It's A God Thing team arrived in Honduras on June 1. We had the opportunity to minister to so many people already in the few short days we have been here. God has blessed this team and the communities that He has directed us to visit. On Saturday, Maria Jones took several team members (Kayla Cooper, Beverly Gallagher, Brenda McLain, Carla McGill) to Corozal to work with children in the community. They had a VBS with about 140 children. They had an amazing opportunity to play, sing and share the love of God with these children. The children were so excited to be a part of this amazing adventure. At the end of the day, there were 24 children saved. The team members came back so excited they wanted to share with everyone at devotion that night what God had done in this small village. Praise Him!
Sunday, June 3
The team went to Word of Faith church in La Ceiba. We had an blessed time singing and praising God. Dale Hyche preached the message. Afterwards several came forward to pray. Brother Dale led one young man to the Lord. Again, praise Him for what He did!
Monday, June 4
The eye team went to Belaire. We saw a total of 32 patients. We didn't see as many patients as we hoped but we expect many more tomorrow. We saw a total of 11 saved today. Kayla was able to spend some time with some of the children and share with them. She then went to the house of Evelyn and Jose and talked with the babysitter. Kayla shared God's love with her and she accepted Jesus as her Savior. She was so excited and thankful for this opportunity to ask Jesus into her heart.
The medical team went to La Danta in the cloud forest. They saw a total of 235 patients. They had several evangelism teams with them who shared God's word with the patients. At the end of the day, they saw a total of 33 people come to know the Lord. There were so many amazing stories they had to share about the people they saw and were able to help and minister to. I can't relay all of them here but it was truly a God Thing in how He brought people to both clinics that we could minister to both physically and spiritually.
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 5 and 6th
We had an amazing two days working in both clinics. The medical clinic saw 296 patients the last two days and the eye clinic saw 128 on Tuesday and Wednesday with a total of 87 people who have prayed to ask Jesus into their hearts. One of the evangelism teams had an amazing story to tell on Tuesday night devotional. A couple came into the medical clinic. After seeing the doctor, they went to the evangelism team to pray with them. Carla and Gloria shared with us that they talked with the couple about their relationship with the Lord. They shared they weren't saved. Carla said she and Gloria shared with them and they did pray to receive Christ into their hearts. Carla then discovered they were not married but living together for a number of years. She shared with them that they should consider getting married after making this decision about their salvation. The man said he would think about it. Carla continued to share with him about the importance of this as a man of God. She told him that men in America will get down on one knee and ask the love of their life to marry them! The man did get down on his knee and proposed. Carla took a picture and shared it with the team. I hope to add that picture later. That was an amazing story and one that was truly unique.
Wednesday brought many more stories including one about a young girl who had been in our clinic a couple of years ago. She needed glasses but she felt very afraid to have the eye exam again for a number of reasons. This was heavy on Guf's heart and he was determined to help her. She finally came down to the clinic with her mom and another team member. She was tested and Guf said he will personally buy her the perfect glasses when he gets back to the states and he will either bring them to her or have them sent to her. It was a blessing to see her so happy and relieved. It was a God thing again! Praise His name!
Thursday, June 7
Thursday was an amazing final day for the Alpha team. We saw more patients than any other day and there was a total of 93 saved for the week! The people in this community are so grateful for our ministry but we feel so many times that we haven't done enough. Some patients come through that we can't help at all and it is sad that there is nothing that can be done for them. They still leave with a grateful heart that we are there and we tried. I think that God blesses us sometimes as much as the people that come through the clinics because of what we learn from the experience. I can't thank Him enough for the chance to come here and do His work. Praise His name!
Monday, June 11
posted by Brittney
The Omega Team arrived at the little school in the mountains where we would be setting up our eye glass clinic for the day. As soon as we steped off the bus, there were people already lining up to be seen. We very quickly unloaded all of our equipment and began setting up. Brandon, Josh, and I set up the triage, as we like to call it. Kayla and the girls from the clinic began registering people. Lynn and the Guffeys set up shop and are quickly ready for business! Guf led us in a prayer, as he does everyday, asking for God’s hand upon all of us and that He would make a way for us…little did we know!!! We decided we would see 35 patients today due to the lack of interpreters and other issues. But, that was NOT what God had in mind. Honestly, we had one of those “5 loaves and 2 fish” experiences!! We got started and saw so many people before lunch. It was crazy how smooth things were going! God is so good!!
