Newsletter - July, 2009
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July, 2009 Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." Matt. 25:40 Published by the Society of the Good Shepherd, P. O. Box 122, Amberson, PA 17210. (717) 349-7033 |
Carlos Velásquez has pastored a church in Honduras for almost 10 years. His income from the church has not been enough to support a family of four, so a number of years ago, he and his wife Lourdes decided to start a business selling plastic household goods.
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Starting the business was not easy for them, and they initially encountered many difficulties. One of these difficul¬ties was the fact that either Carlos or his wife had to travel by bus to nearby communities to sell their products. This meant they had to walk long distances from the bus stop to the local markets with bags of their goods to sell. It was very risky, uncomfortable, and tiring to travel this way, carrying all their products with them. But God has been faithful, and a few years ago He provided them with a car to travel to the communities where they sell their products.
Carlos and Lourdes have also experienced other challenges. At one point, they were cheated by an organization that promised to help them with their business. Instead, the organization took their money, which they never recovered. Also, with his ministerial responsibilities, Brother Carlos has only limited time to devote to the business.
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Recently, the Society of the Good Shepherd learned about Carlos and Lourdes Velásquez and their struggling business. We were able to make an interest-free loan to Carlos so that he could expand his inventory of items to sell. He now goes out one or two days a week to sell his products in the marketplaces of nearby towns. The rest of the time, Carlos and Lourdes sell their goods out of their home. Word of mouth has spread about their home busi¬ness, and the business is growing. Carlos and Lourdes also hope to sell their products to some of the local schools and other institutions that use the type of plastic goods that they sell.
Brother Carlos expresses his gratitude to God for His blessings, and to the Society for the help his family has received. He and and his wife Lourdes have also asked me to share some prayer requests. One of their prayer requests is for the health of sister Lourdes who has had serious problems with her vocal cords. She completely lost her voice for over a month and is now just getting it back. Her recovery has been much slower than the doctors expected.
Another prayer request concerns a program for underprivileged children that their church maintains. The program provides support in all areas of life for the children until they turn 18. And, God willing, soon they will open up shops so the young people can also learn an occupation. This program is spon¬sored by an international organization, who at the same time looks for people who are willing to spon¬sor a child. The church also gives a small amount of money according to its ability. Presently, about 200 children attend the program.
Please pray for the brothers and sisters that help in this project and also for God’s provision in spite of the world wide economic crisis that has adversely affected the sponsors of these children.
Another prayer request they have is for the remodeling of their church building. The church was built near a creek that sometimes floods the church during the rainy season. They need to change the wooden floors to cement and to built a second floor that will provide the space they need for class¬rooms.
Their final prayer request is for a ministry they will soon be starting to help elderly women. They need God’s guidance to make this project a success and bless these sisters. NANCY BARAHONA
Click on the following link if you would care to make a donation to the work in Honduras: Donations
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