老司机传媒

What were your goals for this trip when you were planning it?
For thirty-one years, we have been partnering with REACH International by taking groups of student volunteers to provide resources and support. In Honduras, the Friendship Team served at the Hogar de Niños, which is home to about 50 children. The Friendship Team has two main goals: 1) To build friendships with the children and young people, and 2) to invite those we meet into a deeper friendship with God.

What did the students and staff do in Honduras?
The Friendship Team spent many hours worshipping, eating, playing, and interacting with the children at the Hogar de Niños. Additionally, we conducted a Friendship Camp for about 100 children that included children from the community. The camp activity modules included crafts, music, Bible, health/science, and games. Andrews students taught most of these modules, while other Andrews students served as translators or group leaders for the units of children. In addition, we spent a lot of time with the children at the Hogar de Niños and joined them for meals and for the wonderful times of worship. The Sabbaths were truly a special time of fellowship together. Additionally, we had an Olympic day at camp where the children enjoyed participating in numerous athletic events. Scott Schalk, the Friendship Camp director, was an outstanding leader and brought so much organization and energy. It was quite amazing to see how adaptable and capable the Andrews students were. They were a wonderful blessing.

How many people went on this mission trip?
That is an interesting question, because 20 people were going on the trip at the beginning, but as we departed, our numbers were reduced to 15 due to positive COVID test results even before the flight to Honduras. While in Honduras, six of the team members tested positive for COVID. Fortunately, all had been vaccinated so no one had any major symptoms, and no one needed to be sick in bed or hospitalized. Several had their return delayed as they waited for negative COVID tests. Despite all this, I was so impressed by the positive attitudes of the team members. There was no complaining or grumbling and there were quite a few tears as we left our Honduran friends behind.

What were some memorable/special experiences that happened?
One day, we took the children from the Hogar de Niños to a nearby water park. It was a beautiful sunny day with the temperature in the upper 70’s. It was such a great experience to see the children enjoying water slides, the swimming pools, and just being together! Another special experience was the community food distribution where we provided a month's supply of food (and clothing) for 80 families in the community. I remember one woman receiving her food and clothing as she tearfully told us that her children had not eaten in two days. We are so grateful to those who donated funds so we could help these families. Lastly, on the second Sabbath, there was a special baptism for a number of youth and young adults. Due to the lack of a pastor, most of them had been waiting for two years to be baptized. Furthermore, several Andrews students made a major life recommitment to Jesus Christ. It’s an awesome experience to be present when God moves hearts and minds to follow Him.
 
Were there any setbacks/problems that were encountered? If so, how did you overcome the struggle?
In missions, there are always struggles. The devil doesn’t want God’s mission to go forward. One of the major challenges is the language barrier and some students who didn’t know Spanish struggled to figure out how to make a difference. But eventually, they all found significant ways to connect and interact. Another major challenge this time was COVID. For the six of us who tested positive, we endured 6 COVID tests until we finally were negative and COVID-free. An example of God’s answers to our prayers was when Andrews donated two laptop computers for Hogar de Niños. The students carried those computers to Honduras, but little did we know that they would be used by us for the first week of Zoom classes since we couldn’t get back to Andrews. We prayed for God’s blessings and he answered us before we even knew the need!

What is the value that you see in missions?
The greatest value in missions is seeing the transformed lives, the lives of those we serve, and the lives of those who go to serve. Missions are not just an adventure. Serving in missions requires faithfulness, humility, and surrender to God’s will–not our own desire. Research shows that mission service is among the top three formative experiences for college students. We are thankful for our partnership with Pioneer Memorial Church here on our campus. Elizabeth Cisneros was a student missionary from Andrews on the Hogar de Niños and this trip gave her the opportunity to go back to the place where she had served. It was a distinct privilege to spend this wonderful time with the Friendship Team of Andrews students and with our friends in Honduras.