WORLDGOSPEL - Honduras · experience here in Honduras and God has worked in a mighty way through...

Fall 2014

4 WGO 30th Anniversary The Past Ten Years

WORLDGOSPELO U T R E A C H

12 WGO expands to Belize

16 Johana - a letter to the Ministry

18 Summer Service

WHAT are we about?Our vision statement is:

“Impacting the faith of Christ followers through serving and evangelizing children and the poor”

WHy are we pursuing this vision?We are driven to pursue this vision by three fundamental Biblical mandates:• To care for the poor, and especially the widows and orphans (James 1:27)• To be fishers of men and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost (Matthew 4:19)• To be accountable before God for how we meet the needs of others (Matthew 25:31-46)

how are we accomplishing this vision?We are accomplishing this vision by engaging in three areas of ministry:• Serve Teams - Meeting physical and spiritual needs• Rancho Ebenezer Children’s Ministry - Caring for at-risk children• Impact on the North American believer - Life changing opportunities to serve

Contents Fall 2014

12 WGO expands to Belize

10 Fred and Mary Steinbach

About the Ministry

On the coverTim Ryan and his team from Harvest Bible Chapel in Lake Zurich, IL work on a house high in the mountains. This team, and teams from all over the country come to serve the people of Honduras through the ministry of WGO.

4 WGO 30th Anniversary The Past Ten Years

16 Johana - A letter of Thanks from a Graduate

18 Summer Service -Serve Teams and Interns

23 Impact on the Believer

The World Gospel Outreach Magazine is published quarterly. To submit articles

contact: [email protected] the Online Edition of the WGO Magazine at www.wgoreach.org

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

WGO is looking for... Human Resource Director. This position will provide needed HR support and direction for WGO.This position is a fund raising or self funded missionary job.

If you or someone you know would be interested in coming to serve or to learn more about this opportunity, please contact:

[email protected]

Human ResourceDirector

Fall 2014 World gospel Outreach

It is with great joy that I can announce that WGO has officially expanded the ministry into the country of Belize. It is hard to imagine a better way to highlight the celebration of 30 years of

ministry than to see World Gospel Outreach begin its reach into another country. On July 16, 2014, WGO-Belize was born. We completed the purchase of a 13 acre property on the Belize River in the capital city of Belmopan (see full article on Page 12). Belmopan is about 40 miles inland from the coastal city of Belize City. Belize was formally known as British Honduras and became an independent nation on September 21, 1981.

Many people may know of Belize for its beaches and tourism on the country’s east coast. Similar to the north coast of Honduras, e.g., Roatan, Belize does have a narrow band of highly publicized commercial tourism where people come to enjoy the beautiful, clear Caribbean waters. But, as you move only a few hundred yards past the sandy beaches into the interior of Belize you quickly encounter the reality that most of the people of Belize live with…spiritual and material poverty, minimum infrastructure and high unemployment.

It is important to share that WGO has had several opportunities through the years to expand. In most cases, we have been approached by ministries in Honduras and in other Central American countries to take over their on-going operations and merge them into the WGO overall ministry work. Although encouraged that other ministries would ask us to receive their ministry operations as a head-start, we have decided each time that it was just not God’s timing. However, now we do feel the Lord leading us to initiate a WGO ministry operation in Belize and He has prepared the way in advance.

There are several reasons that we feel like Belize is where our first expansion outside of Honduras should be. These are: (1) Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America. This fact alone creates a wonderful opportunity for our Serve Team members from the U.S. to be able to directly relate to the Belizean people without the need of a translator. This will

greatly enhance the impact the team members have on those they are ministering to. (2) Belize is a small, politically stable country in which we believe we can have an impact early on. There is a sense among ministries in Belize that the country is at a spiritual crossroads and that it is a strategic time for a ministry presence like WGO. (3) It complements what we do in Honduras perhaps allowing for some concepts like the Opportunity Center skills training concept to be

piloted in an English-speaking context first, i.e., Belize, before initiating it in a Spanish culture. (4) The Lord has blessed us with such wonderful growth in teams in Honduras that we are rapidly approaching a capacity challenge for the peak times of the year. It was time to build more ministry capacity and it made sense to use this as an opportunity to build capacity in another country. (5) Most importantly, we feel the Lord leading us there. Over the last year, we have done five exploratory trips to Belize to assess the ministry opportunities and meet with existing ministries there. The Lord has provided some key relationships early on there with

significant business professionals and ministry leaders. Even more importantly He has made the provision of a special missionary couple, Jim and Deb Tucker, who have been in Belize for six years and are ready and willing to guide us in our ministry there.

Please join us in this special moment as we celebrate crossing bridges into new areas of ministry and gratefully receive the Lord’s provision for His expanded work into Belize.

Mike FergusonWGO President & CEO

From the President

WGO expands ministry to Belize


Suspension bridge next to WGO property

WGO 30th Anniversary

Over the past 10 years, the ministry has witnessed the truth of Ecclesiastes 3:1: “There is a time for

everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” With great sadness, but joy for his new heavenly life, WGO experienced the death of its founder, Allen Danforth. Yet there was a season of birth, with the construction at the Ranch and the new Mission House, La Casa de Esperanza, in Tegucigalpa.

The ministry was able to close the Centro de Vida Children Center in 2004 after moving all of the children due to security concerns and to provide a better overall environment. The clean air and quietness of the Rancho Ebenezer campus was a big change from the polluted inner-city location. Obdulia Moncada, one of the children’s caregivers at House of David and Centro de Vida, said she was encouraged by the changes in the children, especially in their emotional growth.

In October 2004, Steve Livingston became Manager of the House of David. A year later he accepted the position of Children’s Services Manager.

