Nica News 6/7

Today has been great! We spent this morning cleaning up trash from the Casa to the clinic while others finished weeding the garden. Today was probably the hottest day of the week. After we finished with the work at the Casa we went to visit schools. It turns out that today was a teacher work day and the children were not in the school. But missionaries have to be flexible so we came back to the Casa and gathered some soccer balls and crafts and headed to the city park in Somotillo. The playground was under construction but we played soccer and did a craft with a few kids. Cesar got the opportunity to share his testimony with the guys that were there. It was a great opportunity since the guys were older. Many were touched by his story and then they prayed together. After lunch we headed to the village of Ojoche and did a craft and played some soccer. I got to see Jenni talk to a teenage girl and share the gospel and give her a bible. Then Jenni shared the Parable of the Lost Sheep and we all helped the kids do a sheep craft. While leaving the village we threw out clothes, flip flops, and candy which is always a blessing. It is such a joy to see people of all ages run for the most simple things.

NicaNews 6/7

Today started with "radio time" at the Casa. We have been sharing our testimonies with each other at Casa de Shelly because the radio station is down because of lightening. It is always such a blessing to hear everyone’s story. Next Mike and Don did another day of pastor training while the team walked through the street just outside of Casa de Shelly picked up trash to bless the people in that community. Some of the ladies enjoyed handing out bottles of children’s vitamins to the moms. Then we worked on the farm for the rest of the morning. We weeded the corn field, shoveled rocks and cleaned up garbage. After lunch we drove to Cayanlipe and played with the kids and cooked food for everyone. It was so amazing to look around the village and see everyone on our team engaging with the kids and sharing the gospel. Luke and Oliver were able to share the gospel with a group of teenage boys and adult men. Eight of them made decisions to follow Christ. It is such a blessing to see Luke and Oliver able to engage a group that is often hard to reach. When we got back to Casa de Shelly we were tired but couldn’t resist the smiles of the kids at the gate that were waiting on us to come out and play. We took soccer balls and water balloons out and had fun with the kids before dinner. After a great night of God moments we called it a day here in Nicaragua! Pray for our team as we take every opportunity of our last day on the mission field.

Nica News 6/6

Another blessed day of sharing God’s love with the Nicaragua community! The day began with a great devotional from Pam, “The Steps of a Good Man are Ordered by the Lord”. Our bible reading was from Psalms 37:23. Then we had some amazing testimonies from three girls in our group, and as always we had wonderful music provided by Abi & Luke. After preparing vegetables we visited two schools and shared the story of the “Lost Sheep”. As usual the children were a highlight of our day. After returning for lunch we headed out to a small village that was welcoming and willing to receive God’s word. While at the village we painted nails, played soccer, played games, colored, and gave out food to the families.

On our way back to Casa de Shelly we stopped for some yummy ice cream, which was a nice break from the heat. We have become quite fond of the children that live just outside the gate of Casa de Shelly and they apparently are excited to see us as well. We spent another late afternoon playing “futball” aka soccer, kickball and also used the parachute to play games with the children. We are starting to remember the children’s names and them ours which puts smiles on our faces. This journey has enriched each life in the team. The fun memories, laughter, joyful tears and overwhelming love that our Lord as given us during this trip will also be in our hearts.

Don and Mike continued the Pastor training in Somotillo and thirty pastors showed up for training. It was a great day of teaching. The devil must not be happy with our trip, because we keep having to change plans. The truck continues to break down and we have encountered several setbacks, but with each challenge, the team has been able to find a new way to reach out to the community here and share Jesus. Everybody is doing great and we ask that you continue to pray for our week of ministry.

Nica News 6/5

Hola, Buenos Dias/Buenas Tardes/Buenas Noches, (We are all now fluent in greetings)

We started the day with sharing a quick devotion. Since the radio station is down, we had our own little session of sharing our life stories with each other as well as a time of worship.Today we visited a special needs school called Sonrisas Felices. It turned out to be a lot fun and the kids were incredibly sweet. We shared the parable of the lost sheep and it was translated from English to Spanish to sign language. Each person at the school required a little bit of a different approach in order to communicate, but it was obvious that each one of them really enjoyed our being there. We went in with hopes of blessing them, and in return, they blessed us and we were happy to hang out with them for the morning.

