Christian ministry Por Que No Tu will host dessert fundraisers on Tuesday, April 9, at Waterway Church, 550 Waterway Road, Oxford, and on Thursday, April 11, at Mt. Vernon Christian Church, 1 Lighthouse Drive, Kirkwood. Both events are free, and they will begin at 7 p.m. Guests will have an opportunity to learn about Por Que No Tu's sponsorship program to benefit children living in Honduras.

Guests may enjoy various desserts and socialize before the program begins with an update from executive director Justin Hollinger on Por Que No Tu's projects. Yamie Castillo, a student who was previously sponsored through the program, will give a presentation after Hollinger's update. Attendees will then have an opportunity to sign up for a sponsorship or make a one-time donation to the organization before the fundraiser concludes at 8 p.m.

Por Que No Tu is a Christian nonprofit organization that seeks to improve the lives of people living in Providencia, Honduras. The ministry's name is derived from a Spanish phrase that translates to "Why not you," and it was created in 2013 by missionaries Bob and Sandy Martin. In 2011, the couple went on a mission trip to Honduras to assist with the construction of an orphanage there; Bob and Sandy started the nonprofit, which was initially called "Why Not You Ministries," after the completion of the project to continue their work in the Honduran town of San Antonio de Cortes.

In 2016, Bob and Sandy acquired a piece of land in Providencia, where they built a facility to serve as the ministry's headquarters. The property, which initially included one dormitory, gradually expanded with the installation of a kitchen and dining area and additional dormitories over the next few years. In 2022, the management of the Why Not You Ministries' efforts in Honduras was transferred to Hollinger, and the organization was renamed to "Por Que No Tu." Why Not You Ministries continues to operate as a nonprofit organization that serves communities in the United States.

"The mission is really about inspiring people to serve," said Josh Foley, chairman of Por Que No Tu's board of directors. "To me, it's a really neat opportunity for us to serve as Jesus would have, helping meet people's basic needs and opening them up to the Gospel."

Hollinger, a graduate of Solanco High School, currently lives at the ministry's location in Providencia, which sits among the mountains and dense jungles in a remote part of the country. When Por Que No Tu first arrived, its primary goal was to install concrete floors in local homes; many of the small dwellings comprised only tin roofs and dirt floors. The addition of concrete floors makes the houses easier to clean and helps residents ward off insects and illnesses. "It might not sound like much to us since we're used to having carpet and tile, but going from dirt to concrete is a huge step up in terms of health and safety," Foley said.

Although Por Que No Tu continues to assist with construction projects in Honduras, its new leadership has shifted its focus to support Honduran children. The ministry's child sponsorship program provides children with school uniforms, classroom supplies, Christmas gifts and after-school activities.

For more information, visit http://www.porquenotu.com.