Family Radio Mission to Tegucigalpa, Honduras
January 31st February - 11th, 2009
LETTER #1
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)
Saturday, January 31, 2009. Our group of 24 “Ambassadors for Christ” (12 men and 12 women) from various parts of the US has arrived in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on another Family Radio tract distribution trip. We plan to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the people here during the next ten days by distributing thousands of the Family Radio Does God Love You? tracts and hundreds of Bibles in the Spanish language.
As is customary on these trips, the tracts were printed locally and contain (1) the current Family Radio broadcasting schedules for this area, (2) School of the Bible information (which offers free correspondence courses in English and Spanish), and (3) a reference to the multilingual website. The Bibles have been purchased here as well.
We currently have 125,000 Spanish Does God Love You? tracts and 300 Spanish Bibles (a King James equivalent) in our hotel, and we can order more of both as needed. We also have many booklets and CDs of Family Radio’s Bible teaching materials in Spanish and some tracts and booklets in other languages. Some members of the group brought the Family Radio materials as checked baggage.
Honduras is second largest of the seven countries of Central America by area ( Nicaragua is larger) and also by population ( Guatemala is larger). It is bordered by the Caribbean Sea on the north, Nicaragua on the south, the Pacific Ocean on the southwest through the Gulf of Fonseca , El Salvador on the west, and Guatemala on the northwest. The climate varies from tropical in the lowlands to temperate in the mountains.
Tegucigalpa is the capital of Honduras and the largest city. It is located in the south central highlands at an elevation of 3,200 feet (990 meters). The Choluteca (cho lu TAY ca) River separates Tegucigalpa from its poorer sister city of Comayagüela (co my a GWAY la). The two cities have a combined population of nearly two million.
Hurricane Mitch caused much death and destruction in October 1998 with heavy rainfall, flooding, and massive mudslides. Over 11,000 deaths were attributed to the storm throughout Central America , with the majority of about 7,000 deaths in Honduras . Since that time, many parts of the country, especially in the Tegucigalpa area, have been reconstructed with new buildings, roads, and other infrastructure improvements.
The current population of the country is close to 7.5 million. About 90% are Mestizos of mixed Spanish and AmerIndian descent, pure blooded AmerIndians (7%), and other ethnic minorities (3%). About 85% of the people are identified with the Roman Catholic church, and about 10% are classified as Protestants.
This trip was scheduled to coincide with an annual Catholic celebration to honor the “Virgin of Suyapa” (or “Our Lady of Suyapa”), which has been the patron saint of Honduras since 1925 and the patron saint of all of Central America since 1982 by papal decrees. That “saint” is actually a little statue of a woman (an idol less than 3 inches tall) that is normally kept in a small chapel in the town of Suyapa near Tegucigalpa; but during the week of February 2, it is moved to the larger “Basilica de Suyapa” to accommodate the crowds of pilgrims who travel from all over Central America to see and worship it.
We are looking forward to sharing the Good News of the Gospel of Christ with the people of Honduras and visitors from other countries, and we are praying that God will perform a mighty work of grace in the hearts of many in this part of the world.
“The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #2
“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;” (Deuteronomy 4:9)
Sunday, February 1, 2009. We formed six teams of four and went out to several locations in and around Tegucigalpa today. A lady Family Radio listener came to our hotel in the morning to help plan our work here.
Two groups went to the Basilica de Suyapa to distribute Does God Love You? tracts to the crowds of people coming by buses, taxis, and on foot to attended services thoughout the morning and into the afternoon. Despite the fact that this was a large Roman Catholic event, the acceptance of the tracts was excellent; however, after a few hours angry church officials told us to move farther away. We complied, but we were still able to distribute many more tracts as people came and left the area.
One team went to a large shopping mall where they were denied permission to distribute inside because the management was not available. However, one young official who was very appreciative of the tract, showed our team members where to position themselves to distribute tracts to vehicles that were entering and leaving the premises, and their work proved to be very fruitful.