Founder Allen Danforth returned to visit Honduras in October 2004, after moving to Little Rock, Ark. to have what we now know to be his final celebration with the children and staff. A huge storm blew into the area and within 10 minutes, 22 trees fell at the Ranch. One fell on a propane tank and dislodged it. The crowd waited for the air to clear as gas spewed. Once calm was restored, the celebration continued as children thanked Allen and praised God, sharing the impact both had on their lives.

Allen had been diagnosed with cancer early in 2002 and in March of 2005, went home to be with the Lord.

Memorial services were held in Chicago, Ill., in Little Rock, and in Honduras. During the Honduras service, many of Papi Allen’s “children” shared memories of what he meant to them. They released helium balloons to signify releasing Allen to the Lord. Mike Ferguson talked about the impact of the Danforths, and said, “Over the last 10 years, one out of every four people out of the million or more that live in Tegucigalpa have been personally ministered to through a WGO medical brigade. Over 30,000 decisions for Christ have been made and 80,000 children have been loved through our children’s ministry. For the North American church, thousands of people have been on a one-week experience here in Honduras and God has worked in a mighty way through that time.”

God continued working on the students and Ebenezer Academy held its first Spiritual Emphasis Week on Jan. 30, 2006. One of the teachers said, “What began as a school activity for our students turned into a healing time for us adults as well.” The week included large group sessions and small prayer groups as participants

focused on their relationship with God.At the school, principal Val Schubert

reported, “Our mix of both Honduran and North American teachers creates an environment of variety and energy as the cross-cultural influence bubbles up in everything from décor to teaching styles.” She said that the overriding focus for the teaching staff was from the Teacher Mission Statement, “to act like Jesus as we creatively entice our students to discover the joy of learning about their world and how they can impact it for Jesus Christ.” She said every lesson plan, every special event, every chapel service is designed and planned with that as their goal. She reported that the school was growing rapidly, and they were eagerly awaiting the completion of the new school building.

Mike Ferguson, WGO president and CEO, along with board member Peggy Vilorio (the first Honduran to serve on the WGO Board of Directors) met with the new First Lady of Honduras, Xiomara de Zelaya Rosales. In what Mike described as a God-ordained opportunity, they were able to share WGO’s purpose and vision for Honduras. It turned out the WGO


Allen Danforth ministering to children in 1984.

WGO 30th Anniversary The third ten years2004-2013

continued on page 6

vision matched the First Lady’s plan to help Honduras. WGO presented a load of corn (40,000 pounds) that had been donated and $200,000 worth of donated antibiotics. The First Lady arranged to distribute the corn to the needy, including two homes for the elderly and a ministry for children who had lost their sight.

With the ministry growing, Terry Mallasch stepped into the new role of Chief Operating Officer in 2005, having come with Carol and his children to WGO in 2003. Another sign of the ministry’s growth was Eric and Kymm Schultz coming to serve the spiritual needs of the Ranch staff in 2006.

Ron Langejans came on board as the new Ranch administrator, overseeing the entire Ranch operation. Another addition to the staff during that year was Jason May. He served in Children’s Services and assisted in media and communications.

Teams had completed the construction for Ebenezer Academy at the Ranch under the leadership of Construction Manager Ed Schubert, and in June 2007, three students – Maryury Rodriguez, Franklin Canales and Patricia Chavez– graduated high school. Over the years, there have been many heart-warming stories of seeing God at work in the lives of these young people. One boy who grew up in the ministry and transitioned to the Bridge House was Wilmer Hernandez. He had a gift for construction and was accepted into a competitive carpentry program sponsored by the Honduran government. Missionary Robert Butts said that when Wilmer was still at the Ranch, he proved himself to be very talented and creative, and constructed go-carts out of spare parts for all the children to enjoy. Another former Ranch and Bridge student was Victor Bonilla, who went on to earn excellent

grades at the university. Victor, although eligible for the full scholarship, decided to support himself with a part-time job to pay for the rest of college. These two young men represent the vision Allen Danforth had in the beginning, of helping to create godly people with great character to give back to the Honduran society.

In December 2007, WGO hosted a conference for pastors and representatives for the churches WGO planned to serve in 2008. The goal was to share WGO’s vision and to encourage local pastors. Through the success of these conferences, WGO continues to build relationships with the churches they serve.

Three more children came to live at the Ranch from IHNFA, the Honduran government agency that oversees children who have been abandoned or abused. The three youngsters had been basically “warehoused” and given minimal care, but at the Ranch they received plenty of love in a home environment. With the addition of these three, WGO now had 38 children in its care.

In 2007, WGO hosted 731 people on medical/evangelism brigades, who in turn served 56,307 Hondurans and put in 57 concrete floors. Out at the Ranch, 155 people on construction teams finished the second phase of the new school building and remodeling the oldest home. Crews also progressed on the living facilities for single missionary staff.

In 2008, Eric Schultz stepped forward to become the Director of Children Services. He said, “Our

ministry employs the dynamics of Christian family to develop the individual potential of each child and to see them embrace their unique ability to influence the community around them.” The fruit of that ministry in caring for at-risk children was evident as Rancho Ebenezer students participated in a new outreach program that year, with weekly Bible

study and promoting Spanish literacy with adults in the nearby community. During this year, Jennifer Mayes stepped into the role of Ebenezer Academy Principal.

As the brigades continued to grow, Rachel Middleton, a pharmacist from Wisconsin, arrived in September 2008 to supervise the pharmacy. Rachel went on her first short term medical mission trip in 2004 and felt called to


Ebenezer Academy students pose for a school portrait in 2008.

