It has been a few days since I have had the opportunity to update. I have been online at night to check email, but have not had the energy to write a journal entry. I got a long nap in today and am well rested so now is the time for an update.
God has been very busy since I last wrote. We had a huge block party type thing on all day Saturday in the new neighborhood. We started around 9 in the morning. We set up where anyone in the neighborhood could come for medical help, glasses, or dentistry work. We helped meet the physical needs of hundreds of people. You could tell the Lord was working that morning. We also had 2 clowns come in and play games with the kids in the neighborhood. There were 10 pinatas that we went through throughout the day. The kids loved getting all of the candy from the pinatas. There was also cotton candy and face painting. I mainly jsut walked around took some pictures and just loved on kids. So many people. Most hurting. Both physically and spiritually. Yet there were so many smiles. So many hugs. I will never forget the time we spent at Villa Nueva on Saturday morning.
When we left here, about 12 members of our team went back to the hotel to get cleaned up and head to my favorite place in Honduras, AYESTAS! This is the neighborhood and church that I worked at last year and will be working at all week. Ayestas has there church service on Saturday nights. I can't even begin to explain the feeling I had when I stepped off the bus and had probably dozen kids run at me yelling me name wanting hugs. These kids actually remembered who I was from last year. Tears began to fill my eyes when a little boy named Ariel ran to me literally screaming my name. I turned to see who it was and my heart jumped. This little boy is a part of the Mercy Program at Ayestas. His dad's name is Johnny, who is one of the staff members at Ayestas. Last year, Arial and I bonded the entire week, and I gave him tons if extra toys I had left over at the end of the week. I had been looking forward to the moment I would get to see Arial again. And hold him in my arms. And give him the biggest hug in the world. And tell him that I loved him.
I was given the opportunity to preach at the Saturday night service at Ayestas. I chose to preach from Hebrews 12:1-3. I was a little bit nervous about preaching using a translator and whether some of my material would translate well or not. It went amazing. Edmundo, my translator, and I worked so great together. It was one of the best experiences ever. To be able to preach the Word of God in a completely different culture to people who speak a completely different language. It is so amazing that Scripture is the same in every language. God is the same to all people and loves all people. Not just "white people." I really feel that God used me last night, and I give Him all of the glory for using me as His vessel. The Lord gave me strength that I didn't think I would have. I was very tired by the time Saturday night got here, and I honestly was a little discouraged and didn't want to preach. I got to church and saw Ariel and everything changed. When he ran to me and wanted to be held, I couldn't put him down. I held him in my arms for the 30 minutes of singing and stuff before I preached. I was sweating and tired and didn't think I could stand anymore after holding him before I preached. But the Lord strengthened me as He always does. The moment I left the pulpit, Ariel ran right to me, and I picked him up and held him for the rest of the night.
Today (Sunday) was great as well. I went to Impacto, the main bilingual church that we work with, for the service in the morning. Will McKay preached in both services and a few of the girls from our team sang. It was great. Both services were packed with Hondurans wanting to hear the Word of God preached. We had a "Honduran BBQ" thing for lunch. It is these tacos and quesadilla things that aren't really Mexican but then again they sort of are. It is impossible to explain, but they are amazing. We got to hang out and spend time with the Hondurans during lunch time. But guess what I did?? I ate as fast as I could and then played with Ariel the rest of the morning/afternoon! He is amazing. I love him so much. I wish I could take him home with me. We took this afternoon and tonight off to get rested for a long 3 days ahead of us. We start VBS in the morning at 2 different locations. For me that means more time to spend with Ariel. I am exicted to see the Lord working in everyone's life. He is faithful!
Finally, continue praying for our luggage. Many of us received luggage on Saturday, but we are still missing 5 bags. One of those bags is my mom's clothes, another is Josh Hunter's clothes, and the other 3 are supplies that we need this week. Pray that those bags would arrive soon! Also, be praying for a man named David. He is a bilungual man that I met in the mall on Saturday afternoon. He asked what I was doing in his country so I told him we were on a mission trip. He got disgusted by this and told me that he hated God because God is selfish and doesn't care about everybody. He didn't understand why God allowed killing to happen, especially the death of one of his best friends. I was able to share the Gospel with him and by the end, he understood but didn't know if he agreed. I feel the Lord is working in his life. So be praying for David. I will probably never see or meet him again, but hopefully the Lord will get ahold of his life. Sorry I haven't put any pictures up this week. Go to ww.poihn.org to view pictures that my dad, David Houpt, and others have toaken this week. Well, it is late and we have an early morning so I am going to head to bed. Thanks for all of your prayers. They are definitely being felt here in Honduras. Continue to seek hard after Christ! Until next time...
