Nica News

Today, the "engage" team started at the community of El Dorado with the baseball team. This community was rebuilt by the Swiss Red Cross after it was destroyed by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. It was a community event as everyone came out to watch. Part of the team worked with the smaller children coloring and playing soccer. We visited an elementary school that was adjacent to the ball field. We also prepared a large amount of chicken stew to feed approximately 250 people there.

After lunch we went to the village of San Francisco. On the way there, we again distributed clothes to people lining the streets. Kids again flocked the bus as we drove up. We colored, had a lot of fun with water balloons and sang. We had the opportunity to share a testimony and presented the Gospel story. Afterwards, we passed out rice and protein packs. Hunger is a big problem and it was evident when I was trying to get a 5 year old girl that was sitting in my lap to smile. When my limited Spanish was getting me nowhere, I asked a translator why she wasn’t smiling. She stated that she wasn’t smiling was because she was hungry. Fortunately we had an extra pack of cookies that eventually produced a smile.

It was a blessing to meet some immediate physical needs and show the love of Christ through the Gospel

FLG Engaging Team update. Written by Scott Simpson.

Our group first went to a special needs school. Immediately we recognized the bad physical condition of the school and the lack of funds they probably have to work with. While it is hard to live with a physical or mental handicap, the condition only magnified in a third world country. Little distinction appeared to be made with those with physical and mental disabilities as the blind, deaf and mentally handicapped appeared to be grouped together.

Our group spent time coloring, painting the girls’s fingernails and played ball with the boys. Our group then gave a brief presentation of the gospel story. While we don’t know how much many could comprehend, hopefully they could feel the love of Christ through the time we spent together.

Our second stop was at El Jicarito School. Again, the lack of money the teachers have to work with was very evident in this elementary school. Tattered books, old desks and the overall setting was humbling when compared to the schools our children attend. We again gave a presentation of the gospel and then spent a while playing soccer with the boys. The others in our group worked with the girls coloring and fingernail painting.

Finally we visited the village of Jinocuaito. Along the way, we were able to toss candy and clothing at children and adults that were along the roadside. Their poverty was evident when we saw old and young alike dash for items that were tossed in their direction. The community was very impoverished with dirt roads and poorly constructed homes. It was again humbling to see their smiles for a group that came to visit. We played soccer with the boys while others did the activities with the girls and smaller kids. We were then surprised to see that our guys were challenged to a game of soccer by the ladies of the village. They were very worthy opponents. We gave the gospel story and the passed out rice and protein packs to the residents as we left.

It was a blessing to see how God used us today.

The week is coming to an end for the Huddleston crew. Time has flown by as always, and we can only hope that many lives were touched by the grace of God this week. This morning we sent another crew to the radio to share their songs and testimonies. After the radio, our morning crews split up. The men headed out to complete the Baptist field, and the girls set out for the village of Villa Esperanza. In village the girls engaged the children once more with games, tattoos, and more crafts. And once again they preformed their Ziccheaus skit, but because they were lacking a few key characters, they requested some of the Villagers play the rolls.

After lunch the team worked together to fill hundreds of water balloons for their final village of the week, Pascuala. Once in Pascuala, the team began with the skit, the engaging began and a meal was served. The Gringos showed off their soccer and baseball skills, or lack there of, in the streets with the children. It is always great to see how the simplest things such as a soccer ball bring all together as one, despite color or race. Next came the ultimate water balloon war, and when I say war I mean WAR. The children were thrilled to make the missionaries as wet as possible, and they even helped clean up the balloon pieces afterwards.

Tomorrow the Huddleston team will say their goodbyes and head back on the “big bird bus” to Managua. They will then catch their flight home to the states Sunday morning. It was a privilege to see God’s work done this week and the spiritual growth that the members have endured.

Hola Amigos,

Here is another report on the daily events the Huddleston Team has been apart of. As always we took a group to the radio station. Here we heard three touching testimonies, a beautiful song sung in both Spanish and English, and a preaching of a lifetime. It is always touching to hear what God has done in our missionaries’ lives. After the radio we packed our bags and headed to another to the village of La Fragu to work on their local field. The first sight of this field was a little intimidating, but we all pulled together, including the villagers, and got the job done. There weren’t many children and women this time, so most everyone was doing hard, laborious work. It was a blessing to see how we turned the field around!

After a delicious lunch (as always), we filled our water balloons and set out for the village of El Ojoche. It was a bit of a ride, but once we arrived the missionaries knew exactly what to do. We began with water balloon games that quickly became a water balloon war. The children loved it, as did the missionaries. Jesus tattoos were placed on the children’s arms, bubbles were blown, and of course the boys engaged in a soccer game in the streets, all while the men prepared the stew. After all the villagers claimed their meal, one of the Huddleston missionaries, Bob, told the bible story of the crippled man that was lowered through the roof in order to see Jesus, and the others acted it out.

Today was a wonderful day! We have made it to the middle of the week and already we have touched so many lives and we can only hope that we can touch even more with the few days left with the Huddleston Team!

Hola,

Today we started with a wonderful broadcast at the radio station. Four testimonies were given and two beautiful songs were sung. After we set off for the village of Laredo. Here we restored the baseball field to ensure that it will be ready for next week’s missionary group, For the Love of the Game. They are a College/High School Baseball Team that will be traveling from village to village challenging the villagers. The men of the village were eager to help and are looking forward to participating in the game next week. While the men prepared for next week the girls engaged with the women and children. We made foam visors and involved the children again in the skit of Zaccheaus. This time however, we allowed the children to act out the parts. When the kids returned to school, the focus was then turned to the women. After speaking with them, the response was very touching. One woman even brought forth her daughter for prayer. After our testimonies were shared we then headed home for lunch.

