Our Story
Garifuna Fellowship International’s story begins when the gospel of Jesus Christ took root in Garifuna communities in the 1990s. As churches were planted, the need for the Bible in the Garifuna language became clear. Fernando Sabio, from the community of Sangrelaya, joined the translation team at age 15, led by Roger and Marilyn Reeck of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
After the translation was completed, donors granted Fernando a scholarship to earn a B.A. in Bible in the United States. Fernando then spent two years in Guinea-Bissau serving in language survey and local church ministry before returning to Honduras and founding the Mua Buiti (“Good Soil”) Garifuna Bible School in 2009. Another scholarship allowed him to earn a master’s in business administration, which prepared him to coordinate a wide variety of projects to strengthen Garifuna churches through training, discipleship materials, and supporting projects such as construction and scholarships for emerging leaders.
In March 2025, God called both Fernando and Roger home to heaven. Now their legacy continues through those they mentored and longtime donors who, together, have accepted the challenge to do their part to continue supporting the Garifuna church in following the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
Who are the Garifuna people?
In the 17th century, two ships carrying African slaves were shipwrecked near St. Vincent Island in the Eastern Caribbean. Africans who escaped to shore were integrated into the the Carib and Arawak inhabitants' society. In order to avoid mutiny, slave traders had selected Africans with no common language; as a result, those on the island learned Garifuna, the Carib/Arawak language spoken by the islanders, and a new culture was born.
After an unsuccessful attempt to enslave Garifuna people, British colonizers captured 5,000 people to send to Honduras. Fewer than 2,500 survived, reaching Honduras on April 12, 1797. Their descendants settled along the Caribbean coast in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The majority live in Honduras. Each April, Garifuna Christians celebrate God's protection of their ancestors and His love for the Garifuna people.
Since the 1980s, the Garifuna church has grown considerably. In 2000, the Garifuna Bible translation was completed, and the Mua Buiti Garifuna Seminary was founded in 2009.