His Hands Mission International

There are many ways for people to help those who are living in poverty. One way people help is by providing goods or services. Although this brings about temporary relief, it does very little to give long-term help. One thing we have tried to do is not only provide relief but also provide education and training in the communities where we work so that they will be able to continue projects and start new projects after we leave. A great example of this comes from a small mountain community in Ocotepeque, Honduras. We arrived there a few months ago to start a water filtration project and to train leaders on how to help themselves and other families in their village. The goal has always been for the projects to be community-driven and community-led. After a few weeks of initial training, the community leaders took control of the water filter project and began building filters. We left and when we returned a month later to help them install the filters, we were so excited to see all the progress being made. Not only had they built filters, but they already planned which homes would receive them and had even started training a few men from a neighboring village in hopes of growing the project's footprint. Working to empower local leaders and local communities gives these villages, overwhelmed with poverty, a new hope for the future. There is an excitement in these communities. Not just because there is a project in their village, but because they realize that they have the ability to change the course of the future for their families.