Newsletters - Jun 2007
Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua
Evangelism Through Relationships
Halle and Kathy August, Missionaries
amen@ibw.com.ni
www.alongsideministries.org
Jun 2007
(See Pictures attached)
Dear Friends,
Let us be the first to introduce you to our son and his new wife, Mr. and Mrs. Britton T. August… better known as Britton and Chelsea. We celebrated together with them and many family members and friends on May 12th as they committed themselves to one another and to God in marriage. We had such a wonderful time getting to know our new, extended family and welcoming Chelsea into our family. The new couple is settled in their new apartment in Sammamish near Issaquah in Washington and are looking ahead to where God will lead them in their careers and married life. We had a wonderful time during our 4 week visit and were able to spend time with all three of our sons during the month. It was one of the best Mother’s Days in years as Kathy had all her boys around her for the day! That was pretty special!
Now we’re back in Nicaragua and looking ahead to the work of our ministry, finishing up the covered basketball court, replanting the soccer field, finishing the library, continuing the preschool and feeding program, and hosting teams. Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s happening around here.
What’s Happening at El Salero Community/Sports Center
Just a short week after our return from the states we had the opportunity to host a youth team from Christ Community Church in St. Louis, Missouri. This team was led by Dennis and Nancy Beldner, parents of Tim Beldner, the young man who lived with us for more than a year. It was great to have them here, sharing in our ministry again, and to meet some of the quality folks from their church. The weather was hot and muggy but they were real troopers working hard out in the sun pulling weeds and preparing the baseball field for a big game on the Sunday after they arrived. The field was in tip top condition and the kids enjoyed watching the game with the rest of the local crowd.
This group also worked on the soccer field, dug some ditches, and helped at the preschool and feeding program. I think this group holds the new record for the number of shoes they brought down for our next clothing sale. What a great donation. I keep saying we can never have enough shoes… we’ll see if I’m right or not at the next sale. It will be fun to still have shoes for those folks who come in towards the end of the crowd and they’ll be thrilled as well.
Thanks Ken, Tanya, Dennis, Emily, Jessica, Jonathan, Cory, Bethany, David, Nancy, MJ, Glenette, Josh, Isaac and Dillin.
What’s Happening at El Farito Ministry Center
I’d like to introduce you to a couple more of our preschool students. These two girls are cousins, are both second year students and are both named Ana. The first is Ana Cristina Murillo Sanchez . We call her Anita Cristina. She is a sweet little girl that has shown a lot of growth over the past year and a half. She enjoys just about every activity we do at preschool and I can never say no to her when she looks up to me and says, “Léame, por favor.” “Read to me, please.” One of my favorite times at preschool is our book time when we get to sit and hold the kids and read to them. Some of them are starting to read the familiar books back to us. What a great pleasure that is. If we can instill a love of books and reading in these children I know that they will have a much greater chance of success in their future years.
Ana Esperanza Murillo Mora goes by Anita Esperanza and she, too, has grown and blossomed over the past year and a half of preschool. Last year I would have described her as sullen but this year she shares her bright smile freely and is having fun as her circle of friends and activities at preschool expands. Dramatic play (“pretend”) is a universal activity with this age group and an activity that the “Anitas” especially like. We get such a kick out of watching them set up their “venta” or small store (just like their parent’s) and make their transactions. One day another student brought them a plate of playdough “food” and they sat behind their venta window eating their lunch and selling their goods. This is so typical of what you see all the time at the market. Children have an amazing ability to copy and mimic what they see and hear. We hope they see and hear a lot about the love of Jesus while they’re with us and that one day, what might only be mimicking right now, will become a real relationship for each of them.
What’s Happening with the El Farito Scholarship Program
We continue to hear nothing but good things from the school, the parents and the children. We will be having a mid-year party with the scholarship students and their families which will give us the opportunity to check in with everyone and get some live up-dates on how things are really going. We’ll be sharing that with you all soon. In the meantime, please begin to lift up this program in prayer as it is nearing the time to think about commitments for next year. Please pray that God would move in the hearts of those He would have donate and support this program and these children. Thank you.
Looking Ahead
The next several months promise to be busy ones as we have several groups on the calendar to come down and work alongside of us. We are always excited about the energy they bring with them and the projects they are able to accomplish but even more exciting is the change that God is planning in the hearts of those who are coming as well as those who will be ministered to through youth activities, sports camps, clothing sales and community out-reach. We look forward to sharing their activities and accomplishments with you.
Please Pray…
- for Amanda and Thomas as they finish up their U.S. vacation and return to Nicaragua around July 12th.
- for Amanda and her pregnancy. She’s due around the first of October!
- for our Nicaraguan staff and volunteers – that we would always remember they are a ministry, too, and we want to shower them with God’s love.
- the preschool scholarship program.
- the up-coming teams.
Please Praise…
- for the wonderful rain that makes everything green and keeps the dust down!
- for God’s suffiency in all things at all times.
- for the Manna Project group who support us in so many important ways.
- for each visiting team that always brings their unique gift to us and the ministry.
And we praise and thank God for you, our friends and supporters, everyday. What an incredible blessing you have been and continue to be. Thank you!
Serving Together,
Halle and Kathy August
AMEN
Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua
Thank you for supporting our ministry in Nicaragua.
Your gifts, sent to Eastside Development (formally The NEO Foundation),
will be used for our general ministry activities or wherever you designate.
Eastside Development
PO Box 301471
Portland, OR 97294 |