In 1914 the Friends of California Missionary Association sent a missionary couple to open a work in Honduras: Humberto and Dorotea Cammack.
They faced an intolerant religion, the opposition of the Catholic hierarchy; to poverty and an inhospitable geography having to use the means of transport of the time, baronesses, ox-drawn carts and beasts of burden. They settled in Tegucigalpa and in 1916 they founded the first evangelical church “Amigos”. From there his work extended to La Paz, Comayagüa, La Esperanza, Marcala, Santa Lucía de Intibucá, Juticalpa and Catacamas.
Among the missionary friends are remembered: Eduardo and Martha Munsell in La Esperanza, Fermita Abott in La Paz, Arturo and Irene Schasse in Marcala. They all came in the ‘2s and’ 30s. These churches were initially pastored by missionaries as the first converted leaders prepared at the “Berea” Biblical Institute in Chiquimula and at the Tegucigalpa Biblical Institute in 1935.
Among the first friendly shepherds are remembered: Apolonio and Erlinda de Rodriguez, Braulio and Dina Median, Emilio and María Angela de Padilla, Adán and Sara de Osorio. Established Friends Church: Tegucigalpa, La Paz, La Esperanza, Santa Lucía, Juticalpa, Catacamas and Comayagua.
After 1944 we went from being a “Friends Church” to the Evangelical Holiness Church. Why the Holiness thing? Because the missionaries came from Methodist Root Churches.