa. You may remember that we related a story from our last trip about the pastora-inmate who was very negative on the very first visit there. Then as a sample of train and multiply was presented later in the week, she realized that this program was an answer to her prayers. The training is going very well and they are about to finish and break into their small groups. What a wonderful program! We are blessed with very dedicated loving volunteers who are there every week without fail.

    We had a wonderful visit, with Lacides Hernandes, to the prison of Marcala. The Train and Multiply program is also going very well there. There was a ceremony lead by our volunteer Dania to present the persons of peace with their certificates. They were very proud of this accomplishment. The high point of the visit for us and for them (we think was the presenting of some posters made from placemats from simple white paper. Carrie, our youngest daughter, teaches Sunday school and the children in her class have been working very hard to look up Bible verses in Spanish and write them with an appropriate picture to go with it. Her class started to do this for the prison ministry Gary is involved in here in Ohio. And Carrie thought it would be a good idea to do some in Spanish for us to take with us. It was a great idea! They made a whole presentation out of giving them to each inmate. Lacides read each verse and then handed them personally to the inmates. You would have thought they were made of gold. The inmates were so thankful that some children from the United States would take the time to do this for them. It meant a great deal to them. These are the things that we get to do that make all the difficult travel worth it.

Steps at a time....

Most of us careen through our lives giving little thought to world missions. It's great to hear about it, read about it. Hear the stories of others. But do you realize that when we support world missions in any way, we are actually following in obedience with the Great Commission? We can't all go. Some of us are called to that and others aren't. But we all "go" when support in prayer and financial encouragement. And this doesn't mean pledging thousands of dollars. Not all of us are blessed in that way. But even small persistent donations are a step of obedience and a way of saying, "I'm in, God." Would you consider taking that small step today and praying and making a contribution to Gary and Diane's fund to show your tangible support?

So!! What's happening in the prisons of Honduras???

Gary writes about what is going on in Honduras as a result of the investment of OMS, Prison Fellowship, the people of Honduras and the mighty work of God. You might recognize this conversation he described for the post from OMS a few weeks back.

What kind of results are you seeing in the Project your are working?

God is truly working in Honduras.  We are blessed to be a part of what he is doing through the group of volunteers and the faithful Christians in Honduras.

Regarding the success or growth of the program, I can tell a story that occurred the last day we were there on a recent trip.    

I asked, ”What do you think this program will look like a year from now?”  At first I got a confused look, so I said, “How many trainers do you now have?”  They answered – “17.”  I followed up, “Then how many do you expect to have in a year?”

Again I at first was met with a blank look and then Nora said, “In three weeks we will have a total of 63 because several training classes for trainers are going to be completed.”

“Ok, how many will you have in a year?”  It was then that it really dawned on them that this program was just about to explode. 

They replied, “Well, we could probably have over 100!”  to which I added, “probably closer to 200-300. Today, with only seventeen trainers, we have about as many groups studying and each of those has 5-7 trainees, but the groups in the prison that are worshiping as a result of the program are already approaching 200-250 in the four prisons we are now active in.”

God is right now in the process of opening all the prisons to our program which will result from meetings held that week with government officials, ministry partners and individuals who will aid, support and lend a supporting hand in the introduction of the Gospel into Honduran Prisons.

Let's add that to the list of things we are thanking Him for today.

#FeelingBlessed

From Diane:

Gary often writes very detailed descriptions of our times in OMS training meetings. I will just give a little added perspective. One thing that we both neglected to mention in our last handful of posts about the meetings is the prayer that covered us while we were there. During and well before every meeting there is a prayer team that is doing only that and nothing else. They pray during all the meetings, walking around or sitting and covering us in prayer. Also we are able to schedule specific prayer times for our individual needs and that of our specific ministries. It is such a blessing to feel the Lord's presence during this time. That is one reason why we are so uplifted at the meeting. There is such a spiritual emphasis placed on all OMS does.

During our visit to the Dominican, I had the privilege of sitting in on two sessions of the individual prayers. It was such a blessing to participate. Since many of the attendees were Spanish speakers, there were translators there too. One of the sessions that I was in required a translator, and that flowed so well. The translator was able to speak almost simultaneously with us as we prayed. It was amazing and beautiful.

We are more grateful every time we attend an OMS function that the Lord directed us to this wonderful organization. #FeelingBlessed

A great update on what is happening in Honduras

Take a moment and read about the big picture that is being painted in Latin America with the help of your prayers and support:

https://onemissionsociety.org/blog/ecc/post/prison-cell-church-explosion

Would you be willing to consider a prayer and a show of support for their mission?

https://onemissionsociety.org/give/TheBarefoots

Sweet Surrender

This is a great question and probably represents the BIGGEST change I have seen in my dad. And in this he is teaching all of us a brand new lesson - his daughters and all of his grandchildren. Absolutely overwhelming to watch this transformation.

How have you seen the way God turns things upside down--strengths are weaknesses and weaknesses are strengths?

