Thursday, June 30

Today was an interesting day...
We had two medical clinics, which went great!!!
We also had 4 work crews, with 2 heading to one area and the other 2 off to another site.
This is where it gets interesting....2 of the crews (including a West Orange team) went to a site where upon arriving they noticed there was no wood to build the house. They just chilled there for 2 hours or so before any wood arrived. They were climbing trees and exploring the territory. The other 2 crews (including a team comprised of Matt, Dustin and me (Gordy), since we were rejected from being on the other West Orange team...lol) went to sites that had all the wood except for the side walls. Therefore, we build sweet looking gazeboes. Try to envision it, we put in the four corner posts, framed it, laid the floor and then placed the headers, rafters and laid the tin. We had a house with no walls! After an hour and a half our side walls finally arrived and we completed the house!
Our construction is now complete with the final count being 42 houses! However, I don't want you to think about the number of houses, think about the number of families that now have homes. God has truly blessed those families, our trip, and our students. And none of this could even be possible with all the support of our church family at West Orange. Thank you all so much!
Parents, your kiddos are coming home in a couple days!


A message from students:

A group didn't get their wood until 2:00 so they were stuck doing nothing for 3 hours in the hot sun. It's still been a good trip though. :)
- Landon Rogers

Tough, tiring and very emotional all together well worth it. I have learned so much from this trip that i will take back with me to the states. Im so grateful for everything i have in my life and i now see that.
-Christian Riendeau

Wednesday, June 29

Today the weather was fantastic! We reduced our construction teams from 6 to 4 and conducted our last VBS. The four construction teams finished all four of their homes! The VBS team had their hands full with over 100 children, but it was such a blessing. The neatest thing about VBS was our arrival. The children had been told we were coming and by the time we unloaded from the bus there were over 40 children surrounding the bus with excitement! God has been so good to us here in Honduras!

Part of the VBS team also went on a hospital visit. The other half of the team came back to start sorting food for our food giveaway on Friday. As other teams arrived back on the Baxter campus, we all prepared the food bags. Each bag contained 2 lbs of rice, 2 lbs of beans, a package of tomato paste, lard, sugar, salt, maize, spaghetti noodles, coffee and bouillon cubes. We prepared over 300 plus bags to hand out! In addition to that, we had large quantities of food that we will take to a church that has a free daycare and provides a free lunch everyday! The lady that runs the kitchen and daycare is an American who once came here on a mission trip and fell in love with the country and a Honduran gentlemen whom she married and began this wonderful ministry with. Interestingly enough the church there has been going through some turnover as they have had 5 preachers in the last 5 years. The current preacher was there today and shared with us that they have only 8 adults that attend, but 30 children. That is such a crazy statistic!

A message from students:
Today went pretty smoothly. We split up into two groups, one went to build some more houses, and the other went to do VBS in a different village. The kids were amazing and the Mrs Elizabeth and Mrs Annette did a wonderful job in preparing the event. Shortly after, Matt Combs fell in love with Eric, one of our guards. I am having a lot of fun here, but I really want to go back home and see all of you guys. Ian did an amazing devo yesterday...I love him.
- Aaron Hadley

Today was amazing, we now only have four more houses to build which will give us a total of forty-two houses. but surprisingly i went to the VBS and hospital visit. at VBS we sang honduran songs which was muy effe (very boss) and made crafts. then half of us went back to baxter and the other half went to the hospital. at the hospital it was very very intense. but mainly i want to say that honduras has been a very great, exciting, and spiritual time for me but i cant wait to come back home and see everyone and rest and aaron did a legit devo i love him!!!!!
love, IAN WATSON

Tuesday, June 28

Today we finished 6 houses and ran the total to 34!!!! The gameplan for tomorrow is to reduce our work teams from 6 to 4 and build 8 houses over the final two construction days (Wednesday and Thursday). If everything goes according to plan, which is a big if here in Honduras. In fact any time something doesn't work out or doesn't go according to plan, we all say "Welcome to Honduras!" It's just part of it! Nevertheless if everything does plan out, we would complete 42 houses during our 10 days of building.
In addition to our 4 construction teams tomorrow, we will also have a team host our final VBS of the trip!

