Hondurans Helping Hondurans
Microeconomic Projects Help Pastors Start Small Businesses

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In October, Al Dobbins visited Honduras for the first time as a representative of Grace’s Economic Development Committee. This new outreach within the current ministry partnership that Grace has in Honduras is gaining momentum and Al has returned with updates on the project he refers to as, “Helping Hondurans Help Hondurans”.

Q: What exactly is the purpose of the microeconomic project in Honduras?

Al: In addition to their ministries with the girls' orphanage, school, and medical clinic, Pastor Yobani has started over 25 churches in the mountains of Central Honduras. His heart and ours is to care for the pastors of these churches as they struggle to minister to the people of their villages while trying to earn enough money to support their families. The pastors are not paid by their churches and inevitably many have to give up leading their churches in order to feed their families. Grace and some of its members are currently providing short-term financial support to those pastors who have the greatest need. However, our long-term vision is to assist the pastors in becoming self- sufficient by identifying and creating micro-economic projects such as raising hogs, chickens, growing coffee beans, plantain trees, operating small village stores, etc. We are not looking to create a give-away program, but will instead make loans to allow the projects to begin and mature. As the projects become self sustaining, the repayment of the loans will provide new seed money for the future projects of others in need.

Q: How are these plans coming together?

Al: Our greatest blessing so far was God's leading us to meet a Honduran, Luis Vega, who has experience with and is specifically gifted in managing self-help projects such as ours. Without having someone there who can provide project-specific training, guidance, supervision, and accountability, our efforts will not be successful. Luis is a humble, wonderful man of God with an unbelievable servant's heart, and he is committed to being our point man. What a blessing! While in Honduras, we met 23 of the pastors and identified those who had the most urgent needs. Along with Luis, we visited the homes of six to learn more about their circumstances and opportunities. What we found in most every situation was what you and I would consider to be extreme poverty. But I also observed something remarkable. In spite of financial hardship and unmet physical needs, we found families who first and foremost loved the Lord, with a level of happiness and contentment that was extremely humbling. They live simple lives under girded by a love of Christ and a level of faith and trust that would shame most Americans. Much was accomplished. Projects for four of the pastors are now underway, with others to follow as we generate more financial support for this mission. But much is yet to be done.

Q: How can Grace members help?

Al: First and foremost, we would ask for your continuous prayers that these efforts will be used mightily in doing God's work in one of the world's poorest nations. Secondly, please consider joining our committee. While many members of Grace can bring specific gifts to this ministry, it is the Holy Spirit that will empower and guide our efforts. We simply need an authentic heart of caring for others to become His hands and feet. And join a team going to Honduras! I invite you to experience first hand our calling to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. Finally, we ask for prayerful consideration of financial support of this ministry. We are all so very blessed in this country. In light of our affluence and wealth (by the world’s standards), I have a difficult time comprehending how these Honduran men and women of God can make daily personal sacrifices to serve their churches, while in many cases their own families are barely beyond starvation mode. But yet they obediently pursue God’s calling and are living examples of Christ's tenderness and compassion in loving on their fellow Hondurans. It is a very humbling model of Christian action. Please join us in helping them to help themselves.

For more information, contact Missions Director Jim Pearce (891-2006, ext. 128 or jpearce@graceinfo.org