Honduras Details

In preparation for my mission trip in a couple of weeks, I found some details about Honduras just to help me get an idea of where I will be ministering.

First, Honduras is just a little bigger than the size of Virginia, in both square miles and population.

Honduras          43, 278 square miles
Virginia            42,774 square miles

Honduras          2010 estimate          8,249,574
Virginia            2010 estimate          8,001,024

Second, Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America. It suffers from extraordinarily unequal distribution of income, as well as high underemployment.

Honduras' GDP per capita: $4,300 (2011 est.)
United States' GDP per capita: $48,100 (2011 est.)

Third, some of the main products produced in Honduras are bananas, coffee, citrus, corn, African palm, beef, timber, shrimp, tilapia, and lobster (according to the CIA's factbook).

For more information, specifically, information about the spiritual climate of Honduras, look at the Operation World entry for Honduras. There is a lot of additional information located at that link.

These bits of information help me know how to pray for the pastors I will be teaching and learning more about Honduras has been helpful in getting me prepared to go on my trip there. I hope you find this information helpful, as well.

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Honduras Update

I have received a few updates regarding my trip to Honduras. First, the schedule for the entire trip has changed. If you have read my previous post on the details of my Honduras trip you would know that I was original scheduled to teach at 3 cities over 10 days. The institute scheduled for San Pedro Sula was canceled due to some sort of scheduling conflict in Honduras (still not sure what happened there). So, I will be traveling for 8 days and teaching at two institutes.

Second, I will be teaching hermeneutics, or, how to study the bible. That is one of my favorite subjects to teach and I am really looking forward to teaching it. I was able to work on my lessons today and got through a couple of sessions. I will need a few more days to get all the material ready and I will need to do that soon as my departure date is getting closer.

Third, I found out that there will be 35 pastors at the Olanchito institute and 25 pastors at the Tocoa institute. I was also told that the numbers could fluctuate 25% in either direction. I am excited to invest in at least 60 Honduran pastors. One pastor ministers to many people so even invested in one pastor multiplies quickly and if you multiply that by 60 this trip becomes a pretty intense endeavor.

Fourth, it looks like my schedule will look something like this:

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Saturday I will travel to Honduras.
Sunday - I will be preaching in  La Ceiba (you can find it on the map from the previous post.)

Olanchito
Monday - I will teach morning and afternoon classes
Tuesday - My teaching partner will teach morning and afternoon
Wednesday - I will teach morning and my partner will teach afternoon

Wednesday evening we will travel to Tocoa.

Tocoa
Thursday - My partner will teach morning class and I will teach the afternoon class
Friday - My partner will teach both morning and afternoon class
Saturday - I will teach both morning and afternoon classes

Sunday I will travel back to America.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Finally, I have begun taking my Typhoid meds which should immunize me for 5 years against Typhoid (Yikes! Let's hope thats not a problem). I will begin my Malaria medication right before I leave.

So, things are progressing. I need to get my material all prepared and I need to think about packing. I am trying not to be nervous. Please pray for me that God will prepare my heart for whatever ministry He has prepared for me.

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Preparing for Honduras

I went to the doc's today and I got my vaccinations and prescriptions I need for traveling to Honduras. I got the first of two Hepatitis A shots, a Tetanus shot, and prescriptions for Malaria that I will have to take daily while I am in Honduras, for Typhoid which I will have to take before I leave, and then one more prescription for an antibiotic in case I get....um....shall I say "stomach problems" while I am there.

I was expecting the Malaria pills but the others surprised me. The doc was trying to talk me into getting a polio booster as well. I was not really interested in that. The CDC recommends adult who are traveling to other countries where polio is still around to get a polio booster but I did not want to do that. I think I will be fine.

The pharmacy did not have the Malaria or the Typhoid meds so they will be in Tuesday. I figure out when I need to start them according to that schedule.

I know if you are world traveler, this is all "old hat" to you but it was my first time getting all these shots and prescriptions. Makes me thankful for living in a time where these treatments are readily available. It also makes me think of what it would take to bring these meds to the nations struggling with these diseases and make them as safe as I am in my little world.

