Mission Honduras Officials Visit Iowa. Pictured (front row) Marta Sosa and her daughter, Andrea. Back row include (left to right) Francis Sievert, Richard Sievert, and Carolyn Bickford.
(Le Mars) — Mission Honduras from Le Mars and other communities have traveled to
the South American nation each year for the past 15 years, consisting of a total of
37 missionary trips. Now, two representatives from Honduras are visiting Iowa and
other midwestern states. Marta Sosa and her daughter Andrea assist with the
coordination of Mission Honduras Le Mars and the “Then Feed Just One” programs.
Sosa says the Honduran people enjoy seeing Americans, and are very appreciative of
their generosity.
Sosa says she knows her nation’s reputation is that it is the murder capital.
However, she says you need to see the people up close and personal, and go beyond
the news headlines.
The Honduran Mission representative says Americans have no idea of how much the
Honduran people look forward to the arrival of a missionary group.
The “Then Feed Just One” program has packaged over one million meals with Honduras
as the final destination. Andrea says like the mission trips, the people of
Honduras, and especially the children, look forward to the arrival of the packaged
meals consisting of rice and dried vegetables.
Many people who have participated on the Mission Honduras journeys are surprised
when they witness some poverty stricken children pass on food being offered, simply
because the children say it is not their day or turn to eat, but rather they share
it with their siblings or friends. Andrea says even as poor as they are, they know
the good feeling of sharing.
In yesterday’s
segment, we learned from Marta Sosa and her daughter Andrea how appreciative the
Honduran people are for the meals provided by the “Then Feed Just One” program, and
the various mission trips to Honduras that have helped establish water programs and
created housing for the poverty stricken. KLEM news asked Sosa if she believes the
Honduran people will ever rise from poverty, and be able to be self-sufficient.
Her reply, “I hope so”.
Sosa says the children of Honduras have benefited since they have a school, she
says they do have hope.
Andrea who is now 18, says she has been assisting her mother for six years on the
Mission Honduras programs. She reflects on the first time she saw missionaries from
Iowa come to Honduras.