Luke & Abi

Don and I went to Choluteca, Honduras Monday and Tuesday for pastor training. Almost thirty pastors and leaders from churches in the surrounding area attended for training in theology, Bible, preaching, leadership, and pastoral ministry. With the help of Domingo, our translator, we taught through the books of Galatians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians. One of the highlights each day was hearing the sermons prepared by the local pastors. They are learning the importance of correctly interpreting the Biblical text, and then preparing sermons based on the text. To me, this has been the highlight of the trip. By working with the local pastors, Because We Care Ministries is ensuring that the communities and churches will be changed long after the mission teams have left. It has been exciting to see the change from last year to this year in the pastors. They are eager to learn, and their knowledge and skill is increasing. Please continue to pray for them. They have a hard life, and their job is not easy. But they are faithful in their calling.

Also, one more prayer request. We have one of our team members who is a little dehydrated today. Please pray for a quick recovery.

Pastor Mike Morris, Cornerstone Community Church

Nica News – Monday, June 3

Hola amigos!!
Today on the mission field, this morning started off a little quieter than usual. Don’s daily wake-up call was not as startling as usual since Amelia and Emma reminded him of the verse Proverbs 27:14 that says "A loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse." 😉

We had to skip out on the radio station this morning as it got struck by lightening yesterday (thank-you, rainy season). Instead, we as a team went to help clean up a ballpark that will soon have a couple thousand people spectating and playing at a tournament for For the Love of the Game Organization.

Afterwards, many of the team members took what little extra time we had to get mini-teaching lessons from the translators.

We packed up bags and headed to Villa Esperanza where a nurse, food, clothing and lots of fun was provided. Most importantly, the Gospel was shared.

Shortly after the message, the rainy season began to bite back again. That didn’t stop the fellowship, though. There was about 150 people congregated under a rain shelter receiving food and having good conversations.

The ride back was interesting as it was spent in a tight community huddled under the tarp of the truck as it poured rain. That’s what we call team building. 🙂

To wrap up for the day, we’re reminded that God is good and that there is always an opportunity before us to display the Gospel, whether by action or by Word. Don’t miss out!

Luke&Abi

Nica News 6/1

One of my favorite sayings, "if it was easy everybody would do it." Well yesterday really played out as one of those VERY difficult days. I had forgotten how life changes here during the rainy season. Just traveling to Somotillo becomes a challenge as we have to pack the bags on top of the bus cover with a tarp and pray they don’t get wet. A lot of our travels yesterday was in the rain so I had thought and planned just how I was going to get all that laundry dried. Thankful that God had a better plan, nothing got wet…..Praise ye the Lord. On our way to the village yesterday afternoon the big truck began to smoke, the smoke got really heavy and then Angel pulled off the road and the big truck DIED. When we examined the motor there was oil every where so I was pretty sure we had blown the motor and was dead on the side of the road. So I put 9 team members in the back of my truck and took them to the safety of Casa De Shelly. When I returned to the scene of our troubles to pick up the rest of the team I found our team sharing the gospel with a group of children and parents. Several prayed to receive Christ and I encouraged them to come to the radio station today and we will give them bibles and I get Pastor Renaldo to continue to work with this group….God had a better plan and oh by the way there was only a plug loose on the engine so the "big Truck" did not die.
Pray for our team today as they seek to serve and be obedient and I travel to Honduras for pastor/leadership training. IHS, Donald and Pammie

Oklahoma Relief

Blessings to all………We are preparing to load a trailer and truck to take supplies to Oklahoma City. We are looking for blankets, clothing, baby items, cleaning supplies and CASH. You can make your donation to BWCM and drop it off at the trucks that will be in the parking lot at First Baptist Church at 9AM Thursday morning. We also are needing men and women to help pack the trucks, come on down. Our plan is to leave sometime on Friday afternoon or as soon as we get the truck and trailer packed. QPrayers and Support Please……IHL, Donald

