Togopala is a community lacking in productive farming land. As a result, people in this remote village often struggle to get by.
Despite the hardships in this poor, Honduran community, transformation is taking root thanks to the actions of local Christians and community leaders.
World Renew's partner, Harvest, with support from the deacons at Calvary CRC in Flamborough, Ontario, has been working in Togopala for about a year.
Harvest’s main purpose is to follow Jesus’ example in Luke 2:52 and to help poor communities grow socially, spiritually, physically and in wisdom. With this purpose in mind, Harvest has been training leaders and pastors all over Honduras about wholistic ministry. Together with support from World Renew, Harvest has helped communities start credit unions, improve child health, learn about family nutrition, and improve their farming.
Harvest’s programs in Togopala began with training 16 members of a small church. From there, these church leaders became enthusiastic about leading their whole community in a process of renewal and change. They just didn’t know where to start. The pastor and the leaders prayed that God would open their eyes to the needs in their midst and provide them with guidance on how to involve other community members in this exciting work. God led them to a widow in their community whose house was in very poor condition. Recognizing this woman as the most needy and vulnerable in their community, members of the church then set out to work on repairing her house.
This repair project was a powerful example of God's people coming together to extend inclusive generosity to a neighbor in need.
“This project had a lot of impact on relationships in the community,” said Ramiro Carbajal, Harvest staff. “People are talking about how a church stepped up to support this widow even though she was not Christian. She is very grateful for the help.”
This small has project also helped repair relationships within families. While working together on the widow’s house, two families who were fighting were inspired to reconcile and forgive each other.
Today, the widow's house has been fully repaired—but the transformation and flourishing of this community is just beginning! The church members who supported the project now feel highly motivated to continue to support projects that help families strengthen their livelihoods and change the community for the better.
Please continue to pray that World Renew’s work in Honduras will continue to engage leaders in wholistic ministry that equips them to “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17).