Two other teams worked in and around a large market in Comayaquela and emptied out very quickly because of the throngs of people and the high acceptance factor. A security guard getting off work walked back to the hotel with one group in order to get a Bible and some study materials. He told of how he was part of the street crime and drug culture until God saved him and straightened out this life.
One team worked in the central area of the city where there were large crowds around and in a central plaza. The acceptance was excellent and the team emptied out twice there.
All of the teams met Family Radio listeners, and they are always an encouragement to us.
By God's grace, we had a wonderful day distributing tracts, Bibles and materials to the dear people of Honduras and visitors from other Central American countries in preparation of the big celebration of "Our Lady of Suyapa" that the people here worship the same as the Virgin Mary. We are praying that God will guide and protect us during the festivities this week and that He will open the spiritual eyes of many through the True Gospel of Christ.
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations,
and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” (Revelation 7:9)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #3
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalms 51:10)
Monday, February 2, 2009. Acceptance of the tracts continued to be excellent everywhere we worked today, and the tracts are going out at a rapid rate. Our group leader ordered 75,000 more tracts to be delivered in batches of 25,000 so we do not run out early during our stay here. He was also able to secure permission to visit a large men's prison and two smaller prisons for women and juveniles on Friday, and he ordered 500 more Bibles for the prisons.
One team visited a very large hospital, adjacent to which is a medical school with 800 pre med students. In addition, there was a nursing school with 3,000 students. By God´s providence, a wonderful day awaited them. Two team members were positioned at the major entrances and exits and there was a great flow of traffic from the buildings as the students, nurses and doctors went on their lunch break. Thankfully, all hands were ready to receive the Does God Love You? tracts and FR teaching booklets. Two other team members were allowed to distribute within the hospital itself and acceptance of the tracts was excellent.
One pre med student with 6 years seniority offered to show the team around the classrooms where hundreds of students were on break, but by that time our backpacks were empty. He arranged for us to return another day so that we could share this precious message of hope to these students, and we thank the Lord for the open door He provided for us today in that facility.
Another team visited two universities. The students are on a semester break now, but there were many at those institutions registering for classes. They had free access to the campuses, and the acceptance and interest was very high among the students and staff. That team then went to the area near the Basilica of Suyapa where throngs of people continued to flow to and from the services there. By God's grace, there was no opposition from the church people today, and the acceptance factor remained high there.
One team worked in the central plaza area of the city that was crowded throughout the day. They emptied out twice, and the distribution rate was extremely high with very few discards. Many people showed genuine interest in the message about the Rapture and the end of the world and requested more information. We give them the "We Are Almost There" booklets if we have them and point them to the FR website address on the back of the tract.
One pastor, who has a Bible teaching program on TV here, was very interested in learning more about Family Radio's teachings, and he walked all the way back to the hotel with the team to get more materials and to ask many questions about the concept of "comparing spiritual things with spiritual." He said he was overwhelmed by all the new things he was hearing and was excited about learning more. We are praying that God will open his spiritual eyes and give him understanding of the True Gospel.
One team member working at the plaza said three policemen came running by her with rifles at the reading. They were apparently responding to some kind of disturbance, and the last one grabbed a tract at full speed as they ran by and kept on going through the crowd.
The police and security personnel have been very receptive and cordial to us everywhere we have worked, and they seem to appreciate our presence here.
The two other teams worked at busy locations with equally good results. One went back to the huge Isidrio market in Comayagueya and the other was near the Ministry of Education building in the downtown area.
We thank God for His continuing guidance and protection and pray for His mercy upon these dear people.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #4
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009. Today was one of the busiest days of the Suyapa festival, and great throngs of people from all over Honduras and other countries converged on the Basilica. The president of Honduras and other government officials attended the ceremonies at the Basilica today.
