For the first 2 plus years, our family spent our days with 3 homes for children, House of Hope, Mama Tara’s Orphanage and Familia Alastero, in the town of Puerto Lempira, Honduras. Puerto Lempira is the largest town in the region of La Moskitia, primarily inhabited by indigenous Miskito Indians. We continue the sponsorship program for the Alastero family, scholarships for 4 high school and 6 university students, and ongoing fence and electricity projects at Mama Tara’s. In 2011, God began to speak the dream of a Christian middle and high school into our hearts. Near the end of 2011, the mayor donated land for Instituto Vida Abundante, and the rest of it is God’s Story! Praise Him that we will be interviewing students for the inaugural class of 50 students to begin 7th grade in February 2014! Additionally, we host mission teams to work on building the school and other projects around Puerto Lempira.

With the help of an amazing Board of Directors, we have formed a Texas non-profit corporation called Reach Out Honduras, Inc. Additionally, we have 501(c)3 status with the IRS and therefore, any donations are tax-deductible.. We will serve under the authority of Christ and this Board as we step out in faith.

It was our personal journey through the American foster care system that first broke our hearts for orphans, those without a Daddy or Mommy who could or would take care of them. Some of our experiences are detailed in an old blog, Long & Winding Road – An Adoption Love Story. It is difficult to put into words the way God worked to change this family during those years. The verse from Isaiah 36:26 describes it best, ” I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” God gradually chipped away at our hearts of stone and replaced them with hearts easily broken for the fatherless and vulnerable children.

Gracias a Dios is the easternmost department of Honduras. Though it is the second largest department in the country making up about 15% of the land mass, it is sparsely populated and contains extensive pine savannas, swamps, and rain forests. In 2005, the estimated population of 76,278 only accounted for 1% of the total population of Honduras. The sparsity and ethnic make-up of the region result in it being undervalued and overlooked by Honduran society and government. This region is also known as ‘La Moskitia’ due to the indigenous Miskito people that inhabit it, even though the Miskito span an almost equal distance into bordering Nicaragua. Even with several key “municipalities,” La Moskitia is considered poor and remote even by Honduran standards. The standard of living, income and access to healthcare is far lower than the national averages—all of which are already among the lowest in Central America. In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked the Honduran healthcare system at 131 (of 190) in the entire world – the lowest ranking of all Central American countries. With few exceptions, the government provides little or no health services in the Moskitia region, leaving the vast majority of care to be supplied by charity and missionary organizations. The lack of infrastructure (roads) in the region makes healthcare delivery virtually impossible without the use of aircraft. Above information provided by Missionary Air Group – Honduras

We trust that God will lead us in all timing, including the duration, of the work for our family in Puerto Lempira.

We are followers of Christ, first. Both of us are sinners saved by the extravagant grace of God. While we both became Christ-followers early in life, it wasn’t until our late 20s that we gave it ALL to Him. He has gradually taken us to a place where His Word and His Voice are the most important things we listen to… We consider ourselves to be desperate for Him and only able to walk forward with His love, His light, and His leading. We find that we truly do love God’s creation, especially His people of every nation and tribe. With this in mind, we list these beliefs, not in an effort to divide, but to encourage…. (with reference to our home church, Pin Oaks Christian Fellowship)

The Bible:
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. His Word is ALIVE, it is ACTIVE, and is for ALL people of every nation, tongue, and tribe.(Deuteronomy 4:1-2; Psalms 119:11, 89, 105; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 22:29; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 3:16)

Trinity – God:
God has existed in relationship with Himself for all eternity. He exists as one substance in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Although each member of the Trinity serves different functions, they each possess equal power and authority. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 1:35; John 5:21-23; 14:10, 16; Romans 8:9-11; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8-10; James 2:19)

The Father:
God is great: He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever present, unchanging, completely worthy of our trust, and above all, holy. It is in Him that we live, move, and exist. God is good: He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises. (Exodus 3:14; Numbers 23:19; Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; Psalm 11:4-6; Malachi 3:6 John 3:16; 4:24; 5:26; 14:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 3:3-4)

The Son:
Jesus Christ is completely human, but at the same time completely God. He is the only plan for bringing people who are enemies of God back into a right relationship with God. He lived a perfect life so that He could be a substitution for us in satisfying God’s demands for perfection. He defeated death in His resurrection so that we could have life. (Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 14:33; 16:16; 28:5-6; Luke 22:70; 24:46-47; John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 11:25-27; 17:1-5; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 8:1-3; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Gal 4:4-5; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15; 2:9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16)

The Holy Spirit:
His presence assures us of our relationship with Christ. He guides believers into all truth and exalts Christ. He convicts people of their sin, God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment. He comforts us, gives us spiritual gifts, and makes us more like Christ. (Genesis 1:2; Psalms 51:11; 139:7 ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Mark 1:10; Lk 1:35; 4:1; 11:13; 12:12; John 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 13:2; Romans 8:9-11, 14-16, 26-27; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:17)

Eternity:
Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence. (John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13;Revelation 20:15)

Man:
Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God, but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort. Every human personality is uniquely created, possesses dignity, and is worthy of respect and Christian love. (Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)

Salvation:
The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift from God and it cannot be earned through our own efforts. (Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16, 36;5:24; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18;3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; Ephesians 2:8-10;Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:24-28; Revelation 3:20)

The Church:
The church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of Christ, to obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. (Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3)