Sometimes when you see someone hungry you just want to give them food. When you see someone with tattered clothes you want to find some for them. When you see someone hurting you want to give medical help. You don't do it for any other reason than it needs to be done. But why give physical things without considering that people almost always need spiritual help as well? That's why I say there is a beautiful blend of benevolence and evangelism in the work done in Honduras. Now, don't get me wrong, we don't tie getting food with going to church or building of a house with whether someone will have a Bible study. In fact, care is taken that those ties don't exist. So much so that some church members get upset that someone in their family didn't get a house while someone who isn't a member did.
We don't want people coming to church because they heard they might get food or clothing if they do. But IF someone is interested in hearing the gospel, it will be shared with them. Sometimes people are drawn to the church just because they see what she is doing for their community. Sometimes Bible studies are set up because someone knocked on their door and asked and, yes, sometimes people want to study the Bible because they were on the receiving end of benevolence. Wasn't that what happened at times in Jesus' ministry?
So, people are fed, clothed and receive shelter. Sermons are preached, classes are taught and examples are lived and some who hear and see become Christians and the church grows. And that is beautiful.
One thing that needs to be pointed out is that new congregations are not begun unless planning has taken place beforehand. One of the great things about Honduras is Baxter Institute. For forty years Baxter Institute has trained men throughout Central and South America to preach the gospel. Women have been trained to work in many ways with churches as many of them are the wives of the men being trained to preach. When a new site is being considered for a new congregation, students of Baxter are recruited to work there. No congregation is going to be started unless there is a man (or man and wife) to work with it. It wouldn't make sense to do otherwise.
Its hard to list all the things that have been done but here is a partial list not already mentioned: