On our way to Managua, we rejoiced that we have welcomed 156 souls into the family of God. Almost every one of these people was personally talked to, so we were blessed to watch the transforming power of salvation on many of their faces. Gloria a Dios!!
Before leaving church in Jinoetga, we were humbled that they honored each of us with a gift to thank us for the opportunity to serve.
Team on the way to last clinic. We are comitted to finishing well and are confident Divine appointments await us.
Traveled 2 hours from base today to a small town no US medical team has ever been to. The people waiting in line when we arrived were the poorest of the poor.
The medical team served 369 patients, almost running out of medicines. The illnesses and skin conditions were some of the worst we've seen in several years.
Alongside our Nicaraguan brothers and sisters,
A few leaders from the Foursquare church in Jinotega joined us and it was such a blessing, because of the number of people we needed to pray for and share the Gospel with.
While being treated, we discovered this 3 month old girl didn't have a name. The mother gave us the privilege to name her -- we chose Ruth Grace. She then completed the birth certificate.
A view coming down the mountain on our way home.
There was bible story time, but some time for fun as well.
One of the Nicaraguan teachers who teaches worship dance prepared something special for VBS.
Praying over 40 plus children who said they wanted to serve as leaders in the Church. One little girl named Janel, at 8 is the children's worship leader and leads a small group of 9 girls. Her passion for God was humbling.
Today we do get to hold VBS and will lengthen our time with children until 3pm. We knew we had a long day ahead, but we were filled with anticipation.
VBS rocked today. 253 children had the time of their lives. Our Nicaragua teammates were fantastic and so well-prepared. For being in a new area, we were impressed with their energy and enthusiasm. 23 children gave their lives to Jesus and we thank the Lord for holding off a downpour until all the kids had been loaded on the buses.
We also enjoyed a meal prepared by ladies of Foursquare Church 3.
Friday required us to put "flexibility" in action. The school where we were supposed to hold the first day of vbs declined to honor their permission, so we drove an hour and a half to Esteli to do a clinic. From noon to 5 we treated 250 patients.
During today's clinic, we had two special prayer times. One lady had a blood sugar level of 400. After prayer it cam down 100 points. Another lady has terminal cancer, but we rejoice that she accepted Christ and now will never taste death.
29 people accepted Christ today,so even though the VBS surprise change happened, the day had eternal significance.
We were blessed to be able to treat 232 patients at a new Foursquare church in Sebeco. However we rejoice in the 9 people who opened their heart to Jesus. We had to hold the clinic outside, for there is only land, no sanctuary yet. Praise God, the rain held off till everyone was treated and prayed for.
The prayer area was alive with the presence of God at Thursday's clinic in Sebeco. People were hungry for a touch from the Lord. When asked, "What do you want Jesus to do for you today?" He responded, "To change my life." After more conversation, he received Christ and it was evident the change had begun.
As one group prepared bags of medicinces this morning,another group held a teacher training for serving with us at the VBS. It was exciting to see leaders from two towns filled with anticipation. At the conclusion of the training,their was a time of consecration and asking the Holy Spirit to fill us with with more of Him so we can lavish thr children with His love.
The team has arrived safe and sound. All medicines and supplies were approved at customs...Praise the Lord! We are on the bus for a 3 hour ride to Jinotega and looking forward to the cooler mountain air. To be continued...
Before departing the orphange today, a 2 year old boy was brought into the family. Pictured here, Pastor Bellande, Anna (caretaker) and the children.
Writing scriptures on each bed was the highlight of our day so far.
Yeah, we finished all 6 sets of bunk beds today, complete with sheets and nets. We were also able to provide them with dishes and table and chairs so they can eat as a family.
Yesterday was a long day, but very productive. The team split in half, with half going to the new orphanage to build bunk beds and paint and others working on roof at Pastor's home. One of our goals at the orphange was to get the four children there to smile. The day before our hearts were so heavy with the sadness in their eyes. Well the Lord heard us. The orphange is completely empty, but for 2 chairs and 2 mattresses. So, when we started playing cars with them, coloring, and bouncing a ball, the smiles were big. By tomorrow night, they will all have a bed to sleep in and hopefully a table and some chairs. The roof team worked hard and will finish on Tuesday. They enjoyed hearing all the neighors roar everytime there was a score in the world cup game today....they said it would be so quiet and it would sound like they were in a football stadium. Love, The Haiti Team
e we have seen the culture of this place from the poorest of poor to the blessed. Tomorrow we will make a trip to a town called San Miguel. We hope to enjoy the last full day we have here. Thank you for your continued prayers for tomorrow and our travels on Wednesday. Our team is truly a family who have all fallen in love with the city of SLP and the free loving people who live here.
God blessed us today with many workers in the field, preparing for what will surely be a tremendous harvest for His kingdom. One of the day’s highlights was the feeding of over 50. Lunch was taken on the church construction site, thanks to Chief Chef Jacquie, who prepared PBJs (peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) and provided bags of potato chips for the team, local construction crew and neighborhood boys who always show up to help. Chuck gave the devotional on site, explaining how our team always takes time before each and every meal of the day to feast on the Word of God and nourish our soul as well as our bodies.
After lunch, Tom and Michael broke away from construction to organize a soccer game for 24 kids in a nearby field. Following the game, the children combed the field picking up trash and filling three large yellow lawn and leaf bags. The message conveyed during this activity is that the church property is Holy Ground and that we, children included, should help keep it clean.
