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December
19, 2007
Dear friends,
On Monday December 3, Helping Hands Ministry, Inc. received nine children into
our new “family home” located in La Ermita, Talanga, Honduras. These are
the first of many. There are thousands of orphans and abandoned children
in Honduras that need a Christian home. We pray to receive four to seven
more “special blessings” this week. They will live with us, as family,
until they become eighteen years old. We, as a ministry, are responsible
to clothe, feed, educate, provide a safe loving environment, and offer them
spiritual and moral guidance.
The family home is under the supervision of Juanita Gibson. She and
her staff of loving Christian ladies will strive to create safe and caring
surroundings for them and make sure they are properly nurtured so that they may
grow and develop.
Helping Hands Ministry, Inc. was founded by Bobby Gibson, Sr. as a non-profit
Christian ministry to help evangelize the poor people of Honduras. Working
with native Honduras pastors and other volunteers, our ministry plants churches
in poor communities that do not already have an evangelical church. Then
we disciple the converts. Honduras is the poorest country in Central
America. Now, God has opened another door. He has added an orphanage
to our ministry.
Our compound is located in a very beautiful mountain valley one hour north of
the capital city, Tegucigalpa. Each year, we host medical and dental,
construction, and other North Americans mission groups. Soon we pray to
open our outreach medical clinic located at our compound.
At this time, we need individuals, churches, Sunday
school classes, cell groups and others who
will give generously on a monthly basis to support the children in our family
home. We ask that you consider a Full Sponsorship ($100 per month)
which will cover the expenses of a single child, or a Joint Sponsorship ($50
per month).
“Pure religion and undefiled before
God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless (orphans) and widows in
their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27
Please send all support to:
Helping Hands Ministry, P. 0. Box, 1307, Russellville, Alabama 35653.
(All gifts are tax deductible.)
Photos
October 28, 2007
I asked a brother who flew a light airplane, "what
do you consider a good landing?" His answer was,
"any time you get onto the ground alive." By
that measure, we had a good trip as we drove from
the US, through Mexico, Guatemala and on to
Honduras.
The brakes on our very loaded bus went out in the
mountains of Mexico. I had to drive down several
very steep mountains to get to a garage. We had some
anxious hours. "Anxious" is the French word that
means, "I was backed into a corner, and I had to
trust the Lord." We made it home alive. PTL
What do you do when you get a
lemon? Boating in our front yard.
I read, "tough times don't
last...tough people do."
New kitchen with running water.
Just as we were finishing cleaning from the flood,
we got another one.
It was wetter at our front gate.
You never know...there may be a
fish around here.
Brought a walker and wheel chair
to a cripple boy (this is his mother).
It is a gift from Sarah Davis.
On Tuesday my wife and I,
along with pastor Florenceio, pastor Roberto,
and sister Rosalina drove over 100 miles to a
very remote area of Honduras. It is a place
where they farm corn, beans, and raise cattle.
That area is called "the old wild west" because
it is so much like the western United States 150
years ago. Juanita's uncle Roberto had made
contact with some people there about two years
ago and led some of them to Jesus. He told me
that they had invited me to visit them, because
they want a church there.
When we arrived, at about
10:30 a.m., the family and work hands were
waiting for us (Acts 10).
They asked us to have the
service on their front porch. Christian music
was playing in the house. After singing several
songs, I think all of us preached or gave a
testimony. Then it was time for lunch. They
served us fried chicken. See, there is not
much difference between us.
I asked them about the
community...how many houses? ...do you have a
church? They told me that their community has
about 40 houses, and there are two more
communities nearby. One has 50 houses and
the other has 36. The only church in those three
communities is roman catholic.
During the first service, we were invited to
visit community number three.
After lunch we went there. Again, the family and
others were waiting for us. We sang,
prayed, gave testimonies, and preached. Seven
people made professions of faith in Christ. PTL
The question always is, "when
can you come back?" I pray to visit them each
month, when we have gasoline for the van, until
God raises up a church, and pastor for those
hungry people.
Just a note... recently, we
have had eight more people make public
professions of faith in Christ at the church at
our compound.
August
27, 2007
On
Thursday August 16, 2007 we visited the school at
Ocotal. The teacher there had invited seven
more rural public schools to join them for our
visit.
The teacher wanted us to come and preach the gospel
to the children. Combined, the eight schools
have about 400 very poor students.
We
departed La Ermita at 8:30 a.m. for the drive up in
the van. There were five of us - my wife, a
sister from La Branza, a sister from San Ignacio,
Luke Baker and myself. When we got on the
other side of Talanga, we came to a very muddy slick
hill. The van started spinning and I had to park in
the ditch by the left side of the road.
