. | Lauren Estes

Lauren Estes

Hartselle Enquirer

Hartselle Native Lee Murphree has worked in the mission filed for 12 years after once leaving a mission trip and feeling as if he was leaving his home.

“My wife, Gracie and I went on a trip to do evangelical work in 2004 to La Ermita, Talanga,” Murphree said. “When we arrived back in the US, it was evident that God was calling us back to Honduras. We returned permanently on June 28, 2005. We knew that we weren’t meant to be there, so we made the necessary arrangements with our home and jobs and started looking for a way to move to Honduras.”

Murphree started “Heart of Christ” which is a ministry that grew to become a multiple program assistant for Honduran natives, specifically women, children and the elderly who are often targeted as victims of crime and violence.

Once started, the Honduran government came to the Heart of Christ representatives and began seeking help to create a child welfare system for the first time in Honduran history. They also created the first ever victims of violence program in the country.

“We started a shelter that allows us to keep siblings together that might other wise be separated who are victims of abuse, rape, extreme poverty,” Murphree said. “We have housed over 400 victims and provided a temporary shelter for those who need a safe place as they escape violent situations, or rape victims who can’t get home right away during the processing of their case. We house the children that the DA places with us temporarily while they complete child abuse and neglect investigations.”

Through prayer, volunteering and financial donations, Murphree’s dream of minimizing the human trafficking is slowly becoming a reality.

Hartselle Police Chief Ron Puckett said with Honduras having two-third of their women trafficked; he has a passion for helping with their ministry and encouraging others to do the same.

“Two out of every three females are either raped or abused, that is crazy and unbelievable and the ministry that they do in Honduras is something that is special to me,” Puckett said. “Even though it’s more apparent and happening in Honduras and counties like it, it’s also happening right here. I-20 is the landline or gateway for human traffickers and it’s a growing enterprise. It’s something that I want to help bring an end to, My wife Sharon and I are going in April with their group to work with them.”

For more information about Heart of Christ or their new program, Call to Justice, you can contact Lee Murphree through their website at ww.heartofchristhonduras.org. Donations are tax-deductible.