Less like a Mission, More Like Family

Well, a new year is upon us. We are now looking forward to another visit with our ministry partners in Honduras. They really are more than ministry partners. They are our family! If someone would have tried to explain what our relationship with them would be before we met them we would have never understood. That first trip we were very apprehensive. We had never met them at all. No pictures! Only names! In fact, we worried needlessly about what we would do about a flight delay or cancellation. How would we let them know? But as He has with every aspect of this ministry, The Lord has taken care of us. We immediately were accepted into this wonderful serving family and made to feel very welcome. We are blessed to know many in their extended family also. So you can see why we are eager to return to visit them. It is a wonderful renewal of our friendship as well as the additional blessing of seeing the fruits of their labors in the prisons.

We are looking forward to visiting new areas of Honduras where new programs in the prisons have been growing. On our last visit we met a new volunteer pastor who will be working in these new prisons in the north of Honduras by the Caribbean Sea. The Lord provided this man in answer to our prayers for more volunteers to cover areas of Honduras that are too far away for our country coordinators to travel to on a weekly basis. As I said earlier, He has provided all we have needed for this ministry to reach the prisons of Honduras.

When we were in Honduras last, we had a three day seminar for all the volunteers on coaching. This would be helpful for them in working with their leaders in the various groups in the prisons. One thing we are praying about is that the finances would be available in the future for a retreat for the volunteers. They would gain such encouragement from each other by just getting together. They are spread out over the whole country and do not see each other regularly. We know and have faith that The Lord will provide in this area also. He has been so faithful in providing what is needed in the past.

When people ask us how long we will continue to serve in the prisons of Honduras, Gary and I say, “As long as the Lord allows!” As long as we are blessed with our health and ability to travel, we count it as a privilege to be a part of the Lord’ s ministry in the prisons of Honduras.

Thank you for continuing to pray with us,

Diane

Reflections

Before Gary and Diane ramp up for their next trip in early March, we thought we would ask them to share some reflections on a number of things. Diane starts us off this week.

I was just thinking back over our time in prison ministry. From the beginning of His calling us, I never had any sort of fear of going into any of the prisons. It is really amazing, because I am not a brave person. Also I am not a risk taker at all. From that very first prison experience in Ohio, to Mexico and Honduras, I was never afraid. That credit could only be given to the Lord and the calling that He was putting in my heart for those in prisoners. I recall that during our mission trip to Mexico we went to a prison there. At the time I did not think much about it, but one of the other women was very fearful as we were waiting to go past security. She was a native of Mexico, so the country was not the issue. My calling for the incarcerated started with Gary’s calling. At first, I thought it would be something that he would only be involved in. At that time he was doing written lessons that were sent in by prisoners. 

Then after some time, he started with KAIROS. That is a program where prisoners are selected to participate in a weekend in the prison. During that weekend the Gospel is presented and many are brought to saving faith. Still, I thought that this was “Gary’s Program! ” I was involved in baking the cookies that were part of the weekend. But that still did not change my heart. The change came when I witnessed first hand what this weekend meant to the men. I was privileged to attend a closing ceremony at the end of the weekend. At that time each man shared his testimony of conversion and what it meant to him. God was beginning to give me a heart for these men too. Then in the next year, I was able to work on the kitchen team for a KAIROS weekend. There was a team of us working together and also with inmate kitchen workers. That was a life changing weekend! I got to really know a few of these men and work side by side with them. Also, as the men came in to the kitchen area to eat, we would sing a song to them. It went like this: we love you and God loves you and that’s the way it’s gonna be! Just a simple song with much meaning. They knew we meant it and it meant a lot to them. On the last day, they sang the song back to us.it was so heart warming. It sounds so simple, but that was the real change in my heart. The Lord knew what experience I would need to give me a heart for prisoners. 

I am so grateful that The Lord brought me along right behind Gary. So we did the beginning of our married life together and now we are doing our retirement together serving Him!

Colombia Catch Up

Gary and Diane are safely home from their two months in language school and getting all manner of things straightened up from being out of the country for two full months! While we wait for some current updates, check out the first of two installments of Diane's entries from her travel journal on their January visit to Colombia.

