Mark & Lori Connell

The more things change.....

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:46:42 -0600

It is February 22, 2012 and it has been way too long since I have updated things on this blog, this website, and all of you who have joined us in our work among the people of Honduras. It is also the start of the 40 day period of Lent. Seemed like the perfect time to turn over a new leaf and finally get all of you who have followed our work some news!

In the past 5-6 years, I have come to appreciate the observation of Lent as it gives us an opportunity to create some space where there may not normally be some. My friend, Todd Thomas, says it well....

“It is a season of fasting, but also of repentance, penance, prayer and reflection. We are asked to take a forty day journey of the soul, much as Jesus wandered in the desert for forty days before a face-to-face time of temptation with the Accuser and the beginning of his public ministry.”

Our hope is that all of us, whether we observe Lent or not, are continuing to be prepared for our own temptations and ministries.

....the more they don’t remain the same.

I am often asked if I feel that we are really making a difference. People come to visit, see that the needs are so great, provide some momentary relief, and then realize the relief is just that, momentary. In brief glimpses, it is easy not to see any difference. The needs are great and, at times, overwhelming. But I see it. I see the difference in families when the moments of relief provide for them, a glimpse of hope, a moment when it doesn’t seem so hopeless. So, yes, I think we are making a difference.... one moment at a time. And that has to be sufficient. The alternative would be to do nothing and that, as you know, just wouldn’t be right.

This time of year has become one of my favorites. We are in the middle of our annual “Back to School” drive helping kids with the school supplies they need as they begin a new school year. This year, we have already been able to provide supplies for more than 50 children! Each child can cost anywhere from $40-$150, depending on their particular school and uniform needs. For these kids, it is better than Christmas. For these kids it means that when the teacher says, “Ahora, estamos usando su libro, Aprende Conmigo..... (now, we are using your book, Learn With Me.....) the kids can reach in their backpack and pull it out. They don’t have to just sit and miss out on that part of their education because they don’t have the book, or the pencil, or the tracing paper, or the notebook, or the compass, or the protractor, or the _______. Having what they need enables them to engage in the learning process and not get left behind. For parents, it is simply an answer to prayer. They know that the future of their children is tied to their education. They understand that it is an education that will give their children opportunities they never had and a chance for a “better” life. Thank you for your participation in this. If you would like to help, just visit the website and follow the links to give.

MI ESPERANZA
The more things remain the same.....

The work of Mi Esperanza continues to grow with reckless (but a controlled recklessness) abandon. God continues to provide for the work in amazing ways. With a grant from Delta Kappa Gamma International, Mi Esperanza was able to renovate a new space for the beauty school. The new classroom is much larger and that means the class sizes can be larger and much more comfortable. This is of great benefit because the beauty school has always had a waiting list. We could not be more pleased with the new space and all it will bring to the beauty program. The ability to provide hope to more women is certainly very exciting!
.....the more things are able to change. 
Another great thing is that the new space for the beauty school now brings all of our classes, as well as our offices and store, under the same roof. The new salon at full capacity has space for 6 full styling stations and 6 mani/pedi stations. We will begin with 3 of each completely equipped with the goal of having the remaining finished by the end of the summer.
A very big thank you goes out to board member, Karen Lindbergh, for writing the grant used in this project. Although the grant covered much of the expansion we still need help for the completion of the project.
THANK YOU!
We don’t say it enough, I know, but thanks to all of you for your support in helping us to serve the poor here in Honduras. It is an honor to work with you in the name of Christ to provide hope to those who have little reason to have any.

The need here is greater than ever. Please join us in our efforts to serve . Visit our website..... www.thehondurasproject.org. to ﬁnd out how you can be a part of what God is doing through The Honduras Project and itʼs partners in ministry. Contact us if you have any questions.

Mark Connell: mark@thehondurasproject.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-5397
**Home: 205-533-8725

Lori Connell: lori@thewomenofmyhope.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-6208
**Home: 205-533-8725

* Text and we will call you back (We can call for quite cheaper than you can!)
** Evenings. Our vonage phone is an Alabama number! If you have free long distance it won’t cost you a thing!

Send donations to:
The Honduras Project/Mi Esperanza
PO Box 1575
Mandeville, LA 70470

School Supplies....

