Hi readers – thanks for checking out my very first blog post! Mary-Langston and I successfully arrived to Honduras on Wednesday and God is already doing big things! Before I start posting updates on what we are doing, I thought it best to share how I became involved with Project Talitha Cumi.
In the spring of 2011, one of our Anderson University professors, Dr. Gordon Smith approached me about taking part in an exploratory trip to a girls’ foster care ministry in Honduras. The objective was to examine the feasibility of utilizing coffee beans grown on the ministry’s farm land to create a business, raising revenue for the ministry and the girls. It was a huge question to say the least: I had never been on an overseas mission trip and I was only a sophomore at the time. The thought of providing advice on how to start up a business was intimidating to me. However, as working with PTC has allowed me to see many times, God can do things through you that you never would expect to be able to do on your own. So I joined two other students and Dr. Smith in our first ever trip to Project Talitha Cumi in May 2011. We had a fantastic time! We built relationships with the 30+ girls here instantly, and returned home with a long list of things we wanted to do to minister to these girls. And for me personally, I felt a new passion developing within me. No doubt one that God has planned to set in me long before I realized it.
The next school year, the Anderson University Students in Free Enterprise, or SIFE Team (now known as Enactus) decided to get involved in our university’s new partnership with PTC. I was asked to serve as Project Manager for SIFE’s efforts with the ministry. The first thing we did was set the date for our next trip: May 2012. With the other two students who went in 2011 now graduates from AU, I feared we were not going to be able to get students to take a week of their summer to do mission work in Central America. Boy, was I wrong – we had 18 people sign up to join us on our 2012 trip to PTC.
One of the things we identified as a way we could help PTC was to develop a computer lab within its school. The children had little to no computer skills. So for the months prior to our departure, we worked to have local businesses donate computers for us to revamp and ship to Honduras. Again, God showed how faithful He is. When we were hoping to receive five computers, we received 12. We placed Microsoft Office and Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing on 10 of the computers, and had them shipped ahead of us to the ministry. Through this, I learned that one of the most powerful ways God has answer your prayers is by bringing other people into the mix. God provided Doug Davison, an IT staff member at the University, who not only signed up to join us on the trip, but also was instrumental in preparing these computers. I have met many Godly men and women in my life, but I have to say that few could match compassion and integrity with Doug Davison.
Our team of 18 spent our trip teaching the girls business principles and financial literacy. We taught everything from economics to budgeting to practical tips on saving money. It was amazing not only to see the amount that the girls learned from these teachings, but also the friendships that were made during such a short period of time. I always remember especially our times of devotion and prayer together. It amazes me how well-read the girls are in Scripture, and how they strive each day to live their lives according to God’s Word. These girls each come from bad circumstances, and each have empowering stories of hope and overcoming obstacles in life. It is eye-opening for me to see how mature these girls have become in their relationships with Christ. I think our team saw on this trip (as we always do) that although we travel to PTC planning to teach the girls, it is actually US that learns the most from them.
This past year, I had the great honor of serving as the President of our SIFE/Enactus Team. However, I was able to stay involved in our team’s work with PTC. The project was led by a team of great students, all of whom I am so blessed to call friends. We spent this past year not only expanding our financial curriculum (adding marketing, accounting, etc.) but also taking the first steps in several entrepreneurial endeavors. First, we took the first steps to begin this coffee business mentioned above, which we have tentatively named “Cafe Cumi” after the ministry’s name. The idea is that the proceeds raised from these coffee sales will be placed in savings accounts for the girls, for them to use when they begin their journeys in adulthood! (college, starting a business, etc.). Also, these funds will be used to allow the PTC girls to themselves go on mission trips to minister to others. This is a big goal of Mrs. Pam, the Director (and one of my heroes).
We also began efforts to help those in the surrounding community of La Esperanza and Yamaranguila. We met with a group of local basket weavers about teaching them to develop a co-op business where they can work together to sell their baskets! God also laid it on the hearts of the staff and our team to create a website to sell these baskets to those in the States.
The trip this year was a huge success! 11 of us came down during spring break in March. We were able to make new friends and reunite with old ones! As I always get really sad when I have to leave the girls here, I think the trip in March was a little different. I had been worrying all week how I could stay involved at PTC since I was about to graduate from AU. I had several conversations with PTC staff about it, but still had such a worry that my time with these girls was coming to an end.
However, that was clearly not God’s plan for my life. While on the way home in March, I felt an unmistakable call from the Lord to stay involved at PTC even after graduation. Through a lot of prayer and conversations with Mrs. Pam and our Enactus team, I decided to return to PTC this summer as a short-term intern to continue working on these projects that our Enactus team has been working on. My goal was to be a set of hands “on the ground” here to progress these efforts of our team, while ministering to the girls and others in Honduras. And of course, God provided for this trip. He provided wonderful friends and family who have supported me with prayers, financial donations, and school supplies to bring with me. He also provided me with an amazing teammate, who I am so blessed to have been best friends with for several years now. Mary-Langston Willis joined me on this trip. Her heart for missions and serving others is something that I have always and continue to admire and strive to become. She is a one-of-a-kind girl, and I know God is going to use us in mighty ways over the next few weeks.
Ephesians 2:10 states “for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” I am so excited that Jesus has me here these next few weeks to glorify His name and expand His kingdom. Thank you for your support, and I hope this blog shares with you all the exciting things that we are experiencing here in Honduras.
Love you all! – Chase
From Hemlock to Honduras! 