Episode 173

It is often said that no one cares about what you have to say until they know how much you care. When it comes to sharing the gospel with lost souls across the globe, we are called to be salt and light, a blessing and not a curse to all those we encounter. In this episode of the Removing Barriers podcast, we interview missionary Wilman Martinez, missionary to Honduras. Born and raised in the country, the Lord saved Wilman when he was a boy and called him to missions in his teenage years. He saw and felt the need for a true gospel witness in the country, which is inundated with religious belief and tepid faith. We ask him about the work God is doing there, the needs he sees there as someone on the front lines and in the trenches of spiritual warfare on the mission field, as we all should be wherever God plants us. Don’t miss this episode as we continue to shine a light on God’s work in building His church. Be prepared to be encouraged and equipped as Wilman explains how to win souls, no matter what country or situation we find ourselves in.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

When I dedicated my life to the Lord and I said, Lord, I’m here and I want to help my people. I know them, I speak their language. I know their culture and I wanna be used to help them with the gospel.

[Jay]

Thank you for tuning in to the Removing Barriers podcast. I’m Jay and I’m MCG and we’re attempting to remove barriers so we can all have a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

This is episode 173 of the Removing Barriers Podcast, and this is the 17th in the series of on the mission field. And in this episode, we’ll be going on the mission field with missionary Wilman Martinez to Honduras.

Wilman, it is indeed a pleasure. Welcome to the Removing Barriers podcast.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Thank you so much. It is a big pleasure to be here with you and talk about Honduras.

[MCG]

Amen.

[Jay]

Hi, this is Jay. MCG and I would like for you to help us remove barriers by going to removingbarriers.net and subscribing to receive all things, removing barriers. If you’d like to take your efforts a bit further and help us keep the mics on, consider donating at removingbarriers.net/donate. Removing Barriers, a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

All right, Wilman, tell us about yourself, your family, your calling, whatever you feel comfortable sharing.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

OK, I was safe when I was eight years old and I grew up in a Christian family, but my mom got saved until when I was four years old. I could say until that time I grew up in a broken home. My dad passed away when? I was seven years old. Well, and as you know, growing without your dad is not something easy. But the most wonderful thing that happened in our life was getting safe. And I praise God for my mom because she got saved for and then I got saved. But. When I was 15 years old, I decided to. Serve God and serve him as a preacher, and I dedicated my life in that time to be a preacher. In that time I didn’t have any training about preaching. But I said, Lord here am I and I want to serve you. But something wonderful that was happened at the same time my wife Rachel. And she was dedicating her life at the same age when I was dedicating my life there in Honduras because she was here in the States and she went there to Honduras as a single miss. Mary, a few years ago and we met there in the mission field and almost two years ago we got married and now we have our baby, Nathan, who is 10 months old. And that is wonderful.

[MCG]

Yeah, it is.

[Jay]

Absolutely. So how long have you been on the mission field?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

For five years, I was in the mission field when my wife went to Honduras and she has been there for four years.

[Jay]

OK, so she was there for four years. You’re obviously, you know, born and raised. So you were already there, but when you figured out that the Lord would have you in full-time Christian ministry as a preacher, she figured out that the Lord would have her serve as a missionary and made Honduras the place of her service. He brought you all together. Now you’re married. You got your baby, and you’re serving faithfully in Honduras. Praise the Lord for that.

[Jay]

Yeah.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yes.

[MCG]

Yeah. Tell us. I mean, how is it different? You know, usually, you know, your wife is from the states, she goes to Honduras. Lots of the missionaries we interviewed, they’re from the states. And they go someplace else. Mm-hmm. You were born and raised there. How is it different in terms of reception, in terms of, you know, familiar with the culture? Talk about that.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Is a little bit different because the Bible inside I was trying was for a missionary who went there. To Honduras 19 years ago and I can see the difference because I know that people there, I know how they think, I know what are the things that they are facing every day and it is something in our culture that when our people see someone from the state. They think they have something for them, but they are not thinking in the gospel. They are not thinking specifically in something spiritual. But when I go knocking doors and I, I’m talking with them, they know I’m trying to. Present the gospel and they are not looking at me as someone that they can get something different than the spiritual things. I don’t know if you understand that.

[MCG]

Yeah, definitely. You know, I’m from the Caribbean and you know when American tourists and European tourists come down, you know, we expect them to come down and they gonna spend their money and stuff like that. So I see where you getting from because as a local, they’re not looking for you as maybe lack of a better word as an opportunity.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah.

[MCG]

Of economic advancement is more, hey, you’re my fellow countryman. How can I help you or whatever the.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

MHM.

[MCG]

Case may be yes.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah.

