PAUL AND HILDA OZYMY

founders

FOUNDERS - Paul and Hilda’s Story

 

Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (NLT)
 

Paul and Hilda have been married for over 20 years. They have seen many of their dreams come true, and they had many plans for their future. Until 2012, they were a well-educated, well-travelled, and happy couple living the American dream. Their home on the banks of the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, Texas was the summer vacation spot for many. They were delighted traveling the world and hosting large groups of family and friends who would come to float the river and enjoy delicious BBQs.

When they were not floating the river or traveling, Paul and Hilda were working as successful finance professionals. Paul is an accountant by profession and a real estate entrepreneur by passion. He worked as an IRS agent, and he also managed their real estate investments. Hilda is also an accountant and a CPA. She worked as a Risk Management Director for a financial services company in San Antonio, Texas. Before that she worked for an oil and gas company in the U.S. and in many countries around the world. Paul and Hilda had plans to retire early, continue to enjoy wonderful summers by the river and spend the winters in the Caribbean; but, Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (NLT).
 
Paul and Hilda’s plans for early retirement got accelerated in December 2011. While they were visiting Honduras, God showed them that most churches there are not teaching the children His Word. One Honduran church leader even told them “Pastors in Honduras do not want to do any work with the children because the children don’t tithe.”  Paul and Hilda could not believe what they heard. They started to pay close attention, and they observed that in fact, most churches in Honduras did not have children’s programs.

After that trip, Paul and Hilda came back to the U.S., restless about the issue. They felt God was showing them a need that must be addressed. They felt called to fill in the gap, but they did not know exactly how. Paul had served in different roles within the church, including: usher, accountant, finance committee, pastor search committee, building committee and Sunday school teacher. Hilda had served in women’s ministry.  They had also gone on several mission trips to the Mexican border. However, they felt unprepared for what God was asking them to do, teach children the Word. How could they? They were accountants not children pastors.

Faced with such a challenge, Paul and Hilda did what they were accustomed to do when dealing with difficult decisions, seek Godly counsel. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (NIV). First and foremost, Paul and Hilda sought God’s confirmation in prayer and in the scriptures. The Lord gave them 1Peter 4:7-11 confirming the reason for the call.  Then, Paul and Hilda reviewed their spiritual gifts to be reminded of the abilities which God had already provided them. They also talked to their pastor, church leaders, parents and good Christian friends. All encouraged and reassured them that the need was genuine, the call was from God, and they were the right people to go meet the need.

Mission Honduras is a 501(c3) Texas registered nonprofit corporation founded by Paul and Hilda in June 2012, after listening to God’s promptings to teach His Word to the children of Honduras. Paul and Hilda left successful careers, sold their house on the river, and they spent hundreds of thousands of their own funds to start up the children’s ministry in Honduras.


A Few More Things about Paul: 

​Paul was born and raised in Galveston, Texas.  He is loving, kind, simple, extremely efficient, reliable and punctual. What Paul says he will do, he does.  Paul’s priorities are God, Hilda, his family, and Mission Honduras.



A Few More Things about Hilda:

Hilda loves three things: Jesus, the Bible and Paul. “She is convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate her from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus her Lord.” as the Lord has promised her in Romans 8:38-39. Hilda sees God’s special touch in every aspect of her life. She knows that with God there are no coincidences, only divinely appointed incidences. With God’s blessing, Hilda has excelled at whatever she puts her mind to. She is thrilled to be serving alongside Paul, teaching the kids of Honduras her favorite book in the whole wide world, the Bible.