None of this would be possible without God’s blessings and your partnership… by you doing something, we do something and God putting it together we can do something we could not do apart from each other… I Cor. 12-13/Philippians 1:3-5

It would not be right to start this newsletter without acknowledging the arrival of our first North American/Nicaraguan to our family here.  On September 19, Tommy and Becky Brown welcomed to their family Lucas Brown (sorry, I do not have the details of his size).  The 19^th marked two years the Browns have been in Nicaragua.

October 27 marked the 16^th Anniversary of opening the Medical Clinic in Nicaragua.  16 years has seen many blessings, challenges, disappointments, defeats and victories.  As we look to year 17 we ask for your continued prayers, support and encouragement as we allow God to lead us into the future and to continue our goal of “Sharing Jesus as We Serve People.”  These 16 years would not have been possible without God’s blessings and your support.

One Child Matters.  Be in touch with us today on how you can make a difference in the life of one child at time.  Also contact us if you would be willing to share One Child Matters at your congregation.  Packets are available, contact us today. All projects are based on the growth of Jesus as written in Luke 2:52:  “He grew in wisdom and stature, in the favor of God and man.”
 
Smiles pick-ups were the order of business the end of September and the first of October.  At last count we have over 10,000 Smiles. The first container loaded the 22^nd of October the second will be loaded the first week of November.  Look for complete details of “Smiles-2013” in December Newsletter.

We had a group travel on the river both in September and October.  We are waiting on the completion of our first boat for the river (this was made possible by CRF). They say it is finished, it just needs to bring down the mountain from where it was made.  Yes, it is a dug out big tree. The congregation in Mulberry, AR has purchased motors to send to Nicaragua for this boat and one to be built next year. The trips were to encourage the church, food distribution, IPO in two location, H4L took water filters and medical care. The trips on the Rio Coco were made possible this year by the Harvest Sunday contribution of the Saturn Road congregation in Garland, Tx and the medicine for the October trip was medicine left from the medical team from Sylan Hills in August.

All six of our locations of Institute for Preparation of Workers met in September and October: Chinedega, Rio Coco (San Andres and La Esperansa), Ocotat, Waslili prison and Jinotega.  Presently we have over 200 students in these locations.  Keep them in your prayers as they learn today to teach tomorrow.




RECLAIM MINISTRY DAY: Presently we have 12 ladies learning in Reclaim.  Each week they come a learn more about how to sew and how to reclaim used clothes for new purposes.  In doing so they are able to receive some resources to help their families.  But the main purpose of Reclaim is to help people, especially women, learn they can reclaim their lives.  In April, Demra Robbins took the reclaim idea and put together a Reclaim Ministry Day at the Grapevine congregation with around 100 ladies present.  In August we contacted Demra about bringing the Reclaim Ministry Day to Nicaragua.  In October she and three other ladies came and shared, prayed, and played with our ladies here.  It was a Friday afternoon and Saturday event with over 75 in attendance.  The response of our ladies was overwhelming.
Thanks to your support, each year we help, in a small way with a preachers/wives conference on September 15 (this year is was on the 14^th) in Managua.  Also this year we were able to help a little with the XXIX Encuentro Liberoamericano para Lideres y Obreros.  This is an annual conference in the Western Hemisphere, next year it will be in Monterrey, Mexico.  At the conference this year I was able to meet Armando Mejia who was one of the missionaries from El Salvador who came to Nicaragua in the 60’s and started the first congregations in Leon.

Dr. Perry Kocher and his wife Zivia returned to Nicaragua in October for three weeks to continue the expansion of our dental outreach, especially to the children in our school and the new One Child Matters project.
 
 
THE LIST:

• Contact us if there is an opportunity to come your way.  Can you help us find 25 new partners for the mission and church in Nicaragua? Please share this Mission for Christ with someone. And please keep our travels in your prayers.
•    This month we received these memorials: in memory of Verneice Hood (mother of Dennis Hood), Mary Wyatt (grandmother of Russ Wade), Bill Seibert (Father of Keith Seibert), and Rex Boyd (Husband of Betty Boyd).      
• We continue to need funding for the expansion of the Institute of Preparation of Workers. We need an additional $800 a month to fully fund all six of locations of IPO.
• Hope4Life needs your help to put water filters in homes and all of the schools and congregations we work directly with. The cost of each filter is $50.
• Please keep Jonathan and Sheila in your prayers as they continue the process of residency and trying to adopt a child in Nicaragua.
• We continue to need glasses for Sight for Sore Eyes.  Maybe you could share Nicaragua with someone who is a member of your local Lions Club. We received some last month from the Lions Club in Corinth, MS.
• Can you help with the funding for a container of soup?  We have one arriving in November and would like to secure one container in January 2014.
• Please continue to keep in your prayers the development of the partnership with One Child Matters and the possibilities of three additional locations immediately.
• Three years ago many of you helped us secure toothbrushes. We need your help again to secure 25,000 toothbrushes for Teethsavers.
• "Children of the Rio Coco" – Jonathan is developing a 2014 sequel, he says of a sort, to the 2013 "Children of Jinotega" calendar he did last year. He is asking for a donation of $15 to $20 for each calendar. If you would like to get a 2014 Calendar contact Jonathan, bikercoach@gmail.com and place your order now. They make great Christmas gifts.
• You can make donations through our website using Pay-Pal or by mailing your support to Misión Para Cristo, Grapevine Church of Christ, and 525 N Park Blvd, Grapevine, TX 76051

Thanks for your continued support and encouragement for efforts for Him in Nicaragua.
 

Because of Him:  Benny and Donna Baker
 

The September/October Newsletter is loaded with more pictures and information on all the things going on around the Mission. Please download the PDF version to see more pictures and read about all that is being done.