When Elisson first arrived at Mission Lazarus, no one could have imagined the man he would become. His family had very little material resources, but what they lacked in wealth, they made up for with determination and a quiet hope that life could be different.

In the quiet mountain town of San Marcos de Colón, Honduras, a small bootmaking shop once stood—humble in size, but rich in craftsmanship.

The Vocational Carpentry School at Mission Lazarus has been a cornerstone of change and hope in southern Honduras since its inception in 2003. It all started with a small but powerful vision: to offer a lifeline to the young men of Ciudad Nueva, a neighborhood in Choluteca that was rebuilding after the devastation of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Mariela Would Be a migrant, but she’s NOT. What Would Be your situation today if someone hadn’t made a sacrifice for you? Or, what Would Be your situation if they didn’t see something in you that you perhaps didn’t see in yourself? Maybe it was help in a tough moment, maybe it was a teacher who in-spite of being overloaded and exhausted they didn’t ignore the Spirit’s urging to invest in you. Perhaps that “someone” didn’t give you anything more than an opportunity.