New Blog: Doing Life Different

For those of you who have been following us in My Quest and Adventures Along the Way, just wanted to let you know that I have started a new blog. This one will follow us as we plan and leave for Honduras later on this year. I hope you'll come along with us and share any comments you may have.

See you at http://doinglifedifferent.blogspot.com/ . Be sure and sign up for the email updates.

Mike

My Conclusion (part 3)

I have really struggled writing these last three post. I have struggled with how to write them or whether or not to write them at all. I have written and rewritten them several times. I’ve asked myself why I even bother. No one will really read them and if they do I run the risk of being misunderstood, of offending someone, of being seen as a dissident, a malcontent. So why bother at all. In the end I suppose it is for conscience sake. Mine. This too is a lesson I have learned. As another writer far more famous than I once wrote,
                        “This above all: to thine own self be true,
                        And it must follow, as the night the day,
                        Thou canst not then be false to any man.”      William Shakespeare, Hamlet

My Conclusion:

Missions. In some of the final words of Jesus he said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: (KJV). He didn’t say go and plant churches, feed the poor and build hospitals. He didn’t say drill wells nor did he say start seminaries, orphanages and organizations. He said make disciples as evidenced by the willingness to do all He commanded.

What is a disciple? The free online dictionary defines a disciple in this way.  a. One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another. b. An active adherent, as of a movement or philosophy. In the final analysis missions is about making active adherents of the Gospel. Who are we to actively model? Obviously it is Jesus.

So as I ask the question, “Is our modern mission’s system working?” This, discipleship, must be the measure of our success. Are we making true followers of Jesus, following all the things He commanded us? If we are not, then no, we are not being successful in missions. We cannot measure success by numbers, not by how many churches we plant or how many good deeds we do. The only way we can use these as a measure of success (or not) is when we lack them. This speaks loud and clear. Interestingly enough, we can do all of the “good” things without actually being disciples. But we can’t be disciples without doing these “good” things. Interesting.

So how do we know if we are disciples if we can’t use good deeds or numbers as the measure of success? It is by the quality of our lives. Are we like, or becoming like Jesus?

What does it mean to be like Jesus? Here are a few things to start with.  Loving even to those who wrong you, compassionate to the poor, the weak, the sick. Forgiving others, concerned with injustice to the poor, the widow, and the orphan. Stern in the face of falsehoods, honest with hypocrites. Willing to be scorned and criticized without retaliating. Constantly desiring to do the work and will of the Father. Willing to become poor so others may become rich. Willing to die so others can live. Before we can teach others we must first be disciples ourselves.

How do we make disciples? First we must be disciples ourselves. Discipleship goes far beyond sitting down with someone once a week and studying a scripture verse. It may start there, but goes far deeper. It means modeling through our own lives Christlikeness, being involved in the hurts and struggles of others. It goes beyond casual, superficial relationships. It may be working alongside someone, it may be teaching a class, praying with people, eating a meal or many meals with them. No matter how it happens for you…it will mean spending quality and quantity time with people.   

By using true discipleship as the measure of success in missions, I cannot say whether or not we are being successful. It is far beyond my limited experience. I’m still working on being a disciple myself. But if I were to give any advice to missionaries, to mission’s organizations and churches it would be this.

1.      Use discipleship (becoming more like Jesus) as the true and only measure of success and your main emphasis of effort.

2.      Take a new look at how, why and where we spend money, with the idea of lifestyle/project accountability.

3.      Missions is often seen to be a one way street. Beware of developing a welfare society by always receiving. Freely you have received, freely give. Give out to those you serve just as freely as you have been given to. Give back to those who so faithfully support you. Call those who give individually, thank them, and ask them how you can pray for them. We need encouragement too.

4.      Be honest in all things. We know you are human just like us. We don’t need misleading newsletters, Facebook updates or glowing reports that shade the truth. If you’re discouraged, tell us. If you’re tired of problems, let us know. Just be real.

5.      Churches, before you give…go. Go and check out what and who you’re giving others hard earned money to support. Make sure it’s in line with your vision of missions. Not to micro manage, but so that you can do your part to be accountable. When you do and you are in agreement with what you’re giving to…get behind it wholeheartedly. Send your people down from time to time. There’s nothing quite like having been there.

In the end, my conclusion is this: that missions is well worth all we do. On a purely physical level, the difference we have made and are making is tremendous. On a spiritual level, we may have to wait until the next life to really know. There is a verse in the Bible that says, "To whom much is given, much will be required." or words to that effect. We here in America have been given so much. It is only right that we share with those less fortunate. As Paul writes in 2 Cor. 8:13,14 "For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness." These are words to live by.

Thanks to all of you who have made this journey with me. The past two months have been a highpoint in our lives. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Michael I. Wolfe

The Good,The Bad and...My Conclusion (part 2)

Before I write, let me be very clear. I have no reason to doubt the good intentions of everyone involved in missions or the supporting organizations. These observations and opinions are mine alone and are a direct result of being involved in missions over the past 15 years. I have participated, lead, and planned STM teams. I was on the missions committee at the church we attended in Maine for several years which at one time was involved in supporting 54 individual missionaries and/or organizations. I have visited several foreign countries and the missionaries there. I still believe in missions. But, like all systems, sometimes we need to take a fresh look at how and why we are doing the things we do. That's all this is. A look at some of the areas which bother me about what's going on in missions and if I can help bring about change, or even just get people thinking, then it is worth my time.


