IA's Manager of Church Relations Kurt Leppart says it was a successful season. "We had seven groups travel down, working in nine rural villages in the mountains of Honduras. Those individuals were representing five churches and six Rotary Clubs in the [West Michigan] area."
Leppart says 103 volunteers did a lot of work. "With those volunteers, we installed 63 water filters, built 111 Lorena stoves, and constructed 10 latrines in those villages."
While helping with physical needs is important, that's not all they're concerned about, says Leppart. "Our task is to be faithful to Matthew 25 in caring for 'the least of these,' in order to accomplish Matthew 28, which is to make disciples. So as part of the trips, my wife and I do an extensive education on the biblical mandates to care for the poor."
What's interesting about their "trip program" is that they may not go to the same place every year. Leppart says if they're helping a family in Honduras, the family has to provide "50 percent of the materials and be prepared for us when we get there. We provide 50 percent, and we actually build it together. The community identifies the needs. The community is working with us, and we're training them to continue the work after we leave."
Not only does this program help change communities overseas, it inspires people to be even more involved locally. "We just found out about a 17-year-old from one congregation who decided to form a service group. Throughout the whole summer, they will average one service project a week with a group of youth from their church to keep the conversation going about serving people in our communities."
