Trotting the Globe

Dianna Teel
Speaker Relations

Today, I am coming out from behind the Globetrotting pages of World Radio News to share with you some of my own recent adventures with the Lord. Over a span of nine months, I made two trips to Honduras. My husband, Steve, and I formed part of a short-term mission team from our congregation in Hendersonville, N.C. Our destination was Mission Lazarus in San Marcos de Colon, Honduras.

In September 2009, seven of us flew into Tegucigalpa with the goal of sharing much needed hope and encouragement with the Honduran people. We were very happy to find Rigoberto Vargas (World Radio speaker in Tegucigalpa) waiting to welcome us at the airport. With him were his daughter and a former prisoner who had become a Christian. Just as exciting was to turn on the radio an hour later as we headed out of the city and hear Rigoberto’s voice as he shared Christ’s message to the prisoners.

During our week at Mission Lazarus, Steve thoroughly enjoyed his opportunities to preach in Spanish. I taught the women at two congregations on the requested topic of “Daily Dependence on God.” It was humbling to share the Word with poor women who live from day to day knowing that their daily bread is on the table thanks to the Lord’s provision. We rejoiced as one of the women present put on Christ in baptism, as well as two others during our brief sojourn. As former missionaries in Argentina, we took pleasure in our discussions with the Mission Lazarus staff who truly live their faith out loud.

The perfect ending to the trip was finally meeting World Radio speakers Juan Carlos Santamaría, German Hernandez, Juan Ardila, Hector Ardila, and Rigoberto Vargas and their families in Tegucigalpa. I’ve prayed for and corresponded with them for 14 years. Our time together was full of hugs, laughter, and discussion about ways to better use their radio programs. Armando Pacheco, who helps to coordinate the radio ministry in Honduras, came to the airport to see us off the next day. Only our reunion in heaven will be better!

In June 2010 we were blessed to return to Honduras with a 22-member team. Our group funded and helped with the construction of a home for a sister in Christ and helped further the construction of a home for one of the preachers. Food was delivered to families. People in humble homes readily opened their door for Bible study. They would offer us something to sit on while they stood and listened to the Bible being read. Touching was our time praying with families in the children’s ward of a public hospital where we delivered gifts.

On this second trip, I spoke to women about how God values them and how they can instill self worth with their children. Likewise, I encouraged them to develop uplifting relationships with their sisters in Christ. Steve delivered a six-hour seminar to 50 Bible Institute students on how to use the gospel of Mark to teach non-Christians. At that meeting when people learned of my connection with World Radio, many expressed thanks for this ministry and the help that it has been to the church in Honduras. I received an additional request for a radio program to add to the waiting list for Honduras. We closed our time kneeling together for 30 minutes of prayer.

The brethren in Honduras encouraged me with their passion for sharing their faith. Their praise in worship rang in unison from the bottom of their hearts. I returned to the States with a spiritual boost and a refreshed perspective on God’s world and church. I was thankful to see firsthand the fruit harvested as a result of the radio work and feel enormously blessed to be a partner in it.