The Bad


What could possibly be bad about missions? What is a missionary? Isn't just giving to missions enough? Should I be concerned about how my money is being used? How would I know if it isn't being used correctly? So many questions. I've heard them all at one time or another. Board meetings, committee meetings, church business meetings, personal conversations, especially anytime money is involved. I tried to get a dollar amount that the American church gives specifically to missions each year, but really couldn't nail it down. I think it's very safe to say that it is in the billions. Enough to feed all the hungry people in the world one meal a day? Enough to provide for all the orphans in the world? To provide clean drinking water to everyone who needs it? I'm thinking that the answer to these questions might be...yes, or at least close. Some will say that these are not the reasons we do missions, that it is to preach the Gospel and you are correct. If this is the case, then the answer should definitely be yes. Because surely it doesn't cost billions of dollars each year to speak to people, after all...the Good News of the Gospel is free. Then, with all the money, all the effort, all the man power, why are we not turning the world up side down?

Although there are several things that really make me question how our missions system is operating, probably the number one thing is the amount of money we spend on ourselves and on buildings and how little really seems to get to the people. For instance, many local pastors are not paid enough by the churches to feed their families. Why don't we support more of these guys? I raised the question in a previous post, Meet the Nelson's, why do we feel that our American missionaries need to be kept in an American lifestyle while living in another country. It bothers me on several levels. I'm the first to admit that I don't have the whole picture here, maybe not even half. I'm just writing from the viewpoint of someone on the outside looking in.  

1. From a question of effectiveness: Let's put it in context. If Bill Gates came by my neighborhood once or twice a week with a few words of comfort as I slave away trying to put food on my table, maybe gave me a gift or two and left, would I really be interested in anything other than the gifts. Would I find myself beginning to resent him. In these countries where the poverty level is extreme, is it right for us to live in the better houses in town, or on the lake, or the ocean, to have servants, pools, gardeners, security etc? (I'm not saying that all missionaries have all these things, but I know of many who do.) I don't know, I'm just asking the question.

2. Buildings: One of the things that always surprises me is seeing how much money we pour into buildings in countries where people struggle just to survive. And it isn't just in foreign countries. Take a look around America, it doesn't take long to find some multi million dollar church building. We Americans have such a love for buildings, for organizations and for monuments to our efforts. Don't take this wrong, buildings have their place, but at some point we need to remember that it is people we are there to help. I  was told by a man in Honduras who has an orphanage that it is always very easy to raise money for a building project, but getting people to commit to $30 per month to feed and provide for a child...not so much.

3. Financial accountability: Should there be some kind of lifestyle/project accountability to those who give to support missions? As I write I'm thinking of my friend Judy. She's in her mid to late 60's, lives in an older well maintained, but small mobile home. Her body hurts, especially after a day stocking shelves at the grocery store. She should retire, but really can't afford to. She gives faithfully to missions each month. I know a lot of these types of hardworking, faithful givers to missions even as rising gas prices leave less and less money at the end of the week to splurge on a pizza. What about the elderly couple living on so called social security. Should the system feel any responsibility towards these people in the manner their gifts are spent?

I'm not in anyway saying that there is any type of misuse of funds or illegality happening in missions. No, in all of this we are very above board. There are no off shore bank accounts, no luxury, all expense paid cruises happening. What has happened, in my opinion, is that the "system" has normalized a certain level of expectations so that all involved can live freely without the need to question. What would Jonathan Goforth, William Carey, George Mueller, David Livingstone, Jim Elliot and so many others say about American missions if they could see us today? Have we turned missions in to big business? Have we turned missions into the best kept secret in the world?

Now I'm going to get personal. With myself. (Gotchya',didn't I.) As Barbe and I look at living in Honduras, we have often had this conversation. What is that going to look like for US? At what level are WE willing to live. How much are WE willing to give to those in need. How financially secure do WE need to be in order to go. Is there a minimum level of housing in which WE would be willing to live and anything below that is out of the question. Will WE go even if it means supporting ourselves or going hungry? When it gets dangerous, will WE leave? When we get discouraged, is God going to call us to a more exciting ministry? Do I need to live any less than I would in the United States. Just because I can afford it because the dollar goes such a long way, should I? What impression are we giving the people we come to serve by the way we live, the things we won't do or the things we have? If we answer any of these questions in a way that reflects poorly on our willingness to serve in any capacity, in any style in a any foreign country, then can I say this in all honesty, maybe we really aren't called to be there.

I certainly don't have all the answers, but I sure have a lot of questions. No, I don't have a doctrine of poverty or a martyr complex. I do think of Him who we are to model our lives after. He who left the riches and glory of Heaven to come and live not only among the poor, but as the poor. He did this so that He could understand ALL of our troubles, our weaknesses, our needs. He tells us this in John_13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Food for thought?

Next, I will try to sum up all this in My Conclusion. As always your comments are welcome.

The Good, The Bad and...My Conclusion (part 1)

In this, my final three part post, I want to look at the third part of my Quest. I have, for the past several years, found myself questioning more and more the "status quo" of our Christian religious system. However, as often as I am disappointed by the rhetoric, I find my faith restored by a selfless act of kindness. While I see that often we speak empty words devoid of actions that give credence to our faith, there is still the other side of the coin where I see people who truly care for those around them and show it in endless small ways. As part of our travels, I was very curious to see how this "system" is really working outside of the US, especially in a country where the opportunities to speak, preach and do good works are endless.

