Musuwas, Nicaragua Update and Prayer Needs

March 2006 a group of volunteers from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Georgia, visited Musuwas, Nicaragua to hold a medical clinic in a school. A young Mayangnan man, Canicio T., was a resident of that village and heard the volunteers share their love for the Lord and how He wanted to have a personal relationship with all people. Because of this witnessing, Canicio and his family became followers of Jesus Christ.

After Canicio was educated to become a schoolteacher, he returned to his village. A small house church had formed in Musuwas and Canicio was asked to be the pastor. Putting all reservations aside, Canicio accepted the challenge and he has faithfully served as pastor for the past several years. The church has grown and now reaches out to other villages in the region.

In 2007, Burnt Hickory built a shelter where the young congregation could worship and grow. One year later, some members of BHBC hiked into Musuwas to explore opportunities and needs for this new ministry. They found a strong group of believers when they arrived. Praise God for His protection over this church and the reaping He continues to bless.

The church wants to grow as disciples of the Lord and they want to reach out to the people in other villages in their region. Already they have helped form small groups of believers in four other villages.

• Pray for the Mayangna people and the work in progress.
  
• Pray that the Gospel will spread in these villages where BHBC is at work and that the new believers will stand firm – even when persecution rises.
  
• There is nothing more important you can do for the entire region of Middle America and the Caribbean then to pray fervently and consistently that God's kingdom grows and prospers.

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Nicaragua Medical Mission Team Perseveres Despite Challenges

A hurricane endangered the trip and the Nicaraguan custom officials detained the team. There were long days of travel on rough muddy roads, chiggers bit their sore bodies, they slept on hard cots, and they endured hot days and damp nights. Still, the 25-member team from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church would not have their spirits dampened - even when the bus was stuck for two hours in the middle of the night. The team continued in faith, knowing that the Lord was there and at work. God had called each one to Alamikamba, Nicaragua to work with national pastors and translators, and they would not allow anything to deter their journey.

The team's reflection:

"The small medical clinic in Alamikamba is visited every day by people from the village and surrounding region seeking comfort and relief. Geraldo, the young Cuban doctor who works there, tries to help but seldom has the medications or equipment he needs to provide even basic health care. Fuel for the small generator is lacking so they seldom have adequate lighting. People with serious conditions are transported over rough roads to somewhat better clinics - or a day's drive to a hospital in Managua. Some people return home to spend their last days like the elderly woman with an abdominal tumor and the newborn with cleft pallet and twisted bowel.

Members of the medical team were God-called and church-commissioned to go and offer hope to the people of Alamikamban by proclaiming the Good News in both word and deed. With loving care in the medical clinic, women and children were touched and given relief from the symptoms of poor nutrition and an unhealthy environment. Pharmacy gave much needed medicines for pain relief, infant and maternal needs, and infections. Many men and women were individually fitted with eyeglasses that improve their lives and protect eyes from the harsh sunrays. Dental care gave relief from chronic tooth infections and pains. The team gave compassion and love freely in Jesus' name.

Men, women and children received spiritual care in the clinic. National pastors spoke with each adult and teen, offering God's Word and plan for their lives. The Jesus Film was shown and the team offered testimonies and songs to the crowd."

Alamikamba (the center of commerce and government for its region), is a moderately sized village with a blending of people of native Mayangna and Miskito, as well as Spanish decent. People and livestock mix along muddy roads and small home lots. The road ends at the Prinzapolka River. The river ties together the villages of the region.

Many of the nationals have very limited access to the Good News of Jesus Christ. People from at least 13 different villages in this region came for health care. Some traveled for two days. They went home knowing that someone cared enough to come a long way to heal their bodies, and to share with them about the gift of life.

The medical clinic treated 679, the optical clinic treated 237 and the dental clinic treated 170 patients. In response to the Good News, 28 accepted Jesus and 132 requested Bible study.

After an exhausting but exhilarating trip, the team returned to America celebrating what the Lord had done, and with the knowledge that each one touched many lives for Jesus.

Contact us and we will explain the process of traveling overseas to work for Jesus in many capacities. There are so many options to use your talents and love for the Lord, just like the team from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church, Powder Springs, Ga!