Big Steps for a Little Person........

Growing up I remember playing outside, coloring, singing and doing all the funs things that kids do. I also remember going to church everytime the doors were open unless we were sick. I also remember going to every Bible school in a 10 mile radius of our home. My momma, made sure that our summers were packed full of vacation Bible school. I had alot of fun going and doing those kinds of things. The church that we grew up in was a small church and I remember us having a bus. I don't rememebr much about soul-winning/door knocking. It is possible that I was just to little and therefore it did not pertain to me. However, it took me along time to be able to share the gospel with others because I had no training. I had a fear of speaking the truth. Not because, I did not want to share the truth, I guess it was becasue I did not want others to reject me or judge me or throw me under the bus, so to speak. When we attened our home church in North Carolina, we became active in sharing the gospel with others. It started as an invitation to our church and then the doors just opened to share the gospel. Now, that we are here in Honduras our ministry is the childrens home, however, everyones mission is to share the gospel if you are saved. You know, someone once shared the gospel with us and that is why we are saved. Someone took the time to tell us that there is a Savior, a God who loves us enough to leave HIS heavenly home, be born in a stable and surrender HIS life on a cruel cross. Should we all not share the same good news that changed our lives with others?  The answer is "YES", yes we should, we all have that duty if we claim the name Christian. Here in Honduras we go out every Saturday and reach a part of our community here. We are gone for about 1 1/2 hours or so. We have anywhere from 40-55 people come out to pass out tracts. The group consist of the young and the more mature......We do have some kids that have placed their faith and trust in Christ and want to help out as well and they are in the 10-12 year old class. Some of those include the kids from Esperanza.

  Elvin is 10 years old and he lives here with us. He has been going on visitaion now for a few months. Yesterday, he went home to spend the night with his family. It was a huge blessing to see him walk with his aunt to attend soul-winning visitation yesterday. He said that he did not want to miss it, even though his mom did not come. What a big step for such a little person. He loves being able to pass out tracts and share the gospel with others. He feels that God is calling him to be a Pastor oneday. Would'nt that be great.....a little boy that entered the home at age 9 could not read a word, has changed his life, can read the Bible and wants to share it with others. I hope that we can all be like Elvin and see what we have been given and want to give back.

Are You Keeping it Real....?

When I became a young adult  I started to take sermon notes. I would write down the text, the points the pastor would make and any quotes that he would say that really hit me. The good thing about taking notes is that you can always go back and read them and study them. I was reading over my notes from a sermon that our home Pastor Brother Jeff Jones preached entitled "Keeping It Real". The text came from James 1:22-25. Here the bible describes a man who merely listened to the word of God. He knew the truth and yet walked away and did nothing. How many of us can honestly say that we go to church on a regular basis...as in you attend Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. I can say that we as a family....all 19 of us are there when the doors are opened. We hear the truth and we know the truth but do we walk away changed or do we continue in our old routines? A quote that Brother Jeff used was "God did not inspire HIS word to be optional in your life". How true is that!!  God gave of his word to help us, to encourage us and to teach us. He did not give it to us so that we could put it on a shelf and pull it out when we had a problem. Another quote that Brother Jeff said that service was that the bible should never be used like a cafeteria line.....picking and choosing the parts we want when we want it......OH WOW! How many times have you heard someone take a verse out of context or even turn it to fit their own fleshly desires? If the bible says it is wrong then it is wrong! Just because you like it or want to continue to do it does'nt make it right. We all have a car.....we all have gone over the speed limit in our lifetime. However, there is a little sign that has a posted speed limit on it.....you choose to obey it or when you are caught you pay the price. Our sin and regards to the bible are the same way. If we know it to be wrong but continue to do it anyway...we to oneday will pay the price. My question for you is are you keeping it real? Are you following God's word in your life. Is God's word making a difference in your life...if it is not...it is because you are not allowing it to. (another quote by Jeff Jones). If you coninue to live your life and neglect the bible...you are only robbing yourself of a lifetime of blessings. Keep Christ in Your Life and Keep it Real.  I know I want to be a Real Christian...I want to always have Christ shining in my life....this was a benefit to me and I hope it is to you as well.

Share the Love......

  I remember when I was in high school we used the phrase "Share the Love". I am so thankful that today that phrase means so much more. We were given the opportunity to really share the love here in Honduras. We do not get to just share our love with each of them but we get to share the love of Christ with each of them. As all of the world celebrated Valentine's Day today with your special someone or parents with their children I hope that none of us forgot the true meaning of love. The bible says in John 3:16; "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him shall be saved". I know many were searching for the perfect gift yesterday or even today.......but the greatest gift in all the world has already been given. I am so glad that I was the recipient of that gift. I now have eternal life, I have hope, I have a friend that will never leave me or forsake me. I have a friend who knows my pain and my heart. I hope that you can say the samething today. We are so excited that all of the older children here in the home have accepted Jesus as their Savior. They continue to grow in his love and grace everyday.