GARY: 

I have traditionally been very hesitant to depend on others or even accept help very readily.  Perhaps the way I was raised?  Some of you will know what I mean, - Be your own man - Step up, no one else is responsible for your success, and the like. These are not bad lessons to get from your father, but they do overlook or ignore the help that our Heavenly Father provides.  For whatever reason, my ability or proclivity not to ask for help, which I always considered a strength has been an issue that I am learning to correct.

For example, in raising support for our mission work, I have consistently resisted making the request for support.  The personnel at One Mission Society have tried to explain to me that what I am offering is a way for those who can't go, aren't led to go, or won't go to still be effective in the work for the Lord in the Great Commission of Matthew 28, "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Generally, what I have found is that most things I thought were my strengths were in fact areas of weakness that I incorrectly thought I had taken care of. 

Fortunately, as it says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

God is faithful and He has sometimes almost miraculously provided needed funding for trips where we were making reservations and purchasing airline tickets with no clear idea of how or where the money would come from to pay the incurred expense.  Our month end balance has been less than $300.00 far more often than it has been over $2,500.00 which is about the cost for our typical trip to Honduras.  We are just grateful that God is taking care of the books and the accounting

Some Divine Protection

IF you have a single bit of doubt about how or IF your prayers for Gary and Diane are being answered, check out this response from Gary.

How has God shown His protection of you in your travels thus far? 

When we were in Costa Rica last year, we were robbed at gunpoint, so it hasn't been all roses.  Going to dinner at a restaurant with two classmates from Language School, we were stopped by two young men who demanded our money.  I didn't realize we were being robbed, so I refused and kept walking. I had Diane on my arm and I told the other two girls from our class to keep moving.  One young man ran around in front of me again and said "I said give me your money."  I responded that I had said no at which point he showed me his gun.  At the very same instant, his partner had grabbed the purse of one of the girls with us and had thrown her to the ground and she screamed.  I am not sure why, but I responded to her scream rather than the sight of the gun.  What resulted was so much better than it could have been.  The thug saw me running back, he got up and ran, and he had a gun as well.  The guy who pulled the gun on me ran up beside me, grabbed her purse where the other fellow had dropped it and then he ran off as well.  Could have been fatal errors committed here - I am only blessed that God was in control. 

The girl lost about $40.00 in cash, a NJ driver's license, and a VISA card that was cancelled in less than 20 minutes after the robbery.  She was scraped up from being thrown to the ground, but was really only shook up.  God is good, all the time!

These are the two "girls" that were mugged with us.  To the left is Caitlin (in her 30s), She was our classmate and is now making four week trips about every six weeks to Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala etc doing water supply projects, solar panel powered water delivery projects - all as part of and in support of missionary work in Latin America.  She is a civil engineer and has specialized in projects related to providing reliable sanitary drinking water to communities in poverty stricken areas of Latin America.  The other is Cathy who has gone on several mission trips with Caitlin and who is a member of her home church in New Jersey.

Hot Seat Questions START UP AGAIN!!!

As you read Gary's question today, take a moment and consider if you might take just a few quick moments and show your support for both Diane and Gary and for the kingdom work that they are doing. You won't likely find many easier or more direct ways to sponsor world missions. Your support goes directly into their account and may ONLY be used on one of their trips. Any amount at all will do so much to encourage them as they obey God and step out where He has required them.

Click here to support them!

Question: Why is being an American somehow helpful in this situation?

Gary: I am not sure if I addressed this before or not but here goes and maybe if I did, this gives a new spin.  There is a significant influence by American culture in Honduras.  When it comes to such things as, the television shows, name brands of clothing, automobiles and, restaurants and the like, the American influence is everywhere.  The people seem to have a fondness for all things American and we fall into that category.  The mere fact that two old Americans are showing an interest in these people in prison lends a sort of extra validation to what should already need no further validation.  On initial visits to the prisons, we seem to add credibility and perhaps garner more initial interest, but the materials and particularly the message carry the day in the follow up growth that has occurred in each prison that our team of volunteers is working in.

Early Indications of a prison ministry!

This is too cute not to share. I got this email from my dad a few weeks ago and we all got a big smile out of it!

Hey Girls!

You don't suppose this was my first warning about getting a call to the prison ministry do you?  They were a cute pair of inmates though!

Love,

DAD

PS:  Sorry Carrie, it appears I was called before you were yet born.  Only by a couple of months!

Freedom in Christ

As we celebrate the freedom we have in this nation this weekend on July 4th, might you consider celebrating that freedom by contributing to Gary and Diane's ministry with OMS? We are able to exercise so many freedoms in this country that we often take for granted. Freedom to worship, freedom to travel freely across this great nation, freedom to speak freely about our convictions. And with this freedom, Gary and Diane are choosing to take the message of freedom in Christ to a country and people that are desperate for it.

This isn't without cost for them. They have literally spent thousands of their own dollars, saved for what they thought was a free and easy retirement to travel to other countries and prepare eager believers to spread the gospel. This is God's desire for them and they have adopted it as their own. I am grateful for all of you who support and encourage with prayer and financial generosity.

