Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, thank you for your investment in planting a new church in El Paraíso, Honduras. Iglesia Amor Viviente has completed construction and 250 children are participating in the Compassion-assisted child development center.
Above photo: Participants and staff celebrate the inauguration of the child development center.
Implementation Milestones
Located in an area of extreme poverty, the team at Iglesia Amor Viviente are bringing hope to the community. Having adequate infrastructure enables the church to fully implement Compassion’s child development program and achieve the expected outcomes.
Construction began in October 2022 and ended in April 2023. The initial schedule included eight months for construction, but the team finished in six months. The completed facility includes an auditorium, classroom module, offices, kitchen, bathrooms, and a retaining wall. The church was able to mobilize resources through all the stages of the project.
During the construction process the team encountered challenges, but they persisted. Some of the obstacles included:
- An uneven construction site; workers had to hire a backhoe to level it.
- A lack of local construction suppliers. Materials had to be ordered.
- The absence of a water supply on the church property. The team used drones to bring water to the site during construction.
- The high costs of construction materials were a challenge, but staff researched to find the most cost-effective suppliers.
Workers have two tasks remaining: running electricity to the auditorium and installing a water storage tank. In the interim, the auditorium has provisional electricity and water is stored in barrels.
Construction Photos
The church and community are rejoicing that the work is completed and the facilities are completely functional.
Impact of Your Gift
Through the Compassion program, children and youth have opportunities to grow and learn in a safe environment through a local church. Compassion’s program is holistic and addresses the spiritual, physical, and socio-emotional needs of participants. Children learn that they are loved by God and are invited to grow in a relationship with Jesus as their Savior.
250 children are participating in the Compassion program and the church’s ministry extends to the entire community. Currently, 40% of local families attend prayer groups led by the pastors from Iglesia Amor Viviente. Beberlin has a daughter who participates in the Compassion program. She says that the church is a catalyst for good:
“The center is a blessing for the whole family, bringing spiritual growth and many more blessings to the children of this community. This program is positively contributing to the development of the children and families in our village. We hope in God that the lives of all of them will be transformed by God’s Word. Personally, I wouldn’t change anything because everything that the church brings is full of blessings and has a great impact on the families of the community.”
Fabiana directs the church’s child development center and she shared her joy:
“Without a doubt, this program has had a tremendous impact on the lives of every boy and girl who attends the Compassion program. Personally, it fills my heart with great joy and satisfaction to be able to attend to them and see their happy faces as they enter their classrooms and receive their snacks.
Something like this has never been seen here. The community refers to the church as a “Light of Hope” because they see God’s blessing through the church. We believe that every child will experience growth and have Christian values and the motivation to strive for self-improvement. This is all possible because someone extended a helping hand to support them.”
With Gratitude
Lorena lives in the community and shared her thankfulness for your investment in the new church. “I feel grateful to God and to all of you for setting your eyes on the children in our village. The economic conditions of many families are hard because there is no permanent work. I have hope in God that with the arrival of the church, it will be a great support for the comprehensive development of the children.”
Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, we hope that your heart is full of joy as you see the impact of your generosity on a village in Honduras. By planting Iglesia Amor Viviente, many families are hearing the gospel and growing in faith! May the Lord bless you for your kindness to the least of these. Thank you for partnering with Compassion International to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
