Video of time in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama

Driving over the Panama canal on a sketchy one land bridge

Camping on the beach of Playa Negra in Costa Rica

Kayaking in Nicaragua

In Panama City getting our vehicles inspected for there trip to Columbia via Panama Canal

More kayaking in Nicaragua

Pictures of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama

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Myself and Ben kayaking in Nicaraqua

Jesse, Zoe, and Tanya

Hiking up a Volcano in Nicaragua. This was a cool rock formation

Making funny faces while waiting to go kayaking

Kathyrn, Rachael, Tanya, and Breck enjoying the beach of Playa Negra

Lake Nicaragua

Playa Negra, Costa Rica

Vehicle inspection in Panama City, Panama

King Jesse at our shipping company's office in Panama

Panama

Our time in Panama was amazing. The border crossing from Costa Rica to Panama was the toughest of the trip so far. We would find out soon enough that it wasn't even a drop in the bucket compared to getting our five vehicles across the Panama Canal to Columbia. After two days of travel consisting of two of our vehicles having problems we arrived in Panama City, Panama. We had the privilege of staying in a church that was right next to the Panama Canal. We got to watch the big ships travel on the Canal and the trains taking big containers away from the docks. We also got to drive over the bridge that the trains use but one lane is for cars to get to the city we were in, Gamboa. They just put some wood over the tracks. It was a bit sketchy to drive over but fun.

We had a lot of ministry opportunities but the one I want to write about had the greatest impact on me. Our contact from YWAM (youth with a mission) David, arrainged for us to minister in the most dangerous and poorest section of Panama City. This is why we are all on this trip. We want to go in the darkest areas of the Americas and bring the Light of Jesus to it. We went to this apartment building where they were waiting for us. A pastor was already loudly preaching and praising God in the inside courtyard of the building to some children. We all spread out and started praying for the people and the community. Some of the guys started praying for this one man. When I first looked into his eyes, I saw a lot of evil. One of the guys, Taylor, heard from God that we need to roar like a lion into him in unison. So we told our translator to tell him, and when he agreed to it, we roared very loudly for about 10 seconds. We continued to pray for him after and gave him hugs and told him Jesus loved him. When I looked into his eyes after praying, I did see a difference. Two days later, David told us the testimony of this guy. That same night we were praying for him, he was planning a big robbery. During the time we prayed for him and roared into him, he saw his destiny in a vision. It wasn't a good one. He saw himself in hell. When we left, he gave his life to Jesus and did not commit the robbery. Praise God!! People being transformed by the love and power of Jesus. I felt very honored that the Lord would allow me to be a co-laborer with Him in this gentlemens life. It was an awesome display of light entering where darkness is, and darkness fleeing.

Adventures in Honduras

Five of us, Maria Lopez, Liz Peppiatt, Natalie Mantai, Astrid Emmerich, and myself (Ted Hogan) left Choluteca on sunday to travel to Yamaguila and then up a mountain via donkey to Agua Caliente. An indigenous people group, the Lenca, live up there. We were like the United Nations of the Kingdom of God going there. One person born In Mexico, one person born in the United Kingdom, one person born in Russia, one person born in Germany, and one person born in the United States. It sounded easy enough when we were talking about going the day before but, to say the least, it wasn't easy. It was definitely worth it though. There is a quote from Soul Surfer that I love, "I don't need easy, I just need possible." This was definitely true for this five day adventure.

House in the Lenca village of Agua Caliente

We left Choluteca for a five hour drive that ended up taking over seven hours. Twenty kilometers into our drive our vehicle, "Overflow", was running even worse then normal. We pulled over and prayed for the Holy Spirit's direction. We pulled over two more times, once when the engine stopped as we were driving, and another when there was no steering and we heard a noise. Each time we prayed and pushed through asking the Holy Spirit to lead us. This was going to me a common theme, pushing through and listening to the Holy Spirit, for every facet of our five day journey.

