A Visit with Mario and Suyapa
As you are probably aware, this past year, AHMEN began to intensify its efforts toward empowering the people of Honduras to better help themselves. As a pilot program, AHMEN began a collaboration with SIFAT (Servants In Faith And Technology) to establish a three year initiative to train local leaders in community development and health care. The trial program was started in Cusuna and this August will mark the close of the first year in that initiative. Byron Morales from SIFAT, the administrator and trainer in this effort, has indicated that this experiment has been an overwhelming success. He is now looking to expand the initiative to other areas across the Northern Coast and Central Highlands. The direction and goal for this effort is to improve the lives of our Honduran brothers and sisters and establish a foundation to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is now time to ratchet that commitment up another notch. Each fall 20 - 30 international students are invited to come to SIFAT and learn how to become holistic witnesses for Jesus Christ.
The International Training Practicum is a truly unique experience for young grass roots community leaders within the two-thirds world. Through extensive involvement and interaction with a cadre of world class faculty, students gain skills in organizational, developmental and motivational strategies to be able to return home and make a significant impact on the lives of their countrymen. As a byproduct of their training, the students learn an array of concrete technologies that are appropriate for third world countries.
These include, among a long list of alternatives, water purification, scaled agriculture, animal husbandry, solar and other fuel-efficient means of cooking, adult literacy and microenterprise. These are skills that are necessary to achieve sustainability and independence. As we have done for the past two years, our Annual Meeting will be held at the SIFAT campus in Lineville, Alabama. The dates are September 30 – October 1, 2011. Anyone who has ever taken part in an AHMEN activity or simply has an interest in supporting this organization is encouraged to attend.
Continued