We walked on to school, through much mud and a
creek. We arrived late, but they all waited
for us.
Preaching the Gospel in the school!
Some of the teachers from the other schools.
They
told us that we are the ministry that they want to
work with now and in the future and that their doors
will always be open to Helping Hands.
Walking back to the van after our trip.
It is
in my heart to focus on children's ministry in rural
Honduras, as well as our other ministries.
August
10, 2007
William Castilleja, Jamie Micka, Stefanie Duncan, Sylvanna Ivy,
Kyllie Tarargo
visited us from The Crossing, Wallowa County ,
Oregon.
They bought uniforms for children at school at
Ocote.
Bobby Jr. working on
medical clinic
Children's program in
La Ermita in new church
Jerry Baugh provided funds for
a motorcycle
for Br. Florenceio to ride to minister in our churches.
Two dentists and a
medical doctor.
The lady in blue is a
medical doctor who is willing to move her practice
from Tegucigalpa to our compound and join our
ministry full time.
We gave some of our
medical supplies to the health clinic in Ermita.
They had no supplies.
July
6, 2007
We
still need support to buy and ship the container.
The container cost is $2,450 and the shipping is
around $2,000. Any gift in any amount will be
greatly appreciated.
William Castilleja, Jamie Micka, Stefanie Duncan, Sylvanna Ivy,
Kyllie Tarargo
visited us from The Crossing, Wallowa County ,
Oregon June 17-26.
They came and did prayer ministry, gave testimonies,
gave toys, bought uniforms for
poor school children and helped put a second coat of paint
on the church and
clinic.
William working on truck
Group painting church and clinic
Christian family from the mountain church.
Both children have a deformed foot.
We took them to the Baptist hospital and got them on
the list for
corrective surgery in August.
Mark McCroskey is a blessed addition to our ministry here.
He is the son of Alfred McCroskey who
is the founder of Bibles For Russia ministry.
Mark knows some
Spanish and is learning more.
I pray he can help with translating soon.
He is helping with general work
mowing grass, painting, helping with groups, etc.
Luke Baker from Faith Church, Florence, Alabama
is spending
two months with us. He wants to learn more
Spanish. He will be in his
second year at UNA this fall as a Spanish major.
Jerry Baugh will be joining the staff of
Helping Hands Ministry in Honduras. He is
a bible teacher, prayer organizer, Christian
leader, and builder. I have known him and
his family for several years. His wife will be
starting a sewing school for the women here.
His daughters will be working with our
children's ministry, orphanage, and teaching
English in our public schools.
Children's Ministry here at our compound in La
Ermita.
We are making some changes in our ministry.
In order to clear up some confusion, in the
future Helping Hands Ministry will supply all of
the vehicle expense and furnish food for our
visitors. All of this will only cost a
suggested donation of $40 per day per person.
(Other ministries are charging $500 - $1,000 for
a week - also excluding airfare).When
you want to plan a trip, contact Bobby Gibson at
bobbyhonduras@yahoo.com. Send your
donations to Helping Hands, PO Box 1307,
Russellville, AL 35653 no later than two weeks
before departure to Honduras. Note:
Honduras has a new law...a visitor must have at
least six months remaining on their passport
before they can enter the country.
May
23, 2007
We hope you enjoy this update...but please take time
to also read about our 2007 Container Project.
We are preparing to send a container of needed goods
and equipment to Honduras. Click here to read
more about it:
Container Project
These are photos of our meeting in Ocoti last
Wednesday night which had about 150 in attendance.
Three young people made professions of faith in
Christ!
It's very difficult to get there requiring a 4wd
truck.
We showed the "Passion of the Christ" DVD.
Riding in a small truck going to church .
Coffee grinder used in the mountains.
The coffee tastes great.
Five
year old girl from Terrero church. She has had
problems from birth. We pray to get help for
her surgery when teams of Drs. visit from the U.S.
who are dedicated to help poor children in Honduras.
We pray to get her on their list, but before she can
be helped, the skin infection on her head must be
cleared up. We are helping with that now.
We took her to the Baptist Hospital. I checked
on her recently and she is better. We took her back
to the doctor on May 18th.
A recent sunset in La Ermita. The sun was
blood red.
It reminds me that the sunset of our lives is
approaching and Jesus is coming.
Working on church floor. Hope to finish
next week.
Br. Santo helping Br. Florenceio lead the praise
at church at Terrero.
New church building at La Branza. Mothers
Day service Saturday night.
The ladies worked hard to decorate the church.
Helping Hands Ministry bought three nice food
baskets
for poor mothers on Mothers Day.
We gave one at La Branza, one at Terrero, and one
at church at La Ermita.
