Honduran mountains surrounded him. Poverty bore down on him. Living in an adobe hut with no electricity, no running water, no furniture except for two mattresses, he had the village drunk as his father. His prospects as an adult were limited: picking coffee, 100 pounds a day to earn about 7 USD. For 12–year-old Daniel, this was all he knew, until he was accepted to attend Escuela El Sembrador (School of the Sower). He is now in his senior year and looking forward to going to college to study agronomy.
Earl Hartwig, a SonSet Solutions engineer, had the privilege of getting to know Daniel and other students while Earl and his team were working to repair the hydroelectric plant that supplied electricity to the school. It was clear to see that the staff of the school not only taught but also lived as followers of Christ. Many gospel seeds had been planted in Daniel’s life, and he had learned about Jesus. However, it has been a struggle for Daniel as his parents are very superstitious. He is having to balance not offending his mom and her beliefs yet accepting what he knows about Jesus.
Yustin, another student, grew up on a subsistence farm in a remote rural area. When Yustin came to El Sembrador, he did not know how to use a fork. His family used tortillas to scoop their food. Yustin accepted Christ as his Savior during his time at El Sembrador and graduated with honors. He is currently studying education at university, with a goal of returning to the School of the Sower, where he can continue the cycle of planting gospel seeds of love and truth.
Earl and his team restored electricity to the school, and we praise God also for the power that continues to be present through the gospel seeds planted in the students’ lives.
By Christy Stephens, April 2024