Inez & Byron Ahina - YUCATAN, MEXICO
And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Isaiah 58:10
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Isaiah 58:10
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ABOUT
We are Inez & Byron Ahina, natives of Hawaii and long-time residents of Seattle, WA. We first came to Yucatan as adult chaperones for a youth mission trip back in 2001. Little did we know how our lives would be changed forever. After Hurricane Isidore struck the Yucatan Peninsula, Byron flew over to help with the relief for 3 weeks. On the last day we were challenged, by the late Rev. David Legters, to start a ministry in 2004, Yucatan Helping Hands, to begin rebuilding and repairing homes still needed after the hurricane destruction. We accepted the challenge, sold our home, and packed up everything including our van into a shipping container. We also had an emotional good-by to our daughter, Malia, who started her first year in college. And God blessed us with a son, Kawika, during our first year in ministry. A native speaker, he is using that talent working full-time as a translator over the internet out of his home that he moved into. Prior to that he was one of our leading translators for the visiting short-term mission U.S. teams.
Inspired by Isaiah 58 to respond to people in need, we began by connecting teams from the U.S. to serve and work alongside rural churches outside the capital of Merida. We work as a liaison between the U.S. teams and local congregations in the Yucatan region, investigating needs and setting up necessary arrangements for service projects.
In the 22+ years that we've been here we have completed approximately 70+ construction projects, primarily home repairs and new house projects, as well as various church projects. Since then, our focus has extended to promote a combination of overall health and evangelistic growth to those we serve. We have partnered with Christian medical teams and so far have built 7 water purification plants through Living Waters for the World in Yucatan and Campeche.
Coincided with this effort to improve quality of life, our aim is to witness and share the good news of Jesus Christ. Having formed deep relationships with Christians and pastors in the Yucatan region, we've come to admire their love and passion for Christ, patience in affliction and wisdom in ministry.
And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Isaiah 58:10
We are Inez & Byron Ahina, natives of Hawaii and long-time residents of Seattle, WA. We first came to Yucatan as adult chaperones for a youth mission trip back in 2001. Little did we know how our lives would be changed forever. After Hurricane Isidore struck the Yucatan Peninsula, Byron flew over to help with the relief for 3 weeks. On the last day we were challenged, by the late Rev. David Legters, to start a ministry in 2004, Yucatan Helping Hands, to begin rebuilding and repairing homes still needed after the hurricane destruction. We accepted the challenge, sold our home, and packed up everything including our van into a shipping container. We also had an emotional good-by to our daughter, Malia, who started her first year in college. And God blessed us with a son, Kawika, during our first year in ministry. A native speaker, he is using that talent working full-time as a translator over the internet out of his home that he moved into. Prior to that he was one of our leading translators for the visiting short-term mission U.S. teams.
Inspired by Isaiah 58 to respond to people in need, we began by connecting teams from the U.S. to serve and work alongside rural churches outside the capital of Merida. We work as a liaison between the U.S. teams and local congregations in the Yucatan region, investigating needs and setting up necessary arrangements for service projects.
In the 22+ years that we've been here we have completed approximately 70+ construction projects, primarily home repairs and new house projects, as well as various church projects. Since then, our focus has extended to promote a combination of overall health and evangelistic growth to those we serve. We have partnered with Christian medical teams and so far have built 7 water purification plants through Living Waters for the World in Yucatan and Campeche.
Coincided with this effort to improve quality of life, our aim is to witness and share the good news of Jesus Christ. Having formed deep relationships with Christians and pastors in the Yucatan region, we've come to admire their love and passion for Christ, patience in affliction and wisdom in ministry.
And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Isaiah 58:10