We arrived sunday afternoon at Yamaguila and were blessed by an amazing ministery, Mercy International, led by Henry. We had lunch there and then decided to push on to Agua Caliente. Before leaving, we wanted to pray for the youth who were having a worship service. These are kids who have troubled homes. I thought to myself, we have fifteen minutes to do that, before driving two more hours in "Overflow" and then traveling three more hours up a mountain via donkey before it got to dark. Well.....the Holy Spirit had other plans for us. Three hours later, after prophesying, praying, and a fire tunnel for the fifty or so youth, we left at 7 pm for Agua Caliente. Twenty minutes later we were calling the staff from Mercy International for help because "Overflow" wasn't running right and we were sliding toward the side of the mountain due to muddy roads. I officially got the vehicle stuck in the mud on the way back to the base and had many from the community help us get out of the mud. To say the least, it wasn't an easy day, but worth it seeing those youth touched by God.

Bus taken to San Pedrito

Monday, we dropped off "Overflow" to the mechanic and set off on our now three hour bus ride to San Pedrito. If you've never been on a public bus in a Latin America country going up a mountain on a muddy road over sketchy bridges, I highly recommend it. We arrived in San Pedrito at 4pm and were met by Bengido one of our contacts. Most of us, 3 of the 5, wanted to push on through up the mountain that night to Agua Caliente. Then Bendigo asked us a profound question. What's your objective going up there? For me, our objective, was to push through that night till we got to our destination. Maria told him that we wanted to go house to house praying for the Lenca people, loving them, and telling them about Jesus. That was what I wanted to do but now was unsure if it was worth it to push through at night. We would only have four or five hours to minister up there anyways. The team was split on what to do. We finally made a decision to stay and minister in San Pedrito for the rest of monday and all of tuesday. There was a need there just as much as Agua Caliente. We had to get back to the rest of the team in Choluteca by wednesday night so we had limited time. When we told Bengido we were staying, he said, they are expecting you up in Agua Caliente. We looked at each other and didn't say a word. Would have been nice to know that little bit of info before we had this trying ordeal of coming to a resolution on what to do. That morning before our meeting, I heard the Holy Spirit say "unity and team." I told everyone but had no idea the depth of it.

Our gear getting transported up to Agua Caliente

Our three hour hike up the muddy trail to Agua Caliente

We headed up the mountain just before 5pm. We had three donkeys for the five of us. We used two of them two carry our gear and the other one we rode on. It took us about three hours to get to Agua Caliente. The first hour or so there was light to see. Henry, from Mercy International, told us the hike is uphill both ways. He was true to his word. There was very little flat area. The last hour of the three our hike was in darkness with a flashlights that didn't illuminate very well in muddy unstable thick dirt on a cloudy moonless night. We finally arrived at our destination. A community of thirty-five Lenca families who lived with no running water or electricity. It wasn't easy, but worth it as we pushed through and listened to the Holy Spirit to the best of our abilities.

Going house to house in the muddy village praying for the sick and telling them about Jesus

Tuesday we woke up to the sound of rain hitting the metal siding roof of the worship center we were sleeping in. This provoked most of us to pray for it to stop since we were going to go trampling in the mud spreading the gospel house to house and then hike down the mountain on the already muddy path. Over a course of five hours, we went to seven of the thirty-five homes, including our host for Agua Caliente, Bernardo. Bernardo and his family are one of only three families that went to the church established there by Mercy International. There hasn't been a service there for a few months because they no longer have a pastor there. Nine adults gave there life to Jesus and over ten children as we went house to house. We prayed for many people and one ladies back was healed of long standing pain. It was a life changing time for us. There are at least two more communities, Agua Dulce and Santa Barbara, of Lenca people above where we were that need to hear about Jesus.

Lenca family

Wearily, we headed down the mountain. We had been pushing it since early sunday. We arrived back in San Pedrito at 4pm and had just enough time to eat and rest till we were to do the 6pm service. One woman gave her life to the Lord in the small budding church and as we prayed for the people two men received healing: knee pain healed and another man had neck/back pain healed.

We had more problems with the vehicle on wednesday which the mechanic told us could not be driven but made it back on thursday, Thanksgiving day. For me, it was totally appropriate to come back on a day of thanksgiving. To say the least, this five day adventure in Honduras wasn't easy , but ...........

