Hundreds of lives were impacted in La Ceiba, Honduras, by twenty-seven individuals from Cayman Academy: these include students, teachers, parents, chaplain, and principal. Their mission included a variety of activities: they led a spiritual Sabbath program at the Seventh-day Adventist English Church, cleaned and painted the church, distributed care packages to children and patients at the Hospital Regional Atlántida, painted classrooms and bathrooms, replaced urinals and toilet bowls, and donated school supplies to the Seventh-day Adventist Bilingual Christian School. Additionally, they donated packages to a Mother’s Home. This private entity cares for women whose children are born with birth defects and distributes food packages to a nearby community before returning to the Cayman Islands.
The group departed for Honduras on April 18, 2025, and immediately started touching lives from they boarded the aircraft by asking for coverage as they journeyed. Upon landing, they were met with an airport quite different from what they were accustomed to: small, quiet, and less bustling than other airports around the world. Despite the unfamiliar environment, laughter and positive energy filled the air as they patiently navigated the long wait at immigration, sharing their excitement and expectations.
To their surprise, airport workers began leaving their posts, creating a sense of unease. Nonetheless, with much anxiety and anticipation, they boarded the buses and headed to the hotel. Many had expectations of accommodations like those in the Cayman Islands or Jamaica. Though the hotel was far from five-star, it was heartwarming to see how quickly everyone adapted to their new surroundings.
Sabbath arrived and the group travelled to the English Church, where they led the Sabbath school and Divine Hour under the theme “I will Go: Lightening the World Through Mission”. A key message from the Sabbath school reminded attendees that: “Jesus takes us out of our mess, dress us, and adorn us with beautiful clothing that attracts others and because of the attention we tend to turn our backs on Jesus time and time again; therefore, we at this state should consider the question “What does your relationship look like with Jesus?” Pastor France Chambers delivered the sermon rooted in Matthew 6:22-23. He reminded everyone, “The eye is the lamp of the body and when it is not focused on God your action becomes corrupted. Seeing things through God’s perspective will make you see everything as good.” He emphasised, “How you treat material things is an indication of the type of eye you have, and that mission is not confined to a distant land, but right where you are.” Pastor Chambers further encouraged, “The eye must be singular to focus on the singleness of purpose. He concluded with a commission: “If they lose track and the eye becomes dark and their lives are filled with darkness, remember that Jesus is relentless in his pursuit; therefore, do not turn away from mission but rather say “I will go I will be transformed to be a blessing to someone else.” -Ps. France Chambers.
Inspired and energised, the group shared lunch and returned to the hotel for rest.
That evening, they, along with church members, met at the Hospital Regional Atlántida to distribute care packages to the children, female and male wards. Many lives were impacted; the gratitude and satisfaction could be seen on all their faces as they received the packages and bowed their heads in humility for prayers. Later, the group communed to a nearby park to close off the sabbath, singing hymns and sharing God’s goodness. Elder Feslie Smith, a parent, reminded the group that “It is because Christ decided to die on the cross that they can live and travel to impact and tell of his second coming”.
After closing the sabbath, the group fellowshipped in a lively football game and traditional Adventist ring games, ending the night with hearts full and ready for the tasks ahead. The group returned to the church, where scraping, peeling, dismantling, and painting commenced. Although the project was expected to take two days, by the end of the first workday, the church was painted inside and out, sparking a sense of accomplishment and renewed hope for the week ahead.
On Monday, they added the final coats of paint, with small groups efficiently assigned to specific areas, ensuring a polished finish. That evening, Pastor Diaz and church members hosted the group for an evening of relaxation and swimming as a gesture of appreciation.
The next day, the mission group shifted their mission to the Seventh-day Adventist Bilingual Christian School. Like most people would, many of the students and adults were expecting to see the school that they were familiar with from the Cayman Islands, with a clean entrance, well-organised classrooms with smartboards, and varied resources to aid in teaching. This expectation of modern facilities was quickly replaced with the reality of mouldy, cold classrooms filled with a strong, unpleasant odour. Nonetheless, after the group completed their dancing and singing in the school’s auditorium with the vibrant young ones, they enthusiastically dug in, scraping, cleaning, spraying, painting, and even using personal funds to assist the school. By day’s end, despite security protocols requiring them to leave early, the group left feeling fulfilled and grateful for the opportunity to help.
Wednesday brought an educational excursion to Copán, a historic site seven hours away. This adventure added joy and learning to the trip, especially for students and history teacher Mrs. Facey. After an exhausting ten-hour return journey, the group began preparing for departure.
Yet, the mission work was not over. With less than three hours to check into the airport, the group, alongside Pastor Diaz, travelled thirty-five minutes outside La Ceiba to distribute approximately sixty food and toiletry care packages to a neighbouring community. The gratitude and joy from the recipients left a lasting impression on everyone. In the end, everyone thought the entire week was a blessing despite the many changes, difficulties, and human nature.
Throughout the trip, the group left a profound impact on those they served and were equally transformed themselves. As the Youth Leader from the English Church shared, “Renovating the church is something we have had planned for a long time,” – Youth Leader. Another church member remarked, “We were blessed by the music – something we are not accustomed to… we will ask the pastor to incorporate more music to enhance the worship experience.” Still another commented, “We are proud of what we are seeing. The young people standing up and speaking, we do not see that here, so I like what I am seeing.” Church member
Certainly, lives were touched, both those in Honduras as well as those who travelled there. The students from Cayman Academy reflected on the experience:
“It was an eye-opener to what people are going through. I learned a lot about their history and culture: it was a satisfying experience to help; however, it is also sad that we won’t be able to fix everything”. Chaia Chambers
“It was enjoyable, hardworking, stressful, and annoying at times; however, most importantly, I got the experience to learn a different culture and touch lives”. Nickela Davy
“It was productive, interesting and informative. I got to learn about the culture through their food. It was also sad to see the condition of the school; nonetheless, I appreciate the people who came and did what they could to help,” Graceann Smith (Non-Adventist student)
“Going to the hospital allowed me to appreciate what I have in the Cayman Islands because people here are not getting the service they deserve. Ministering to them was a blessing”. – Roxssandy Giscombe
Indeed, lives were touched, hearts were changed, and a lasting bond was formed between the people of La Ceiba and the missionaries from Cayman Academy.
The school has been immensely blessed by this inaugural initiative led by Mrs. Ethlyn Reeves Diaz and her dedicated team. They extend heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined and contributed to its success. The school hopes to continue this level of missionary work annually during the Easter Break.
Cayman Islands | Written by: Petellee Jones, Editor: Devarro Whittaker | Photo Credit: David Smith | Video Credit: Pastor France Chambers
