Final Day of Visitations in Nicaragua

They took four of us to a public hospital this morning after getting an authorization letter. It was one of the most intense experiences of this trip.

A man just outside the hospital doors asked me to share my testimony with him. He prayed to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. He is shown in the photo here, holding a new bible.

Migdalia and Margarita took me first to the Intensive Care Unit. Inside was a man who had tried to kill himself. He looked nearly dead, but he was conscious and able to respond yes to the questions we asked him while leading Him to Christ. We also prayed for a young boy named Cristofer who had very visible abnormalities in his body and nervous system. Before leaving ICU, we joined hands in a circle with the many doctors that were present, and prayed for them and for healing there.

Afterwards, we went into the men's ward. There we led a male patient in his twenties and the woman who was living with him to Christ.

We also went into the women's ward and prayed with some patients and a few of their family members who were very brokenhearted.

Just outside the women's ward there was a woman lying on a metal gurney with a colored towel draped over her. She would writhe in pain from time to time as we stood and ministered to her. After praying to receive salvation in Jesus, she was smiling with joy desite her discomfort.

Later that afternoon we went to the pastor's neighborhood where Migdalia shared my testimony with two young men on the street and led them to Christ.

During the evening church service, local coordinator Sergio came up to me and asked if Paul and I wanted to go on a visitation at that moment. We followed him to the back of the church where we were introduced to a woman who took us to a friend's house to share the gospel. It turned out to be a unique and amazing experience. The woman of the house and the man she was living with had been interested in giving their lives to Christ but told their friend (the church member who brought us) that they wer waiting for the right time. Thankfully God opened her heart that night to respond to the gospel. Just as we were all joining hands to lead her and her tenage daughter in prayer, another family arrived. It looked at first like a distraction from the enemy, but it turned out to be a blessing. the family was visiting Nicaragua from there home in California. The father was bilingual and said he and his family were Baptists. He ultimately helped with translation and gave a wonderful word of spiritual encouragement to the woman after she received Christ. It was amazing to see how God brought together people from different countries and backgrounds and languages who after just meeting each other were instantly cooperating under God's leadership to the same goal of sharing His love in Christ Jesus with that woman.

Paul and I got back to church just in time to share a farewell message with the church congregation at the close of the service. I took the opportunity to tell them what an encouragement they have been to me and what a great job they have done this week. I pointed out specifically an adolescent girl named Rosa Maria who had taken a copy of the witnessing pamphlet with my translated testimony to her house and used it to lead her mother to reconciliation with God in Christ that week. She also had us meet with her brother and a friend after the service and with her help they both were led to Christ also. As we were leaving she mentioned that her father was there to take them home. She had tried to lead him to Christ earlier that week with my testimony, but he had refused. So she, Paul, and I went out to the street and met her dad and she shared Paul's testimony with him, and he was led to Christ.

Fourth Day of Visitations in Nicaragua

Today was perhaps the most blessed day we have had this week. The church sent Paul and I out on four different trips for visitations throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening. Many heard the gospel proclaimed to them, and we gathered decision cards with the names and contact info for 25 of the people we ministered to. Of those 25, one was a rededication of a mother to Christ. The other 24 indicated at the consulsion of our visit with them, following a prayer of confession, repentenace, and faith in Jesus, that today they accepted Christ as their Savior.

It is late and I have to be up early for the final day of visistations tomorrow, so I am going to share only a few brief highlights from today below...

We met with Juan José (32) who had a tumor. He was sick and could hardly speak or get up from the chair. He did manage to indicate that he believed he would go to hell if he were to die tonight. I shared the gospel with him using my own personal testiomony which IC has printed in Spanish on a pamphlet that includes a series of questions, bible versus, and an example prayer. After we prayed over him, the man managed to tell us that his was pain taken away when we were praying over him for God's healing. His eyes were full of tears when he told us that after the prayer. His mother was also there, and she was the one who redicated her life to Christ.

We later drove out to the business where there was a big group of workers. 11 people heard the gospel and 8 indicated that they accepted Christ as their Savior after praying together with us. At the leading of an assistant pastor who was with us, we proceeded to have what was basically a small church service there at that location. Paul gave a brief message on love, while Elena (a local church member) and I translated for him into Spanish. Prior to that we all sang songs of praise to God together with everyone there. We also stood and prayed with a man and his wife who were separated, asking God to bring reconciliation. The woman went back to her seat crying.

In the evening we went out with Duglas and his wife Maria. Duglas is a second director at a Christian Unversity. He took us first to his aunt's house seven were led to Christ. At that house, one of their three daughters was over 8 months pregnant and was going into labor by the time we left.

Third Day of Visitations in Nicaragua

Today, my teammate Paul and I collected the names and contact information from 25 people who responded in faith to the gospel by asking God in the name of Jesus to forgive their sins and to take control of their life.

Just as yesterday, we went out during the morning, afternoon, and evening to visit people in their homes and places of business.

In the morning, we went to the neighborhood of a church member named Margarita where Paul and I went out together again with a few members of the church.