We had three teams working in that area, and the overall acceptance factor and the distribution rate were extremely high despite the fact that it was a Roman Catholic religious festival. One member told of a lady who ran up to him through the crowd, put some money in his hand, and ran away despite his attempts to call her back. He donated the money to our out of town transportation fund.
One team submitted the following report describing the situation near the Basilica:
"Our team, along with two other teams (12 people altogether) traveled by van to the Basilica of Suyapa for the celebration of the Patron Saint of Central America. It took us about 45 minutes (about twice as long as before) to get to the beginning point because of the many cars, buses and minivans that converged at the location. The teams fanned out to various points around the perimeter of the square outside of the church property, and we were able to distribute tracts to the many people who were making their way to the Basilica prior to the formal procession later in the day. We were even able to give tracts to the government officials and other dignitaries riding in fancy vehicles through the crowds.
"One member of our team stayed at the entrance of the Honduras National University, to capture some of the 5,000+ students who are registering for classes all this week, and her work there was quite productive. There was a non stop flow of traffic, and virtually every person accepted a tract. After a while, we saw that two teams were enough to cover all the strategic locations, and we decided to leave the area.
"We took a taxi back to the Central Plaza downtown that was a beehive of activity, with people going in all directions. We positioned ourselves at various strategic points, and even though there were three teams in and around the Plaza, we did not interfere with each other because there were so many people in the area."
The other teams worked at the Comayaguela market and the central square again today with the same good results as in the past two days. We see people sitting and standing around reading and discussing the tract, and those who have had a chance to read the tract during the past few days come to us asking for more information about it. In general, they are not argumentative, but they seem to want to understand it better. We give those who appear to be sincerely interested some FR booklets if we have them and point them to the website on the back of the tract.
In order to stretch out the remaining tracts until we get some more, we plan to send a van with three teams (12 people) tomorrow to a large city called San Pedro Sula, which is about a 4 hour drive (240 miles) northwest of here.
Overall, it was a marvelous day of distribution, with excellent reception of the tracts, FR teaching materials, Bibles and CDs; and by comparison, the discard factor was minimal. Many people were overwhelmingly thankful for the materials that they received, especially the Bibles, and we praise and thank God for providing the grand opportunity for us to serve Him in such a wonderful fashion.
We thank God for His continuing guidance and protection and pray for His mercy upon these dear people.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #5
“For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” (Luke 9:56)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009. The traveling group of 12 people went south to the city of Choluteca [cho loo TAY ca] instead of traveling to the northern city of San Pedro Sula due to rainy weather in that part of the country. Choluteca is located near the Pacific coast over a high mountain pass from Tegucigalpa, and the weather there was hot and very windy.
After about a 4 hour drive, two teams were dropped off at two street market areas in the city's downtown area, and the third team went to a small bus terminal about ten minutes away. Since the activity at that location was not sufficient to keep four people busy, they worked there for awhile and then obtained directions to a nearby prison from a helpful policemen.
After 20 minute drive outside of the city on a rough, dusty road, they arrived at the prison and encountered very minimal security. They were allowed to enter unannounced with their backpacks full of tracts, Bibles, and booklets and were able to personally share the tracts with the approximately 500 inmates there.
They talked with the three spiritual leaders for about ten minutes, telling them about salvation, the end of the church age, and the warning of Christ´s return on 5/21/2011, and they gave those men 25 Bibles and about 100 FR teaching booklets to share with the inmates. Although those inmates are visited by many religious organizations, certainly this must have been their first encounter with the True Gospel, and we are indeed grateful for the Lord´s leading us to that complex. May His lost sheep in that spiritually dark place be brought into the light of Christ's kingdom.
The other two teams experienced very good acceptance of the tracts in the markets and on the streets of Choluteca. One member handed a tract to a man in a vehicle who was advertising something over a loudspeaker system. The man stopped what he was saying, looked at the tract briefly, and proceeded to read the whole tract over the loudspeaker. After that, it seemed like the reception in the area was even better than before. Our man later went back to the speaker, thanked him for reading the tract, and gave him some study booklets for which he was extremely appreciative.
