Honduras (MNN) — International Aid is influencing faith, health and quality of life…one village at a time.
The work is being done through International Aid’s Befriend a Village program, and God is opening doors for ministry. After International Aid had already been doing work there, IA’s Myles Fish explains what happened. “One opportunity led to another, and it eventually led to the Honduran government offering us a grant to conduct what they call a community-based healthcare program in, then it was 24 villages, now it has expanded to 38 villages, in the Lempira department of the country, which is one of the poorest of the departments in Honduras.”
And it began through the government seeing I-A’s work and how it would meet crucial needs. Fish says, “It’s extremely remote, extremely poor and the government saw us as a vehicle to provide a level of health services that they could not provide themselves. So they extended the invitation to us, and we’ve, kind of, taken what they’ve requested and have built on it, several different layers, so that it’s really become a very effective program, not only to address the health issues in those communities, but for us to have an opportunity to express who we are in Christ and to proclaim the Gospel.”
The programs have been well-received in the various villages, which range in size between 2000 and 5000 people per village. Fish says the success is due to networking, “One of the reasons, I think, they’ve received it well is that we start out by going into a village and finding the local leadership and getting the local leadership to design a plan for their community to increase the healthcare of their residents.”
International Aid also publicly partnered with a network of Christian churches who are also participating in the project. They have also recruited churches and other groups from the United States to partner together, really, in friendship with these as their healthcare development proceeds.
Fish says it’s been a great thing to see, “It’s really be interesting to watch these groups develop ongoing, sustained relationships with people in these villages, and I think it’s had an impact on the people from here in the US that go down to assist every bit as much as it’s had an impact on the villagers themselves.”
As they’ve worked together to bring about positive, holistic change to these villages, Fish says, God is working through His people, “I don’t have a number of personal decisions for Christ but I do that everyone that we’re working with has the opportunity to hear about our faith and to participate in worship services as we’re working in their communities. And they’re very well-attended.”
Click here for more information on how you can be part of International Aid’s Befriend a Village program.
