The last half of 2017 has been spent using Spanish once again. Mark & Brenda Bachert had requested my help for a few months while the NicaChild program went through a time of transition. The young man, Nelson, who had been working with the program for 7 years was nearing the end of his university studies and moving onto other employment. The program needed someone bilingual to visit the families in their homes, share the gospel and correspond between the families and the sponsors. Megan Sona had an interest in the work as well. So, we are helping temporarily with this project.
The program has grown to over 100 sponsored children, which is keeping us very busy on many fronts. The most important part of the program is intentionally sharing the gospel with the families, or if they are believers to open scripture with them. These families need our prayers as their struggles vary and are real. We know that the gospel message is the only true hope for their needs.
Before Christmas we invited the sponsored children to a few different extra events that were planned. In one area we hosted a Christmas dinner with some activities for the children, and Kyle Wilson gave a message of encouragement to the mothers and shared the gospel. Out of 18 sponsored families, 17 were represented. Four girls had walked one hour in the hot sun to the Hall where we were hosting the event. Their determination to be there was admirable. Their dad died with cancer four years ago. At that time both parents were in the assembly. Sadly their mother made some poor choices, and we pray for her restoration and the children to be saved and live for the Lord. The oldest girl has just graduated the program having finished high school and is planning on studying finance at the university. It was encouraging to see so many people present who haven't been to the Gospel Hall in a long time, or ever. Some women who once were regular attenders to the Gospel Hall offered their help in the food preparation or clean up. Please pray for the restoration in this area called El Valle. Mark and Kyle had gospel meetings a couple of weeks before this dinner, and since then it seems that the Lord is working in some of the lives of those who need to be restored.
We also partnered up with Mitch & Lori Parent in the area where they work. They host events at their home as a Sunday school reward. We were able to bring some of our children from that area to meet the children from their Sunday school. Finally, in the capital city, Managua, we invited the families to the year end Sunday school program. It was amazing to see the families file in while we were finishing the Lord's Supper, which they were able to witness. Families who are new to the program and who are currently unemployed somehow got themselves there. We served over 220 hot meals that night!
Children in the program receive "regular help" each month which could be beans, rice, oil & sugar, or another month laundry supplies, dentist, shoes, etc.
This help varies monthly. The younger children and babies receive milk, diapers and other baby supplies, and still some others have their private schooling paid for. We are shopping for 101 children monthly. We have been trying to connect the children and their families to local Gospel Halls. One way we have been doing this is by printing some Bible verse posters locally and making a package with a tract, and an invitation to the local assembly with the order of the meetings included. It is encouraging to see these verses hanging on the walls or doors of the homes as we visit each month.
There is a lot for us to learn still as we grasp more of the language and gain the confidence of the people. Your prayers are most appreciated. Megan and I also have a teen girl's Sunday school class with a mix of saved and unsaved girls. Please pray for wisdom working with these girls and that the unsaved would realize their need of a Saviour this year.
Winter 2017
Written by Emily McCandless - NICARAGUA