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:45:45 -0600

The average family in Honduras earns about $1,200 a year. Yes, you read that right! $1200.... a year! It is easy to understand why so many people live as they do here. It is also easy to understand why anything beyond essential is not part of daily life. This includes education. I know one could argue that education is essential, and we would agree, but when one’s choice is to feed their children or send them to school, food trumps school, every time. So there you have it...the cycle of poverty continues. One thing we know to be as true here in Honduras as it is back home in the U.S is that parents want the best for their children just as you and I do. They want them to go to school. They know an education is what can change their future. Families often send their children to school even without buying any of the supplies they need hoping that they will still learn. And they do, to some degree, but what ends up happening is the children do not continue because they can not engage in the learning experience when they don’t even have a pencil and pad of paper. The average cost for a child to be prepared for school can be as much as $175.00.... this is nearly 2 months income.
As the start of school geared up we sent out a request to all of our Facebook group followers to help us help kids have the supplies they need. We had a wonderful response to our request for donations and have helped more than 100 children go to school with the supplies, uniforms, and books they need to be fully engaged in learning.

As Mark would visit the various communities, he would receive a list of school supplies needed directly from the from children or their moms. Then, with lists in hand, he would go to Utiles de Honduras (a local school supply store) to purchase those supplies. The employees at the store would gather the supplies and they would be separated into bags for each student. Mark would then return to the community, find the children’s homes and deliver the supplies. Each day Mark was met with more lists, the need is great! I wish I could adequately share with you the joy the children have when they have all their supplies! It is like Christmas. They sit and look and touch and admire their supplies and can not wait to go to school knowing they can fully participate! When the teacher nows asks them to pull out a pencil, they will have it. When the teacher asks them to pulls out their cuaderno de dibujo (drawing notebook) for art class, they will have one. Seeing the children excited to go to school is amazing. It is great to watch. Education is so vital, to all of us. Without it, there is little hope and it is so obvious here. Mothers know that their children have to stay in school if they are to have any real opportunity to break the cycle of poverty that they themselves could not. Education makes the difference.

Mark has also been busy on the construction front with houses and retaining walls...the rainy season is coming and the more people we can have sheltered the better, right?! Want to shelter a family?..$1400 will do it! Mark has the pleasure of being a resource for many groups that come to the country in the area of building. His knowledge is often called upon by other mission groups to help their teams build houses. The start of 2011 has given him many opportunities to help groups in this way.

We have already received one container of donations which makes for a full warehouse to manage, but soon all the donations will be given away and we will be waiting for more.

Mark is also helping with a well digging venture through IRC and a group of men from the USA. This is very exciting for the people in two neighboring communities who will soon have running water to their houses! Water is life and this a huge benefit for these communities.

Mi Esperanza...

In November, Mi Esperanza received a grant from Delta Kappa Gamma International for the start up of a 3rd sewing school. We chose a location in Santa Ana, Honduras, 30 kilometers from the capital city. This classroom will allow us to serve a new demographic and area of women in Honduras. Women who were too far from our current locations can now take advantage of what Mi Esperanza has to offer. The class opened with 30 women all eager to join the class and have the opportunity to learn a new skill. This location will be a permanent classroom location with the vision to bring more of our training classes to the Santa Ana area.

The new year started with the board of directors of Mi Esperanza traveling to Honduras for our first meeting of 2011. The board welcomed Amy Cashio from Birmingham Alabama to the board and are excited to have her on the team. It was a great week of planning and on site work with the Mi Esperanza program. While in the country the team built a house together and Mark was our house site leader, it was a great day!

I contnue to love the day to day work of Mi Esperanza as we work to reach and teach more women. I love the women who come to us and enjoy sharing life with them. They inspire me everyday and remind me why what we do is important. Giving hope in the name of The Christ is an honor and a joy!

The need here is greater than ever. Please join us in our efforts to serve . Visit our website..... www.thehondurasproject.org. to ﬁnd out how you can be a part of what God is doing through The Honduras Project and itʼs partners in ministry. Contact us if you have any questions.

Mark Connell: mark@thehondurasproject.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-5397
**Home: 205-533-8725

Lori Connell: lori@thewomenofmyhope.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-6208
**Home: 205-533-8725

* Text and we will call you back (We can call for quite cheaper than you can!)
** Evenings. Our vonage phone is an Alabama number! If you have free long distance it won’t cost you a thing!

