Honduras

We are Tim and Jaclyn Horan, and we are currently serving in La Esperanza, Intubića, Honduras. We have served in Central America since 2003 to present and are currently full time in Honduras.

Honduras is a mountainous land in the center of Central America with coastal plains on the Caribbean and touching the Pacific Coast. It is the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with the second fastest growing AIDS epidemic. For several years Honduras has been declared the most dangerous country on earth.

In 1998 super-hurricane Mitch destroyed 60% of the country’s infrastructures, killing 11,000 people and the country is still suffering the effects of this devastation. Unemployment is 51-60%. Civil Wars in neighboring countries greatly affected this small country with none of the rebuilding efforts afforded their neighbors. Recent political problems, especially the 2009 Coup and continuing unstable government, make progress difficult.

The Honduran people are climbing a great hill. They are making progress, but struggle with day to day life. These people need encouragement, and it is our desire to help them. We walk along side and can teach skills, love, and what is most important… give encouragement.

We also have a variety of services for the poorest of the poor, reaching out and loving those considered unlovable. Providing food supplements for the children unable to eat normal food is something we do.

It was after leaving Yamarangua, a community about 20 minutes from where we have settled in the nearby city, La Esperanza, Intubića. While here, we have been concentrating on serving and loving those disenfranchised by the local community through a community center called Adelante Honduras “The Heart of the Community”. It is here, we offer assistance to empower these people to make a difference in their lives with training in business opportunities while being there for them in friendship.  

Encouraging them to continue their education is a huge stepping stone for the future of Honduras.  We have a Computer Learning Center that is a part of Adelante Honduras that generous donors have supplied through an organization called “Progress Tools”. Jaclyn teaches cooking, sewing, and exercise classes for the women who open the women to new experiences as well as providing valuable life skills, and health awareness education

Tim teaches wood working and toy making skills to the teen boys and men. This is not only an educational opportunity but a bridge builder as well.  The doors to the center remain open to allow time to explore social skills and give a greatly needed safe place to just have fun.

We have also partnered with a local church called Cielos Abiertos. We serve as co-pastors with Danny and Flor and assist in helping the small church grow through teaching God’s word and working with those that attend the church in helping them grow in their faith.

In addition to working with Danny and Flor, we have started a church in the San Lorenzo Mountains. It is located some 20 miles from La Esperanza and takes about two hours to drive there. We have established a small room added on to an existing house there and stay two nights every other week. This gives us a greater opportunity to speak into the people of this community. We have also been able, through the help of a visiting team from the US, build a greenhouse, rocket stove, rocket oven, and a raised grow bed. This will be used to demonstrate the usage of the stove and oven for cooking purposes. The oven and stove use 10% of regular stoves. This will help reduce the costs for purchasing wood or time scavenging for wood. The greenhouse will help them in growing food without the problems that rain and harsh winds produce.