PRISON MINISTRY - LATIN AMERICA
As you read this, Diane and I will
probably be in Honduras on our latest adventure. It has been some time
since we visited in Honduras (more than six months) because from June through
October they have to contend with heavy rains and storms. This year was no
exception with a hurricane or tropical storm that we in the States never heard
about because of its location in the Western Caribbean where it made landfall
all along the northern coast of Honduras. Additionally, there have been
several Pacific storms that have affected the southern coast of Honduras.
They have been dealing with flooding and washed out roads and mudslides
throughout the country.
Despite these hardships and the
delays resulting from cancelled trips by the local pastors and volunteers, the real "feet on the ground" in our Train and Multiply program
in Honduras, the program is still expanding and growing in numbers of
participants and prisoners served. The combination of the PFI program
"The Prisoner's Journey" along with followup with the Train & Multiply
discipleship program has been spreading steadily throughout the country and the
prison system.
In one recent conversation with
Herasmo Ramirez, our coordinator for Honduras, he related a conversation with
one of the Honduran prison authorities who had called and talked with him about
our program. He was very complimentary regarding the changes that it was
bringing about in the prisons and among the prisoners with decreased behavior
problems and violence. He asked if it might be possible to consider
starting a program where the program might be taught to the correctional
officers in the various prisons where the program has been started. This
represents a major break through and reinforces how God's presence in Honduras
is working miracles. During this visit, we will be discussing this
opportunity and Herasmo will be letting us know how he and the Honduran team
are planning to incorporate the correctional officers into their training
schedule.
As the program has grown, God has
graciously grown the trainer base with assistance from local pastors from
several different denominations. It has truly become an ecumenical
movement with this wide spread participation by so many churches, pastors and
denominations.
During our visit, we expect to
visit five or more new prisons that we have never been in before and see how
the newest programs are growing. We will update you all on our
observations and a report on the current status upon our return.
In the meantime, please pray for our safe
travel, for Herasmo and his family (father- Erasmo, mother-Nora), for our key trainers and organizers (Pastor Adis, Pastor Briceno), for all
of the trainers and student participants, that they will come to know and serve
the Lord Jesus each day in their lives and that they will continue to share the
hope of salvation with others.
Blessings,
Gary and Diane
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