Mother selected to receive a food basket at La
Branza church.
Food basket given at Terrero.
Food basket given at La Ermita.
Some of the people at the church at La Ermita.
We are still working on the new church floor so
we cannot use it yet.
Children from children's ministry at church in
San Ignacio helped with church program. Much labor
of love went into the service.
Poor family at La Ermita. Helping Hands Ministry
is continuing to help this family with food, love,
and care. The man has has high blood sugar. He
was almost dead when we heard about him. Now he is
much improved.
Family from mountains.
May
11, 2007
This house in the mountains is used for church.
The family has arranged a large room for us to use
and we meet there on Friday nights.
We currently have ten church meetings each week in
seven different communities.
Using tractor to spread gravel in new church floor...Installing
tile floor in new church.
Building first staff house.
Bobby Jr. working on clinic. We pray to open it
soon.
A group of students and teacher at school at Ocote.
Teacher (only one) at school at Ocote. Pastor
Eddie Lawrence of Faith Church gave funds to buy
complete set of books for the children at this
school. Only a few schools in Honduras have
such resources for study. We believe education
is a way out of poverty. We also gave them bibles
and the teacher promised to read the bible to the
students each day.
Church meeting in family's yard.
At least six people have made public confessions of
faith in Jesus there.
Br. Florenceio leading the praise.
Families house where we have meeting.
Community school.
Ladies making decorations for church at La Branza
for Mothers Day.
March
31, 2007
From February 24th -
March 1st, Br. Jerry Baugh, who is a contractor in
Indiana, visited us. He is considering moving here
with his family later this year.
Br. Jerry Baugh
A group of 20 from North
Alabama from several churches visited us March 2nd -
9th. They built the church in La Branza. The night
we dedicated the church, over 300 people attended!
At least one person came to our Lord Jesus. On
Monday night (March 5th) we had another service
there and four more people were saved. This group
also gave food to the poor and ministered to the
children. (Thanks to Gene Bendall for photos)
Pastor David Cofield
from Crossroads Baptist Church (Elgin, AL) came
March 12th - 20th to hold a pastors conference.
Pastor David is teaching church pastors and leaders.
This is his second year with us.
Click here for more>
http://www.energizingword.org/Honduras%202007.html
Group of Pastors & Leaders
Q&A session with Pastor David
We have started building staff houses for guests
who spend long periods of time with us.
A group from LEDFree Ministry (York, AL) came and
ministered with us March 23rd - 29th. The group
held 4 medical clinics, worked on staff house and
put a top on a house.
They also ministered to
the children each day. This was their 6th year
at La Ermita!
Group from LEDFree Ministry Working on staff house
We have installed a floor in the new clinic building
and are working on the inside walls.
We have the top on the church here at the compound
and are having services on Sundays. We received a monetary gift to
install the church floor.
This is a
sick man in La Ermita that we have been ministering
too. He was almost dead when we heard about him.
March
17, 2007
This has
been a busy year, PTL!
I visited
Alabama last December and drove a small truck with
cargo back to Honduras. A good friend, Professor
Robert Adler from UNA rode back with me. We arrived
in Honduras on December 27th, 2006.
A
medical/dental group from Crievewood Baptist Church
(Nashville, TN) visited us here in La Ermita on
their annual trip. They were here January 26th
through February 2nd, 2007. They conducted
five clinics at different villages in the area.
Many poor people received ministry and care.
About 1,500 people were seen in five days. As
they ministered, about 30 souls came to came to
Jesus.
Group From Crievewood Baptist Church
Ministry
in Ocoto:
Br Florencio Zuniga is preaching... his wife Juana is asking people to come to Christ
Between
February 6th and 16th Norman and Melody Crumpton
from Dove Outreach Ministries and Melody's brother
Tommy visited us. They brought several medical
supplies. Norman put the roof on our church
here at the compound. He also put a top on a
poor family's house. Norman preached and
ministered several times. Melody and Tommy
ministered to the children.
Michael
Miller and two ladies from a ministry in Indiana
came down from the "ice belt" to minister to poor
children February 14th - 19th. They also gave
the children school supplies.
Woodmont
Baptist Church (Florence, AL) made their first trip
to La Ermita, Honduras February 18th - 25th.
They put a top on a house and build a play set for
our orphanage. They ministered at several
locations and held a medical clinic. They also
brought medical supplies.
Group From Woodmont Baptist Church
18 acres of flat land (west
of compound) we need to add to property.
Man wants $35,000. $15,000 in two weeks and other
spread over 12 months.
Caleb
teaching Keyla how to walk.
To read previous reports, click below:
Journal 2006
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