Pray for Honduras on Sunday, June 12, 2016

Lectionary Selection: Luke 7:36 – 8:3

Prayers for Honduras:

Gracious Father Mother God

Violence, corruption, and natural disasters surround us yet people offer lavish hospitality to us and abundant gratitude for what they have been given. Forgive us, God, for turning a blind eye on our brothers and sisters. Forgive us for forsaking Mother Earth. Help us appreciate the stranger among us and offer lavish hospitality. Guide us to give gratitude for what we have. Direct us to lovingly care for what we’ve been given. Thank you for the love and forgiveness offered freely by our Lord.

Amen

Mission Stewardship Moment from Honduras:

It happens every day. People stop us on the streets of Yoro to chat and offer their welcome. We are clearly strangers in this land. The conversation nearly always ends with dios te bendiga, ‘God bless you.’ This occurs with small children, in the form of hugs; teenagers with a word of respect; and frail elderly who hold us with withered hands. I think, what did we do to deserve this welcome? Like the woman who washes Jesus’ feet and dries them with her hair, Hondurans know instinctively how to practice lavish hospitality and gratitude with no expectation of return. Honduras has the distinction of being one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, second only to Haiti. Economists, human service organizations and politicians struggle to find the key to successful economic development. The U.S. Ambassador to Honduras, James Nealon, gives the analogy of a chain which includes health care, education, infrastructure and the security sector. He says every link is broken. There is no single answer. For our small piece of the chain, we work with Global Ministries’ partner, The Evangelical and Reform Church of Honduras, in education to prepare young people for productive work and self-employment. Your gifts bring support to the teachers and administration of CEVER to assist in everything from marketing to machine repair, English to business planning. Yet we are the ones who are learning extravagant gratitude.

(Prayer and Mission Moment by Don and Maryjane Westra)

Mission Partners in Honduras:

More information on Honduras: http://www.globalministries.org/honduras

Global Ministries Missionary in Honduras:
Donald and Maryjane Westra, serve with the Asociacion de Instituciones Evangelicas de Honduras (CEVER/AIEH) in Honduras. Maryjane’s appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Churches Wider Mission, and your special gifts. Don’s appointment is supported by One Great Hour of Sharing, Our Churches Wider Mission, Disciples Mission Fund and your special gifts