We LOVE this time of year! It is a beautiful season for giving, sharing with those in our neighborhoods that are less fortunate. We are commanded to love. We do that in unique ways right now during the 2020 pandemic. And YOU help make happen what we are about to share!
As is true all over the world, this year has brought many changes. For the Bay Islands and the mainland of Honduras, this year has brought significant difficulties. With spreading illness and extreme lockdowns from March through October, to back-to-back hurricanes in November, Hondurans have suffered great loss. BUT… God has not forgotten His people!! Testimonies abound in the midst of pain.
We have been given the opportunity in this season to inspire and encourage face-to-face as we meet the all too evident practical needs of those around us. As prayer warriors, we stand with others and fight through spiritual warfare and see souls saved and lives changed, not only reaching our local community, but even this last month all the way to the US and the State of AZ!!
But first, a story from mainland Honduras:
For those who have visited us in San Pedro Sula, you may remember some of our interpreters and friends. A couple of those were hard hit with flooding due to the hurricanes.
Our dear friend and interpreter, Cynthia, was in her home with her parents. Not expecting that any flooding would affect their area, they soon found themselves rushing to the second story of their home to avoid the quickly rising waters of the swollen rivers that overflowed their borders. The inundation ruined everything they owned, leaving yet another river of mud throughout their home and her father’s hardware store. They waited over 24 hours to be rescued! Before they could even assess all the damage and begin cleanup, word of another devastating hurricane came. By the beginning of December, they were finally able to return to the area where their home stood. They lost nothing of the structure but the weight of the filthy, murky water destruction hit them once again as they waded through thick, sticky, and putrid smelling mud up to their knees during clean up.
Thanks to donations from folks like you, we had the opportunity to assist Cynthia’s family financially, as well as many others in the hardest hit areas, through partnering missionaries. Food, medicines, clean water, mattresses, and more were bought through the financial aid. We have also networked with a few missionary friends to help coordinate assistance for these families with the labor of clean-up, a true labor of love.
Meanwhile…Another Need…
During this same time, Jen received a message from a North American friend here on the Island. She asked for prayer for her dad who was about to be moved to Hospice care. Her greatest concern was that he didn’t know Jesus as his Savior and that she wasn’t sure if and when she could get back to AZ to see him before he passed. Jen prayed with her, then immediately went to work finding someone who could go see this man and minister to him in a timely manner. Jen was able to network with local pastors (friends of friends of ours) that were willing to take time to minister to a stranger. Soon after, we got the message:
“PRAISE GOD!! He accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior! They were able to minister to him and said it went so well and he was really receptive to what they had to say! I am so thankful for you and them and that we serve such an amazing loving God. THANK YOU”
Just after the first hurricane passed by, she and her husband had the opportunity to go to AZ in hopes to see her father, but they needed a dog and house sitter. Jen volunteered to take care of everything for a week so they could go in hopes of being able to see him one last time. Well, one week turned into two when the next hurricane came through, meanwhile, the dad passed away and Jen told them to stay longer and take care of whatever needed to be done. After nearly a month, they returned to the island, so thankful to God that they were able to be there with her dad and the time to settle affairs and have Thanksgiving with their family.
Our calling doesn’t change, but our assignments do. We don’t always think of networking or house and dog sitting as a ministry, especially not as missionaries, but we are here to fulfill the work of the Lord and bring Glory to the Father. God definitely was glorified as a soul was saved and ministry was given to the grieving and broken-hearted. It is God through us.
Calling doesn’t change but our assignments do. We have been and currently are meeting basic needs, and taking the opportunities before us, helping to heal the broken-hearted. God through us.
Continuing ministry to the needy
JTTN’s resources also continue to be used to help within the Island of Roatan, regularly supporting those that lack basic staples, medicines, clothing, Bibles and Bible study materials. We do this through our own ministry as well as partnering with other ministries and NGOs. With the existing abject poverty and high unemployment rates, basic staples have long been a priority need here. People are beginning to tell us that God hears their prayers for help, that He remembers them. We are meeting personally with people day-in and day-out in businesses, outside in communities, on-line, over the phone (in Honduras and in the US). On-ground in Honduras, people are opening up to us more and more as we have contact with them through our giving and personal connections. How can anyone better understand an aspect of the love of God but when they are healthy, satiated, and energetic in the middle of poverty, disease, and lack?! And they help their neighbors by sharing what they receive! We believe God is being honored in unique ways right now.
Here’s the impact you have helped us achieve from mid March to mid December:
- 12+ families helped with Hurricane Relief (food, beds, clothes, clean-up supples, etc)
- 13 families are learning from our ‘Foundations of Faith’ course
- 370 + grocery bags with basic meal supplies distributed
- 25+ Blessing Bags (we carry on our days out) given to those on the street in immediate need
- 10 families blessed with cooking gas for their stoves
- 15–20 children blessed with protective masks (required here)
- 2 pizza parties for children’s ministry and a case of apples; bags of candy for a Church-held Christmas party
- 40 babies and toddlers given formula and cereal
- Provided for some hot meals for the elderly
- 40 nebulizer kits for Covid Center and life saving medications purchased for a 12 year old boy with tetanus and a 90 year old with cancer
- One-on-one ministry done regularly through phone, Facebook and/or WhatsApp with folks both on the island and Honduran mainland as well as in the US (Even coordinated a pastoral visit to a man in hospice in AZ that led to his salvation!!)
- Contributed building supplies to rebuild a home that burned down
- Counting and preparing dosage packs for COVID-19 treatments for a local clinic ministry
Going into the 2021 year, we anticipate continuing to minister similarly until such a time as significant change occurs in local guidelines and bio-security measures are no longer needed.
Pray with us…
Your prayer support is invaluable. Please continue to agree in prayer with us:
- To have our updated residency paperwork be acknowledged and completed in immigration without anymore delays
- To remain healthy in body, soul and spirit (covid is still here and mold spore counts are high on Roatan)
- Wisdom for longevity
- Revival and Harvest of souls – that Fruit that will remain; Continued provision
- New support and more prayer partners, right people that God wants to be involved in this ministry
- Continuous Team Unity
- Knowing when a safe break can be scheduled in 2021 to travel to the US for ministry, personal rest
We are calling forth what needs to be seen, as though it already is here (Rom. 4:17).
Thank You for Your Partnership, Friendship, Love & Faithfulness! God’s Abundant Blessings Multiplied to you and to yours!!
Love and Blessings,
Joy Dodd and Jen Cook
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