January 25, 2016

Location: Medellin, Colombia

                          Bella Vista Chapel, Bella Vista Prison -

This morning upon arrival at Bella Vista prison, we were processed through security and quickly led deep into the prison where we entered the Chapel area, up a flight of stairs and into a brightly lit corner office where we sat down with five or six inmates and one volunteer from CCC who were chapel leaders among the inmates at Bella Vista prison.

They each in turn offered their testimony regarding where they had come from and how God and the work of Jesus Christ had changed their lives.  Their stories were all deeply moving and inspiring because faith in Jesus Christ had changed their lives completely.  Each of their stories would be a fascinating tale, but the one story which seemed to stand out was that of Javier Mosquera Mosquera.

Javier was one of the largest and blackest men I have ever seen, with a booming voice and an unquenchable enthusiasm.

Javier, who now oversees the chapel ministry, visits the prison each and every day.  As he walked around the prison yards he greeted each and every inmate and correctional officer by name in that booming voice and a large smile.  As he passed, almost without exception, he left smiles in his wake.

It was only later that we heard that he "was a very bad man " in his youth and was feared by many.  He had spent 22 years in Bella Vista prison before being paroled because of the dramatic change in his behavior and outlook on life.  All of this according to and loudly proclaimed by him to be the result of Jesus Christ filling his heart and changing him from the inside out.

Thursday January 26 afternoon

After a long morning at Pedregal prison we were told we were going back to the Prison Fellowship office. There we met Monica again, who has been a translator for us in the past. She is in charge of the Micro Loan programs. This program is for women whose husband or family member is in prison. This makes it difficult for them to earn a living. Prison Fellowship has partnered with the local government of Medellin to provide this money. It is a low interest loan to help them begin a home based business. This way they can raise their families and still earn a living. 

We went with Jason, the government representative and Monica, and a driver who was capable of driving where we were going because where we went it took special driving expertise. We traveled almost to the very top of the poorest hillside communities of Medellin. The roads are paved, but very steep and narrow. And only single lane!! And there were people walking on the road too! Then big busses and trucks would be coming the other direction! It was very scary! They said not many drivers would even go up where we went. The view was amazing. But it was very scary!

The first woman we saw had a sewing business and was thinking of also  starting a beauty salon business. She was asking for advice on what to do. The government representative was someone who was trained in business so he could advise her. She even asked Gary for some advice. I think people think with age comes wisdom!

The second woman was younger and lived with her parents. She had a baby but wanted to open a beauty salon in an area of her house. We were able to be there when they signed the papers for her loan. We prayed with her at the end. It will be very interesting to follow up with these two cases to see the results. 

This is another aspect of Prison Fellowship's community programs that help people in their everyday lives. 

Letters and Miracles from Colombia - Diane

I hope many of you had a chance to follow Gary and Diane's story this week on Facebook as they reached out for some prayer covering at language school. Last weekend, they feared that they would not have a level two class to attend after graduating from level one. With only the two of them signed up, the school needed at least three people for class. So we asked everyone to be praying. And last minute - as God often does - God provided. In the midst of their finals in level one, God provided another student. We don't even know where that other student came from but we do know that God answered the prayers of so many people. And we thank you and we thank a God who sees and loves us so much to do big things.

While they are concentrating on their Spanish language studies in Colombia, we will be sharing some of the stories we have from previous trips earlier this year. We hope you enjoy them and we hope that we will be able to soon share some of the ministry things they are able to participate in on the weekends in Colombia.

Wednesday January 25

Today we were picked up at 8am and we made our way through rush hour traffic to Bella Vista Prison. This was the prison in the video that we saw before we even knew what our assignment was with OMS. So we feel like our ministry started here, even though the program has been going on for approximately 20 years.

The first section of the prison we saw was the APAC program. This program gives the men more freedom in their areas and also trains them to do useful things when they reenter society. Jonathan, our ministry supervisor's son and our escort and driver, told us that the section of the prison they were given for APAC was in the worst shape of anywhere in Bella Vista. It has only been in existence for a year. And yet there are areas where there are sewing machines where they were making backpacks. They were very well made. They told us a supplier gives them the materials then they make them and the supplier sells them in his store. He gives some of the profit back to the inmates. They told us how this program not only gives them something to do, but gives them a sense of worth. They have hope they will be able to work when they are released. They also make jewelry. One of them gave me a necklace , bracelet and matching earrings. I was so touched. 

