January 16-20, 2004

In Brother Bobby's own words...

"Please allow me to share about our mission trip to a very remote area of Honduras.  There are about 72,000 souls living there called the Mosquitia people.  They are a mixture of British, Indian and African. They have their own culture and language.  A few of them also speak Spanish.  Our first attempt to reach this area proved to be impractical.  On January 7th, Dr. Jorge, Br. Ray and I drove almost eight hours to the Patuca River Port of Palestina.  We planned to catch the public boat there and travel down river to the first Mosquitia village.  Then we discovered that the public boat only makes one or two trips each month.  We tried to hire a private boat and pilot but that was very expensive.  A three-day trip can cost almost $1,000.  We felt God had a better way for us so we returned to Ermita where I live."

"On January 16th Dr. Jorge and I flew from Tegucigalpa to the Port of Lempira.  We trusted God to open the way for us to travel to the most remote part of the Mosquitia country.  Our only plan was to go to the Port of Lempira and seek God's direction.  Shortly after we landed we met a friend of Dr. Jorge.  His name is Dr. Orlnder.  He invited us to his office, and showed us a map of the Mosquitia area. We asked him, "Where are the most needy places?" He said, "The entire area is very poor, and has many needs." Then we asked him, "Where is one of the most isolated areas?"  He told us about an area about 4½ hours away by boat on the Kruta River that has 17 very poor villages with about 8,000 people.  We decided to go there but we needed a boat and motor.  Dr. Orlnder made arrangements for us to use a boat and all we had to do was pay for the gas, oil and the pilot.  On January 17th, at 11:00 a.m. we left the Port of Lempira.  About two hours later we began seeing small houses on stilts along the river bank.  I saw a very large alligator on one bank - later saw children swimming in the same water.  Then started seeing small villages with six to twelve houses.  At 3:00 p.m. we stopped at a large village.  We talked with a nurse at a First Aid station.  She said she asked Jesus to save her several years ago but was not living for Him.  We asked her to read Psalm 51 and repent.  We returned to the boat and drove about twenty minutes more up river and came to another large village.  News about us had already reached there.  The people ran to the river bank and asked us to preach to them.  They said no one in the entire village was a Christian.  Later I learned that I am the first person from the United States to ever visit that entire area."

"We went ashore to a big welcome.  Soon they unloaded our boat.  A man there invited us to spend the night with him and his family.  We visited the community and agreed to preach at 6:00 p.m. that night.  Just as the service was about to start, a Mosquitia pastor from another village joined us.  That was good because neither Dr. Jorge or I spoke the language.  I preached in English, Dr. Jorge interpreted into Spanish, and the pastor translated into Mosquitia.  When we gave an invitation, about thirty people responded to be saved."

"After the meeting, Dr. Jorge and I ate some cup-a-soup, our host put up both our hammocks in a very small room.  I slept very little.  An old woman was sleeping in the same room with us.  She appeared to be unaware that we were there.  I did not know if she was senile or dangerous.  Before I could fall asleep she left her hammock and sat in a corner a few feet from my head.  I reasoned, at least she is not armed.  The next morning I saw a very wicked knife on the wall where she had been sitting.  Also during the night an army of mosquitoes buzzed around the room.  Malaria is common in that river village.  (That is a good place to trust the Lord for protection.)"

"Next morning I made coffee on a wood fire, ate a piece of bread and some fruit.  I spent quiet time reading the Bible and praying on the river bank.  Women were washing clothes and villagers were taking bathes in the river.  Dr. Jorge gave vitamins to children, cleaned cuts, treated infected bug bites, etc.  Then he presented the Gospel to the crowd and about fifteen people responded."

"During the afternoon we visited other villages.  We wanted to go more up river but our gasoline was running low.  We had to save enough to get back to the Port of Lempira which is about a 4 1/2 hour trip.  That night we preached in another area in a Baptist church.  Dr. Jorge and I spent the night in an abandoned house.  The next day we visited with the people in the village and then returned to Lempira."

"I call the Mosquitia people and the area..."Africa next door."  The people are very poor and unsaved.  Their situation will only get worse unless someone helps them.  Few mission ministries go there.  I see it as a wonderful opportunity for us to have the blessing of ministering to our Lord Jesus as we minister to these needy people.  Many of them have never heard about the Jesus of the Bible even one time.  Someone has said about a group of people, "They never miss and opportunity to miss an opportunity."  I pray that cannot be said about Helping Hands Ministry."

"The trip was a wonderful experience for Dr. Jorge and me.  There were some challenges, but nothing that our God could not meet and surpass."

April 2-9, 2004

Br. Bobby and Dr. Jorge made their second trip into Mosquitia country. During this trip they preached to people who had never heard the gospel even one time. The people had no medical care, tools, their water was contaminated, were malnourished and hopeless.  Dr. Jorge held a medical clinic and gave them vitamins and cleaned cuts and treated insect bites and passed out de-worming medicine.  They held five evangelistic meetings. During the trip they had 52 make a profession of faith.
 

August  2005

Br. Bobby is currently planning another trip into the Mosquitia country to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in August.