Be at ease

Good morning and blessings to all. I want to get the word out to all of our team members to set your mind at ease concerning the"Zika virus." Please rest in knowing it is not a problem at Casa De Shelly. With that said we will fog the area around the Casa every day as well as encouraging team members to apply insect repellent several times a day.

One reason Zika is not a problem in the Somotillo area is because of a lack of standing water. We plan to be proactive in protecting our Partners and look forward to serving with you in 2016.

John 16:33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me YE might have peace.

In His Service, Donald

Nica News

Another awesome day of Kingdom building with Libertad in Nicaragua as we held our fourth and final worship workshop with Because We Care Ministries followed by a concert to a packed house. Tomorrow we do a concert in a school in Managua and another at the Best Western motel where we are staying before flying home with our team on Tuesday. I have taught five times this week on different aspects of worship and played my trumpet and flugelhorn several times in the workshops and concerts and also in all the villages in which we have ministered. I’ve enjoyed many conversations and discussions about worship with our students as well as with the Nicaraguans and Hondurans. It has been a very emotional week for me to watch our Liberty School of Music students interacting with and ministering to these wonderful people in their own language. This has been the culmination of a two-year dream and prayer request. Now we are thinking and praying about how to follow up on this wonderful foundation in worship training that has been laid. We need to continue the worship training so that precept upon precept these precious people can continue to grow in their worship leading skills. Please pray with us for the resources we need, both human and financial, and for the wisdom to know how to make that happen. Pray for Don and Pam Gillette and Because We Care Ministries. Go to their website www.bwcm.org See the amazing things God is doing here: preaching the gospel, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, training the pastors and now the worship leaders, building schools, paying the salaries of the teachers and key pastors, sponsoring school children so they can have uniforms and school supplies, teaching the pastors and people how to make a living raising livestock and planting crops and the list goes on and on. This ministry is worthy of your support. I have seen it and experienced it first hand and can tell you that Don and Pam Gillette are the real deal. I endorse this work 100% and Donnita and I personally support them on a monthly basis and with special project offerings. Would you prayerfully consider what God might have you do?

Manna Fest

Isaiah 58:10

If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.

Please go to our web site…www.bwcm.org …and donate. For only $10.00 you can feed a family of 6 for a week. To God be the glory great things he has done.

Thank you for your prayers and support….

Manna Fest

James 2:14-18 ESV
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Its that time of the year again when we start our "Manna Fest" drive for the Christmas Feeding Program. I praise God for all the provisions this year. As a ministry we have given out more food than anytime in the past 14 years. With that said, please allow me an opportunity to share with you the conditions in Nicaragua as of last week.
For the past three years we haven’t gotten near the rain needed to maintain water levels in the rivers and streams. This past June we received a couple days rain and all the farmers began to plant their seasonal corn and beans. After only a few days rain we went for weeks with no rain, not even a shower. The crops germinated began to grow and of course died off. The local farmers lost all their crops. Today I would say the people in the villages are as hungry if not more than when we first arrived after Hurricane Mitch. Last week people started lining up for the hot stew the minute the truck pulled into the village without being told. Last Sunday there was a young man that rode his bicycle from Pascuala and simply said to me, "sir we are desperate for food."

You can feed a family of 6 for one week for only $10.00. Please go to our web site and donate. WWW.BWCM.ORG

Pam and I truly thank you for your prayers and support.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE……..

MANNA FEST

James 2:14-18 ESV

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Its that time of the year again when we start our “Manna Fest” drive for the Christmas Feeding Program. I praise God for all the provisions this year. As a ministry we have given out more food than anytime in the past 14 years. With that said, please allow me an opportunity to share with you the conditions in Nicaragua as of last week.