Expedition Impossible: Guatemala Version

     This summer I watched a reality series called Expedition Impossible. It was located in Morrocco. The teams would do these impossible missions competing against each other. They were from all different backgrounds, ages, and one guy was even blind (Erik Weihenmayer). I thought to myself, while eating cookies and potato chips on the couch, that these people are crazy. For me to do what they are doing, would require a really good prize. It looked emotionally and physically draining. I told myself I would never to something like that, forgetting that I was going to be gone for a year long missionary journey that was physically, emotionally, and spiritually draining with a prize too great to even dream about. 

     In Guatemala, the team decided that we wanted to climb a volcano and roast marshmallows at the top. Let me explain something about a few of the people on Iris's Latin America trip. They love adventure! One guy wants to wrestle a crocodile and was actively looking for one in a crocodile infested river in Belize. In Quatemala, some of the guys were driving to a crocodile infested pond in Tikal to wrestle them. I went just to be one of the guys but had no plans to get even close to one. Most of us have a heart for the unreached and will go anywhere to find them. So climbing up a volcano and roasting marshmallows seemed fun and adventurous. It never seems as hard to do something when you are on a couch eating cookies and potato chips. You never really no how out of shape you are until you challenge yourself. Two months of sleeping in a tent or the suburban and traveling in uncomfortable vehicles for 6-12 hours with little to no exercise doesn't help.

    There were a few Volcanos to choose from in the area we were travelling to. One was called Agua, another Fuego. We chose Pacaya after talking to a local. Pacaya is an active volcano, which first erupted approximately 23,000 year ago and has erupted at least 23 times since the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. Pacaya rises to an elevation of 8,373 ft. We started the climb at about 6,000 ft. The last eruption, according to wikipedia, was on May 27, 2010 causing ash to rain down on Guatemala City and Antigua. When we got back to the orphanage we were staying at, we could see smoke billowing out of Pacaya.

Inside Pacaya

The halfway point up Pacaya. The top of Pacaya in the background.

It looks like I'm smiling but it's really a wince in pain.

Same wince with something unusual happening to my chest. I might need a bra.

     So, that was our adventure in Guatemala. I would say half the team made it up Pacaya. A couple of my teammates rode a horse halfway up, they were the wise ones. It was a good test for us and especially me. I told myself that I deserved to feel they way I do for letting myself go. Halfway up the volcano, we decided we needed to workout more if we were ever going to reach the unreached in the jungles of who knows where. Climbing up it was interesting. There was a portion that was very treacherous that you could not get a foothold in. You would just slide down every time you took a step up. There were these kids selling hiking poles for 5 quetzales or about .75 cents at the base of the volcano. I didn't want one. For what I thought?!  Did they think I was some stupid tourist needing a stick, I mumbled to myself. Let me tell you something. The hiking stick would have come in handy. Guess I am a dumb tourist. :)



Making good times out of bad situations.

This letter was written by Jesse Gellatly in his news letter blog to his supporters. Jesse is one of the leaders, along with his wife Tanya, baby Zoe, and Christian Jung.

        The only transmission mechanic specialist in the whole northern area of Guatemala was able to go find the parts needed to rebuild our transmission. After waiting a week for the repairs we were finally ready to move on to our next destination in Guatemala, an orphanage in a city a day’s drive south of us. After fifty miles our rebuilt transmission went out and only first gear continued working. We called the mechanic who refused to come down and help sort out why his work didn’t work. So with no other options we continued for hundreds of miles in first gear with our caravan of five vehicles and campers. We camped the first night on the way and continued our journey all the following day as well. That evening as we entered a small remote town on the way people gave us directions and we figured that by the map we would make it soon and not have to drive too much at night which we have been frequently warned against here in Guatemala. We soon found ourselves on a small bumpy dirt road climbing mountains. We hoped the roads would turn better but it only got continuously worse for hours into the night. Roads worse than any Africa jungle track we’ve experienced being visited by our two RV’s, SUVs’ pulling tent trailers, and a low riding Buick station wagon.

