WOW!

Dear Family and Friends:

Casa de Esperanza
The fruits of ministry have been a blessing to us this year. Being a part of the unfolding of God’s plans is a privilege and an honor. The work in Honduras has been growing and changing on almost a daily basis. Land was purchased in Santa Ana in May. Already, 14 houses have been built for the poor. All complete with electricity and water. A church building was completed in August, a minister hired, and currently there are 70 members with 30 baptisms since it’s opening. The medical clinic is near completion
and the children’s home construction was begun on Nov. 1st and will be completed by Dec. 10th. A 4,800sf building with four large children’s rooms a large kitchen with a dining room capacity of 36 people, there is a large 25’ by 25’ living room with 10 ft ceilings. A laundry room a big 18’ by 14’ storage area with a 14’ roof and an independent apartment for the two American girls that have been called to this ministry. It has a large office, two bedrooms with their own bathrooms, living room and dining room,
kitchen with hot water. WOW! Oh did I mention the big porch on the back with an endless view of the majestic mountains that seem to go on for ever. All the appliances have been donated and the Beds for the first 20 children have been donated by the First Lady of Honduras, who will be there for the inauguration of the project on the 10th of Dec. We hope to have 20 children in the home by January. I know that many ministries have children’s homes
but this one will be different, You’ll see. Mark my words, this will be a home like no other.


Mi Esperanza
Our plans also include the expansion of our Mi Esperanza program (women’s loan program), established to create a way for the countless women to become educated in ways to support themselves and their families. The training centre in Tegucigalpa, “The City Center” will continue with it’s already established programs of sewing, cosmetology, computer training, English classes and our famous Inter-Personal skills class. Our next move is going
to be bigger than you can imagine. We are purchasing another tract of land that is right across the street, that has been newly paved I might add, where we intend to build a 10,000 sf. building to realize the dream of the Mi Esperanza Artisan Center. We already have the artisans lined up to help us train these women how to make some really incredible stuff that we will export to states for sale at high end stores. This is really exciting because it will totally change a town that has been struggling to have a healthy economic base to build on and this program will involve no less than 100 Families from this town. It will change their lives because they will receive the profits realized by their efforts. And we believe that these profits will be significant.


TORCH Missions
Approximately 750 adults and teens came down this summer to work on the various projects through Torch Missions. This program continues to grow and bless the poor of Honduras. I have been so amazed at the amount of lives that are touched spiritually by the teams that come here to serve. To set up clinics in any community and stay there for days until their need is met, seeing some 400 patients a day, giving them free medicines and on at least six occasions through out the summer saving the lives of those patients. Way to go Docs. They build over 150 homes a year, deliver countless bags of food, pray for and visit thousands of hospitalized children; Honduran Children’s Homes are so excited to see these groups. Vacation Bible Schools and evangelism teams that are preaching, teaching and delivering God’s Word to all they encounter, baptizing them into the Kingdom and changing their spiritual lives forever. They plant Churches and build buildings, and schools in communities that have none. They build playgrounds for children. They play tournaments and even put on carnivals in communities that have no idea what cotton candy and popcorn is. These groups have ministered to a vast amount of people. But of course the most amazing thing is how theythemselves are transformed. Many Torchers leave Honduras having found the
Jesus they were looking for. A Savior that they can walk with on a daily basis, a Savior that cares enough to use them for His Glory. They leave Honduras with a renewed sense of purpose and longing to serve the Lord, and this is the greatest gift they encounter. Many of these Torcher’s are changed forever. Several of them have returned to be missionaries and school teachers. Some have gotten married in Honduras and still some have proposed and the girls said “yes” to the question. All in all this adventure into
ministry has changed many lives; it has certainly changed mine and my families. God has continued to bless and lead us where he wants us to go.

Clinic in Santa Ana
Which brings me to the Clinic that is almost ready in Santa Ana that will give continuous free medical care to those in need to seven surrounding communities that total some 15,000 people. Gayle Davidson’s dream of having a clinic that will reach many people as the preacher from the Santa Ana Church of Christ will be evangelizing all that come there for help. Good plan Huh? The clinic will be staffed by Some Honduran Docs that will donate
pro bono consultations. We will also be working with various Doctor groups from the States that will come and help with running the clinic.

Just this last week a group of Docs came to evaluate the possibility of doing free surgeries in the country. We met with the Minister of Health and he approved this program and recommended us to the newest hospital in the country in a town called Danli. The facility was just completed by a Foundation in Spain at a cost of $19,000,000. It is a one hundred and fifty
bed hospital with three, state of the art, operating rooms, and two, state of the art, ICU units. When we met with the Doctors that run the hospital they were so excited to be getting this kind of cooperation and we intend to bring our first surgical team in March if all goes as planned. How exciting is that. Being that there are very few groups that are approved for surgeries from outside nations.