For the past three years we haven’t gotten near the rain needed to maintain water levels in the rivers and streams. This past June we received a couple days rain and all the farmers began to plant their seasonal corn and beans. After only a few days rain we went for weeks with no rain, not even a shower. The crops germinated began to grow and of course died off. The local farmers lost all their crops. Today I would say the people in the villages are as hungry if not more than when we first arrived after Hurricane Mitch. Last week people started lining up for the hot stew the minute the truck pulled into the village without being told. Last Sunday there was a young man that rode his bicycle from Pascuala and simply said to me, “sir we are desperate for food.”

Pam and I truly thank you for your prayers and support.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE……..


Click Here to Download a PDF of the Mannafest Poster

Manafest 2015

Nica news

As the team from Roanoke, VA wraps up its last day in the mission field, emotions run the gamut. We are experiencing joy in knowing that the Lord has used us to further His Kingdom and, at the same time, sadness in coming to the realization that it is nearly over. But we have rest and peace in the hope that He will lead us this way again.

Our day started with Michelle and Mandy sharing their testimonies on the radio this morning and Jay providing a message God had laid on his heart from the book of 2 Thessalonians.

The medical team worked at the clinic until noon, treating nearly 60 patients. The ministry team visited Cofradia school where the children received school supplies, coloring books and Crayola’s, and lots of attention while playing soccer, frisbee, and jump rope.

Following a delicious lunch prepared by Mama Maria and the staff at the kitchen, the team loaded up and traveled to El Platanal where Dr. Karla treated nearly 70 people. The total patients served this week were just under 500.

The beautiful people in El Platanal enjoyed home made stew, compliments of Pastor Reynaldo and Roger. The older children entered into a very competitive game of soccer with the ministry team while the younger ones colored, had their nails painted, and jumped rope.

The day ended with a hike to the top of the Mountain of Prayer where we witnessed a beautiful part of God’s creation.

We prepare to return to Managua on Friday following the radio ministry. As we do so we know we can relive the blessing of the week in our minds as we read our journals on the journey home.

Nica news

Blessings and greetings from Somotillo, brothers and sisters in Christ. The week has been both joyful and fulfilling as the medical and ministry teams have been busy serving our Lord. Since our arrival on Sunday the ministry team of Josh, Jay, Rick, and interpreters Roberto and Roger, have cooked hot meals, distributed clothing, food, and candy to four villages and two schools. The medical team of Dick Williams, Alex Wade, Heather Koran, Mandy Lin, Michelle Mason, translators Tita, Nidia, and Chris and local doctors Carolina and Karla has treated over 300 patients at the clinic.

Testimonies shared by the team on the radio include those of Josh, Dick, Heather, Alex, and Rick. Jay provided the message. Other team members will share testimonies tomorrow and Friday.

We received much needed and often prayed-for rain this afternoon. The river and streams have been very low due to the low rainfall this year, but the Lord provided rain today in a big way.

With only one day remaining in the mission field for the team from Roanoke, VA, if He doesn’t change the plans, the medical team will work at the clinic until noon while the ministry team serves in a school. The entire team will then serve at a village in the afternoon tomorrow.

Nica News

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

For almost 15 years Pam and I along with our mission teams have been working in a village called, "PASCUALA." I’m sure many of you have served beside us and have many fond memories of your time serving there. A few years ago GOD led us to start building houses and move many of the families there from plastic houses into something much better. Many of you helped us to work through this and we are continuing to build those houses as God provides the funding. Even through this Pam and I have never really gotten a peace about what God would have us to do as far as the NEXT STEP. Well, a couple of months ago this all changed. We had an opportunity to purchase the school in Pascuala and take over the day to day operations.

Praise God that one of our partners stepped up and made the purchase possible and as of last week the deal has been completed. Our plan as of today is to turn the day to day operation over to the Baptist School and continue to see how all this plays into the will of GOD for BWCM. I do know that it opens many doors as far as teaching in the village. I’m planning for our team next week to work with all the mothers and begin a weekly Bible Study. Please join us in praying for the future of our work in Pascuala and for the Baptist School as they begin transforming the school there.

