IRIONA
June 15, 2007
Honduras effort update: IRIONA FEEDING PROGRAM
The most recent outreach has been to establish a feeding program for the children in IRIONA.
This small village of around 200 people is located about four hours east of La Ceiba by road. Half the travel is over bad to worst roads. The last leg is open beach requiring four wheel drive to negotiate and is about 15 miles beyond the grid. What is this group doing here? I have no idea.
The seventy students have been going to school hungry every day until now.
The local pastor, supported and taught by The Universal Pentecostals Mission, expressed a desire to feed the hungry school children in his village. He proceeded to discuss the effort with the local parents and received an positive response. In February of 2007, the Living Waters executive board made the decision to fund his vision for one year.
So often projects like these fail simply because incoming 'gringos' forge ahead without geting the local people on board. Our experience has revealed when the natives capture the vision and have a sense of ownership over a project, their efforts multiply to make it work. The vision and leadership of this local pastor to involve the entire community will be the foundation of this project's success. Our major concern has been to incorporate the entire village and not apply any doctrinal pressure.
The present plan is to accompany a Bay Side Community Church team to Iriona and review the program and place a roof over the Pavilion. This project only requires some degree of funding with the government and local community supplying labor and some food supplies. The pavilion Bay Side Community Church is constructing will provide a covering for the weather during the feeding program and a space for church functions on other occasions. (See June 2007 Newsletter)
Postscript: [Hurricane Felix revision]
Since the project has started, we find God is already using it for His Glory. Three days before the category five hurricane Felix storm hit the Mosquito Coast in Nicaragua; the pastor in Clara sent the school children ten miles by beach to pastor Raul in Iriona to be under his protection during the crisis. According to a phone report, Raul was able to feed and house the kids for five days.
October 2007 Update
February 2008 Update
Pastor Raul sends a letter to all who pray & support the Iriona Outreach (See the letter)