Click here to go to their donation page.

Gary shares what they were up to in the Dominican Republic

In early May, Diane and I participated in the Latin American National Coordinators Conference held in Pico Escondido, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.  The conference, which was held at a Young Life camp in the mountains in the Dominican Republic was attended by people involved in the church leadership from seven different nations. Some of these leaders have responsibilities and influence in the churches of an additional five or six nations.  So as you can see, we had a pretty broad representation of people from South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbean.

In addition to encouragement and  reinforcement of the basics of the Train and Multiply program we were discussing how to overcome what appears to be a "barrier" to expansion into the third generation of church group expansion.  

Our model, when it is properly implemented should and does lead from an initial church group establishment (First Generation) into those people in that church establishing several satellite groups which develop into churches in their own right (Second Generation) who in turn help train and develop several other satellite groups that organize a cell or house church group (Third Generation.)  And the process goes on.  In some of these countries, there are Seventh and Eighth Generation groups gathering and worshiping together every Sunday.  Many of these house or cell church groups are small consisting of only two or three families or perhaps only 8-10 people, but others have grown to the point where their attendance on a given Sunday might be 80-100 people or more.  This is why the program is called Train and Multiply and why you can develop many churches and many believers in a short time. 

In some locations, each established group that becomes a church is given the expectation that they will develop at least two new groups within a short period of time in order to keep growing and multiplying.  That obligation does not stop with the development of one or two groups, but is part of their commission, i.e. to "Go forth making disciples......"  Matthew 28:19.

The work and the results emanating from these Latin American nations is so very encouraging.  Colombian leaders have developed materials separately and independently of OMS and they are printing out this material for their use and are offering it to be shared with the other Spanish speaking nations.  The material is first class and was enthusiastically embraced by the others at the meeting.

Hearing the first hand stories of successes in such places as Haiti where they are constantly working against Voodoo and other dark forces and the miraculous things that have occurred to bring the light even into those dark areas is just amazing.

Along with everyone else at the seminar, we felt recharged, motivated and determined to keeping the process expanding and multiplying.  We are looking forward to our next visit to Honduras to see what God's work is achieving there in the areas of the prisons of that nation.

Why Go On A Mission Trip?

Once upon a time, Gary and Diane asked that same question and it rerouted their whole retirement plan. Check out this week's post by Diane.

People ask, " why go on a mission trip?". Well, I would answer if you feel that the Lord is prompting you to do it, then listen to His promptings and do it! 

Gary and I waited until we were in our sixties to take our adventure and answer these promptings. At first we went almost fearfully to the meeting for the trip to Mexico with our church. We thought,"What would they want with two old people on this trip?" We thought they would think we were too old to go, since they said there was some strenuous walking and other problems to deal with. As it turned out the Lord clearly wanted us to go and so did the others on the team! It was the best thing we ever did! 

We were part of a dental team with two dentists, two assistants and me to do dental work in the remote mountains of Mexico. They flew us out to that remote mountain area in a small single engine plane, making approximately four trips to get us all out there with the equipment. We also had some teenage boys with us and a translator, who was invaluable!  

It is hard to put into words how wonderful our experience was. The accommodations were not great. We slept on sleeping bags on the second floor of a government building. There was electricity but no bathroom! A local lady cooked for us and that was just wonderful. Plain and simple, but wonderful. But the best part was the people and interacting with them. We could not speak the language, but we could still communicate Gods love for them through us. I cleaned teeth sitting on a 5 gallon bucket with my patients on a chaise lawn chair. It was very primitive. It was one of the most physically difficult things I have ever done -  and one of the most rewarding. When we were flying away from the mountain, an overwhelming sadness came over me. I realized that I would never see these people again! It was very weird to me, since we really did not have conversations with them. But there was a real connection. We were showing them Christ's love and they were receiving it gratefully.

I believe that trip was a very important part of our call into missions. Gary and I both felt that those few short days changed our lives. I guess my only regret is that I waited so long to go on a trip. But I trust the Lord's perfect timing in this as with all other aspects of our lives. This was the time for our call. Needless to say - I would encourage anyone and everyone to answer the call to missions. It Will Change Your LIFE!

More from Diane on the training in Indiana a few weeks back

I wanted to share some of the wonderful aspects of our training in Greenwood, Indiana in April and May. As I shared in our last post, it was more than just a training seminar. And this year was no exception! In fact, it far exceeded the previous years. We began the week with a very nice reception on Sunday evening. It helped us to get to know each other in a fun way. With a game about sharing some things about us and then sharing it with someone else. A real ice breaker!

Then on Monday morning we started the week off with a beautiful service in the church sanctuary where our meetings were held. Great music and devotions to help us focus on the Lord and the reasons we were called to serve him. We began every morning with some form of music and devotions. Though they were not all in the church sanctuary. The reason we had the meeting in the church was because we had outgrown the rooms at OMS Headquarters! What a wonderful problem to have!

