Tree of Life Ministries
Finding the Need, Meeting the Need, Changing the Nation!
Tree of Life Ministries Newsletter
March-May 2010
Hope, Purpose, & Direction . . . These three words powerfully express the impact that the Word of God and Tree of Life Ministries has had in the lives of faithful men & women of the Mosquito Coast, desiring to serve their people. Only about the size of the State of Tennessee the small country of Honduras has a variety of cultures, in comparison to its population mass. Tree of Life is only so aware of this dynamic, each time we visit the Mosquito Coast. Separated from the rest of civilization, surrounded by rivers and swampland, these people are left to fend for themselves without much outside assistance from anyone else. Pastor Guy and three staff ministers traveled into the jungle interior, this is the area that the hurricane hit about two years ago. They passed out over 20K lbs of grain and also the needed pills taken to kill the debilitating, intestinal parasites that plague the populace because of their living conditions. Another important aspect of these visits is to learn of other needs that the ministry can help meet on future visits. Continued on
PLEASE HELP:
By sponsoring one or more, of the 300 pastors we are expecting to attend our Annual Pastors Conference in Brus Laguna, Mosquito Coast, on July 26th-29th. $50 per pastor will help cover their food, lodging and travel expenses. You could not ask for more fertile soil in which to sow your seed.
Seniors Experience Life in Action . . . As part of our efforts to prepare and launch our senior class into the future, they are required to participate in one of the “Life in Action” outreaches. On three different occasions, through the last two months, the senior class was divided into groups and visited different villages. One group visited Aquacate, the village that we have been assisting to run water from a natural spring to the different locations in the village. Another visited a location, Negro Norte, which is just over the border in Guatemala. They are in great need of a pastor and have asked us for help. Two of these locations required a 1 ½ to 2-hour hike before reaching their destinations. In all of these communities the students went door-to-door asking to pray for the sick and handed out food and clothing.
And Launch Their Own Business Also each year, our Senior Marketing students launch their own business. From March thru June they spent half of the day putting into practice what they learned in the classroom, the logistics of starting and running a business. This business venture is a necessary part of their graduation requirements for the year. Aa a step out of the norm, this year’s endeavor was a little more venturous than other classes in the past. A normal breakfast in Honduras consists of coffee and some form or another of a pastry, so this year’s business students decided to open their own bakery. It has been a great success and they have more than met their goals. Many different recipes and variations of pastries were used, all of which the staff and students enjoyed. 2
Vitamin Update After weighing and measuring approximately 90 potential students, 70 names have been submitted to the kitchen staff of those who qualified to receive vitamins on a daily basis. We determined who was eligible based on the charts medical officials use to compare and analyze the growth progress of children, 18 years and younger. A high percentage of these 70 students measured below the 5th and zero percentile marks, signifying that their measurement ratio didn’t even hit the normal growth curve of youth at their perspective ages. However, it must be factored in that these charts are based on the growth averages in the United States, Hondurans are obviously smaller, on the average. Regardless, there is no second-guessing those that are clearly malnourished and needing to receive supplements.
Boys Dorms As we are ever growing, building projects are always in process here at
New Sound System Our church services are sounding better than ever, thanks to the new sound system that was provided for us by a gentleman that makes a living contracting out his state of the art, light and sound system for large public events. Needless to say, he knows his stuff. After being here over two years ago he saw the need, went home, and began raising the funds to set us up with a professional, but workable system. He came down personally to install the system and train the group of young men that would be responsible for it. It is greatly appreciated!!
Tree of Life Ministries. This years undertaking is to add on to the boys dormitories, situated below the office building. Currently, 30 of our male students are living in what used to be the carpenter shop. To many of them it is still better than where they live and to others it is an adventure. Boys will be boys, however; our hope is, to be able to finish this $10,000 project before the next school year starts in February of 2011.