The Good

America the Generous! I continue to be amazed at the generosity of the American people. Interestingly though, this does not seem to be directly related to religious motives. Take for example the house that Barbe and I helped repair. (see A Project of Love and Hope). We had an almost equal number of people give to help with this project who would probably say that they gave from religious motives as those who gave without religious motives. Over and over again as I have been involved in the aftermath of natural disasters (for me this is done commercially) I have seen thousands of people come to help. Often they are churches, but there are businesses, corporations and civic clubs as well. All you have to do is travel to a third world country and with in a matter of hours you will, without fail, run into an American group doing humanitarian work. Check out this recent CNN article written by William J. Bennett titled America the Generous.

So, are Evangelical Christians more generous than the other Americans? I don't know. I have read articles and studies that say yes and no. This I do know. Because of our belief in the Great Commission where Jesus says, "Go ye therefore unto all nations..." we do go. Do we Evangelicals always go for the "right" reasons? Probably not, but none the less each time we go we usually leave behind much of what we brought in our suitcases and the promise to send more. We just can't seem to help ourselves! So much of the good that has been done in third world countries, especially in the areas of medicine, hunger, children and human rights have been spearheaded by Christians. Hospital Evangelico where Barbe had her surgery is an excellent example of this. Google "orphanages in third world countries" and you will find that many, if not most, are faith based. It is Christian organizations that are fighting against "white slavery" or are buying back sexually abused children in Thailand who have been bought, used and abandoned as worthless. Christians working with drug addicts in the slums of Mexico and the list goes on and on. All of these things are usually done because of our faith. (Please, this is not an effort to discount any other humanitarian efforts by non-faith based NGOs or other religions. This article is focused solely on Christian missions.)

We Christians give millions, even billions of dollars each year to "missions", this catch all phrase that churches tend to use rather loosely to describe a wide array of events and activities. We give to evangelize, we give to feed the children, to feed the poor, to build churches, to feed pastors, to train pastors, to drill wells, to send our youth to camp, to send our churches on short term missions, to translate the Bible into other languages, to build radio stations, to help widows, to support missionaries, to provide Bibles, almost any "good" sounding idea someone comes up with...we give to support it. And we donate...clothes, books, cars, tractors, well drilling rigs, lawn mowers, golf carts, tools, backhoes, ping pong balls, pencils, cars, houses, boats, frequent flyer miles... you name it, put it out there as a need and eventually some good hearted soul back home is going to get it to you. It's amazing!

We have, in the name of Jesus, built hospitals, schools, seminaries, churches, orphanages and staffed all of them. We build homes for the poor, the widows. Drill wells for communities, feed the starving, care for the sick. In all this my goal is not to pat us on the backs or try to make us look better than anyone else. All I want to do is to take a fair and balanced approach to the way our system is working.

So, is our system producing "good" things? Without a doubt. But is that all that Christianity and missions in particular supposed to be doing? Of course not. Our greatest reason for "missions" is to evangelize. (Again, I am speaking solely from the viewpoint of the Christian faith.) So how's that working out for us? Once again I go to the internet, not as a source of all truth, but at least a source of information. (You may want to do your own research on this.) In an article from Charisma Magazine looking back on the past decade, J. Lee Grady say this. "There are now about 600 million Christians in Africa. Protestant Christianity grew 600 percent in Vietnam in the last decade. In China, where a 50,000-member megachurch was raided in Shanxi province a few weeks ago, there are now an estimated 130 million churchgoers...Astounding church growth has occurred in Guatemala, Brazil, India and Ethiopia. In Nepal, which had no Christians in 1960, there are now a half-million believers. The Christian population of Indonesia has mushroomed from 1.3 million to 11 million in 40 years." If numbers is the only measure of success, then apparently missions is working.

Like everything in life, there are always two sides to every story. Nothing is always completely good or completely bad. Those of us who want to close our eyes to the bad or only see the negative are doing ourselves and others an injustice. In order to take a fair and balanced look at all this (thank you Fox News for this phrase) we must now look at the negative side of what is happening in the system.

Tomorrow I will address the negative aspects of the system.

The Future: The Second Part of My Quest

This blog is winding down. I have enjoyed it immensely, more than I thought I ever would. Thanks, Barbe, for encouraging me to do this. We are back home and although there are still some events I would like write about, I think that I will only do one more post after this one. I will sum up the third part of my Quest in The Good, The Bad...and My Conclusion.

As I wrote at the beginning of this blog, my Quest was three part.
1. To search for people who have chosen to live life differently, who exhibit great faith, or who are ordinary people doing extraordinary things because of their faith. I met many in my time in HN.
2. To give our personal future more clarity and focus. I believe that has happened.
3. To see if our "Christain religious system" is actually working in a country where opportunity to help and make a difference abounds. A place into which we Christians pour millions of dollars each year in the name of missions.

Our Future.

I have had several people ask me, "So, was it worth it?" All five of us reply with a resounding, YES. We spent only a little more in the two months we were in Honduras (language school being the largest part of the budget) than we would have spent, say on a Disney Vacation. The experiences we had, the friendships we made, the help we were able to give, learning a second language...all of it, priceless.

So where does the Wolfe Family go from here? Well, first of all back to work. Without a doubt, we want to return to Honduras. Currently we are making tentative plans to return for perhaps a year this November. It will mean big changes for us. We will need to rent our house, sell some of my equipment, etc. I have no desire to raise support unless it is through a specific project, but choose instead to make my own living or just use our savings. I already have some ideas that I am working on to make that happen.

The next question is the obvious. What will we do there? Continuing to improve on our Spanish has to be near the top of the list. Without being able to speak the language, we miss out on, really, all that life in HN has to offer. But that will come with time. We currently have, or had, two opportunities to help exisiting organizations that we are looking at.