Along with the spiritual aspect of the week, there were the reports from each CMF (church multiplication facilitator). In this way we got to hear what God was doing through His called missionaries all over the world. He is doing amazing things, and we are grateful to be a small part of that! We did not have our own presentation, but were mentioned in Greg Carlson's presentation on Latin America. We were also given training to help us with actually doing our CMF jobs.

One of the best parts of the week was seeing many friends that we have made from past years. We also met many people for the first time. Also there were people who were prayerfully considering this calling.

The culmination of the week was our coaching training on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. After a long week of sitting, I was not looking forward to this. But it proved to be the best part! This training was just teaching us to be good listeners in a very purposeful and common sense way. This will serve us well in all we do. But especially in our communications with our Country Coordinators in Honduras.

In all that week was spiritually encouraging and motivating. We are equipped and ready to go out and continue to serve our Lord! But we are not doing this on our own power! We still are very dependant on His power and your prayers! Thank you for your support.

Diane:)

What are you doing this week in Greenwood, Indiana Gary and Diane?

DIANE

This week, April 26 to May 2, Gary and I will be in Indiana at One Mission Society headquarters for a Church Multiplication Facilitator conference. This may sound very dull and boring but it will be anything but that! If it were just ordinary business meetings, I would not be looking forward to it at all! There will be meetings, but they will all be biblical and prayer centered. 

That was the thing that impressed me the most the first time we visited headquarters. This organization is Christ-centered and runs on prayer. The people who work at headquarters are just regular people like you and me - those who love the Lord and want to serve Him with their lives. Before our first visit, I had no contact with them. Gary had spoken on the phone at length to Becca from recruitment. So he had some idea of the heart of this organization. BUT I still had some reservations! So we went just to get to know this organization and its people. 

Located in Greenwood, Indiana, OMS is a large campus in the middle of town. There are many buildings for administration plus housing for people who live on campus. And also homes and apartments to house us for special weeks like the conference we will attend. They make these rooms available to us for a minimal cost. As soon as we entered the headquarters building with its many flags flying out front, representing all the countries that OMS had missionaries working full time, I felt the love of Christ present. Everyone was so friendly and obviously loved their job. As I said before, just ordinary people who love serving the Lord. I knew right then that The Lord had directed us to the right place. We really did no real investigation of agencies. This was truly Gods hand in our lives leading us to them.

So this week we will be doing some training. reviewing Train and Multiply and coaching. But all sessions begin with Bible Study and prayer. So we are refreshed and renewed spiritually during this time. We also get to connect with other CMF 's, people who are doing what we do in other countries. We have fun with skits and other things and are better equipped to do the job that God has called us to do for Him. This is why I am looking forward to this week. It is such a blessing to be a part of this organization.

When we were confirmed to be a part of OMS both Gary and I said we did not feel equipped for this job. When we said that, Paul Cox said, "We at OMS like to say: God does not call the equipped, He equips the called." This week is a part of that equipping process. We are excited to be a part of it. And we know beyond a doubt that we are called!

GARY

As with any enterprise, there is much time required to prepare, plan and train in order to be able to do your best job.  When all the dust settles, of course it is God who makes things happen, but we need to be as prepared as we can so that as His tools we are not hindering or slowing the work..

Next week, we have our annual Church Multiplication Facilitator's Seminar in Greenwood, Indiana, just outside of Indianapolis.  Diane and I will be spending classroom time from 8:00 AM to 5:00PM Monday through noon on Friday, working with the material we routinely use in the activity with which we are involved in Honduras.  We will review the existing material, we will be introduced to new material and hear about uniquely effective methods that have been used with the material.  In addition to the training itself, we will be hearing from each of the CMFs who are working  in countries from around the world.  My roster of attendees indicates that we will have people from every continent except Antarctica who are performing activities just like we are to spread the Gospel, develop strong groups of believers and who will start new churches in the areas and the environments in which they find themselves.

While we are all in these meetings, there is a prayer team of volunteers from OMS that will be praying for all of us, and with each of us at appointed times throughout the week.  They will pray for those specific areas , people and situations that we are encountering in our work in the individual countries, and also for personal and family issues that may be pressuring each of us.  We would ask that as you are able, you will continue to pray for Diane and I , but also for all the OMS volunteers that are able to attend the seminar this year, and for the work of One Mission Society in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Diane and I both feel so comforted and inspired by the prayer that is being offered up for us and for the volunteers that are doing the majority of the work in working in the prisons in Honduras.

From Friday Noon until Saturday Afternoon, May 2, we will be attending a training seminar on coaching of the volunteers.  This is good reinforcement of the skills that I used during my working career as a sales manager as well as my selling skills.  While I enjoyed my career selling chemicals, it is great to be selling a much better product now with eternal guarantees!

Our current plans for this summer include a trip to the Dominican Republic to attend the ECC Latin America Regional Coordinator's Conference at Pico Escondido, a Young Life Camp in the interior of the Dominican Republic about 90 miles from Santiago. The purpose of this conference is to encourage the Regional co-ordinator's from each of our partners in Latin America to continue developing and establishing their own independence and support mechanism following up on the ideas and concepts that were introduced at the VAN (Value Added Networking) Conference held in Indiana last summer.  This trip will be approximately 10 days and we will be leaving for the Dominican on Monday, May 11.