With all this being said I want to give you the opportunity to help with the funding of the school by sponsoring a child. We have 34 students in elementary school and 120 in high school. We are asking our friends to sponsor these children at a cost of $250.00 per year per child. With the sponsorship we will purchase each child 2 new uniforms, a pair of shoes, monthly medical and all the school supplies. If you are interested in sponsorship simply e-mail me at "donald" and I will answer your questions and provide needed info. PRAYING AS WE PROCEED…..

Dr. and Mrs. Donald M Gillette
PO Box 14132
Roanoke, VA. 24038
WWW.BWCM.ORG

Nica News

This week has already been an incredible experience, and we are just getting started. Multiple teams have joined together this week at Casa De Shelly to form one of the largest teams ever here. Airline cancellations caused a few delays, but by Sunday night the team was assembled and ready to go. Members from Virginia,Washington DC, Georgia, and New Jersey have joined together to serve the people of Nicaragua. Over 40 people are serving this week, and we have been able to tackle multiple projects each day.

In the morning, we have had numerous testimonies, along with praise and worship led by a combined group of talented musicians and singers. The teams have visited the villages of Casablanca, Santa Teresa, Villa Esperanza, and San Francisco. Several team members have visited local schools each morning, while others have done door-to-door ministry, and the rest have worked on road renovations around the Casa. We have been able to distribute numerous Spanish New Testaments, and we have distributed much joy and happiness through the sharing of clothes, toys, and school supplies. In each village we have provided both medical care and hot food as we have engaged the communities with the love of Christ.

It has been hot, but bearable, and the team is doing great. We have enjoyed getting to know each other, and everyone is serving alongside their brothers and sisters in Christ. We appreciate your prayers as we continue to minister throughout the week.

Nica News

HALELUJAH! Another blessed week in Nicaragua for the gringos from Roanoke VA. As expected we have spent a week in Somotillo witnessing God’s continued work in this area as a result of the Gillette’s faithful labor and ongoing relationship building in the many villages that we were so blessed to visit each day. Their work is a great example of what is accomplished when ongoing intentional love is shared with the people you are trying to reach. Each morning 2 members of our team were honored to spend a few moments on the radio telling either their testimony or words God has laid on their heart to send across the airwaves of Central America. At the final village visit for the week we were blessed with a “God Moment”, as we played soccer with a group of young boys one of the boys began to speak of the radio broadcast that featured the story of the boat which was presented by Britt Smith WOW what a blessing to hear that the youth of this area are being fed by the radio ministry that we were so greatly blessed to be a part of. Earlier in the week we had discussed the effectiveness of the radio ministry and GOD ANSWERED OUR QUESTION!

Just under a year ago Tim and Jay had been to Nicaragua on a medical missions trip and during their time here were blessed with the sometime rare opportunity of leading a male adult to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. One afternoon this week they slipped off to pay him a visit just to find that he had moved. Two villagers at his former village agreed to ride with us and take us to where he had moved but as God would have it as soon as we pulled onto the main road in Somotillo there is Michael walking down the road with his oldest son Miguel, we couldn’t believe it. Had we been just 5 minutes earlier we would have missed him completely! Michael was as surprised to see us as we were to see him walking down the road. We gave Michael and his son a ride home where he told us he had not been to church in several months, and then told us of how a pastor had just been at his house yesterday, and as we spoke Reynaldo, one of the pastors affiliated with Because We Care, drove past on his motorcycle, it was amazing the way God was showing Michael how much he cared for him and wanted a relationship with him.

We have truly been blessed at each village with their openness to hear our words and have been honored to lead several young men and women to Jesus Christ our savior! The Spirit truly goes before the prayers of his people, at each village we could feel God at work and saw the result of what happens when God’s people come together and with their individual talents show love to God’s children…by the way we have been praying for rain all week and our last night in the Casa has been a DOWN POUR!!! HALLELUJAH!!!