Honduras Mission Trip 2010

Having traveling to Haiti (by way of Santo Domingo which included an eight hour bus drive to Haiti and then an eight hour bus drive back from Haiti to Santo Domingo - with a overnight stay in the Santo Domingo airport), four of the team members repacked their bags and jumped on an airplane one day after their return to Haiti and flew into San Pedro, Honduras for our 2010 Mission trip to Honduras.

This trip too had been planned in October 2009 and orginially the team members would have had a month to recup from the Haiti mission trip but due to the unforeseen earthquake in Haiti which changed the travel dates, the Honduras trip and Haiti trip ended up being back to back. But to God be the glory, for the Spirit of the Lord enabled the four team members that were a part of the Haiti trip to be strenghtened and to continue on for the glory of God.

We had not traveled to Honduras since our intial mission there in 2006 and the Lord prompted Pastor Peyton’s heart that it was time for us to return to Plan Escalon in under the direction of Pastor Guy Henry, which is the Tree of Life Ministries, Detroit, Michigan.

We had two team members – Danielle Oden and Jasmine Smith who were experiencing their first mission trip. Danielle’s mother (Michelle) had traveled with the team to Honduras in 2006 and her father and mother (Mitch and Michelle) had been a part of the 2009 Mission trip to Uganda. Their experience touched Danielle (who just graduated from Hampton University) so much that she wanted to be a part of the 2010 team to Honduras. Jasmine, a 17 year old high school student who is fluent in Spanish had a desire to be a part of the mission to Honduras from the moment she became a part of Reconciliation Community Church. So when the door opened, she was one of the first to sign up to be a part of this trip.

We arrived in Honduras on April 5, 2010 with a sense of excitement and expectancy and eager to see the faces of the 400 plus children at Plan Escalon. Pastor Guy and two of the ministry leaders greeted us at the airport and off we went in the ministry pickup trucks to Plan Escalon.

Our time there included spending time with the young people at Plan Escalon. Seeing the great work they are doing and being trained in which includes computer technology, learning the skill and trade of baking – their bakery is top notch – and the fresh baked, right out the oven bananna bread and pineapple turnovers are simply delicious!! We were a part of the church services on the grounds of Plan Escalon - which now meets under a large tent because they have since outgrown the area they use to have service. It was amazing to know that the tent was erected by the young people and they hand laid the cement floor foundation.

We were also blessed to minister and teach the young people in several of their Bible classes while Pastor Peyton met with and taught and encouraged the leaders of the ministry. We traveled with Pastor Guy and the seniors students to the village of Aguacateas where the students continued work on one of their senior projects- the laying down of water pipes to fifteen homes who had no running water and had to walk miles to the nearest water source. The day was filled with laughter as the young men and women dug trenches (Pastor Peyton and Terron jumped in and gave a hand, while the ladies of the mission team assisted in the sanding down of the piping fixture). There was also a time spent with the children of the village, celebrating them with a game of hitting the piñata with a birthday party time atmosphere.

We were blessed to see the sense of accomplishment on the faces of the young people as they worked hard. We found out that the pump that would be installed up the mountain near the water source had not been purchased yet and through the goodness of God, as a group we were able to put together enough money to be a blessing so the pump could be purchased without delay.

Oh, by the way, the road to the village of Aguacateas was traveled by pick up. The senior class students jumped on the back of the pick ups along with the tools and supplies without hesitation and with much joy. After leaving Aguacateas, we proceed to a village in Guatemala. Only one truck with the supplies would be able to make the trip to our destination but we managed to squeeze ourselves into the front and back seats of the pickup (of course only after Pastor Guy made the suggestion – LOL). The rest of the students and Pastor Guy walked the mountain road. As we got closer to this village, the trucks could not make down the path that lead to it, so we all proceeded by foot. Here we assisted the senior class students as they gave away food (beans, rice) and clothing items. They also had a church service where they worshiped the Lord and where the gospel was preached and souls came to the saving knowledge of Christ. PTL!!!!! The people of this small village were genuinely honored that we were there and welcomed us with open arms.

We also spent the evening at another village where Pastor Guy and Plan Escalon have planted a church and assisted the seniors in passing out food and items for the children and Pastor Peyton preached the Word of God. The service was powerful and many came from healing and received of the Lord what they were prayed for.

Our time in Honduras was one that we cherish and will always remember. Our first timers to Honduras (Pastor Cofield, Jasmine, Danielle and Terron) were forever changed. Jasmine is asking for the return dates already.

Honduras is a country of 5.3 million inhabitants which lies on the "knee" of Central America between Guatemala and Nicaragua. Three-quarters of the country is composed of rugged hills and mountains, ranging from 300 to nearly 2850m (984 to 9348 ft) in height. Lowlands are found only along the coasts and in major river valleys. Deforestation is occurring at a rate of 3000 sq. km (1170 sq. mi.) a year, which, if continued, will turn the country into a treeless desert within the next 20 years. However, there are still largely untouched areas, especially in the Mosquitia region. Fauna includes jaguars, armadillos, wild pigs, monkeys and alligators, and abundant bird life such as toucans, herons and kingfishers.

In the last half of the 19th century, U.S. companies established northern Honduras as an important site for banana production. Since then, U.S. business interests, especially United Fruit Co., have had much power in Honduras. So much power, in fact, that U.S. Marines were sent in 1911-12 to protect U.S. investments in bananas.

During the civil wars in neighboring countries in the 1980s, Honduras became a base for U. S. military operations in the region in exchange for large amounts of U.S. aid. There were refugee camps in the country for both Nicaraguans and Salvadoreans displaced by war. Honduras cooperated with U.S. policy and permitted the Nicaraguan "contras" to maintain permanent bases along the border. The U.S. held joint maneuvers with the Honduran army meant to intimidate the Sandinista government. In addition, some Salvadoran army units were trained in Honduras by U.S. military advisors.