Olancho Summary

Today is travel day as I return to Tegucigalpa by bus in preparation for First Day Ceremonies at Baxter tomorrow. It seems incredible that the bus trip to Tegucigalpa takes more time than the air trip from Tulsa to Tegucigalpa!

The four days in Olancho have been filled with activities–leader and preacher training each morning (except Sunday) along with daily teaching and preaching. The churches are generally small. Yesterday morning we traveled about 20 minutes by car outside of Catacamas where I preached at Colonia Agricola. We met under a newly constructed shelter–four posts and a roof. On the third Sunday in the new location, we had about 80 present–45 adults and 35 children. A new brother in Christ, baptized during the week, was present with his family. The vision is to establish a chain or network of churches so that new churches have the support of established congregations fairly near. In the case of Colonia Agricola, the church will meet one month in the new location, then a month in the location of the “sister” church. In this way, the gospel spreads rapidly in two locations, and the new church quickly gets a foothold in the community.
Yesterday afternoon, I preached at Hormiguero (ant hill). On the way, about a 30 minute trip by car, I noticed a sign that gave us the option of going to “ant hill” or to “snake pit.” What interesting names! At Hormiguero we had about 30 adults and 10 children present. During the return trip we stopped to visit a brother who is ill with heart problems and unable to attend church. Not long after we completed the visit, we received a phone call from his aged mother asking if the church could have its midweek Bible class at her house. She had been cold and unreceptive previously–our prayer is gratitude that doors are opening and for God’s guidance and power as the relationships strengthen and the gospel is shared.

These churches are growing in number and in spirit. There were leaders present from six congregations during the morning teaching sessions and I spoke in five congregations. Soft hearts are ready to hear the gospel, and a great need is to encourage the members to help in that process. It is always a joy to sow the seed and to see the fields ripening unto the harvest.
I am grateful to Dwight and Joanne Tomkins for opening their home. I am grateful to David and Suyapa Chacon for their encouragement and for maintaining the vision for planting and strengthening churches.