Planting a new church in Roatan – October 2011 Update

October 2011: In late May, SAMS Canada forwarded $24,680 to the Diocese of Honduras (largely donated by churches and supporters in New Brunswick and Ontario) towards the purchase of land for a new church under the Revs Nelson and Kara Mejia in Coxen Hole, the main town on the island of Roatan, off the north coast of Honduras. Kara is originally from New Brunswick.   

The following is an update from Kara and Nelson (note: they anticipate being in Canada from April to July 2012). 

  1.     The current situation  

• An agreement was reached with the present owners, which holds to the end of this year.  Please pray that the municipality will approve the change in title deeds in the next few months.  
• We can start the construction of the church building as long as we can pay the remaining $15,000 for the land by mid-2013.
• We presently have approximately 40 people in the congregation, including about 15 in Sunday School. We expect to grow more and more when we move to the new church building and continue with evangelism and our plans to reach the people in Coxen Hole and Roatan for the Kingdom of God.  

2.     The plans for the land  

• The land is located approximately 1 km from downtown Coxen Hole.  We are planning to build in a clear area, so that we can save as many trees as possible.  
• Our objective is to become self sufficient. As for all Honduran churches, we will develop an outreach project. Ours is a sewing project, using sewing machines already sent down by Church of the Ascension, Port Perry. Women on the island will benefit from the opportunity to work and bring support to their families.
• The plan is to build the church first, but use some space to set up the machines, firstly for women who are church members, but later spreading out to others on the island.  
• The church will be similar to that in Talanga, about 35 by 60 feet. We want to have a strong enough building to weather hurricanes so that people can seek refuge here when necessary.
• The access to the property is not paved but is good.
• The congregation and local citizens will be able to help in the construction e.g. cooks for teams, doing evangelism together with teams etc. Hondurans would also be hired to build the church, and the teams would come down and work alongside the Hondurans.

3.     The main needs and a possible timeline

The first thing we need by 2012 Q1 is to raise $3,000 to install the electricity, water, wastewater and receive permission for the construction, and be ready to start building with Short Term Mission Teams, hopefully by August/September 2012, after we come back from deputation. We can pay the $15,000 still owing for the land by mid 2013.

January 2011:  After Bishop Lloyd Allen visited Roatan in mid-December, Kara and Nelson made an offer in early January for Option 1, half an acre of land with another adjacent half acre for potential acquisition in the future, in Coxen Hole, the main town on the island. The offer of $35,000 was rejected.

Bishop Lloyd had seen Option 2 in December. However, a third option has now become available; it is nearer the airport and cheaper, but further from the town. Bishop Lloyd will be back in Roatan in the next few days and after visiting Option 3, a decision will be made on whether to pursue Option 2 or Option 3 next.

Both Options 2 and 3 would be suitable in the longer term for both a church and a facility to train local women to sew. The latter would also act as a shipping/receiving facility for distributing raw materials  to the seamstresses and the finished sewn products  to customers.

As Nelson and Kara have written “We do continue to pray that God will provide and show us where he wants HIS church. “

A half acre of land is expected to cost between US$35,000 and $45,000, depending on location. At this point, SAMS Canada has received donations of over $26,000 towards this goal.

If you would like to support this project ( without diminishing the ongoing support for their salaries and expenses) please send a donation as soon as possible to the SAMS office in Barrie, noting that it is for "Mejias: Coxen Hole Church".

Can you help Kara and Nelson plant a new church in Roatan?

October 2010:  Kara and Nelson Mejia have been actively assessing potential locations for a permanent church in the largest community on Roatan - Coxen Hole (about 20,000 people). Currently church services are being held in an apartment on a temporary basis.

Nelson has identified two quite desirable locations, both easily reached from the centre of Coxen Hole. Both would be suitable in the longer term for both a church and a facility to train local women to sew. The latter would also act as a shipping/receiving facility for distributing raw materials  to the seamstresses and the finished sewn products  to customers.

Bishop Lloyd Allen, who is enthusiastic about the work of Nelson and Kara, is expected to visit Roatan in November to review the potential locations.

Can you help? Nelson emphasizes the importance of buying the land before the end of 2010, if at all possible. A half acre of land is expected to cost between US$40,000 and $55,000, depending on location.

At this point, SAMS Canada has potential donations of about $15,000 towards this goal. Kara and Nelson depend upon support from Canada.

If you would like to support this project ( without diminishing the ongoing support for their salaries and expenses) please send a donation before year end, and preferably as soon as possible to the SAMS office in Barrie, noting that it is for "Mejias: Coxen Hole Church".

For a more detailed look at the project, as prepared by Nelson and Kara, please click here.