Rice and Beans began when three friends traveled into the Honduran mountains to tell people about a medical clinic in the village that could meet their medical needs. While in the villages, the friends saw the great need for food. Because rice and beans are a staple of their diet, they were used as an opportunity to meet the body of Christ and provide an open door for evangelism. They had the chance to share the Gospel with seven people who had never heard the name of Jesus.

Those three days were life changing for the friends.

    They met family after family that were extremely happy to see them. The families spent as much time as possible with the missionaries because, in some cases, the missionaries were the only people they would see for a long while. They traveled the mountainous terrain by foot, horse, and even by truck when their were roads to be used. All in all, they distributed 700 lbs. of rice and 700 lbs. of beans.

    They were so moved by the reaction of the Honduran people, that the missionaries decided they would continue this ministry, as well as teach others the importance of feeding the hungry.
Later that summer they went to Costa Rica to be a part of a construction project in El Peje where they told Pastor Luis that they wanted to go and buy some rice and beans so that they may go from house to house and give food to the needy.

    They went out and bought rice, beans, sugar and oil for their ministry. They met many people that did not expect anything, and were totally awestruck when they were given food. A special time for the missionaries was when they met a 90 year old lady that lost her husband that morning. She was so happy that they were there, she forgot her sorrow for a brief moment. They met another man who had no food in his house. The gentleman had a bad leg, could not work, and did not know where his next meal was coming from. But the encounter that changed them all came when they met a lady with a small child who appeared to not have anything. When they told her they were there to help her with food, she said one moment and left to return just a few moments with a box of sugar. She said that she did not have any other food, but that the missionaries could have the sugar to give to someone else. As their tears flowed, they told her that the food they had was for her. She replied "But why, what have I done to deserve this?" The missionaries explained that it  was because Christ loved her and wanted to meet her needs and that the missionaries we were led to do this ministry. She began to cry along with them.  She said she didn't know where her next meal was coming from.

    With all the families that were served, they just asked them to help someone however they could. The missionaries took an interpreter with them on all their trips, so that the language barrier wouldn't be a factor. One of the interpreters, Linda , called some months later and said that her college group was going to continue to do rice and beans.

    If you see the opportunity to help someone, do it. If you don't have the resources to spend money, use your hands, your heart or whatever you have around you to bless others.