We must do the same

Hultner Estrada

There are times when we have no strength to pray for ourselves. Perhaps for this reason St. Paul advises christians saying, "Carry each other's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).

Last week we received a team of missionaries coming exclusively to pray for us and for church leaders connected with different programs of the Nehemiah Center.

This team made a pilgrimage to five cities, traveling near 300 miles, visiting twenty churches and ministries in different communities of the pacific and northern area of Nicaragua. Their tour had a significant impact on many hearts. Here we share some testimonies:

"When they said they came to pray, I felt a little strange, this is the first time we got a group coming especially to pray. Their visit has impacted us greatly." (Porfirio Maldonado, Pastor in Chinandega City).

"All the families at El Manantial community have been through times of great concern because this year the rain was not very good and we lost many crops. These brothers came to give us spiritual strength, they prayed for our plots and our children. We are very grateful”. (Gilberto Lopez, community promoter in Carazo City)

 

"The visit of these friends was very comforting for us as a 

pastoral family. Their visit taught us that we must do the same for other families." (Obed Anton, Pastor in Leon City)

"They came just when I most needed because lately I have had to deal with the loss of an aunt and a girl who was like a daughter to me. I testified to my congregation how good it feels others to pray for one and how important it is to visit other families to give an encouraging word”. (Agustina Gutierrez, Pastor in Estelí).

"Several fellow ministers know that I and my family have been struggling with health, but they have not had the time to come to our house to pray for us, but these brothers came from afar to intercede for our family. In addition, they have a model prayer that we liked and we want to implement in our congregation”. (Maria Elena Garmendia, Pastor in Estelí)

Nehemiah Center thanks John Algera, Stafford Miller, Henry Swinkels, Henrietta Swinkels and Alma Hernandez. Their time and willingness to help us bear our burdens is a reminder of those words of Jesus Christ: "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:37)

Meet Emily

Hultner Estrada

Bethany Beachum

All that some young people need to flourish is just a little time dedicated to them from adults.  The story of Emily proves this.

Emily comes from a family of scarce resources and a home broken by the separation of her parents.  As if this weren’t enough, school has not been a satisfactory place for her either.  There she earned the reputation of being a poor student for her below-average grades and her difficulties with learning.

Fortunately, the love of Jesus has reached Emily.  Her youthful smile and hope for a better future have been returning to her since she joined a particular Bible study group.  Beyond just finding spiritual support in the group, she has also found help in facing one of her school nightmares – math class.

“After we talked about the importance of good grades as an expression of our Christian life as it is a means for future prosperity, this girl decided that it was time for a change,” explains Scott McEwan, who, along with his wife Bethany, leads this Bible study group with young girls who come from difficult family situations.  Scott is also a civil engineer and Bethany a teacher by profession.  Both decided to support Emily with her math homework.

“During the week of vacation, Emily arrived to our house each night, walking several kilometers, to study mathematics,” explains Scott, “On one occasion, she even arrived under a downpour,” he adds.

This young girl of 14 years has not only learned to master numbers, but her self-esteem has also improved by realizing that she is capable of solving complex math problems and what’s more, that she likes to do it.  “Emily is now quicker at solving math problems than either I or my wife,” shares Scott.

Recently, Emily fulfilled another of her longings which was to be baptized.  Pictured: Emily after her baptism.  Accompanying her is Pastor Rider Reyes and Scott McEwan

“We pray that the enthusiasm of this girl stays strong and extends itself to her other school subjects as well,” says Scott.  “We also pray that the members of her family wouldn’t discourage her.  This is a cultural problem in Nicarauga.  If someone does something well, it will be praised a little bit.  But if they mess up in something, they are heavily criticized,” he observes.

The Nehemiah Center wants to give thinks to the Lord for the life of Scott and Bethany McEwan and for their passion for serving youth and families that live in difficult contexts.  During the 12 months that they have been serving as volunteer missionaries in our country, they have shared their talents and resources, supporting the work of different programs of the Nehemiah Center and the safe house, Casa Esperanza.

Learn more about the ministry of Scott and Bethany McEwan.  Follow this link: http://mcewanministry.wordpress.com/

Health and Ministry

Hultner Estrada
Bethany McEwan

“As a pastor, it’s not easy to stay in shape,” says Ricardo Herrera. “Many of my fellow pastors suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity.”

Ricardo has served as a pastor for more than 30 years, and he knows firsthand the difficulties of trying to balance ministry and a healthy lifestyle. In describing the life of a pastor, he shares, “we have to go to events with lots of food, we often eat at irregular times, we use cars or motorcycles for all our transportation, we never exercise, and we don’t even discuss healthy living among ourselves!”

Ricardo’s lifestyle doesn’t just affect him; it also affects his wife Olga. “I went to a seminar, and I got on the scale. When I saw that I weighed nearly 200 pounds, it really bothered me,” she explains.

