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.