Our very own Scorpion

One evening,  Noah spied a scorpion in the bathroom next to our bedrooms....and even managed to take a picture of it before it scampered into the safety of a crack in the wall.  So,  once this was broadcast, there was much concern over this little creature lurking about.  I, in my ignorance
about scorpions, wasn't too worried.  I figured if I saw it, I could squish it ... and if I didn't see it, it wasn't a problem.  One of the staff assured everyone that this kind wasn't poisonous and at worst it would feel like a bee sting.  So,  I went to bed - Terry was already half-asleep, when I heard Shelley and Terence in the next room discussing scorpions.  I said to Terry that some people might not be able to sleep knowing the scorpion was still on the loose and he mumbled that he had already killed it!   It had been crawling beside our bed and he had hit it with his shoe!  So, I went and shared the good news with our neighbors and we all slept happily ever after.   Linette

Street Ministry - Thursday, March 31

On Thursday night, after dark, we went out as a group to do street ministry.  This involved us handing out tortillas and juice to people around downtown Tegucigalpa.  The first stop we went to had a lot of small children.  As soon as we parked the truck, a little girl ran over and jumped in beside Kayla.  We got out, and a bunch of other kids swarmed around us, asking for hugs and wanting us to carry them.  One girl ran right up to me (Katrina), and dragged me to an old playground.  She held my hands, and lifted her feet up to Clinton.  We began swinging them back and forth as other kids pushed her as if she was a swing.  They jumped around us, waiting for their turn.  

All of the kids wanted piggy back rides.  They would speak to us in Spanish, and it didn't matter that we didn't understand.  We then continued on and handed out more tortillas to teens and adults on the street. Some of our team had the chance to pray with some of the people.  It was a blessing to be able to go out and provide a meal for so many people.

Feeding Centre #2 - Thursday, March 31

Thursday morning we went to Feeding Centre #2.  The children were in the middle of a craft and we just sat down beside them and they immediately accepted us.  We shared the story of the lame man with the four friends who lowered him down into the house in front of Jesus.  The children enjoyed colouring the picture of the man and then playing with the craft.  The teacher graciously read the story with enthusiasm, while Kayla and Anika acted it out with puppets.

We then headed outside and played Pato, Pato, Gonzo (Duck, Duck, Goose).  Then we brought out the parachute and bounced the soccer balls.  The children laughed and laughed while we played with the parachute.  The kids really loved this and we could all tell that it was their favourite activity.  We helped serve lunch (pasta), and gave hugs before heading back to our home base.  I was so touched by how comfortable the kids were with us.  It was a blessing to spend time with the children, and we all enjoyed ourselves.  

As we were driving away from the centre, all the people in the community waved at us and said hello.  

Please pray for a replacement teacher as the current teacher is having a baby in June.  Pray for safety and the ability to reach out to more children in the area.

By the way, (Linette writing now) I had a neat opportunity to briefly visit a home across the road from this feeding centre.  This house was recently built by someone working with this mission.  A family with 5 children live here.  This house is probably about 10 x 15…they have no running water or washroom … but they are so grateful because they now have a well built house with windows rather than a shack pieced together with boards and tin.  There is now a small kitchen and two small bedrooms; one bed for 4 children and one bed for the parents and 4 month-old baby.  Anna let me come with her to bring 2 bags of clothing from our group.  The mother, Yolanda, gave me a big hug and thanked me and let us see her baby sleeping in the next room.  I left there amazed at her warmth and happiness even though she had so little. When I go back home I will think of her when I turn the tap to get water.  I am so blessed, but often not as grateful as Yolanda.

Shelley and Linette 

Day Off

Today we took a day off and drove to the Pacific Ocean.  We Had a good afternoon playing in the sun, watching the fishing boats come in and weigh in their catch, and seeing a few manta rays and hammerhead sharks get filleted.  The real highlight of the day though was being able to participate in Cheryl's baptism.  We may have set a new standard for Ness baptisms.


