Transformation Tuesdays Blog
Every morning in Catacamas, long before the sun rises over the hills of Honduras, Matías González begins his day with determination. He heads to his small corn plot to tend the crops that will soon become tortillas—the food and foundation of his family’s livelihood.
His wife, Meylin, is already at home preparing the firewood and grinding the corn by hand. Their children—Gabriela (12), Antony (10), and Cristy (8)—are getting ready for school, each step guided by the love and sacrifice of their parents.
Together, Matías and Meylin run a modest tortilla stand in the local marketplace. They’ve worked hard to build something out of almost nothing. But the reality is still harsh. Their monthly income is just $230. They live without electricity. There’s no running water in their home—they walk over half a mile to their church each day to carry drinking water for their family.
Even with these challenges, they are not without vision.
They dream of more—not just for themselves, but for their children. That’s why they applied to our Family Preservation Programs, Building Dreams/Inspiring Hope through their local church. They plan to launch a new venture: selling fresh vegetables alongside their tortillas. With just $100 in seed capital from Family Life Missions along with training and support, they’re taking a courageous step forward.
Their hope? To raise their monthly income to $385. Enough to breathe a little easier. Enough to put nutritious food on the table, work on building a safer and healthier home, and buy school supplies for their children.
This family isn’t asking for a handout. They’re asking for an opportunity—and they are ready to work for it.
When you give to Family Life Missions, you’re not just funding a business—you’re fueling a family’s dream, strengthening communities, and inspiring hope.
by Chad Vinson, Fellowship Bible Church Mission Team Leader
I can remember like yesterday exactly where I was when I heard this sentence: “Ministry is about relationships.” Twenty-seven years later this sentence still has a profound influence on how I engage in ministry. I believe Maya Angelou was on to something when she wrote, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." God has made us to be seen, to be heard, and to be loved.
This is the fourth summer our church from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has sent a team to Catacamas, Honduras, to partner with Family Life Missions. This summer we had a team of 12 make the trip. What I have grown to appreciate about Family Life Missions is how they value relational ministry through the context of the local church.
Our mornings began by our team leading a devotional for the children who attend school on their property. Without fail after each devotional the children would linger around wanting to give us a hug or a high five. Our team did a phenomenal job making sure every child felt seen, felt heard and felt loved.
Rodolfo stood at a crossroads.
His father had gone to the United States years earlier to find work—a sacrifice made in love. Now, Rodolfo felt the same pull. He wanted to provide more for his wife Nancy and their future children. He believed going north might be the only way. His heart ached with the weight of the choice: go… or stay?
Then came a phone call that changed everything.
Rodolfo and Nancy had recently completed Family Life Missions’ foster care training—part of a new initiative to provide safe, loving homes for vulnerable children in Honduras. A little boy named Diego needed a family. He had no one. Could they take him?
Rodolfo was torn. If he stayed, his plans for the U.S. would vanish. But how could he turn away from a child in need? He sought his father’s counsel—and was surprised to hear his encouragement: “Stay with your family. Give this child a home.”
And so, Rodolfo chose love over leaving.
by Lisa Steele, FLM Executive Director
With slumped and trembling shoulders, the man standing beside me kept repeating, “Tenga misericordia” (Have mercy) as we prayed. His wife, Rosa, stood nearby in their tiny kitchen, silently praying with our Family Life Missions team in Honduras.
The man pleading for mercy was Rosa’s husband, Francisco. Rosa and Francisco Velásquez-Padilla are raising their three grandchildren after their daughter left for the United States. Francisco works odd jobs in the surrounding mountains to provide for his family. They attend a local church that partners with us in our Family Preservation Program. They diligently attend every workshop we provide. Rosa is a recipient of our entrepreneur program and has begun a tortilla business in her home. She makes 300 tortillas daily by 6:30 am to sell to local businesses and families.
But the weight of raising a young family and providing for their needs weighed heavily on Francisco. He did not feel close to God. He felt defeated as he stood, unsmiling, apart from everyone.
Nine months later, I visited the Velásquez-Padilla family and a Mission Team from Fellowship Bible Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. They came to make needed improvements to the home and to serve the family. As we gathered, a man came through the front door and spoke to us. He wore nice pants and a clean plaid shirt and stood tall and sure as he spoke. It was Francisco! He welcomed everyone and then told us how he asked the local government for help but received nothing. He did not know how to help his family--until he saw the love of his church and participated in our Family Preservation Program. He never imagined he would have a group of “North Americans” standing in front of his house, eager and ready to help him! It had to be a gift from God. Francisco began having hope as he saw God’s mercy in their life. He ended his talk by saying, “Glory to God!”
I could not wait to speak to him! I told him what a difference I saw in him. He was a changed man! What happened? He answered me, “Yes, I am a changed man. I have God in my life, and I have hope.” He was smiling, and his face was filled with joy. I saw a heart transformed.
Life is still hard for the Velásquez-Padilla family, but they are part of a community of believers. They receive tools and resources to better their family and strengthen their faith.
Most importantly, they have the hope that only God can provide.
