We finish the first quarter of 2011 giving God thanks and praise for His gracious provision He has given the church and the mission in Nicaragua.  And thanking him especially for each of you for all your support and encouragement, it would be possible with God’s blessings and your support.

In March we only had one week with a group but that was the week of Spring Break with 42 University students from ACU, LCU and Harding.  This year marks the ninth year for a group to come from Harding and the fifth year for ACU and the fourth for LCU.  The spirit, attitude, and work ethics of these young people were impressive, a credit to their Lord and to the school they represented.  Their efforts involved them with almost everything the mission is involved in from working in the clinic, Casa Materna, visiting our schools with Bible Adventures and Mobile Library, encouraging the church and working on the house for the family in Pantasma that we have mentioned to you in the last two Newsletters.  Mike continues his amazing work with our groups. During this week the groups went in nine different directions each day.  That takes details.  Mike and Ann are a tremendous blessing to all we do but especially with our groups. 

You can additional pictures of their trip and many other things happening around the mission on our photo website:  http://photos.misionparacristo.com or through the website www.misionparacristo.com and click on galleries.

When the groups returned home, we left Nicaragua for a 10 day trip back to the states that had us in Dallas, Edmond, Tulsa, Searcy, Texarkana and Kilgore. In Edmond I met with Nathan Mellor and Robert Greenlaw to pick up compete Character First material for our schools. Also in Edmond I meet with John Gardner with the Partners for Christian Education, we are thankful for the support we receive for John and PCE.  I was the assistant to John’s dad, Dr. Don Gardner, at Michigan Christian College in 1975.  In Tulsa we had the mission’s display at the Annual Tulsa Workshop.  Donna spoke for ladies class at Highland and Hampton Road (former Rose Hill congregation) in Texarkana. Both congregations have supported the mission in Nicaragua for almost ten years. We also were able to meet with the group that is coming from Hampton Road this summer. The last night of the trip we were at the Chandler Street congregation in Kilgore as they reported on their trip in January, and they are planning another trip in June.  

Returning to Nicaragua with us was J.W. Hamby, our Mission Chairman from Plainview.  His support and encouragement is a blessing for us personally and the mission in Nicaragua, we were so thankful for his coming. My four year old grandson asked me a few months ago what I wanted to be when I grew up, will I have decided, I want to be like J.W. Hamby, a very unique man of God.  He is pictured here with Ericka, the daughter of Erick and Maria who are doing their PAM work here from Baxter.  Ericka has on a dress that J.W. brought that was made by Joan Clevenger in Plainview. J.W had brought a suitcase full of things she had made for the children.

We continue to be overwhelmed with the opportunities we have in our school outreach.  We now have 27 locations with 46 classrooms with over 2,700 students.  Edwin has started the Character First material. We were blessed this month to receive the funding for printing of the Character Material.  We also received the funding for someone to work with Alberto and Edwin in our school outreach, please pray for the right person to be secured.  We have presented a proposal to USAID for possible funding for construction of an additional four classrooms. Please keep that in your prayers.

Janese Davis was able to return this month to continue her work with the Casa Materna.  She returned to the states the end of the month and will return the last of May to be here for the summer.

This month we were presented an opportunity to work with a new International Program called, “Every Child a Computer.”  It is a very interesting program that has been in Nicaragua for two years but not in the Jinotega Region.  Be watching for additional information as we see how this program could fit with our schools.

The List for your prayers and consideration:

    1. Eden Brooks, granddaughter of Ben and Susan Brooks, who continues to battle major health issues in Little Rock, AR. 
    2. Dra Judith Pena, our Medical Director. Please keep her in your prayers as she continues to go through physical therapy.  She still has not  
        been able to return to work.
    3. For the last few months we have mentioned the need of an additional van.  With summer coming, and a group here every week from June
        till the first week of August, that has come to the top of the list.  $18,500 is needed to secure a 15-passenger van.

    4. The Ministry of Education has given Alberto a request for an additional five schools for us to help/support.  $350 a month supports a
         school with 35 to 45 students including a teacher, supplies, food, parasite medicine and vitamins.  $20 supports an individual child, 18
         individual supporters’ covers one school.  We also have the request for the need of construction or the remodeling of schools in a number 
         of schools:  new construction cost $6,500 and the cost of remodeling is $3,000.  

    5. We have the opportunity to open a temporary location for a Casa Materna in Pantasma.  The mayor’s office is providing a location for us 
        to use until we can secure all the funding necessary for a permanent location.  The building needs some remodeling but we can take care 
        of 10 to 12 ladies as they wait to have their babies in a safe location.

    6. CONSTRUCTION TEAMS---could you help by putting together a team of 6 – 10 and come to help with the project with the family in
        Pantasma, the Casa Materna, another school or house that is needed to be built.

    7. We need the funding for two additional containers.  One of the containers has Spanish Literature material, parasite medicine, vitamins, and
         a new baptistery for the church in Jinotega.  We also have confirmed the offer of 40,000 pounds of food (soup mix).  $8,000 is needed
         for each container.

    8. Bible Material:  Ann Faris has developed our material for our schools, with over 2,700 students and over 500 children in the 
        congregations we serve; we need $250 a month to cover the cost of the printing of the Bible material.

    9. Plans are being made to plant three new congregations in 2011:  San Juan, Yali and Naranja.  Contact us today about the support needed
        for these new congregations. $300 a month is needed for each of these new congregations.

Thanks for your continued support and encouragement….please continue to keep us, the mission and the church in Nicaragua in your prayers.

Because of Him:

None of this would be possible without God’s blessings and your partnership… by you doing something, we doing something and God putting it together we can do something we could have not done apart from each other.

I Cor. 12-13/Philippians 1:3-5

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