1. In my last blog I wrote about the well drilling. I have been talking with Tim Nelson about taking the rig and making it into a viable ministry. It will bring clean water to communities, help the local church make a difference in peoples physical lives, help provide 2 or 3 part time jobs to some of the local men (something I am passionate about) and bring in some financial aid to SEBCAH. Obviously, one well does not make me an expert. Todd Heumann is already planning on returning in January 2013 to help me drill another well, possibly in the coastal town of Arizona. I have met the pastor and his wife who live there and I believe this would be an ideal spot to put our ideas to the test.

2. Destino del Reino: Before we left we had several good conversations with Rhonda about working with her, managing all of her short term missions teams and getting to know the fathers of the children in the school. As she and I discussed her needs further, it became clear that at least for now, she needs more than I could commit to. We are disappointed because she really has a beautiful work going on there, but completely understand. In my opinion, Destino remains part of our future, but time will tell. There is the very real possibility that I will be driving a donated tractor trailer loaded with farm equipment from SE Colorado to Honduras later on this summer for use on Destino's property.

One thing is for sure, you don't have to look very hard to find something worthwhile to do in Honduras. I was amazed at how many individuals, groups and organizations are constantly at work in HN. Medical teams, church groups, people starting orphanages and schools on there own. I think of my friend David Ashby in La Ceiba. Retired from Dole at 65, he now has a beautiful orphanage 6 years later. Check out his website at Helping Honduras Kids. Or Tommy from IMB who I ran into at SEBCAH many times along with his wife, daughter and son in law. A home church based stm ministry that has grown rapidly over the last few years. By the way, thanks for the offer to accompany you guys to Limpira. I was very sorry I was unable to go. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you love people, care about the poor and are willing to give your hearts, your time and your money, the possibilities are endless. But you have to go. That is what we really want to do.

Well, Well, Well



Pat Texidor

Nothing quite as exciting as seeing a plan come together at the last minute. I really wanted to see the well drilling rig work before we left. Todd Huemann, his son Elliot and Pat Texidor flew down last Friday from Wisconsin specifically to make this happen.



Todd and Elliot Huemann



The place we had planned on drilling at is Camp Calle, a CAM owned camp on Lago Yojoa. The only other well this rig had been used for was the well at SEBCAH. I can tell you this, any place where you can drink the water, brush your teeth with the water and shower without worrying about getting sick is a true blessing, especially for a foreigner. These places are also extremely rare in Central America. It has long been a prayer of Tim Nelson's that Camp Calle would have potable water.

We started drilling Saturday morning having got off to a slow start as I had to clean the carburetor on the engine that runs the HD pump. Almost immediately we hit a very hard rock of some sort. Progress was measured in tenths of an inch per hour. I did have time to take Pat up to Pina Blanca, a small town not far up the road. A worthwhile trip for both of us. Pat has a unique story, born in Cuba he speaks Spanish fluently. He and his parents left there when he was ten, immigrating to the States. This was his first trip to a Spanish speaking country since that time. I think he would be the first to say that it was an emotional time, bringing back memories of his home country. Watching him converse freely in Spanish made me so wish I had learned while young.

Arriving back at camp we found that we had missed very little. Eventually, we broke through the rock only to immediately lose all our bentonite in the hole. Todd, who is a well driller in WI, decide we should pour chips of bentonite down the hole in hopes of sealing up the well. (Bentonite mixed with water is used for two purposes, to give support to the walls of the well as it is drilled, keeping them from collapsing, and to lift up the sand and gravel created by the bit as it drills. This is done by circulating the slurry through the system.)

In the above picture you can see the whole process. Drill rig, HD pump, bentonite pools and sump pump.

Sunday we went to church and then out to lunch. When we returned we drilled a little more making sure we were all picked up before evening as the mosquitoes would come out in swarms right about dusk. Monday was our last day as we were all returning to the States on Tuesday. At 21 ft we once again lost all our bentonite. We dropped a line down the well and measured only about a foot of water. Not nearly enough to make a viable well. Todd said that with the limited capabilities we had we were all done. A dry well. Disappointed would be a mild word to describe our feelings. Tim suggested we stick the 3" sump pump line down the well just to see what would come out. When we finally got the suction started...the 30 gal per minute pump couldn't keep up with what the well was producing. We were jubilant! I asked Todd if it was a miracle and he said, "Well, kind of...for a well this shallow to produce that much water is extremely unusual. Something I've never seen." Of course the water still needs to be tested for potability, but even if it is not pure enough to drink it could be filtered and still provide plenty of water for the neighbors. VERY interested to see how the test come out. Todd and Elliot performed their own on site testing (being the professional well drillers they are), they took a drink. Me, being weak in faith, preferred to wait for the "test" results to come in. So, how about it guys...any diarrhea?  

Beyond the work it was a truly great time. We all worked together as a team, enjoying each others company, jokes, suggestions and mistakes as only guys can do. For me, having all this come together last minute was icing on the cake, just topping off the already sweet experience of two months in Honduras. Thanks guys and thank you Lord!

Photos courtesy of Pat Texidor

The Team: Elliot, Tim, Todd, Laneen, Mike, Pat. Julie Nelson is taking the picture. She was an important part of the team as she kept us all well fed and supplied with water.

Water = Life

Today is World Water Day. Water is needed to sustain life on three different levels. 1. The growth and development of our food, ie. agriculture, livestock and processing. 2. Maintance of our bodies, ie. cooking, cleaning, bathing, etc. 3. Drinking water. The first two take up the majority of the water we use. The third, drinking water, has a direct impact on our health and quality life. Consider the following facts.