They all told us a little of their testimonies and how the spiritual aspect of the program is changing their lives. This program is changing the lives of Prisoners from the inside out. APAC started in Brazil and is making a huge difference in the lives of prisoners all over Latin and South America.

One other thing we saw them doing in the APAC program was working together on a project, building a large boat model. The other projects were more individual but this boat required teamwork and cooperation. This will be very useful to them as they reenter society.

We had lunch in the cafeteria and after lunch we entered the more high security part of the prison. We were led to an area where we were introduced to six leaders of the various "patios" around the Prison. This was an intimate meeting led by the Pastor Janivez in charge of that area. Each man gave his testimony, sharing how long he had been in prison and what he did to get there. Most shared that they had been murderers with no conscience at all about it. They said they would be dead if the Lord had not brought them to Bella Vista. It was amazing and touching. We thanked them for sharing their stories. Then we shared a little about our call to prison ministry. We told them that we would go home and tell the stories of the miracles that God is doing on a daily basis in Bella Vista prison . We prayed at the end and you could just feel the Spirit moving there. 

Another nice thing about today, is we had direct contact with the inmates and that doesn't always happen. Shaking hands and blessing them with a loving hands. We told them how much their stories blessed us and we would be sure to share them with everyone we meet in the United States.

Pastor Javier Mosquera, who was our guide spent 22 years in Bella Vista. Miracle after miracle.

Another entry from Diane's Travel Journal

Below is one of the journal entries Diane sent from their last trip to Honduras. It gives us another glimpse into their activities when they are out of the country. At this moment, you are probably aware that they are in Medellin, Colombia. Please be praying for vision and direction as they take on a new role for OMS in that country.

Thursday

A visit to El Progresso prison and then return to Tegucigalpa to pack for the trip home tomorrow.

First some observations about El Progresso the town. It is very poor. We saw some of the worst conditions of any town. Much poverty and very sad conditions.

Before the prison we went to Sister Lillian's house. We did not know why. Then it was explained to us that  they were presenting her with the equipment necessary to run the The Prisoners Journey, or TPJ program, in the prison. They provided her with a TV, a DVD player, and the necessary things to run the program. This was given to her at the house so the prisoners did not misunderstand that it was for them. It is for them, but it is on loan from Prison Fellowship to run TPJ. This will be exciting to hear how many become involved by it's use.   Sister Lillian's house, while nicer than many in the area, is in disrepair and there are only rafters for a ceiling. And yet she spends many, many hours working in the prison and for the prisoners of El Progresso. She has been very dedicated for many years and had a wonderful group of T&M disciples. Many of them plan to be baptized in the coming months. We look forward to sharing in that with them. if not in person then on Facebook.

I have said before that El Progresso is the worst prison for conditions of all the ones we have seen here. But I realized today as we drove back the road to get there, that as the community goes, so goes the prison in that community. That had not struck me before. There is construction going on both inside and out of the prison. And  that adds to the turmoil of the place. It may make it better inside in the future, but now it is just a mess. Very difficult to even walk to the room where they meet. The floor is torn up and there are holes and trenches everywhere. You really had to be careful not to fall! Also, we got our feet all muddy and then tracked it all over the car. [Anyone who knows Diane will know that this must have driven her nuts to get that dirty and track it everywhere!! :)]

 But as I have stated before about El Progresso, the Lord is doing a mighty work there! These men are very dedicated to the program and to the Lord. They thanked us for coming and many wanted to shake our hands. The head man then spoke a few words and then Herasmo gave a short message. Gary also spoke and told them how happy we are about how well the program is doing. He said we bring blessings from the United States and prayers. While we were shaking hands with them, one man came up to us and was telling me something about his wife. (That was all I could understand of it). Then when he knew I was not immediately understanding, he went to get a man who could speak English to translate. The man said that this inmate had a wife who was pregnant and needed a test. He was asking for money from us because he had none for her to get the test.  It was sad. I told him I would pray that the Lord would provide the money for her to have the test. I guess that is one reason they don't want us to take money in. There is always a story, some may be true and some may not, but we would certainly be tempted to give them what they asked for.

