Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Yesterday we got wet, but today we learned what that word really means. We all got WET! However, as with all stories, it is best to start at the beginning, so here goes.
Our morning started much like all the others, but today we had a mountain hike ahead of us. A mountain so intimidating to the locals, that they named it Cacau, which roughly translates to “Have mercy”, because it is what most people say on their way up. However, the Aletheian Nicaragua Squad not only made it to the top, but made it in record time. What takes most 3 hours or more, we owned in an hour and 20 minutes. We reached the top, and were ready for a break, only to be comforted by a church building hotter than the 100 plus weather we had been hiking in. After the service, we were all ready to get back down the mountain and enjoy a nice, refreshing ride back to Casa de Shelly.
Later we got that refreshment in an unexpected way. God opened up the heavens, and hit us with the heaviest, most violent storm that we’ve ever experienced. Teamwork was all that saved us as we all held up the tarp that kept us from getting completely drenched…we say completely, because we did in fact still get very wet. Nevertheless this journey showed us what the pastor and the members of that church have to go through on a regular basis and was extremely encouraging.
A few members of our team stayed behind to accomplish the Lord’s work in the village of Mata de Caña. We traveled via the autobahn thanks to Pastor Chris and his assertive driving. We experienced firsthand the grace of the Lord by surviving that ride. Dr. Anderson came with us and was able to treat many of the children in the village as well as pass out parasite medication. We were able to provide food for the women to cook for their families. Even though it began to rain, the church was nearby and provided a dry shelter for us to interact with the people by way of painting nails, playing games, giving stickers, and most importantly, sharing the gospel. There were several groups who learned more about Christ and God’s creation through our evangelism bracelets. We also got an opportunity to share the gospel and several of the children raised their hand and said the prayer to accept Christ. We ended the trip on the way back to Casa de Shelly back on the autobahn with the added blessing of rain, but fortunately we were equipped with one poncho that served as shelter and a fellowship for the five of us in the bed of the truck. HALLELUJAH!
Another GREAT day of Kingdom Building…Praise ye the LORD… Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Our morning started much like all the others, but today we had a mountain hike ahead of us. A mountain so intimidating to the locals, that they named it Cacau, which roughly translates to “Have mercy”, because it is what most people say on their way up. However, the Aletheian Nicaragua Squad not only made it to the top, but made it in record time. What takes most 3 hours or more, we owned in an hour and 20 minutes. We reached the top, and were ready for a break, only to be comforted by a church building hotter than the 100 plus weather we had been hiking in. After the service, we were all ready to get back down the mountain and enjoy a nice, refreshing ride back to Casa de Shelly.
Later we got that refreshment in an unexpected way. God opened up the heavens, and hit us with the heaviest, most violent storm that we’ve ever experienced. Teamwork was all that saved us as we all held up the tarp that kept us from getting completely drenched…we say completely, because we did in fact still get very wet. Nevertheless this journey showed us what the pastor and the members of that church have to go through on a regular basis and was extremely encouraging.
A few members of our team stayed behind to accomplish the Lord’s work in the village of Mata de Caña. We traveled via the autobahn thanks to Pastor Chris and his assertive driving. We experienced firsthand the grace of the Lord by surviving that ride. Dr. Anderson came with us and was able to treat many of the children in the village as well as pass out parasite medication. We were able to provide food for the women to cook for their families. Even though it began to rain, the church was nearby and provided a dry shelter for us to interact with the people by way of painting nails, playing games, giving stickers, and most importantly, sharing the gospel. There were several groups who learned more about Christ and God’s creation through our evangelism bracelets. We also got an opportunity to share the gospel and several of the children raised their hand and said the prayer to accept Christ. We ended the trip on the way back to Casa de Shelly back on the autobahn with the added blessing of rain, but fortunately we were equipped with one poncho that served as shelter and a fellowship for the five of us in the bed of the truck. HALLELUJAH!
Another GREAT day of Kingdom Building…Praise ye the LORD… Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
There is only one word to describe the day we had today….wet. Whether
it was rain from the sky, or sweat from the heat, we were constantly
drenched…most likely by sweat. However, we are still as excited about
the work being accomplished in Nicaragua this week as we were at the
beginning.
This morning, local pastors and their wives traveled to Casa de Shelly
for pastoral training led by Rob Stephens and Chris Dowd. It was
extremely humbling to learn that many of the pastors and their wives
had traveled over 2 hours on foot to make it here. In America, we tend
to complain about long drives with tons of traffic, but we get to make
those journeys sitting down in an air conditioned environment, while
enjoying our favorite tunes and a nice beverage. These pastors were
asking deep questions about the text and how God’s plan can be
accomplished here on earth; while we in America so commonly only care
about questions that relate to our individual lives. We take a lot for
granted and should realize how truly blessed we are. For as Don
reminded us so clearly on our first night here, the only difference
between us and the people we are now serving is where we were born.
