In the Field
Shannon & Kristi Hopkins
Lead Missionaries
Shannon and Kristi Hopkins met in high school at First Baptist Church Gordon, Texas. In 2000 Shannon and Kristi married. They have 3 kids, Tyler, Emma and Isabella. Before serving in Honduras, the Hopkins served in youth ministry for 10 years. Throughout this time they have participated in various mission trips all over the world. It was on one of these trips that they went on a vision trip to Gracias, Honduras. They left with a calling to go live and serve God and the people of Honduras. Both Shannon and Kristi were called to the mission field before they were married but God also confirmed this calling as a couple. After much prayer and seeking the guidance of their closest peers, colleagues, and family, they surrendered to the call. The Hopkins founded 61 Isaiah Ministries and moved to Gracias, Lempira in 2011.
Edith Ayala
Missionary
Edith is from Gracias, Lempira, Honduras where she lives with her parents and 2 siblings. At the age of seven, she received a scholarship to attend Abundant Life Christian School (ALCS). This school is where she met the Hopkins, who she had as her Bible and Family Living teachers. She began working with their team as a babysitter and translator in 2014. Here is her story in her words, "I saw how happy my people were with us just being there, kids playing with people that didn’t know their language but that not being an obstacle for them to enjoy their time together, and people walking in the rain to have a church service with the ‘’gringos.” But what impressed me the most was going back to those villages a year later and seeing the people with joy in their eyes, welcoming us as if we were a part of their family. With experiences like this, I started developing a need in my heart to keep doing this. I started praying about it and I had many ideas, but finally I decided that since God gave me the gift of knowing a second language, it is so I can use it for His glory. " She officially joined our team after she graduated from ALCS in August 2016.
Joshua Dykes
Missionary
Joshua Dykes is from Mount Pleasant, Texas. At sixteen, he felt called to ministry and followed that call to study at Howard Payne University. Josh first served with 61 Isaiah Ministries in 2016 when one of his professors, Rusty Wheelington, invited him to join his church on a week-long mission trip. In 2018, Josh was called to work with the ministry and has been with us since. During his time in Honduras, he met his lovely wife, Abigail. Abigail was born and raised in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. She worked with United Airlines until they got married in August 2022. After the wedding, she moved to join Josh in Gracias where they now serve together. Josh enjoys playing basketball, listening to music, and cats. Abigail hates cats, has an irrational fear of frogs, likes listening to uplifting podcasts, and loves her family deeply. They both enjoy spending time in the villages and ministering to the Honduran people.
Jeff and Michelle Holloway
Missionaries
Jeff Holloway surrendered to the ministry his freshman year of college and began serving as youth minister at Calvery Baptist in Cisco, Texas. After five years of service, God relocated him to First Baptist Church Crosby. For the past 32 years he has served there as a minister of: youth, education, administration, and missions and evangelism. While serving at his current church, God introduced Jeff to his lovely wife, Michelle Smith. God placed a clear calling in Michelle's life to love, care, and minister to others. After getting married, the couple began serving alongside one another. God has blessed them with three wonderful children: Matthew, Samuel, and Caroline. Together they have served in 15 countries located on four different continents, with the majority being Spanish speaking countries.
While on a one month trip in Honduras, to learn Spanish and discover future mission opportunities for FBC Crosby, they met a kindred spirit within 61 Isaiah, Shannon Hopkins. Jeff and Michelle, visited with 61 Isaiah in hopes of starting a partnership between the organization and their church. It was then that God began to develop a deep love for the people of Honduras. As time passed, it became clear that God was leading their family to serve Him in Honduras alongside 61 Isaiah.
Paul & Taylor Chandler
Missionaries
Paul grew up in Mount Pleasant, Texas and is the oldest of four children. Paul was raised going to church and became a follower of Jesus at six years old after long conversations with his parents about Salvation. After graduating from high school, Paul followed in his parents footsteps and went to Howard Payne University. Paul surrendered to ministry at the end of his first year at HPU and served in youth ministry throughout the rest of his time in Brownwood.