I know there are all kinds of campaigns to fix this problem; like the mosquito nets to reduce the spread of malaria: Worldvision and Bite Back and Nothing But Nets and MEDA and so on (I have not checked out these non-profit sites so I am not endorsing them). There are many who are fighting for this cause. It just makes me think I could be doing more.

I am so looking forward to spending time in Honduras. I will send more information as it comes

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Honduras Mission Details

I found out some of the details for my mission trip to Honduras. First, I will be going for 10 days instead of the initial 7 days. So, as I understand it, I will be leaving July 5th and will be returning July 14th. I don't know for sure because World Hope Bible Institute (WHBI) are still working out the itinerary. The extra days are so that we can fit in another city to teach in.

The picture below outlines my itinerary. I will explain below the picture (click picture to see a larger image).

I will fly into San Pedro Sula (#1 on map) and teach there first. I am not sure how long that will be yet. Then, I will fly to La Ceiba (#2) and then I will take a four hour drive to end up in Olanchito (#3) and will teach there. I do not know how long I will be there either. Then, I will make my way to Tocoa and will teach there. Once again, I am not sure for how long. I am assuming I will be staying two days in each teaching location or maybe 3 days.

I am excited that I get to see several places in this country. It looks like I will see a range of terrain throughout the country. The image below shows the different terrains of the cities I will be teaching. The orange circles approximate where I will be (click picture for a larger picture).

In addition to the terrain, and of course, more importantly, it looks like the places I will be going will be somewhat populous. San Pedro Sula will be the most populous, then Olanchito, and then Tocoa. Here is a map of the population of Honduras (click picture for a larger image).

Finally, I thought it was interesting that I would be staying in three different states (is that what they are called in Honduras? Anyone know?). San Pedro Sula is in Cortes, Olanchito is in Yoro, and Tocoa is in Colon. I just thought that was interesting (click the picture for a larger image).

Just as a reminder, the trip will be a group of American pastors teaching Honduran pastors various aspects of ministry. At this time, I do not know what I will be teaching but that information is coming soon from WHBI. They provide a curriculum and there will some things they require I cover in the class and then I will be able to add whatever the Lord leads me to teach. As I said in my previous post, my "life verse" is 2 Timothy 2:2 and this trip will be being faithful to that verse.

Additionally, this will be fulfilling my personal commitment to The Radical Challenge that I challenged Summit Baptist Church, the church I pastor, to commit to throughout 2012. This will be spending my time in another context.

Please pray for me as this trip is coming incredibly fast. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the pastors in Honduras. Pray that God will work in my heart to share what He would have me share with those precious men of God serving there. Pray that my preparation will be fruitful. Pray that God will change me to become more like Him through this trip.

More updates are forthcoming!

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On Mission to Honduras

I am planning to go On Mission to Honduras July 8th through 14th, 2012. I will be going with a ministry named World Hope Ministries International (WHMI). One of WHMI's ministries is World Hope Bible Institute (WHBI),which is a ministry that trains indigenous pastors and leaders through theological education. In short, WHBI brings pastors to a country, and that pastor teaches local pastors so that those pastors can teach to those God has placed in their care. This is a powerful outworking of my life verse, 2 Timothy 2:2.

In this verse, I do not envision myself as Paul, but rather Timothy. I have been taught some good things through friends, pastors, teachers, and professors, and I feel like it is my calling to share what I have learned to faithful followers of Christ who will take that and teach others. That is what this Honduras trip is about.

I heard about the great need for theological training across the world from Dr. Stuart Sheehan at the last executive board meeting of the Colorado Baptist General Convention. He shared his heart to meet the need of the pastors overseas and God pricked my heart. I think WHBI has a great vision and I am looking forward to partnering with them in July.

If you are a pastor and would like to participate in mission trip like this, please contact World Hope Bible Institute.

I will post more information about Honduras and the trip in the coming weeks. Please begin praying for me. Ask that Lord help me prepare my heart for what I will be teaching and pray that God will use me in a powerful way.

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The Funniest Thing I Heard Today - 2.19.12

It's OK...I am leaf on the wind.

Wash, played by Alan Tudyk, on Serenity during a battle scene.

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