Send donations to:
The Honduras Project/Mi Esperanza
PO Box 1575
Mandeville, LA 70470

WOW....

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:33:54 -0600

WOW!!! What a summer...

Stardate 9.15.2010....
From the ready room, the work of summer clean up has begun...reports, web and Facebook updates, emails, receipts..... all the stuff that seems to pile up during the haze we call deep space summer. Mission MATT.25:38ff started with a group of 105 and ended with a group of 3 and we had everything in between, and right in between we went where no man has gone before with a group of more than 160 and 4 groups at once! We soon realized that resistance was futile and moved at warp speed to figure how to transport, feed, and water that many people at one time in a country where warp anything is unheard of and not understood.....Dagnabit Jim!

All kidding aside it was an incredible summer and so much was accomplished to benefit the poor here in Honduras all because of the love and dedication of so many. All of our TORCH Missions teams were filled with volunteers who did not lack in enthusiasm, courage and determination. Everyday, volunteers invaded the city and worked diligently to improve the lives of those living in extreme poverty knowing that with each action the love and mercy of The Christ was being poured out over a hurting and desperate country. Mother Teresa once said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." For a people who can look to no one and nowhere for help, the work done here in His service over the past few months became a direct reminder that they are not forgotten, that they are not unwanted, unloved, or uncared for. Thanks to all of you that continue to make all of this a reality.

In just over 2 months, or 8 weeks, or 60 days, or 1440 hours, how ever you choose to look at it...more than 80 homes were built for the homeless, thousands of bags of food delivered to hungry families, visits to orphans at nearly a dozen different children’s homes, inmates at the juvenile girls prison where ministered to and given a clinic (the first in 15 years!), hospital prayer ministry took place nearly everyday, medical and dental clinics held in remote locations and in city villages for people who otherwise have no medical care, concrete mixed and poured for a variety of projects, land leveled for a woman and her handicapped son to receive a home, food and clean water shared at the local dump community, a community daycare painted, new fence and new playground added, etc etc etc. It is amazing to watch and be a part of such an amazing amount of work.

I don’t mind saying that we are tired and in need of some rest, but it is a good tired! Thanks to a good friend and their frequent flyer miles, we got a good rest in Florida over the Labor Day holiday.

PURCHASE WTH A PURPOSE.....
Mi Esperanza was just as busy as TORCH as we used the summer months to open our doors to visitors and offer the opportunity to PURCHASE WTH A PURPOSE. Our store front was the focus of the summer as I work with production, product development, resourcing, and product sales. One thing I am very proud of is that EVERY PRODUCT we offered this summer supported the financial stability of women all over Honduras. As I looked to offered items Mi Esperanza personally couldn't provide, I partnered with other women's organizations that produce goods that helped women, organizations that hold the same vision for women as Mi Esperanza..very cool!

Current needs....
There are two projects we could use some financial help with. One is funding for the construction of retaining walls. The rains have been very heavy this year and are creating a great deal of difficulty. Erosion is a huge problem that could be fixed with the construction of retaining walls. A wall can be built for anywhere between $250 and $500 depending on the piece of land. The second need that will be coming is for school supplies. The new school year will start in February, so now is the time to ask for funds as we get ready for next year. For around $150 you can sponsor a child. Visit the donation page on our website, www.thehondurasproject.org, or send donations to the address below.

We don’t say it enough, I know, but thanks to all of you for your support in helping us to serve the poor here in Honduras. It is an honor to work with you in the name of Christ to provide hope to those who have little reason to have any.

So for now.... shields down........engage!

The need here is greater than ever. Please join us in our efforts to serve . Visit our website..... www.thehondurasproject.org. to ﬁnd out how you can be a part of what God is doing through The Honduras Project and itʼs partners in ministry. Contact us if you have any questions.

Mark Connell: mark@thehondurasproject.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-5397
**Home: 205-533-8725

Lori Connell: lori@thewomenofmyhope.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-6208
**Home: 205-533-8725

* Text and we will call you back (We can call for quite cheaper than you can!)
** Evenings. Our vonage phone is an Alabama number! If you have free long distance it won’t cost you a thing!

Send donations to:
The Honduras Project/Mi Esperanza
PO Box 1575
Mandeville, LA 70470

Getting Ready....

