God is at work in
For the last several years the Honduras Agape Foundation (formerly named South Carolina Project Agape Foundation) has provided an opportunity for contributors to participate in a mission effort in the Quimistan Valley of Honduras. The initiative began following devastation in that country caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1989. Initial efforts helped to restore and build homes for families made homeless, as well as building such things as school class rooms and medical facilities. The funds provided by mission supporters, and the mission trips by those who have been able and willing to go, have helped people in the region to regain a sense of hope for a better future.
The January trip served as a milestone for the effort. In November the first four Agape Promises students graduated from high school. The financial sponsors for each of the four were in the mission team, and at a recognition ceremony they presented a bilingual Bible to each new graduate. This was a significant milestone for the culture in which many families can’t afford the cost of schooling beyond elementary school, and many see no reason for girls to go beyond elementary school. Two of our graduates were boys, and two were girls.
Another gratifying development was to see how the children in the AP and Compassion programs are being led spiritually by leaders in the church and school we’re affiliated with in Quimistan. A few years ago the mission teams from the
In an effort to be more overt in our evangelistic outreach, the Foundation proposed that the
The January team once again performed eye testing and eyeglass fitting to more than 250 people from Quimistan and surrounding communities. Many of the adults needed reading glasses, and sunglasses were popular especially with the children who didn’t need corrective lenses. Even in January, the Honduras sun is bright! If you’ve wondered what the Lions Clubs do with those eyeglasses you may have discarded into the collection box, you can rest assured that those are donated to such worthy efforts as this.
As a new effort to encourage hope for a better future, the Foundation has now offered a 50/50 financial matching opportunity for funding higher education in the