The third ten years continued

serve full time after serving on 13 short term trips. She said what she enjoys most is “working alongside fellow believers to provide medical services to draw people to the Lord.”

Tim Taylor, of Coffee Ambassadors, visited the Ranch to assess the coffee harvesting and roasting procedures. He concluded that the optimum roast for Cloud Forest Coffee is a full city roast, “a medium/dark roast offering a full body, sweet taste and surprisingly smooth finish.” The Ranch has 22,000 coffee plants.

Pete and Angie Raineri joined WGO in July 2008 and Pete was named Mission House Director. Denny and Donna McKendrick came on staff in 2008 also; Denny as one of the Medical Brigade Directors and Donna as a nurse and pharmacy assistant. More than 65,800 Hondurans were ministered to in 2008 on the brigades.

College students participated in a variety of mission activities during a

six-week internship at the Ranch. In addition, several pre-med students spent the summer with WGO pharmacist Rachel Middleton, learning about medical missions and experiencing hands-on opportunities in care.

Mike Ferguson addressed concerns about the political upheaval in Honduras and reminded everyone of the need to seek the Lord. “We in Honduras have been through hurricanes, mudslides, earthquakes, changes of political powers and an airline crash, just to mention a few,” he exlained. “What is going on now is, as everything is, in God’s hands. The enemy could have no better success than to get all of us, and our teams back in the U.S., worrying about politics and forgetting about ministry. The earthly rulers are in turmoil and more change may be on the horizon. What is not going to change is this country’s need for Christ, our need to be the

hands and feet of Christ for them, and the need to trust the God that is in control of all of that.”

God sent nine more missionaries in 2009: David and Karen Porter, Brenda Honrado, Jon and Helen Hovestol, Helen Carter, Rachel Hahn, Kim Kostaroff and Tammy Lis.

It was cause for celebration when WGO moved into the new Mission House in October 2009. Thanks to numerous generous donations of equipment, supplies and hard work, La Casa de Esperanza was ready to provide a peaceful respite for Serve Teams.

“Here, we can host even more people coming to Honduras to serve. Here, new spiritual legacies will be started, built upon through the years, and become as ingrained into the House of Hope as the structural elements themselves. ‘By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; And by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.’ (Proverbs 24:3,4). We already know the goodness and faithfulness of God and the many ways He will be filling these new rooms with the His spiritual riches,” Mike Ferguson said. A team from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Naperville, Ill., was the first team to stay at the new house. This was the tenth trip for their church.

The newly built Mission House was dedicated several months later, on April 16, 2010. The event coupled the physical facility to its spiritual purpose of kingdom building. Many obstacles were overcome including how to make provision for the windows, doors, and lighting. Through God’s sovereign provision, as well as hundreds of financial sponsors, the Mission House was completed, allowing Serve Teams of up to 80 people per week.

In the area of education, compulsory school attendance is required to the sixth grade in Honduras. However,


In 2008, Deisy joined her brother Wilson at the Ranch.

only about 60 percent of the students who enroll in first grade will still be enrolled in fifth grade. Without a high school education, the unemployment rate soars to 60 percent. With a high school diploma, that rate drops to 20 percent. Only 3 to 5 percent of the population possesses a university degree. It’s because of these statistics that the Director of IHNFA, Suyapa Nunez, visited Rancho Ebenezer to see exactly how WGO educates and nurtures the children. She imagined what the children must think as they experience the blessing of being cared for and loved, after being abused or abandoned. She caught the full meaning of WGO’s vision for these precious children.

The Lord continued to prove himself faithful amidst political unrest, an earthquake, torrential rains, and drought. More than 53,000 Hondurans were served alongside 14,000 children. Almost 3,500 people either came to Christ for the first time or rededicated their lives to Him. Employees of the Mission House participated in a medical brigade for the first time as a team and it was a rewarding experience.

Early in 2011, the upper classmen at Ebenezer Academy continued to reach out to their community by providing adult literacy programs. In another outreach, they taught 80 elementary students about practicing good hygiene habits. They also provided lice shampoo and toothbrushes. It highly impacted both the students who served and those who were served. One 11th-grader, Johana Canales said, “We take so much for granted and don’t realize how much God has blessed us.” The students also participated in Spiritual Emphasis Week. They focused on Hebrews 10:19-25 and reflected deeply on God’s truths. In June, Ebenezer Academy celebrated the graduation of three students from

kindergarten, two from sixth grade, and three from high school.

Within the ministry of WGO, the word “bridge” is used in two ways. In children’s ministry, it is used to explain the simple fact that Jesus is the only way to bridge the gap created between man and God by sin. The second use is as a place of transition. More precisely, WGO’s Bridge House provides an environment where young adults from Rancho Ebenezer are prepared to live on their own. A significant milestone was reached when Victor became the first college graduate who had been mentored at the Bridge House. He

received a degree in International Business and Marketing from Unitech University. Stephany had been with WGO for thirteen years and lived at the Bridge House for a year. Fueled by her passion to teach Spanish to missionary children, she has also used her gifts to serve adults at a local community school. She was then employed as the

receptionist at the WGO Mission House and is now on an 11 month mission experience. Victor and Stephany have paved the way for others who follow after them. Their example shows that with hard work, perseverance, and God’s blessing, big goals can be achieved. The Bridge House also welcomed two new managers, Gerson and Amy Ruiz. They replaced Robert and Jennifer Butts. Robert moved onto a new position as WGO’s Chief Operating Officer.