[Jay]

Yeah. Well, tell us more about your mission field. Let’s spin the globe for those of us that don’t know where Honduras is, can you tell us where on the globe is Honduras and what can you tell us about the country? What’s the capital city? How many people are living there? What are the people groups? Maybe the ethnic groups? Tell us more about your mission field.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yes, Honduras is located in Central America and is between Guatemala and Nicaragua. And a border by the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Fonseca in the North Pacific Ocean and the capital city. We have two big cities there in Honduras, one in the north called San Pedro Sula. We call this our industrial capital and. We have the political capital, Tegucigalpa. These two cities are very big there in Honduras and we have different groups. We have different groups, but they are locating in the North and. The northeast, the northwest we have lancas, they have their own dialect. They speak in their own language, but most of them they speak also Spanish. But we have lencas chortis we have islenos we have the Waqas to lipanes. Edge mosquitoes and all of those groups live in their own community, and they speak different dialects. But most of them speak Spanish too.

[Jay]

Well, it’s very interesting.

[MCG]

OK. Cool.

[MCG]

Tell us about the area in Honduras that you will be serving, and also tell us about the area that you grew up. Are you serving in the area?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

You grew up. I’m not serving in the same area, but it’s not too far. Is there in the South, the city is called Choluteca. I grew up in a small village called Santa Teresa. And then when I. Decided to serve God. I moved to the city and I start living in the city and right now we are traveling. About 50 minutes from the city because the church that I was serving is part of the city is not in the city and our plan is when we go back to Honduras because right now we are finishing deputation and doing some furlough, when we go back to Honduras, our planning stay in that. Church Fountain of Life Baptist Church for a few months and then moved to another town called El Triunfo. This town is very close to Nicaragua’s border. I think about 10 or 15 minutes from Nicaragua.

[MCG]

Oh.

Well, you were born and raised there. Tell us about your favorite food and stuff like that going up in. Honduras.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I love dreams, but in Honduras we have something called baladas, which is a flower tortilla with the normal bolera is with beans, cheese and cream. But now you can find Valeras. With meat, with chicken, with eggs. That’s delicious. Yeah. If you go to Honduras, you have to eat baladas because you will find this everywhere. Everywhere.

[MCG]

Ohh, you definitely have. To try it.

[Jay]

So can you tell us what is the religious breakdown of the country of Honduras? It seems to me I’m probably wrong, but most of the countries in Central and South America are more of a Catholic persuasion. Or maybe there’s a mix. What is the case for Honduras?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah. When the Spanish people came to conquer the Honduras, they brought with them the Catholic religion and they imposed this religion to the natives. They’re in Honduras, so the biggest religion there is Catholic that there are many other.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Uh-huh groups. They’re in Honduras.

[Jay]

So in the place you plan to go serve 15 minutes maybe 10-15 minutes from Nicaragua. Is it that same makeup where you have mostly Catholic, but with a few other groups sprinkled in?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah, we have more Catholic there, but there are charismatic, there are more moons, there are Jehovah witnesses, there are many, many groups.

[Jay]

Many, many groups. OK.

[MCG]

Tell us about the burden the Lord put on your heart for Honduras, and that’s a kind of weird question because you were born and raised there, and I’m sure you love your people and would like to see them save. But could you dive in under specific call that you felt when you said, I think you said you were 16 then when the Lord plays a burden for you for Honduras?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah, that was when I was 16 years old, and I looked at the need for the gospel and the people there. Because in my family, I think when my mom got saved, she’s one of 12 and she was, I think the 2nd or 4th getting safe from her family. So I saw that need firstly in my family and then when I saw around I saw that need in our people in our country.

[MCG]

MHM.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

And when I dedicated my life to the Lord and I said, Lord, I’m here and I want to help my people, I know them. I speak their language, I know their culture and I wanna be used to help them with the gospel.

[MCG]

MHM. Yeah, kind of weird question, but. I’m gonna ask it anyway. Why is it that you think that you would be able to fulfill that rather than say, hey, let me let a missionary from the US come and do it for me? Why is it that you think that you would be the perfect fit for it?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I’m willing to do God will, so. Amen. If God wants me to serve in another place in another country, it doesn’t matter for me because I’m serving him so. But when I dedicated my life, I saw the need on my people. But I’m serving God and I want to serve him wherever he wants me to serve him.

[MCG]

Yeah, definitely. Much like Isaiah when he said so. And he said here, my Lord, send me, you know.

[Jay]

Yeah.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yes.

[MCG]

I think I will go with you. I think a lot of times because I’m from, as I said from the Caribbean and a lot of times we will see the need, but we also want someone else to come and surrender to God and fulfill the need when the Lord can use us as well to fulfill the need. And sometimes the Lord would use the locals a little bit more than he can use. The missionary, or the foreign missionary? Because the locals are, they say you have a in with the people that their foreign missionary don’t have. What is language, culture or? Even. In the windows or whatever it may be something about the fact that you’re Honduran will resonate with the people more than someone else. So yeah, yeah. But.