Bakery Addition: Come the end of June, the marketing students will be making their final sales in their “business venture” and the ministry has plans to purchase the business from them, as it has been a profitable venture. Plans are already in process and a building started, to make the bakery a permanent fixture on campus. It is located directly behind the “salon”, the girl’s dorms, down at the bottom of the hill, next to the science building. The fragrances of homemade breads, cakes, cookies, and pizza will be filling the air. 3
provide a different and better lifestyle for their families, churches and communities. They have been in need of someone to supply them, fill them. We can see these changes taking place, from visit to visit, and we believe that the presence of Tree of Life Ministries is making a difference, and giving these people hope where there was once very little.” -- To God be the Glory! AMEN!
Some of the most touching needs, found on this trip, were those encountered during the three days spent in the village of Wampusirpi, holding a small pastors conference for 32 area pastors. These pastors were unable to be at last year’s 2009 conference in Brus Laguna and were very hungry for the Word of God. This handful of Pastors have gone four years without outside assistance, encouragement and support, doing their best as they work alone sowing the seeds of the Gospel into their local parishioners. They have felt isolated; some so discouraged that they were considering giving up and attending this small conference was their last hope. The hunger for the things of God put a draw on the ministry staff as they planted the living word into this fresh, fertile soil. In the words of one of the staff ministers, “We knew we were sowing into good ground and that the vision of the ministry was and is a success in this area. They have the hunger to be better and live a different life, to
Missionary Updates: In May the Henry’s attended a Pastor’s Conference in Washington D.C. and as of June Angie will be finishing up 1st grade and 5th grade with Dakota and Jeweliza. They will be in the Jackson, Michigan during the first part of July, for a Missions Conference. As for the Brusherds, Jeanna had the privilege of going to “Piladeros” in May to encourage the women, with a teaching of the importance of the woman’s role in the home and the lives of those around them. It was a big stretch for her, but a great testimony of the Power and Grace of God. Their children are also finishing up their school year. Pastor Guy, Joseph and Jeanna will be going to the Mosquito Coast at the end of July for the Pastors Conference and Medical Clinics. Please keep them and their families lifted up in prayer during this strategic time. Both the Henrys and Brusherds are thankful for the anointing and grace of God, which continually enables them to be able to serve on the mission field in this capacity. 4
Tree of Life Ministries Newsletter
March-May 2010
Hope, Purpose, & Direction . . . These three words powerfully express the impact that the Word of God and Tree of Life Ministries has had in the lives of faithful men & women of the Mosquito Coast, desiring to serve their people. Only about the size of the State of Tennessee the small country of Honduras has a variety of cultures, in comparison to its population mass. Tree of Life is only so aware of this dynamic, each time we visit the Mosquito Coast. Separated from the rest of civilization, surrounded by rivers and swampland, these people are left to fend for themselves without much outside assistance from anyone else. Pastor Guy and three staff ministers traveled into the jungle interior, this is the area that the hurricane hit about two years ago. They passed out over 20K lbs of grain and also the needed pills taken to kill the debilitating, intestinal parasites that plague the populace because of their living conditions. Another important aspect of these visits is to learn of other needs that the ministry can help meet on future visits. Continued on
PLEASE HELP:
By sponsoring one or more, of the 300 pastors we are expecting to attend our Annual Pastors Conference in Brus Laguna, Mosquito Coast, on July 26th-29th. $50 per pastor will help cover their food, lodging and travel expenses. You could not ask for more fertile soil in which to sow your seed.
Seniors Experience Life in Action . . . As part of our efforts to prepare and launch our senior class into the future, they are required to participate in one of the “Life in Action” outreaches. On three different occasions, through the last two months, the senior class was divided into groups and visited different villages. One group visited Aquacate, the village that we have been assisting to run water from a natural spring to the different locations in the village. Another visited a location, Negro Norte, which is just over the border in Guatemala. They are in great need of a pastor and have asked us for help. Two of these locations required a 1 ½ to 2-hour hike before reaching their destinations. In all of these communities the students went door-to-door asking to pray for the sick and handed out food and clothing.