"Aren't you afraid?"

Hello family and friends - Gary here.

People often ask us, "Aren't you afraid?"  I am apt to reply, not without thinking, but genuinely comforted by the fact that we are only in the prisons because that is where God has almost irresistibly directed us. I answer, "No" and I feel that way while doing prison ministry both here in Ohio when we are home and while we are in Latin America. 

That said, we are not unaware of the possibility of dangers in the Latin American prisons.  You might have seen a recent post here about the Women Prison in Tamara, Honduras that we visited during our February/March trip.  Just up the street from that prison is the National Penitentiary for Men in Tamara. There was a report of trouble  reported by Catherine Shoichet at CNN in August of 2013. 

"After 15 people were injured and three people were killed after clashes at a National Penitentiary prison in Tamara, Honduras, on Saturday.  Honduras' president said he was sending in troops to take over.  In a written statement, his office said that the government has taken steps to disarm prisoners and instituted other security measures at prisons nationwide.  But they haven't been able to stop the "criminal reign" within prisons," the statement said.

At another prison in San Pedro Sula, it is reported, "Internal control of the prisons has been ceded into the hands of the prisoners themselves" per the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. They claim that the situation has spread through all 24 of the nation's prisons to one degree or another and is one of the most serious problems the country faces.

So..... there are dangers, but our local volunteers are aware of the problems, and had been able to resolve the issue by selecting those prisons where the harvest is ripe and those incarcerated are seeking.  We have not been in either of the two prison mentioned, but we have been at the National  Women's Prison in Tamara.

One of our second tier volunteer leaders and his wife  have experienced a problem in one of the prisons about an hour and a half from Tegucigalpa  where he and his wife were threatened with harm by an inmate if they didn't start bringing him in money for admission to the prison.  Operations at that prison have temporarily been suspended until the issue is resolved.  God will prevail and we must wait upon his timing. 

At the recent KAIROS event at Trumbull Correctional in Warren, OH, I spoke on Christian Action. One of my main points was that no matter what you do, the safest and best place to be is "smack dab in the middle of God's will for your life."  Diane and I think maybe we have identified that place and that is why we do what we do.  I acknowledge that four years ago, I would have thought that anyone that did this was insane, but that transformation is yet another sign of who is in control.

Blessings,

Gary

Baptism - Our Special Surprise!

Hi there blog world!  Diane here.

I wanted to share a little bit about how being there for the baptisms of the persons of peace touched us. We knew nothing about it ahead of time, which seems to be the norm when we are there! We arrived on Friday and immediately went to the women's prison - quite a long day! Saturday we were told that during church on Sunday there would be baptisms. We were trying to figure out how they would do that in the church in downtown Honduras! Little did we know that it would be in Nora and Herasmo's house! They had bought a softside pool and it was set up on the patio next to the house! There was a beautiful church service beforehand, right in the living room. Then the baptisms! The age range was from  about 12 to about 70. It was so very moving and we were honored to be a part of it. Before the baptisms, each person stood in front of the congregation and gave their testimony! So moving! You could just feel the Lord's presence there that day.

Then in typical Latin American fashion, there was a meal afterward! Nora and Herasmo had ordered food and catering dishes and the whole works! There were even balloons for decoration. We were able to help in that a little bit the night before with Pastora Dollys. Everyone ate and fellowshipped and had a wonderful time! They even allowed me to help in serving the food with Luz as the guests formed the food line. I felt honored to be able to help, since they usually will not let us even carry our plates to the sink! This was a huge undertaking, for Nora especially, so she could not do it all! 

It was an amazing time of faith and fellowship. 

Then the next week we visited the home of one of these persons of peace where they all meet every week. They are going through the lessons of the Train and Multiply program. After prayer and the lessons, Pastora Dollys recorded each of their testimonies. Even though my Spanish is not good, I was so moving to see what the Lord  is doing in each of their lives. 

So if you are wondering if the Lord is answering your prayers for this ministry in Honduras, the answer is YES He is! We feel so grateful and humble to be a part of His work there. Thank you all for your prayers and support. That is what makes it all possible. 

In His service,

Diane:)

Gary on Kairos

Some of you may not be familiar with the prison work that Diane are involved with here in the US with a program called KAIROS International.

Twice a year, 40-50 volunteers go into a local prison, in our case to Trumbull Correctional Institution - a medium to high security facility in Warren, OH.  At that facility there are usually between 1500 and 2500 inmates serving time for a variety of crimes up to and including rape and murder. 

Most of these individuals have some sort of background in their families with regard to faith, but the vast majority of them have rejected or drifted as far from a relationship with God as is possible. 

The KAIROS program leads approximately 36 inmates through a series of talks, interaction with one another and introspection to recognize the Love of God and the work of Jesus - to offer them an alternative to the condemnation that they experience each day. 