We did Celebrate today by giving the kids Valentine's. We started out with sweet treats for breakfast....berry special muffins. Then, they each got a bag of chips which are a special treat. They also got a new pencil for school. They all loved them and we had a great day celebrating just being in a family where they were loved.

Are You Taking a Risk

Today, as I was doing my devotion I read about "risky business". In Matthew 1:18-25 the bible lays out the story of the birth of Jesus. You see at the time the angel came to Mary to tell her that she was going to be the mother Jesus....the Savior of the world she was not yet married. The angel also appeared to Joseph to tell him of the plan. Can you imagine what must of been going through his mind. You see he was engaged but was just told that his soon to be wife was going to have a baby that was not his. Now, while this was a grand opportunity, responsibility,and a blessing it was also a risk. The world did not know the things that Mary and Joseph knew. The world we know did not understand who Jesus was. I am thankful that Joseph took the risk to marry and be the earthly father of Jesus.

Last night we learned of a sweet 13 year old girl that was shot here in Honduras. This little girl just graduated so to speak from the class that Mark and I teach on Wednesday nights. At first this little girl was a handful. She was a talker and loved to distract in class. However, we were able to lead her to the Lord one night after class and she began to grow and to change. She became a sweet girl who wanted to always read the first scripture when we started bible time, she picked the first song to sing. She became a joy to have. Yesterday, her life was forever changed as she got in the car with some of her friends. Her friend was turning 8 yesterday and they were headed to a birthday party for her. The little girls daddy(the 8 year old) owns a gas station on the far side of town here. While driving to the party they were forced off the road and they were all shot and killed. The little girl from our class took off running and they shot her in the back ...she ended up with 6 shot wounds. As the shots came, she fell to the ground. The bad guys left her..... thinking she was dead.....but a witness picked her up and drove her to a safe hospital. How risky........yes. Gangs here do not play. They are pure evil and are truly the laborers of the devil. They do nothing more than he...which is to seek and destroy. I can not give any names or any other information but the Lord knows. Please pray for her. Brother Matt was able to talk with her daddy. She was alert this morning her daddy said and she was sad that she could not be in church....PRAISE the Lord.....what a testominy she can have. The Lord has plans for her...but her life is now a risk.

My question for you is this....are you taking a risk.....are you obeying the call that God has laid on your heart? Being a missionary in another country is risky business. We are no different than anyone else here.  We do know that we all would be very unhappy if we were out of the will of God. We do not let the risk keep us from trusting and obeying the call. I can not lie and say that at times we are all not concerned and even frightened by the things that we hear. However, we know that GOD himself has called us here and he will protect us if we only trust and obey.

"When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,

What a glory HE sheds on our way!

While we do His good will, He abides with us still,

and with all who will Trust and Obey!-Sammis

URGENT NEEDS at ESPERANZA

Being that we are a non-profit organization and all of our funds are freely given are in need of certain items. You can help us here in Honduras by checking our our URGENT NEEDS list on the left hand side of our blog homepage. We will update it as we receive items. We here do not just ask for things we pray for them. However, God uses people to help answer those needs. Some items can be bought here in country while others are either to costly to buy here or not available. Please see if you can help us with the needs that we currently have. Thank YOU all.
Shampoo/Conditioner ($4.00 a bottle)


Formula ($15 a can)

diapers ($36 a case)

Pledge/dust cleaner ($4.00 a bottle)

*toothpaste($3.00 a tube)

*butterfly closures

*deodorant(it is $4 here)

toilet bowl cleaner $10(2pk)

toilet paper $15(24pk)

*Tylenol/ (adult and Jr)

*Gummy Vitamins

*Toddler Finger Snacks/Walmart brand or gerber

*Vitamin C tablets for kids

Child Sponsorship Program

We Need a Sponsor.........

Many of you have asked what our Sponsorship Program is all about. It cost more than $125 a month to keep one child in the home and supply their daily needs, medical and dental care as well as their schooling. With the sponosorship program you "adopt so to speak" a child in Esperanza to care for. You will be sent a picture via email for you to see your child. If your child for some reason leaves the home your funds will be gpo towards helping a new child and you will receive a new picture. You can choose to sponsor 100% or do a partial.

STEP 1: email us at amy@teamhonduras.com or mark@teamhonduras.com so that we can assign you a child.


STEP 2: Mail your contributions to Hope Childrens Home in Tampa Florida

C/O of Mark and Amy Coats Honduras Fund

11415 Hope International Drive

Tampa, Florida 33625

or you can set up online donations by visiting www.hopechildrenshome.org click on donate now.....then enter your inforamtion and be sure to write that this is for the Honduras/Coats Ministry We have listed all of the steps on the left hand side of the blog home page if at anytime you need to review the information or wish to share it with others. You should also look into seeing if your place of employment matches gifts given to non-profit organizations as this is a non-profit childrens home.

You can also choose to send your adopted child cards, letters or packages for special occasions such as birthdays or Christmas or special holidays.

Thank you all for taking the time to check out what sponsoring a child at Esperanza is all about.