And Launch Their Own Business Also each year, our Senior Marketing students launch their own business. From March thru June they spent half of the day putting into practice what they learned in the classroom, the logistics of starting and running a business. This business venture is a necessary part of their graduation requirements for the year. Aa a step out of the norm, this year’s endeavor was a little more venturous than other classes in the past. A normal breakfast in Honduras consists of coffee and some form or another of a pastry, so this year’s business students decided to open their own bakery. It has been a great success and they have more than met their goals. Many different recipes and variations of pastries were used, all of which the staff and students enjoyed. 2
Vitamin Update After weighing and measuring approximately 90 potential students, 70 names have been submitted to the kitchen staff of those who qualified to receive vitamins on a daily basis. We determined who was eligible based on the charts medical officials use to compare and analyze the growth progress of children, 18 years and younger. A high percentage of these 70 students measured below the 5th and zero percentile marks, signifying that their measurement ratio didn’t even hit the normal growth curve of youth at their perspective ages. However, it must be factored in that these charts are based on the growth averages in the United States, Hondurans are obviously smaller, on the average. Regardless, there is no second-guessing those that are clearly malnourished and needing to receive supplements.
Boys Dorms As we are ever growing, building projects are always in process here at
New Sound System Our church services are sounding better than ever, thanks to the new sound system that was provided for us by a gentleman that makes a living contracting out his state of the art, light and sound system for large public events. Needless to say, he knows his stuff. After being here over two years ago he saw the need, went home, and began raising the funds to set us up with a professional, but workable system. He came down personally to install the system and train the group of young men that would be responsible for it. It is greatly appreciated!!
Tree of Life Ministries. This years undertaking is to add on to the boys dormitories, situated below the office building. Currently, 30 of our male students are living in what used to be the carpenter shop. To many of them it is still better than where they live and to others it is an adventure. Boys will be boys, however; our hope is, to be able to finish this $10,000 project before the next school year starts in February of 2011.
Bakery Addition: Come the end of June, the marketing students will be making their final sales in their “business venture” and the ministry has plans to purchase the business from them, as it has been a profitable venture. Plans are already in process and a building started, to make the bakery a permanent fixture on campus. It is located directly behind the “salon”, the girl’s dorms, down at the bottom of the hill, next to the science building. The fragrances of homemade breads, cakes, cookies, and pizza will be filling the air. 3
provide a different and better lifestyle for their families, churches and communities. They have been in need of someone to supply them, fill them. We can see these changes taking place, from visit to visit, and we believe that the presence of Tree of Life Ministries is making a difference, and giving these people hope where there was once very little.” -- To God be the Glory! AMEN!
Some of the most touching needs, found on this trip, were those encountered during the three days spent in the village of Wampusirpi, holding a small pastors conference for 32 area pastors. These pastors were unable to be at last year’s 2009 conference in Brus Laguna and were very hungry for the Word of God. This handful of Pastors have gone four years without outside assistance, encouragement and support, doing their best as they work alone sowing the seeds of the Gospel into their local parishioners. They have felt isolated; some so discouraged that they were considering giving up and attending this small conference was their last hope. The hunger for the things of God put a draw on the ministry staff as they planted the living word into this fresh, fertile soil. In the words of one of the staff ministers, “We knew we were sowing into good ground and that the vision of the ministry was and is a success in this area. They have the hunger to be better and live a different life, to
Missionary Updates: In May the Henry’s attended a Pastor’s Conference in Washington D.C. and as of June Angie will be finishing up 1st grade and 5th grade with Dakota and Jeweliza. They will be in the Jackson, Michigan during the first part of July, for a Missions Conference. As for the Brusherds, Jeanna had the privilege of going to “Piladeros” in May to encourage the women, with a teaching of the importance of the woman’s role in the home and the lives of those around them. It was a big stretch for her, but a great testimony of the Power and Grace of God. Their children are also finishing up their school year. Pastor Guy, Joseph and Jeanna will be going to the Mosquito Coast at the end of July for the Pastors Conference and Medical Clinics. Please keep them and their families lifted up in prayer during this strategic time. Both the Henrys and Brusherds are thankful for the anointing and grace of God, which continually enables them to be able to serve on the mission field in this capacity. 4