WGO was approved as a member of the ECFA, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. This was a

very significant achievement and represents the fact that WGO is willing to demonstrate the highest level of financial management and stewardship. This was the culmination of an intense effort on the part of the entire finance department, which included Nivida Villanueva, Pam Owen, Jim Dall, Mary Padgett, and Steve

The third ten years continued

continued on page 8

Teenagers share a lesson in trust at Spiritual Emphasis Week, 2009


continued from page 7Razor, Chief Financial Officer.

In Acts 20:35, Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This is a paradoxical nugget of scripture that every Serve Team experiences and it’s what brings over 50 percent of them back a second time. Serve Teams poured a floor for Alicia Barado’s home that housed four

daughters and four grandchildren. She had been praying for nine years to receive a floor so that she could have a small group Bible study in her home. Another Serve Team was alerted of a diabetic woman, Andrina, who had her toe amputated eight days earlier by a machete. The wound was deeply infected and she was in septic shock. One of the Serve Team doctors sent her to the hospital and later learned that her leg was amputated at mid-calf. Had the team not been there, Andrina’s life may not have been spared. Serve Teams touched nearly 60,000 Hondurans’ lives in 2011 and included nearly 5,000 who committed their lives to Christ.

The overall theme for 2012 was ‘deeper and wider’. WGO intentionally developed deeper, stronger relationships within its network of 150 Honduran pastors. The pastors were encouraged to develop healthy, vibrant walks with the Lord. Mario Agurcia, the recently promoted Director of Rancho Ebenezer initiated a devotional time for everyone living at the Ranch every morning. The young adults at the Bridge House were maturing deeply under the wise guidance of a mentor family. Spiritual depth increased in the lives of team members who came on a mission trip,

many for the first time. ‘Wider’ was evidenced by the fact that there was a 30 percent increase in the number of team members to more than 1,000. Over 118,000 Hondurans were ministered to, 8,300 people made first-time decisions for Christ while 3,500 individuals recommitted their lives. In 2012, WGO placed godly Honduran

men and women coordinators who have a wide knowledge of cultural issues at the churches hosting Serve Teams. Lastly, a new family model was introduced at Rancho Ebenezer enabling the ministry to take in many more children in need.

The children’s ministry at Rancho Ebenezer celebrated its 12th anniversary in September. Fifty-four at-risk children had been ministered to and grown up into healthy, independent adults. Five kindergartners, one sixth-grader, and one high schooler graduated.

Doak and Karen Howarton came to WGO in 2012 after serving with another ministry in Honduras. Karen became part of the development team and was instrumental in developing this magazine format. They quickly became part of children services and now also serve as a mentor couple for a family of ten. Along with roasting the wonderful Cloud Forest coffee, Doak teaches at Ebenezer Academy.

Ashley and Shelia Miguez came on staff at the Ranch in 2012 as the hosts of the Ranch Serve Teams.

A new dining plan was implemented at Rancho Ebenezer where everyone eats together at the Big House. This plan allowed WGO to save in food costs and created a team spirit in cleaning

up after each meal. WGO launched the Pastoral

Discipleship program led by Luis Carrion. Having started with WGO as a Brigade Manager in 2002, his responsibilities changed to personally discipling the pastors of the churches hosting Serve Teams, organizing annual conferences for the pastors, and seeking additional churches to host the growing number of Serve Teams. The vision of the program is for Honduran Pastors to be very intentional about following up with the people who accept Christ after they come to a Serve Team site.

A new online stewardship ministry was launched, allowing donors to not only give cash to WGO, but also give other items such as appreciated stock, real estate, or bequests from wills, trusts, or retirement accounts. This was provided through Planned Giving Ministries.

Many exciting things happened during 2013. The Mission House was paid for in full and by then more than 120,000 meals had been served and 370,000 Hondurans had been ministered to since the opening of the new mission house. Over 1,100 Serve Team members stayed at the Mission House during the year. Those Serve Teams built two churches and laid 124 concrete floors.

The Mission House and Rancho Ebenezer received a gift of 80 hand-sewn quilts from a women’s group at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lombard, IL. More than 320 yards of fabric was used for the tops of the quilts alone. Many Serve Team members have commented on the comfort and beauty of the quilts.

Serve Teams at Rancho Ebenezer cleared paths in the coffee area in preparation for harvest and painted two missionary homes. By God’s grace no one was hurt and property damage was minimal when a strong storm tore down 15 trees.

Two graduate success stories from Rancho Ebenezer included Nancy and Carolina. Nancy found her calling by


The Mission House was dedicated in 2010

becoming an English teacher at a bilingual school. Later, she was promoted to vice principal. Carolina was once a troubled teen who convinced the director of Centro De Vida (the forerunner to Rancho Ebenezer) to let her live there even though she was too old. She received an education, moved to the Bridge House, and through the guidance of the ministry was able to break the cycle of abuse and is married and living in the states. She and her husband are expecting their first child.

Kent and Connie Fuzzell joined the Mission House staff in January 2013, hailing from Springfield, Mo. Connie became a Christian in 2007 and Kent at age six. God brought them to Honduras for the first time in 2009.

In January 2014, WGO celebrated the 30th anniversary of the ministry started by Allen and Dona Danforth. Many years ago, God told Allen, “I am going to hold you accountable for the things you have seen.” As the years pass, Allen’s name will be relegated to the history books, but his legacy and foundation will live on for generations to come. His ministry has impacted hundreds of thousands of Hondurans as well as thousands of Serve Team members. As those team members

have returned to the U.S., they have had an eternal impact on those they share their experiences with. They have been a small part of a greater cause and they may never see the fruits of their labors during their lifetimes.

As 2014 continues to march on, the goal for the Rancho Ebenezer campus is to grow the ministry to its full potential of serving 80 children. WGOKids was designed to provide a sustainable source of funding for all of the children at Rancho Ebenezer to be given a home, mentor parents, teachers, food, clothing, spiritual development and medical care.