Confession of faith


Dying to self


Rising again, made new in Christ

Girl's Prison - Wednesday, March 30

On Wednesday we went to the girl's prison.  All of the girls there were between 13 and 19 years old.  When we arrived, guards let us in, took all our bags, and patted us down.  We are not allowed to post any photos or disclose any of the girls' names.  We were then allowed to enter the courtyard where most of the girls were hanging around.  It didn't seem like a prison - it was sunny and all of the walls were bright green.  Alvin donated an above ground pool for when the girls behave well.  They showed us around, and brought us to a room with sewing machines, nail polish, and hair styling tools.  The girls took turns painting our nails and doing our hair.  

The girls were all really nice, and two of them spoke English, so it was easy to have conversations with them.  After awhile, the girls were required to go up to their cells.  We were allowed to go up with them, and this is when it started to seem like an actual prison.  On either side of the large room we were in, there were jail cells.  It seemed so weird that they were locked behind bars, when just a minute ago they had been painting our nails, doing our hair, and making bracelets.  Once we were all together, we shared our testimonies with the girls.  We were told that we needed to encourage them and give them aspirations for their life other than just surviving.  We shared our hopes and dreams with them, and how we deal with stressful situations.  We sang songs for them, and they sang one for us.  When we had to leave, they waved to us through the bars.

Anna told us later that the girls do devotionals every day, and have Bible verses painted all over the walls of their cells.  It is good to know that God is so prevalent in their lives even though they are in prison.  A lot of the girls have children, and their only dream is to one day be with their child.  Please pray for the girls, especially those who are in gangs, that they would not end up back on the streets after their release.  Also pray that they would have more hope for the future and that they would stay safe.

Katrina, Kayla, and Anika

Day Three

It is five to eleven and we are just getting home from our evening of feeding homeless people on the downtown streets of Tegus.  It has been a very full day at the feeding centers, and house build as well as our 'evening on the town.'  All you get from me today is the end of the sunset we watched during supper.  What I will say is what a blessing it was tonight to watch our kids handing out food, playing with street kids, and just showing love in spite of not speaking much Spanish.  They have all grown up so much this week.





Terence

Evening Church Service - Tuesday, March 29

After supper on Tuesday, we went to a church service up in the mountains.  It was supposed to be a 45 minute drive, but it ended up taking us close to 2 hours to get there because traffic was so bad.  One car even drove half on the median, and everyone was honking.  They use honking to change lanes, tell someone to stop, and to merge.  There are no speed limits, rare stop signs, and we've only seen one traffic light.  While we were in traffic, random guys would stand in the middle of the road and try to sell us food.

When we got through the traffic, it was an extremely rough drive up the mountain.  On the way, we drove past a cemetery, where families without a lot of money would bury the deceased.  It was dead quiet (no pun intended) and pitch black until we got to the church.  Suddenly, we got to a building with light streaming out of the windows and worship music blasting.  It was a beacon of God's love in a hopeless community.  It was surreal walking in with everyone clapping and singing with their whole heart.  Pastor Victor greeted us, and so did a lot of the congregation.  After worship, Pastor Victor, who was also the interpreter, invited us to the front and we all introduced ourselves.  We sang our Spanish songs for them, and they joined in on the second song, "Come Now is the Time To Worship".  This was really cool, and made the song seem so much more powerful.  

Next, Pastor Jeremy spoke, and Pastor Victor interpreted for him.  His sermon was about Jacob's dream, and the promises God has for us.  Pastor Victor did a good job of expressing the emotion that Pastor Jeremy used, and even acted a few things out with him.  Once Pastor Jeremy was done speaking, Pastor Victor quizzed the congregation on what the sermon had been about.  Afterwards, the whole congregation prayed for us in unison.  This was my favourite part.  It was cool to know that even though they were speaking a different language, they were praying to the same God as we do.  We also prayed for them and encouraged them to spread light to the rest of the community.  We got to meet the family who the guys are building the house for.  We also met a lot of the other people in the congregation, who greeted us with open arms.  We were all very blessed by the congregation and their genuine love for God.  Overall, it was an amazing experience.  

Kayla

Feeding Centre #1 - Tuesday, March 29

On Tuesday we went to the first feeding centre.  The pictures from this are in a separate post.