On the way up this first narrow steep rocky mountain passage one of the trailer tires popped and was wrecked twisted underneath and off the rim. There was no other spare, this was the spare, and the other one had already popped earlier that day. There was no way to turn around, there were not many options other than to pull it on its rim or leave it behind. Ben and I ran up to the vehicles waiting about ¾ miles ahead to get help and tools. Many crazed dogs jumped out from the bushes and chased us the whole way. We threw rocks, even a tire iron but it seemed there were not enough rocks. As we ran up this mountain with dogs barking and growling at our heals every time I turned my head back all we saw was dozens of glowing eyes right behind us from the glare of my head lamp. When we unhitched the other camper to have the Durango taxi us back because the dogs, Taylor and Victor had miraculously fixed the tire. They had found a rock to beat the rim back into shape and some string to tighten the broken tire to the rim and with a can of fix a flat and our small compressor had the trailer ready to go again. I wanted to turn back seeing how it was constantly getting worse and then one young man passing by said it was only forty minutes further to the next small town. . Many hours later we realized he was wrong.

We winded back and forth up and down steep mountain slopes. The road was often muddy and slippery on the edge of high steep cliffs. The drivers had to stay very alert especially because of many areas where the road had fallen off as a landslide over the cliff. Sometimes the danger was so high because of drop offs on both sides of the road that I even had all the passengers exit the motor home and walk and I drove solo because of high chance of vehicle plummeting over the edge. We noticed that the rear vehicles had stopped again and I got out walking back to them. Just then Gillian comes running up the mountain towards us shouting, “Come quick! The vehicle is falling off a cliff.” We ran down to find that the Suburban pulling a tent trailer was on the edge of a cliff stuck with the soft edge breaking away underneath. With all the manpower we could muster we tried to push the vehicle forward and back onto the road but the tires just spun sending the vehicle nearer to no return. We unhooked the trailer and were able to get the vehicle along back on the road and then with everyone working together we lifted the trailer and pushed it up a steep hill to where we could find traction and reconnect it. We were successful; How? I honestly don’t know.

It was in the middle of the night and we didn’t think we could endure anymore but locals warned us not to stay the night in those mountains because it was not safe. Everything was flying everywhere in the motor homes and people got injured just by falling objects and falling down. The bottoms of the vehicles were hitting the bumps so often with no way to avoid it, not being able to stop in the muddy holes. We completely wrecked our sewage tank unrepairably meaning no working toilet in our RV unless we find new sewage tanks for sale somewhere. We finally arrived in the middle of the night surprised that we had made it and found a rundown hotel full of roaches and mildew. As soon as we had made it down the last steep mountain and entered into this old town the brakes in our motor home and the station wagon over heated and stopped working. If that had happened a few minutes earlier we wouldn’t be here writing the story. But God allowed it to happen once we arrived in this town to show us that He had been with us the whole time protecting us. We slept okay regardless of the gunfire and horns blowing, and other strange noises. In the midst of all the dangerous and stressful circumstances, most all of our team had great attitudes and joy.

We are overjoyed to be missionaries and these last couple days reminded us of many similar experiences around the world that we have had while carrying this Gospel to the darkest places. It is all worth it from eternity’s perspective! We are now at the orphanage making it by mid-afternoon on our third day of travel. We have a transmission mechanic coming tomorrow to look at the Durango. Pray he is better than the last one. We hope to be heading over the border to El Salvador within the next couple days. Please keep all of our team in your prayers.

Mayan Ruins in Tikal

The largest preserved Mayan city in all of Latin America is in Tikal not too far from the Belize border. These ruins are also the tallest of the Mayan temples. For hundreds of years the Mayans would perform human sacrifes at these temples in order to appease their so-called "gods." Our Iris Latin America team felt led to hike to the top of the tallest temple to take communion and worship Jesus. We did just that. We only had corn tortillas to use for Christ's body and Gatorade to use for Christ's blood, but nonetheless, we took communion together. As we did this, our whole team could sense a shift taking place in the heavenly realms. It was as if God was waiting for His children to come and remember the body and blood of Christ in that very place, which not only covers sin and things detestable in the sight of God, but literally takes them away. We believe that an exchange took place today; the blood of Christ which was poured out for the sins of many for the blood of humans which was spilt in vain to please demons. (written by Christian Jung)

Don't Stop Belizing

We finally arrived in Belize. Yeah Pappa!