A message from students:
Hey peoples,
Honduras is so awesome!!! I love it here so much! There has been many happy memories at the worksite and Baxter, but I have to admit, I'm getting kind of homesick. My favorite part of this trip is definitely hammering in general. I don't know why, but its just fun for me. one of the things that really disturbed me is how the dogs are so skinny and how many there are. Most of them don't have a home and aren't fed enough, but are milked, which makes pretty good ice cream!!! haha anyway, I love you all, and I can't wait to come home!
Love, Stephen Countryman

Hi Everybody!!!!
Honduras is a wonderful place with wonderful people! I love all of the children here and have made many extraordinary memories. I have had such a great time here and I can't wait to come back... on that note I also can't wait to come home to my family... I am very blessed to have my dad on this trip and it has helped with the homesickness. I miss everyone and love you all!!! The dog-milk thing is a joke by the way but a few of us believed it for a while... Who knows what happens in Honduras right? I love you all and miss you

Love,
Christina Ahrens

Monday, June 27

Today was another wonderful day. God blessed us without rain today, which was much appreciated! I mean it is pouring as I type this, but at least we finished our work for the day before the storm came. We finished 3 homes today, and have 3 more in progress. We are some where in the mid to upper 20's in houses completed.
In addition to construction, we had a group host a VBS in a different village and visit a hospital. Robin Lashley attended the VBS and hospital visit and raved about their experience! There were approximately 75 children at the VBS!
Tomorrow is more of the same!!!!

A message from a student:
Hola americans. :) Being in Honduras has been the most wonderful experience. I'm so happy I got to spend it with the best people I know. I feel so blessed to help out these people who live here & fall in love with every single child I meet. It honestly has changed my life to see how these people live & visit a Honduras hospital. I know how extremely blessed I am. God has brought me here for a reason & I feel I'm stronger in Christ then I was before I came on this trip. I'm so excited to have another 6 days here to spend time with the people I love & serve for the Hondurans & my Lord. It's the best feeling.
<3 Kamryn Richardson


Hey,
Honduras has been great!!! I've learned a ton and have had a great time. I love Honduras so much and honestly do not want to leave. My walk has grown deeper, and I have learned a lot. I miss my madra but thats about it.

Ya,
Caleb Parrish

Sunday, June 26

Today was an off day for construction, but it was another wonderful day! I think the worship service this morning was an eye opening experience for our students. We traveled up to Union this morning to worship with their congregation. There was approximately 200 people crammed into their little building and it was amazing! The students witnessed 2 different cultures with 2 different languages come together to form one church and be a part of one body. Our students have been blessed to take part in bi-lingual services at West Orange, but this was different from that. Cary gave the message, which of course was amazing! He translated himself, which was cool to witness.
At the conclusion of the service, Esteban, their minister, had the families that our team had already built houses for come up front. It was a wonderful experience to see their appreciation and know that our team played a role in serving those families through God. After the service was over, we all had an opportunity to interact with the children and adults of the church.
We spent the rest of the day at the Valley of the Angels, where our students were able to shop for souvenirs. Mommas, I hope your baby boys bought you something!

A message from a student:
It is crazy to see how much God works when we just move out of His way. Today we were able to worship with our "Hermanos y Hermanas" on the Union mountain, talk about being in love with our Creator. When they opened their mouths to sing God's praise it was awe inspiring. Though we haven't a single clue what in the world their language means, it dropped my jaw to see those who had nothing sing praise to the God who was their everything. When we let language not matter, God moved in us all. That is a message I look forward to mixing into my daily walk. He is TRULY moving on that mountain and within us. God is GOOD, ALL the time!
-Chase Countryman

June 24-25

June 24
The weather still isn't cooperating with us, but the work is still continuing! Today we had 6 teams building houses in the rain and one team that did prep work for our VBS which is tomorrow (Saturday) and then that team visited with patients at a local hospital.