We started out with singing in Spanish, and during the first song they were a little shy, but started to warm up after the second song, jumping and clapping.  The kids would sit in our laps, smiling and laughing, trying to talk to us.  One boy was so scared of us he cried the whole time, which was really sad.  On the other hand, there was one girl who was full of energy and yelled at us in Spanish a lot.  At the end she did a little salsa dance around the room, making all of us laugh.

Next, we made a Noah's ark craft with the kids using popsicle sticks to make animals.  It was messy but the kids really enjoyed it.  However, it was difficult to communicate with the kids, even when there were interpreters.  Asking them their name was hard, as they would say their whole name, which includes their first name, multiple middle names, and their last name.  We had to say "si" (yes) a lot and just nod our heads when they would start rambling to us in Spanish.

After our craft we went outside to blow bubbles and draw with chalk.  The kids loved the bubbles, and we ended up with bubble solution all over our clothes and the ground.  The kids were so polite when using the chalk, only taking one at a time, and putting them back carefully.  We ended off by serving the kids lunch, and then had to say "adios" (good bye).  They all gave us hugs, and one little boy hugged Katrina for a good 30 seconds and wouldn't let go.

It was a really good experience, and everyone enjoyed getting to know the kids for the short amount of time we were there.  I can't wait to experience more of Honduras as the week continues.

~Anika

God Can Even Plan Medical Equipment!

Today was an amazing day for me.  Initially I was bummed out when the plans changed to have us do the house build and the girl's prison on the same day.  I had promised the prison doctor I would come by to meet her and talk about her practice, but I also wanted to go back to the house and participate there.  In the end I went to the prison.

Opening the giant suitcase of supplies was like Christmas for the doctor and nurse specialist.  Our team had purchased the stethoscope, blood pressure cuff and thermometer that they had requested.  Then we went through all the donations that I had received from the Concordia Hospital and staff.  When we laid everything out the unplanned donations matched up nearly perfectly with the empty sections on their shelves.  I can only say that God is so good at planning His work.  The staff from my hospital had no specific knowledge of what was needed in Honduras, but managed to provide me with many things that were specifically required by the prison medical staff here in Honduras.  To use someone else's words, "You know it's a God thing".

Terence


Dr. Izcano with the supplies


Teaching wound repair using glue

Day Two

Has it really only been two days?  It seems like we have seen so much and done so much already.  Today we again split up in to two groups to do different ministries.  Most of the guys went back to the house build, where they did the concreting of the floor of the house, and finished laying the base of the water reservoir.  The sun was fierce today and keeping cool and hydrated was a key agenda item.  I'm told one member of the team 'accidentally' fell into the water barrel twice trying to keep cool.

Meanwhile, the female members of the team, as well as Jeremy and Terence went to the prison for girls.  I believe the youngest prisoner was 13.  Our team was used as a place for the girls to blow off their creative energy.  Hair and nails were done.  Bracelets were made.  Stories were told.  We sang to them, and they to us.  Jeremy even got adopted by a fatherless girl as a pen pal papa.  We brought donations of medical supplies for the doctor and nurse specialist at the prison, which were joyously received.  We also brought hair and beauty products for the girls at the prison which they will be given by the staff to use over the next months.  Please pray for the kids at the prison.  Please pray also for a new law that is before the government of Honduras.  At present kids under fifteen can be sentenced to up to eight years in jail.  The new reforms would cut the jail time in half and make the remainder a probationary period.

Tonight we also did the first of our debriefings.  It was amazing to hear what has been the highlights and low points for other team members so far.  God has showed Himself in many and powerful ways to our team.  Thank you for your prayers so far, and we ask you to continue to pray for us for continued health and strength, and for wisdom to see God working and moving around us.

Day One

It was a very busy day yesterday, but absolutely amazing.  Breakfast was at 0730h after a short night. We participated at one of the feeding / daycare centres, did some work at the house build, and attended a church service in the evening.  I will post some pictures but will have others fill in the happenings of the day.

Here is Terry with the family we are building the house with, Mario, Cynthia and Gracia. Carlos is in the front right.  He is our construction boss. 

Tola and Noah show the adults how to make mortar.

Waiting on new instructions.

