Iglesia de Cristo de La Mansión

It is not uncommon to have a number of small congregations surrounding a larger town in Central America, when the primary means of transportation is walking. There are at least 12 congregations outside of Catacamas, Olancho, Honduras. About three kilometers outside of Catacamas, nestled in bright, tall cornfields, stands the Iglesia de Cristo of La Mansión. La Mansión is a 25 minute walk from Catacamas and is comprised of roughly 160 houses within the 1 kilometer radius known as the Colonia Carlos Luna. It is one of the poorest communities in the Catacamas area.

The church building is unimposing, but inside the structure meets one of the most vibrant and fastest growing congregations in the area, with 96 adult members and 60 children in regular Sunday attendance. In spite of their poverty this body of believers has some of the biggest smiles and best singing around. The scriptures tell us "The eyes are the mirror of the soul." And at La Mansión there is no doubt of the love seen through those eyes.

The church leaders meet one Sunday afternoon each month to plan church activities, and invest their time in evangelizing in the area, visiting and assisting the sick and shut-ins, and building houses for the poorest of the poor. They will complete their third house of 2008 during September.

The congregation has regular weekly church services every Sunday at 9am, Tuesdays at 4pm, and Thursdays at 4pm. They also have a weekly Ladies' class on Wednesdays at 3pm, and a Youth meeting every Saturday at 3pm.

Largely responsible for the recent growth and activity of the congregation is the new preacher, Eliseo Velasquez, who is a 2005 graduate of the local Escuela Biblica Honduras (EBH). Eliseo has been preaching at La Mansión since January. He was born in Tegucigalpa, is 48 years old, married to Alba Ruth, and has 3 children and 3 grandchildren. But the most noteworthy thing about Eliseo is his radiant and ever present smile. He is a humble servant, always willing to help and always interested in the things of God.

Sponsored by the North Ridge Church of Christ in Mount Pleasant, Texas, the building was started in 2006 and dedicated to the memory of Aaron Hudson, who was killed in Iraq. He was the son of Mark Hudson and grandson of Frederica Hudson, of the North Ridge church, both of whom have been frequent visitors to the Catacamas area.

If you ever have a chance to visit Catacamas, the Iglesia de Cristo de La Mansión is a "must visit" to experience the heartfelt singing, true joy and overwhelming love and care.