David Livingstone was a Scottish

medical missionary who traveled across more than one-third of the continent of Africa during the mid-1800s. The epitaph on his grave states, “For thirty years, his life was spent in an unwearied effort to evangelize...” For the past 30 years, the wholehearted mission of WGO remains to evangelize lost souls in Honduras. As a result of these years, tens of thousands of people have come to Christ. In the next 30 years, may God grant us the grace and power to see that number double or triple all for His glory.

Written by Sarah Kohnle & Jackie Doyel


Whether it is on a Serve Team site or at Rancho Ebenezer, one thing that has remained constant in the ministry is the heart for the children.

Did you know God can use your life experiences in incredible ways in Honduras, and soon, in

Belize? God builds WGO Serve Teams with each person’s deep needs in mind. We have seen it happen: a North American team member whose child had died was able to comfort a Honduran parent who went through a similar experience. A team member who was a counselor was able to assure an abuse victim of God’s love. A team member, once unsure of God’s forgiveness, was paired with a Honduran who had similar doubts, and was able to share that the good news was true! Hondurans coming to a Serve Team site because of a physical need, receive care for their bodies and spiritual care as well. Communication of the Gospel from the willing heart of a team member is not hindered by cultural or economic differences.

For one week a year we have the incredible experience of co-leading the Serve Team from Lombard, Illinois with Tom Brauer. It is one week that we can touch a lot of people with the love of Jesus. And the months of preparation, watching God build the team person by person comes to a high point as we watch our team members and friends step out in faith and share Jesus with the Hondurans. The North Americans are never the same! They learn more about themselves and to trust God. Their faith grows and they are able to share what they believe about the love

of Jesus in a deeper way. My (Fred) experiences as a team

member and team leader have been the training ground for me, and compel me to do the work I do now on staff with World Gospel Outreach. Speaking to a person about leading a Serve Team at his or her church, addressing a mission board about funding a particular need at Rancho Ebenezer and thanking donors for their partnership with WGO, are all part of my job.

Our mission trips with WGO over these 14 years have given us invaluable life experiences and hearts for the Honduran people. We have since seen life-changing encounters happen on Serve Teams and have had the privilege of encouraging people to give this short-term mission trip a try. Some people need that encouragement to step out of their comfort zones. Amazing things happen when people offer themselves in service to the Lord, willing to serve people in need. We welcome the opportunity to help you take that step!

What steps can you take to help make this grow in Tegucigalpa and soon in Belize? If you are a new to WGO, sign up for a Serve Team. If you have served on a team, share your experience with friends at church and invite others to serve on a team. Consider organizing a fund raiser, regardless of the size, to support some part of WGO’s ministry that really stirs your heart. If the children at Rancho Ebenezer are your passion, support the WGOKids Fund. If

the medical needs of the Honduran people are what touches your heart, support the CarePay Fund. For literature or a video to help you present what God is doing through WGO, contact Fred at [email protected].

All of us at WGO pray that you take that extra step and use your experiences to minister for Christ in Honduras or Belize.

Fred Steinbach served on his first mission team with Peace Lutheran Church, Lombard, Illinois, in January 2000 and has served as director of donor relations since 2006.

Mary has been on Serve Teams and has had a hand in keeping our teams organized since her first trip in 2002. She serves WGO part time by helping to maintain the data base and other administrative tasks.

continued from page 9


By Fred and Mary Steinbach

Fred and Mary serving

WGO with their church

in Tegucigalpa in January,

2014

God matches gifts with WGO Serve Teams

So many in need and with so many different needs: what can one medical professional

do? This was one of the first thoughts in the mind of Kathryn Hassell, MD, academic adult hematologist at the University of Colorado Denver, as she joined her first WGO brigade in January 2013.

Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers who serve in Honduras come from a North American health care system which has a wealth of expertise, technologies and treatments. In stark contrast, limited access to almost any form of medical care and shortages of medication are the harsh realities that can seem overwhelming for the Honduran people and the medical missionaries who want to help.

But as for the apostles in Luke, Chapter 9, those called to Honduras are sent “to proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick”. Seemingly simple things can go a long way. Reassurance that a rash is not a sign

of a serious illness or that a child is growing well despite their small size can bring tremendous relief to a concerned mother. Quick assessment of a long-present lump on the back, declared a harmless fatty tumor, brings tears of relief to the young man who was certain he had cancer. A single dose of parasite medication given on the spot may permit six months of restored bowel health and a chance for improved nutrition. Education about diet and drinking enough water can alleviate chronic symptoms that sap daily strength. A supply of Tylenol will reduce the toddler’s fever not just for this bout of the virus that’s going around, but perhaps 4 or 5 more times in the future. Even a month’s supply of diabetes or high blood pressure medication may bridge a gap for those hoping the local clinic or hospital will be able to restock the shelves in the coming weeks.

Of course, few of these things will make a sustained impact on a lifetime of health challenges or

severe illness. Working side by side with a Honduran doctor at the brigade site who can assist with referral for further care is at least one more step toward help and blessing to many who come.

But even that may not be enough. In the end, it is the Lord who heals. Sometimes He works through the hands of medical professionals to whom He has granted their gifts. At all times He works through every member of the service brigade to bring people closer to Christ; as Paul teaches in James, Chapter 5, “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick well”. And so the North American is reminded to rely on God in all things even as He provides medical knowledge, skills, and resources, whether in Honduras or back home.

Dr. Hassell has been blessed to return to Honduras twice more in 2014 and plans to serve again both in Honduras and Belize as often as God needs her.


