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Heart of the King Newsletter – 2023 Q1

Sharing the Heart of the King, Jesus.

Matthew 9: 37-38

 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Heart of the King

Gene and I are so thankful that God chose us to be laborers in the fields of Honduras and especially thankful you all are a part of Heart of the King Ministries! The phrase “Better Together” is so true, we couldn’t do this work without you, thanks!

Life in Honduras

We are enjoying our life here in Honduras, it is amazing to see the beauty God created and we have met many new and wonderful people as we learn a lot about life here.

I like plants and hummingbirds so when a friend moved, I received a plant from her. I thought it was just a pretty, green leafy plant but this year a stalk grew with red flowers on it. It was pretty until I noticed it attracted bees, lots of tiny bees.  I’m glad to support the bee population but they took over the hummingbird feeder! They swarmed the feeder and got inside where many died and floated to the top. Needless to say, the hummingbirds don’t come around anymore.  I will be getting rid of the plants soon, maybe plant them outside our fence away from the feeder.  I miss watching the hummingbirds.

The dry season is about to end here. The rains slowdown in early November and it pretty much stops raining in January and starts back in late April. Between May and November, it usually rains every day.  Most of the time the rain comes in late afternoon or night.  So, the mornings are always fresh and beautiful.  We have had a couple of light showers this past month of March and one major rain; quite unusual.

We were out eating lunch with a friend when we heard thunder with rain hitting on the tin roof, then we heard something hit the windows. Looking out we noticed it was hail, the size of my little finger tip. Crazy! This is only the second time we have seen hail in Honduras in almost six years of living here.

Later we saw photos of other parts of La Esperanza and it looked like snow had fallen, the ground was covered with hail. Thankfully the hail didn’t damage our truck or any other car that we know of.  It didn’t last very long but then there was rain, heavy rain.  It washed all the trash off the streets, which was a good thing, but it washed the trash into the ditches and blocked up the drains. The roads became flooded and many people had their rakes and sticks dragging the trash away from the drains and out of the ditches so the water could drain off the roads. With that rain the grass and trees are green again; the rain washed all the dust off.  Yes, most roads here are dirt and the dust covers the plants & trees and gets in all the houses –ugh!

Birthdays

It is always fun to celebrate with friends and our little friend Andre turned 1 this year.  Mom, Dad and Grandma threw a party for him with lots of friends to celebrate. He was not sure what was going on but enjoyed all the attention.

Our church loves to celebrate birthdays and eat cake! We have celebrated several birthdays this year and are thankful for each member of our church and the blessing they are to us and to the community around them.

Manna Pack Rice

Our missionary friend Ruth made a connection with someone from the states who is going to provide Manna Pack Rice for distribution in La Esperanza and Marcala.

This rice is packed with vitamins and minerals that will greatly help the under nourished people in our area. It is given out around the world saving many lives. (https://inside.ewu.edu/civicengagement/feed-my-starving-children/)  We are so grateful for this nutritious food that can be given to the young and old to enrich their health and strengthen their bodies.

At the end of February, a shipping container was received at the military base in Palmerola.  From that container, La Esperanza and Marcala received 1,152 boxes (17 tons) of Manna Pack rice, for free, praise God. One package of rice provides 4 to 6 servings of vitamin and mineral fortified rice. As a group, we arranged for the pallets to be picked up at the airport on a truck and trailer. 

Then it was distributed to the local pastors in La Esperanza and Marcala. We have distributed some of the packs and the families are so thankful and say the rice is very tasty. We are expecting 3 more similar shipments this year. God is good and He provides for His children.

Maracia

The public schools started up in February here in Honduras. I was asking God if there was anyone or a certain community that He wanted us to help with school supplies and was reminded of the people at Maracia. We visited there last year when Paul Richards came down. He ministered to the people and prayed for their needs. We asked our friend to put us in contact with the Honduran couple that ministers there regularly and found out they had about 25 students that could use school supplies.

As we prepared to visit them with school supplies, we also took New Testament Bibles and some of the Manna Pack nutritional rice for each family. The people gathered and listened as Gene taught, in Spanish, a lesson about God’s love. What a blessing to assist this village with food, the Word and school supplies.  Thanks for giving so that others can be blessed!

