Life saving transportation for Belinda & Tony

The story of Belinda and Tony:

Belinda was born with a tumor on the side of her face. Medical care was non-existent in San Juan, a rural town in the rugged mountains of Honduras. By the time Belinda was nine, the growth had taken over the right side of her face disfiguring her severely. They were told it would eventually cause blindness in her right eye and close off her airway causing suffocation.

She would never marry. Never have children. Her childhood dream to be a teacher would never be fulfilled.

Without surgery the chances were great that the tumor would sooner rather than later compromise her air passage and take her life.

When she turned sixteen, our medical mission team arrived in the little town of San Juan, Intibuca. Belinda was so bashful she would not look anyone in the eye and kept her long black hair combed to cover the right side of her face. Our team was so taken by her story that we resolved to find a way to help her.

After a full year of searching, a wonderful organization called 'Operation Smile' offered to coordinate the procedures at Vanderbilt Hospital, Dr. Bruce Shack was willing to donate his time to perform the laser surgeries to reduce the size of the tumor.

So began a series of events that tested Belinda more than she had anticipated. What we all thought would be one simple operation turned into a protracted test of her faith. Each surgery would take six or seven hours and required three months of healing before the next one. A team of amazing volunteers helped. Belinda submitted bravely to the surgery, the loneliness of travel and recovery time away from her family. Her well used Bible came with her along with the hunger to grow spiritually.

People she came in contact with were being impacted by her bravery and joy. Many were influenced by her faith.

Belinda was a breath of fresh air. I started calling her Cinderella, a story she knew well because she had two step sisters. In her own version, Jesus was her prince. He had chosen her to live a difficult but amazing life that would inspire many. Someday he would take her to be his bride.

After thirteen surgeries, Belinda, decided that was enough. The surgeries were no longer life saving, only cosmetic. She had never been too worried about that anyway. During the ten years of surgeries another transformation had taken place. The shy, soft spoken girl, afraid to show her face had grown into a confident young woman with a purpose and sense of worth.

She took over her mother's Sunday school class. By inviting and inspiring children, the eight original students grew to 200 — having to meet outside under a tree because they wouldn’t fit in the church building. She started attending Bible College, began leading a women’s discipleship class and conducted evangelistic seminars in villages around the mountainous areas of Honduras. Her message was the same. Jesus loves you no matter what you look like and can answer even the most impossible prayers.

Then God brought a real handsome prince into her life. Belinda fell in love with Tony the worship leader at her church. He was a young man who loved her as she was. They married, joined their meager possessions, had two beautiful children; Otniel and Gabriela and established a Christian home.

Then disaster struck. Hurricane Mitch a category five hurricane swept through Honduras becoming the second worst to ever hit South America. Overall, Hurricane Mitch killed about 7,000 people in Honduras with 11,000 still missing months after the storm.

Tony and Belinda lived in a concrete block home that withstood the waters but they lost everything else. Shortly after I received this letter from her. "This will be a year of starting over. We have continued in the Lords work. I am leading a new group of people in my community an hour walk from my home. They are uneducated and very poor with great needs. I also am finishing my fourth year of Bible College, still teach the Sunday school class and have become the head of new Christian discipleship class at our church. I was writing to ask if you could help me find financial support since we have no income in this very poor country. I would appreciate your help. In the name of Jesus. Maura Belinda Martinez.”

Before the three foot deep mud had dried, Tony and Belinda were out helping neighbors, bringing food and working to restore their severely damaged community. The recovery was long and brutal but in the middle of it all Tony and Belinda continued to reach out, help with food, shelter and spiritual direction to those around them.

Our small group began supporting Tony and Belinda in their efforts to minister to the poor in mountains of Honduras. It has been a privilege to help them.

After thirty four years of faithfulness in the same direction,

Belinda has a loving husband, two beautiful children and a ministry that has grown to include surrounding towns and municipalities. Most of their travel is done on foot. How much more they could accomplish if they had a sturdy vehicle to transport food, medicine and supplies to those with severe shortages whose lives depend on them.

It is almost unimaginable that In all this time Tony and Belinda have never owned a vehicle of any kind. Would you help me raise the funds for a reliable used vehicle for to use in their life saving work.

Thank You

Joe Castillo