Taylor was raised in the small town of May, Texas and is the youngest of two children. She began following Jesus as her savior when she was seven and felt called into ministry at the age of fifteen. After high school, Taylor went to HPU as recommended by her Youth Minister. Throughout her time at HPU she served in youth ministry. Paul and Taylor met in September of 2019 and started dating soon after realizing their aligned vision for ministry and reaching the lost.
Paul received his undergraduate degree in Christian Education in 2020. In the following year, May of 2021 he received his masters in Theology, and Taylor received her undergraduate degree in Christian Education. They got married May 21st and soon after felt called to walk alongside 61 Isaiah.
Jason & Nelsy Funk
Accounting & Field Logistics Coordinator
Jason grew up in Newton, Kansas, as the third of four children. Nelsy grew up in La Unión, Lempira, a small town two hours from Gracias. She has four older siblings. She graduated from Abundant Life Christian School (ALCS) in La Unión and received a scholarship to attend John Brown University, where she met Jason! Jason and Nelsy started dating during their second year at JBU. After graduation, they moved to Honduras in 2018 to teach at ALCS Gracias. They were married in September of 2019 and continued to teach at the school through the 2020-2021 school year. At this time, God began to reveal the next steps He wanted Jason and Nelsy to take. In the spring of 2021, Jason began helping with bookkeeping in the 61 Isaiah office and continues to teach at the school as well. Nelsy started her role as the Field Logistics Coordinator over the summer. In May 2022 Adabelle Joy joined their family! They are both very excited to be a part of the 61 Isaiah team!
Micah & Lindsey Jimison
Lenca Hunger Farm Manager
Micah is a Hoosier born, Arizona mountain-raised, Texan who really only feels at home wherever he can build the Kingdom of God. As the fourth of five children to pastor parents he quite literally grew up in the church. After graduating from high school, Micah decided to follow in his parents steps by pursuing full-time vocational ministry. Yet, he did not know exactly where God was calling him in ministry, so he followed where he felt called - first to Houston Baptist University where he and Lindsey met. Lindsey was born and raised in the great state of Texas. She grew up the third of four in a farmer family where there was always a job to do and a good
home cooked meal shared with the family. During her college experience God revealed to her the passion she had for ministry and serving Him. In their Junior year of college, Micah and Lindsey started dating. The more they talked the more they realized how their passion for ministry and dream of serving the Spanish speaking community aligned. They got married in January of 2020, and soon after, made the decision to walk with 61 Isaiah and be a part of bringing God’s kingdom in service and humility to the Lenca people.
Jose Mauricio Vicente Romero
Village Ministry & Pastor
Mauricio and his lovely wife, Bercely, have three children named Mauricio, Regina, and Carlitos. When Mauricio was little, his parents divorced. Due to their divorce, he spent most of his childhood with his grandmother. She was a devout Catholic woman who taught him to fear and love the Lord. Mauricio was strictly raised, and when he went off to college to study agriculture, a whole new set of ideals was placed on him. He was expected to be a strong man, and to partake in drinking, drugs, and other actions that make one a "tough man". All the lies he had adopted disappeared after he attended a retreat. He cried out to God for help, asking him to break his chains of addiction. He told God, "If you are really calling me to the ministry, take this addiction from me." After Mauricio asked for help, God took away his addiction. He is currently a pastor of a church in Gracias, Lempira, Honduras, and joined the 61 Isaiah field based team.
Kylie Johnson
Missionary
Kylie grew up in Abbott, Texas along with her parents, Bryan, and Lesley, and two younger brothers,
Kadyn, and Karsyn. She also grew up in the church where many of her earliest and fondest memories were made. Her relationship with Christ started at the young age of six.