Help for Oklahoma

Thursday morning, BWCM,Building Integrity,Bedrock Community Church will have a trailer at First Baptist Roanoke to collect items for the people of Oklahoma. We need your help!!!! We will need – cleaning supplies, baby items, clothing and personal hygiene products. Also donations accepted to cover fuel for the trip down and back. At this time we will not be taking water because of the weight. If donations are made we can use some of that money to purchase water once we get to Oklahoma. We have a church in Oklahoma City who will step up and distribute the items. OK church, it’s time to be the church

Nica News 5/09/2013

Nica News May 2013

Our trip began with a simple phrase: Nica or bust.

As we stepped off the plane into the warmth of Nicaragua, Donald and Pam Gillette welcomed us onto the mission field with open arms. Part of our team had been to Nicaragua on prior occasions, but for others it was their first time.

The primary focus of our journey was a continuation of the monthly Pastoral Conference that BWCM hosts in both Nicaragua and Honduras. We had the opportunity to minister to pastors and their wives from the surrounding communities.

The men of the team met with the pastors and walked them through the books of John and Acts, and began lectures on Mentoring and Ethics. In addition, the pastors were able to put into practice what they have been learning as they shared a personally prepared sermon with us each afternoon. The pastors have grown tremendously this past year; their homiletic training has been extremely fruitful as they have learned how to prepare and deliver their sermons. The women of the team met with the pastor’s wives and taught on the role and purpose of women and gave them the opportunity to share with, pray for, and encourage one another, which is something these women don’t often experience in their culture.

In both Nicaragua and Honduras we had the opportunity to travel into the villages and engage remote communities. Though BWCM travels into Honduras monthly for the Pastoral Conference, this was the very first time they were able to engage a Honduran village. We had the privilege of being a part of that team, but we were unsure of what to expect. Despite our worries, the people of Honduras welcomed us into their community.

We visited El Carrizo, San Miguelito, San Antonio , and La Carreta, and engaged the people there with soccer, fingernail painting, coloring pictures, cooking food, dramas, shooting tennis balls, telling bible stories, and we always pointed back to the gospel by sharing the good news of the gift of Jesus Christ with the people. What is unique about the BWCM village ministry is that when someone gets saved, we are able to connect them with the pastor of the church nearest their village so they can be discipled.

We also had the opportunity to visit a special needs school, where we were able to sing songs and color with the children, as well as give them much needed school supplies donated by BWCM supporters, and visit the Principe de Paz radio station and share our stories with the people of Nicaragua over the airwaves.

We’ve decided we are never coming home. J

Nica News

Bittersweet…heavy on the bitter. That is the tone of my heart on a Thursday evening, knowing we will not be visiting any more villages, feeding families, providing medical and playing with the children and most importantly, showing the love of Christ. While the routine is generally the same, the God-moments each day seem endless…and always different. He touches our hearts in so many ways though out the day while engaging in the villages, it’s a struggle to pick one to share in our “God Moment” time at the end of each day.

We have been encouraged, encouraged by the boundaries that have been broken down, the steps taken outside our comfort zones, trusting in Christ for His guidance and direction…and He never fails. First time mission trips, first time sharing the Gospel, first time’s sharing a testimony…on the radio none the less.

We have been humbled, humbled by the knowledge that we are not worthy or able to do anything of worth outside the grace of God. Humbled to know that God showed off this week, and while He certainly doesn’t NEED us to accomplish His will, the fact He allowed us to play a part in His amazing plan to brings us to our knees.

We are thankful, thankful for the obedience of Dr. Donald and Pam Gillette following the path He has laid out for them, despite the endless hurdles and difficulties associated with running a ministry in a third world country. Thankful for the opportunity the Ministry has given the North Americans help us find our “niche” in Gods kingdom and for the encouragement to bring that back to our homes, families and communities.

We have been blessed, blessed beyond any measure we could possibly have given this week.