HOPE Missions Review of 2023

2023 was a year of new beginnings for the Jeff Hertzler family. After feeling God confirming in our lives that now was the time to become more involved in foreign mission work, we began to take steps toward becoming full-time workers in the Lord’s harvest field.  

We started the year with my wife and I taking a trip to Paraguay, South America, with our missionary friend Brother Chuck Akers. Brother Akers had been to Paraguay in the 80s and felt a burden to return to the country. He knew that my wife had been born in the country and invited us to accompany him on this trip.  

We arrived in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay, on Wednesday, March 1. That afternoon, we went to the hotel, bought food, and rested. The next day we walked through the streets to some parks. Brother Akers preached several times while we handed out tracts and interacted with those who were listening. This was our routine for the next several days. Each day we would go out for several hours to preach and hand out literature. Several times during those days you could tell the people were really listening to the preaching. 

Brother Akers preached one day about the prodigal son. That day there was a group of school children who were very attentive. We will not know in this life the lives affected by the words they heard on the streets in those days.  

We went to visit my wife’s family and were able to help them with a few projects at their home. Brother Akers and I were asked to preach in their church. We went on the streets of their town, handed out tracts, and visited some patients in a small hospital. During our time there, we traveled by bus about 2 hours east and attended an outdoor crusade, held by some Pentecostal believers that Brother Akers had been in contact with before coming to Paraguay.  

We were blessed on this trip to be traveling with a seasoned Missionary who gave us counsel and advice.  

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In July, Jeff, Julia, Channing, McKenzie, and Zachary went to Roatán Island, Honduras.  There, we ministered in the church services in different ways. Both Channing and I were asked to preach, the family sang several songs in Spanish, and Channing played piano in several of the services. Julia taught a Bible class one evening.  We helped on a game night, when they fed the children, and when they had club activities for the children in their community.  

Also, we were able to help remodel the house where the Henry family lives and attempted to drill a well to provide water for the Church. The well has the possibility of providing water for several others in the community as well. We thank the Lord for the opportunity to go on this trip. 

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In November, we planned a trip to Panama to visit Brother Nathan and Sister Mindy Snow; however, due to political unrest in the country, we had to reschedule that trip. We are now leaving for Panama on March 12 and returning on March 22.   

      We are praying and believing for God to direct us to the field where he would have us to work. 

In His Service,

The Jeff Hertzler Family