Our second village was El Plantanal. Here we did our skit again for the children, made balloon animals, played soccer in the streets, and painted more fingernails. As always it was such a blessing to see how touched the villagers were because of our presence.

Hello from Casa de Shelly,

Today the Huddleston Team traveled from Managua to Somotillo. After quickly settling in at the casa and grabbing a delicious lunch, we headed out to the village of La Flor. There we engaged with the villagers with games of soccer, volleyball, monkey in the middle, and the fine art of fingernail painting. Once everyone was hot and sweaty, we took a break under a tree and told the story of Zacchaeus through an interactive skit. The children seemed to really enjoy the sight of Davie (a member of the team) climbing a tree. After an enjoyable skit, we shared the story of salvation and explained the power of God’s everlasting love. We wrapped up the visit with a tasty stew, and quick round of soccer. All together it was a very eventful and fulfilling day and we are all looking forward to what the Lord has in store for us tomorrow.

Good morning and blessings…..Just wanted to pass on a few reminders as you prepare to travel

1. For seen address in Nica "Best Western Managua"

2. You will need $10.00 per person for "tourist Visa "

3. One person gather all the "baggage claim tickets. They will check each bag as you leave the airport.

4.. On your custom form you do not need to claim anything

5. Attached is a letter you need to put into any bag that has ministry stuff

6. When you get through "passport control" look for the man from "Best Western" Hotel and he will help you get through the airport. Pam and I will be outside the door

7. All money you bring to spend in country for snacks, souvenirs, blessings basket or love offering has to BE CLEAN, NO MARKS.

BE BLESSED AND WE’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT…….

BWCM Nica Donation.docx

What if the missionary didn’t go?

Several of the team members talked last night about things the people would ask, like a little girl in Esperanza asking if we were cooking today. Sadly we weren’t. We were there to work on the church. Don said that was an indication they are still hungry. How often do the villagers wake up and wonder if the missionary will come today? As I understand it, Because We Care Ministries has 25 villages they work with. That means they don’t get around to each one very often. It had been several weeks since the last visit to Pascuala, the village we cooked for yesterday.

We’ve been to Esperanza a few times this week working on the church and providing for the village. It is so amazing to see the same faces a few times and be able to put a name to them. To be able to take the memory of certain faces home with us will be so powerful. It looks and feels like a pressing crowd everywhere we go, but after being here this week, it isn’t a faceless crowd.

When I almost created chaos by giving out band aids to the little kids the other day, I remember one little boy’s face. Even as the number of hands increased, stretching up to me, I had a sense of who was there the longest. I saw several times as I was trying to get the band aid to the children the look on this boy’s face. I saw how with each band aid I gave out his face became more and more hopeless. The hands increased and the band aids were running out. I intentionally found his hand among all the rest and pressed my last band aid into the palm of his hand. I saw a look of surprise for an instant before he closed his fingers around the band aid. It felt like such a personal connection. It just seemed that he knew he had been picked out of a crowd.

I found myself being very reflective yesterday. This week has flown by. I wanted to think back over the week and burn in some memories and details.

It dawned on me that we will leave soon and it won’t be like leaving from vacation. We will actually leave people we’ve come to know and appreciate. We have built bonds with the missionaries Don and Pam, interpreters Needia, Tita, Domingo, Joanna and Roberto, Reynaldo the paster to a number of the villages, workers like Angel and Nahum and the kitchen staff. We’ve come to truly care for the Nicaraguans. We have one more mission day and it feels almost somber at the thought of what we’ve been able to do but also how much there is to do.

Blessings from Casa De Shelly…….Great day of Kingdom building as our team from North Main Baptist in Danville VA has truly come to Somotillo with a servants heart. This morning we divided into two teams. The first team left at 8:30 to go to the city stadium and hold a “football” clinic with a local high school team. About half way through their clinic 2 baseball teams show up. One of our team members engaged the 2 teams and before you know it, he’s sharing the GOSPEL. Second half of the team headed to Villa Esperanza to begin digging footing for a new church building. We were all very thankful for the locals coming to our rescue and the job was completed. Tomorrow we will haul sand, tie steel and get ready to pour the footing on Thursday.

This afternoon we traveled to San Miguelito with Dr in tow to serve the people and simply be the hands and feet of Jesus. To God Be the GLORY.

Blessings from Casa De Shelly…….Great day of Kingdom building as our team from North Main Baptist in Danville VA has truly come to Somotillo with a servants heart. This morning we divided into two teams. The first team left at 8:30 to go to the city stadium and hold a "football" clinic with a local high school team. About half way through their clinic 2 baseball teams show up. One of our team members engaged the 2 teams and before you know it, he’s sharing the GOSPEL. Second half of the team headed to Villa Esperanza to begin digging footing for a new church building. We were all very thankful for the locals coming to our rescue and the job was completed. Tomorrow we will haul sandy , tie steel and get ready to pour the footing on Thursday.

This afternoon we traveled to San Miguelito with Dr in tow to serve the people and simply be the hands and feet of Jesus. To God Be the GLORY.