But something is changing in the lives of Ricardo and Olga. Between the two of them, they have lost more than 35 pounds in the last four months. “I feel that my health really is changing for the better. I feel happier and healthier,” Olga says joyfully. Her husband shares that now he talks about healthy living with his colleagues and the members of his church. “Before, I felt ashamed to talk about taking care of one’s body because I was overweight, but now, when people notice that I’ve lost more than 20 pounds, I take the opportunity to explain to them what I’m doing.”

In April of this year, Ricardo and his wife attended the workshop “Integral Health and Nutrition.” In this special training session for pastoral couples in Leon, the Nehemiah Center shared the “Seven Pillars of Health” by author Dr. Don Colbert.

Dr. Colbert emphasizes seven basic practices to stay healthy mentally, emotionally, and physically:

1. Drinking enough water
2. Resting and sleeping enough
3. Eating raw foods
4. Exericising
5. Detoxifying the body
6. Paying attention to stress levels
7. Using vitamins and supplements

Learn more about the Seven Pillars of Health. The PDF and PowerPoint are available in spanish here.

“Now in the house we are more careful with what we eat. We have gotten rid of soft drinks, we eat more fruits and vegetables, and we’ve eliminated greasy foods,” says Olga.

“I learned that I am responsible to keep myself healthy, and I like that the pastors learned that our health is as important as our theology. God wants us to be healthy,” Ricardo concludes.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you

and that you may be in good health,

as it goes well with your soul.

John the Apostle (3 John 2)

Surprising Questions

Hultner Estrada
Bethany McEwan

If you had the opportunity to ask God just one question about something that still doesn’t make sense to you, what would you ask him?

“This is the question that we are going to take to the streets,” said the facilitator. “We are going to leave this church building and everyone is going to find and interview one person in the central park.”

At first the participants of the course The Scandal of God*, seemed nervous and unsure about the idea of going out on the streets to talk to non-Christians, but after the interviews in the park, their attitudes were very different. They came back excited; smiling, and talking about the different questions they had heard:

• How can I get a divorce from my church-sanctioned marriage?
• Why did my mother abandon me, my father mistreat me, and why do my siblings not love me?
• Why would God send me to this world?
• When will I find the light that will guide me to Him?
• Why won’t God let me forget the person that I’m in love with?
• Why has God given so much power to Satan?

The workshop participants were surprised at the questions and the discoveries that they made through them. They realized that society does have an enormous thirst for knowledge about human relations. More importantly, the people outside the church really do want to know God, and they will easily and frankly talk about spiritual subjects if they are asked the right question. 

“Imagine the great door that would open for us if instead of going out to preach, we went out to question,” remarked another facilitator.

This exercise reminded me of the story of the “Road to Emmaus” in Luke 24 that clearly shows the method Jesus used to reach the heart of people. He first asked questions and listened attentively, and only then did he respectfully communicate the truth of the gospel.

Do we follow Jesus’s model when we share our faith, or do we do the exact opposite? What are the questions that those outside the church need us Christians to ask? Are we listening carefully to their doubts and concerns? What would happen in our communities if we went out to question instead of to preach? Who knows what we might discover if we only tried a new strategy.

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

Luke 24:17 and 27 (NIV)

* The Scandal of God is a course in the curriculum series Mission for Transformation that the Nehemiah Center program for youth development teaches. Its goal is to equip the church to serve at-risk youth and their families. 

September 23th

Hultner Estrada

Bethany Beachum

“Young men for rent. Will do dangerous jobs.”  “Women for rent for night activities.”  “Young girls for rent for whatever you choose.”

Does this “menu” surprise you?

Behind these offers operates a well-structured, clandestine network  which abducts human beings and then sells them as premium products, goods, or objects.

The trafficking of persons is one of the worst violations of human rights.  It is referred to as the slavery of our modern era.

But there remains much to be explained: Who is behind this business?  What kind of industry would demand such kind of “goods”?  Why has this form of trade been able to evade border and state controls?  What is the logic or social philosophy that supports this degrading commerce?  And why is Nicaragua considered the top country in Central America to be a “provider of slaves?” 

The 23rd of September is commemorated as the International Day of Human Trafficking precisely to talk about these issues, to inform, and to prevent the population from this threat.  The day was established by the Conference against Human Trafficking in Dhaka, Bangladesh in January of 1999.

This week, 13 participating churches in the project Combating Human Trafficking, promoted by the Nehemiah Center, are holding informative and preventative workshops in schools, parks, churches, and the streets of León and Chinandega.  The idea is to alert and empower the population but also to demonstrate to the Christian community that, as the church, there are many things we can do to offset this crime.

On our part, we want to ask you to join in the prayer chain that these churches are promoting, asking God that justice may shine, that he would train us in his wisdom to fight against this crime effectively, and that, above all, his love would comfort and defend the victims.

