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Newsletters
Jun 2010 |
Newsletters - Sep 2003Alongside Ministries en Nicaragua Dear Friends, The seasons down here are quite a bit different than they are up in Washington State and, while I don’t know if this is technically correct, they say it is winter down here right now. It is the rainy season and due to the rains and accompanying winds it tends to be just a tad cooler. The nights, particularly, are more comfortable often reaching down into the low 70s. Regardless of the name – call it summer, winter or rainy – it is the busy season for visitors and mission groups from the states. There is sort of a hum of activity that you can sense among the long-term missionaries as they are busy hosting their visitors, preparing work sites and materials or being the tour guide for the many beautiful sights and experiences here in Nicaragua. The winter season still has several months to go but things are quieting down as our North American visitors are heading home to begin their annual back-to-school preparations. We enjoyed our first experiences at hosting teams and feel we were given just the right people at just the right time. We feel, through the physical and financial support we received this summer, the roots of our ministry have become well established and watered and the tree of our ministry is beginning to grow in preparation of bearing fruit. We look forward, Lord willing, to meeting more people and teams next summer. Perhaps you know of a church group (youth or adult) that is thinking of venturing out in the area of missions. We can promise a family friendly, safe, yet challenging opportunity for groups to experience God in a third world country. We are willing and ready to work together to create a mission experience to fit the needs and abilities of your group. Perhaps it may include a home or school construction project, a week-long VBS experience, or door-to-door evangelism followed up by evening prayer and praise services. Whatever your thoughts please let us know if we can partner with you to make it a reality!
We met Jesenia for the first time over a year ago at the first feeding program that was running when we first arrived. She was one of the few moms with the nerve to try to talk to these strange gringos and we had fun as she would help us learn new words and would laugh with us (OK, sometimes at us) as we would forget or get our tongues tied in knots trying to master the pronunciation. Our relationship continued to grow into a friendship as she became one of our “cheerleaders” in the neighborhood. Not too long ago she pulled Kathy aside to talk with her in private. She wanted to know if she could borrow some money. At first, disappointment set in as we felt that the friendship was probably not a true friendship at all but just an attempt to “milk the North American cow.” Kathy told her that a decision like that would have to be discussed with Halle and that it would help if she could put into writing what her needs were and what she planned to do with the money. A week or so later Jesenia presented Kathy with a handwritten “proposal” for a loan. As we read and discussed this request we were humbled. She was asking to borrow 200 cordoba or about $15. She described in the request that she would like to start a used clothing business out of her home. She planned to buy used clothes at the Oriental Market and re-sell them to the people in Cedro Galan. She explained that while her husband has a job, he makes only enough for them to live on without anything extra for some family needs. These needs, she continued, were things like a second cooking pot so that she could cook both rice and beans, the staples of their diet. They would also like to get another bed. She reiterated that this was a loan and that she would pay it back in full at the scheduled time, whatever we decided. Well, we decided to give her the loan of C$200 as well as gift her C$200 so they might be able to purchase some of their personal needs right away. When Kathy met with Jesenia to discuss the loan she enjoyed a lengthy conversation and learned even more about Jesenia and her family. Jesenia, married at the age of 15, has experienced a hard life. So hard, she shared, that at times she just wanted to die and even thought about suicide. Her husband drank too much and spent time with other women and she endured the death of her second baby. Then, after the birth of Juancito, whom she felt was a gift from God to replace her lost baby, she came to know the Lord. All her problems did not disappear but the support she received through the church and through knowing a personal Savior gave her the joy that she bubbles with today. She started praying for her husband and just a couple of months ago he raised his hand at a church service to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Her outlook on life has improved, even though her surroundings have not, and she has continued to grow in her relationship with Jesus Christ and works to live a life of obedience in Him. As Kathy visited she had an opportunity to see Jesenia’s home. It is a wooden structure that is maybe 10 ft. by 10 ft. square. Inside there is a small double bed, a really small twin bed and some shelves that hold some other personal essentials. Outside the house her “kitchen” is in a shed built onto the side where she cooks over an open fire, like most of the others in her neighborhood. We were invited to a small group Bible study at her home one Saturday evening and were served a delicious rice dish – arroz a la Valenciana. We were amazed that something so tasty could come from such a rustic kitchen. Jesenia continues to bring her children faithfully to the feeding program and is a mom that we can count on for help. She will occasionally stop us as we travel past her home on our way to or from the ministry center to give us small gifts, such as a bag of fruit. We are friends and as such we do things for her and she does things for us. We have begun to trust in our friendship with her and look forward to its growth in the future. Thank you again for your prayers and financial support that allow us to minister alongside the people here in Cedro Galan and Chiquilistagua (our future neighborhood).This is a living example of what we consider is the heart of our ministry – alongside ministries. Serving Together, Thank you for supporting our ministry in Nicaragua. Eastside Development |
At this time we would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to one of our friends, a lady from Cedro Galan, and to share her story with you. Jesenia is a mother of 2 children, Jessica age 6 and Juancito age 3. (The little boy on the right is her nephew). She has had a hard life but you’d never know it by looking at her face. She shines with a joy that touches those around her, a joy that makes you enjoy being with her and makes you want to ask, “Why are you so happy all the time?”