The three teams in Tegucigalpa experienced the same excellent results as in previous days. The festivities at the Basilica were completed yesterday, and business in the city returned to normal today in the markets and the downtown area where the crowds continued to be very receptive to the tracts. Our gracious Lord continues to show the power of His might in so many ways to accomplish the work He has assigned to us in this country.
Today one of the teams returned to the nursing and pre med school at the hospital complex they had visited on the second day. They noticed that the students were on their break and were congregated in hallways, stairways, classrooms, corridors and benches on all three floors throughout the campus. By God´s mercy, about 1,500 Does God Love You? tracts were put in the hands of the students and instructors, along with a few FR teaching booklets. The materials were well received, even by the leader of a charismatic group who holds Bible studies on the campus. May our merciful Lord reap a rich harvest of souls at that medical education facility in accordance with His perfect will.
We received the first batch of the additional order of tracts this evening, and we are praying to get the rest of them tomorrow so that our work can continue without interruption for the remainder of our time here.
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” (Hosea 13:14)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #6
“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” (Isaiah 57:20)
Thursday, February 5, 2009. It rained last night, and the weather turned mostly cloudy, cooler, and windier today. However, the overall reception to us and the message on the tract seemed to be even better than before (which has been excellent), and that warmed our souls.
All of our teams worked in various locations in Tegucigalpa today, and the team assigned to one of the public hospitals submitted the following report:
"Conditions at this government run, public hospital for the poorer people were much worse than the hospital and medical school complex we visited yesterday. The people entering the facility through a huge, dungeon looking door were the lame, the weak, the blind, and the crippled who were seeking help for their physical afflictions; and we were reminded of our own spiritual afflictions before God saved us.
"We were drawn to the long lines of people patiently waiting for medical attention; and, thankfully, we had free access throughout the one story complex where everyone with whom we came in contact accepted the tracts and FR booklets. It was amazing that even though the signs of real hardship was etched on the faces of these dear people, there was an instant transformation when they received the tracts their faces lit up with a smile of hope and a sincere expression of "gracias" (thanks).
"Although our team left the hospital a little saddened by the physical deprivation we witnessed there, we were joyful and hopeful that some of them, by God´s mercy, might experience the new heaven and new earth where there is no more pain, sorrow, or tears. Praise God for that blessed hope."
Another team submitted this report:
"Our team was assigned to the San Isidrio market located in Comayaguela, Tegucigalpa´s sister city, on the other side of the river. We got into a huge traffic jam when we were crossing the main bridge into the city because a large crowd of people had gathered there. It turned out to be a protest by the nation´s teachers whose demands for pay raises had apparently not been met.
"One team member stopped on the bridge and worked the traffic, and the other three went to three other intersections around the Ministry of Education, where large crowds were gathered to listen to speeches from the union leaders over a public address system. There were TV cameras everywhere, as well police dressed in riot gear, ready to take action if necessary. Despite the cramped conditions, people were readily accepting the tracts as the speakers were shouting their demands.
"After about 45 minutes, some individuals starting throwing stones at the policemen to vent their anger and frustration. The policemen diverted the traffic off that bridge and responded to the teachers´ action with tear gas, and one of the canisters landed about 10 feet from the team member who had the bridge detail. He said the teachers started running away from that bridge, but he got way ahead of them before any gas could reach him. He continued to work at another bridge to which the traffic was diverted, and distribution there proved to be very successful.
"Meanwhile, the other three team members experienced the effects of the tear gas in the crowds at their locations (burning eyes, noses, and throats). They walked about two blocks away from the center of the action until things quieted down, and then they returned and completed their tract load amongst the protesters, and the vendors, and shoppers outside of the market. We thank God for His protection in a situation that could have been disastrous.
