A Pastor's Heart: Carlos Reports from Rus Rus, Honduras

Carlos Paz, Missionary Air Group's Director of Pastoral Ministries, is currently down in Honduras as part of a four week outreach. After preaching at churches in the cities of La Ceiba & Puerta Limpera, he arrived at our remote base in Rus Rus and is sending periodic reports from the village. This is his most recent report:

Carlos Paz in Rus Rus

The drought in the region has now stretched to seven weeks. Things are so dry. The land is desperate for rain. Rice, a staple food, cannot be planted. Generally, rice is well planted by this time of the year. But not this year. There is no planting in sight due to such dry and hard ground. Pray that we will receive strong showers soon.

During weekdays I play baseball with the elementary school children in the village. They are getting quite good. We start at ten o'clock exercising, reviewing the rules, practicing some rudimentary plays, and just playing a game until someone is ahead and finish around eleven o'clock. The two teachers like it because it is a controlled learning experience. Besides, the kids love hanging out with me. I love them back.

The hospital compound water tower

Our one horse-power water pump is dying. Consequently, three of four times during the week many people meet at the hospital compound to move water by buckets to the water purification system one hundred feet away. We pump water to the surface of the well, fill 5 gallon buckets, and then carry the buckets one by one until we fill a 250 gallon purification container. Once the water moves through the purification system, we can can fill our buckets with water that's safe for drinking and cooking. We need a new pump--a two-horsepower pump strong enough to push the water up to our water tower which then feeds the purification system by gravity.

Most days after we move water we hold literacy classes on the porch of the home where I stay. We have anywhere from four to six women show up who are persevering and greatly improving in their skills. This takes much practice and repetition. Soon we will have covered the whole alphabet and will do more forming of syllables and reading of whole words.

Sharing in the special music during worship

Yesterday's Sunday service was very well attended. I was one of two pastors in the village and I led both congregations in celebrating the Day of Pentecost, preaching from Acts, Chapter 1 and 2. I shared in special music and dedicated a baby that had been named after me. People listened well and seemed to take serious interest in the event and the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church.

I'm glad to report that despite some difficult situations, God continues to give me strength and to hold me close. The solitude available here in Rus Rus provides a wonderful opportunity to seek and sense His presence. There are moments when I miss my family very much. It can be hard being so many miles apart--separated for several weeks at a time, but the opportunity to share God's love to this village, to be the provider of Christ's compassion to this group of people so in need of help and hope, is one my family and I readily embrace.

Please pray for Carlos as he wraps up his latest trip to Honduras and returns to Stateside responsibilities with us at Missionary Air Group.