Moving forward ...

It has been three weeks since we came back. Pastor Eliseo and his congregation keep moving forward.

The foundation is complete, inside dirt leveled as required, and they are ready to start building the main walls. This is very exciting to see.

Please keep praying for the work in Nicaragua.

Day 5

Our week of work is finished. Tonight as I write this I am reflecting back over the week. We have made friends with a group of Christian people who a few weeks ago we never knew we would meet, let alone come to love. They are a people who love God and is very thankful for what has happened here this week. First is the construction of a new church, which has been supported by so many back home. Secondly, is the furthering of God's kingdom through relationships. There is the relationship we have built as a team and with the people here, and there is a cooperative relationship which has been established between the local pastors and their congregations. This has happened through His leading in the construction, the Bible School with the children, and the three nights of the street revival.
They have told us the progress on the church is ahead of their expectations. This, of course, makes us happy. The last night of the street revival found many people who came forward to pray with one of the seven Pastors. We know that one of the young men working with us has accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior this week.
It has been a great week. With our sore muscles and blistered hands we begin our journey home tomorrow. We have felt and experienced your prayers. Please keep praying for the team, an for our new fiends in La Trinidad. We will be home on Saturday, and look forward to sharing our stories, experiences, and pictures with you. God bless you.

Mike

Day 4

"Levantate y Resplandece"were the first words we heard today, telling us to raise and shine. We had a greaqt morning devotional by Mr. Marty, inspiring us to think on what our purpose was to come to Nicaragua. We then headed to the job site, ready and eager to begin the hard work. As soon as we arrived on the job site, we were given the job to dig a seemingly never-ending hole that we nicknamed "The Pit". the pit was a 4x4x4 hole for the column that will be the main support for the building. As we were digging holes, wheel barrowing dirt to its appropriate holes, and packing dirt with the tamper, our teammates were boarding re-bar, making cement, and shoveling dirt. After a lunch of Beanie Weenie and Vienna Sausages, we were ready to finish digging "The Pit", and we began getting ready for VBS. Bible school was interesting because we got to know and play games with the 60 children that attended. After finishing up Bible School, on our way to our hotel, we took a detour to downtown Esteli in search for disposable cameras and double A batteries. It was a unique detour. We saw all different kinds of driving, going the wrong way in a one way street, U-turns in the middle of the road, and passing cars at stop signs to take a left or right. Once back at the Hotel, we ate a delicious supper of steak, chicken, and shrimp, then headed off to experience a different type of excitement, that night's street revival. Pastor Luis delivered a very inspiring message. With reverend Jimmy interpreting, made all thye more exciting with passing of cars and people on the street we were on. After the service we shook hands and said good bye to every one, then headed back to the hotel for a refreshing night of sleep, before heading on for the last day's work.
Matthew 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Samuel Canty & Zac Hannaford

Day 3

Today is Tuesday, and once again the roosters did not over sleep. It was a drizzly, breezy, cool morning, that turned into another gorgeous Lords day.

We know the eggs for breakfast were fresh as we saw them being delivered to the hotel. Breakfast as usual was delicious. Walter started our day with a mountain top devotion.
We are literally inn a mountain range, and all of God's creation is evident. We left then for the construction site.

It was already a bee hive of activity. Talk about doing work the hard way! Sand was poured in the center of the street, mixed with rocks, formed into a dome. A volcano was made, water added and mixed there; put in 5 gal. buckets, and carried to various forms. The Lord sure knew what He was doing when He gave men strong backs and arms.


In spite of the language barrier, there is a universal knowledge of what to do next. Talk about teamwork!! The comraderie of Christian service to build this church is present, and the Holy Spirit is definitely the bond carpenter.

Our cuisine of beenie weenies, pjb sandwiches, chips and cookies will once again be our lunch. It is really good Manna from the Lord.

Mondays VBS had about 35-40 children, not including Mamas. Tuesday there was about 40.

After a hard day's work, the team returned to Esteli, ate supper and prepared for the Street Revival. Pastor Luis will preach tonight.