For His Glory,
Kevin Furniss
God has been very busy since I last wrote. We had a huge block party type thing on all day Saturday in the new neighborhood. We started around 9 in the morning. We set up where anyone in the neighborhood could come for medical help, glasses, or dentistry work. We helped meet the physical needs of hundreds of people. You could tell the Lord was working that morning. We also had 2 clowns come in and play games with the kids in the neighborhood. There were 10 pinatas that we went through throughout the day. The kids loved getting all of the candy from the pinatas. There was also cotton candy and face painting. I mainly jsut walked around took some pictures and just loved on kids. So many people. Most hurting. Both physically and spiritually. Yet there were so many smiles. So many hugs. I will never forget the time we spent at Villa Nueva on Saturday morning.
When we left here, about 12 members of our team went back to the hotel to get cleaned up and head to my favorite place in Honduras, AYESTAS! This is the neighborhood and church that I worked at last year and will be working at all week. Ayestas has there church service on Saturday nights. I can't even begin to explain the feeling I had when I stepped off the bus and had probably dozen kids run at me yelling me name wanting hugs. These kids actually remembered who I was from last year. Tears began to fill my eyes when a little boy named Ariel ran to me literally screaming my name. I turned to see who it was and my heart jumped. This little boy is a part of the Mercy Program at Ayestas. His dad's name is Johnny, who is one of the staff members at Ayestas. Last year, Arial and I bonded the entire week, and I gave him tons if extra toys I had left over at the end of the week. I had been looking forward to the moment I would get to see Arial again. And hold him in my arms. And give him the biggest hug in the world. And tell him that I loved him.
I was given the opportunity to preach at the Saturday night service at Ayestas. I chose to preach from Hebrews 12:1-3. I was a little bit nervous about preaching using a translator and whether some of my material would translate well or not. It went amazing. Edmundo, my translator, and I worked so great together. It was one of the best experiences ever. To be able to preach the Word of God in a completely different culture to people who speak a completely different language. It is so amazing that Scripture is the same in every language. God is the same to all people and loves all people. Not just "white people." I really feel that God used me last night, and I give Him all of the glory for using me as His vessel. The Lord gave me strength that I didn't think I would have. I was very tired by the time Saturday night got here, and I honestly was a little discouraged and didn't want to preach. I got to church and saw Ariel and everything changed. When he ran to me and wanted to be held, I couldn't put him down. I held him in my arms for the 30 minutes of singing and stuff before I preached. I was sweating and tired and didn't think I could stand anymore after holding him before I preached. But the Lord strengthened me as He always does. The moment I left the pulpit, Ariel ran right to me, and I picked him up and held him for the rest of the night.
Today (Sunday) was great as well. I went to Impacto, the main bilingual church that we work with, for the service in the morning. Will McKay preached in both services and a few of the girls from our team sang. It was great. Both services were packed with Hondurans wanting to hear the Word of God preached. We had a "Honduran BBQ" thing for lunch. It is these tacos and quesadilla things that aren't really Mexican but then again they sort of are. It is impossible to explain, but they are amazing. We got to hang out and spend time with the Hondurans during lunch time. But guess what I did?? I ate as fast as I could and then played with Ariel the rest of the morning/afternoon! He is amazing. I love him so much. I wish I could take him home with me. We took this afternoon and tonight off to get rested for a long 3 days ahead of us. We start VBS in the morning at 2 different locations. For me that means more time to spend with Ariel. I am exicted to see the Lord working in everyone's life. He is faithful!
Finally, continue praying for our luggage. Many of us received luggage on Saturday, but we are still missing 5 bags. One of those bags is my mom's clothes, another is Josh Hunter's clothes, and the other 3 are supplies that we need this week. Pray that those bags would arrive soon! Also, be praying for a man named David. He is a bilungual man that I met in the mall on Saturday afternoon. He asked what I was doing in his country so I told him we were on a mission trip. He got disgusted by this and told me that he hated God because God is selfish and doesn't care about everybody. He didn't understand why God allowed killing to happen, especially the death of one of his best friends. I was able to share the Gospel with him and by the end, he understood but didn't know if he agreed. I feel the Lord is working in his life. So be praying for David. I will probably never see or meet him again, but hopefully the Lord will get ahold of his life. Sorry I haven't put any pictures up this week. Go to ww.poihn.org to view pictures that my dad, David Houpt, and others have toaken this week. Well, it is late and we have an early morning so I am going to head to bed. Thanks for all of your prayers. They are definitely being felt here in Honduras. Continue to seek hard after Christ! Until next time...
For His Glory,
Kevin Furniss
posted by Kevin Furniss | 12:27 AM
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