I’m getting ready for a mission trip to Honduras next Jan. If you want to come with me or help, please read the letter I sent to a few friends. Oh and here are some pictures from this years trip.
To my dear friends,
I hope you are doing well.
As you may already know, in January of 2007 I went on a mission trip to Honduras (photos here) with Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International (www.bmdmi.org). Lord willing, in January of 2008 I will return to Honduras on another trip.
I’m writing to ask for your help in this mission in at least 2 of 3 ways.
Well-known pastor and author John Piper often says, “There are 3 types of people regarding missions… Zealous goers , zealous senders and the disobedient . ” I am writing to you because I believe you fall into one of the first two camps and I want you to share with me in the joy of seed planting and, Lord willing, the harvest to come. First some background on last year’s mission trip:
The humanitarian focus of the mission was medical and dental aid to the poor and needy people of Atima, Honduras. Many people walked and carried their children for hours to get to the school we had temporarily set-up as a small clinic. There they received medicine, eye glasses, had teeth pulled and some were chosen for a program called “project life” where they were given full hospital treatment in the capital. All in all we had 1650 medical patients seen, 7739 prescriptions filled, 227 dental patients seen and 545 teeth extracted (ouch), 220 pairs of eyeglasses were distributed. And $12,000 dollars (estimated) worth of clothes, family packs or gifts distributed in the village.
The primary focus of the team however was to bring them the good news of the gospel. I was honored to work in street witnessing and door to door evangelism. Everyone treated medically heard the gospel message of repentance and faith in Christ alone . We know of at least 52 professions of faith and we gave out 840 Bibles and New Testaments and around 3000 tracts. I wish I had time to tell you the great things we saw as our teams went from house to house. Among them we were able to
- encourage a church beaten and discouraged by the sin of a pastor begin steps at restoration,
- have Bible study with young Christians,
- and proclaim the gospel to the lost and see souls saved!
I have never felt the power of the holy spirit as strong, nor seen scripture as clearly as I did during this week of witnessing. I pray you all will get an opportunity at some time in your life to go on a mission trip. Call me, I’ll talk you out of those objections that just popped up in your head. I’m not joking. We need more zealous goers. We only had 3 and 4 of us for door to door evangelism — I could have used 30 more. If you have medical skills, great — the team needs you — but if you don’t, we still need zealous goers.
If you cannot go at this time, I still need you. We need zealous senders. And don’t make any mistake – this part is every bit as important. I cannot go if I don’t have some to send me . The funds I need to raise are $1500.00. In 1 Chronicles and in 2 Samuel we read of King David’s “thirty mighty men.” I too am asking for thirty men (women or families) to stand with me at $50.00 a piece.
Please pray and consider being part of my “mighty thirty.”
If the the Lord is leading you to help please make a check out to:
First United Methodist Church
(put Ron Shank Mission Trip in the memo area) and mail to me:
Ron Shank
450 Main Street
Savannah, TN 38372
One more thought regarding the “mighty thirty”. While King David had his thirty mighty men, he always gave credit and glory to God . If you are uneasy about being called mighty — don’t be — I know and you know, it’s the grace of God that has allowed you to take part in this great battle for the souls of men. And we will all praise God for it!
I mentioned a third way I needed your help. That’s by praying for me . You and I can do nothing apart from prayer. Not only while I am on the trip but today . I have a list of things I and the entire team need you to pray for. If you are interested please let me know and I’ll send you the list. As a minimum please begin to pray for the people of Honduras that we are destined to come in contact with; that their hearts be softened to hear the good news of God’s grace. Pray for safety in travel and that we would have the supplies the team needs to meet the physical needs of those we will see.
A couple technical notes. First, I don’t wish to ever offend anyone. If you don’t want receive emails like this from me in the future please let me know with a simple “take me off your mission list” email. I won’t be offended and I’ll not send you anything else. Lastly, I’ve had some ask if they could send this email on to friends. Of course! Please send it on to anyone you think is a “goer or sender” and please send to any who will commit to pray for the team and His lost lambs in Honduras (Luke 15:4-7).
Thank you for your help in fulfilling the great commission.
For His glory!
Ron Shank
“You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most… It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society; but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance.” ~ John Wesley