“We’re building a church in Honduras!” I had known Brian Kamstra for all of twenty-five minutes, and I could already tell from the photos littering his office walls and the blueprints strewn across his desk that his heart was on fire for what God was doing in La Canada, Honduras. He proceeded to tell me an adventurous story of traveling to Honduras with very few connections and meeting a bilingual waiter at a Pizza Hut who introduced him to a pastor he was working with. He was excited about how God was moving both in Honduras and at Ridge Point to align resources and partnerships to bless La Canada and impact the children who live there.
Over the last twelve years, God has blessed so many people on both sides of this partnership. Those providential friendships from the early days resulted in projects to repair homes, start a school, launch a child sponsorship program in the community through Compassion International, and many, many more opportunities. God has worked in mighty ways both for a community struggling with the realities of poverty, and for hundreds of mission trip participants whose lives have been enriched by the kind hearts and indomitable spirits of the believers in Honduras, and forever changed by the movement of God’s spirit in their lives.
While investment in the children and community was growing and para-church ministry was thriving, unfortunately, the ministry of the local church struggled. The time and energy that part-time ministry leaders were able to give was just not enough to take full advantage of the resources that God had blessed La Canada with to evangelize and disciple the community. In response, leaders at Iglesia Avance Misionero and the Fearless Family of Churches started to pray together for a Pastor to feel the call of God to make La Canada their primary mission. Little did we know that God had been working for over a decade to convict, redeem, and call just the right leader into ministry!
In 2023, more than ten years after the building was built, God worked through the leadership of Pastor Marlon Santos to call Luis Nicolaz and his fiancé Yesica on mission to Pastor the church in La Canada. This calling has been affirmed by many leaders, including denominational president Pastor Niamias Chavarría, Fearless Missions Leadership team, and the Lead Pastor team at the Fearless Family of Churches. On March 25, 2024, with great unity around Luis and Yesi’s calling, and renewed energy in our partnership with Iglesia Avance Misionero in Honduras, my wife Emily and I were able to travel with Jack and Sue Dykstra and support the commissioning of Luis and Yesi as the full-time Pastors of Iglesia Avance Misionero in La Canada!!
During this short trip I saw first hand the mighty work that God can do through the dedicated obedience of His people. For over 40 years, Pastor Niamias has been serving the global church as a co-vocational Pastor, denominational President, and construction business owner. For over 20 years, Pastor Marlon has pastored a growing local church, trained young pastors, and lead and Compassion International sponsorship site. For 10 years, Jack and Sue (and many others) have remained faithful to God’s calling to serve the community of La Canada and take others with them. All of these faithful and fearless followers of Jesus have laid a firm foundation on which God is going to build a vibrant church movement that will bless La Canada and beyond, in Jesus’ name.
Pastor Luis has a vision to double down with ministry in La Canada and has already sent leaders into neighboring communities to start discipleship groups. He has a vision for the community at large, and God is already showing the fruit of faithfulness as one of his new leaders brought brand new members to the commissioning service! We are beyond excited to see what God does in this next season of ministry as Iglesia Avance Misionero leadership and the Fearless Family of Churches work together to advance the calling that He has laid on the heart of Pastor Luis and Yesi. There is no limit to the work God can do through His people when we humble ourselves, pursue unity, stay faithful to His vision, and trust in Him for provision.
Is God stirring your heart for His work around the world? I encourage you to pray about joining an upcoming trip or sponsoring a child. When we support the ministry of local churches around the world, we get to pour fuel on the fires of a mission God has already been forming in the hearts of local leaders and work for the global unity of the Church. When we sponsor children, we fight global poverty in one of the most effective and sustainable ways by securing education, health care, and food security for the next generation of a country’s industry, political and spiritual leaders. There are lots of ways to get involved. How will you answer the call?
Aaron Brown
Lead Pastor
Third Coast Community Church
