education
Youth Program
Beginning Carpentry
We believe that the most basic way to help bring about positive change in any culture is to reach the children and youth. Each week, we have a growing class of young people that learn basic carpentry skills with the opportunity to advance to an intermediate level. Teaching a skilled trade at a young age not only provides a way to increase earning potential in the future, but our program also offers a positive gospel centered atmosphere, and strong Godly male role-models in these young lives on a regular basis. These relationships build confidence and self-esteem and regularly point to Jesus as the One who knows and cares for each one of them and has a good plan for their future.
adult and continuing education program
Instrument Building
Older students have the opportunity to hone their skills to a much higher level in our instrument building courses. These are ongoing workshops which teach stringed instrument repair and building, focusing on techniques that are easily reproduced in the students own workshops. We also collaborate with students in the National Univeristy (UNAH) to expand the knowledge base of instrument making using only local materials. Many students are able to begin generating income through the skills learned in these workshops, even before completing their first instruments.
Womens health
Childbirth Education and Birth Support
We believe that every woman has the right to know her body and to understand how it works. She also has the right to know that she is fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of our Creator and that she is seen, known, and loved by Christ. Basic understanding of anatomy and even primitive medical knowledge are not something that the majority of the people have access to in Honduras. In most cases, medical providers do not share even key details with their clients, and the clients don’t ask any questions. This dynamic can lead to fear, dangerous misinformation, and can even harm women and babies long term. Our childbirth education classes and doula services are free of charge for the most vulnerable women. For those who can afford a nominal fee, every penny goes back into the ministry in order to provide for other women. Our desire is to see mothers birth their babies with confidence and joy, and for the birthing experience to be as gentle as possible. We work together with private and public health clinics in order to reach as many women as possible and to form meaningful connections that will enable us to improve outcomes and to see beneficial change in the childbirth experience overall.
infant nutrition
Lactation Education and Support
Certified Lactation Consultants are virtually non-existent in Honduras and when a mother runs into difficulty, or when a new mother just needs a little help getting started with breastfeeding; many times she will turn to formula in order to nourish her baby. We believe that all forms of nourishment are valid, and we also believe that “breast is best”. This is especially vital in Honduras because most families lack access to the sanitation methods needed in order to bottle feed safely. Also, formula is very expensive and if an infant is formula fed, it is possible and even probable that the baby may not receive enough milk each day in order to nourish them well due to the expense. We can help these babies get the very best start in life by offering lactation services to their Mothers and we can help Mothers confidently nurse their babies knowing that they are giving them the very best! We educate expectant mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding and we make sure that they know they can call at any time in order to get additional help, should they need it. We are present during labor and delivery working in the doula role, and we stay until after the delivery to assist with promoting skin-to-skin and with that first latch to make sure that things go well and that Mommy feels confident as she nurses her little one. We also offer breast pumps and specialized equipment to help with special cases that need extra support.
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.