Tattoo Removal
And today, 30 minutes before boarding the plane we signed a special agreement with the First Lady, The Director of Anti-Gang and Rehabilitative and Reintegration services and IRC to purchase, manage and administer a Tattoo Removal Yag-Q Laser. This program is designed to give rehabilitated ex-gang members the ability to return to a normal life. Under the current Honduran Law, if you are caught with any gang related tattoo you are automatically incarcerated for a minimum of four years. This has drastically
reduced the gang population and more and more are looking to get out of gangs and get back to a normal life. This will be a great ministry because all the rehab centers are run by Christian organizations and must go through a two year rehabilitative process before they can be considered for Tattoo removal.


Other Ministries
God continues to open doors of opportunity and we are doing all we can to meet the many needs that are revealed to us. We have always tried to listen to the Spirit when it comes to the ministries we are involved in. These times are no different. We are praying that the current political party will win the elections that are to happen on Nov. 27th. The future of TORCH and our other Honduran ministries are securely in place. Our ability to receive
containers without them being taxed has saved ministries over $45,000 in taxes. Our free warehouse that we are able to have through the ministry of health has been invaluable. We have received over 20 containers a year that are full of help for the poor. God has provided us with huge resources that many of you have been involved in making happen and for that we are eternally grateful. These ministries could never be realized without your
prayers, time and finances. Many of you have sacrificed beyond the call of duty. I am asking you to continue your support of the Hines family so that we may continue to be involved in the works of God whether we are in Honduras or in the States.

Future Plans
As you all are aware, I was called to assist with disaster relief effort in New Orleans. I have been going back and forth from Honduras since September. We have been working with the Tammany Oaks Church of Christ and there is an ongoing need there to continue the outreach. After much prayerful consideration, Gena and I have decided to base our family out of New Orleans
until these needs are met. We don’t like for our family to be apart for such long periods of time and I feel more secure having them watched over here in the states while I go back and forth. Dalton and Dylan will be enrolled in a Christian School in Mandeville and I will be traveling back and forth to
Honduras, being there at least a week a month. The work in Honduras will continue, we are just expanding our missions to include disaster relief and ministering to people in need here in our own country.

In being involved in the Katrina effort, many of us Volunteers realized that there are resources that are lacking in our fellowship concerning the disaster response effort. We intend to create, through the coordination of over 1,800 volunteers, numerous regional response teams that will assist Churches for indefinite period of times in the management of volunteer groups and resources to bring the affected area help while assisting those churches to bear the burden of helping out their community and the people they serve. These response teams would come complete with Counselors, Evangelist, workers, young and old excited to sacrifice some time and energy for those in need. These teams will come totally self sufficient with cooks and mobile kitchens, equipment and trucks and a continued line of resources to help all those affected by the tragedy. We believe that with our logistical and coordination skills that have been developed in Honduras that we are can bring a lot of experience to this endeavor.

It is our desire to be a part of a new ministry that has been revealed to us and many others. This ministry is a response and management team that will coordinate all resources available at any given time. Please pray that God will continue to use us as He wills to bring glory and honor to His name.

None of the work would have been possible without your prayers and financial support. We hope that you will continue to be a part of the work that has been set out for us. Should you have any other questions concerning this new direction of our ministry feel free to write me at Waywalker@msn.com and I will attempt to answer any questions you might have.

Running with you to win the prize,
Tim, Gena, Dalton and Dylan Hines

Additional notes from me:

Tim was in Sarasota this weekend to team up with me to do Jaimi Horn's wedding. We had a great deal of time to talk and to go over the decision and what it means for future Torch Mission teams, especially those going this summer. As mentioned, Tim plans on spending at least one week a month to oversee current works that are being done in Honduras and to research new areas of work for summer projects.

Tim plans on being in Honduras for most of the summer when Torch teams are in full swing in Honduras. He will still help in locating building sites and making sure lumber is ordered. Plans for our trips will continue to go as planned and team leaders will continue to do what they do. This is a time to watch Torch Ministries stretch and grow in ways we have never seen before.

I am excited for Tim and His family as they move back to the states. The sacrifice they have made over the past 4 years is beyond what anyone knows. In time, money, possessions, you name it, the Hines' have given beyond the means that they had to keep the ministry going. They have had to endure problems that would drive us all crazy. They have had personal items stolen from time to time, had things broken by groups that have borrowed them, and have used up materials that have never been replaced. Yet, thrugh it all, they always have a smile on their face and a willing heart to make sure the work continues. You can't help but admire them.

I personally wish the Hines' a smooth transition to Louisiana, from finding a house to shipping their belongs back home. I wish Dalton and Dylan good luck going to a new school, I am sure it will be a big change for them. Good luck to Gena, as she learns to drive like an American again!!!! (those of you that have been with her in Honduras know exactly what I mean!) And especially to my best friend, Tim, I wish him the very best as he continues to work in Honduras and take on the new work in Louisiana. His plate obviously is bigger than mine and it was not considered full! FULL SPEED AHEAD!