We introduce them to the concepts of sin, condemnation, repentance and forgiveness .  They are able, sometimes for the first time, to experience forgiveness, both given and received and it makes a significant impact. 

It is a very moving experience as you see 36 convicted felons come to a realization that they can't make it on their own, that they need God and community to carry on their life, and most importantly that they need Jesus Christ. 

They arrive hard, frowning, proud and antagonistic and by the end of the four days, only 36 hours, many have been brought to tears, have forgiven family members, friends, police officers, judges and recognize their own responsibility, having turned to Jesus.  They are encouraged to participate in an ongoing Prayer and Share experience every Thursday night where a few of us volunteers go into the prison and continue the process. They are further encouraged to build a community of believers to help support one another.  All of this to reinforce and help establish them in their new relationship with Jesus. 

At the last event in March, Diane served on the kitchen team where we provide them with home cooked meals for the four days of the event along with all the cookies they could want  

We had a total of 28 of the inmates step up to the "open mike" at the closing ceremony and explain what the program had meant to them.  They explained briefly their history with regard to faith and how the program had brought them back to Christ.

This is a continuing and regular part of our call to serve, even while we are at home in the United States.

"     I was in prison and you visited me."   Matthew 25:36

Gary shares a story of victory in Christ through a changed heart!

This celebratory story appeared in the March 18,2015 Prison Fellowship Prayer Letter from OMS's Every Community for Christ and tells an exciting story of a softened heart.

Gary shared a wondered story of God answering prayer while they were in Honduras. “A chaplain in a woman’s prison received us on our first visit with a great deal of hostility and anger. She repeatedly said, “Palabara, Palabara, Palagara, pero no accion, ” which translates “All talk and no action.” She viewed our Train & Multiply as just another case of people coming into the prison, preaching, leaving with no involvement and no continuing commitment. She agreed to allow us to come five days later, but without any enthusiasm or support. We left a little discouraged, but we all committed to pray about her attitude.

When we returned and began teaching the first lesson from Train & multiply, the story of Noah and the Flood, she and the others in the room were attentive, involved , asking questions, and very positive about the material. When asked at the end of the class how they liked it, the others all answered positively and were excited to continue to study. Then we asked the chaplain, her opinion. Almost in tears, she apologized. She had only recently received her “certification” as a chaplain while she was serving time as an inmate in the prison and was now continuing her time required in prison and serving as a chaplain there. She said she knew well that she had much to learn about the Bible and a relationship with Jesus. She said she had been praying for something that would help her learn more about the Bible and would help her to be a better Chaplain, teacher and counselor. She said she could see that the Train & Multiply Program was an answer to her prayer. We recognized that her change in attitude was an answer to our prayers as well. That was the first lesson for the first time in that prison, and we are looking forward to the program expanding rapidly in the prison.”

Aren’t you glad you prayed for Gary and Diane and for their trip to Honduras?

Continue to pray for that prison, and the other prisons in Honduras  where Train & Multiply is being used to share the Gospel of Jesus.

Pray for the Chaplain as she serves the Lord with a glad heart. Pray the Lord gives her the desire of her heart to learn more of the Bible and to be a better Chaplain.

Pray for the prisoners in that prison to come into a relationship with Jesus and experience the love of Jesus.

Pray for Gary and Diane as they serve the Lord with Prison Fellowship in Colombia and in Honduras.

Diane tells how God can transform any moment and any place into worship!!

This is just a short story from the beginning of our trip in early March. When we were standing in the line for customs to enter Honduras, we were right behind an obvious group on a missions trip. Obvious because they all had the same shirts on! I had noticed their shirts when we were boarding but we had not spoken. I cannot recall the name of their church. Gary thinks he has a card that they gave us but we cannot find it now. That is really not the best part of the story anyway! 

As we were waiting in this very slow line, we began a conversation with two women who were part of this team. They told us where they were from and what they were going to be doing. We in turn explained what we were going to do in Honduras. They turned out to be a mom and daughter. The daughter was very enthusiastic about their mission and about ours. It was such a God moment there in that customs line! Then the daughter asked if we could pray there in the line. So we did! Well, she did! It was such a blessing to all of us. We felt so close to these women that we had never met before- drawn together as brothers and sisters in Christ on a mission for Him. It made a boring waiting line into a blessing. What a great beginning to a wonderful trip! We know that the Lord is in control of everything, even waiting in those boring customs lines!

Can you go?

Just a thought for today.  All of us are called to go.  It doesn't say therefore, some of you go and make disciples of all the nations.  It just says go.  So how do you go? For this season of my life, my "going" doesn't look the way I wish it did.  So for now, I go when I participate in those that are going.  Like with Gary and Diane.  When I pray.  When I give what I can.  Please consider joining with Gary and Diane and going with them in prayer and financial support.

Matthew 28:16-20New International Version (NIV)

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Herasmo and Nora - How did these passionate people get involved in prison ministry?

I (Gary) asked both Herasmo and Nora, our Honduran support team, how they got into the prison ministry and/or how they got involved in this program.  It's good stuff  - God stuff. Here's are their stories.