Sharing gifts with those in need story by Kathryn Hassell

By Fred and Mary Steinbach

Belize

It is an exciting time in the history of WGO as we expand our ministry into another

country. As the name World Gospel Outreach suggests, our vision has always

been to serve in multiple countries beyond just Honduras. We actually have had

a worldwide presence even before this expansion to Belize. Not in the traditional

‘push-pins on the world map’ sort of way where you can identify facilities around

the world that we operate from. Rather, the ‘World’ in our name has been achieved

because there are many missionaries serving around the world who got their

initial vision and love for missions through their experience on a WGO team or in


BelizeExpanding the ministry of WGO

full-time service with WGO. The Lord has used us for years as a kind of a

spiritual boot camp to prepare His servants for assignments all over the

globe. Even though we are beginning to expand physically to other

countries, we are certain that this aspect of preparing people for

meaningful Christian service is as much a part of our vision as ever. Now,

we will have two locations for people to serve, train and catch a vision

for a call deeper into their personal involvement in Kingdom building,

whether back in the U.S. or around the world.continued on page 14


The ultimate selection of our location in Belize was strategic from the outset. From our

property in the capital city of Belmopan, we can reach 70 percent of the population of the entire country of Belize in an hour or less. We can reach the largest city, Belize City, in an hour; the prominent southern city of Dangriga in an hour; and the towns that dot the area around the border with Guatemala in less than 45 minutes, including the second largest city of San Ignacio. You can see from the map that the property is right on the Belize River, giving us a direct supply of water. Another great provision of the Lord is

that there are three other ministries on our same road and we have met with all of them. These are YWAM (Youth With a Mission), Gaither Evangelistic Ministries (GEM) and Global Outreach. Global Outreach has already asked us if we can do a medical Serve Team for their residential boys’ program. They are all glad that we are locating in that area and we are already seeing opportunities to collaborate with them in ministry.

Our high-level vision for Belize, just as in Honduras, is to reach the country for Christ. Our approach to achieving that will, at least initially, look very similar to how we minister in Honduras. The medically based Serve Team will still be the centerpiece of what we do initially in Belize. We will use Serve Teams from the U.S. to come and minister for a week providing the same kind of medical, dental and childrenís ministry that we do now. In addition to the medical type Serve

Teams, we see plenty of opportunity and need to host construction teams to do concrete floor projects as well as some basic housing and major repair projects in the various communities we will serve.

With all our Serve Teams we see a unique opportunity to go deeper with the people of Belize. Two factors make that possible. One is the simple fact that there is no language barrier. Our team members will be able to speak directly to the Belizean people without the need for translation. This will fundamentally change the sense of personal connection and relationship building with the people we are serving. The second factor is that Belize a very rural country and at each team site we will see that there will be more time to spend with each person who comes to us for help. There will not be so much of a deluge of people waiting in line, but rather small community settings where we will be close to their homes and centers of community activity. There will be time for more personal interaction.

Another aspect of going deeper is the Opportunity Center concept you may have heard about over the last year. This is simply a location, perhaps on our ministry site, where people can start learning a new skill to enhance their ability to get employment. Initially, this may be in the form of pastoral discipleship where we give local pastors access to on-line Bible school training and seminary, with oversight and shepherding provided by our staff and perhaps pastors from the U.S. via Internet. As it develops, we are looking at adding some basic instruction in computers, business training and vocational training. During the team week, team members who have the interest or background may spend some time teaching and ministering in the Opportunity Center.

Now, for a quick tour of the plans

for the WGO Belize campus. The suspension bridge is a wonderful landmark that borders our east-most property line. It is actually on the YWAM property and provides a spectacular view of the Belize River. I have been asked if this is the only way on our property and of course it is not. There is a very good road in front of the property and it is only 2.5 miles to the main Western Highway that leads to Belize City and the airport. The bridge does offer easy access to public transportation for our Belizean staff.

The property encompasses a total of 13 acres, which gives us plenty of room for growth. The master plan shows that the initial campus includes a Missions Center where the team dining/meeting room is located as well as kitchen facilities and the office area. Then, there are three team cabins that hold 12 people each and are connected by walking paths. You can see the photo of what a typical team cabin will look like and some plans for staff housing are shown as well. This initial configuration will host teams of 25-36 people. The property is large enough to expand to hosting multiple teams as

we do now in Honduras. Also, later phases of the master plan include additional housing facilities for our missionary staff and interns as well as acreage for a possible future children’s center similar to Rancho Ebenezer. We do not have any plans to start a children’s program for at least the first five years and will evaluate it over the next few years. There is also space for


Typical team cabin

Jim and Deb Tucker-Missionaries in Belize

World Gospel Outreach

Belize

an on-site Opportunity Center if we determine that is a good strategic location for it.

The Lord has already made an incredible provision for us in the form of staffing the operation. Jim and Deb Tucker, who have been missionaries for six years in Belize, have agreed to work with us in the early years and ongoing to help us get established. Jim has a good network of contacts in the business community and among the Belizean pastors and with other ministries that are active in the area. Jim will be an important part of the leadership team that makes preparation for the new teams arriving in Belize.

If you are interested in serving on one of the construction Serve Teams to work on the new WGO facilities in Belize or on one of the first regular Serve Teams please contact Fred Steinbach at [email protected]. We are also raising funds to complete each of the buildings and to purchase ministry vehicles. Please contact me at [email protected] if you feel led to help in that area.

We look forward to sharing this exciting new adventure into Belize with you.

Mike FergusonWGO President and CEO

Image © 2014: TerraServer.com/Digital Globe


YWAM Campus

Mike stands under the 7 ft. diameter tree found on the WGO Belize property.

