Honduras 2016 report
It is 10 years since the first Melton Vineyard trip to Honduras, and over 40 members have had the privilege of being on one of the teams. For many it has been a life changing experience. There are still a few places available on this year’s team, so please speak to Paul &Jayne Croxford or Ernie Braithwaite for more information. The team depart on July 23rd for two weeks. No special skills are needed and there is no upper age limit.
Team members are involved at both the projects we support - Los Ninos de la Luz boy’s home and Pastor Fredy’s church. They are usually invited to Pastor Fredy’s house to have a typically Honduran meal with his family, plus taken on trips to the mountain top plantation where fruit, vegetables, poultry and fish are raised for the public dining room; and to visit one of his church plants, usually with some time en route on a Caribbean beach!
PASTOR FREDY'S CHURCH
In 2006 when we first met Pastor Fredy he had many challenges – they were 5 months behind with the rent on the church, there was no food in the store for the public dining room, the radiator on their only vehicle was broken. We helped him overcome most of these challenges and as a church have supported his work since that time. We can therefore say that many 100s of Hondurans have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ because of Melton Vineyard support for his ministry (he receives no other aid) – in his church, the public dining room of Jesus Christ, the free clinic, the prison visits, and at the church plants at Trujillo, Toccoa, San Juan and Hicoteas.
In the past 10 years, Melton Vineyard has completed many projects with him:-
LOS NINOS DE LA LUZ BOY’S HOME
There has also been a transformation here in the last 10 years, much of which we have helped with (although Los Ninos does have support from “Heart for Los Ninos De La Luz” charity). We have:-
Also on the last trip, due to an increase in the luggage allowance for the outward flight, we were able to take a considerable quantity of medical equipment donated by local hospitals and give it to the hospital in La Ceiba for which they were very grateful and gave us a talk and tour of all their facilities.
N.B. All the Melton Vineyard achievements have been made by team members using whatever skills God has given them. No special skills are needed. There is no upper age limit. The team always has just the right people on it for the tasks to be undertaken. The team will be staying in a local hotel, have their daily devotion there, and will attend Pastor Fredy’s church at the weekends.
Team members are involved at both the projects we support - Los Ninos de la Luz boy’s home and Pastor Fredy’s church. They are usually invited to Pastor Fredy’s house to have a typically Honduran meal with his family, plus taken on trips to the mountain top plantation where fruit, vegetables, poultry and fish are raised for the public dining room; and to visit one of his church plants, usually with some time en route on a Caribbean beach!
PASTOR FREDY'S CHURCH
In 2006 when we first met Pastor Fredy he had many challenges – they were 5 months behind with the rent on the church, there was no food in the store for the public dining room, the radiator on their only vehicle was broken. We helped him overcome most of these challenges and as a church have supported his work since that time. We can therefore say that many 100s of Hondurans have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ because of Melton Vineyard support for his ministry (he receives no other aid) – in his church, the public dining room of Jesus Christ, the free clinic, the prison visits, and at the church plants at Trujillo, Toccoa, San Juan and Hicoteas.
In the past 10 years, Melton Vineyard has completed many projects with him:-
- Rebuilt the public dining room, and made new benches and tables and also refitted the kitchen and renewed the equipment.
- Rebuilt the clinic
- Replaced the wooden roof support pillars with metal ones (resistant to termites).
- Provided funds to have the roof replaced after a hurricane took off the corrugated iron panels.
- Built a walkway and path so the congregation can access the toilet and offices in the dry.
- Built a toilet, washroom, food store, bedroom (a pastor is on site 24/7) and office.
- Built a porch over the entrance area.
- Helped to cook and serve 100s of meals in the dining room; plus also provided a doctor and a nurse for the clinic when they were on the team.
- More of the same is anticipated this year – helping with building a new office for the pastors to use; helping in dining room; visit to church plants; joining in services with his congregation.
LOS NINOS DE LA LUZ BOY’S HOME
There has also been a transformation here in the last 10 years, much of which we have helped with (although Los Ninos does have support from “Heart for Los Ninos De La Luz” charity). We have:-
- Converted a derelict building into a superb playroom for the boys and provided the equipment for it.
- Laid concrete paths to connect all the buildings onsite so that the boys do not have to walk through mud in the rainy season.
- Helped make furniture for the school (in 2006 the school had not opened; now there is a class for each primary year for pupils from the home and also the surrounding villages whose children would not otherwise be able to attend a school. There is a head teacher employed and teacher for each year.)
- Redecorated the school, chapel, dining room, and dormitories.
- Helped prepare the refurbished dormitories for the high school age boys.
- Taken classes for each year in the school and provided fun and games times for them on a daily basis.
- Provided all the new textbooks for the school.
- Provided clothing, games kit and equipment, toys and bibles for the boys.
- Recently a workshop was built to teach the boys how to use tools and be able to make and mend things. It has been unused for a time as there were no funds to buy the tools and equipment. Recently MV has sent an offering to buy these and so this year we will be able to see the workshop in operation for the first time.
- Taken and paid for the boys on their annual treat – a trip to Pizza Hut where the local manager puts all the tables together for us and feeds them pizza and drinks until they cannot eat anymore. Any leftovers they take back for supper!
- Spent time with the boys sharing lunch in their dining room, afternoon devotions, playing games.
- Since the sad death of the founder (Bill) in 2015, his wife Mary is continuing the ministry with help from a couple, Ken and Cathy Morey, who have moved from the USA to La Ceiba. This will be our first opportunity to meet and get to know them.
- This year the team will do activities similar to previous trips – working with the school pupils, the boys, and hopefully visiting Pizza Hut if the funds are available!
Also on the last trip, due to an increase in the luggage allowance for the outward flight, we were able to take a considerable quantity of medical equipment donated by local hospitals and give it to the hospital in La Ceiba for which they were very grateful and gave us a talk and tour of all their facilities.
N.B. All the Melton Vineyard achievements have been made by team members using whatever skills God has given them. No special skills are needed. There is no upper age limit. The team always has just the right people on it for the tasks to be undertaken. The team will be staying in a local hotel, have their daily devotion there, and will attend Pastor Fredy’s church at the weekends.