"In the late afternoon, our team took another load of tracts a couple of blocks away from the Central Plaza which is within walking distance from our hotel. We were able to capture the crowds of office workers traveling leaving work. The crush of pedestrian and vehicular traffic was constant, and it provided for very productive 1.5 hours of distribution to people who had not previously received the tracts."
The rest of the teams worked at various locations under somewhat calmer conditions than that tear gas incident, and the results continued to be excellent everywhere. We are all amazed at how God has prepared the hearts of these dear people to received the message of salvation and the warning of God's judgment to come as presented on the tract. In general, the people have been very friendly, inquisitive, and thankful for what we are doing here to minister to their great spiritual need.
We expect to receive all of the order of 75,000 tracts by Saturday, and a second order of 25,000 more tracts by Monday, and we thank God for the wonderful door He has opened up in this country for the True Gospel of Christ.
“There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:21)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #7
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10)
Friday, February 6, 2009. The weather continued to be partly cloudy, windy, and cool (60s F) today with no rain; and we continued to experience excellent acceptance of the tracts and high distribution rates everywhere we worked. One difference we have noticed here, as compared to other countries we have visited, is that even the well dressed business people readily accept the tracts from us. Even people driving big, fancy cars will roll down a window for a tract, which is not the normal reaction we experience elsewhere; and that is a great encouragement to us.
Four teams distributed tracts, Bibles, and FR materials at busy locations within Tegucigalpa, and two teams (8 people) visited the three prisons for which prior approval had been granted. The following report was submitted for that visit:
"Earlier in the week, we had secured permission to visit three prisons that are located in the same general vicinity about 50 minutes by van to the south of Tegucigalpa. We got there a few minutes before 10:00 a.m. as scheduled; and after undergoing the required security checks and surrendering our passports, we entered the main men's prison that houses some 4,000 to 5,000 inmates. As is typical for a maximum security prison, there were gates and security guards with machine guns everywhere.
"The security officials rounded up the principals of each of the eight cell blocks (or modules), and we were allowed to personally distribute the tracts to the inmates in each module. We carried in boxes of Bibles and FR teaching materials and left them with the leaders of the cell block for them to distribute.
"When we got to the last three of the eight modules, which housed the majority of the inmates, it was about lunch time for the prison officials. The security guard at the gate into that location allowed us entrance, closed the gate, and then it was practically as if we had been thrown into a lions' den. Strangely, we had no guards to escort us, and the leaders of those modules were nowhere to be found for about 15 minutes.
Another team submitted this report:
"So, there we were, surrounded by dozens of inmates pushing and shoving each other as they tried to get into the boxes of Bibles we were carrying. Perhaps some of them merely wanted to get one to sell it in order to purchase marijuana, which is seemingly the drug of choice in the establishment. Nevertheless, by God´s mercy and protection, the principals returned, and that very unsettling situation quieted down. We left the materials with the leaders of those modules to distribute, and safely, and thankfully, exited that prison.
"Our distribution work went considerably smoother in the other two prisons one of which housed about 100 juvenile offenders and the other has about 200 women inmates. We were able to share the same information with the inmates and our male, Spanish speaking team member was able to give a little talk to the residents in each of the three juvenile cell blocks and also to a group of about 100 in the women´s prison. Everyone listened with rapt attention as he told them about the end of the church age, the end of the world, and God's judgment upon the unsaved. He told them all that the only means of escape is salvation, which is 100% by God´s grace.
"Even though many religious organizations have visited those institutions in the past, we are quite certain that this was the first time that anyone brought them the only Gospel that can provide spiritual freedom and "life in Christ" forevermore. We are thankful for this grand opportunity to be witnesses to those dear inmates who were so hungry for the Truth of God's Word." The other four teams emptied out at their assigned areas. One worked on the main street at a large, upscale shopping mall called "Miras Flores," where hoards of people were constantly coming and going by buses, taxis, and on foot. Two other teams worked in busy market areas within the city, and one team worked at the ever crowded central plaza.
