Renew 2024: Finding Joy in Honduras 

Over 400 kids, spread out across four different neighborhood sites in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, eagerly waited for the bus of Timothy students to arrive. The neighborhood kids are all part of Point Ministries, whose mission is to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the most vulnerable children of Tegucigalpa and their families providing gospel-centered facilities focused on physical needs, spiritual growth, educational support, and social connection. As part of their Renew trip, our Timothy students were running a Vacation Bible School. 

The local kids' excitement was palpable and the room hummed with energy. When the team of Timothy students finally arrived, there’s only one word that could be used to describe the meeting — joy. 

Pure joy. The local kids leaped up and hugged the Timothy students. And the Timothy students loved these eager neighborhood kids. They sang songs, read Bible stories, played games, prayed with them and for them. Most importantly, the kids heard how much Jesus loved them and cared about them.

Later that day, Timothy students walked through the winding streets of the neighborhood carrying Tubs of Love, which were filled to the brim with canned goods, eggs, and other necessities. They visited homes of families whose kids were part of Point Ministries. 

At one stop, the neighborhood kids instantly reconnected with the Timothy students as their mom eagerly invited everyone into their humble home. Their house was constructed of cinder blocks, with a tin roof to afford protection from the sun and rain. It had one window that would not open, offering no relief to the unforgiving Honduran heat. There was no running water, and no furniture other than two beds, which were shared between the mom and her five children. 

Yet, there was joy. Even in extreme poverty this young mother had hope. Because she received a Tub of Love her family had enough food for a month. Her kids were getting fed and received an education through Point Ministries. But most importantly, they were learning about Jesus. 

In that one room home, everyone squeezed in and prayed together. And it was in that moment — God was at work. And once again, there was joy. Pure joy that comes with peace that passes all understanding. 

Perhaps one of the most important and transformative lessons that the Timothy students learned that day is that God is at work and uses them — even while they are in high school — even in the most dire situations. They are courageous leaders!