AFE Celebrates Our Partners

by Greg and Nancy Gibson

On September 16th - 18th, AFE held a three-day thank you celebration for our top supporting organizations. The theme for the celebration was "AFE Evolutions." A child from each grade (Kindergarten through Tenth) represented their classes and showed the growth and development which takes place from kindergarten to the tenth grade. We reminisced about AFE’s past, toured and discussed our current work, and dreamed about what the future might hold.

Thursday night was "noche cultural," in which everyone dressed in typical Honduran clothing and the food was typical Honduran, American, and British food (or at least a Honduran version of American & British food). The topic of discussion was AFE’s past, remembering what happened since Hurricane Mitch in 1998, Pastor Jeony's call in 2001 (the voice of God speaking through his five-year old daughter), AFE's commencement in 2001, and everything that God has done since then.

On Friday, we spent the day touring the AFE campus and listening to the children introduce their classroom and tell AFE's stores.

We also visited the nearby communities where AFE's children live, the Linda Miller community & Amor y Vida church, which supports AFE, and the garbage dump itself. The theme for the day was AFE 2010.

Friday night continued with a big "thank you"celebration for our partners and Pastor Jeony's inspiring message: "God Has Not Forgotten."

Pastor Tim and Jackie White, senior pastors of Washington Cathedral in Redmond, WA.

Duncan Dyason,

founder of Street Kids Direct in the UK.

Jack and Pat O'Neil

of Hope Teams International in Portland, OR.

Paul Sloan represented Orphan Outreach in Texas.

Terry Hawk of World Gospel Mission

Pastor Jorge Pinto (not picture here) and family represented Iglesia Amor y Vida in the Bosque neighborhood and Proyecto Manuelito.

Thank you to everyone who worked hard to make this great event possible!

Meet Our New Volunteers

Paul Sloan is a recent graduate from Baylor University in Texas. Orphan Outreach sent him to use his sharp mind and love for children to serve the students of AFE. Paul teaches English classes, helps with adult education in the afternoons, and supports mission teams when they visit. When asked what she appreciates most about Paul, AFE’s director, Jesy remarked, “Paul is so easygoing. He is willing to do whatever is needed and always has a good attitude!” After his year of service, Paul will continue his schooling in graduate school in the United States.

Johanna Novoa is a short-term missionary sent with the Mennonite Committee’s international exchange program. She is from Bogota, Colombia and studied business administration and theology in her undergraduate education. She is excited to use her knowledge to help build up AFE’s microbusinesses and to serve the poor in another part of the world. She will also help AFE with accounting and the Amor y Vida’s youth group.


Leah Kooy, is a 26 year old teacher who has already served two years teaching at the International School in Tegucigalpa. She is originally from Linden, Washington and came to Honduras because she wanted to use her talents to serve the poor. She is able to do so at AFE, where she offers special attention to students who learn at a slower pace. Leah especially enjoys this work for how fulfilling it is. In November she will marry a man she met here in Honduras and then likely move back to the States with him to continue her teaching career.