Who We Are
Board of Directors
Jim Martin
President & Founder of Honduras Ministries
Jim has been involved in ministry since the beginning of high school. He attended Freed-Hardeman Christian College and Johnson Bible College and is a graduate of The University of Tennessee, earning a BS in Operations Management and an MBA at Sam Houston State, Houston, TX. Before becoming a missionary to Honduras in 1999, he served as both a preacher and missions pastor. Jim has five children. He and his wife Francis have been married since June, 2000.
Dale Ohmart
Vice President, Chairman of the USA Board
Dale served as pastor of LifeSpring Christian Church in Kansas City, MO for many years. Presently he attends Northland Mission Church. As the son of a pastor, Dale has been involved in ministry his entire life. He graduated from Ozark Christian College with a bachelor’s degree in biblical literature and Johnson Bible College (now known as Johnson University) with a master’s degree in preaching. Dale has been a pastor for more than three decades. He and wife Cindy (a nurse at North Kansas City Hospital) have five children and three grandchildren.
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Jennifer Genova
Secretary
Jennifer is the Secretary of Honduras Ministries. She has been serving on the board of directors of Honduras Ministries since 2011. Jennifer is a member of Northland Mission Church. She also works full time for Hendrick Lexus Kansas City North as the Human Resources Administrator. Jennifer and her husband, Steve, have been married since 2005 and have 3 children.
Dennis Cho
Treasurer
Dennis works for Sprint Corporation in the marketing group. His professional work is in the financial industry and he previously owned and operated multiple tax offices. Dennis earned a BA in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA in finance/international management from Indiana University. He also served 14 years in the United States Navy Reserve and attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Dennis serves on the leadership team of his church on the finance committee and leads the men's group, community events, and sporting activities. Dennis was ordained as a deacon in March 2015 at his home church Kansas Mission Church. Dennis and his wife June have been married since 2004 and have two children Tyler and Lindsay. He enjoys playing/watching sports in his free time.
Francis Martin
Member at Large, President of Asociacion Ministerios Pan de Vida, Honduras
Francis has been involved in the ministry since its conception. She is the co-founder of Asociación Ministerios Pan de Vida (AMPV), a sister organization in Honduras. Francis serves as president of AMPV and also serves as its operating manager. She studied law at the Honduran National University. Francis is from Honduras and her passion for her Savior and knowledge of the Honduran culture has proven to be a tremendous asset to the ministry. Francis has one child, Andrea, and has been married to Jim Martin since June, 2000.
Luke Thornton
Member at Large
Luke Thornton lives in Harper, Kansas with his wife Luciana and their three children Henry, Charles, and Hazel. He is a voluntary staff member at Revolution Fellowship in Anthony, Kansas. He works as Vice President of Operations at Harper Industries, Inc.
Luke has a degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University. Travelling to 49 of the 50 states and 15 different countries outside the US has given him a variety of experiences in culture as well as business. He is passionate about personal development and leadership. His passions outside of work include his faith, outdoor adventures and time with his family.
Manuel Gómez
Operations & Office Manager, Choluteca, Honduras
Manuel is the Operations and Office Manager for Honduras Ministries and has started several youth groups in the different communities where we serve. He is the pastor of Iglesia Cristiana Gracia de Dios in Choluteca. He graduated from Abundant Life Christian School, studied Human Resources Management at UTH Florida University, and now decided to pause his career in Computer Science at UNICAH (Universidad Católica de Honduras). He is currently studying Pastoral Theology at RGBC (Rio Grande Bible College), Edinburg, TX, and a Master in Management & Finance at UTH Florida University. Manuel is from Honduras and he currently lives in Choluteca. He and his wife Lea have been married since June, 2021.
David Parish
Organizational Consultant
David is the President of World Missions and Evangelism, Inc. (WME) based in Benton, Kentucky. He has served as the President of WME since its founding in 1988. David graduated from Lee College in 1984 with a degree in practical theology. He also holds an honorary doctorate of divinity from Holy Trinity College and Seminary. He served on the pastoral staff of Christian Fellowship Ministries from 1984 to 2008 where he was Senior Pastor for fourteen years. David has actively participated in mission trips, trainings, church planting and disciple making in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America for more than 20 years. David’s wife of 31 years, Patty, teaches Organizational Communication at Murray State University.
A Brief History
THE CALL ON ONE MAN'S LIFE
Jim Martin was scheduled to travel in May 1999 for what he thought would be an 18 month project to build a medical clinic in the nation of Honduras. Twenty years later, he is still building in Honduras. Long after the clinic was completed, he is now building lives.
As an engineer, Jim had traveled to Honduras with his church on two previous short term mission trips. During those visits, local missionaries learned of his background and tapped into his expertise to develop plans for the clinic. He agreed to return.
But the coming of Hurricane Mitch changed all their plans. The clinic was postponed as all resources were shifted to focus on helping broken, devastated people rebuild their homes and their hopes for the future. Jim coordinated the efforts of more than forty teams from the U.S. who traveled to Honduras to replace houses, provide medical treatment and distribute food and water.
One day while all of this was going on, Jim met a young mother - named Francis - with an adorable four year old daughter, Andrea. Their relationship soon developed and led to marriage. At the end of Jim’s eighteen month commitment in Honduras, the new family began the enormous process of moving back to the US. But the transition proved to be an insurmountable challenge. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, it seemed impossible to get permission for Francis and Andrea to stay in the states permanently. Four months after landing a great job, Jim was fired. He felt humiliated. He felt like there was no place to go except back to Honduras.
Why was this all happening? Did God want them all to stay in Honduras? That didn’t make sense! Jim wasn’t a pastor or a missionary. In fact, for a long time he denied the very thought.
But over time, Jim let go of his resistance. Like Jonah, he began to see the wisdom of seeking God’s plan and accepting a different calling. Now Jim identifies himself not as an engineer, but as a fisher of men.
From that decision, and with Jim & Francis working as a team like no other, Honduras Ministries was born. Flowing out of the daily commitment to seek God and look for opportunities to help people, the Martins have grown an operation that now impacts the lives of hundreds of families with monthly food assistance, medical care, churches, schools and a children’s sponsorship program.
Twenty years ago, Jim Martin made a commitment to build a medical clinic. In addition, God has used Jim Martin to do far more than he ever could have imagined, creating a program that is helping communities throughout Honduras to rebuild their lives and follow Jesus Christ.