Herasmo's Testimony

From the age of 14 years or earlier, Herasmo Ramirez had worked alongside his mother and father and sisters in their work in the prisons of Honduras.  Both his mother and father were the leaders of the Confraternidad Carcelaria de Honduras (Prison Fellowship) work in Honduras.  He explained that it was almost a family calling if not obligation.  

Approximately a year and a half ago, Herasmo was in a period of testing.  His mother and father had this ministry to the prisons and he participated but it was not his own. One day, when he was really not in a state of prayer, he felt or heard in his mind, Jesus asking, "When I stand before my Father and all the angels and the saints and ask why didn't you serve me, what will you say."  Herasmo said he replied, "Before you, Your Father and the angels I will answer, because Lord, You never gave me the volunteers, the tools and the direction."  

Shortly afterward, he began hearing about the possibility of the Capacitacion y Plantacion program from OMS and that Honduras might possibly be the target country for introducing the program outside of Colombia.  Herasmo feels certain that this program was a direct and specific response from God regarding that conversation and represented God challenging him to serve faithfully.

Nora's Story

Norah recalled that on her first trip into the prisons, she was very frightened - not only of the prisoners themselves, but the whole idea of prisons.  She went in with another group of volunteers and stayed in the background and tried to avoid involvement at first.  One inmate, noting her discomfort, slowly came up to her and he told her, "I can tell you are afraid to be here, but you have nothing to fear, I know that God has brought you here today and will bring you back again and again."

Nora said from that moment on, the fear was gone. She, of course, is very aware of where she is and acts appropriately, but she knows that she is serving God exactly where He wants her. She wants to be there for Him.

Good Q/A while they are in Honduras!

Mom and Dad are in Honduras as I type this and experiencing the realities of this right now.  Maybe reading this will give you some perspective on their posts.  I know it did for me.

Also please check out the link below and please be praying!
Travel warning for Honduras

Why is being an American so

mehow helpful in this situation (ministry and leadership with OMS's Train and Multiply in country)? 

Gary - Most of those we meet and work with in Honduras feel some kind of affinity with the United States. Whether it is mostly through pop culture like movies and television, the abundance of American fast food restaurants or from the abundance of missionary and humanitarian work done in Honduras, I can't tell. But apparently from the time of President John Kennedy and his visit there early in his term, there has been a strong tie.  Historically, Kennedy was working to prevent the spread of communism in Latin America following the events in Cuba. In the city of Tegucigalpa, there is even a neighborhood that is named Colonia de Kennedy.  Apparently, at the time, a great deal of American funds were put into building up our relationship with the Hondurans.

Their cable television services carry American television shows and until very recently, English was taught and spoken in the better schools to the extent that many of the young people that have completed high school are bi-Lingual in Spanish and English.  

As one might expect, since most of their impressions of the United States are based upon television, they have some misconceptions.  I believe one of the many of these is that we have a society that is fairly volatile and violent, just watch all the police and action shows on TV.  Also, they believe that even the average American is quite wealthy. Of course, it is fair to say that the average American is far better off than the average Honduran and the conclusion is valid on that basis.  On the other hand they think that Americans have a lot of disposable income and discretionary spending which of course is not always true but again in comparison to Honduras is probably more accurate than we would like to admit.

Ultimately, our mere presence adds credibility to the program and for us that is good because we are not sure what else we have to offer, we are still learning and if our following where God leads us helps accelerate the program, we are blessed to be a part of it.

PRAY! and OMS Spotlights Gary and Diane

One Mission Society's Facebook page

Go to OMS's facebook page and check out the prayer request as Gary and Diane prepare to leave for Honduras bright and early tomorrow.  Be watching for specific prayer requests in days to come on their ministry Facebook page.

A little goes a long way

In the course of a given month, most of can easily spend much more than we want to admit on ridiculous things.  $5 coffees a few times a week.  A handful of little stuff that we grab at Target that we don't really need.  A candybar, bags of cookies or snack with zero nutritional value. What would it mean to commit a little of that "lost cash" to the global reach of the gospel?  MUCH MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.  Participating in Gary and Diane's ministry by even a small gift once a month, is a ministry you can call your own.  Perhaps you aren't called to go.  But in this way, you ARE going.  Please prayerfully consider an easy online gift once a month.  I set a reminder to check out our finances and give twice a month.  Sometimes we can and sometimes not.  But that is the joy of serving with them a God who is full of grace.  He blesses us for whatever we are able to offer.  And it turn it blesses Gary and Diane and many many more. Maybe something else works for you but consider what that means in your life. It means more than you can imagine - on earth and in eternity.

Click the link below to be directed to their donation page.

Gary and Diane - OMS

Strengths and Weaknesses

How have you seen the way God turns things upside down - strengths are weaknesses and weaknesses strengths?