Ron, Robert, Mike, Kimberly, Mario, and Diana,

First of all, I just wanted to say THANK YOU ALL!! This is a little overdue since I planned on writing it on Friday night before moving out of the Bridge House but I got caught up with packing and moving and have found the time just now to write. Thank you for EVERYTHING. Words cannot express the gratitude and thankfulness I have towards the Ministry (WGO) for their love and care for the past 14 years of my life. WGO and its leaders have taught me about how a good, Christian, and loving family runs. I have learned that if God is in the center of everything I do, say, and think, my life will be better because of Him. WGO was the place that gave me the best education it could so that as a young adult, I could lead a well and educated life. I am beyond grateful for all the teachers that have gone through the process of teaching me everything, from the alphabet to budgeting. Not only has WGO given me an education, but it kept me safe from harm and protected my mind and heart from the evils of this world. Through the Holy Spirit working in the lives of the adults, I have learned what is truly right and wrong, and have learned which is the good path that leads to the Kingdom of God. I am grateful for the money invested in me over the years with all my personal needs and shelter. Only God knows what would have become of me had I never entered WGO...He always had the perfect plan all along. WGO taught me how to love those who were once strangers, to love them as if they were my own flesh and blood. My love for many of the adults and all the kids there is truly genuine and I am beyond blessed to call those who are not blood related to me my brothers and sisters. I have learned unity and strength in numbers over the past years. I would personally like to thank Allen Danforth, although he is no longer with us, it was because of this godly man that I am here today. I thank God for allowing him this wonderful vision of seeing Honduran kids well taken care of in a good and godly home so that we may one day be successful, independent young people, serving and helping our country. May his vision live on. Thanks to Mike and Robert for being the head of this Ministry. Thank you for all your hard work you do on a daily basis and my prayer for you is that God may increase your wisdom and discernment each day. Thank you for putting the kids’ needs first and for helping God’s children in the way that you do. Thanks for giving me a chance! Thank you to Ron who has been not only a great friend, but also very much a close, godly man figure to me for the past few years...Thank you for your endless advice on budgeting and thank you for your godly counsel. I am so glad you’re a part of my life. And last but NOT least, thank you to Kimberly who dedicates many hours to help the needs of the kids she works with, thank you for your example of what a godly woman should look like, thank you for your advice, and I cannot thank you enough for your support and encouraging words. Words cannot fully express how proud I am to have grown up in WGO where I never lacked anything and where God’s hand is at work. There are obviously many other adults that have played a huge and important role in my life, which I am thankful for, but, as you all being the leaders and heads of WGO I wanted to directly express my gratitude for everything, I mean EVERYTHING, even the tiniest of details, that you have done for me. If it were not for WGO and the leadership, I know I would not be the same person that I am today. So once again, I thank God for each and every one of you, for your hard work, love, and care you have given me and continue to give to the kids at WGO. May He bless you and please know that your work is not in vain.

From the bottom of my heart,

JohanaP.S. I have copied Maria and Fany in this letter as I have talked with them, and they fully feel the same way as I do. :)

A letter of Thanks from a graduate



Editor’s note: The letter on the previous page was written by a graduate of WGOKids and the Bridge House. Johana has moved out on her own and wanted to thank some of the many people in the ministry that had a part in her life. Mike Ferguson, President and CEO of WGO; Robert Butts, COO of WGO; Ron Langejans, Facilities Director of Rancho Ebenezer; Kimberly Kostaroff, Social Worker at Rancho Ebenezer; Mario Agurcia, Director of Rancho Ebenezer and Diana Mendoza, Manager at the Bridge House.

Former graduates visit Rancho Ebenezer

Former graduates of Rancho Eebenezer visited the Ranch for a time of fellowship, soccer and a picnic. For some it was their first visit in several years. It was such a blessing for the children now living at the Ranch to visit and hear the words of encouragement from them. The staff at the Ranch was also encouraged to see these wonderful examples of what the ministry is about. Shown above are photos then and now, then being when the children lived at CDV. Above right; Will encourages the younger residents. Left; Maria and her boyfriend take a stroll. Above left; Brayan encourages all those presently serving at the Ranch that their work has an impact on those that they mentor.

Banya

Banya

Obed

Obed

Brayan

BrayanWill

Wilmer

Victor

Jefry

Will

WilmerFranklinJose

Isabel

Oscar

NancyMiriamZami

Jefry Cesar

Maryury

Jessica

Xavier

Summer ServiceSummer is a busy time for WGO. While

teams come year round to serve the people of Honduras, the summer is much busier for both the Mission House and Rancho Ebenezer. This summer, God blessed the ministry through excellent Serve Teams that served over 28,000 Hondurans in the months of June and July. Also serving the ministry were fourteen outstanding interns. Ten interns served at the Mission House, three served the summer at Rancho Ebenezer and one intern at the Ranch served for nine months.

This summer at WGO’s Mission House the summer interns did a variety of ministries throughout their month stay here with us. Katherine Riggs was our first dental intern as she finished dental assistant school and has a desire to continue her studies to become an orthodontist. Katherine worked alongside Ana Lucia Kuhl, DMD our WGO dentist. Katherine learned a lot under Ana Lucia’s mentoring. Kasey Moore, Sara Schaffhauser, Laura Harvey, Melanie Smith, Leah Cyphers and Mary “Abbey” Merry have completed or will be completing their elective pharmacy rotation from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy.