Amor Que Redime

The church that we attend, “Amor Que Redime”, is still going strong. Pastor Jon & Alicia are currently teaching a series on “Yo Soy” or “I am” letting us know, as believers, who we are in Christ and what we can be.  Everyone is listening, growing, giving and sharing with the love of God. 

Ada, the lady whose house we meet at, and her daughter Michele, have a ministry of their own with the mountain people who come down to town for supplies and the elderly in her area who cannot get out. We have and are taking her clothing and Manna Pack rice to help with their needs. God is good and puts the right people in the right places.

Teach Me 2 Love

We were excited to return to Honduras in January after visiting family in the states.  Returning to Teach Me 2 Love was high on our minds.  The children met us at the door with hugs and laughter. They are all so sweet and they didn’t forget us while we were in the states!

The car seat we, Heart of the King, purchased a year ago was and is a great help for one of the students who was so active. She had to be buckled in so that she could color, paint and learn. She is now calmer and sitting in a regular chair doing her work with a smile. But the car seat is not unused.  There are two other children that are very hyperactive so we found another car seat and they can sit buckled in and are very content to work at the table or just sit for a while. Then there is another car seat that a 12-year-old is sitting in. She only weighs about 40 pounds and has a very crooked body.  With help from Jon & Alicia-Teach Me 2 Love, she is able to sit up in a chair now. She has spina bifida and through exercises and stretches, God has done miracles in her body giving her muscles flexibility and strength. Praise God for all He is doing in these children’s lives.  

Some of the kids at Teach Me 2 Love are from poor families and don’t have healthy food to eat. They get sick with grippe (a cold) and sore throats bringing it to school spreading the sickness around. We thought vitamins might be a good thing for them and found L’il Critters Gummy Vites at Pricesmart (like a Sams Club in the states) and purchased some for them to take. We are praying that as the rainy season approaches, the vitamins will help build up their immune system so that they won’t be as sick.

One day when we were grocery shopping, we found 2 4-footed walking sticks at a real good price and bought them for students at Teach Me 2 Love school.  One young man does not walk but sits all day. In the past, he has walked some with the assistance of a walker. He doesn’t have good balance so the wheels on the walker causes him to go to fast and loose balance. The directors stood him up this week, he leaned against the wall then held onto the canes and walked across the room with Jon’s help. It will take time for his muscles to gain strength and for him to learn to walk but we believe he will be walking with the canes soon. 

We work once a week with Teach Me 2 Love and have seen so many improvements in each of the children over the past 2 years.  A typical day starts with play time in the room with blocks, books, cars, dolls and tea sets, then singing in Spanish & English, workbook time learning numbers, letters and Bible stories, snack time, outside play time of basketball & on playground equipment, back inside for crafts and reading a book together.  It is a full morning but the kids love it and are learning so much, they are precious!

Recently we had “Café para Damas”, coffee & treats for all the mothers of the students and the women from our home church.

The room was decorated beautifully and about 22 mothers came and enjoyed a relaxing time with lots of coffee and chocolates; Hershey kisses, ritz dipped in chocolate, marshmallows covered with chocolate, fruit kabobs drizzled with chocolate, cookies dipped in chocolate and more chocolate! Next, we heard a brief message from Kathy, the director’s mom then offered prayer for anyone that wanted prayer.  There were lots of tears as burdens were released, dreams & desires lifted up to God and 3 women received Jesus as their savior, praise the Lord! That’s what it is all about, people finding their hope in God and learning that He really loves them. We continue to pray for these moms as they walk a difficult path in this life but one where they hold their head high wanting only the best for their children.

Team Solheim

Team Solheim works with young teens at several schools in the La Esperanza area.

Kelly was invited to judge a spelling bee at one of the bi-lingual schools and was asked to bring others to serve as judges. We got to go! When we arrived, they had narrowed the contestants down to 3 per grade and decorated a room where the final contest would be held. Each child wore a “bee crown” and they were all so nervous as they entered the room for the contest.  Grade by grade they entered and listened as the words were pronounced. Then the kids pronounced the word and spelled it.  Soon there was only one child left as a winner! It was exciting, nerve wracking and tearful for a few who didn’t spell their word correctly but winners were declared and received their certificate.