Throughout her walk with Christ, she has been blessed by others who have encouraged her and challenged her to grow in her faith. As she continued learning about God, she felt called to missions. Kylie attended Howard Payne University and graduated in May 2021, with a bachelor’s degree in Cross-cultural studies. As she was preparing for the next steps after graduation, she remembered the short-term mission trip to Gracias with Southside Church. Kylie wanted to serve,
especially in a Spanish-speaking community. God has opened the doors for Kylie to serve with 61 Isaiah, and she is excited to see what God has in store during her time in Honduras.
Javier Lara
Missionary
Javi was born in Lepaera, a small town near Gracias, Lempira. Javi attended ALCS from 2011-2017 where he met Shannon and Kristi. He has been part of the ministry as a translator, summer missionary, and now as a full time associate for the ministry. He graduated from Harding University in Arkansas, with a double degree in Finance and Business Administration. His desire is to help people in the villages to glorify God through their finances. He is looking forward to becoming a politician in Honduras and helping transform the country. He likes coffee and soccer.
Board of Directors
Cliff Watson
Board President
Cliff and Janet Watson have been associated with 61 Isaiah Ministries since 2011 and Cliff has served as president of the board since that time. They have been married for 30 years and have three daughters, a son and daughter-in-law. They are both graduates of Texas Tech University and live near Terrell, Texas. Cliff is a mechanical engineer and works in the electric power generation business.
Cliff Swofford
Vice President
Cliff Swofford and Aleshia have been involved with 61 Isaiah since 2011, when they first visited Honduras on a mission trip. They have returned multiple times, every year since. They joined the board in 2018, and claim it was a blessing. Aleshia is an elementary teacher in Sanger, Texas and Cliff works for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, as a Game Warden. The couple along with their two boys, worship at First Baptist Church, Sanger, Tx where they currently serve. Cliff and Aleshia stated, "We are extremely proud to be a part of this ministry and look forward to seeing God continue His incredible work in Central America."
Rusty Johnson
Treasurer
Rusty Johnson and Michelle have been on the 61 Isaiah ministry board since the board's inception. They have two children, Brooke and Preston, and are members of First Baptist Church in West, Texas where they currently serve. Rusty has also been teaching AWANA’s for children at FBC West and leads Coaches Outreach Bible Study for the coaches of West ISD. He owns a small construction company and specialize in dirt work. The sweet couple shared how they feel as board members, "We are thankful to be a part of 61 Isaiah Ministry and have enjoyed seeing relationships strengthened in Honduras in order to bring God glory and minister to the people of this country."
Don Tyra
Secretary
Don has been happily married to Lora for 29 years. They have 2 girls, one son in law and one soon to be son in Law (Shane). His son in law JT, and daughters
Kyndal and Madison. He currently is self-employed as owner of MadKyn Services. He is a former employee of Pactiv, a Reynold’s owned company where he
worked as a Supervisor and Process Technician. He is a former employee of Hoot Johnson Construction, former US Marine, student minister and Operations Manager
at Latham Springs Baptist Encampment. Don serves as a deacon at FBC West.” He has a strong desire for discipleship where people transition from learners to
followers of Christ." Don has been on the 61 Isaiah Ministry board since 2011 at it’s beginning stages.
Dr. Rusty Wheelington
Board Member
Rusty and his wife, Laurie, joined the 61 Isaiah board in 2019 and has been to Honduras numerous times. Having grown up in Texarkana, Texas, Rusty and his wife, Laurie, now call Brownwood home. They have two sons, Caleb and Nathan, a cat named Kevin (even though it’s a girl) and two dogs named Nacho and Honey. Rusty is a professor at Howard Payne University and currently serves as a teaching pastor, youth minster, and missions team leader at Southside Church in Brownwood, while also enjoying the opportunity to serve other churches and ministries when available.
Cathy Knouse
Accountant
Cathy is married to her sweetheart, Ron. She is from Teague where she met the Hopkins. She has been working with 61 Isaiah Ministries since 2015.
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