Welcome to Merendon.net, the home page of Toby and Amy Hill, Missionaries to the Merendon Mountains in Honduras

About Toby and Amy

Toby has had many experiences in life to prepare him for service in Honduras. He graduated Cincinnati Bible College in 1994 with a Bachelor's Degree in General Biblical Studies with an emphasis on Missions. As a part of his missions training he traveled to Ukraine and Russia. Three months were then spent in Caracas, Venezuela with the Dye family.

Toby served as a youth sponsor at his home church, The Church at Mt. Gilead near Mooresville, Indiana and later as youth minister with the First Christian Church in North Vernon, Indiana.

At New Burlington Church of Christ in Cincinnati, Toby served as chairman of the deacons, chairman of the Youth Ministry Team as well as teacher with children's worship and Sunday school.

Amy dreamed of serving as a nurse on a foreign mission field from childhood. She started her preparation at Cincinnati Bible College where she received an Associate's Degree in General Biblical Studies in 1995. Short term mission trips to Haiti, Venezuela and Canada gave her necessary preparation in cross cultural experiences. She has served in churches as a teacher and children's church leader. Later she gave time to be a teacher and nurse at church camps.

Amy's sister Beth made a trip in 1987 to visit Christine Kelley (now Vijil) and Madonna Burgett (Spratt now) in the Merendon Mountains of Honduras. Madonna has served as a missionary nurse in Africa, India and Honduras since 1959. When Beth returned home she told Amy that the Merendon Mountains would be the ideal location for her nursing. Beth prayed that God would prepare Amy for a nursing ministry there if it was His will. Ten years later Amy was on the field working as a primary care physician.

Toby and Amy are dedicated to serving the people of the Merendon Mountains. They were married December 23, 1995. In March of 1997 FAME (Fellowship of Associates for Medical Evangelism) accepted them as field workers. In August 1997 Amy received her RN from Christ Hospital School of Nursing in Cincinnati.

On arrival in Honduras a month later she began training with Madonna Spratt who had established a clinic in Las Brisas on the North coast of Honduras learning the practical information on operating the Clinica El Merendon as well as training in dealing with tropical diseased and tropical medicine.

Myra Harrah was at the mission when Madonna left to open a clinic in Las Brisas. She served for a year or so before a heart attack took her life. Amy had Yami, Madonna's Honduran assistant nurse, to provide a bridge into the Honduran culture.

Toby and Amy then traveled to Antigua, Guatemala for five months of language study at Christian Spanish Academy. In June 1998 they were finally on field in the Merendon Mountains with a home, medical clinic, church building and a four wheel drive Toyota Truck.

Eight years later the original church building has been expanded to seat 150 instead of 40, two other churches are in their own buildings. Four house churches/preaching points are opening the way for more established churches. Eight men from the mountains graduated the Bible Institute October 30, 2004. Three more men from the Merendon are studying at the Bible Institute and will graduate in October Eight more are being discipled for leadership with hopes of having them at the Bible Institute beginning in February 2007 after the annual rainy season.

Toby and Amy adopted Cassandra, an abandoned Honduran girl, in May 2002. April 21, 2004 Sarah joined the family. What a contrast in the appearance of the two girls. Cassandra has dark hair dark eyes and brown skin. Sarah is almost albino with white white hair, blue eyes and very light complexion. She caused quite a stir in the nursery at Cemesa Hospital. A very "white bunny in a room full of brown bunnies." December 29, 2005 Jonathan joined the family. Sarah is a "little Toby" and Jonathan is a "little Amy."

Life has been good in so many ways in spite of many struggles, threats and adjustments. Two Defender Landrover trucks and a Toyota provide transportation. The Toyota is at the new church plant in Cofradia. Emilio,Santos,Antonio, Enrique, Lionel, Mauricio, Sergio, and Henry serve churches as preachers.

Doors are opening through the medical care Amy provides at the Penitas base church/clinic She isn't providing clinics in distant location since she has three children to drain energy. Clinic days are Monday, Wednesday Friday from 8 AM until she is done. Tuesdays she visits her patients in the hospitals in the city. Amy enjoys great relationships with a number of Honduran doctors who will see her patients without charge. Two years ago the mission took up the funding of medicines used. FAME had provided for this for the first six years the Hills were in the Merendon.

The preachers in training and discipleship groups have been going to the preaching points on Sundays afternoons and Wednesday evenings.
Two years ago, at the request of FAME, Merendon Mountain Mission became a direct support mission with its own board. FAME asked the seven FAME missionaries to each form tax exempt missions. FAME is again focused on the original purpose of being a support agency for medical missions around the world. There is still an excellent relationship with FAME as they assist when the opportunity presents.

Your mission dollars are well used. A couple from Joplin, MO visited in April 06 and were deeply impressed with how Toby and Amy use funds provided. They served the church as Mission Chair and followed a number of missions very closely, but felt this was a great example of how missions should be done. Faithful partners are providing nearly $10,000 per month to cover the $2500 salary for Toby and Amy, $900 for the eight preachers, $2-3,000 for medicines, and money to keep the churches operating. People in the region live in poverty and the support is necessary. It has been quite expensive to keep three trucks running, but the Lord is faithful to provide as need arises.

The Hills are most grateful that you bless them so they can be a blessing to many. The summer of 06 they also are working to see little Daniel adopted by an Indiana family and also to see follow-up surgery for 17 year old Dunia who will receive open heart surgery in Lexington, KY.

Birth Dates: Toby: July 5, 1968; Amy: April 23, 1973
Anniversary: December 23, 1995
Toby's Ordination: Ordained January 8, 1995
Mailing Address: Toby and Amy Hill, IMC-SAP 618, P.O. Box 52-3900, Miami, FL 33152-3900
Degrees: Toby: Bachelor of Science with an Emphasis in Missions.
Amy: Associate in Biblical Studies from Cincinnati Bible College, Diploma from Christ Hospital School of Nursing; Registered Nurse in the State of Ohio.