Nica News

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

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

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

Today we went back to Pascuala to continue working on the house we dug the footers for yesterday. We got to work alongside the nationals as we cut steel rebar, carried concrete bags, hauled buckets of water, and shoveled sand into the concrete mixer. Then we began to pour the footer for the new house. Some of the team taught the children in the village new songs, painted their fingernails, and shared the gospel. While we were there, we found a woman who had only had one leg and in a makeshift wheelchair. She had a fever and the doctor discovered that she had sores that had turned into deep open wounds that were severely infected. A few members of the team loaded her into the back of the truck and drove her to a private clinic for treatment.
In the afternoon, we went to La Caretta to provide a medical clinic, distribute clothing, and serve hot soup. Some of the team also taught the children various colors in English, colored with them, and taught them to sing Jesus Loves Me. At this village, two 16 year old boys accepted Christ. Hallelujah!

Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG

Sarah and Lee Anne started off the day with a devotion reminding us that blessings follow obedience. Then we went to the radio, where Mike, Dave, Greg, and Katie shared their testimonies. The radio was followed by another morning at the city stadium finishing the painting, building relationships, and sharing God’s love with kids through baseball.
In the afternoon, we went to Cayanlipe, where the mission team spent time feeding, playing basketball, jumping rope, and building more relationships. After playing, the students shared the gospel with the people. The men also helped a father and son to bag their corn, which had been drying on the basketball court. Dr. Anderson saw 95 patients, most of whom were babies. Zach assisted Dr. Anderson by passing out medication. Sheryl distributed baby blankets to each of the mothers, and we were blessed to have the exact number of blankets as there were babies in this village. This village appeared to be in more desperate need than were the previous villages that we have visited this week. As usual, on the way to and from the village, we gave out clothing and candy to the people we passed on the road.
Before Mama Maria’s wonderful dinner, the mission team held an impromptu baseball game against a group of children at the stadium. It was a tie, and the game was a great time of fellowship with the locals. Praise the Lord for another great day of kingdom building in Somotillo!

Dr and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
Because We Care Ministries, Inc.
P.O. Box 21806
Roanoke, VA. 24018
WWW.BWCM.ORG