For our second visit, we went across the street to a cantina...at the mother's request we witnessed to a young man there in his twenties. The first question I asked him was whether or not he thought he would go to heaven if he were to die tonight. He responded by saying that he thought so because he had not committed any sins that were too dark ("black"). I explained the biblical view of sin and redemption to him by means of the Evangecube. Having tears in his eyes at one point, he came to put his trust in Christ. I then shared my testimony with a young woman there who might have been his sister, also at the mother's request. She also responded in faith to the gospel.

Paul and I were split up in the afternoon. We each went with two or three church members to separate parts of Margarita's neighborhood. They told us it was a rough part of town.

We counted a total of 14 decisions of faith in Christ that afternoon.

In the eveing, Paul and I regrouped and went to two houses instead of going to the church service. The evening time is the only opportunity for us to reach some of the people that are on the visitation list at our church.

The first house was a family of 5 strong catholics. They had a lot of symbolism in the home, including a flashing decoration with a picture of Mary (who is often referred to simply as "la virgen"). Each of the 5 made a decison to trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Praise God! He has done many mighty things for His glory and His kingdom this week in Nicaragua whike drawing so many unto Himself through this project.

Email from Graciela in Nicaragua

Graciela told me via email, "We have been busy, We are having a great mission,? I hope you guys are having the same positive results.? I am just so sad to see how many lost souls are in this city, specially the youth.? So many people lost in alcohol and drugs.? I will try to write some more tomorrow.? See you soon, g" (Graciela)

Day Two of Visitations in Nicaragua

We had a wonderful day of labor in Christ today. They really put to work and made the most of our time and energy. They paired me with my roomate Paul and took us two with a couple of local church members to visit more homes. We had visitations throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening.

***In the morning time ***

We went with a church member named Carlos, who appears to own the building where he runs a store and his son runs a law ofice. Carlos took us on visitations through the adjacent neigborhood. He led us to various houses in the neighborhood where he introduced us to the people living there and together we shared the gospel with them.

At the first house a Jehovah's Witness lady spoke us. We prayed for her.

Went then went around the corner to a house with an older woman and her daughter, who was the mother of a young girl. Both women prayed to receive Christ, and Paul gave crayons to the little girl before we left.

Walked back to Carlos's property. He took us with two men into the law office there and we shared gospel with them. Both received. One was 60, one 53.

Finally, we walked across the main street there areshared with two young men, one of which had a problem with his hand. Both of those prayed to receive Christ.

*** Afternoon ***

Wealthier young woman across street from Oscar, whose wife is a the church member( They have 2 parrots and German Shepher mixes.) We witnessed to the young woman and her son and daughter. All three prayed together after hearing the gospel. The woman's face was filled with joy afterward and I undertood her saying what a special sensation she felt (or was feeling) at that time.

We went across street and entered some sort of travel agency out of a house where they some kind of a cult worship room. We prayed before and after for God's protection. 5 deciones, 2 women, 3 men at that place.

Met with old widdower whose wife had died four months prior. I tried to invite him to church that evening/week but he was afraid to go out on his own from home.

Walked down to a corner shop in the neighborhood where 3 guys were. The first customer said he wanted to here the message, so we bagan sharing with a total of 3 men. All three made deciones for Christ and prayed with us.

We went to another nice house in Oscar's neighborhood owned by his mother-in-law and spoke with the man is who is renting it. The whole neigborbood was relatively well-off. The man we met there seemed proud and disinterested at first. Eventually he prayed to receive Christ, but still had internal struggles with the concept of salvation by grace through faith. He did, however, consider it a sign when the strong wind came suddenly and shook the house and rain came with it. It occurred immediately after he finished praying to receive Christ. They said it had not rained there in Managua for 2 or 3 months prior to that happeing. It was certainly the first rain I have seen here.

*** Evening ***

Yesterday I was asked if I would share my personal testimony in front of the church at the 6pm service this evening. I wasn't really prepared, but I was willing to. Thankfully I was later asked if I could go out this evening during the service for a few more visitations to reach people that could not be reached during the day. Paul and I glady accepted!

We first shared the gospel this evening with a young couple at house near church where Leonardo lived. We gave a Bible to the young lady who prayed to receive Christ, but the young man seemed unready.

We finally drove to another middle-classneighborhood where we shared with the brother-in-law of a young man named Denis ("DEH-neese") who worked with us this week. The man Franklin that we came to visit seemed very proud and disinterested, but he agreed to hear us and ultimately to pray with us. Still, we left without feeling that a real change of heart had occurred. Denis's older sister (the man's wife) was there. After hus husband left, she spome to us passage from the Bible about how God's Word does not return void. Crayons were given to their son by Paul, and we left a Bible for Franklin.

Paul and I only caught a glimpse of the evening service but I was told by another team member at the hotel this eveing that a sick man that I had prsented the gospel to via the Evangecube the day before had come tonight and went forward at the invitation. That was unexpected because he said he ws having health problems including pain involving his liver that nade it a potential problem for him to come this week.

