This past week our four pastors from the Presbyterian Church in Honduras went to Nicaragua for the first ever meeting of Presbyterian pastors from Central America. Israel (pastoral trainer), Jesús (Armenia Bonito), Donaldo (Eden) and Vincente (Danto) joined our Team Honduras missionaries (Mike T., Adam and Seth) and Presbyterian pastors, church leaders and missionaries from Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Belize.
For three full days these pastors and missionaries gathered at Piñas de Paz (Pineapples of Peace) a ministry center outside of Managua run by MTW missionaries Robbie and Murray Lathrop. Rich Ramsay, MTW missionary and author, lectured in Spanish during the periods of teaching.
In addition to the teaching their was plenty of time for organized prayer, fellowship and food. Each of the pastors were able to learn about the other churches and ministries and gained a more fraternal and regional perspective on pastoring a Presbyterian church in Central America.
Our four pastors and three missionaries from Team Honduras drove 17-hours by bus to get to Managua, Nicaragua from La Ceiba, Honduras. For two of our pastors (Vincente and Jesús) this was their first ever trip outside of Honduras.
The relationship building and quality teaching were amazing opportunities for our Honduran pastors. But, one of the best things that came from this experience was a greater understand and global perspective of what they are doing as pastors and leaders for the gospel of Christ.