We thank God for the continuing acceptance of the tracts and the interest that people are showing in learning more about the Bible, the information on the tract, and the Family Radio resources that are freely available to them. May God touch the hearts of many of these dear people with His salvation love.
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #8
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalms 19:7)
Saturday, February 7, 2009. A group of three teams (12 people) traveled to three cities northwest of Tegucigalpa today and submitted the following report:
"We got an early start (7:15 a.m.), and after a 2 hour ride, one team got off at the first stop (La Paz). Another team got off at Comayagua {co my AH gwah] after another 45 minutes. The ride to the third city of Siguetepeque [see gwa tay PEH kay] took almost 1.5 hours on a winding, mountainous road. We passed many road construction sites along the way, and that gave us opportunities to distribute our tracts and other FR materials to the workers.
"The markets in each of the cities were very busy with a lot of pedestrian and vehicular traffic aiding our distribution efforts. The team members worked the traffic, covered the aisles in the markets sharing with the vendors and shoppers, and walked up and down the streets and plazas distributing the Words of Life.
"Several people congratulated us for bringing the Gospel to their country, and many had questions about the "new message" presented on the tract. We were glad to respond to their need for more information with Bibles and FR teaching booklets in addition to witnessing to them about the True Gospel of Christ.
"We saw the gracious hospitality of those dear people as they allowed us into their homes to use their private bathrooms and provided for our needs in other ways. The return trip went smoothly as we picked up the teams at the appointed times, and we arrived at the hotel by 6:00 p.m. as planned. We are indeed grateful as we saw God´s hand of mercy in every aspect of our day."
One of the teams working in Tegucigalpa shared this account:
"Today our team was positioned in front of a large shopping mall where thousands of people received the Does God Love You? tracts, and we continued to experience almost 100% reception of this message of hope from these warm and friendly people.
"Here is a small example of how the care and concern of these dear people was brought into focus. We were very tired at the end of a busy day of work, and we needed to cross many lanes of a congested road to get a taxi back to the hotel. By God's mercy, a young policeman was on duty right beside us, and one female team member asked him if he could help us cross the street. He instantly sprang into action by blowing his whistle, holding back the traffic in all directions, and escorting us safely to the other side. Our team returned to the hotel joyous and thankful for God´s marvelous provision for His people even down to the smallest detail."
Two other teams worked in some busy markets and in the ever profitable Central Plaza area, which seemed to have a whole new weekend crowd. We all continue to get pats on the back and words of encouragement from many people everywhere we work.
Several members of the group have talked to people who are very frustrated with the apostacy they are experiencing in the churches, and they are relieved and thankful to hear the church age has ended. One young man said he has realized for a long time that there are very few people who are actually obeying Christ's "Great Commission" to go into all the world with the Gospel. May God continue to open the spiritual eyes of many to the True Gospel of salvation as a result of our work in this part of the world.
“The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:3)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras
LETTER #9
“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” (Isaiah 53:8)
This letter covers the activities of our last two days of work in Honduras.
Sunday, February 8, 2009. We received the last batch of 25,000 Does God Love You? tracts this morning, and our six teams fanned out to various parts of the city and outlying areas with lighter loads so that we will have some tracts left to distribute tomorrow (Monday). The printer has done a fine job completing the extra orders on schedule, and we thank God for that.
Two teams went to two different roadless neighborhoods, or "barrios," where the poor people live in shacks on the steep mountain slopes surrounding the city. One team went to a barrio called "Infiernita" (which is Spanish for "Little Hell"). It is located farther up the mountain from the Basilica of Suyapa, where a large carnival was taking place, apparently as part of the week's celebration of "Our Lady of Suyapa." That team submitted this report of their activities:
"Our taxi driver tried to dissuade us from going to the location by telling us that it is very dangerous and that he, as an Honduran, does not go into that area of the city. He dropped us off some distance from the entrance to the barrio, and we had to walk the rest of the way to get there through a crowd of people going to the carnival. We did not have enough tracts to distribute to them, and some of them had a noticeably chilly reaction to our presence near the Basilica.