We take a quick lunch break and at this point we decide we can see a few more people. At 2:00 we talk it over and agree we will have time for a few more, but we would have to stop registering people, because there was no way we could get to everyone. But God quickly reminded us that “He is still in control!!!” I promise you, it was as time stopped! People continued to trickle in each one desperate to be seen. We all agreed that we would stay late if need be, but we wanted to serve anyone that needed our help. But, the Lord saw no need to stay late. Instead, He made a way for us to serve a total of 79 patients and load all of our equipment with minutes to spare!! Wow! How awesome is our God. I am so glad that I serve the Living God. The same God who once fed thousands with a few loaves and two fish will still make a way today for a group “nobodys” from Alabama to serve 79 poor Hondurans - even when no one thought it could be done. I am in complete awe! Thank you Lord for who you are, amen!
Tuesday and Wednesday, June 12 and 13
One little boy with an infected eye came to the clinic. His mom said he had surgery about a year ago and he had developed an infection since then. Guf asked Bill, Linda and Marlene if they would take him to Dr. Luis Ponce in La Ceiba. Dr. Ponce gave him an antibiotic and cleaned the eye and clipped a dangling stich on his eye. Dr. Ponce will follow up with the boy at a later time. Bill shared that he wasn't sure if he was the person to take him to the doctor, but he was so happy to see the results of the visit and what was done for the boy. He said that Marlene also began praying for another patient in the waiting room who had some serious health problems. Bill said it was a great day and he was thankful to God for the opportunity to do this. Another young girl came through the clinic who needed glasses who works with Evelyn in the medical clinic. We didn't have any glasses that would work for her but Guf said he will see to it that he gets some from the states and will send them back or bring them in August. The eye clinic saw over 400 patients in the last 2 weeks with a total of 101 people saved in both clinics and it was a blessing to see how God used this medical and eye team to minister to these people. Actually, I feel that I was ministered to more by what I learned and the love that these people have shown to us. I praise Him for allowing us to come here and serve Him in Honduras. Our God is an awesome God!!
Saturday June 16 and Monday June 18
We were in a clinic in a church with Dr. Dodson. We had an amazing experience working with 60 patients. We did not have an evangelism team because we were seeing members of the church in the eye clinic. God brought together a great group of people who helped us translate and register. On Monday, June 18, we were at Dr. Dodson’s church at his center. We saw another 60 patients and another wonderful group of people helping us. Dr. Dodson had a team working evangelism at registration. It was a great opportunity to minister to the people in this community.Wednesday, June 20 – Friday, June 22, 2012
We had a clinic at Corozol, Crusadas and at Mario’s church. It was another great opportunity to minister to so many people. Some of Peggy’s team brought prosthesis for the patients who came through. They gave one to a man who hasn’t walked in years. He can now walk. They had a walker for an 18 month old and this is the first time he has walked. We have seen over 200 patients in the last 3 days. Several had to be referred to Dr. Ponce for more serious vision and other eye problems that we could not help. I hope they take the opportunity to see Dr. Ponce. Several people came in who were blind in one eye. We were able to help them with the vision they had in the other eye. We didn’t have electricity for several hours on Thursday morning and thought we would not be able to do the autorefractor for the prescription eyeglasses but after much prayer, the power came on. Today the computer wouldn’t start up so we got together again and prayed for the computer. After talking to Holland Kendall in Kentucky, the computer came back up so we were able to minister to all the people who came through. Awesome God!!!
Monday, June 25 and Wednesday, June 27
The team had a medical and eye clinic at the village of Plan De Flores at the deaf school. The eye team saw over 40 patients and the medical clinic saw around 125 patients. It is an amazing school and we loved working with the children and the people in the community. On Wednesday, the team had a medical clinic and eye clinic at the medical clinic in Limon. We saw about 60 patients again. We made a trip to Leonardo’s Home of Hope orphanage. There are about 50 children living in a 2 room building that looks more like a hut. They are currently trying to build a real building that will house about 100 children. Most of the children are HIV positive. They wrote letters to each of our team members about how much they love us. They are such beautiful children – it was hard to leave. This weekend we will be flying home. This has been an amazing journey that I don’t want to end. God has shown me how much He loves the people of this country and how much He loves me to send me and the team here. I will be leaving a part of my heart here that I won’t ever get back. It’s a God Thing!
