Managua, Nicaragua

By the Grace of God, we are one month away from celebrating our first anniversary. We are a little group of 24 breaking bread each Lord's day afternoon. We appreciate the consistency of the six married couples who really lend stability to the Assembly. We thank the Lord for the collaboration of the young folks and pray daily for their preservation. A couple of the young men have now graduated from the engineering program and have found solid well-paying jobs. Kevin the first fruits of the work here is one of whom I write. He was married the 8th of August and his wife plans to be baptized on August 30th.

We expect several to obey the Lord in baptism on the 30th and some have also expressed desire to enter into the fellowship of the Assembly.

The Assembly has been active in the gospel and working together has been very positive to witness. We have been able to have a couple short series of meetings on the weekends, (Friday - Sunday). The trailer is used as a backdrop for the pulpit, and a place to project the hymns. We temporarily planted 6-meter long bamboo poles around the area and fastened yard lights on each one that were powered with a little Honda generator. The brothers and sisters were phenomenal as they set up and took down each night so nothing was stolen. The 70 chairs were all filled and several were standing most nights. In the will of the Lord, we hope to engage in these efforts at least once a month in various communities in the city. Please pray for these opportunities to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ to lost souls.

It is again our purpose to invite a team of young men down to live and learn in Managua. This team will commence September of 2016. Please pray that the Lord will handpick those whose hearts are being prepared for this opportunity.

Brenda was invited to observe and participate in a powerful workshop in Texas that is for the healing of women who have painful yesterdays. We know that several of our dear sisters are carrying such pain day by day. Please pray that Brenda will have wisdom from above as many of our sisters have welcomed Brenda into their confidence and are seeking help. We praise the Lord who has come to heal the broken hearted, give sight to the blind, and liberty to the captives. It is very beautiful for us to think of a local church in Philippi and see saved ones sitting together who came from very different backgrounds. Lydia was an immigrant business lady, was she a single mom? Did she experience the pain of a divorce? The Lord opened her heart and she opened her home. The damsel girl, an abuse victim, used by her masters for monetary gain. Poor soul. Praise God she found a new identity in Jesus Christ. Freedom from the shackles of sin and abuse through the power of Jesus' name. As our eyes glance around the circle we see the jailor. Such a tough, cruel, sizeable man yet who was at the point of suicide when the powerful question pierced the darkened dungeon, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved"? Again the answer to the human heart's deepest need is Jesus! Abused and Aggressor, both sitting remembering the Lamb that was freshly slain to bring forgiveness and healing in their lives. Managua is much like Philippi.

Summer 2015 Written by Mark and Brenda Bachert - Nicaragua