Digging the water reservoir area.  Volcanic rock with thick roots in our way.

Running the electrical conduit and wires.

More mortar.

Sealing in the roof.

Mortaring from the inside.

Setting the foundation for the reservoir.

It can be really good when kids raise the roof.

Mortar!

Smiles all around.

This girl is true leadership material.

Making a joyful noise.

The feeding centre group.

Lunch time.

Bubbles don't need an interpreter.

The teacher, called mommy by the students.

More bubbles.

Jeremy preaching, with Victor interpreting.

Airport Limo

We were the last people to leave the airport last night.  By the time we were photo'ed and finger printed and had the correct bags collected, the security authorities were trying to rush us out.  Only two trucks and a luggage trailer remained for the twenty of us and our 40 plus bags.  The trailer was piled eight feet high, and the truck cabs and beds were bursting at the seams as we began our ride home.

Terence

Honduras Team On The Ground!

We have arrived!  A busy day in four airports and three different planes.  It is now ten to midnight here in Tegus and the kids are tucked in to bed.  All our connections worked perfectly and all our bags arrived with us.  Thank you for all your prayers!

Honduras Team In The Air!

I had mixed emotions as I dropped Jeremy, Anika and Stu Lee off at the airport this morning. I am so excited for this team and I know that God will reveal himself to the group in amazing ways over the next 8 days! Memories will be made, hearts will be encouraged and challenged, and faith will be strengthened as the Ness team serves and spends time together. I am so grateful for this opportunity for our church family. I also have this mother-wife-heart-sickness where I know I will miss my husband and daughter, but I have confidence in our Almighty God who is sovereign in all things and watching over my family members and our collective and loved missions team!
I watched this morning as four individuals, three full family units and one partial family unit checked in their luggage and humanitarian aid bags and greeted each other sleepily but with anticipation. Praise God for these courageous individuals who are giving of their time to serve others during Spring Break! They are now in the air and are scheduled to arrive in Honduras this evening! Please pray alongside me today... that their flights will run smoothly and that luggage and supplies will arrive safely. Pray for spiritual growth, encouragement for the leadership at Manos Extendidas, and for health and safety.
I am excited to see what God will do!

At Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport Monday, 7:00am, March 28, 2016.

Four More Sleeps

After months of preparing and planning it is now so close.  It feels like it can't be real.

This week in our lifegroup study we read James 4:13-16.   

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year.  We will do business there and make a profit."  How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow?  Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.  What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

These verses really hit home in that even in making plans to go out on a mission trip for God and with God's leading it is boasting in our own plans to make pronouncements of what we are going to do while there.  So, for the record, in four sleeps, if it is the will of our God, we will be heading off to Honduras to meet Honduran Christians, work with the Honduran Church, and hopefully minister to the Honduran people.  I suspect that, by the will of God, we will come back changed and with a new understanding of how God works in our world.  I look forward to the adventure.

Bed time.  Four sleeps.  And it's all in God's hands (as if it wasn't all the time).

Terence

Introducing the Team

Our team members:

(back row) Pastor Jeremy Olfert, Terence Bergmann, Terry Giesbrecht, Mark Melsness, Kyle Giesbrecht, Clinton Giesbrecht, Eli Melsness

(middle row) Stu Lee, Linette Giesbrecht, Cheryl Hurley, Shelley Bergmann, Lisa McLean, Donna Melsness, Taralyn Schroeder

(front row) Katrina Bergmann, Anika Olfert, Noah Bergmann, Tola Melsness, Caleb Bergmann, Kayla Giesbrecht

Please pray for the safety of our team as we travel to Honduras on Monday, March 28th.  We will be working alongside Gordon and Anna MacKenzie and their ministry Manos Extendidas in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.  We will be going to two feeding centres to work with 3 - 5 year olds, visiting new moms in the hospital and giving them layettes, visiting both a girls and a boys detention center, building a house, handing out sandwiches to people on the street, and helping out in the Manos Extendidas church service.  Please pray for health and for sensitivity as we come alongside the existing ministry and lend a hand.  Also pray that all our supplies arrive with us safely, and that we will make meaningful relationships with the people in Honduras.