Another accomplishment of the day was the successful surgery on a local
little girl named Maria. She had a tumor growing out of her right ear,
and the doctor with Because We Care Ministries removed it for free.
Our team was able to help keep little Maria calm, and help her as best
we could during the surgery. As Maria and her family were leaving, one
of the greatest moments of the day for us was to see the gratitude in
the parent’s eyes.
The second part of the day yielded another successful village visit and
a night admiring the majesty of God in a large thunderstorm that rocked
Casa de Shelly. We ask, as always, for everyone back home to keep us in
your Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
it was rain from the sky, or sweat from the heat, we were constantly
drenched…most likely by sweat. However, we are still as excited about
the work being accomplished in Nicaragua this week as we were at the
beginning.
This morning, local pastors and their wives traveled to Casa de Shelly
for pastoral training led by Rob Stephens and Chris Dowd. It was
extremely humbling to learn that many of the pastors and their wives
had traveled over 2 hours on foot to make it here. In America, we tend
to complain about long drives with tons of traffic, but we get to make
those journeys sitting down in an air conditioned environment, while
enjoying our favorite tunes and a nice beverage. These pastors were
asking deep questions about the text and how God’s plan can be
accomplished here on earth; while we in America so commonly only care
about questions that relate to our individual lives. We take a lot for
granted and should realize how truly blessed we are. For as Don
reminded us so clearly on our first night here, the only difference
between us and the people we are now serving is where we were born.
Another accomplishment of the day was the successful surgery on a local
little girl named Maria. She had a tumor growing out of her right ear,
and the doctor with Because We Care Ministries removed it for free.
Our team was able to help keep little Maria calm, and help her as best
we could during the surgery. As Maria and her family were leaving, one
of the greatest moments of the day for us was to see the gratitude in
the parent’s eyes.
The second part of the day yielded another successful village visit and
a night admiring the majesty of God in a large thunderstorm that rocked
Casa de Shelly. We ask, as always, for everyone back home to keep us in
your Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
The Journidad #2
It is now the third day we have been on mission in Nicaragua, and one
of our missionaries, CJ, is still at the top of Don’s list. For all
past missionaries, you know this is not a good thing. Regardless, being
on mission in this beautiful country is still as convicting as it was
on the first day. The villages we have visited in the past few days
have shown so much gratitude for the simple meal of arroz y pollo
(chicken and rice), and a few pieces of caramelo (candy), that most of
us in the United States do not appreciate at all.
The first part of our morning consisted of devotion, a delicious
breakfast and lending a hand to the workers of Casa de Shelly in the
training facility. This included weed whacking, hay bailing, picking up
trash in nearby villages and cultivating plots of land. After a few
hours, the heat had definitely taken its toll on most of us, but we
kept working hard and when lunchtime arrived, we felt it was well
deserved.
Due to the heat, sickness has claimed two of the members of our team,
but with the help of a doctor they seem to be on the mend…and much more
calm. This is showing us God’s provision for our own team, and has also
taught us that hydration is key to our well-being. The first day, we
struggled with supply management and felt the heartbreak of seeing kids
miss out on the much needed shoes and clothing we were passing out.
Today, we applied that lesson by making sure that each kid received at
least one and fewer kids were receiving nothing.
We are now getting closer to the fourth day, but the memories we have
made feel like they will last a lifetime. Please keep us in your
prayers! Don brought up a great point during our evening fellowship,
and that is that all of you, whether we have your prayers or your
donations, are part of this team. You do not have to be sweating or
passing out candy to make a difference, you just have to give your
heart to this mission and for that, we thank you. As they say in
Nicaragua, Dios te bendiga (God bless you), and as Jesus says in the
Sermon on the mount, stay salty.
- Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
of our missionaries, CJ, is still at the top of Don’s list. For all
past missionaries, you know this is not a good thing. Regardless, being
on mission in this beautiful country is still as convicting as it was
on the first day. The villages we have visited in the past few days
have shown so much gratitude for the simple meal of arroz y pollo
(chicken and rice), and a few pieces of caramelo (candy), that most of
us in the United States do not appreciate at all.
The first part of our morning consisted of devotion, a delicious
breakfast and lending a hand to the workers of Casa de Shelly in the
training facility. This included weed whacking, hay bailing, picking up
trash in nearby villages and cultivating plots of land. After a few
hours, the heat had definitely taken its toll on most of us, but we
kept working hard and when lunchtime arrived, we felt it was well
deserved.
Due to the heat, sickness has claimed two of the members of our team,
but with the help of a doctor they seem to be on the mend…and much more
calm. This is showing us God’s provision for our own team, and has also
taught us that hydration is key to our well-being. The first day, we
struggled with supply management and felt the heartbreak of seeing kids
miss out on the much needed shoes and clothing we were passing out.
Today, we applied that lesson by making sure that each kid received at
least one and fewer kids were receiving nothing.