Sufficient quality of water is critical to ensure a healthy environment and human health. The basic requirement per person per day is 20 to 40 liters of water free from harmful contaminants and pathogens for the purposes of drinking and sanitation, rising to 50 liters when bathing and kitchen needs are considered. In many countries, however, the amount of water required daily for drinking and sanitation is not provided in the required quality. Developing countries undergoing rapid urbanization suffer from lack of sewage treatment facilities which results in the contamination of drinking water, thus it becomes a major cause of illness (which impacts poverty and education) and death. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 4 billion cases of diarrhea each year in addition to millions of other cases of illness are associated with lack of access to water that is safe for human consumption. Per year 2.2 million people die as a result of diarrhea most of them are children under the age of five. Human health is severely impacted by water-related diseases (waterborne, water-washed, water-based, and water-related vector-borne infections) as well as by chemical pollution discharged to water. (UNWater.org/2010)

Honduras is no exception. Many villages have no clean water source. Often the water that is used for drinking has been contaminated by run off from pastures or even latrines. If there is a clean water source, it is often located some distance from the village requiring children and women to spend time carrying water. I have seen young children 4 and 5 years old carrying gallon jugs of water from as far away as half a mile.

I am writing about this because I have the opportunity to build from the ground up a new ministry in conjunction with Camino Global drilling wells to bring fresh water to villages in Honduras. This past weekend I was able to help drill a well using the portable drilling rig built specifically for this purpose by several men from Wisconsin. We are planning another one later this year and if all goes well, several more in the following months. In my next post I will showcase the rig and our experience with it.

Home Again

Well, we are back in the good ole US of A. Certainly with mixed emotions. Ironically, after spending two months in Honduras without a single "episode" of diarrhea, we all get it on returning to the US. Ironic! Other than that, all is well. Oh, except that we had to take Thomas to the walk in clinic today for a $340 shot to offset the poison of the green mango tree he and Jeremiah Campbell decided to climb the day before we left Honduras. He is feeling much better already.

What an awesome time we had! We are so looking forward to the future. I do have several things to catch up on before I call this blog complete. I need to write about our Last Day at School. About Abundant Water. I want to write about the need for clean water in the villages of Honduras. I want to write about our future and I want to sum up all of my experiences, my thoughts, my disappointments in the Good, the Bad and....My Conclusion.

I want to thank all of you who have traveled with me. What a journey it has been. I wish you could have been with me in person. Oh, how I wish. I have kept so much of my thoughts and experiences to myself. At first I had meant to write it all down...but sometimes it is better to just "treasure it up in your own heart". And then, some things are just better left unsaid. Either way, I hope that in some small way you have been able to share in the Excitement of Adventure. Experienced the Hopelessness of Poverty. The Joy of a Life filled with Faith. Vicariously viewed the Beauty of another Land. Most of all I hope that I have Awakened in YOU the Desire to Experience your own Personal Quest. To Delve into the very Depths of Doubt. To Question the Status Quo. To Seek Answers to your own Personal Questions of Faith, Hope and Charity and to come to the Other Side with a greater Zeal for Life, a better Understanding of the Things that Truly Matter. I can say without a Shadow of Doubt...I HAVE.

The Wall Came Down

Thursday, Barbe and I went to Comayagua to check on the progress of the house we are helping repair. (see: A Project of Love and Hope.) Travis Hester was kind enough to give us a ride there and back in his pick up. Everything is looking good and Jimmy thinks they should have it done by next weekend.

On a humorous note, I like to use the expression "looks good" a lot. I, without checking with Reverso first, translated that phrase as "seems good" not "looks good". Not only does it mean "seems more or less good" but, it comes with the idea of "seems less than more". I used it quite a bit too. Finally, Orlando the albanil (mason), said, "Mike, is it good or not good." I said, "Yes, it seems more or less good." Orlando, "Yes or no Mike. Is it good or not good." Finally I just said, "Yes, it's good." He seemed happy with that, but later I started thinking about it and asked Martin what exactly I had been saying. After he explained it to me I felt terrible, because the men are really doing excellent work. First thing this morning I had Mercedes call Jimmy and explain to him what had happened. I think I can safely say I know just enough Spanish to be dangerous!



Me talking with Jimmy. Orlando is in the background.
No, I'm not getting ready to hit him!



Wilton mixing concrete.



Another good thing that happened with all this is that the we were able to give the next door neighbor all the old adobe blocks so he can build a kitchen. I think this should help a bit with the underlying jealousy in the neighborhood that sometimes accompanies some of these projects. This is something that needs to always be taken into consideration prior to starting a project. In other words...will the project do more harm than good. Missions agencies have come up with all different kinds of ways to help with this. Often they choose to only give through the local church. Although this is a good idea, there is nothing quite like the personal gift that says I love you and I care about you. Thanks again to all of you who have said, "We care".



Jimmy and me standing in front of the old adobe blocks. I think we are watching Wilton mix cement.

The Biopsy Results Are In

Here in Honduras no news is good news. The hospital will only call if there is something negative to report. Barbe went in for her one month check up with the doctor and we are extremely happy to report that the tumor is benign! And we were not charged for the visit. God is VERY good.

Time is Flying By: My Quest Continues

This is our final week here. We will be flying out a week from tomorrow. In some ways it is hard to believe that two months could have gone by so quickly. People have asked me how my Spanish is coming along. I would say that I am able to get by relatively well. With some people I am able to converse freely and with others...I'm not even sure they are speaking Spanish. As I try to express thoughts and feelings it becomes more difficult. Spanish uses the subjunctive a lot, especially in this area. Over all I am happy with my progress, but I have so far to go. Barbe and the boys are doing well. I have noticed just this past week that they are beginning to really "get " it. I think a couple more months would be just what we all need.