Our time in Mexico was a lot of fun. I learned a lot about myself. Living in a community of people brings out the best and worst of me. Get lower and go slower, is what I keep on hearing from my days at harvest school.

We arrived in Corozal, Belize on wednesday the 19th. We found an amazing rv park right next to the beach. It was closed due to maintenance issues but we found favor with the owner and he gave us a discount.

During our 4 day in corozal we went to the downtown to minister to the people who were staying there. We prayed for them, loved them, bought them some food and spent time with them. One gentlemen, Godfrey, was not doing well when we first met him. He was drunk and on drugs. A few of my teammates, Taylor, Brent and Melissa ministered to him the first day. The group basically adopted this man. He took us to the hospital to minister and to a village they call "Paradise" to go house to house loving on people, praying for them, and telling them about Jesus. The Holy Spirit put it on all of our hearts to take this man with us as we travel through Belize. We all felt compelled by love to take him and love on him more and get him out of an ugly enviroment for a time. He has been a great blessing for us all.

Ben, Rowan, Brent, & Breck baptising Godfrey in the Carribean Ocean

Ben asking Kareem if he knew Jesus and had been baptised. He did not know Jesus.

Kareem being baptised

We left Corozal and went about 4 hours south to Dangriga, Belize another coastal town. Come on God!! Love the beach! Godfrey, during our travel, told us he wanted to be baptized. We baptized him and another man, Kareem, who was trying to sell us things, in the Carribean Ocean. I love the spontaneity of God.

Today, the 24th, we went to get permission from the mayor to have an evangelistic event in the downtown. We are also going to do to some street evangelism.

Love you all and I appreciate your responses. Sorry, I haven't responded to everyone.

ONE OF MY FIRST LOVES

It's been a few years since I went to India. My trip to India impacted me greatly. I believe that's when I gave my heart to missions. It wasn't my first missionary trip, Cuba was, but I saw how they needed Jesus. When we went to the trash dump in Hyderbad my heart broke in so many ways.

My time in Mexico City brought me back to some of these feelings. We went to minister in two different trash dumps. These trash dumps were a lot dirtier than the one in Hyderabad but the people were just as beautiful in them.

We were going around the dumps and loving people and inviting them to a gathering where we were going to preach about Jesus, give testimonies, feeding them and giving clothes out. In one, we all stopped at this one house and prayed for a mother and her deaf daughter. While we were praying, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of how when I went to India He had led us right to a little church structure as we drove into the dump. I felt like He was telling me that this woman and her family is a similar divine appointment and will be a contact for our hosts to have when they continue to come back. When I told them what the Holy Spirit had told me and what happened in India they were happy and greatly encouraged.

We prayed for the girl for sometime but did not see in the natural a healing but totally believing that God is still doing a good work in her. During these times when I dont see in the natural what I know God does, which is to heal, I'm reminded by Him that the most important thing is that we love. We loved that mother and her daughter and you could see the difference in their countenances.

It's really that simple. We need to love more! I love being around Iris missionaries because they believe, dream, and love big. I love the people of Mexico and the one's God has put in front of us to stop for. It's like God brought me back to my first love. I am very blessed to have a Pappa that love me so much and allows me to co-labor with Him to show what love looks like. In my wildest dreams, I would have never believed that I would be on an Acts missionary journey.

Our team will be entering Belize on saturday. The journey continues....

Fuego Mexico

Loving the Mixteco People

While we were with Andy and Karyn Pricer and their two children Hunter and Julia from Fire Ministries in the Guadalajara area, our team was able to go with them to a part of town that only Mixteco people live.They all live on one street. It was awesome visiting another indigenous people group. We went door to door just meeting the people, handing out CD's with the Bible and songs in their language on them and feeding them some pan (bread). We prayed for the sick. One lady that the team prayed for was paralized on one side of her face and her arm and now has some feeling in both and we are believing that Jesus will continue to heal her. We shared the gospel with many and loved on the Mixteco people of that area.

