WCC Partners with Hope & Humanity for Men’s Spiritual Retreat in Honduras

Six men from WCC recently returned from a week in Honduras where they conducted a spiritual retreat for men in partnership with Hope & Humanity United, a nonprofit that works to assist underserved communities in remote parts of Honduras and a WCC global missions partner. The trip, which took place Feb. 20 to 27, was organized by members of the Reyes pit crew, a WCC group that supports H&H and Pastor Roger Reyes, one of the organization’s missionaries, with weekly communication and monthly video calls. This was the second year in a row a team from WCC made the trek to Honduras to help conduct a retreat.

The team was comprised of returning members Jack Jennings, Reyes pit crew leader; Johnny Butler, Reyes pit crew member; Sam Peña, WCC’s Pastor of Hispanic Ministries; Josh Grill, Missions Director at World Compassion Network; and two new members, Josh Sibert and Connor Slavicek, WCC attendees.

Planning and executing the retreat was a team effort. Pastor Roger and Pastor Sam planned the content, while H&H provided logistical and financial support, including interpreters and transportation for retreat attendees. Additionally, members of the H&H staff served alongside the WCC team as breakout-group leaders. All of the men attending the retreat received a T-shirt, a Bible study guide in simple Spanish and practical items, such as work gloves and a backpack.

“We were excited to go back to Honduras and continue supporting Pastor Roger’s church planting initiatives,” said Jack. “It was amazing to share with the men attending the retreat and see the spiritual growth in some of them that has developed since last year. We started planning this year’s retreat while we were in Honduras last year, so it was great to return and continue building those relationships.”

A total of 40 men from all five of H&H’s partnered communities participated in the two-day, overnight retreat in the town of El Progreso. The retreat was designed to allow the men to take a break from all their daily distractions and truly focus on hearing Christ-centered teaching, worshiping, sharing their faith, building relationships, eating good food and having fun. 

“Focusing on God’s grace is not something typically found in Honduran culture,” said Jack. “Most of the men in these communities have been so steeped in the idea of having to work for God’s favor that they won’t even show up for Bible studies or church services. The purpose of the retreat was to change that way of thinking. We want to show these men that God loves us all unconditionally and that His grace sets us free. Our hope is that these men will come away from the retreat changed and become role models in their communities through their walk with Jesus. Ultimately, we hope that some will become the elders of future churches planted in these communities.”

During the retreat, several men expressed a desire to grow closer to Jesus, two were baptized, and one man recommitted his life to Jesus. A variety of comments were shared by both retreat attendees and organizers:

• “I learned I don’t have to doubt the level of God’s commitment to me.” | Evaristo
• “In the village, we only work and go home, and this time helped me meditate.” | Carlos
• “It was very positive listening to God’s word, and I enjoyed the experience of sharing together in small groups.” | Omar
• “I was encouraged by a man in my breakout group who used to be a bad man. Seeing the huge change that God has made in his life, how he shared with the other members with so much power and the way he encouraged them through his testimony, that really touched me.” | Darwin, H&H 

“I would like to thank H&H, Pastor Roger and his wife, Kareen, who made this event possible,” Jack concluded. “Their day-to-day work and their consistent presence in these communities the last 12 years have shown the people God’s love and faithfulness. Their investment has earned the people’s trust and has opened the men’s hearts and made them receptive to attending the retreat. We truly couldn’t do this without them.”

Prayer Requests

Please pray:

• That the seed that was planted through the teaching and activities will grow in the men who attended the retreat.
• That the men will be filled with the Holy Spirit and that they will start attending more Bible studies and church services going forward.
• That the men’s spiritual journey will continue and that they will be blessed in their day-to-day work inside and outside the villages.
• That Pastor Roger and his family will be encouraged, blessed and provided wisdom as they continue working with the men.
• That the H&H team will be encouraged as it continues serving as Jesus’s hands and feet for the people of Honduras.