A digital version of an informative poster is available here for you to print, hang in your office, and/or share with others (Spanish).

Pictured: The three volunteer promoters that work with the Nehemiah Center in  the project Combating Human trafficking in Nicaragua (Claudia Balmaceda, María Luisa Martínez and Ligia Rivera).

Taking the mask off

Luz Urania Largaespada with Kathy Most

Some confessions may take us by surprise. We asked pastor Evenor Maltez how the trainings for pastoral couples had helped him to improve his life over the last year, and this was his response:

"When you're a pastor, sometimes you put on a mask to pretend that everything is okay. Participating in the training as a couple, has helped us take off that mask and become aware of our need to learn. "

Although Evenor and Lolita have been Christians for long time, they began their ministry at Tabernacle Family Church in Estelí six years ago, and decided that the ministry in the community would have an emphasis on the family, but often felt that they had to wear a mask so that others did not perceive their relationship problems.

As a result of their involvement in the training for the network of pastoral couples that the Nehemiah Center promotes, they have realized that they do not need to wear a mask to cover the conflicts.   They can talk about them in an environment specially designed to promote dialogue, discover each of their responsibilities and find ways to solve them, along with other colleagues who also have similar problems.

"In an open environment for learning where you feel relaxed and safe, it is easier to talk, it's easy to see we're not the only ones who have these problems and that we have the ability to change," says Lolita, who also says they want to learn how to use the dialogue methodology to help other couples.

Nehemiah Center's goal is about promoting a network of pastoral couples to facilitate the comprehensive transformation of families.   This transformation is achieved when couples become close, develop transparency, and assist each other in their growth. The network is a place for couples, with the mediation of a marriage mentor,  designed to facilitate dialogue on critical issues, in a friendly setting that allows them to build confidence.

Now Evenor and Lolita take time once a week (every Monday), to discuss the difficulties and challenges they face as a family, they work on a family budget that is helping them to achieve financial peace, and have included their children in making new decisions. "Communication has improved a lot," say both.

Every couple faces conflicts, both large and small. The challenge of every marriage is to build in the right amount of time, in the most appropriate setting, to talk about their differences in a spirit of humility and love.

Do two walk together

unless they have agreed to do so?

Amos 3:3

A Story with Flavor

Hultner Estrada with Bethany Beachum

Grab your favorite fruit and put it on Lesbia’s hands and she will make a delicious jelly. Papaya, guava, melon, pineapple – it doesn’t matter what kind of fruit it is.  The imagination is the limit for this woman, known for her extraordinary palate and her gift for teaching.

Trained in chemistry and specialized in fruit and vegetable preserves, Lesbia Cárcamo has worked for several different organizations training other women in western Nicaragua so that they can make the most of the plants on their land.

Nevertheless, with all of the knowledge and training she has, Lesbia has still not been able to overcome many of her own personal limitations.  “It wasn’t until just recently that I asked myself, ‘How is it that I have not been able to escape from poverty?  Why haven’t I started my own business?’” she shares with us.

“I had received all kinds of trainings, from those related to my career to other courses on topics such as health and women’s issues.  I taught others to work hard and improve their lives, but I myself was not practicing what I preached.  My family was in total poverty, subsisting on what I made from the workshops I was giving.”

Lesbia explains that what she had was a worldview problem.  She was getting in the way of herself and her ability to move ahead in life.  “I couldn’t defeat the negativity I had nor had I improved my own self-esteem.  I lived with the mentality that I was always going to be poor.  I wouldn’t consider opening my own business because I was sure that it would go badly”, she thinks aloud.

But one day, Lesbia came upon a realization, “Whenever I hear teachings on Biblical worldview and I read that God lifts us out of the misery of poverty, I am encouraged to empower myself spiritually by reading the Bible.  As I read, I am more and more amazed by it and grow in my belief in it,” she emphasizes.

“I always thought that the Bible was full of good stories – but stories from the past, from other times that didn’t apply to the reality that we are living today.  But when this blindfold was removed from my eyes, I realized that those good things that happened in the past were also possible in the present.”

The change in perspective and the faith she recovered in those workshops restored Lesbia’s optimism to write a business plan and design a budget.  “I began to knock on doors, here, there, at the town hall and other places.  And yes, some doors were closed, but I knew that God was with me and that another, better door was going to open,” she expresses with enthusiasm.

Today, Preservas Cárcamo is Lesbia and her family’s company’s name.  They have been able to convert a room in their house into a workshop with basic equipment for creating and jarring the delicious jams that she learned to make 20 years ago.

Lesbia is thankful to her pastor, Francisca Rayo, to the fellowship of the other women entrepreneurs who are known as the “Deborah League,” and to the Nehemiah Center, for making it possible to give the trainings on “Kingdom Businesses” in her community.