Sun, 2 May 2010 11:02:39 -0600

Getting ready...
Well, as the calendar turns to Spring, it means we are just a few short weeks away from welcoming our summer teams to Tegucigalpa for another year. That means there is plenty to do. We will have close to 1000 people joining us this year. Mark is in full fledged “getting ready for summer groups” mode. TORCH has a full summer schedule of groups and that takes planning and prep work. Finding house sites has been a big job. Visiting communities, meeting families, and making a list of sites for groups to choose from. Mark has been all over the city and beyond weeding through the 100’s of names and requests he has received. It is a taxing job, but having a list with all the leg work done makes for much smoother work when the groups arrive and allows their time here to serve more productive.

Mark also manages reservations with Villa Gracia, hotels, and other logistics for the groups. Organizing a bus schedule, getting drivers lined up, organizing, repairing, and buying tools, working with the wood supplier and many other details. It will be just a few more weeks and the summer groups will begin their invasion on Honduras and we will be ready!

There have been a few small spring break groups coming and going over the last few weeks and working with them is always a highlight. We love the excitement they bring. Many of them come with new faces and they continue to keep this work new in our hearts as we experience it through their eyes.

We had a house dedication in the community of Mirador de Oriente. A house we built in conjunction with the Mayor’s office. We had the pleasure of giving the keys to and welcoming Dina Valladares and her family to their new home.

Mi Esperanza...
At the end of March I traveled back to the states to Tulsa, OK for an event for Mi Esperanza. This was our second year to attend Tulsa Workshop and sponsor a booth for Mi Esperanza. It was great fun seeing returning supporters and meeting new ones. The event was a success as we were able to share The Mi Esperanza Story and sell a load of Mi Esperanza products. Being in “Tulsa” also allowed me a little Lola time with two of my grandchildren..... what a treat!

In March, one of my summer interns, EA Ward, returned to Honduras to help me out in the area of product development. EA is amazingly creative and full of great energy, it was a blast to have her for a week. As some of you probably know, working with a creative mind can keep you on your toes! EA worked with our maquila and together, they developed a new bag for us, The Kavala Bag. We introduced it in Tulsa and with our visiting spring break groups and we received an overwhelming response. People love it!

The development and production of other products; photo boards, passport covers, notecards are in full swing as we prepare for the summer groups to arrive. All this is product development is done for one reason.... to continue to move Mi Esperanza one step closer to being a more self supporting ministry. Always remember that the sale of our products goes to three places... 1) paying the women who make them, 2) materials and supplies, and (most importantly) 3) keeping our school doors open! Purchase with a Purpose!

It is amazing to me as I reflect back about 5 or 6 years to when we introduced our first bag, the Gypsy, how far we have come and I am thankful that God continues to put people in our path that share our vision and keep moving us along to be able to support this work and educate women.

Family update...
Kate, our newest granddaughter, is doing great! She is now 6 weeks old and weighs nearly 9 lbs.! She is a good baby and Jenny has her on a great schedule already. We love our ichat time with Will as we virtually play transformers with him. He has the best imagination and he makes us laugh! Maya is now potty trained and she is our little swimmer. She has advanced in her swimming class and now swims on her own (it’s a little scary to watch), she is a true Florida baby! Oh yeah..... Ryan and JC and Eric and Jenny are great too!.

The need here is greater than ever. Please join us in our efforts to serve . Visit our website..... www.thehondurasproject.org. to ﬁnd out how you can be a part of what God is doing through The Honduras Project and itʼs partners in ministry. Contact us if you have any questions.

Mark Connell: mark@thehondurasproject.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-5397
**Home: 205-533-8725

Lori Connell: lori@thewomenofmyhope.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-6208
**Home: 205-533-8725

* Text and we will call you back (We can call for quite cheaper than you can!)
** Evenings. Our vonage phone is an Alabama number! If you have free long distance it won’t cost you a thing!

Send donations to:
The Honduras Project/Mi Esperanza
PO Box 1575
Mandeville, LA 70470

Connections......

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 20:25:35 -0600

Family connections!
Pops and Lola for the third time!! Kate McGuire Connell was born on March 4, 2010. Weighing in at 7lbs 4oz and 19 3/4” long. She is beautiful and we were blessed to be able to be in Tulsa for her birth. Her big brother, Will, is just amazing with her and we of course enjoyed our short visit with the whole family. Five days with our “Tulsa Family” was wonderful but way too short!