The other question that has been asked often, especially by our Honduran friends, is are we coming back. The answer to that, without knowing what tomorrow may bring, is a resounding yes. I have found the peace here that I have been searching for. Yes, I have found also some things that trouble me deeply. This too was part of my Quest. To search for the place where God has been calling us and to see our "religious system" at work in other parts of the world. After we return I will write more in depth about the positive and the negative things that I have found. For now let it suffice to say that I have met many good people here. I do not doubt the sincerity of their hearts, but many questions have been raised by my time here as I observe the "system" at work.

What does the future look like for us? We are working through that. The possibilities here are endless. Currently I have two possibilities which hold great interest for me. A combination of the two may be possible. One would require a much more dramatic change of lifestyle than the other. All of us are completely open to whatever God has for us.

This weekend I will be going with Tim Nelson and two men who are flying down from MN or WI to drill a well at a camp owned by CAM on Lake Yojoa. This portable well drilling rig was built by them and an engineer for use here in HN. So far it has not been used much. I am considering the possibility of taking on the well drilling as an outreach ministry here. There are so many, many villages that have no clean water. This is a huge health risk, especially to children. The idea is to drill a well at a local church and make it available to the community. I will write more in depth on both the clean water issue and the ministry itself at a later date. First and foremost I want to see the machine at work. It has limitations, such as an inability to drill through granite and can only drill to a max. depth of 200'. However, it's size means that we can pull it almost anywhere oxen or a 4wheeler can go. It should be an interesting week...one I am very much looking forward to.

We Pour the Floor

We were able to pour the floor today at our project. What a difference already! Our mixer was unavailable so we hired 4 young Honduran men (besides the 2 masons) to help mix and carry the cement by hand. This is the way they almost always do it here and although it is back breaking work it does provide jobs. Each man earned $10 for the day...about $2.50 more than the usual daily rate for an "ayudante". Me and my boys were there working as was Roy McClain and Jon Olvera. Good work guys and thank you.

Thank you also to all of my generous friends back home who have pitched in to make this project happen. I just wish you could be here to see the difference your giving is making. From the very bottom of my heart, thank you.

A Project of Love and Hope

Several days ago I sent an email to a few people who I thought might be interested in helping financially with a project Barbe and I have started here. I have not blogged about it for several reasons. The first one is out of respect for the woman we are helping. The response from those I emailed was overwhelmingly generous. We are within $200 of the needed amount. Thank you so much to those of you have helped. However, and the reason for this post, is that the project has become more complex and is going to cost a bit more than expected. Let me explain.

We are helping a woman who we know personally and who we know is deserving of our help with several things. 1. Her son has had a severe sinus infection for 4 years and is often in pain. We have sent him to a specialist and he is on antibiotics and several other meds. 2. The other items have to do with some critical repairs to her adobe house like a wall that is cracked and about ready to fall off. Again, out of respect for this lady, I don't want to go into details here other than to say this. On further inspection, we think that the reason the footing has sunk is that it is collapsing into the septic tank. Down here there are no rules and so most septic tanks have no drain field. It is usually a hole in the ground either filled with rocks or old tires. This is the reason that no one flushes TP in Latin America. At any rate, it looks like we will need to put a new septic in another location. Even this is difficult because the smallness of the lot complicates matters. By American standards this entire project is costing very little. Barbe I remain willing to cover the balance personally, but would greatly appreciate additional help with the cost.

Because I do not want to post dollar amounts or additional details here, please email me at mwolfe.ent@gmail.com if you are interested in helping and would like more details on what we are doing, cost, need etc.  I will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have regarding this project and the expense. May God richly bless you for your generousity.

Block by block, blister by blister.

I finally made it back to aldea San Francisco to help Allan and Danny with the small church they are building. I first went there to help lay the footings Feb.1 (see my post Achin' Bacon). They have continued to build as money and time permit. Today I chopped adobe blocks in half with the all purpose tool of Latin America, the machete. The real story is that Mark Fittz, our resident architect, decided after looking at the intended span that we needed support columns at intervals as adobe does not have the stability that concrete block does. Translation: chop through two layers of adobe and dig three feet through concrete footings and hard pan. HARD WORK AND I HAVE THE BLISTERS TO PROVE IT!  However, if we ever have an earthquake we'll be glad we took the extra precaution.



Allan and Marlon discussing where the door should be.

Adobe is also very common here in Latin America. It can be made from backyard material at almost no cost other than one's time. Dirt/clay, water and pine needles are the only ingredients. Fill a form with the mix, dump it out and wait a few days for it to dry and start building. The mortar is the same thing minus the pine needles. When it drys it is actually quite hard. Sometimes a skim coat of stucco is spread over the outside walls to help protect them from the elements.

Almost everything is done by hand here. Labor is relatively inexpensive and no one seems to be in a huge hurry. A laborer makes between $7.50 and $10 USD per day. All of the men I've worked with, are thin, wiry, and very strong. They certainly put me to shame. They love to laugh and joke while they work. Their food of choice is frijoles, tortillas, sweet bread and Coca-Cola. I have had a wonderful time working alongside them.

I was also able to help a man who is in the transportation business, like myself, unload his trailer filled with adobe blocks today. By hand of course.  



Unlike me, this man doesn't seem to worry about the rising cost of fuel.

Below are a couple of pictures of a young boy herding his father's cattle up the road in front of the church. It is amazing how hard these children work, seemingly without complaining. Today I saw two little girls maybe 4 years old, each carrying a gallon of water up the hill to their house without adult supervision. The community well they draw from is at least half a mile away down the road and over hill.