DIANE:

When the Lord first called us into missions, we kept saying to each other, "We feel so unprepared for this!" But One Mission Society helped us to see that He has been preparing us for this our whole lives. The biggest thing we have both learned is that in our weakness He is strong. We have been learning and are still learning to trust Him in our WHOLE missionary experience. In all aspects of our lives we are trusting Him. Everything from funding our trips to the language problem, to our safety when we are in Honduras, He has been providing in every way. We truly could not do this in our own strength. When we first came to OMS we expressed the doubt we had in our ability to do the job that we had been called to do, as Church Multiplication Facilitators. One of the men we were talking to told us this, " The Lord does not call the equipped, He equips the called." It is something well known and often repeated there at headquarters. That relieved some of our fears of the unknown then. We knew we were clearly called! So He will equip us and He Is! As with Gideon in Judges, our weaknesses are His strengths. He has provided for us and we know that will continue as long as He wants us to do this. Thank you for your prayers and support.

Hey - how's the weather down there???

Q:  What has the climate been like during your visits?

A:  Gary -  We have made spring and fall trips so far, but in Honduras there are essentially two seasons, rainy and dry.  During our trip in October, it rained frequently and heavily but not for the entire day.  During our June trip, I don't believe it rained at all.  Both the rain and the temperature are greatly affected by the mountains. Tegucigalpa is in a central mountain valley and the temperature there seems to be in the range of 65-80 degrees most of the time, however in October we went to San Pedro Sula down closer to the Caribbean in the coastal plain and the temperatures there were a good 10 degrees warmer.  Generally, the climate is wonderful.  In the mountains, the humidity is low, and although the humidity is much higher at lower elevations, we both really appreciate the warm weather.

Gary shares his perspective on Latin American prison

Describe the prisons.  We hear that Latin American prisons are terribly dark scary places.

I recognize that the prisons of Latin America are generally considered very dark and scary places, but we haven't experienced that to a large degree.  First, I want to explain that we have not been into the cell block area so we can't really comment on those living conditions but in the general population areas things seem fairly good.  Because of the climate, they do not have or need windows, the open yard areas are bright, clean and the inmates have flowers and /or vegetables growing in the available areas.  There were open areas where the inmates were playing soccer, and the inmates seemed fairly contented.  They do not wear uniforms but instead wear clothing supplied, I assume, by their friends and family, with most being dressed in jeans and soccer shirts or tee shirts.  Almost without exception, they are meticulously clean.  In each of the prisons we visited, there was a hand laundry area and what seemed to be miles of clothes line with clothes being hung out to dry.  When considering a comparison of the living conditions in the prison with the way they live in their communities outside the prisons, I believe the prisons are well kept.   They have very adequate chapel facilities equipped with musical instruments including sound system, guitars and a drum set.

How receptive are the prisoners to the Word of God and Jesus?

My general impression, and one which is supported by the growth of the program, is that the men in the prison are open to the Gospel and hungry for any and all "outside" attention.  They are all enthusiastic worshippers and the chapel really rocks during the services.  They participate in the Bible classes and offer not only questions, but answers and suggestions to one another in support of their faith.

Having an active rather than a passive faith seems to be a new experience, part of this because of their cultural ties to the Catholic Church and the obvious formality of that type of worship experience.  I believe their enthusiasm is in large part due to realizing they can know Jesus, not just worship him hanging on the cross.  Both are necessary, but neither to the exclusion of the other.

Have you wondered what Hondurans think of the United States? Diane ponders this question.

What is the perception in Honduras of the United States and people from the United States?

DIANE SAYS:

Judging from the warm welcome that we receive from everyone we come in contact with in Honduras, I would say that the Hondurans love the United States and all that it represents. Many people we meet say that one of their greatest dreams is to visit the United States. A few of the family members of our in country hosts live or have lived here in the US. They seem to all have positive feelings to the United States. One young man who was involved in our Train  and Multiply class, told us it was his fondest dream to come to the US some day. He is a teacher there in Honduras and has learned English by volunteering when mission teams come to visit. He speaks English very well. And even teaches English in school, although his primary emphasis is music. We struck up a great friendship when I heard him listening to current Christian music on his phone between class sessions. He really likes Casting Crowns! It was very neat to share the love of current Christian music with him.

I think also that the Latin American people are a very warm and welcoming people in general. So this is the way they respond to all strangers. In reading about some other cultures, that is not the case. We feel very blessed to be so welcomed into their lives. When we are there, we are part of their family and are treated as such. The Latin American people definitely have the gift of hospitality. I do not think it is just because we are from the US - they are just a very giving people. We feel so blessed to be a part of this ministry.

Gary answers a challenging question about Honduras

Do the people seem happy in Honduras?

That is difficult to say.  I don't see a lot of laughter and there doesn't seem to be a lot of joking around. The people do not seem sad or unhappy, so much of what I am experiencing could be cultural, or my presence may make them behave differently.  

They do seem significantly more reserved than the Colombians we have worked with. While happy may not be the word I would use, the people generally seem contented.  They all seem very family oriented and they are a loving and caring people.  Even those in prison demonstrate a kindness and consideration to us as outsiders and at least while we were there for one another.