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Newsletters
Jun 2010 |
Newsletters - Oct 2003Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua Dear Friends, My how time flies when you’re having fun (or keeping busy or getting older – whichever one applies – in our case, all three!) We are staying busy but continue to enjoy our lives and ministry down here. This past month we added the work of remodeling a small house on the property that we purchased to our already full plate. Actually, it feels like we’re trying to balance a whole extra plate as we’ve discovered that heading up a construction project like this is far more time consuming than we’ve been used to in the states. One of the most time consuming tasks is all the running around Halle has to do to find the necessary building materials. Most of what we would do by phone in the states has to be done in person down here. While we’ve had our fair sha First of all, all of the running around that Halle has been doing has been in… (are you ready?)… our Toyota Hilux pickup truck!!! Yes, that’s right, our pickup truck that was severely smashed by a bus just a short 7 months ago has finally made it out of the shop. The “4 to 5 week” repair job turned out to be 6 months but it’s looking and running well and we are pleased to have it back! Many of the other blessings over this past month have personal names. God has been so good to bring into our lives just the right people and we’d like to tell you about them so that you can thank God along with us for each of them by name. When we started into this construction project we really felt a need for an interpreter so that Halle would be better able to communicate with and understand his Ferreteria Richardson is a large, well stocked (by Nicaraguan standards) building supply/hardware store here in Managua. Through our frequent visits we have come to know several of the employees but one in particular has become a friend. Whenever we need something at Richardson’s we look for Herman. If they don’t have what we need in stock Herman can tell us where to get it and has even hooked us up with some contacts with whom we are able to buy materials for less than they sell at the store. Herman, too, is a Christian and it is evident by the smile on his face and the joy he seems to show all the time. He says that many of the employees at Richardson’s are Christians and that they meet before work for a time of prayer and Bible st Over a year ago when we first started helping with the feeding program in Cedro Galan we got to know Mirella. She cooked for the feeding program and the children met and ate on her front porch area. Through her we met her husband, Heriberto, who does welding, metal work and electrical work. He did the rafters and roof on the ministry center and is continuing to work for us on our house project as well. A Christian man, he is patient with our limited language skills but honest and forthright with us regarding our building needs, costs, etc. He seems to understand our American “quirks” (like wanting the electrical outlets to be set vertical rather than horizontal) and cheerfully agrees to put as many outlets as we want anywhere we ask. He has shared that he feels that what we are doing for the children in Cedro Galan is an important work and we appreciate his supportive words and attitude. Throug God has been so good to us and has blessed us in many ways. It seems very obvious to us that His hand has been guarding and guiding us throughout our business and building transactions and we are so grateful. Please continue to pray for us and with us. Thank Him for Michael, Herman, Heriberto and Jose and the others that He has yet for us to encounter. Please pray that we continue to seek God’s will in ministry down here and that He will make His will clear and well known. Please pray for our future ministry plans. We are exploring other opportunities to partner with another ministry in a large project which fits well with our ministry focus on children and youth. We desire God’s guidance and direction as we talk and discuss (and dream a little, too) about the specifics of this project. We also appreciate your prayers concerning our family. Brandon and Britton are doing well up in Washington, learning and growing a lot as they work and attend school. They will be able to visit us for Christmas and we are already looking forward to being reunited as a family. Brookes has adjusted fairly well to being an only child but we know he misses his brothers. He is taking a couple of classes at the Christian school just down the street which provides him an opportunity to meet new friends. It all seems to be working out well. Thank you for your continuing thoughts and prayers. Serving Together, Thank you for supporting our ministry in Nicaragua. Eastside Development |
re of frustrations we have also experienced God’s blessings and we want to share some of them with you.
laborers. Michael is a young man, just 17 years old, who has studied in the states and speaks English very well. He is also a Christian. He works as one of our laborers, mixing concrete, laying block, whatever is needed, but when Halle needs his assistance he is available to translate. He has a great attitude and a good sense of humor. We know we have been blessed to have him as part of our crew and we hope we have blessed him a little bit, too.
udy. He has been such a blessing to us, not only through his help with building materials but also through his life which is a witness to others each day. What a great example he is of how our lives, day in and day out, not just on Sundays, should reflect the One whom we serve.
h Heriberto we were introduced to another Christian man who is an electrical engineer. Jose Espinosa has been a great help in obtaining power to our home site. We needed to purchase 5 large concrete poles, wire and a transformer, have it all installed and then connected by the power company. That seemed like a daunting task for us Gringos. With Jose’s help, however, it has all gone very smoothly and relatively quickly. We met with Jose and his daughter in their home one afternoon and ended up talking more about life and Christianity than electricity. Having lived here through the revolution he has some very interesting stories to share and it is clear through his conversation that Christianity plays an important role in his life and in the life of his family. We have appreciated him and his work so much. When he says he will be at the job site he is there and the work that he has been in charge of has been completed on time and in a very professional manner. We are still waiting for the power company to come and do their part but are confident that through Jose and his contacts that we will be “lit up” very soon!