Author: thejosephfactor

God is amazing. He continues to surprise us. Yesterday, we went to one of the most impoverished sections of the city, a trash dump or “crematoria” where people spend their lives sorting through trash to make a living. The poverty is overwhelming. The group is building houses there, and just when things looked hopeless, God showed up.

We met one of the families for whom the group had built a house and she took us on a tour. She and some other parents have worked to get a school started specifically for the kids who are called “basuras” or trash children and we got to tour the school. I was so blessed and humbled to see how God had gone before us to prepare a place where they can receive a Christian education, right beside one of the most needy areas one can imagine.

There are about 180 kids who all grow up in what is known as trash mountain. They call it that because the people in the neighborhood literally comb through the dump site all day to kind something they can sell to survive. The poverty is generations deep, but the parents and a local school are working to build a way out for their kids.

You see the mission of the school above (Rohl means Good Shepherd) and we met the teachers, face to face, who love God and are trying to educate the youth out of the cycle of poverty. Our plan is to return this week and present the Christian textbooks in Spanish that were provided for our trip.

Finding such a partnership was written on my prayer list for this trip, and God answered it today in ways I didn’t think possible. Thank you for praying for this ongoing work. We will be going back throughout the week with the goal to provide some lasting training for these precious teachers. More on that later!

My particular prayer request today is for Eric Watson, my host and his family. They are running the mission down her and have a lot on their backs. Pray God will carry their burdens and literally carry burden as we build today.

Jesus is a carpenter. Pray we will work alongside him in the heat of the day under the shadow of the most High. Pray Psalm 91 that no evil will come near our dwelling. That the Lord will be our shield from the arrow that flies by day.

Protection, provision for Eric snd Banah Ministry, and health throughout our trip here.

I’m at the Watson’s place now after an hour van ride that even made me cringe. Wow. So Honduras has much poverty. Wanted to send you some pictures of the place housing the ministry and surrounding country.

On the way in today, I was reading the sermon on the mount, Blessed are the poor for theirs is the Kingdom. Gives me great hope that God will move in this country that is one of the poorest in the western hemisphere. Pray they will receive the Kingdom. And for Eric and his family’s- Mimi, Victoria, Elijah, Belle, and Juan who moved down about two months ago after four years of going back and forth to this place. Pray we and the two teams here this week are a blessing to the poor.

Today, I’ll be departing from Raleigh to Houston to Honduras. Haven’t flown overseas in 15 years, so would appreciate prayers for safe travel and mainly that God will have my back at home with the wife and house and 90 lb. Dog.

Isaiah 60 says you shall go out with Joy and be led forth with Peace, the mountains and the hills will break forth before you. Pray the Lord will bless our going out and our coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

I’m sending this post for Day 1 again today because the Lord answered these prayers in some very interesting ways. Yesterday, I missed a flight so spent the day praying and taking time with Amy, the dog, family and Jesus to better prepare spiritually and physically. God was so gracious and all worked out. Will begin Day 1 again today, but fully rested and ready.