Rachel Middleton, our pharmacist here at the WGO Mission House, has been their preceptor in order for them to get credit for their month of clinical rotation. They have all helped in counting pills, going to the Serve Team sites and helping in the pharmacy in counseling the patients on the different medications that were prescribed. They sat in with medical professionals, doctors or nurses to see the assessment,


Summer Service


evaluation and treatment for the patients as well. We had two interns, Lily Davis and Lydia Frommack who after coming on a week-long medical brigade last summer shared that a week wasn’t long enough so came this year and spent a month serving on the medical brigades. Lily and Lydia served wherever there was a need both on the Serve Team site as well as helping out in the Mission House in counting pills, making dental packets, and helping to sort and inventory all the donations on Saturday afternoons. Samuel Selby a pediatric resident with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, School of Medicine has come to do one of his rotations for his residency.

It has been a real blessing to have all 10 interns come and not only grow in their professional experience but also to grow in their spiritual lives as well.

Summer Service. . .continued from page 19

“Dianna and I have thoroughly enjoyed our time here, and the Lord has grown us closer to Him and each other. This summer, we were involved in the Summer Learning Time, Work Program, and Activity Time. As an intern, we were able to spend most of our time with the ministry kids. We loved building relationships with the kids and sharing the love of Christ each day with all of them. Each day was an adventure, but that’s what ministry is all about! We will never forget this place, and the impact it had on each of our lives.“ Cade and Dianna Sherman


Throughout the months of June and July Rancho Ebenezer has been blessed by the teams who have come to serve through teaching, leading worship, planning activities with the kids, and helping with much needed work projects around the property. Ranch teams have also served in the surrounding mountain community both physically and spiritually this summer. Everyone pitched in according to their talents, as part of the team laid new floors, painted homes and worked on roofs, while others entertained the children of the neighborhood with Bible stories and games. In June and July the Ranch Teams served many families in need by making 38 concrete floors, providing three roofs and sharing the Gospel with all.

Interns at the Ranch facilitated activities and taught summer school for the children of Ebenezer Academy. Nick Walker came to serve with Ranch Teams. Cade and Dianna Sherman were a great help to the families at the Ranch by organizing and running activities for the WGO kids, as well as a tutoring time for the community children that attend Ebenezer Academy. Paige Sarkady, our intern who has been at the Ranch since November, also helped organize fun events for the children, as well as helping them with their homework and filling in wherever we needed her willing hands and heart.

“When The Lord told me to take a year off of school and move to the Ranch, I didn’t really know what that would look like. My flesh wanted to say no and keep living my life, but I’m so glad I obeyed His call. My past 9 months were full of growth, adventure, and change. The Lord took me out of my comfort zone and used that to teach me. The clearest truth He showed me is how the world is temporary, but Jesus is forever! He changed my heart to see things and people in a new way. I had a beautiful, crazy, and humbling time at Rancho Ebenezer, but it is now over. Jesus didn’t bring me there because they needed me; He brought me there to change me.” Paige Sarkady


“Although I started with many uncertainties, God faithfully provided for, protected, and enabled me to serve these past couple of months. I have learned that when God tells us to go, that is the very best choice for us. Whether next door, across the country, or across the world, Jesus commands every believer to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). I’m thankful to have been blessed to work here at Rancho Ebenezer this summer and hope to do so again in the future.”

Nick Walker

Mission House interns served the minstry with

the Serve Teams at the site as well as at the Mission

House.

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opportunities to help WGO ministriesHere are some ways you can support the ministry of World Gospel Outreach. Just fill out the attached response

envelope indicating which opportunity you can participate in. For more information, visit us on the Web:

w w w. w g o r e a c h . o r g

Your donation to the WGO ALLKids Fund will go directly to the food, clothing and education of all of the Honduran children living at Rancho Ebenezer, who desperately need a loving Christian home. Or you can sponsor an individual child of your choosing for $30 per month by going to our website: www.wgoreach.org/wgokids. If you have questions about this new kids’ sponsorship program please contact Fred at: [email protected] or Ph. 630-359-5175.

WGO Serve Teams in Tegucigalpa are able to offer medical care to more than 100,000 Hondurans a year. The CarePay program was created to augment the funds needed for that care. Every $2 you donate will sponsor the costs to care for one patient. $20 will provide for 10 patients. We hope you will consider a monthly gift to help in this ongoing ministry!

Cloud Forest Coffee is a premium, organic, shade grown, hand-picked coffee grown at Rancho Ebenezer. 100% of the proceeds from this coffee go toward the care of children at Rancho Ebenezer. Give the gift of life by giving a gift of coffee. Visit us at w w w. h o n d u r a s c l o u d f o r e s t c o f f e e . o r g

Cloud Forest Coffee3

Carepay program1

WGO ALLKids2

Human Resources DirectorMedia and Communication SpecialistPharmacist and Pharmacy InternsCertifi ed Elementary & High School Teachers Mission House Serve Team HostsMentor ParentsChildren’s care workers/Home CounselorsInformation Technology ManagerBilingual Social Worker/TherapistNon-medical ministry interns

If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about serving with WGO, please contact:[email protected]


OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE


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Impact on the Believer


As we reflect on our 30th anniversary in ministry, we remember the words of the founder of the ministry, Allen Danforth, when he started WGO with a call from God in 1984, “Son, I did not show you these things just to be showing them to you. I am

going to hold you accountable for what you have seen.”Our prayer as a ministry is that the experience we have during our

service here whether it is for a week or many years, will change us and hold us accountable to His call on our lives no matter where we serve.

During a break from painting, these young team members enjoy fellowship with the young girls from the family of the home they were painting.


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Partner with us in raising kids for Christ

Learn more about our child sponsorship program at:

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Child Sponsorship Program

WORLDGOSPEL - Honduras · experience here in Honduras and God has worked in a mighty way through...

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