"We just kept on walking; and when we arrived at the starting point of the barrio, the Lord had a treat for us because we met a FR listener who told us that he had been listening on short wave since some time in the 1980s. We chatted with him for a little while and gave him a copy each of the FR teaching booklets, for which he was very grateful.
"We split into two, 2 person teams, and worked different sections of the barrio. The pathways were very steep and rough, and we made our way slowly from one shack to another, calling out to the residents, knocking on doors, and being greeted by multitudes of barking dogs.
"We shared tracts with some women at the side of a rubbish filled creek where they were doing their laundry in a small trickle of water. The few dirt roads in the area were impassable to vehicular traffic due to potholes, washouts, and all manner of debris, and the alleyways were like a labyrinth and obstacle course.
"However, amidst all of the visible signs of poverty by the world´s standards, the people were kind, receptive, and very appreciative of our efforts to bring them the True Gospel. Even the young men and boys, whom the Hondurans might consider the criminal element of the barrio, warmly received the tracts and FR booklets, and we were able to discreetly distribute about two dozen Bibles without any problems whatsoever."
Another team went to a different barrio called "Third of May," which is located up the mountainside from Comayaguela. They experienced the same kind of work in that they had to climb steep, rough paths from shack to shack; and they also encountered the same kind of warm reception of their presence and appreciation of the materials they received.
The other four teams took taxis to various market areas and shopping malls away from the city center in order to spread the tracts into some of the areas we have not visited previously. In general, those locations had smaller volumes of people, primarily because many businesses and shops are closed here on Sunday and because people tend to congregation in their homes on Sunday afternoons. Nevertheless, the acceptance of the tracts remained extremely high everywhere we worked today, and most teams exhausted their tracts in less than two hours.
Monday, February 9, 2009. By God's wonderful grace, we were able to finish distributing all of the remaining tracts today, and we are looking forward to a day of relaxation and personal time prior to returning home on Wednesday.
The two barrio teams went out to two different barrio locations again today, and one team submitted this report:
"Our efforts in the barrio we visited today were similar to those of yesterday, except that this was a more "upscale" neighborhood with paved roads and more vehicular traffic, but thankfully, with the same level of reception of us and the materials we gave out. It is so wonderful to witness that regardless of whatever form of activity these residents are engaged in at the time we encounter them (whether painting, doing electrical work, cooking, washing, or working in a mechanics shop), they always stop what they are doing to accept the gifts that we offer them.
"In addition to the barrio residents, we were able to share many tracts with the students of an elementary school, as well as their parents. From our distribution efforts of the past two days, we see that the Lord has most definitely prepared a receptive and appreciative audience for this message of hope."
The other barrio team experienced similar resultsay, and the rest of the teams took the remaining tracts out to various suburbs and to central areas of the city to finish our distribution work here.
By God's wonderful grace, we have placed 225,000 Does God Love You? tracts, 850 Spanish Bibles, and a large quantity of Family Radio teaching materials in the hands of the friendly and courteous people of Honduras. We are praying that God will accomplish His good pleasure in the lives of many of these dear people for His honor and glory.
All of us are thankful that God has given us the desire, the capabilities, the resources, and the time to serve Him on this trip; and we are rejoicing that He provided many interesting personal experiences and caused everything to run so smoothly.
Once again, we are extremely grateful for God’s provision, guidance, and protection during our time in here; and we wish to thank the listeners and supporters of Family Radio for their prayers and financial support that make these mission trips possible. We consider our being Ambassadors for Christ in this manner a great privilege and honor and highly recommend it to others.
“And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:9)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Honduras