Ryan: We ask your prayers for Ryan and her health. She is doing fine but with her annual check up they are doing some new tests to look at her heart issues from a new perspective. Her case history is being presented at a Cardiology forum and we will be anxious to hear what “they all” think. It can all be unnerving and so we ask for prayers of health, peace and healing.

Ministry connections!
One of the blessings of what we do is we are able to be a resource for others to do work with families in Honduras that they have grown to love and care about. We love to be able to bridge the gap of miles and language to meet the needs of the poorest of the poor.

Meet Dylcia:
We have had a long relationship with Dylcia. We met her when she had been washed out of her house from flooding in her village, Mololoa, and was living in a makeshift shelter in a church building with her premature twin boys and then 2 year old son. With the help of one of the teams that was here that summer, we were able to build Dylcia a house and get her back home. That summer, a North American family, the Behrenbergs (who were part of one of the teams) also met Dylcia and decided that they would like to begin helping her with some of the ongoing needs she encounters. We get the pleasure of managing that help. We are able to be a contact between them and Dylcia and facilitate help when needs arise. We visit Dylcia and her family on a regular basis and use the resources provided by the Behrenbergs to help in any way that may be needed. Dylcia works full-time at a local school, but, because she earns less than $5/day, she occasionally needs help with food, medicines, etc. and, through the Behrenbergs, we are able to bridge the gap. This month we worked with Dylcia and the Behrenbergs to meet some health concerns for her boys and to get her son David into a special school for children with learning disabilities. David is one of the twins who did not develop cognitively at a normal progression. Dylcia is like any mommy who just wants the best for her children. She is very grateful for the love, care and compassion she receives and sees God’s hand in this provision.

Education connections...
School supply help continues as we have requests for help with sending children to school. As we stated last month, it has been a huge need. One story we can share is the story of Sara Denia. She is the mother of 2 and her monthly salary was able to pay 1/2 of the matricula (it’s a tax that must be paid) to get her boys in school. Upon doing that she was given the school supply list that would take another month’s salary to purchase, while still owing the second 1/2 of the matricula. This did not include any food, water and other daily needs. With that we still hold the vision to have a fully stocked bodega so each January we will not have to turn children away who want to attend school. If you would be interested in helping this vision become a reality, contact us to see how you can help!

Mi Esperanza....
It has been a month of maintenance and preparation for the spring and summer with our store and products. Our salon needed an electrical overhaul. That was a big project but God provided free labor!! Praise BE!!! The salon class also needed all new hairdryers and God provided those for us free as well. A group of women in Florida and Louisiana sent donations so we now have 20 new dryers. Our hope is that with the electrical work we will not burn through them so fast!

It was time to freshen up the store and look to product development for the summer months. I LOVE this part of my job. Now, the only reason for our store is for Mi Espernaza to become self sustaining. So with a store cleaning and facelift we are on our way for groups to come and “PURCHASE WITH A PURPOSE”! Stay turned for some GREAT NEW PRODUCTS! Don’t forget, we have an on-line store on our BRAND NEW WEBSITE!! www.thewomenofmyhope.org

Meet Paola:
One of our salon graduates opened a salon in her home. She says it is just the beginning!!! Gina and I went to visit and received some services which was delightful! Paola is so proud of where she is and thankful for the opportunity. She wants to stay involved with Mi Esperanza and help other women to lift themselves up with their opportunity from Mi Esperanza.

The need here is greater than ever. Please join us in our efforts to serve . Visit our website..... www.thehondurasproject.org. to ﬁnd out how you can be a part of what God is doing through The Honduras Project and itʼs partners in ministry. Contact us if you have any questions.

Mark Connell: mark@thehondurasproject.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-5397
**Home: 205-533-8725

Lori Connell: lori@thewomenofmyhope.org
*Cell: 011-504-9858-6208
**Home: 205-533-8725

* Text and we will call you back (We can call for quite cheaper than you can!)
** Evenings. Our vonage phone is an Alabama number! If you have free long distance it won’t cost you a thing!

Send donations to:
The Honduras Project/Mi Esperanza
PO Box 1575
Mandeville, LA 70470