The frightened boy waited silently in the cardboard box.  Abandoned on the streets of Tegucigalpa, he waited.  His four-year-old malnourished body was in dire need of food.  His undernourished soul was in greater need of stability and love.

Today, two years after coming to Rancho Ebenezer, this boy is no longer chased by the fear of inadequate nourishment – either physically or emotionally.  Security, the hope of a bright future, house parents who nurture him, and most of all, being taught that there is a God who intimately knows and loves him – these are the identifying marks on the beautiful countenance of a very real, six-year-old Honduran boy.

Why do we share this story with you?  This child is one of the many reasons for the recent celebration of World Gospel Outreach’s 25^th Anniversary.  FBC’s own Mike Robinson (Chairman of WGO’s board) and Tim Lundy were on hand in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, this April to share in the festivities.  This celebration included a dedication of WGO’s new facility and proclaiming God’s faithfulness for 25 years of ministry at World Gospel Outreach.

For 15 of the last 25 years, you, as the FBC Body, have partnered in the 3-fold ministry of World Gospel Outreach.   You have given your financial support, your resources and expertise, your time and prayers, and in many instances, invested your lives full-time.  Just look at Mike and Lyn Ferguson.  Mike is now the President of WGO.  10 years ago, Mike and Lyn were contentedly pursuing God in the Little Rock area when their daughter went on a summer FSM trip to Honduras.  This was the beginning of God dramatically calling the Fergusons into full-time service with WGO.  There are many others from our Body who have similar stories:  Al and Terry Runnells, Robert and Jennifer Butts, and previously, Pat and Helen DuBose.  Other highly involved couples such as Newton and Linda Little and Richard and Linda Goff have given of their resources and expertise to become part of what God is doing to change lives through WGO.   Steve Freeman and Dr. Steve Schexnayder of  FBC serve on the WGO Board.  Dr. Schexnayder has led FBC medical brigade trips for 13 years.

In case you are unfamiliar with WGO, their ministry consists of three components: first, the brigade ministry; second is Rancho Ebenezer; and third, the North American ministry component.

The brigade ministry involves taking medical teams into the most impoverished areas of Honduras and setting up clinics inside local churches.  This highly effective ministry serves 30 – 40,000 people each year!  Around 35 teams from North America will be mobilized this year and these individuals make sure that each Honduran  whose medical needs are served hear a clear presentation of the gospel message.  Last year, 2000 decisions for Christ resulted from the brigade ministry.  This powerfully illustrates that people can help heal bodies, but only Jesus can heal hearts.

The second component of WGO’s ministry is Rancho Ebenezer.  RE is a 90-acre, residential children’s facility where house parents live with and care for children of all ages.  RE includes a K-12 school, a coffee plantation, individual “homes” in which the house parents live and care for several children.  After each young person graduates, he or she has the option to move to the Bridge House, an interim facility which literally functions as a “bridge into society” for that young adult.  Around 40-50 children and/or young adults are housed at Rancho Ebenezer and Bridge House.

Thirdly, the last part of WGO’s ministry is to the local body in North America.  By mobilizing teams to come and serve, lives are changed on both sides.  Over 1,000 American Christians come to WGO projects to work each year.  Mike Robinson describes it this:

     “Seeing the opportunity that American church people have to experience the Holy
Spirit and use their lifeskills to be a blessing to others, that excites me the most.
World Gospel Outreach is an outstanding place to have a successful ministry
experience doing meaningful work. It is good because of what it does to change us.”

If you would like to be a part of upcoming ministry opportunities with WGO in Honduras, you can go to their website, www.wgoreach.org. You can also go to FBC’s website, www.FellowshipOnline.com and click on Fellowship Unleashed for short-term opportunities. James 1:27 states the mandate of World Gospel Outreach, “…to care for the poor and especially the widows and orphans.”

Thank you, Fellowship, for believing that mandate is ours.