Praise God for the amazing work he is doing here in Nicaragua. I am so grateful to be a small part of it, and I thank everyone who has been praying for me and for the people that we are reaching this week with the good news of salvation from sins unto eternal life in Jesus Christ!

First Day of Visitations

Today, Monday, was our first day of visitations. We went out in teams from Iglesia Bautista Bethel for various morning and afternoon appointments.

Our first visit was at a hair salon. The person we came to see was not there. I noticed a woman watching us intently from the back room. I asked the folks up front if she was a believer and they weren't sure, so we invited her to speak with us. One man's testimony was shared with her, and she turned out to be someone who was struggking with her faith.

The second mornng stop was at a home where three people prayed for forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ.

This afternoon I stopped on the way back from an unexpectedly long walk to the grocery store at lunch time and approached a man who was sitting at a table outside a restaurant. He looked like he was in need spiritually. Ater introductions, I asked him if he was a Christian and he said yes. I asked him what church and he said Jehovah's Witness. I invited him to the service that night at our church, but I didn't feel that it was likely that he would come. As we were leaving the church service that night a woman I didn't really recognize came up to me and pointed out that the man we had invited to church had come to the service and had come forward during the invitation. I looked and saw him being counseled by another man from our church. It was such a joy to see God working in someone's heart and moving them to respond to the gospel where I didn't even expect anything to happen!

Sunday in Nicaragua

We had a great day today. Larry preached both morning and evening services, and many came forward at the invitation. Two from the U.S. also shared powerful personal testimonies of how God has worked in their lives.

We start visitations tomorrow morning at 9am. Teams will be arranged at 8:30. The church is very orgnanized and led. I feel great about that, and very hopeful about the opportunities that God has for us this week to share the gospel.

Opening Rally in Nicaragua

Things are wonderful here. They held the opening rally today at a seminary in Managua. We each met the church that we will be working with. I and 16 others from the U.S. will be at Iglesia Bautista Bethel here in the capital city. They are a very large church. They have six or seven missions churches that we may be working with. They semed to be very prepared and organized, which is a real blessing!

We have a wonderful man with us named Larry Walker who is the ambassador for FBC Dallas. He goes on one trip each month and he has preached in well over 100 counrtries.

I am rooming with a guy named Paul from San José who also got involved with IC through Jack Flinsbaugh. The moderately warm weather makes it feel like a paradise here in Managua, and the hotel is adorned with beautiful vegetation.

Graciela, who also goes to The Ridge back home, was sent out to another location in Nicaragua after the rally to help translate there.

We have two Sunday services (morning and night) tomorrow. We will be starting the week of visitations on Monday, when we will go out in small teams to share the gospel with people in homes, schools, and businesses. I am excited about it!

Thanks again SO much for your prayers. I had an incident today where I thought my trvel belt with my passport (and money, etc) was gone. It appeared suddenly an unexpectedly. I really thank God for that and for your prayers. Please ask God to be at work in our hearts also, to prepare usfor the work ahead. In connection with that, please ask that I will have/make time to be in the Word this week, as I should be.

Hoping to post updates here from Nicaragua!

This morning I'll be boarding the flight to Nicaragua for the mission trip.

When our pastor Jerry went to Africa, he maintained a blog like this one to keep others informed back home. I really like that idea, and I'm hoping that I'll be able to update this site throughout the coming week, if I have an Internet connection available in the evenings there in Nicaragua. I'll be sending a link to this blog to friends, family, fellow church members, and others who may wish to partner with me through ongoing prayer during this trip.

I am so greatful to the many faithful prayer warriors who will be petitioning to God on our behalf and on behalf of those whom we'll be ministering to throughout this trip. I'll try to communicate daily any specific prayer needs that we may encounter there in Nicaragua.

Also, for those who may be curious about evagelistic missions like this one, I'm hoping this blog will help shine a light on what these projects are are all about, and the amazing ways that God works through them.

Please bookmark this site and stop by again tomorrow or the next day to check for updates. Thanks again to everyone for your support. May God bless you!

Wednesday Night at PIB

Stacy and I have been involved at The Ridge Church for almost three years now. In 2008, The Ridge worked cooperatively with a Spanish-speaking church in town named Primera Iglesia Bautisa (PIB) on kids programs like Vacation Bible School and Halloween, both aimed at reaching-out with the love of Christ to diverse groups within the local community. This past fall, I was invited to attend the weekly Wednesday night services at PIB. I began doing so with the hope of becoming better prepared for serving with the Spanish-speaking churches in Nicaragua during the upcoming trip. The folks at PIB have been so wonderful, and I have been richly blessed through fellowship with them.

The pastor at PIB and his family have been very supportive of this trip. This Wednesday night, Pastor Ramos gave me a large bunde of gospel tracts in Spanish for my trip. That night, I also learned that the congregation had raised an offering on my behalf for the mission trip to Nicaragua. I received a total of $268.13. I was completely overwheled and humbled by their support. I left the church that night drawing closer to God and being strengthened in my faith in view of God's great mercy and provision. I'm planning to use the funds they gave me for the purchase of Spanish bibles through IC, in addition to a few Evangecubes and other tools for sharing the gospel.