It is a very sad place to visit but the spirit of the Lord is there and they are rich in love for Him. They really have to believe that this world is not their home. 

Diane also adds:

As always when we visit the prison, we are blessed to be a small part of what the Lord is doing in the prisons of Honduras.

From the pages of Diane's travel journal.......

Sometime during their last trip to Honduras, Diane writes.....

Today we got up early and the four of us went to the National Prison of Tamara. We were meeting Pastor Miguel who came on his motor cycle and one other pastor there who facilitated our entering the prison. They said they might not let me in being the only woman, as Nora did not go because of her knee. There was  a lot of walking to get to the chapel. 

The weather was dry, pleasant and sunny  but a little cool first thing in the morning. But at the prison, unlike most times when we visit, there was a nice breeze and very pleasant. We were in an open air room surrounded by much activity. Lots of laundry being hung out, people wandering about, roosters crowing and other noises from other parts of the prison. But in spite of all of these distractions the 10 men who were the volunteers participating were  very attentive and participated very well. Herasmo did the first half of the lesson(24), while Miguel did the second half. The men did an excellent job of reading the scripture passages and most stood when they read, showing respect. There were others who stopped by or sat down  but did not stay and they did not receive booklets. But they may be interested enough to participate in the next session of T&M. The potential is great in this prisoners because of the high number of inmates 2,000-2,500. Divided into 4 or 5 sections, we were only seeing one section today. It was wonderful to be present in the early stages, so we can see the growth when we return next time. All of the volunteers came and shook our hands and hugged us. Saying blessings to us. And we in turn blessed them. 

One inmate who was not part of the volunteers to be trained came and spoke to us in English. He had a sad story. He lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota and married an American girl - he also had a daughter. Then something happened, he didn't tell us what, that they made home come back to Tegucigalpa to jail and he has been there ever since. It seems so sad. But we do not know the whole story.

We decided to give Pastor Miguel one of our Spanish Streams in the Desert books. Gary signed it and everything but we did not get to give it to him. We got there first, he was on his motorcycle and when he got there we had forgotten about the book. We had to leave before he did so we did not see him after at all.  Things get complicated sometimes.

After we left the prison, we went to a mall for lunch. We had Subway and they let Gary pay. With only a little grumbling. 

This is just a sample of one of our days when we are in country in Honduras. We love going and are blessed to be a part of this prison ministry. This was an account from our last trip in January of 2016.

AMAZING NEWS and request for fervent prayer!

As we have explained over the last years, we have been blessed to be able to participate in this ministry to the prisons in Latin America.  The success is God’s and the major workers are the volunteers in each of prisons who are there week to week instructing and encouraging the inmates in their discipleship and growth who deserve the credit.  Our role is one of encouragement, counseling and coaching of the trainers and to a much lesser extent assisting in the actual training of the individuals.

The results that are being achieved in Honduras by the volunteers have been significant enough to draw the attention of the leadership of both Prison Fellowship International and One Mission Society.  Through a series of meetings and communications it was decided to work toward a co-operative program between PFI and One Mission Society to go to the prisons of the world in a broader but also a deeper level to make an impact on this people group.

 

Agreements have been reached and the development of this program is taking place even now for targeting 10-12 countries in the World for 2016. 

Training Coordinator for TPJ-T&M Project 

With that said, we have been approached with the suggestion that we consider a role as the training coordinator for the project for all non-Spanish speaking nations targeted.  At this time it looks like those nations might be Philippines, Cambodia, Bangladesh, India, South Africa, Kenya, Bulgaria and Spain, Burkina Faso, Togo. 

As training coordinators, we would be expected to attend each of 2-3 Regional Training sessions to participate in the training of the First Generation of Trainers from each country in that region.  We expect to train at least 2 people from each country in this Generational Cycle.  Then subsequently, we would attend and assist in the training of the next generation of trainers, expected to be 10+ individuals that will then go throughout their nations sharing this program with both believers and un-believers that are interested. 

Assisting in the training of both the first and second generation of teachers would be probably two to three other trainers from OMS.  The suggestion is that I would –co-ordinate the training and Diane would be the Facilitator/Coordinator to handle the logistics for the program in the first generation training sessions.