Revival in Cumuatillo

Cowboy herding goats right where we stayed the night

Christian Jung leading worship in spanish

Many people came forward for prayer to be heale by Jesus

Pastor Candy and I

We traveled a few hours south of Guadalajara towards Mexico City with our new friends, Andy & Karyn Pricer and children, to  where another couple, Terry and Karen David, from Fire Ministries are missionaries. We had an open air meeting in the street near a church that an awesome young man named, "Candy" is the pastor.  Ben shared what God had laid on his heart. Jesse gave his testimony. At least five people came forward to receive Christ. Then we asked people to come forward to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I prayed with two who received their prayer language. The streets were filled with revival as the Spirit of God fell upon everyone. Many spoke in new tongues. There were words of knowledge about people who were suffering with pain in different parts of their bodies. Those people also came forward to receive healing. The streets rejoiced at the testimonies of these healings from the mouths of their own people. Our team continues to carry revival fire through Latin America

From La Cruz to the Nayarit Mountains

September 17th- September 24th

We went to La Cruz and Nayarit Mountains in Mexico. La Cruz is about two hours south of Maztlan. We went to some day labor camps to preach the Gospel, pray for people, and play with the kids. On my team, we split the team so we could go to more then one camp, four youth gave their lives to Christ. These camps are not pretty. They have very small rooms for a family to sleep in. The work is very hard, long, and low pay. Some of the guys leave their families for eight months at a time.

Christian Jung leading worship at one of the camps in La Cruz

Children at the camp in La Cruz

This is the place we stayed in La Cruz. We spent two days here. This was a time of rest, team bonding, playing, pampering oneself and laundry. We needed the rest from all the driving. We swam in the ocean, body surfed, played in the pool, and the girls got pedicures and massages.

The Cora people were an unreached people group in the Nayarit Mountains. We were given a history lesson by a Fransican Priest named Pascual who would hike up the canyon, which is a advanced hike, once a week to befriend them and help them. He did introduce Jesus to them but they believed Jesus was the same as the sun which is one of the many things they worshiped. As a people, there faith was animism. The catholic church here is a lot different then in other areas of the world. The story that I was given by one of the missionaries that was hosting us, Jay, is that there was a rift between the catholic church and the indigenous people group of Mexico. It has to do with the person, whose name escapes me, who told the story about Guadalupe. The indigenous people were offended that the church didnt recognize it. The Pope eventually came over to mend the relations and they venerated, not sure if that is the right term, Guadalupe. The Pope gave gifts to a Cora family. We were hosted by the son of this family, Magdaleno. I believe this is pretty accurate from what we were told by the missionary. Please forgive me if I got some things wrong in the story,

Drive to the Cora village of El Congrejo in the Nayarit Mountains. The village is 5000 ft in elevation

Aurrelo singing an original song before our Jesus film outreach.

These mighty men were awesome to minister with in El Congrejo, the Cora village. I don't remember but two of there names. Raul "Rio" and Aurrelo. I miss there laughter and teasing.

These four women are the first in the Cora village of El Congrejo to give their lives to Christ.

A Cora woman we prayed with.

A Cora Child



Raul "Rio", one of our Mexican teammates who joined us to reach the Cora people, teaching the children a game to play



A Cora woman working on a handbag all day, everyday for two weeks.

Finished handbag

Cora family in the Nayarit Mountains

Christian, Maria, and Tanya making corn tortillas in a Cora families house that hosted us.

Our team going house to house inviting the Cora people to the Jesus film outreach in their own Cora language

Cora house

Volleyball is very popular in the Cora village

We provided clothes for the Cora women and their families.

We provided food and household items for each of the 40 families.

We purchase 1000 blank cd's to put the Gospel on for the indigenous people in Mexico



Breck jumping off a tree branch into the river we hiked down to from the El Congrejo village

 Forty families live in the Cora village in the Nayarit Mountains. They are related to the Aztecs. When the Spanish went to war with Mexico the Cora and many othe tribes of people headed to the mountains.