[Jay]

But for people who perhaps are not from Honduras, and they’re thinking perhaps God is calling them to serve in Honduras, what would you say to those people? What are some things that they should probably keep in mind if the Lord is calling them to serve in Honduras?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I want to say this about Honduras. The people there is very friendly and not just because I’m from Honduras, but when people from the state go there and spend time with the people there, they can see that. But they want someone who be willing to, not just. I’m here to teach you, but be willing to receive from them or be taught from the people that in Honduras because you know there are many differences between the people here in America and the people there in Honduras. And when you go with the mind that I will teach them and not be willing to learn from them. Is more. See people.

[MCG]

Yeah. OK, that’s interesting. Because I think we had another episode where a missionary kind of mentioned something like that. He’s not just going there to teach them, but he’s also going to learn from them because he doesn’t know the culture. And yeah, I think you’re saying the same thing, except in your case, you know, the culture pretty well.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah.

[Jay]

For someone, perhaps that does not know the culture very well. How do you think that they should integrate, in addition to being willing to learn from the people? What are some other things that they can do to kind of ingratiate themselves to the culture and to blend into the culture and to reach the people on a cultural level?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I think while they’re serving there, they can build relationship with the people there and that will be easier to be adapted to the culture.

[MCG]

OK, great. What would you say the culture in Honduras, would you say is more of acts Chapter 2 or acts chapter 17?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I think a little bit mix because a few years ago I have been serving God since when I was 16 years old and I see differences. For example, right now we have new groups, new teaching there and I have. Been soul winning and I have found people that all the people that are willing to listen to hear from you. But most of them they have religions and they have many things that they believe because this group taught them or that group taught this. So we have the open door. To teach them and to go and present the gospel. But there are some people who are not like I have my religions. I have my beliefs. So you can find a little bit of. Both, yeah.

[Jay]

So what are some needs that you have that if they were filled that it would make your mission in Honduras easier?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah, right now one of our goals is finish our deputation because we are raising still our financial support. But when I go back to Honduras, I’m planning to. Right now we are trying to get a pickup truck to visit those places where we cannot visit with a regular car or with a regular vehicle. So this is one of the things we are praying about and we are we want to use for the ministry and work in the ministry with this, but we need Bibles we need. New Testaments, we need gospel tracks because we always are passing tracks house by house or in the street.

[MCG]

Definitely a prayer request there as. Well, absolutely. Is there anything the church in the US is doing that will make your mission in Honduras a bit more? Nico.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

In my case everything is fine, but I know some church planter. I know some missionaries who are struggling with something in specific and is that the thing that some churches not all the churches but some churches they are expecting too much from the missionaries there. For example some churches. They want to hear from them that 1000 people got saved in one day or 10 churches were planted in two years. And some missionaries that I know they are feeling like I have to do something because they want to hear this or they want to hear that. But in our case we have very good support in churches.

[MCG]

That’s good. How would you advise that? Missionary? Because you know, I think at other times we judge our efforts in soul winning or stretch planting. Buy the fruits that we are able to win, so to speak. And I think that their success should be measured in our obedience in our faithfulness.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Mm-hmm.

[MCG]

Because you know, the Bible says that one plant, one water, but God to give the increase the increase is the.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah.

[MCG]

God, the obedience going is ours. So how would you advise someone or that missionary in that situation?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Yeah, I can say this. Not every field is like the same. For example, I can go to a country or a city where the people are more receptive or receive more the gospel. And there are some people willing to be trained and and in five years or six years you can have. Someone trained and ready to be the pastor of that church, but not every field. You will find the same kind of people so. We just need to continue doing the work and God in his time he will provide the pastor for that church or the next place to go and preach the gospel, but we just need to continue being faithful.

[MCG]

Man, alright, you’re listening to the Moving Virus podcast. We’re sitting down with Wilman Martinez, missionary to Honduras. We’ll be right back.

[Jay]

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[MCG]

Alright, Wilman, let’s jump into a little bit of a fun section and find out some of your favorites. Let’s start with your favorite scripture verse.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

One of my favorites verses is Isaiah 41. 10 is for the first part that God said filled thou not, for I am with the, as I mentioned before, I grew up without my dad and this Bible verse for me was so special. Because, you know, we are facing a lot of fears while we are growing and.

[MCG]

Hey man.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

And I saw in the Bible that he said fear thou not, for I am with thee that is comfortable for me.

[MCG]

Yeah, ma’am.

[Jay]

Ma’am, what is your favorite Bible history, your favorite historical biblical account, and the scriptures? Some people call them Bible stories, but we don’t like to call them that. But what’s your favorite?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

One of my favorite is the story of Joseph and how God used him to save the people from Israel. And sometimes we do not understand God will in the right moment, but in the future we know that God is working in that and history is so special. For me, for that because. Many times I have been asking God for many things and I got the answer 10 years later or 15 years later. But this is one of my favorite stories.

[MCG]

Man, that’s one of my favorites as well. Joseph, what is the most convicting scripted passage to you?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I could say that John 16:33. That says these things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace in the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world when I see that he said I have overcome the world. That convict my heart because we are facing different things every day and we are living in a sinful world. But Jesus is our example to continue and I know we can fulfill our race. Umm.

[Jay]

What is the most comforting scripture verse for you?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Jeremiah 33 three come unto me, and I will answer the he’s not saying, just calling to me, but he’s confirming I will answer the and it’s easier to go on to him when we know we. Will have the answer for him.

[MCG]

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[Jay]

That’s great. That’s great.

[MCG]

But, what is your favorite hymn of the faith?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

My favorite hymn. Is no one ever cared for me like Jesus?

[MCG]

Amen. Do you want to sing it for us?

[Jay]

No.

[MCG]

Yeah, go ahead.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

But he has a good care for us and he has cared for me.

[MCG]

Ohh definitely.

[Jay]

One of these days in CG, someone’s gonna turn that on you because ohh goodness singing. Let’s see what is your favorite giant of the face from the scriptures.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I have a few. But in this time I want to mention Steven.

[Jay]

Oh yeah, yeah.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

And his testimony, how he was when he was stoned and he was facing this, that helped me to see the Christian life in a different way than many people are seeing the Christian life right now. Because we are living in a Christianity that you cannot say. A word or something to hurt people, because even if they are Christian, they think everything have to be fine or nobody can tell something bad from me or with little things. Many people are abounding in their Christian life. But this man, I admire him because.

[Jay]

Uh-huh.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

We are not facing right now, we are not facing what he faced in that moment and people are going back even with an easier style of life.

[Jay]

Yeah, so excellent point.

[MCG]

What are some of the biggest barriers to the people of Honduras from receiving the gospel?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

I think it is religion and false teaching because always when you go and witness to someone. Everybody say I’m a Christian. I believe in God. I pray every day I do this. I do that. So religion and false teaching are the biggest barriers that in Honduras.

[MCG]

Yeah. And those are formidable barriers too, man, you know, they say that it’s sometimes it’s easier to witness to their non religious than the religious because you have to make the religious. Unsafe. Show them that they are thinner before. Yeah, they’re non villagers. They already know that they are not safe. So. You know, yeah. Yeah, it’s a very hard group.

[Jay]

How do you suppose God will use you to remove those barriers?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Teaching the word of God and teaching the truth. Because they need the truth, they need to know the right way to go to heaven and how they can be really safe.

[Jay]

Yeah. And what’s that message that you want to give to them? Because it sounds like if they’re majority Catholic, they’re thinking perhaps they’re good works will get them to heaven. So what message do you want?

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

To give them most people, they think they have to do good works to go to heaven and most people they think I’m already safe because I never been killing or stealing. Things from someone else, but we have to tell them that we all are sinners and we cannot go to heaven with our conditioner as sinners. But Jesus came from heaven. And and he die and rise again. And he paid for our sin. And we just need to confess him and ask him for forgiveness. And he’s willing to forgive us and give us salvation. And in John 666 we can find people following Jesus. Then, when they were facing hard things, everybody or all of them were going back. But Peter said to whom shall we go? When Jesus asked who else? Who else will go? Go back. And Peter said to whom shall we go? To whom, Chuck? We go because only in Jesus we can find eternal life only in Jesus we can find the true love and forgiveness. Only in Jesus we can find peace. And it’s what we need a Sinner. We need our savior to forgive us. And we cannot find salvation in any other than Jesus in Acts 412. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be safe. Just Jesus is the. Way and the truth to get eternal life and go to heaven when we die. And he’s willing to forgive us, he’s willing to forgive us. And that is the good news that he wants to save every single person in the world and we just need to confess our sin unto him, and he will forgive us.

[MCG]

Yeah, definitely woman. It was a pleasure. Thank you for joining us on the Removing Barriers podcast.

[Missionary Wilman Martinez]

Thank you. It was a great blessing to be with you.

[Jay]

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the Removing Barriers podcast. Did you know that you could find us on Twitter, Gab, Parlor, Facebook and Reddit? Go to removingbarriers.net/contact and like and follow us on social media, Removing Barriers, a clear view of the cross.

[MCG]

Thank you for listening. To get a hold of us, to support this podcast or to learn more about Removing Barriers go to: removingbarriers.net. This has been the Removing Barriers podcast we attempted to remove barriers so that we all can have a clear view of the cross.