A few other projects have been mentioned for our attention and consideration as well:

1)      Training Data Base Development Coordinator – OMS has trainers worldwide with many ministry partners for a multitude of different Church Multiplication Programs.  There has never been an established data base that could be accessed to find resources regarding the availability of trainers and materials based upon location (geography), languages for teaching, languages spoken, possible availability for teaching a week long class as well as by program, like T4T (Training for Trainers), VCP (Village Church Planting) and T&M (Train & Multiply.) We were asked to serve as coordinators for this project offering a “big picture” and “user friendly” oversight to keep the project focused on usability of those accessing the program.

2)     Interim Church Multiplication Facilitator to Colombia for the Prison Ministry – Working with Lacides Hernandez and his staff at Confraternidad de Carcelaria de Colombia  (PFI-Colombia),  In the absence of the present CMF due to health concerns, we have been asked to fill in for the next 6-9 months at a minimum to assist this co-operative ministry to achieve long and short term goals with regard to their work in the Prisons of Colombia.

3)     Continuing responsibilities as Church Multiplication Facilitator to Honduras – Existing roles

These represent a very large scope of projects that have not 

been totally firmed up yet but should be within the next 60 

days.  We are asking for prayers for wisdom to assist us in 

evaluating these projects and our capabilities to meet the needs 

of the project.

A View into El Progreso Prison from Diane

I have said previously that El Progreso is the worst prison for conditions that we have seen so far. And that fact was still true on this last trip. But I realized as we drove back the dirt road to get there, that as the community goes, so goes the prison in that community. That had not been so apparent on previous trips. It was there but I did not make the connection. This city seems to be quite poverty stricken. Even the nicer homes were in much need of repair. Upon going into the prison we came on construction both inside and out. That adds to the turmoil that you feel before you even go in. The repairs may make things better inside in the future, but now it is just a mess. It was very difficult to even walk to the meeting room. We had to navigate holes and mud and trenches and loose grating. You had to be very careful where you walked for fear of falling.

But in spite of these awful conditions or maybe because of them, the Lord is doing a mighty work there! These men are very dedicated to the Train and Multiply Program and to spreading the Gospel. They thanked us for coming and wanted to shake our hands. The leader of their group spoke a few words then Herasmo gave a short message. Gary also spoke and told them how happy we were about how well they were doing with the program. He said we bring blessings from the United States and prayers. Then more hand shaking and blessings followed. While we were shaking hands, one man came up to us and was telling us something about his wife (wife was the only word we understood). Then when he knew were were not understanding anything else, he went to get another inmate who spoke English. The man told us that this inmate had a wife who was pregnant and needed a test. He was asking for money so that she could have the test. It was sad and a little frustrating. We told him we would pray that the Lord would provide the necessary money for the test. I guess that is the reason they don't want us to take money or anything else in with us. 

There is always a story, some may be true and some may not, but we certainly would be tempted to try to help in whatever way we could. It is a very discouraging place to visit - on the surface. But there is also the Spirit of the Lord working in these men and they are "rich" in love for Him. They really do believe this world is not their home. It is always a blessing for us to visit to witness what The Lord is doing in El Progreso.

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.

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.

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!

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:)

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.

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.

Diane answers some questions about music!

For those of you who don't know - Diane has a new favorite song every five minutes so asking her these music questions was a no- brainer!

What kind of music do you hear in Honduras?

We did not hear music except in the car sometimes when we were driving to the prisons. Also, when we were staying with Herasmo and Nora they would put CDs on in their livingroom. I think they were christian music - some instrumental and some not. When we were at Luz and Romeo's house, Luz would be singing hymns when we got up in the morning. It was part of her devotional time. Their music is beautiful and mostly very upbeat.

Do they listen to American Christian music?

We met one man who was a part of our training class who listened to American Christian music. He spoke English very well so he related to the words well. We had not had a chance to get to speak with him prior to the training. But during one of the breaks, I heard him listening to an American Christian song on his phone. I told him I loved the song he was listening to (I cant remember what it was, now) and that was when I found out he spoke English! Well, that was really exciting and we became great friends after that. We drove him to his home after the training was over and we were singing songs we knew in the bus. Some English, some Spanish. He is a music teacher in the school there and also teaches English. He is married and has a one year old son. He learned English by helping American missions trips who were traveling to Honduras. His dream is to come to the United States some day. We are now friends on Facebook and the bridge to our friendship was music!