A picture just for you, Cheryl Nelson



Cowboy!



A Short Vacation: La Ceiba, Cayos Cochinos and Tela

It's been a few days since I last wrote, but we had budgeted for one special trip while in Homduras. It was a choice between the Mayan Ruins of Copan or the Caribbean. The beach won out! We also decided to take the trip last week so as to break up our study time and give our minds a chance to relax as well. Saturday we piled into the faithful "busito" with the Fittz family and headed for Villa Helen's 15 minutes outside La Ceiba. As we drove we passed plantations of palm trees which gave way to fields of pineapple. It is borderline jungle, therefore the weather is hot and humid unlike Seguat. Helen's is fairly secluded. It is very quiet and the beaches are beautiful.





Taken on an early morning walk with Barbe





For the most part there was very little traffic of any kind on the beach...for the most part.

We had opportunity to take a 45 minute boat ride to Cayos Cochinos . It is actually a series of keys and is a protected national park. The seas where rough and the boat small, but we arrived intact though completely soaked. As we approached the largest key you couldn't help but think of Treasure Island, The Swiss Family Robinson or Robinson Caruso. It really isn't that far off. The only people who live on the island, other than a man who owns a dive school, are 45 Garifuna families. The history of these people and how they arrived in Honduras is quite interesting.

Our pilot, Darrell, took us to a quiet cove where we donned snorkeling gear and spent some time viewing the amazing fish, conch and coral below the surface. To be honest, I didn't see much as I was finding it very difficult to get used to the idea of breathing under water. Fortunately, Darrell took the boys far out and helped them find good spots to snorkel. He also helped us look for and find a Pink Boa Constrictor that is only found on these islands. They grow to a size of 9 feet. This one wasn't quite that large, measuring in somewhere around 6...inches. Later, we went to another smaller key for a lunch of fried fish, platinos, rice and beans prepared by the Garifuna people.  



A Garufina lunch on Cayos Cochinos




Dug out canoes used by the Garufina for fishing



Pink Boa Constictor found only on Cayos Cochinos
















On Sunday night we were able to attend a service at one of the local Garifuna churches. It's been a long time since I've experienced such powerful singing. It was water for my thirsty soul. Tuesday we traveled to Tela staying at Hotel Ceasar Mariscos, also on the beach, but in town. We stopped and visited with several pastors and their families along the way. In the afternoon, Mark Fittz, took us to a special jungle retreat they had found. The bamboo, the jungle, the birds are amazing. The kids swan in a cool mountain stream while Barbe and I lost ourselves on some of the trails that meander through the bamboo jungle.

Me standing in front of an age old clump of bamboo

Overall is was a great trip. We were glad to get back to our "cabana" and to all our friends here. We were even glad to get back to school. Time is flying by, less than three weeks until we go back to the states. I still have several projects left to finish. The one of a kind sheep pen I've been slowly working on. Allan is laying adobe block at the little church I blogged about. I hope to go and help him tomorrow. I want to return to Destino with Barbe and the boys and we have just taken on a ":project of love" that has already been such a blessing to us. I for one, am not ready to come home yet. I'm just starting to get the hang of this suffering for Jesus thing. LOL!

Destino del Reino: A Work of Faith

Destino del Reino, Destiny in the Kingdom. What a story! What miracles! I first "met" Rhonda Jackson a month or two before leaving for Honduras. Surfing the web, looking for an orphanage in Honduras to visit, I came across Destino's website. As I began to read Rhonda Jackson's story and testimony I knew I had to meet her and see what God has done and continues to do through her. I'm not going to retell her story, but please, please go to her website Destino del Reino and read it for yourself. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

The home and school she has built is about 8 miles out of Seguat and then 2 miles off the main highway on a dirt road. It is a beautiful setting. Very peaceful. Rhonda was sitting on the front porch visiting with the father and step mother of one of the children she calls "hers" when we arrived. Rhonda has, at this time, 18 children living with her. We use the word "orphans" quite often, but in reality most of the children here in Honduras and Central America who are in homes are not orphans. In general, these kids have one or both parents living, but because of poverty, health, alcohol, drugs etc. they abandon their children or leave them to live with a relative who can't feed them either. When Rhonda takes a child in, the parents must agree not to ask for them back. They are allowed to visit from time to time. I met all of her children...and they are wonderful kids. Happy, smiling, willing to talk, romping around the yard with each other and the dog.



Rhonda with some of her children



Future Jr. High Building

 Besides the home, she has a school with 300 students, grades kinder to 6th. She is in the process of constructing a junior high building and is in hopes of having a gym some day. She only takes kids who have no money to pay for school. Her buses run 5 days a week picking up the kids. She feeds them lunch and provides uniforms for them. The school itself, is immaculate, well constructed, and well supplied. There are classes in Spanish and English. This gift of an excellent education to these children is priceless.

Upper level of the school



Kinder classroom



As I walk with Rhonda around the grounds I realize that with out a doubt she falls into my category of ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things because of their faith. It is absolutely extraordinary what she has accomplished in 12-15 years. She would correct me here, "No, it is what God has accomplished through me. I'm just crazy enough to believe God, His promises and His Word." And she does. She points out miracle after miracle, talks freely of those who are coming to Christ and of the future dreams she believes God has given her for the land and the children. If I were to write the Book of Hebrews, the 11th Chapter today using present day examples of men and women who live by faith as evidenced by their actions, Rhonda would most certainly be in that chapter. Rhonda, your faith is a living example to all of us. Thank you.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (ESV

Cows in the Outfield

We celebrated Jon Olvera's birthday on Friday. His wife Trish, Mark and our teachers went to the farmers market and purchased everything we needed to make baleadas, pupusas, frijoles and the different types of flour for the tortillas. Our teachers, and several of the women working here, helped us make everything. It was quite a process, but well worth it! Following that I went to an orphanage outside of Seguat that I have been so excited about visiting since before we got here. I can't wait to tell you about this place!