Carolyn & Debra

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Day 2

Monday is the first day of “on site” construction and Bible School. The construction can best be described as CLOSE QUARTERS! When the old time song about the low cost of a place in Managua, Nicaragua, was written, the author hadn't anticipated the current price of real estate. Our host congregation is a small, warm, hospitable, and growing band of fervent believers. As we understand, only about ten members of the congregation have regular (perhaps full-time) employment. Even so they are so committed that they borrowed money to purchase an expensive (relatively speaking) lot and have a small building for their services. Close quarters describes the working space, the lot lines, and the need to mix concrete at curbside in the street. We were quite pleased to see the preparation of the construction site prior to our arrival this morning. Fourteen reasonably deep footers (approximately three feet down into volcanic rock) about three feet square awaited our finishing touches, then our assisting the local workmen to place square re-bar. Concurrently others were assigned to assemble re-bar columns about twenty feet long – four of which were erected and concreted in by end of work. All the grade stakes and boards to hold the elevation strings had been placed. We are blessed to feel that our time and manual work are not only appreciated by efficiently utilized.


In the afternoon, a lively Bible School was held just a bit down the street in a school location. Our team led enthusiastic children in games and Bible stories. Rev. Jimmy Cantey was a boon in making certain that “the heavenly language” of Spanish (as Pastor Luis Chavarria describes it!) was amply and effectively used to tel the stories.

Weather wise we couldn't ask for anything better. To describe it as perfect would not be an exaggeration! A light jacket felt good this morning and then again this evening for the street revival. The host pastor semi-apologized for how cold it was, but that is clearly a relative descriptor. Most of us were comfortable enough in our short-sleeved polo shirts although a jacket was welcome.

Pastor Luis has facilitated the arrangements and bridged the needs of the congregation to the expectations of our mission team splendidly. There has been virtually no wasted time because of anything overlooked. For that we are blessed.


The street revival was held along a section of a street which hadn't been closed off. It was a new experience to have a couple cars drive through during the message. The pastor is a believer from Mexico City who risked family ridicule and rejection by accepting Christ and leaving the Roman Catholic church. His message (in Spanish) was interpreted, at least to those sitting close enough to hear, by Rev. Jimmy Cantey. This gave some of us the drift of the gospel message tonight.

One more thing: Mike Hannaford asked that we pass along to those family members of the mission team that his wife, Becky, has the telephone contact information for you in case you need to make a call to one of us in Esteli. Some of us are working on the Spanish pronunciation which is close to “ace-tell-EE” with the emphasis on the third syllable.

Day 1

Early Saturday morning we set out for Nicaragua from Texas and Tennessee, meeting up in Atlanta where Pastor Luis and Dave Hewson joined us. Other group members are Mike and Zac Hannaford, Debra Utley, Walter Smith, Kevin Bankston, Marty Marshall (all from Jackson), Jim Glenn, Barry Reed, and Sam and Carolyn Hunley from Humboldt, Tom Orr from Brownsville, and Jimmy and Samuel Cantey from Longview, Texas.

After traveling all day Saturday we arrived at Esteli, Nicaragua about 1 am. Sunday. One unusual aspect of our trip was that of the 150 people on our airplane, probably 140 were from various churches and mission groups. In addition, two more planes arrived carrying mostly North Americans. It was impressive to think that many Christians were fanning out over the country for medical, building, and teaching ministries.

We woke up tired but excited Sunday morning. After a good breakfast we drove to the nearby town of La Trinidad. There we worshiped in the morning at the church where we will be working this week. Sunday evening we worshiped at another church, also in La Trinidad.
On Sunday afternoon we had a bountiful lunch around three and some folks found time for a nap.

The weather in Etali has been pleasant and since it is the dry season we won't have to worry about rain.

Jimmy Cantey

After traveling all day Saturday we arrived at Etali, Nicaragua about 1 am. Sunday. One unusual aspect of our trip was that of the 150 people on our airplane