Dear Friends,

As this year draws to a close we wanted to look back one last time before we start forging ahead once again. It’s always a balancing act when we make plans in our 2009 calendar for almost a year in advance and yet still want our plans and projects to be of God not of ourselves. When we look back we are able to evaluate if what we planned and accomplished in the previous year was part of God’s plan according to how He blessed each venture. It’s exciting to see what He has done and is continuing to do with Alongside Ministries. We thought you might enjoy reviewing the year with us. Remember there’s always room for you in the future of Alongside Ministries.

We apologize if this reads more like a document than a letter. To put this information in narrative form would have made it extremely long.

Thank you so much for you partnership with us through your friendship, prayers and financial support.

May you have an absolutely wonderful Christmas! Give God the glory through your joy and celebration of the birth of ous Savior, Jesus Christ!

Serving Together with joy!
Halle and Kathy

Thank you for supporting our ministry in Nicaragua.
100% of your financial gift given through
The NEO Foundation is received and used in ministry here in Nicaragua.

The NEO Foundation
22301 S.W. 110th Pl.
Tualatin, OR  97062

 Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua

2008 – 2009 Goals and Accomplishments

 Core Mission:

To continuously seek God’s will in our lives and service to Him here in Nicaragua; to maintain and expand our current ministry activities as God leads and provides; to be in relationship with the children, youth and the families of our neighborhood and the surrounding community and to introduce them to Jesus, his love for them and the hope they can experience with a relationship with Him.

Centro de Ministerio El Farito (Little Lighthouse Ministry Center)

Core Mission: To provide a meeting place and programs that draw people in, encourage relationships and fellowship and provide opportunities to share our faith and the gospel message through our lives.

Feeding Program

Goal: Continue to provide a 2-day-a-week feeding program to the children of the Cedro Galan community where our ministry center is located.

Accomplished: For the past 6 and a half years we have provided a hot lunch preceded by Christian songs, stories and prayer to approximately 65 children each Tuesday and Thursday of the week.

2009: Continue to offer this 2-day-a-week program; look into the possibility of working with another ministry here in Nicaragua to provide additional food to support what we are already doing or to possibly add another day to make it a 3-day-a-week program.

Preschool

Goal: Continue to offer a high-quality Christian preschool program.

Accomplished: We are now finishing our 5th year of preschool with an enrollment of 17 students in our 3 and 4 year old programs.

2009: Continue the 3 and 4-year-old preschool program with an enrollment of 17 students; transition the directorship of the preschool over to Myra Norman, wife of a Bothell couple committed to working with our ministry for 2 years.

Scholarship Program

Goal: Continue scholarship program for those students who have attended 2 years at the Little Lighthouse preschool.

Accomplished: 11 former preschool students, now in grades K - 2 are attending Covanic Christian school under our scholarship program.

2009: One student has withdrawn from the program and 4 more preschoolers are anticipated to start Kindergarten bringing the total number of students in the scholarship program to 14 students in grades K – 3.

Evangelism

Goal: Continue community evangelism programs at El Farito Ministry Center.

Accomplished: In the past year we have provided VBS programs for the children of the ministry center community.

2009: Continue to provide the children of Cedro Galan the opportunity to participate in evangelism programs with the visiting work teams at our community/sports center.

Centro Deportivo El Salero (Salt Shaker Community/Sports Center)

Core Mission: To create a safe, clean and fun environment where people can experience God in a fresh new way, especially in the area of sports and playing together as a team; to be a place available to churches, youth ministries and schools to use for a fun and different type of outreach and ministry where people are challenged, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually; to present the gospel as something that is relational, changes lives and gives hope for the future.

Computer Lab

Goal: To make the computer lab more accessible to the community. Accomplished: We currently have 8 computers w/ internet capability in the computer lab; we have offered 2 sets of introductory classes to children and youth.

2009: Offer more classes; hire someone to work in the computer lab; have the computer lab open more regularly for community access.

Library

Goal: Grow and expand the library program.

Accomplished:  The El Salero library is up and running. We currently have a young lady working with us for the short term to organize and operate the library which is open 4 afternoons a week. Children are borrowing and returning books and enjoying using the library as an alternative to outdoor play.

2009: Hire someone to run the library; have the library open 6 half-days a week.

Youth and Young Adults

Goal: Continue to develop relationships with the youth of our greater community.

Accomplished: We continue to meet with the local youth and provide youth night activities and an evangelistic message but not on a weekly basis. We plan youth nights when we have visiting teams who are then able to participate and share their testimonies.

2009: Offer twice monthly meetings; take some of the youth on a one-day or possibly over-night retreat; provide an opportunity once a month to take the local youth into Managua to the Verbo church.

Covered Basketball Court

Goal: Complete a second basketball court which will be covered.

Accomplished: The second court is more than 3/4 finished.

2009: Pour the concrete floor; finish the floor with striping for basket and indoor soccer.

Community/Sports Center Grounds and Maintenance

Goal: Continue landscaping and maintenance of the grounds and facilities.

Accomplished: Many new plants and trees have been added to the landscape at the sports center.

2009: As fundraising allows begin to landscape and pave the courtyard between the library, computer lab and ranchón; re-roof the ranchón and kitchen.

Visiting Work Teams

Goal: Continue our program of housing and hosting short term teams; to connect teams with local Nicaraguans of our community through evangelism and outreach programs; to receive team support and assistance in El Salero construction projects and facility maintenance; to challenge teams to broaden their heart’s view of God’s love and to experience what it means to share it and receive it in a new and different third world culture.

Accomplished: Year after year we receive many new and several returning teams from all over the United States. In 2008 we received an adult team from St. Paul United Methodist Church in State College, PA, a family team from First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, WA, a college team from University of North Carolina, a college team from University of Texas, a college team from Worcester State College in Worcester, MA, a multi-college team from Pennsylvania, a high school team from Maranatha High School in Pasadena, CA, a youth team from Woodinville Community United Methodist Church in Woodinville, WA, a youth team from Bethel Christian Church in San Francisco, CA, and an adult team from West Sacremento, CA.

2009: At this time we have 12 teams scheduled for 2009. Five of those are returning teams.