Lisa Armstrong is a registered nurse and the administrator
of the Fellow Man International project. She founded
the project in 2000 with the help of many generous
donors including churches, Rotary clubs and interested
individuals in the United States who believed that
the greatest expression of love for one's fellow
man is charitable work aimed toward self-sufficiency
and development for the benefit of the poor. She
represents the interests of both the Fellow Man
International Foundation and the Honduran non-government
organization Projimos Internacionalists.


The Dream

I first became familiar with Honduras in 1988 after
having become acquainted with some very fine Latin
American students who were working toward advanced
degrees at Kansas State University. After a life-altering
experience in Honduras, I returned home sure that
something had to be done for the many nameless and
faceless people living beneath the shadow of an
unbelievable oppressive poverty. I remember asking
my Honduran friends what they would do if only they
had the resources to change their country. They
had many answers, but little hope that there would
ever be sufficient financial assistance to make
a real difference. I dedicate this work to the glory
of God and pray that my dear Honduran friends might
be pleased when they find I truly listened to their
thoughts and ideas all those many years ago. This
project is the realization of their dreams.

Autonomy and Self-Sufficiency Only
when the project is self-sufficient will the dream
be fully realized. I was devastated to see a great
"brain drain" among the best and brightest
Honduras had to offer. Because of lack of living
wages, opportunity and insecurity many of those
who could truly help their country were forced to
find residence in other countries. It is my most
cherished desire to provide competitive wages for
qualified Honduran professionals that they might
be afforded the opportunity to help their own people.
This goal is an ambitious one, but with the help
of the Fellow Man International Foundation, development
projects such as Green Parrot Coffee and the cooperation
of professionals within Honduras I believe it is
possible. Above all things, my hope is to achieve
self-sufficiency for the project. At such time,
I will wave goodbye with much joy in my heart, leaving
this work of God in the hands of those Honduran
professionals who have the heart and vision to ensure
the sick always have access to quality medical care
and the hungry a bite of bread.
"What so ever you do to the least of these
my brothers and sister, you did unto me."
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THANK YOU
January 2009
Happy New Year from
Honduras! It is such a blessing to be able to write
to you today. I hardly know where to begin, but did
not want to let 2008 fade away without taking the
opportunity to write a few sincere words of
gratitude for all you have done for us this past
year. I also wanted to have the chance to tell you
a little bit about how my own family is doing. It
has been such an amazing year full of hope, joy and
blessings!
My children and I
are doing really well. It has been nearly two and a
half years since I became a mother and yet every day
is such a gift. I am infinitely grateful to our
merciful God that He found a way to grant my heart’s
desire to be a mother while at the same time making
a place for me in His plan to serve His children in
need. Single motherhood along with trying to run a
mission
and
a coffee business certainly keeps me very busy, but
I wouldn’t have it any other way. The frustrations
of living in a developing nation are tempered by the
sweet sound of “Momma” when I walk through the door
at the end of the day. Somehow, just watching my
kids do silly dances to Barney songs or reading
Where the Wild Things
Are
before bed helps me to maintain a passion for God’s
work and hope alive in the face of what seems to be
such insurmountable circumstances. Certainly I feel
blessed beyond anything I could have ever imagined
much less have the right to expect. Thank you to
all of you who have encouraged me to follow this
calling. I could have never imagined the abundance
of God’s blessings that were waiting for me in this
tiny little corner of Honduras.
As I sat down a few
weeks before the holidays to make out the list of
employees who would be attending the annual
Christmas party, I was utterly amazed to find a
guest list of twenty-five people. Those twenty-five
people have all worked for the mission or for me in
one capacity or another during the past year. They
represent twenty-five individual families who have
greatly benefited from the living wages they have
received. As I thought about the impact each salary
has made on the lives of our employees and their
families, I couldn’t help but smile. Some employees
used their salaries for advanced education either
for themselves or to put a family member through
school. Others helped to start small businesses for
their families. Others still built houses this
year. The amount of prosperity that living wage
employment produces stands in stark contrast to the
utter struggle for survival most families face whose
salaries are insufficient to provide even the most
basic of human necessities.
With regard to the
impact the mission has had on those in need, the
list of accomplishments is so extensive I would need
an entire ream of paper to even begin to scratch the
surface. The clinic continues to provide quality
medical attention to the sick, regardless of ability
to pay. The agriculture program has provided
thousands of pounds of fruits, vegetables and
proteins to the hungry. This year’s enrollment at
the grade school was the highest yet. A new school
building is nearly finished to hold the number of
young people who thirst for an education. Coffee
farmers are filled with hope as coffee sales
increase and plans for direct export of green coffee
draw closer to being a reality. I want for you to
know I am aware that non-designated giving is not
nearly as exciting as being able to claim a project
as one’s own. However, I would say to you with all
my heart, thank you for your trust, confidence and
unprecedented generosity. Truly, I am in your
debt. To be able to share the love of Christ in
such a way as to empower others to dream, grow and
serve is absolutely awesome. Thank you so much for
affording me such a privilege. Please know that I
am so grateful for you kindness and will always
strive to use your gifts in a way that will always
honor your sacrifice! In His Service -
Lisa
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