Sixty years ago our own “Mac” McKinney entered the small, dusty town of Siguatepeque, Honduras with a goal, revolutionary at the time, of opening a medical clinic that eventually would be placed under total control of Honduran nationals. Today, Siguatepeque has a population of 60,000 and that “clinic” is a nationally recognized hospital and, yes, it is operated by Honduran nationals. Building that dream into a reality was tough going, but does its success mean the mission is over? That depends on your view of mission. CSPC has decided to take the mission “revolution” that began in Siguatepeque to another level. Why? Let’s take a closer look.

• Status of the country: in a word, Poverty
• It is the second poorest country in this hemisphere with 70% of the population living in conditions of extreme poverty

• Environmental Issues: most visible on the impact to fresh water
• Government Corruption: focus on privilege, ignoring the masses
• Gangs and Violence: emerging from the lack of opportunity
• Illegal Immigration to the United States, resulting in:
• Lack of male role models and a healthy work ethic
• Lack of discipline in the home
• Young mothers on their own in a young population

Certainly, Siguatepeque and the surrounding area face most of these issues, but God is working in ways that create unique opportunities for its citizens and for us to influence the culture. “We have learned that the love of Christ involves shepherding our people toward a Christ-centered life in a community that supports one another. My contribution to that support is building opportunities that will strengthen families and enable Hondurans to experience a better life” says Orlando X, local resident and Executive Director, Scripture Union Honduras.

What is so unique about Siguatepeque that creates this spirit of hope? First, the setting:

• Located between the country’s two major cities.
• Attractive to “wealthier” Hondurans because of the cooler mountain climate, lower crime rate, and the medical facilities.
• Central America’s only super highway passes within minutes of the city and will soon open, offering huge implications for the local economy (this “dry canal” will be an international shipping alternative to the Panama Canal).

Second, there is remarkable cooperation among the various mission organizations active in the area. This creates an unparalleled sense of community to believers and non-believers alike.

Finally, and most importantly to us, CSPC has a relationship with one of those organizations, Scripture Union, which has broad influence, is progressive in its activities, and is controlled by devoted, Christian nationals. Their ministry efforts began in 1992 and include:

• Teaching over 17,000 primary school students throughout the country with a volunteer group of 250, all national.
• HIV/AIDS educational program in secondary schools and communities that works with governmental and private organizations.
• Literature distributions and bookshops making it the largest Christian literature distributor in Honduras.
• Promotion of solid doctrine and latino authors
• Programs for seminaries, schools, pastors
• Working with Bible Society, John Stott Ministries, and others
• An income generator funding the main office
• Camps for children, youth, and families that provide Christian models of site development, experiential education, environmental stewardship, and leadership training.
• Christ-centered Micro-enterprises
• Block factory that funds 3 full-time salaries and provides part time employment to many
• Conference center that is a state-of-the-art training facility in the final stages of completion with clients lined up to book time.

These micro-enterprises are fragile successes that we as a team want to protect and build on. Why? Because Christ-centered businesses will keep capital in the local economy and provide meaningful employment that will break the destructive cycle of absentee fathers. “Honduras is a very diverse and extremely poor country with great needs, but our efforts in Siguatepeque have great potential to make a difference. We have a Christian camping program that works closely with other Scripture Union endeavors. Delayed completion of our conference center is holding up income-producing and employment opportunities that will have a long-term impact on individuals and families”, says Ken Vissers, Director of Camp Cerro de Luz.

Scripture Union has created a refreshingly creative missional community without specifically planning for it. It has the potential to become financially self-sustaining. CSPC has a heart for missions, but we have determined that we want to change the way we do mission. We need Scripture Union’s Christian community and struggling micro-businesses to show us how to do that. Scripture Union needs us to show them how to do business better and on a larger scale. A divine match? We think so!

Our church has a large contingent of professionals, business owners, and entrepreneurs who support missions and succeed in the marketplace through hard work, calculated risk-taking, and shrewd investment. Would you like to be part of this ground-breaking effort to create Christ-centered economic development in a field that God has ripened for harvest? Are you willing to merge your passion for business and missions?

Let us be clear. Traditional mission support will help, but it is not the focus of our challenge to you. We are seeking Christian business people who are willing to partner with Scripture Union in bringing this vision of cultural change into reality one step at a time. Men and women who are respectful of and open to the influence that the Hondurans will have on them, and committed to a strategic alliance that will change lives here and in Honduras. Does this stir your heart? If so, please talk to us to determine if the fit is right for you.

The Honduras Project Team
            Jim McKinney, Chairman
            Dick Angel
            Phil Johnson
            Tom Marshall

Please feel free to contact any of us with questions: