CHL Mississippi RiverKings

RiverKings Showcase Honduran Mission Program Tuesday

Published on February 3, 2010 under Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, MS --- The Mississippi RiverKings host Living Waters Honduras Mission on Tuesday, February 9th as the MVP (Money-Volunteers-Publicity) nonprofit organization during the team's home game against the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs at the DeSoto Civic Center in Southaven.

The RiverKings spotlight a different charity, cause or nonprofit organization for each of their 32 home games. The team's MVP Program is designed to help nonprofits raise money, recruit volunteers, and generate publicity about their missions.

Living Waters' mission is three-fold: to provide potable water to small communities and villages in the Mosquito Coast of Honduras through well construction projects; provide basic medical aid by bringing in medical and dental teams; and offer spiritual enrichment to existing churches by teaching, preaching, and conducting pastoral training seminars.

"While the credit for starting Living Waters Honduras Mission is given to many, it really all began with the efforts of dentist and Hernando, Miss. resident Dr. Robert Seymour, who saw the great need for dental work among the Honduran people when he went on a recreational fishing trip to the country," Living Waters U.S. Administrator Rick Free said.

"Over the years, Dr. Seymour has overseen the construction of several dental clinics in and around the La Ceiba area of Honduras," Free said. "In the course of those first projects, many other people have been encouraged to participate, either through personal contributions, or through churches in the North Mississippi area. Now, hundreds of people have participated with their physical involvement and monetary support, traveling in teams to the country to help bring drinkable water, medical, educational and spiritual enrichment to the people of that country."

Most people in the United States have access to clean water. Unfortunately, in Honduras, much of the population does not have access to safe drinking water. It became apparent to the medical teams that much of the sickness they were treating was due to worm infestation from the drinking of unfiltered ground water, home to an abundance of parasites.

The teams partner with local missionary coordinator and Honduran resident Frank Monterroso, who travels around the remote villages, digging and installing deep wells and pumping systems. As clean water was made available to the community, much of the sickness was eliminated. Nearly 300 wells have been installed, and now Living Waters is beginning to install water systems that run with gasoline-powered pumps which supply water to an entire community.

"A community water system is more economical, yielding clean water for more people, as opposed to installing multiple, single wells," Free said. "Living Waters provides the materials through private donations from various supporting churches and other individual contributions. The Honduran people dig the trenches for the pipe and help Pastor Monterroso dig the well. The site is prepared for the Living Waters construction team before they arrive. These teams - groups of private individuals who supply their own funds for the trip and provide labor for the project - install the wells, pumps and the pipe systems. It is a beautiful harmony of sweat equity, humanitarian passion and generosity for both the residents and volunteers."

Living Waters also organizes medical and dental teams from the United States to aid people who cannot access the very limited Honduran medical system. The private health system is not affordable to most citizens, as the per capita income is $894 per year, ranking 123 out of a global list of 187 countries.

"Living Waters provides supplies and materials and doctors, dentists, and technicians who administer basic health care for various medical problems," Free said. "Our teams also train the Hondurans to give basic dental and medical care to people living in the isolated coastal villages."

Living Waters also participates in the spiritual enrichment of existing churches in Honduras by providing Biblical teaching and preaching and conducting pastoral training seminars for established local ministries.

"While Living Water Honduras Mission is a 501c3 organization that ministers to people's physical needs, its roots began with people who believe in Jesus Christ and an evangelical religious message," Free said. "Delivering the gospel message is the foundation of what Living Waters Honduras Mission is about, and this is our primary goal. As Christian brothers and sisters, we are expected and willing to help those who are in need of earthly care while also explaining the 'Good News' message of eternal salvation through the life, death and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ."

To find out more about Living Waters, visit the web at www.lwhm.org.

The Mississippi RiverKings are supported by their community partners, season ticket holders, fans, and by program-related investments of the Maddox Foundation, an independent private foundation based in Hernando, Miss. The Foundation supports the team's programs that increase investments in area charities and their causes. To find out more about the RiverKings, call 662.342.1755 or visit www.riverkings.com.

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Central Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2010


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