The Bethel Band

The Bethel School is located next to the Honduras Conference Headquarters building and is a ministry of Honduras Conference. The school has an enrollment of over 2000 students from Kindergarten through high school.

The band of this institution is well-known throughout Central America. The band has participated in competitions on a regular basis and wins awards at every competition. It has been named the best school band in all of Honduras. Because of this recognition, the President of Honduras has asked that the band represent Honduras in a festival of bands to be held in Costa Rica on December 4.

On a recent trip to Honduras, Donna Hollopeter was able to view the band practicing. In addition to regular band music, the Bethel Band does traditional Honduran cultural music. As it performs the music, the band goes through a variety of intricate formations and footwork. While Donna was there, the band attended a competition in another part of Honduras against 11 other bands, and returned with the championship trophy for top honors.

The band continually needs additional instruments, both new and used. Instruments are very expensive, and most of the students in the band cannot afford to buy an instrument. Used instruments that are donated to the band are refurbished by Francisco Raudales and others in the conference and then passed on to the band members.

You may have an old instrument stashed away in a closet somewhere--an instrument you haven't played in years, and probably won't play again. You could donate that instrument for the Bethel Band, thereby bringing great joy to a band member. Plus, your otherwise-unused instrument would be playing in front of crowds throughout Central America and helping to win awards. In recent months, various instruments--flutes, clarinets, trombones--have found their way to Honduras after having been donated by UB people.

If you have an instrument or instruments that you would like to donate, please contact Global Ministries or arrange to have it sent to the Global Ministries office. Global Ministries will make sure it gets to Honduras.