Does music play an important part in their worship services in Honduras?

We had the privilege of attending a church worship service both times we were there and it was a blessing. They are much more enthusiastic than we are in the United States. There is a lot of hand raising and many songs before the pastor speaks. We also had the privilege of attending many worship services in the prisons that we visited. There was much singing with great enthusiasm there. They really are happy about what the Lord has done for them and they are not afraid to show it! We always marvel at their enthusiasm.

Diane Reflects on Honduras

It is really hard to look back on our recent week in Honduras and summarize it. But I will give it a try!

Gary and I are so blessed to have a small part in what the Lord is doing in Honduras. When we are there, they constantly thank us. We do not feel there is anything to thank us for! We simply said yes to the Lord when He called us to go and serve Him. Then He took it from there. He knew there was going to be a spiritual awakening in Honduras, and specifically the prisons, and we are just a very small part of that taking place. 

We have made many wonderful friends in these last two trips. We look forward to our next trip in February when we can see them again. But that is just part of our joy.

The most exciting part of the trip was witnessing first hand what the Lord, through His persons of peace (the OMS program title for trainers in the Bible) has been doing in the prisons there. Many men and women are coming to saving Faith in Jesus Christ and then learning from the Bible. They are growing in their faith through studying the Word of God in the booklets provided from the program. In both prisons, there was so much excitement about their new faith. It was so gratifying to see it. These people in the prisons in Honduras feel that they have been forgotten and through this program they are finding hope in the Word of God and their new Salvation. They know that they are loved. We pray that when they are released from prison that they will go out into the world and be ambassadors for Christ there too. 

As far as we are concerned, we are getting much more than we give when we visit Honduras. We have been blessed by new Christian friendships that will last for many years. And we have been blessed to witness the mighty work that The Lord is doing in the prisons in Honduras. We pray that we will be able to serve in this way for many years to come. We thank you for your prayers and support. 

In His service,

Diane

Family Support - Diane writes!!!!

Since I read Carrie's blog post I have felt motivated to write the story of how all three of our wonderful daughters have encouraged us on this journey. You will quickly see that the writing talent in this family did not come from me, but here goes.....

As Carrie referred to in her story, The Lord brought me along on this journey just slightly behind Gary. I thought prison ministry was Gary's calling and that was fine with me. But when he came home and told me we needed 120 dozen cookies for the four day event, I was NOT fine with that. I remember talking to Carrie and she said she would pray for me, that God would change my heart. And He did, but not all at once. Then Emily said, "We can do this at my house. The kids will help and my friends will come and we will get it done!" And Dena had friends from church baking cookies and she delivered them. All the while the girls were helping and praying for a change of my heart. And God answered their prayers.

Then there were posters  and place mats that we also needed for the four day events. That was also a family project. All the grand kids worked on them and even our daughters! Carrie even had her Sunday school class from Indiana do some and sent them to us in the mail. This is all just to explain the support we got from the very beginning.

Now that we are doing what God has so clearly called us to do, we are still getting the great support that we got in the beginning. Before we left for language school Emily had her breast cancer surgery. Thankfully the Lord allowed me to be there for it, but we had to leave the day she came home from the hospital. To ease my worry about who would help Emily and because they love each other, Dena and Carrie each came for many days to be there for Emily. Even though Emily would have rather had me stay home, she still encouraged me to go saying that she would be fine. Always the encourager.

When we were first trying to begin to tell our story of how God brought us to this place of serving Him, the girls all encouraged us to practice telling our story in front of all of them and their husbands. It helped us so much to share our story with them first.  Dena even had a gathering of friends at her house so we could tell them our story. And I must not forget that Dena watches our dog when we leave the country AND takes us to the airport.

So these are just a few instances ( and I am sure I missed some) of the many ways our daughters have supported us. We feel so blessed that our whole family - son-in-laws, grandchildren and everyone is praying for us and supporting us in many, many ways . We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family!