Transformation Tuesdays Blog
by Lisa Steele, FLM Executive Director
The New Year brings a time of reflection with the hope for positive change. As Christians, this thought goes beyond a resolution to eat better, exercise more, start a new hobby, or even read our Bible daily. Those are all excellent aspirations, but often they are easily broken. What does not get broken are the words from the Lord in Revelation 21:5: “Look, I am making everything new…these words are faithful and true.”
While we live between creation and eternity, we wait expectantly for this newness of life where all tears are wiped away. We walk together in this journey. One day, death will be no more: grief, crying, and pain will be no more because the previous things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). While we wait, we live with this end in mind. And we fulfill our purpose on Earth in God’s work.
We will never be able to alleviate all pain, suffering, and poverty in this world. We will not be able to transform and restore every life in Honduras. But we can touch as many lives as possible while we are here and offer them hope for this life and the next.
When we preserve a family, teach a child about God’s lovingkindness, place an abandoned child into a Christian home, offer education, give a child a safe place to live, or help children overcome the trauma in their life, we give them a newness of life based on the love of God.
When discussing the needs of the Catacamas community recently, an FLM staff member in Honduras said she does not like it when we refer to “the vulnerable children and families” we serve because everyone in Honduras is vulnerable. This thought has stuck with me as I think of the year ahead and how God will use Family Life Missions to bless and honor those we serve.
The needs are many. But we are assured that all things will be made new in His time. Until then, we will continue to serve His people and offer them hope, health, and security, with the church (His people) leading the way.
We invite you to join us on this journey.
by Lisa Steele, FLM Executive Director
With slumped and trembling shoulders, the man standing beside me kept repeating, “Tenga misericordia” (Have mercy) as we prayed. His wife, Rosa, stood nearby in their tiny kitchen, silently praying with our Family Life Missions team in Honduras.
The man pleading for mercy was Rosa’s husband, Francisco. Rosa and Francisco Velásquez-Padilla are raising their three grandchildren after their daughter left for the United States. Francisco works odd jobs in the surrounding mountains to provide for his family. They attend a local church that partners with us in our Family Preservation Program. They diligently attend every workshop we provide. Rosa is a recipient of our entrepreneur program and has begun a tortilla business in her home. She makes 300 tortillas daily by 6:30 am to sell to local businesses and families.
But the weight of raising a young family and providing for their needs weighed heavily on Francisco. He did not feel close to God. He felt defeated as he stood, unsmiling, apart from everyone.
Nine months later, I visited the Velásquez-Padilla family and a Mission Team from Fellowship Bible Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. They came to make needed improvements to the home and to serve the family. As we gathered, a man came through the front door and spoke to us. He wore nice pants and a clean plaid shirt and stood tall and sure as he spoke. It was Francisco! He welcomed everyone and then told us how he asked the local government for help but received nothing. He did not know how to help his family--until he saw the love of his church and participated in our Family Preservation Program. He never imagined he would have a group of “North Americans” standing in front of his house, eager and ready to help him! It had to be a gift from God. Francisco began having hope as he saw God’s mercy in their life. He ended his talk by saying, “Glory to God!”
I could not wait to speak to him! I told him what a difference I saw in him. He was a changed man! What happened? He answered me, “Yes, I am a changed man. I have God in my life, and I have hope.” He was smiling, and his face was filled with joy. I saw a heart transformed.
Life is still hard for the Velásquez-Padilla family, but they are part of a community of believers. They receive tools and resources to better their family and strengthen their faith.
Most importantly, they have the hope that only God can provide.
by Kerin Acosta, FLM Psychologist
In celebration of our 30th anniversary, Family Life Missions expresses its sincere gratitude to God for allowing us to serve the children and families of Honduras through the gospel, bringing faith, hope, and the good news of Salvation. We feel privileged with this great commission. In addition, we want to thank the institutions and organizations that have accompanied us throughout this journey and our donors, collaborators, families, and churches that have come together to help children and vulnerable families who today are being restored with God's love.
Gratitude is a positive feeling of esteem and recognition born in the soul; this feeling arises when we receive a service or favor we wish to reciprocate. Everyone can experience it because we have all received something good at some point in our lives.
By Lisa Steele, FLM Executive Director
At Family Life Missions, we have 30/30 vision. No, that is not a typo! The American Optometric Association (AOA) developed 30/30 vision as a benchmark for eye health several years ago. The 30/30 vision standard is based on the premise that all people should have perfect vision in both eyes. The AOA defines perfect vision as 20/20 in each eye with no limits to sharpness or distance. That includes the ability to see details 20 feet in front of them. However, when someone has 30/30 vision, they can see fine details at a distance of 30 feet. It is a condition where someone can see clearly both near and far. It helps improve their overall quality of life.
We have 30/30 vision at FLM after 30 years of serving the Catacamas community. We can look back over the past 30 years and see how we have cared for vulnerable children and families. We can also look ahead to see how we will continue this care. We have changed over those 30 years as God has directed our path. Today, fewer children live in our Residential Home as many have been reintegrated into their biological families. Some children who would have come to live with us are instead in our Foster Care Program and live in a loving, Christian home. Many children do not have to go live with us as they are part of our Family Preservation Program, where we strive to keep families together through workshops, counseling, and education.
Our 30/30 vision continues with a clear path to the future. It also represents our need for 30 donors willing to commit $30 monthly to help us support these children and families in our community. These monthly donations help us support our Foster families, our workshops, and help our students at our Por Los Niños Christian School.
We love looking back at 30 years of care in our community. We also love looking forward with anticipation to what God has planned for us. One thing that has not changed in 30 years and will not change in the future is our reliance on God and following the path He lays before us as we continue to care for the children and families in Catacamas who need our love, support, and care.
And always, we point them to the One who provides it all.