We are now getting closer to the fourth day, but the memories we have
made feel like they will last a lifetime. Please keep us in your
prayers! Don brought up a great point during our evening fellowship,
and that is that all of you, whether we have your prayers or your
donations, are part of this team. You do not have to be sweating or
passing out candy to make a difference, you just have to give your
heart to this mission and for that, we thank you. As they say in
Nicaragua, Dios te bendiga (God bless you), and as Jesus says in the
Sermon on the mount, stay salty.
- Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Six months ago we were presented the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua as missionaries. Many of us were immediately excited about the possibility but then we heard about the amount of funds we would be required to raise. The opportunity that once seemed so exciting was beginning to seem like a far off dream; so we prayed. After a lot of time spent in prayer about the trip to Nicaragua and some encouragement from our trip coordinator, Rob Stephens, we remembered that if God desired that we go on the trip, the funds would not be a concern.
Today, we now write to you from Nicaragua; God made a way! After hours of travel, we spent our first night in the city of Managua and were amazed at the beauty of our surroundings. The small things, such as the palm and coconut trees brought pleasure to our eyes. We had finally made it!
The next day, we went in to the city of Somotillo. The drive was long but interesting. We were amazed at the bipolar aspects of culture; one moment we were in a bustling city and the next in a small village. We still no idea what to expect but, with the help of Don, we learned very quickly. Within hours of arriving at Casa de Shelly, we hit the ground running and hopped in the back of a truck. Our first visit led us to Villa Esperanza, which literally translates to Village of Hope; a seemingly fitting title for what we want to bring to these people. Before we even reached the village, Children were swarming our truck for candy and clothing. They were more appreciative of what we know to be basic, than we are of many of the expensive luxuries we enjoy in America on a regular basis. This was an immediately humbling experience.
From the first piece of candy that hit the ground, to the last bowl of chicken and rice soup that was dished out, we were learning more and more about what it meant to share the Gospel. The joy in the eyes of not just the children, but the adults as well was extremely convicting. This helped us to appreciate the service at Prince of Peace “Baptist” Church that we attended that night. One of the most beautiful aspects of this service, was singing the same songs to the same God, in different languages of the mouth, but speaking the same truth of the heart.
This journidad is just starting, but we already feel the God at work, stirring our spirits as we serve the least of these. We ask for prayers of boldness and encouragement, so please, come alongside us as we attend to the needs of the community of Somotillo.
Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Isa 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy astakes;
When Pam and I along with our team prayed this prayer and drove stakes in the ground in the 4 corners around the property of Casa De Shelly we had NO idea what GOD had on HIS mind as he led us to pray this prayer. It has been an amazing yet very taxing 4 months as GOD directs us on this journey of missions, training, evangelism, and KINGDOM BUILDING. We have had the honor and privilege of hosting 8 teams already this year and several for the first time. When we ask GOD to stretch forth our tent we were asking him to bring new teams along side BWCM to partner with us and support HIS work in this part of the world. We have several more “first time” teams coming this summer and several pastor’s that are coming to do a “look-see” and seek GOD’s guidance.
Our Pastor/Leadership training has exceeded our greatest expectations. As of today we have 55 Pastor’s and leaders meeting in Honduras and Nicaragua seeking to grow both in GRACE and KNOWLEDGE. I have shared with you over the months about the difficulties these men suffer to just be in the class room. Please allow me this time to thank and ask you to pray for Chris Dowd, Bill Ashford, Jonge Tate, Jeremy Minor, Rob Stephens, Mike Morris, all whom have stood beside us and poured their hearts into making our Pastor’s better equipped to do the work of the LORD.
Our farm training “Life Sustaining” program has continued to grow and be an instrument in GOD’s hand. Today we have the chicken program at about 75% where we need to be and continue to grow. The milk goat and sheep program are now off the ground and doing very well. It’s our plan to have milk and cheese production underway by the end of the summer. Anyone that would like to purchase a sheep or goat to help us grow our flocks just let me know.
Our farm training “Life Sustaining” program has continued to grow and be an instrument in GOD’s hand. Today we have the chicken program at about 75% where we need to be and continue to grow. The milk goat and sheep program are now off the ground and doing very well. It’s our plan to have milk and cheese production underway by the end of the summer. Anyone that would like to purchase a sheep or goat to help us grow our flocks just let me know.
Over the past couple of months we have seen the local body of believers step out of their buildings and serve their communities. We face the same difficulties here in Nicaragua that most Pastor’s face back in the States and that is to get their folks involved in the Kingdom Work. I’m pretty well convinced that most of the people we are in contact with here daily have heard the GOSPEL but very few have seem it demonstrated. We will continue to lead them to SERVE and BE JESUS.
Two weeks ago we started construction on house number 22 in Pascuala. As I’m writing this letter we need at least 7 more houses or as many as GOD instructs us to build. In the past, several groups partnered with us in building these houses, today I’m asking you to get the word out and help us to get these houses completed. Next week when I meet with the Nica Pastor’s I’m going to challenge them to build one house.
Please pray for us as we seek to be faithful and obedient, Donald and Pammie
Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG
