Nueva Suyupa team (Dec. 27, 2011-Jan. 5, 2012)

The latest team of Carpenteros are serving in the community of La Libertad 2, a community in Nueva Suypapa, just outside Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

To follow the team, please see the Carpenteros' group page at Facebook

Building Hope for Honduras

The annual Carpenteros and Friends dinner and auction took on a new theme in 2011. On Thursday, September 29, more than 450 guests attended an evening of 'Building Hope in Honduras'.  The event took place at Carmen's Banquet Centre, starting with a social hour at 5:30 p.m., and dinner at 6:30.  In addition to celebrity guests, this event featured special friends from Honduras who shared about the transformation taking place in their communities. The evening also featured live and silent auctions, and the opportunity to partner with the Carpenteros to provide much-needed community development in some of the poorest Honduran villages.

Reconnecting in Olancho - 2010

Visiting coffee growers, students, credit unions and more

During the Fall 2010 visit to Honduras, the main team of Carpenteros went directly from Tegucigalpa to the work-site village of Azacualpa, in extreme south-west Honduras.

Meanwhile, Ken and Maria Vanderlaan and Ken Bosveld spent five days visiting communities in Olancho, to meet with the El Carrizal coffee growers and education fund students, to check on the progress of the El Guanabano pig farming and moringa tree projects, and to hear from members of a number of micro-credit cooperatives.

Become part of a Carpenteros' team

Two teams planned for late 2011

The Carpenteros are looking to send two teams to Honduras in late 2011.

AZACUALPA - Nov. 23-Dec. 3

From November 23 - December 3, a team of approximately 12 Carpenteros will be visiting the community of Azacualpa, in extreme south-western Honduras near the Nicaragua border.  This is the community we first visited in Nov. 2010.  The 2011 team will be continuing the work of building latrines and pouring concrete floors, in conjunction with the local Christian Reformed Church and under the direction of Honduran construction foremen/concrete masons.

The cost for this trip is approx. $2,000/person.  To find our more, or to inquire about joining this team, please contact Ken Vanderlaan at 905-628-9666 (days), 905-522-2757 (evenings), or send an email message to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NUEVA SUYAPA (TEGUCIGALPA) - Dec. 26-Jan. 4

For several years the Carpenteros have been asked about the possibility of sending a youth team (senior high school, college, university, recent grads) to Honduras.  Since reading week, March break and exam weeks do not line up for high school and post-secondary students, the only available time was to send a team during the Christmas break.  This is normally a time when many Honduran ministries have their staff take family and vacation time also.  We are very pleased that MCM, one of our long-time partners in Honduras, is able to accommodate a team from Dec. 26-Jan. 4.  While this trip is not exclusively for students, prior will be given to those who are only available to travel during this time of the year.  The team will be working in the Nueva Suyapa neighbourhood of Tegucigalpa, and will be providing concrete floors in the homes of poor residents.

The cost of this trip is approx. $2,000 per person.  To find our more, or to inquire about joining this team, please contact Cal Bosveld at 905-304-9233 or send an email message to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For more details on either of these trips, or any Carpenteros service team to Honduras, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Are you interested in joining a 'work team'?

The Carpenteros invited you to considering joining them on a future 'team'

• Team members pay their own expenses (travel, food, etc.)

• Construction experience is not required -- but a SERVANT attitude is a MUST

• Accommodations vary by community, but the preference is to stay with local people

• Participants agree NOT to use alcohol or tobacco during the work trip
To find out more:

Anyone wishing to be part of a future work team, should contact Ken VanderLaan at 905-628-9666 (days), 905-522-2757 (evenings), or send an email message to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Bistro 2012

Valentine's Bistro - Sat., Feb. 11, 2012

The 2012 Carpenteros' and Friends Valentine's Bistro will take place on Saturday, February 11, and will mark the TENTH YEAR for this extremely popular event. A delicious home-cooked meal, great fellowship and the knowledge that all proceeds are helping communities in Latin America, has resulted in this dinner being SOLD OUT for each of the past five years.  Doors open at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30, at Dundas Calvin Christian School, Ofield Rd. N, just north of Hwy. 5.

Tickets are $45 per person (with $20 tax receipt) and can be reserved by sending email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rio Olancho Coffee Project

RIO OLANCHO COFFEE IS SELLING FAST

For the past two years, the Carpenteros have been working closely with Matt De Kam, a CRWRC field representative in Honduras, and a group of farmers in El Carrizal who formed the 'Association of Olancho River Coffee Growers.'

The first 5,000 LB. shipment of this OUTSTANDING Direct Trade coffee arrived in Canada in early August, and it is going FAST because of the great taste and exceptional price.  The Carpenteros are offering roasted coffee beans and medium ground coffee for just $10/pound. By eliminating many of the middleman costs, we are still able to pay the farmers a 50 PERCENT PREMIUM over the Fair Trade price.  Coffee is available by calling Ken at 905-689-5491, or sending email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it