The mission started in 1997, in June of 2001, thanks to the Minden, LA congregation we were able to move on a part-time basis with the mission. Then March 1, 2005, thanks to the Garland Street congregation in Plainview and the Highway congregation in Judsonia we were able to commit full time to the mission and church in Nicaragua.  Thanks to all who have made this mission possible.  We have said this many times, we could not do what we do without the blessings of God of your prayers, encouragement and support. You do something, we doing something and God putting it together so that we are able to do what we could not do apart from each other.

Our year continues to move by in Nicaragua with the excitement of opportunities of service, sharing, and challenges.

    Our year continues to move by in Nicaragua with the excitement of opportunities of service, sharing, and challenges.

 We will start with some really good news.  The best part of April is that all Smiles container have been delivered.  It was April but the Smiles still count.  The final count for Smiles 2015 was 13,800 + with extra things we received we are able touch over 15,000 children because of God’s blessings of you.

 March 1^st was a special day around the mission as we had the opportunity to host US Ambassador Dogu for lunch. It was great for our staff to meet and share with her the work of the mission and church in Jinotega.

 

    You that come are important to what we do and March was full with those that came.  Harding Spring Break Group (Our 14^th year to host a Spring Break group from Harding), South Plains-Lubbock, Olive Branch, Texas Tech (Tech’s fourth group for the year, with four more scheduled) and Cathy Latta with Erin Roth were with us. We had a total of 65 guest missionaries in March.

April was a rare month with only having one small group with us from One Child Matters. Part of that group was Jack’s wife Ana and her friend Ana who are both dentists. Jack had with him some folks looking at opening OCM in other parts of Nicaragua.  The two dentists spent five days with Dr. Bismarck, Felipe and Luis working with children in area schools.



Except for the week that the folks from OCM were with us in April, Donna and I were in the states.  We had the opportunity to be in Texarkana with both the Highland and Hampton congregations (both congregations have been working with us for over 12 years).  The Hampton congregation with the congregation in Minden were the first congregations to do Smiles.  While in Texarkana we had the opportunity to share the mission at the Area Lectureship Dinner, that had congregational leaders from a number of congregations in the Texarkana area.  From there I was in Tulsa for the Annual Workshop.  Then I was able to visit with the Pleasant Valley congregation in Van Buren who have become a new partner with us in Nicaragua.  Ended the month visiting with a new congregation in Naples, who are bringing a group next summer, and congregations in Fort Meyers and West Palm Beach Gardens.   Also attended the OSAC/LARC meeting in Miami.  Finally meeting in Orlando and in Ocala with groups that will be coming to Nicaragua this summer.  Not many guests in Nicaragua in April but visited with many in April that are coming this year.

    We had our second and third IPO in Jinotega in March and May.  Each month our location in San Jose Bocay, Ocatal and Waswili prison meet.  Also in March, we restarted working with a location in Chinandega.  Total this year in seven locations we have over 275 students studying God’s Word.

We talk a lot of about many different things happening in Nicaragua. And there are many exciting things that happens daily.  But there is nothing like when we are able to deliver a little hope in hopeless situations.  Like the delivery of a wheelchair to this little girl that cannot walk, notice her feet.  Her dad was having to carry her everywhere she went. In the Smiles container, there were some wheelchairs.  One that fit her. Her name is Blanca.

   The first part of May was a little quieter here but May 15 everything changed with the arrival of our first group of the summer, Texas Tech Nursing School, for two weeks. In those two weeks, they did five days of clinic seeing over 1,000 patients, served the Nursing Home, Casa Materna and the Special School.  They were joined their second week with a group from Texas Tech Honors College making their first trip to Nicaragua.  Their time involved working some with the nursing school and involving themselves in other aspects of the mission, mobile library, Casa Materna, etc.  

May also had the arrival of six interns to work with us this summer:  Jamey Grimsley and Ben Tinsley returning for another summer and Marissa Horne, Meagan Culter, Scarlett Bacon, and Ashton Bussard.

Andrew Baker and Coach Greg Harris were with us in May.  Andrew helped with the orientation of our interns and with Coach Harris, the soccer coach at Harding, was looking at new ways to develop our Global Sports and Youth at Risk Program.  They are looking to bring a 10-year-old baseball team back the first week of August.

May 30 is Mother’s Day and it was exciting to see what the congregations across the north did for their mothers.  One Child Matters had special programs for the mothers.


 

•  In every mission and ministry, there is always times of evaluation and directions.  As we move forward to the future please join us in prayer for God wisdom, direction and focus as we continue sharing Jesus as we serve the people of Nicaragua.
• The Hollands as they continue the adoption process of their son.  He has now been with them for a year.  The Ministry of Family has approved the adoption, but now waiting for the final approval from the judge.
• Thanks for your prayers for Donna, she continues to improves and was recently able to be travel with me.  The first trip she has been able to make with me this year.
• For our summer, it has started and is going to be full challenges and opportunities.

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2. Help us build a latrine. come and help us build one for a family, a congregation, a community or a school.
3. Our Institute for Preparation of Workers continues to expand.  We need $700 is needed to help to continue expand IPO and prepare workers for service to the kingdom.
4. Uplift Nicaragua.   Some of our funding for Uplift has been reduced. For us to continue to have this National Youth Day we need to secure an additional $6,000 to fund the day in 2016.  With the funding secure the 2016 dates has been set July 9 in Leon.  Last year we had over 1,700 in attendance from over 80 congregations.
5. We have the need of $375 a month to continue our garden project as we work with congregations, schools, nursing home and communities.
6. We have been given another soup container to ship in June, the soup is free but to cover the cost of the container and expenses related to the container is $6,100.
7. 35 sponsors are needed for all three locations of One Child Matters sponsored. We are looking at the next two locations being Pantasma and Wiwili.
8. Contact us today to come to your congregation and share the work of the church and mission in Northern Nicaragua.

Contribution to the mission can be sent to Misión para Cristo, c/o Grapevine Church of Christ, 525 N. Park Blvd, Grapevine, TX 76051, or through our website using PayPal… www.misionparacristo.com.
Thank you for your continued support of this Mission for Christ in Nicaragua.  None of this would be possible without God’s blessings of your prayers, encouragement, and financial support.


Because of Him: 
Benny and Donna

 

Misión Para Cristo is under oversight of the Elders and Mission Committee 

                      of the Grapevine Church of Christ, Grapevine, TX 76051