Saturday was a beautiful day. The sun was warm, the evening cool. I guess that describes just about every day we've had so far. We did sleep in a bit. My brain was fried and I was completely exhausted by Friday evening. Barbe's surgery, sleeping at the hospital and Spanish classes...my operating system just wouldn't process one more verb.

We started the day by joining a number of the folks here at SEBCAH out in the bean field. The seminary has quite a lot of unused farm land and Travis and Julie Hester have been working at turning some of it into bean fields in order to supply the seminary's kitchen with organically grown beans. It was good to see people socializing as we worked our way down the rows together. Thanks to everyone for their help, including the Fogals and their group from California. I love your excitement about being here!

Later that afternoon we took all the kids from SEBCAH and went to the baseball/soccer field near La Escuela Bilingue where Julie teaches. Baseball is not played much here, soccer being the national sport, but Travis has been coaching the boys from SEBCAH and some of the boys from the Bilingual School every week. This was the first game. Everyone had a lot of fun and it was amazing to see some of the kids really begin to "get" it. As you can see from the photo, some of our outfield consisted of cows. One of the boys hit a home run sending the ball right under one of the cows noses. As the outfielder ran to retrieve the ball I could see he was nervous. Being the jokester that I am a couldn't help myself. I yelled, "!Cuidado! es un toro". (Careful, it's a bull!) We all had a good laugh as he pulled up short and carefully inched forward. The teams ended the game with a prayer huddle. Travis is doing such great job with the kids. Keep up the good work Travis! I'm really hoping you'll put together a men's softball league. LOL

SEBCAH vs Escuela Bilingue 2/18/2012

Special thanks to all those who donated uniforms and equipment. It couldn't have happened without you!
Photos courtesy of Julie Hester

Meet the Nelsons

I don’t know Tim and Julie or their life story all that well, but I do know that they are a family that has chosen to live their lives in a different way than the majority of Americans. Tim’s parents were missionaries here in Honduras. He grew up here, speaks Spanish fluently and is very comfortable in the culture.  Not that he “fits” in, after all a 6’5” blonde haired giant is hard to miss in a country where the average male is 5’5” (a rough est.). He and Julie met at Moody Bible Institute and were married several years later.  After graduating Moody they continued their education, Tim in architectural drafting, Julie as an LPN. After working only a few years in their chosen careers, they felt called to fulltime foreign missions. CAM placed them in Costa Rica where they lived until coming to Honduras several years ago. Tim is a gifted administrator and enjoys using a lifestyle approach to discipleship. Julie is “Aunt Julie”. Her's is the house all the kids want to hang out at. They both have the gift of hospitality and enjoy using it. 

While Julie and I were waiting for Barbe to come out of the recovery room following her emergency surgery, I had the opportunity to interview her. One of the first questions I asked her was this, “In your most honest moments have you ever regretted your choice to live life as you have, giving up the careers, the two story house and 3 car garage with all the toys and moving to a foreign country?” Without a moment’s hesitation, she replied, “Not once, not ever”.

I asked her to define what success or a successful life meant to her. She thought for a moment and said that for her it would be this, “A successful life is having done all that God has asked of me.” I think that may be the best answer I have heard.

When I ask about her children, Julie’s face lights up. Both children are living with grandparents in MN and attending college. She misses them, it is obvious. Both are graduates of the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace  program. Both are interested in returning to missions after college. Julie says that both her children have world views that are different than the kids they are attending school with now. Superficiality seems to be the word that comes up most often when they describe what they most dislike about American culture. Does she have any regrets about raising her children in a foreign country? Again, a resounding no!

There is a great paradox that exists (in my opinion) most of the time with American missionaries. From what I have seen in my travels, most American missionaries live quite well, often far better than most of the lower class in America. But, to put things in context and in all fairness, they often live far below the level they could be, if living in the US. In Tim and Julie’s case, if they had continued pursuing careers in the US, I’m sure they would be bringing down $200,000 or better a year. Here it’s probably a quarter of that. The paradox is this: While living poor by US standards, they are living rich by the standards of the country they serve in. Julie recognizes this paradox and has had to come to terms with it herself. I asked her what conclusion she had reached. “We have learned to enjoy whatever God has given us and to be content with that.” Currently they are living in a small duplex on campus, having just moved out of an efficiency apartment. One of the things I really appreciate about them is that even though a larger house was available they chose not to take it. Any comments or opinions on the subject are welcome. It is certainly something I have wrestled with personally as I look at my life and the future.

Always prepared to pick up and move, I wanted to know what they take with them. Most of the time it is easier to sell or give away household items and start from scratch on arrival in the new country. However, there are a few things like pots and pans received as wedding gifts that are both useful and filled with memories that travel with them. A few pictures, games, toys and of course Tim’s books make the list as well. Their philosophy has always been to leave any place they leave better than it was before. Isn’t that the Boy Scouts motto too?

Well, there is much more I could tell you. As Julie said, to every question I asked she responded with a story. I asked her if Tim were here, what would he say to sum up all my questions. She laughed and said that Tim, who loves his life here, would say, “Just suffering for Jesus”.