While the Solheims went back to the states for fun-raising, we along with a Honduran Pastor continued Team Solheim Club Aslan for middle schoolers on Saturday afternoons. The kids gather, play games, hear a Biblical moral lesson, and play fútbol (soccer). Everyone has a great time and are learning to work together. We pray the lessons they hear will help form polite, grateful and strong adults to better life in Honduras.

Prison Ministry

Last year Dr. Delron and Peggy Shirley came to La Esperanza to minister for a week in late October.  We made a visit to the local prison where Peggy spoke.  That seemed to open a new door for our ministry.  We are now teaching at the prison one time per month.  As we increase our relationships with the prison staff, we are looking for additional opportunities to teach more and help in other areas. This has become a real blessing for us and we pray for the inmates also.

Santa Catarina

One of our missionary friends, Sharon, has found several families in an area called Santa Catarina that she is ministering to. In February, we had the opportunity to go with her and help minister to them. Sharon brought the word and a pinata was hung and busted. We took socks and New Testament Bibles and distributed them. It was a great time with some wonderful Honduran families who are hungry for the word of God.

Chinacla

In March, we were invited to join a group of Hondurans to minister to a remote area called Chinacla. This area is about two hours from La Esperanza and about one hour off the main road on the other side of Marcala.

The group included about fifteen Hondurans, mostly youth and 7 missionaries traveling in five pickup trucks and one large flatbed truck. The Hondurans had a plan and we missionaries were able to just be helpers, it was great! They brought a generator and the flatbed truck made a great stage where they had a full sound system so everyone could hear the music and of course, the word.

The group had prepared a large pot of the Manna Pack rice and made tortillas. Two large tents were setup and the Manna Pack rice was severed with tortillas, a drink and a piece of cake to follow.  A pinata was hung for the children. When the candy flew, everyone went crazy filling their pockets and shirts with candy. The story of David and Goliath was also acted out by a few on the team. Sister Ruth brought a word to the crowd then both Gene and I spoke a short follow-up word. Clothing and Manna Pack rice was given to the families and all had a great time. There were over 400 people from the surrounding area that showed up. Over 250 of those were children.  We feel blessed to know many Hondurans with a real heart for Jesus and to have opportunities to help them in their ministry.

Lucy

During the month of March, we also travel to Aldea Cofradía. This is where a young woman we know, named Lucy, lives with her three children.

A tree had fallen on Lucy’s house causing much damage. We went there with Pastor Erik to see what could be done about the roof of her house. Pastor Erik runs a Bible Institute in the town of Yamaranguila which also has a wood shop where young men are training to be carpenters. After viewing the house, Pastor Erik carried several young men up the next day to remove the damaged roof panels and determine the needed material for repair. It was determined that a tree would need to be cut to provide wood for the repair and the men would return the next week to complete the job. We are anxious to return to Lucy’s to see the change in her living conditions.

HFMM Retreat

In March, the ministry fellowship we are part of met for a retreat in Valle de Angles (Valley of Angles) near the capital city of Tegucigalpa.

There were about 200 missionaries there and it was a great time of fellowship, the word, fun and relaxation. This is a very needed activity for all missionaries living away from the states and ministering to people of another country, culture and language. Spending a little time with other like-minded missionaries recharges your batteries and strengthens our native language of English.  Thank God for the ministry of HFMM (Honduran fellowship for Missionaries and Ministries).

Thank you for being a part of Heart of the King Ministries. Our God is awesome!

May God bless you all and fill you with peace and joy!  We love you.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

If the Lord leads you to support our ministry financially, all gifts are tax deductible and should be mailed to:

Heart of the King Ministries
115 Creden Pl
Alabaster, AL. 35007

Checks should be made payable to Heart of the King Ministries.

If you would like to use a credit or debit card or your PayPal account,
PayPal is available on our website at this LINK.

Click this LINK to view all of our Honduras photo galleries (newer photos appear toward the bottom of the individual galleries).