Mission workers from Columbiana United Methodist Church plan to drive four hours through the mountains of Honduras to reach a village along the country’s coast.

The journey begins long before the trip does however.

In order to get to South America to offer medical help, church members must raise the money to make the trek.

They plan to begin this leg of the mission with a Soup and Cornbread lunch on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Church members will offer homemade soup and even desserts –- asking only a donation in return.

Shane Armstrong is one of many members planning to visit the country June 11-21.

“The church has made this trip for more than a decade,” Armstrong said. “This year we’ve got a total of 12 people going –– even those who don’t have a medical background will feel like they do when they get back,” he said.

Armstrong said the focus of each trip is to provide medical care and often help with construction of schools or churches. This trip is mainly focused on medical needs, with four nurses from Shelby Baptist on board.

Mission volunteers will see about 700 patients in four and a half days. Armstrong said the villagers come ailing with everything from the common cold to malaria.

“You never appreciate anything until you meet someone who has nothing but doesn’t have a tear in their eye,” Armstrong said. “They appreciate event he smallest gifts.”

The church plans to host a fishing tournament March 14 to continue fundraising efforts.