Juan stepped up the evangelism today as well, sending two teams of two each along with a translator into the local neighborhood to reach out to the lost with the love of Jesus and pray for the needs of the saved. One team prayed over a 4-year-old boy crippled by cerebral palsy and who had recently developed pneumonia. The family had no money for medicine much less the help of a doctor, so the mother was relying solely on God to provide healing.
Another mother and her family didn’t attend church and hadn’t in many years. She wasn’t ready to commit her life to the Lord but readily welcomed us in to her dirt-floor home and was open to hearing the Good News. The team prayed over her, her grandmother and children that the Holy Spirit would move in their hearts and lead them to Christ. We knew He was already working on the family or we wouldn’t have been directed there.
Leaving the site in the late afternoon brought a few tears, as tomorrow will be our last day on the mission field here in Esteli. We have seen many come to the Lord. We have seen many moved to tears by His mercy. We have seen many realize that he is indeed our Lord of Lords and King of Kings. The tears shed were indeed tears of joy.
You have made known to US the path of life; You fill US with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. Psalm 16:11
The evening ended as always with prayers. We ask that you step up to the same. A few members of our team are feeling the inevitable aches and pains of hard labor. We ask that you pray for continued physical strength and health for all team members as tomorrow we step for one final time during this trip onto that Holy Ground.
To be continued...
d3
Day 2, Saturday, was another marvelous sunny day in Esteli, Nicaragua as we arrived at the church construction site around 7:30 in the morning. Immediately the neighbors came out to greet use and the children flocked around.
Jacquie Wheeler got an early start with the kids making salvation bracelets… a huge hit with the children as the Holy Spirit led 11 of them today to place their trust in Jesus Christ and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. As the men continued to dig the foundation of the church, Jacquie’s group of neighborhood kids removed another seven or eight plastic lawn and leaf bags full of trash from the church property and surrounding area.
Much progress was made again today as Grace Covenant team and local construction crew continue to manually prep the foundation, filling the footers with rock, sand and gravel. On the four corners, concrete (mixed by hand, of course) was poured and smoothed and the rebar columns were set in place.
Despite afternoon temperatures probably in the low to mid 90s, at least it felt like it, Al managed, with the help of many smiling and happy local teens manning wheelbarrows, to move mountains of solid black dirt as hard as concrete away from what will be the inside side of the church to the perimeter of the field to be hauled away later in dump trucks.
,Despite a heavy day of construction work, a couple of Grace folks and a translator, managed to get out in the neighborhood mid-morning for some house visitation. In addition, that afternoon Jacquie and Michael Astorino organized a game of baseball for some two dozen children who were more than happy to show off their fielding and batting abilities. By the way, Jacquie pitched and Michael was behind the plate. Many runs were scored.
All in all, another beautiful day that God made, and so wonderful to be doing His will for His Kingdom, His people and His purpose.
Perhaps Friday’s Convention blog was a bit wordy, but there are not enough words to express how the Holy Spirit has shown up at the Men’s Conference. It is Saturday afternoon and the men’s event has just ended. The men are headed home with more of God with them. This was expressed to us several times over that the men are leaving full of God’s word and new revelations.
After an early breakfast we moved into a worship service that truly shook the ground. Worthy of praise was the worship team made up of youth on fire for God.
Vic Jones opened the day’s teaching with a message that challenged every man with having servant’s hearts and hands. He opened their eyes on how to treat their wives with love and respect. The men responded very well to Vic’s message.
We moved the to session 3, developing the habits of a servant leader. This session went overtime as Butch led it; the men responded to the call to holiness as all,, over 100 men, came forward for prayer – prayer for change in their lives.
At lunch, we were joined by Juan and Chuck who dropped by to verify we were doing what were sent to do.
Finally we closed the conference encouraging the men not to allow the enemy to steral their new life. We passed out all the books on “Leading like Jesus” to an overwhelming outpour of their gratitude.
Whewwww.... Temperature a little over 90, but as high as the temperature was, our spirits were higher. Last night our first evening ended with a Consecration Service led by Juan. Setting apart holy from unholy. Cleansing and dedicating our hands to the Lord's work. We prayed and anointed each other that the Lord would just use our hands, our minds, hearts and all we are to His purpose. Llegamos!!! Spanish for “we have arrived. After a very early 4AM start at the airport and making the connections Praise The Lord, we arrived in Managua a little late but anxious, eager and joyful.
A very important part of what we do is to encourage, support and teach each other. A very effective tool we use for this purpose are regular devotions. The first of these was delivered by Butch Blackmon at the Miami airport. His topic was John 13 1:17, Jesus washes His Disciples’ Feet. Butch showed us that it was not just about Jesus being a servant but about Jesus unconditional love in an act of humility, unconditional love in responding to a need, unconditional love forgiving and restoring, unconditional love that repeats itself and unconditional love that brings blessings.
Everyone is in high spirits as we travel to the hotel eager to receive and most important share the Lord’s blessings with our brothers and sisters in this beautiful country. The team of nine men and one woman is bonding with one common purpose, to serve Him, to share His word, to spread His love. As we travel up the roads of Nicaragua I am reminded of Isaiah 52:7. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who say to Zion, Your God reigns.
Tomorrow we will wake up early to start our work. Men will be given confidence in the Lord at the Men’s Conference and the foundation for a new church where His word will be preached will begin. Please continue to support us with your prayers.
Stay tuned!!!!
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