A team of Fearless Followers spent Spring Break serving with our partners in Comayagua, Honduras.
Click on the pictures and descriptions to get an update on what God did while they were there.
Building Dedication
Fearless Followers in Honduras dedicated a school building adjacent to Avance Misionero in La Canada.
Jack Dykstra gave this inspirational message at the ceremony:
“What a GREAT day the Lord has made,
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!!!……
We DO rejoice in this day because we are celebrating a new beginning.
This new beginning is a reality because we serve a great God and He has blessed us with many great people who have served here…some that came with us on this trip…
but more important…
many great people who live here!
We have come to know most of you as friends through the years of regular trips and slowly building a place where we can worship and now this new building, where we can learn!
The foundation of any great community is a church where people can worship and a school where people can learn.
This school has begun to serve several children
and over the years to come, it will serve hundreds and even thousands, God willing.
What a great day it is when foundational markers…like this school can be dedicated
and specifically dedicated to God as a place where students will not only learn about the world they live in…
but about the Creator who made it all!
This school will serve many over the years to come but more importantly than any subject taught in this school,
is that fact that the teachers will share their testimony and encourage students to live a life…. pleasing to God above anything else.
Our goal, God willing, is for students to eventually learn both English and Spanish
and then we may even come down some day in the future and all he able to speak to and understand each other!!!
But…there is a language that many of us already speak to each other
and that is God’s love to one another that transcends any language.
Today is a great day!
We are so thankful to be here to celebrate this special day with you
and see so many of you here to celebrate what God has done.
Our encouragement to every student that comes thorough these doors
comes from Joshua 1
“Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid;
do not be discouraged,
for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.””
Joshua 1:9
In the verses leading up to this verse
God reminds His people to be strong and courageous twice and in this verse says
“Have I not commanded you”
Students, parents, family members, teachers, pastors, neighbors, and friends
remember to take what you learn and be STRONG and COURAGEOUS
in sharing what God has put on your heart!
We need to remember to be humble as we serve
BUT we are commanded to be STRONG and COURAGEOUS in how we share God’s love for us!
God will raise up many through this building
and the people who call it their school
and our prayer is that they leave here,
STRONG and COURAGEOUS as they enter the world.”
Medical Clinic
Ridge Point team members hosted a medical assessment clinic that checked people from LaCanada and surrounding areas for heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, need for reading glasses, and general medical concerns after beginning with prayer.
A total of 101 people came through the clinic during 3 time periods during the day. Each person that needed reading glasses received a pair. Several children and adults had pink eye and the team purchased OTC RX for the condition. Ginger VG is planning to bring a team including a doctor down in 2018 to help assess other concerns. Two persons had BP concerns and on recheck, once was better than originally and the other was sent to a doctor appointment.
Apartment in LaCanada - Ready for Minsitry Teams
The Ridge Point mission team cleaned and readied the apartment in LaCanada for micro teams to come down and stay in the apartment. The apartment was cleaned, items were purchased for use, and household items were brought by the team so that the apartment is ready for living. Air conditioning was not purchased but it would be an addition the team thought would be important especially when a team will be exhausted after serving. The team also thought a portable grill would be a good addition so that teams can grill food as well. Jack has a vision that sponsors of children will be able to visit their child on a weekend visit and a host would accompany a group of no more than 6 which would include spending time with the child and their family and attending church in LaCanada with the family.
Rob W and Jack brainstormed a schedule that would be Friday-Monday. These trips would not start till 2018.
Apartment can sleep 8 comfortably and there is room for kids in addition to this.
Security for the apartment is a concern as 3 teenage boys were found looking through the apartment whiles we were having a movie night with the kids in the church in LaCanada.
Suggested purchase is a DVR and security cameras inside the apartment.
Police Training
Four team members from RP Mission Trip conducted police training for 20 members of the National Police Force, Association for a Just Society and DPI. Training included officer down rescue, tactical medical training, vehicle assaults, control tactics, handcuffing and close quarter battle. Officers were given certificates issued by AJS and AJS is interested in how additional training can be realized for anti corruption efforts and multiple other options.
Team members also met with the Director / Principal Diaz of ANAPO Officer Training Academy in Aramateca (45 mins from Comayagua) and he was very interested in additional training that the team could provide. Team members also spoke to the entire ANAPO assembly of 170 students and presented on Community Policing tactics, leadership and having God as their partner.
Future discussions with AJS are expected after meeting with the Executive Director or AJS in Honduras, Curt VerBeek. Members from the team and two RP staff will hopefully be attending the AJS conference in GR on April 27.
Boys Youth Ministry
Ridge Point Mission team members hosted 22 boys between the ages of 12-19 for a bonfire. The boys were fed Pizza Hut pizza and soda and at the end of the night, they were all given LED flashlights with the verse from Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light upon my path.”
After arm wrestling and finger wrestling the discussion was open and honest.
Several boys shared about what concerned them. One of their biggest concerns was the use of drugs. 2/3rd’s of the boys raised their hand saying they had done or were doing drugs. The boy that brought this up was later confronted by others who asked him why he brought that up. This was clearly a big concern and they said it was their older family or dads that were the negative role model.
During the discussion one of the boys had a seizure and team members stepped up and assisted the boy until he came out of it. This boy has had seizures in the past and the meds he is on may not be strong enough. We took pictures and shared that everyone must “draw a line in the sand” and decide that they not cross it and seek the help of good friends and God to make good choices.
School Sponsorship
Ridge Point team members met with the parents of school children attending LaCanada School currently. Each parent signed a consent to release do information for their child and allowing pictures to be used for sponsorship and promotion purposes on the RP website and related materials. Team members filled out biographical questionnaires for each child and took pictures of each child for sponsors to chose their sponsored child. Sponsorships will likely start at $50/month/child since Vida model is $50.
RP team members coming down in August 2017 will have to update forms before they are finalized for sponsor selection.
All children from LaCanada are highly likely to qualify for a 100% sponsorship amount. Vida will verify this.
High School kids will likely NOT be included in tje sponsorship program and will likely move to a different location due to the fact that Vida starts schools by having K-2 grades and not any other grades. Starting small makes for better growth.
Men's Ministry
The team hosted 44 men, most of them from the community of LaCanada, at a bonfire on one of the nights. This event was held during an evening medical assessment clinic. The group funds purchased Chinese food for the men and the rest of the team along with soda.
After the group ate, men were asked to share a memory about their father that was a positive. Group members shared some examples and some of the men shared their positive stories. Not all the men had positive things to say and one gentleman found his dad and tried to start a relationship with him but the father refused.
The team also asked men if they attended church and about 1/3 of the group did. Some shares that the church members judge them so they don’t go. Others said they worked on Sunday’s.
Men were a bit reluctant to share with the team but they were presented with a message of grace and forgiveness and a challenge to make God their number 1 priority.
The team presented a gift to the men. An LED flashlight with Psalm 119:105 on it.
After the group time, all the guys were asked to turn on their lights as a visual reminder that they are Gods light and we took a group picture.