A message from a student:
This is my first year in Honduras and one of the things that i wanted to do was go to the hospital. I was able to go and what i pictured in my mind was nothing close to what i experienced. We mostly visited children's units, we brought with us crackers, juices, and teddy bears to hand out to the patients as well as their families. The kids there were so glad and happy to see us and receive the things we brought them. Every room we entered we asked their families if we could pray for them, every single person we asked said yes! Even though most of us spoke english, Cary translated and asked the families if it was ok for us to say it in english. They all said it didn't matter what language we spoke God would understand our prayers and that was all that mattered. The hospital conditions are very poor, not everyone who needs to see a doctor can. It was a very eye opening experience, it made me appreciate the hospitals we have in the United States and my mother. One room we went into a little girl's mother abandoned her and needless to say that is very common in Honduras. I will never forget what i saw or experienced while i was there.

Erin Lowery

June 25
Today we ran our total houses built to 22! We are right on schedule to hit our goal of 40!!! In addition to building today, we conducted our first Vacation Bible School. There were children everywhere!!! Also, at the church on Mount Union, some of our ladies hosted a ladies day for the ladies of their church! All in all it was another wonderful day that God blessed!
Tomorrow is an off day for work, but we will travel back to Union and attend services with their church and praise God together as one family! We will also do a little traveling and site seeing tomorrow. We will share with you those details tomorrow.

A message from a student:
We've been working our hardest to finish every house that we start as quickly as possible to give families a home to live in. So far this trip has been life changing and i know the experience isn't close to being over so im looking forward to making as much of a difference as i can.

Dustin Wamsley

Thursday, June 23

Yesterday was rainy day!!! We completed 2 more houses to run our total 10 and have 4 more started. God is really blessing us! One of the teams got their site finished and back to church before the rain came pouring down. The other 5 teams, including most of the West Oranger's, got drenched. Ponchos couldn't even have helped in this kind of rain!
Each night we come back to Baxter for dinner and then have some free time before a nightly devotional. They have a soccer court here, where the student try to get their soccer skills on! We have been spending some time playing Nerts, which could be the greatest game ever invented!
However the nightly devotionals are just fantastic! At the conclusion of each devotional, we open up the floor to anyone who would like to share. This time is called, "Where did you see Jesus today?" It really is amazing to hear students and adults share their perspectives. For example, last night Lindsay shared that she witnessed Jesus at their worksite through the family that was receiving the house. They had a broken down little shelter that they could have ran into to get out of the rain, but because the team was building the house in the rain that family, which included children, stood there in the rain and watched them build it. They could have sought comfort and shelter, but they wanted to show their love and appreciation. God is good!
Our students are doing so wonderful! You would be so proud of them all.
Friday, in addition to building houses, we are taking a group to the hospital to visit children. It will be another blessed day!

A few pictures

Wednesday, June 22

Wednesday was another great day! Our students are really beginning to get in the groove of building houses. They will continue to get better and better with each passing day. At the end of two days of construction, we have completed 8 houses! The best part of each completed house is gathering with the family inside their new home and praying.
Please continue to pray for our students and our mission. We are scheduled to build more houses on Thursday before adding other elements to our trip on Friday.
More news tomorrow, but first a note from one of our students:
My experience here in Honduras has been more than I expected. Its a wonderful place and how they live is amazing and everyday and everywhere you can see them living out christ and it's very inspirational! - Matt Combs

June 20-21

Monday, June 20
It was just an ordinary travel day for us. Everyone made it okay. Nothing special to share.

Tuesday, June 21
This was our first official day of service. We divided up into 7 separate work teams to build houses. Our students really enjoyed their first day of work on Mount Union. It was hard work, but they all did very well. They really enjoyed playing with the children and trying to speak and interact with them.

A thought from a student:
This is my first time out of the country and it is completely different from anything I've ever seen. The mountains and landscape are beautiful. I had so much fun blowing bubbles with the little kids and giving them candy. - Alexis Johnson

Parents, all of your children are doing fine!